Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The role of lateral connectivity in the maintenance of macrophyte diversity and production in large rivers

Large European river floodplains have been intensively reduced through human activities over several millennia. Ecological assessments of natural large river systems remain rare and potentially flawed since they typically omit either the main channel of the river or, more commonly, aquatic habitats that occur naturally in the floodplain of dynamic systems. Surveys were conducted over a longitudinal and lateral gradient to assess distribution, richness and production of macrophytes along two little-disturbed large upland rivers in Scotland. Lateral dynamics, through the creation of backwaters, underpinned the occurrence, abundance and production of macrophytes in these rivers. Indeed, backwaters, despite representing only 5% of the total area of aquatic habitat, supported a significantly higher concentration of species (65% of species recorded at the riverscape scale were unique to backwaters) than the main channel. The frequency with which backwaters were connected to the main channel during flood flows influenced their species richness. Highest species richness in backwaters was typically found at low connectivity. Standing crop in backwaters was 150 times higher per unit area than in the main channel, while at the riverscape scale backwaters accounted for an average 89% of aquatic plant biomass. The highest plant biomass was found at low and medium connectivity with the main channel. Backwaters appear to be crucial habitats in maintaining macrophyte diversity and production in large river ecosystems. These results emphasize the importance of river hydrodynamics and lateral connectivity in maintaining macrophyte community diversity along large rivers. The results illustrate also the potentially very significant role of backwaters as source habitats supplying propagules and organic matter to downstream reaches. It is argued that the entire riverscape (floodplain plus main channel) must be considered in the holistic assessment of such systems, while protection of this resource requires greater recognition of linkages within and across habitats, both aquatic and terrestrial, to be effective. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Optimal Duty Cycle Allocation for RMAC protocol in Wireless Sensor Networks

In Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs), sensor nodes have a limitation in energy capacity due to its characteristics of being battery-operated. Due to this reason, energy efficiency is regarded as the most important factor leading to the usage of duty cycling. Several synchronous and asynchronous MAC protocols have been proposed using the duty cycling concept. Among those, RMAC [4] exploits a control frame named Pioneer (PION) to set up the path and transmit the data packet for multiple hops in a single operational cycle. In this paper, we numerically analyze the average packet delivery latency of RMAC in a probabilistic manner. Also for validation of the numerical analysis on the average delay, we compare it with the simulation results in ns-2. Finally, using the analysis, we mathematically obtain the optimal duty cycle value that minimizes the average power consumption while satisfying a given delay bound. With the optimal duty cycle allocation, the power consumption is reduced by 24% on average and up to 37%, while still satisfying a 30 second delay bound.
Learning science in informal environments : people, places, and pursuits

Informal science is a burgeoning field that operates across a broad range of venues and envisages learning outcomes for individuals, schools, families, and society. The evidence base that describes informal science, its promise, and effects is informed by a range of disciplines and perspectives, including field-based research, visitor studies, and psychological and anthropological studies of learning. Learning Science in Informal Environments draws together disparate literatures, synthesizes the state of knowledge, and articulates a common framework for the next generation of research on learning science in informal environments across a life span. Contributors include recognized experts in a range of disciplines--research and evaluation, exhibit designers, program developers, and educators. They also have experience in a range of settings--museums, after-school programs, science and technology centers, media enterprises, aquariums, zoos, state parks, and botanical gardens. Learning Science in Informal Environments is an invaluable guide for program and exhibit designers, evaluators, staff of science-rich informal learning institutions and community-based organizations, scientists interested in educational outreach, federal science agency education staff, and K-12 science educators.
Financial Literacy, Information, and Demand Elasticity: Survey and Experimental Evidence from Mexico

We use responses to a survey and experiment with participants in Mexico's privatized social security system to examine how financial literacy impacts workers' choice behavior and how simplifying information on management fees may increase measures of price elasticity sensitivity among the financially illiterate. We find that by presenting fees in pesos instead of annual percentage rates, financially illiterate workers focus much more on fees when choosing between investment funds, selecting funds with lower average fees in hypothetical choice settings. Even though changes in information have small impacts on fees of the selected fund, holding fees constant, we show that changes in choice behavior imply a substantial increase in price sensitivity. Hence, the way in which information is presented to workers can have a substantial impact on optimal fees that firms can charge in the marketplace.
Exploiting full Duplex techniques for secure communication in SWIPT system

This work investigates the secure transmission in the wireless information and power transfer system where a source node communicates with a wireless-powered full-duplex destination node in the presence of a passive eavesdropper. In particular, we propose such a two-phase time-sharing (TS) secure communication protocol: in the first phase, energy harvesting is conducted from the source node to the destination node, while in the second phase, the source node transmits information-bearing signal under the protection of artificial noise sent from the destination node. It is worth to mention that the energy of this artificial noise at the destination node is converted from the harvested energy in the first phase and self-interference exists at the destination in the second phase. We derive the closed-form expressions for the connection outage probability (COP), the secrecy outage probability (SOP) and the transmission outage probability (TOP), based on which the secrecy throughput is formulated. Further, we determine the optimal time allocation factor and the optimal codeword transmission rate to maximize the secrecy throughput with dual outage constraints. Finally, numerical results verifies our results and exams the effect of the time allocation factor and the codeword transmission rate on the performance.
Using Additional Information in Structural Decomposition Analysis: The Path-based Approach

Structural decomposition analysis (SDA) is a well-known methodology to assess the relative importance of effects that together constitute the actual change in a variable of interest. A widely recognized problem of SDA is that the results often depend strongly on the specific decomposition formula chosen, while numerous formulae are equivalent from a theoretical point of view. This ‘non-uniqueness’ problem is often solved rather pragmatically, by reporting an average over (a subset of) all possible formulae. In this paper, we propose an approach that uses maximum entropy econometrics techniques to select a specific decomposition formula if additional information on one or more (but not all) determinants is available. We illustrate the method empirically by investigating the sources of change in real labour costs by industry in Spain, 1980–1994.
Evolution of Elliptical Galaxies at z 1 Revealed from a Large, Multicolor Sample of Extremely Red Objects ∗

We studied the evolution of elliptical galaxies atz 1 using a sample of 247 Extremely Red Objects (EROs) with R − Ks ≥ 3.35 (AB) and Ks ≤ 22.1 (AB) constructed from BV R izJHK s multicolor data of a 114arcmin 2 area in the Subaru/XMM-Newton Deep Field taken with the Subaru Telescope and the UH 2.2m telescope. By fitting template spectra of old galaxies (OGs) and young, dusty starbursts (DSs) to the multicolor data, we classified EROs into these two classes and estimated their redshifts. We found that 58% of the EROs in our sample belong to the OG class and that these OGs have a wide range of colors at any redshift. We derived rest-frame B-band luminosity functions of OGs in our sample at z = 1-1. 5a nd 1.5-2.5, and found that the number density of galaxies obeying passive evolution drops at z 1.5 by a factor of three or more. The spatial correlation length of OGs is estimated to be r0 8 h −1 Mpc, which is comparable to, or larger than, those of present-day early-type galaxies of similar luminosities. We also discussed properties of DSs in our data.
Soft computing controller based path planning wheeled mobile robot

This paper describes navigation concepts for an independent wheeled mobile robot. The teleoperation formulations for wheeled mobile robot dynamics are developed: One is master robot, the communications are sharing to wheeled mobile robot and other is slave robot, it is gathering a response of wheel slippage and position angles. It is shown that the two formulations are mathematically providing a Lyapunov-stability. The goal of this paper is to express an intelligent control system to use of the Soft-Computing techniques. The adaptive neural networks are used to pursue a stirring target. Finally simulation results show the efficiency of the planned controllers.
Least Upper Delay Bound for VBR Flows in Networks-on-Chip with Virtual Channels

Real-time applications such as multimedia and gaming require stringent performance guarantees, usually enforced by a tight upper bound on the maximum end-to-end delay. For FIFO multiplexed on-chip packet switched networks we consider worst-case delay bounds for Variable Bit-Rate (VBR) flows with aggregate scheduling, which schedules multiple flows as an aggregate flow. VBR Flows are characterized by a maximum transfer size (L), peak rate (p), burstiness (σ), and average sustainable rate (ρ). Based on network calculus, we present and prove theorems to derive per-flow end-to-end Equivalent Service Curves (ESC), which are in turn used for computing Least Upper Delay Bounds (LUDBs) of individual flows. In a realistic case study we find that the end-to-end delay bound is up to 46.9% more accurate than the case without considering the traffic peak behavior. Likewise, results also show similar improvements for synthetic traffic patterns. The proposed methodology is implemented in C++ and has low run-time complexity, enabling quick evaluation for large and complex SoCs.
Selective D3 Receptor Antagonist SB-277011-A Potentiates the Effect of Cocaine on Extracellular Dopamine in the Nucleus Accumbens: a Dual Core-Shell Voltammetry Study in Anesthetized Rats

Dopamine (DA) D3 receptors have been associated with drug intake and abuse and selectively distribute in the brain circuits responding to drug administration. Here we examined the effects of an acute systemic administration of cocaine (15 mg/kg) alone or preceded by treatment with the selective D3 receptor antagonist SB-277011-A (10 mg/kg) on DA levels concurrently in the rat nucleus accumbens shell and core sub-regions (NAcshell and NAccore, respectively). It is shown that cocaine increases extracellular DA in both compartments and that blocking D3 receptors with SB-277011-A, although the latter is devoid of dopaminergic effects per se, potentiates these effects. No differences in the amplitude of the response were observed between NAcshell and NAccore compartments, though the dopaminergic response in the NAcshell was transient whereas that in the NAccore rose slowly to reach a plateau. These results demonstrate the feasibility to use multiprobe voltammetry to measure discrete monoaminergic responses in discrete areas of the brain and confirm the effect of D3 receptors antagonist at modifying the neurochemical effects of cocaine.
Promoting Inclusive Informatics Education Through the Bebras Challenge to All K-12 Students

A Bebras challenge is an international network on informatics education for all K-12 students. Participation in the Bebras challenge provides opportunities for learning basic informatics education concepts and understanding deeper information and communication technologies. Based on the results of the last year Bebras contest in Lithuania, some problems on teaching informatics through solving high quality informatics concept-based tasks are brought forward and discussed. Future work concerning the improvement of informatics education is discussed as well.
Semi Greedy Algorithm for Finding Connectivity in Microchip Physical Layouts

Scan based or Line Sweep methods are a traditi onal mechanism to traverse the physical layout, or artwo rk of a microchip. These traversals are incremental in nat ure. They typically traverse the artwork from bottom to top (in the y direction) and from left to right (in the x d irection) in a traditional Cartesian plane. As the traversal occurs, client applications need to know what causes a give n event. For example, an analysis algorithm may be interested in finding out every time two rectangle shapes overlap or touch. This is important because such a n overlap could represent a short in a circuit. The number of rectangles used to represent real world designs of artwork in a microchip is in the order of one milli on per metal layer, thus various optimization techniques a re necessary to breakdown the complexity of such desig ns. This paper describes a semi-greedy technique couple d with an object oriented design pattern to aid in tr aversing and reporting events of chip data.
A Feminist Companion to Exodus - Deuteronomy

This volume is part of a series which provides a fundamental resource for feminist biblical scholarship, containing a comprehensive selection of essays, both reprinted and specially written for the series, by leading feminist scholars. The essays in this volume deal with social status and female sexuality, the textual figure of 'the daughter' and the character of Miriam. 'An enterprising series of collections of important and pioneering studies. Those teaching feminist courses will find the books invaluable as a resource for students' (C.S. Rodd, Expository Times). >
Weighted Score Tests Implementing Model-Averaging Schemes in Detection of Rare Variants in Case-Control Studies

Multi-locus effect modeling is a powerful approach for detection of genes influencing a complex disease. Especially for rare variants, we need to analyze multiple variants together to achieve adequate power for detection. In this paper, we propose several parsimonious branching model techniques to assess the joint effect of a group of rare variants in a case-control study. These models implement a data reduction strategy within a likelihood framework and use a weighted score test to assess the statistical significance of the effect of the group of variants on the disease. The primary advantage of the proposed approach is that it performs model-averaging over a substantially smaller set of models supported by the data and thus gains power to detect multi-locus effects. We illustrate these proposed approaches on simulated and real data and study their performance compared to several existing rare variant detection approaches. The primary goal of this paper is to assess if there is any gain in power to detect association by averaging over a number of models instead of selecting the best model. Extensive simulations and real data application demonstrate the advantage the proposed approach in presence of causal variants with opposite directional effects along with a moderate number of null variants in linkage disequilibrium.
Coupling Effects of Depletion Interactions in Colloidal Suspensions

The depletion interactions of the three-sphere system in which the three spheres are on one line are studied by Monte Carlo simulations. The depletion interactions are determined by ARM, and the coupling effect was proved by the numerical result that the depletion interactions in the three-sphere system are larger than that of the corresponding two-sphere system. Furthermore, we find that the mechanisms of the coupling effect and the effect on depletion force from the geometry factor are the same. In addition, the numerical results also show that this coupling effect will be affected by both the volume fraction and separation of three-sphere system.
Stellar Orbits and the Interstellar Gas Temperature in Elliptical Galaxies

We draw attention to the close relationship between the anisotropy parameter β(r) for stellar orbits in elliptical galaxies and the temperature T(r) of the hot interstellar gas. For nearly spherical galaxies, the gas density ρ can be accurately determined from X-ray observations, and the stellar luminosity density ℓ* can be accurately found from the optical surface brightness. The Jeans equation and hydrostatic equilibrium establish a connection between β(r) and T(r) that must be consistent with the observed stellar velocity dispersion. Optical observations of the bright elliptical galaxy NGC 4472 indicate β(r) ≲ 0.35 within the effective radius. However, the X-ray gas temperature profile T(r) for NGC 4472 requires significantly larger anisotropy, β ≈ 0.6-0.7, about twice as large as the optical value. This strong preference for radial stellar orbits must be understood in terms of the formation history of massive elliptical galaxies. Conversely, if the smaller, optically determined β(r) is indeed correct, we are led to the important conclusion that the temperature profile T(r) of the hot interstellar gas in NGC 4472 must differ from that indicated by X-ray observations, or that the hot gas is not in hydrostatic equilibrium.
Survival in the academy: Policy challenges for maintaining academic standards in higher education

This paper derives from research into student assessment policy reforms. These reforms are designed to introduce practices that will allow universities to more effectively demonstrate achievement of appropriate and consistent academic standards. The research has revealed a systemic problem that is common to the Higher Education sector: specifically, that the intersections between student assessment policy and other policies can precipitate behavioural responses from academics that are contrary to the policy intentions. This paper details this problem by describing a range of conflicting pressures experienced by academics, the interactions between these pressures, and the consequential effects for maintaining academic standards. It helps policy makers to appreciate the interactions that exist between policies that, if viewed discretely are functional, but which when viewed as a collective, may create unintended negative consequences. The paper helps to inform more appropriate policy choices and encourages a systems view of policy implementation.
Altered expression of Butyrophilin (BTN) and BTN‐like (BTNL) genes in intestinal inflammation and colon cancer

Several Butyrophilin (BTN) and Btn‐like (BTNL) molecules control T lymphocyte responses, and are genetically associated with inflammatory disorders and cancer. In this study, we present a comprehensive expression analysis of human and murine BTN and BTNL genes in conditions associated with intestinal inflammation and cancer. Using real‐time PCR, expression of human BTN and BTNL genes was analyzed in samples from patients with ulcerative colitis, irritable bowel syndrome, and colon tumors. Expression of murine Btn and Btnl genes was examined in mouse models of spontaneous colitis (Muc2−/−) and intestinal tumorigenesis (ApcMin/+). Our analysis indicates a strong association of several of the human genes with ulcerative colitis and colon cancer; while especially BTN1A1, BTN2A2, BTN3A3, and BTNL8 were significantly altered in inflammation, colonic tumors exhibited significantly decreased levels of BTNL2, BTNL3, BTNL8, and BTNL9 as compared to unaffected tissue. Colonic inflammation in Muc2−/− mice significantly down‐regulated the expression of particularly Btnl1, Btnl4, and Btnl6 mRNA, and intestinal polyps derived from ApcMin/+ mice displayed altered levels of Btn1a1, Btn2a2, and Btnl1 transcripts. Thus, our data present an association of BTN and BTNL genes with intestinal inflammation and cancer and represent a valuable resource for further studies of this gene family.
Face Swapping

Online privacy is a growing concern in today’s world. To alleviate privacy concerns, we present an automatic face swapping algorithm that searches and selects faces within an image and replaces them with another face with realistic results. Our algorithm identifies and uses the most suitable faces using a selection process, face extraction using optimal seam search, and blending using linear RGB channel scaling and Poisson Editing. Keywords—facial recognition; image blending;
Wage Inequality in Spain, 1980-2000

We use recent developments in quantile regression to simulate counterfactuals densities that allows to decompose the Spanish wage inequality evolution over the 1980-2000 period between changes due to observable prices, labour market composition and non observable characteristics' prices. Our empirical results are threefold: first of all, the wage inequality decreases during each decade first half and increases during the second ones, second both changes in prices and composition has an important role in this evolution and third, changes in observable prices mirrors this behavior above and below the median while non observable inequality increases since 1985 onwards below the median, with an erratic trend above. Finally some tentative explanations are give that could reasonably explain our findings.
Biometrics: A Look at Facial Recognition

Abstract : During the 2002 General Assembly, Delegate H. Morgan Griffith sponsored legislation that would set legal parameters for public sector use of facial recognition technology in Virginia. The legislation, known as House Bill No. 454 (included as an Appendix), passed the House of Delegates by a vote of 74-25 earlier this year, and is pending in the Senate Courts of Justice Committee while the Virginia State Crime Commission examines it. The Virginia State Crime Commission, a standing legislative commission of the Virginia General Assembly, is statutorily mandated to make recommendations on all areas of public safety in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Currently, Virginia Beach is the only municipality in Virginia planning to incorporate facial recognition technology into its public safety efforts. Late last year, the Virginia Beach City Council approved a measure authorizing the installation of a facial recognition system in the city's "Oceanfront" tourist area. The system has been tested and has recently been fully implemented. Senator Kenneth W. Stolle, the Chairman of the Virginia State Crime Commission, established a Facial Recognition Technology Sub-Committee to examine the issue of facial recognition technology. This briefing begins by defining biometrics and discussing examples of the technology. It then explains how biometrics may be used for authentication and surveillance purposes. Facial recognition is examined in depth to include technical, operational, and testing considerations. This briefing concludes with a discussion of the legal status quo with respect to public sector use of facial recognition. While not making a specific policy recommendation with respect to House Bill No. 454, this briefing hopefully provides useful information for Sub-Committee members, the Virginia State Crime Commission, and other interested parties.