Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Correspondence of Satellite Measured Phenology to European Farmland Bird Distribution Patterns

This report presents research in establishing linkages between remotely sensed information of vegetation cover and biological diversity, specifically focusing on farmland birds. The vegetation cover was investigated via phenological indices derived from time series of satellite images. The quantification of phenological processes is very important for understanding ecosystems and ecological development. Such factors determine population growth and influence species-species interactions (competition, predation, reproduction) and species distribution. Birds have long been used to provide early warning of environmental problems, because they are the best known and documented major taxonomic group, especially in terms of the sizes and trends of populations and distributions. Common farmland birds are in decline throughout Europe, with the cumulative populations of all 33 species of farmland birds suffering a decline of 44 per cent between 1980 and 2005. For the link between vegetation dynamics and farmland birds distribution phenological indices and their spatial statistical characteristics were calculated from the time series of the SPOT Vegetation images. The farmland birds species data were selected from the European Bird Census Counsel (EBCC) Atlas of European breeding birds. Both datasets were then statistically analyzed using the Environmental Stratification of Europe. The study shows that this stratification is very appropriate to describe the spatial distribution of farmland birds. Furthermore it was shown that phenological indicators, especially the start of the growing season, the first greening up measures and the productivity measures are good indicators of the distribution of the European farmland birds and that these indicators are comparable to climatic measures. The importance of using phenological indicators is argued by the illustrated fact that phenological indicators can deliver information on the habitat on a higher spatial resolution that cannot be obtained through climatic data. This combination of information supplies indispensible measures to monitor those environmental changes that most probably lead to the reported dramatic decrease of the species. How to obtain EU publications Our priced publications are available from EU Bookshop (http://bookshop.europa.eu), where you can place an order with the sales agent of your choice. The Publications Office has a worldwide network of sales agents. You can obtain their contact details by sending a fax to (352) 29 29-42758.
Root colonization in rice and wheat by wild type and mutant strains of Anabaena variabilis

The application of cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) as biofertilizer in rice cultivation has been reported to have beneficial effect on rice productivity and maintenance of soil fertility (Singh, 1961; Whitton, 2000). However, there are some drawbacks that limit the benefits of cyanobacteria biofertilizers. For example, sensitivity to herbicides and moreover they are unable to meet the total N requirements of modern, high-yielding varieties of rice. Chemical-N fertilizers are therefore used as a supplement, resulting in inhibition of any natural N2-fixation. Furthermore, much of the fixed N is released from the cyanobacteria only after their death and decay, rather than during growth. Use of nitrogenase-derepressed, ammonia-excreting mutants would avoid inhibition of N fixation by chemical-N fertilizers, and would result in a greater release of fixed N from the cyanobacteria (Kamuru et al., 1997). However, whether such mutants can compete with natural populations in rice fields is still an open question.
Thermal response of nanoscale cylindrical inclusions of amorphous silica embedded in α-quartz

B. Afra,1 K. Nordlund,2 M. D. Rodriguez,1 T. Bierschenk,1 C. Trautmann,3,4 S. Mudie,5 and P. Kluth1,* 1Department of Electronic Materials Engineering, Research School of Physics and Engineering, Australian National University, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia 2Department of Physics, Helsinki Institute of Physics, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland 3GSI Helmholtz Centre for Heavy Ion Research, Darmstadt, Germany 4Technische Universität, Darmstadt, Germany 5Australian Synchrotron, 800 Blackburn Road, Clayton VIC, Australia (Received 9 April 2014; revised manuscript received 4 December 2014; published 30 December 2014)
of Neurotherapy : Investigations in Neuromodulation , Neurofeedback and Applied Neuroscience The Impact of Neurotherapy on College Students ' Cognitive Abilities and Emotions

Background. In past research, several case studies and five controlled-group studies explored the effect of electroencephalographic (EEG) biofeedback on intelligence, attention, and behavior in children diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, but no studies have explored the effects of EEG biofeedback in nonclinical adults on measures of response control, mood, emotional intelligence, and self-efficacy. Method. Sixteen nonclinical college students were randomly assigned to receive Beta=Sensory Motor Rhythm EEG biofeedback to increase 12 to 15 Hz activity while inhibiting 4 to 7 Hz and 22 to 36 Hz activity. A control group received placebo EEG biofeedback. All participants completed preand postmeasures assessing intelligence scores, attention, impulse control, mood, emotional intelligence, and self-efficacy to assess the effect of EEG biofeedback. Results. Results showed significant improvements in response control but no improvements in attention. Measures of intelligence and emotional functioning did not change after EEG biofeedback. Conclusions. This study indicates that response control may improve in a few as 20 EEG biofeedback sessions. Implications and shortcomings discussed.
Fabrication of LM 25 / SiO 2 Metal Matrix Composite and Optimization of Wear Process Parameters Using Design of Experiment

LM25 aluminium alloy reinforced with 15 wt% SiO2 metal matrix composite was fabricated by liquid metallurgy technique. Microstructure of the fabricated composite specimen was observed using inverted metallurgical microscope and result showed uniform distribution of reinforcement particles in the matrix. The dry sliding wear behaviour of LM25/SiO2 composite was analyzed by conducting experiments using pinon-disc tribometer. Taguchi’s method was used for designing the number of experiments and L16 orthogonal array was developed for wear analysis. Optimization of parameters like applied load (10 N, 20 N, 30 N, 40 N), sliding velocity (0.5 m/s, 1 m/s, 1.5 m/s, 2 m/s) and sliding distance (500 m, 1000 m, 1500 m, 2000 m) was done using Signal-to-Noise ratio analysis and Analysis of Variance. ‘smaller-the-better’ characteristic was chosen to analyze the dry sliding wear behaviour. Results found that load (69.17 %) had the highest impact on wear rate followed by sliding velocity (18.04 %) and sliding distance (1.5 %). The regression equation was developed and it was validated with confirmatory experiment. Scanning Electron Microscope analysis was done to observe the mechanism of the worn out composite specimen and found more delamination at the load of 40 N. © 2017 Published by Faculty of Engineering Corresponding author: N. Radhika Department of Mechanical Engineering, Amrita School of Engineering, Coimbatore , Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Amrita University, Tamilnadu, India. E-mail: n_radhika1@cb.amrita. edu
Core values as a management control in the construction of “sustainable development”

Purpose - – This paper aims to examine a management control constructed by senior managers, a core value focused on sustainability, as it travels through time and space. The criticality of sustainable development suggests the need to understand the effects that core values have on organisational actions. Design/methodology/approach - – A case study methodology carried out at a multinational organisation is used. This analysis was informed by an actor-network theory which allowed placing the organisation’s sustainability focused core value at the centre of this research. Findings - – It was found that management control, in the form of a sustainability-focused core value, took on an active role in the case organisation. This enabled the opening of space and time that allowed actors to step forward and take action in relation to sustainable development. It is shown how the core value mobilised individual actors at specific points in time but did not enrol enough collective support to continue its travel. The resulting activities, though, provided a construction of sustainable development within the organisation more in line with traditional profit-seeking objectives rather than in relation to sustainability objectives, such as inter- and intra-generational equity. Research limitations/implications - – These findings suggest possibilities for future research that examines the active role that management controls may take within sustainable development. Originality/value - – This paper shows the active role a management control, a sustainability focused core value, took within an organisation. This builds on the research that examines management control in relation to sustainability issues and sustainable development as well as the literature that examines core values.
Expected cost of financial distress in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs): A German-Italian comparison

This study aims to identify a number of qualitative and quantitative elements that affect financial distress costs between Italian and German small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). We propose a model that interprets “expected costs” as the product between “expected financial distress likelihood” and “total amount of financial distress costs due to insolvency”. The model is estimated using panel data methodology on samples from two European countries (Italy and Germany). The results indicate that expected costs depend on the use of derivative financial instruments, use of intangible assets and the relation with local banks (small local banks rather than large banking groups); in particular, the results obtained from cross‐country comparison shows that German SMEs (or Mittelstand companies) have characteristics that limit financial distress costs. It should be emphasized that the present work limits its field of investigation to a few variables without fully addressing other elements of uncertainty which may adversely affect the expected cost of financial distress in SMEs. This work will be useful to stimulate debate on policies to support SMEs. The originality of this study is to focus on determinants of financial distress in SMEs using panel data methodology. Key words: Cross‐country comparison, derivative instrument, expected cost, financial distress, small and medium-sized enterprises (SME).
A simplified method of constructing fragility curves for highway bridges

Fragility curves are found to be useful tools for predicting the extent of probable damage. They show the probability of highway structure damage as a function of strong motion parameters, and they allow the estimation of a level of damage probability for a known ground motion index. In this study, an analytical approach was adopted to develop the fragility curves for highway bridges based on numerical simulation. Four typical RC bridge piers and two RC bridge structures were considered, of which one was a non‐isolated system and the other was an isolated system, and they were designed according to the seismic design code in Japan. From a total of 250 strong motion records, selected from Japan, the United States, and Taiwan, non‐linear time history analyses were performed, and the damage indices for the bridge structures were obtained. Using the damage indices and ground motion parameters, fragility curves for the four bridge piers and the two bridge structures were constructed assuming a lognormal distribution. It was found that there was a significant effect on the fragility curves due to the variation of structural parameters. The relationship between the fragility curve parameters and the over‐strength ratio of the structures was also obtained by performing a linear regression analysis. It was observed that the fragility curve parameters showed a strong correlation with the over‐strength ratio of the structures. Based on the observed correlation between the fragility curve parameters and the over‐strength ratio of the structures, a simplified method was developed to construct the fragility curves for highway bridges using 30 non‐isolated bridge models. The simplified method may be a very useful tool to construct the fragility curves for non‐isolated highway bridges in Japan, which fall within the same group and have similar characteristics. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A Mode-matching Approach for the Analysis and Design of Substrate-integrated Waveguide Components

Abstract A mode-matching approach is presented that allows a fast and accurate analysis of substrate-integrated wave-guide components with rectangular/square via holes. Models for several discontinuities are discussed which include microstrip as well as all-dielectric wave-guide feeds. The numerical technique is verified by comparison with commercially available field solvers. An example of a four-pole dual-mode filter in substrate-integrated wave-guide technology illustrates the capabilities of the approach.
The Use of Performance Tests for the Physiological Monitoring of Training in Combat Sports: A Case Study of a World Ranked Mixed Martial Arts Fighter

Currently there is little data on the changes in physiological performance of combat athletes in response to changes in training during fight preparation. Therefore the aim of this study was to examine the use of the 30-s Wingate test as a means of monitoring an athlete’s performance during their fight preparation. A world ranked mixed martial arts fighter volunteered to participate in the eight week study. Upper and lower body anaerobic performance was assessed at baseline and three and six weeks into the preparation phase with the final assessment two weeks after the tapering period. Upper and lower body maximal oxygen uptake (VO2 max) was measured before and after the eight weeks of fight preparation. Increases in training load were matched by substantial decreases in upper and lower body anaerobic performance during first three and six weeks of the preparation phase. During the tapering period anaerobic performance substantially increased in both the upper and lower body. The upper and lower body VO2 max (14% and 3% respectively) substantially increased after the eight week preparation phase with upper body peak power (10.5%) and maximum heart (4%) higher. Our data suggest that Wingate performance is able to track changes in training loads and can assist in the monitoring of performance of high-intensity combat athletes.
Sensing Attributes of an Agile Information System

Information Systems (IS) agility is a current topic of interest in the IS industry. The study follows up on the work on the definition of the construct of IS agility which is defined as the ability of IS to sense a change in real time; diagnose it in real time; and select and execute an action in real time. It explores the attributes for sensing in an Agile Information System. A set of attributes was initially derived using the practitioner literature and then refined using interviews with practitioners. Their importance and validity were established using a survey of the industry. All attributes derived from this study were deemed pertinent for sensing in an agile information system. Dimensions underlying these attributes were identified using Exploratory Factor Analysis. This list of attributes can form the basis for assessing and establishing sensing mechanisms to increase IS agility.
Does Temporary Employment Help to Reintegrate the Unemployed? Evidence from British and German Panel Data. 1

This paper investigates the integrative power of taking up a temporary job for unemployed youth compared to the situation of remaining unemployed and searching for a better job. Using comparable panel data from Germany 1984-2007 and the United Kingdom 1991-2007, we analyze the career patterns for a period up to four years after exiting unemployment to a temporary job. We find that temporary jobs can reintegrate young British unemployed into rather stable employment, but these positions are not accompanied by higher job qualities in terms of higher wages or higher permanent contract chances. In Germany, the advantages of starting a temporary job exist both with regard to the overall subsequent employment chances and with regard to wages. Thus, the integration perspective seems to describe better the German situation than the British situation. However, full integration advantages are also not secured in Germany because temporary jobs are not a better stepping-stone to permanent contracts than the strategy of off-the-job search.
A Closed form Localization Method using AOA and TOA Measurements based on WSN in NLOS Environments

This paper proposed a closed form localization method based on wireless sensor network (WSN) in the non-line of sight (NLOS) environment. We utilized the angle of arrival (AOA) and time of arrival (TOA) measurements to determine the positions of target and reflectors according to the localization geometry. A two-step weighted least square (WLS) estimator is exhibited, where the first-order error analysis is used. In addition, a derivation of the Cramér–Rao lower bound (CRLB) is presented and the performance will be verified by the simulations. Keywords-AOA; CRLB; NLOS; WLS; WSN; TOA
The effect of heparin prescription before primary PCI on long-term and short-term clinical and para clinical results and the mortality of patients with acute coronary syndrome

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the main cause of death, morbidity and disability in the world and their prevalence is highly increasing in developing countries. In CAD patients, acute coronary syndrome (ACS) has the most importance because of the high possibility of unpleasant cardiovascular events during follow-up was more in these patients. In 2008, 7.3 million (12.8%) out of 57 million deaths was because of myocardial infraction. In the United States, almost 650 thousand patients get new acute myocardial infraction (AMI) per year. The rate of early death (30 days) with AMI is about 30% and more than half of these cases occur before reaching to the hospital. During the last two decades, the rate of the death of coronary disease is decreasing in developed countries, whereas it is increasing in developing countries which is mostly because of long lifetime, urbanization and lifestyle changes.
Genetic characterisation of populations of the critically endangered Goliath grouper ( Epinephelus itajara, Serranidae) from the Northern Brazilian coast through analyses of mtDNA

The Goliath grouper (Epinephelus itajara) is one of the most endangered species of fish of the subfamily Epinephelinae. Slow to develop and mature, and dependent on mangrove habitats for breeding, the species also suffers intense harvesting, which has reduced drastically in numbers in many areas. To contribute to the understanding of the characteristics of E. itajara populations, we conducted a molecular genetics study of the species, focusing on populations from the Northern Brazilian coast. The mtDNA control region (D-loop) of 116 individuals from five localities (Braganca, Ajuruteua, Parnaiba, Fortaleza and Natal) was analysed, and a sequence of 499 base pairs identified. Analyses of the sequences indicated that genetic variability was generally lower in E. itajara than in other endangered species of the genus. AMOVA found no significant grouping structure among the populations. Nested Clade Analysis revealed a significant association between genetic variability and geographic distribution among only three populations (Ajuruteua, Parnaiba and Natal). Genetic diversity was higher in populations from the Amazon region, which may be related to the better conservation of mangrove habitats in this area. Therefore, the present study could be used for the implementation of conservation and management measures in order to protect and consolidate these populations.
STICKY COST BEHAVIOR AND ACCOUNTING CONSERVATISM: EVIDENCE FROM TEHRAN STOCK EXCHANGE

The purpose of this study is to fill the existing gap in the literature by examining the answers to these questions that what is the relationship between accounting conservatism and price stickiness in firms listed in Tehran stock exchange.The research population consisted of all companies listed in Tehran Stock Exchange, which are over a period of six years, from 2007 to 2012, respectively.Default assumptions were applied in sequence, so that the first company in default, the following assumptions are not counted. In this study, after the default, the remaining were 106 companies from 19 industries.The required financial statements data are extracted fromTehran Stock Exchange. To analysis of Research hypothesis was used linear regression. Findings show that between the behaviors of price stickiness and accounting conservatism there is a direct correlation.
IoT Based Smart Vehicle Monitoring System

Transportation system has been a part of evolving of humans. One can not image the life without vehicles. To accommodate the vast number of population, the number of vehicles also has been increased rapidly. This also led to increased number of accidents. The accident avoidance measures used now a day are all static and old. Also, there is no proper accident detection mechanism. This study proposes Smart Vehicle Monitoring System (SVMS) for early detection of accidents and also to prevent thefts. SVMS uses IoT technology to monitor the vehicle continuously and also to access and control remotely. The IoT devices placed in vehicles is designed using Raspberry Pi (RPi) that is acquainted with sensors to detect accidents immediately. The RPi is also acquainted with a camera to find the severity of accident. To detect the severity, SVMS uses machine learning based image classification model. When the accidents happen the SVMS detects it immediately and finds the severity of the accident. Then the system will immediately inform that to the authorities. The SVMS also acquainted with GPS system. This will allow the SVMS to continuously keep track of vehicles location. This data will be used to find the vehicles location during an accident or theft. The results of SVMS system were promising in terms of efficiently detecting the accidents, finding the severity of accident and also detecting the location of vehicle.