Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Holocene palaeoceanographic evolution of the Iskenderun bay, South-Eastern Turkey, as a response to river mouth diversions and human impact

A quantitative study of benthic foraminifera, sediment texture and composition from two cores was performed to unravel the environmental evolution of the Iskenderun Bay (eastern Turkey) in the Holocene. Core 29 (NE Iskenderun Bay) consists of clay and silt from the top of the core down to 35 cm with dominant bioclasts (coral Cladocora caespitosa) from 35 cm down to the bottom of the core. Core 92, located near an ancient Ceyhan River mouth (Yumurtalik), consists of sandy and silty sediment passing to homogeneous clay and silt at about 48 cm from the top. Several grab samples show very coarse biogenic detritus covered by a centimetric veneer of sandy silt and clay. Radiocarbon dating of corals, molluscs and algae from core 29 and five selected grab samples, the sediment and foraminiferal study indicate that at least three pulses of muddy sedimentation occurred in the bay. (1) An older pulse (about 3700 yrs BP) related to the large-scale forest clearing (Beysheir Occupation Phase). (2) Another pulse coincides with a major delta progradation of the Ceyhan River at about 2140 years BP. (3) A younger pulse follows the diversion of the Ceyhan River mouth toward Yumurtalik, from the Middle Age to 1935. Species interpreted as tolerant of low salinity indicate that the influence of the Ceyhan was minor when the river drained directly into the Mediterranean Sea (approximately 2000 years BP) and progressively increased when the river diverted towards Yumurtalik.
Generating an automated approach to optimize effective leaf area index by Canadian boreal forest species using airborne LiDAR.

Obtaining forest structure data to compute leaf area index (LAI) can be a challenge in remote areas like the Canadian boreal forest. Light ranging and detection (LiDAR) data provides a 3-dimensional view of the forest that can be calibrated with minimal field data requirements relative to other remote sensing data. Our objective is to develop an automated method for combining a limited amount of field data with LiDAR to generate estimates of LAI. To accomplish this we used geographic information system (GIS) tools to expand upon a physically-based gap fraction model by incorporating a process for optimizing extinction coefficient by forest species. In this paper we demonstrate a simple, efficient method for optimizing remote sensing-based estimates of canopy attributes from limited field data. We were able to reduce the RMSE in modelled effective leaf area index by an average of 0.48 across all species. Combining such simple model optimisation approaches with other automated LiDAR-based canopy attribute extraction procedures shows promise as we move towards ever greater levels of LiDAR forestry operationalisation.
Automatic enforcement of location aware user based network access control policies

Multiple interconnected network segments distributed across various locations, such as corporate networks, where users or employees constantly travel among segments and require to access servers, need to have network access control mechanisms that are able to adapt to these location changes. The idea of a firewall changing or adapting its rules depending on the location of users is presented by an architecture in this paper. This architecture proposes deployment of a policy server at the management level and policy agents at the firewall level, so that policy-driven network security management is enabled by specifying location aware user based network access control policies at the network security management and enforcing them at the managed firewalls. The architecture presented in this paper utilizes user VPN connection event triggers for dynamic policy configuration and automated policy deployment to firewalls. Location aware user based network access control policies, which are management level policies, are implemented using XACML. A network level policy is usually a configuration, or policy, file local to the firewall. The policy agent incorporated into the firewall performs the mapping from management level policy to firewall policy.
VISUALISATION OF BIOMECHANICAL STRESS QUANTITIES WITHIN CAD ENVIRONMENTS

The demographic development in many industrialised societies and markets with a growing power of the customers augments the importance of user-centred design approaches. In this regard it is crucial for design engineers to understand how the use of a product is affecting the prospective user physically and emotionally. In this contribution an attempt is made to quantify physical effects on the human body during the interaction with technical systems. We present an approach to visualise biomechanical stress quantities obtained from simulations with musculoskeletal human models within CAD engineering environments. The objective is to enable designers to intuitively estimate how their solutions will influence the physical state of the user. The topic is relevant for the design of technical artefacts that are characterised by a close interaction with people. This comprises ergonomic questions in product design but also the planning of manufacturing processes as well as the development of medical devices for training and rehabilitation.
Do Local Production, Organic Certification, Nutritional Claims, and Product Branding Pay in Consumer Food Choices?

This research furthers the assessment of consumer demand for locally produced foods, while also considering a host of other food attributes that may interact to influence consumer utility. Using stated preference data from a choice-based conjoint analysis survey instrument, we estimate willingness-to-pay for processed food products (blackberry jam) that are differentiated with respect to their branding, the location of their production, certification as organically produced, branding as a product of a small family farming association, and carrying a State Proud certification. Although price is the most important single attribute influencing consumer choice for our sample, consumers also were willing to pay more for food products produced in their state or in a well identified multistate region. Our sample was more willing to purchase organic products, although there was an indication of some confusion as to the meaning of the NOP organic logo. Our results also supported the notion that consumers are willing to support small family farms with purchases if the product is clearly labeled as a product of small farms. These conclusions have important is significant has important policy and merchandising strategy implications.
Evaluation of terrain effect on microwave radiometer measurement and its correction

Evaluation of terrain effect on microwave radiometer measurement and its correction Ying Guo a b c , Jiancheng Shi a d , Jinyang Du a & Xiuli Fu a a State Key Laboratory of Remote Sensing Science, Jointly Sponsored by the Institute of Remote Sensing Applications of Chinese Academy of Sciences and Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100101, PR China b Key Laboratory of Agricultural Water Resources and the Centre for Agricultural Resources Research, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shijiazhuang, 050021, PR China c Cold and Arid Regions Environmental and Engineering Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China d Institute for Computational Earth System Science, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
What They Want and What They Get: Self-Reported Motives, Perceived Competence, and Relatedness in Adolescent Leisure Activities

This study explored the extent to which adolescents’ motives for leisure activity participation are related to their perceptions of competence and relatedness in different kinds of activities and aimed to provide new insight into boys’ and girls’ leisure experiences and their motivational orientations for activity participation. These proposed associations were based on previous empirical work and the theoretical frameworks of motive disposition approach and were tested in a nationally representative sample of Norwegian adolescents () aged 15 and 16 years (51.8% boys) from the World Health Organization’s cross-sectional survey, Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children 2005/06. The findings in the current study supported the hypothesis regarding matched correlations between specific motives and specific outcomes in that the adolescents seem to get (perceived competence and relatedness) what they want (competence and social motives) within leisure activities. Furthermore, the analysis using structural equation modeling indicated different motivational orientations in types of leisure activity participation between girls and boys, although the mediating effects of leisure activity participation in different types of activities were not significant.
Demotivating factors influencing rubber production workers

Article history: Received June 15, 2011 Received in Revised form August, 22, 2011 Accepted 25 August 2011 Available online 26 August 2011 Motivation is one of the most important factors influencing workers' productivity. An increase in workers' motivation could add more value to organizations' structure and influence the profitability, significantly. In this paper, we study different factors on demotivating workers using questionnaire consist of various questions. The questionnaire is distributed among some employees who work for rubber production units located in Esfahan, Iran. The results of this survey indicate that discrimination on annual job compensation, entrusting responsibilities and unpleasant relationship with family partner are some of the most important factors influencing employees' motivation. While financial factors play important role on increasing employees' motivation, non-financial factors are considered more important. © 2012 Growing Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
Support for an anaerobic sulfur cycle in two Canadian peatland soils

concentrations of dissolved sulfate and H2S adjusted to 5–20mmol L � 1 and 0–9mmol L � 1 , respectively, whereas concentrations of CO2 ,C H4, and DOC reached millimolar levels. CO2 production was not explained by methanogenesis and net reduction of inorganic electron acceptors. In the shallow peat, H2S was produced and 34 S in sulfate enriched by 3.6 to 6%, indicating occurrence of BSR. Sulfate reducers also accounted for much of the metabolic activity. Addition of molybdate suppressed CO2 production by 20 to 50%. Deeper into the peat, the sulfate pool was apparently replenished from the peat matrix as sulfate became enriched in 32 S, likely stemming from TRIS or organic sulfur in the peat. Sulfur was thus anaerobically cycled between oxidized and reduced pools. An electron acceptor capable of driving this cycle could not be conclusively identified. Regardless of this uncertainty, the results suggest that anaerobic S cycling can maintain BSR and potentially contribute to low methane production in soils of ombrotrophic bogs.
Modelling the energy dependence of black hole binary flows

We build a full spectral-timing model for the low/hard state of black hole binaries assuming that the spectrum of the X-ray hot flow can be produced by two Comptonization zones. Slow fluctuations generated at the largest radii/softest spectral region of the flow propagate down to modulate the faster fluctuations produced in the spectrally harder region close to the black hole. The observed spectrum and variability are produced by summing over all regions in the flow, including its emission reflected from the truncated disc. This produces energy-dependent Fourier lags qualitatively similar to those in the data. Given a viscous frequency prescription, the model predicts Fourier power spectral densities and lags for any energy bands. We apply this model to archival Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer data from Cyg X-1, using the time-averaged energy spectrum together with an assumed emissivity to set the radial bounds of the soft and hard Comptonization regions. We find that the power spectra cannot be described by any smooth model of generating fluctuations, instead requiring that there are specific radii in the flow where noise is preferentially produced. We also find fluctuation damping between spectrally distinct regions is required to prevent all the variability power generated at large radii being propagated into the inner regions. Even with these additions, we can fit either the power spectra at each energy or the lags between energy bands, but not both. We conclude that either the spectra are more complex than two zone models, or that other processes are important in forming the variability.
Comparison of off-axis and in-line electron holography as quantitative dopant-profiling techniques

Many different dopant-profiling techniques are available for semiconductor device characterization. However, with length scales shrinking rapidly, only transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques promise to fulfil the spatial resolution required for the characterization of future device generations. Here, we use three advanced TEM techniques, off-axis electron holography, Fresnel imaging (in-line electron holography) and Foucault imaging, to examine a focused ion beam-prepared silicon p–n junction device. Experiments are carried out on electrically unbiased samples and with an electrical bias applied in situ in the TEM. Simulations are matched to experimental data to allow quantitative conclusions to be drawn about the underlying electrostatic potential distributions. The off-axis electron holography and Fresnel results are compared to assess whether the techniques are consistent, and whether they can be used to provide complementary information about dopant potentials in semiconductor devices.
An X-Band Dual-Polarized Vivaldi Antenna with High Isolation

An X-band dual-polarized Vivaldi antenna with high isolation is proposed. The procedure of this antenna design includes the conventional Vivaldi antenna with regular slot edge (RSE), the dual-polarized Vivaldi antenna with two Vivaldi antennas which have different feeding point positions in a cross-shaped form, and the two Vivaldi antennas with a galvanic contact in soldering point. By applying the RSE, it reduced the dimensions of the Vivaldi antenna and improved its radiation performance. The modified antenna is fabricated and measured. The measured results show that dB at the entire X-band for the two Vivaldi antennas. The isolation () between the two feeding ports, which has been improved by applying the different feeding point positions and the galvanic contact in soldering point, is better than 34 dB at X-band. In addition, the cross-polarized discrimination is better than 21 dB for the two Vivaldi antennas, and the measured results also include the gain of two Vivaldi antennas.
USING BAYESIAN NETWORKS TO UNDERSTAND RELATIONSHIPS AMONG MATH ANXIETY, GENDERS, PERSONALITY TYPES, AND STUDY HABITS AT A UNIVERSITY IN JORDAN

Mathematics is the foundation of all sciences, but most students have problems learning math. Although studentsâ€™ success in life related to their success in learning, many would not take a math course unless it is their universityâ€™s core requirements. Multiple reasons exist for studentsâ€™ poor performance in mathematics, but one prevalent variable worth consideration is the personality type. This work seeks to uncover relationships, if any, between studentsâ€™ math anxiety and the studentsâ€™ learning type in learning math and preparing for exams and tests. We use Bayesian networks to link those different variables and detect possible relationships among these variables. The data was obtained from population of 468 students during spring in 2009 at a U.S. institution in Jordan. Not many researches have been performed in the area of math study and personality types so we undertook this study to add to this area of knowledge. The study reveals that math anxiety related to gender, personality type, and study habits among this group of university students. Keywords : Mathematics Anxiety, MBTI, Personality Types, Bayesian Networks Â DOI : http://dx.doi. org/10.22342/jme.8. 1.3405. 17-34
Inflation, Income Inequality and Economic Growth in Pakistan: A Cointegration Analysis

The study is an attempt to explore the impact of inflation and income inequality in Pakistan. The study also analyzes the effect of foreign direct investment, workers’ remittances and manufacturing value added on growth. Annual time series data from 1972 to 2007 was used for the analysis. After finding all of the time series stationary at first difference, Johansen cointegration approach and vector error correction models are applied for the long run and short run analysis, respectively. The cointegration test results confirmed growth increasing impact of income inequality in Pakistan. Foreign direct investment, remittances and manufacturing valued added are found to have positives and significant impact on growth in Pakistan. The study also suggests some policy implications.
Outermost planets of Beta Pictoris, Vega and Epsilon Eridani: goals for direct imaging

We discuss our numerical approach to the high-resolution modeling of the 3D structure and infrared emission of circumstellar dust disks. We examine the resonant structures of a dusty disk induced by the presence of giant planet, that outermost from a star. These features can serve as indicators of outermost planets embedded in the circumstellar dust disk and, moreover, can be used to determine its position, major orbital parameters and even the mass of the planet. Such planets are attractive goals for direct imaging. Our simulations indicate that Vega may have a massive planet $\sim$2 Jupiter mass at a distance ${>}50$ AU, and other giant planet(s) at a smaller distance, and Epsilon Eri may have a less massive planet $\sim$0.2 Jovian mass at a distance of 55–60 AU. Theoretical models and non-direct observations show that Beta Pictoris system can be a multiplanetary system with set of giant planets. Our dynamical model of the origin of the warping of the Beta Pictoris disk includes the gravitational influence of a planet with a mass of about 10 masses of Earth, at a distance of 70 AU, and a small inclination (2.5 deg) of the planetary orbit to the main dust disk. The direct signatures of this planet were discovered on 2002 by Keck observations.
GLAST, GRBs, and Quantum Gravity

The fast temporal structures and cosmological distances of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) afford a natural laboratory for testing theories of frequency-dependent propagation of high-energy photons, as predicted for quantum gravity (QG). We calibrate the sensitivity of the proposed Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope (GLAST) by performing simulations which include: the response of GLAST to a GRB fluence distribution; a distribution of spectral power-law indices similar to the EGRET sample; and consideration of gamma-gamma attenuation, significant above ~ 10 GeV for redshifts z > 3 - 5. We find that GLAST should detect > 200 GRBs per year, with sensitivity to a few tens of GeV for a few bursts. GLAST could detect the energy- and distance-dependent dispersion (10 ms / GeV / Gpc) predicted by QG with 1 - 2 years of observations. Attribution to QG would require correlation of GRB redshifts with the temporal and energetic signatures.
Numerical and Experimental Verification of a 3D Quasi-Optical System

A modular and efficient Gaussian beam (GB) analysis method, incorporating frame-based Gabor transformation, GB reflection, and a 3D GB diffraction technique, was developed to analyze both the reflectors and frequency selective surface (FSS) in quasi-optical (QO) system. To validate this analysis method, a 3D dual-channel QO system operating at 183 and 325 GHz was designed and tested. The proposed QO system employs two-layer structure with a FSS of perforated hexagonal array transmitting the 325 GHz signal on the top layer while diverting the 183 GHz signal to the bottom layer. Measured results of the system demonstrate that the agreement can be achieved down to −30 dB signal level for both channels in the far field pattern. The discrepancy between the calculation and measurement is within 2 dB in the main beam region (2.5 times −3 dB beamwidth), verifying the effectiveness and accuracy of the proposed method.
AN ARRANGED MARRIAGE: POLICE - MEDIA CONFLICT & COLLABORATION

Media and police professionals are bound together in interdependent, and often tense, working relationships. For different purposes both professions need to work effectively together while simultaneously retaining independence from each other. These complex inter-reliant relationships create unique challenges that often call for improvement. This essay examines whether relationships between interdependent professional organizations can be improved through a collaborative problem-solving intervention, based on the interactive methods of facilitated dialogue and appreciative inquiry. The article describes a case study of a large Canadian police agency working with local media outlets to improve their working relationship. It highlights the importance of conflict analysis followed by effective change management strategies in implementation of collaborative solutions that meet everyone’s needs. This case study illustrates dynamics that generalize to organizations that have strong organizational cultures and are highly independent and simultaneously required to work together. Some examples of such organizations are military, prison guards, scholars, medical professionals, social workers, teachers, lawyers and most government agencies Les medias et les corps policiers sont a la fois interrelies et interdependants, et leur collaboration est souvent tendue. Dans divers objectifs, ils doivent travailler efficacement ensemble tout en maintenant leur propre autonomie. Ces relations complexes donnent lieu a des difficultes auxquelles il faut remedier. Cet essai porte sur les ameliorations pouvant etre apportees dans les relations entre deux organisations professionnelles interdependants par l’entremise d’une intervention visant a resoudre les problemes fondee sur des methodes interactives de facilitation du dialogue et d’interrogation appreciative. Cet article decrit un cas ou une grande agence policiere canadienne a collabore avec des medias locaux en vue d’ameliorer leur relation de travail. On y souligne l’importance de l’analyse des conflits suivie de strategies efficaces de gestion du changement dans la mise en œuvre de solutions axees sur la collaboration et repondant aux besoins de tous. Cette etude presente les dynamiques communes aux organismes independants dont la culture d’entreprise est bien affirmee, et devant travailler en partenariat. Parmi ces organisations, on compte l’armee, les gardes de prison, le secteur universitaire, le corps medical, les travailleurs sociaux, les enseignants, les avocats et la plupart des organismes gouvernementaux.
The NPXLab Suite: a Free Platform for Analyzing Neuro-Electric Signals

In this manuscript a brief overview of the capabilities of the NPXLab Suite, is provided. Designed to analyze electroencephalographic data (EEG), it has been successfully used in several scientific publications and downloaded from more than 100 countries. It allows to compute Event Related Potentials, to perform Spectral Analysis, Statistical tests, to manipulate files in an easy to use environment. Available for free at www.brainterface. com, it supports several different file formats also from commercial EEG/MEG system vendors. In this manuscript its main features are illustrated.