Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Disasters of the 21st Century: A Mixture of New, Old, and Mixed Types

Disasters are as old as when human beings started to live in groups. Initially the hazards, which created the possibility for disasters, were primarily natural hazards such as earthquake and floods. But through time, technological risks were added to the natural ones. For example, the development of synthetic chemicals in the 19th Century and nuclear power in the 20 Century, created the possibility of toxic chemical disasters and radiation fallout crises. This paper suggests we are at another historical juncture with the appearance of a new category of disasters, what we call trans-system social ruptures (TSSR). The label tries to indicate that these kinds of disasters jump to or cut across different social systems. Using examples such as the spread of the Severe Acute Respiratory (SARS) and the SoBig computer F virus, both in 2003, we describe in ideal type terms the primary characteristics of TSSR. We also discuss examples of future TSSR especially those rooted in biotechnological advances and the spread of globalization that create new social networks. The paper concludes with an effort to place TSSR within the full range of disasters, including old and traditional manifestations as well as ones with mixed old and new characteristics/
Difference on Visual Related Programming Understanding between Designers and Programmers by Using a Programmed Contents Comparison Method

The main objective of this research is to look for a difference on programming understanding between Graphic Designers, Game Designers and Programmers. We propose a method whereby comparing 2 displayed images and interactive animations produced by programming samples (problems) a subject decides which one of the programs is more difficult to build with programming than the other, or, if the difficulty is similar; to solve this problems, two types of understanding are needed: one regarding the visual processing of the two pictures, and the second regarding the program making those images. The problems of this method were built considering those two types of understanding. We built a testing system based on this method and performed an experiment using this system with three groups of students: Game Software (GS), Graphic Design (GD) and IT.
The impact of the financial crisis on accounting conservatism in the Netherlands

This research investigates the impact of the financial crisis on conservatism for Dutch companies. Financial data from companies listed on the AEX, AMX and AScX has been used to compare the level of conservatism in the pre-crisis period with the level of conservatism during the financial crisis period. I expect earnings to be more conservative during the crisis period compared with the precrisis period. Surprisingly, the results show that Dutch listed companies are not conservative at all. In contrast, the earnings are rather non-conservative. After splitting the sample in the pre-crisis period and the crisis period the results show that Dutch listed companies were not asymmetrically sensitive to losses and gains within the pre-crisis period. For the crisis period, companies became nonconservative. This indicates that earnings became more sensitive to gains than losses during the financial crisis.
Determinants of Foreign Direct Investment: Evidence from Ethiopia

This study examined how the Foreign Direct Investment inflows in Ethiopia is determined by, the financial sector development, domestic investment, lending interest rate, exchange rate, human capital development ,trade openness and domestic market potential in Ethiopia. In doing so, the study used a VECM with co-integration based on secondary data from 1975-2014 collected from various sources. The study revealed that, FDI in Ethiopia is highly determined by domestic investment, lending interest rate, exchange rate depreciation, domestic market potential and trade openness. However, human capital development and financial sector development are found to be an insignificant effect on FDI in Ethiopia. So that, the government of Ethiopia needs to work towards increasing the countries market potential by further enhancing the economic growth. Besides, it needs to continue the existing managed floating exchange rate regime, modifying the existing lending interest rate based on the kind of investment and kind of benefit the government and the country will have got, work towards encouraging the import substituting foreign direct investment. Keywords: Vector Error Correction Model, FDI, Depreciation, Co-integration
Seasonal variations of chemical composition, intake and digestibility by ewes of natural pasture in the south-eastern regions of Algeria

The effect of season on pasture botanical and chemical compositions, herbage biomass, organic matter intake by ewes and nutrient digestibility coefficients were investigated in the region of Sedrata (south- east of Algeria). The botanical composition and the herbage biomass were determined using the transect method in spring (last two weeks of March) and summer (last two weeks of June). Simultaneously, dry matter intake (DMI) and digestibility coefficients of organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP) and neutral detergent fibre (NDF) of pasture herbage were evaluated using 5 Ouled Djellal breed ewes. Acid insoluble ash (AIA) as an internal marker in faeces and in pasture biomass was used to estimate digestibility and therefore intake. The experiment was repeated through two consecutive years (2001-2002). The legume proportion was higher (P < 0.01) in spring than in summer (21 and 11% of DM respectively). The same trend was observed for grass proportion (67 and 57% respectively). The crude protein content of the herbage decreased (P < 0.001) from spring to summer (15 and 9.4% of DM respectively). Total cell wall content (NDF) was higher (P < 0.001) in summer than in spring (62.7 and 53.7% of DM respectively). The DM intake by ewes decreased significantly (P < 0.001) as the grazing season advanced (1268 and 1085 g DM/day in spring and in summer, respectively). The same trend was observed for OM, CP and NDF digestibility coefficients (P < 0.001). It was concluded that in the studied region, pasture was of a higher feeding value in spring than in summer.
Brain MRI Image Segmentation Based on Learning 1 Local Variational Gaussian Mixture Models 2 3

Local Variational Gaussian Mixture Models 2 3 Yong Xia List1*, Zexuan Ji2*, Yanning Zhang1 4 1. Shaanxi Key Lab of Speech & Image Information Processing (SAIIP), School of Computer Science 5 Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an 710072, China 6 2. School of Computer Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, 7 Nanjing, 210094, China 8 Email: yxia@nwpu.edu. cn 9 10 Abstract — Measuring the distribution of major brain tissues, including the gray matter, white 11 matter and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has attracted 12 extensive research efforts. Many brain MRI image segmentation methods in the literature are 13 based on the Gaussian mixture model (GMM), which however is not strictly followed due to 14 the intrinsic complex nature of MRI data and may lead to less accurate results. In this paper, 15 we introduce the variational Bayes inference to brain MRI image segmentation, and thus 16 propose a novel segmentation algorithm based on learning a cohort of local variational 17 Gaussian mixture (LVGM) models. By assuming all Gaussian parameters to be random 18 variables, the LVGM model has more flexibility than GMM in characterizing the complexity 19 of brain voxel distributions. To alleviate the impact of bias field, we train each LVGM model 20 on a sampled small data volume and linearly combine the trained models to classify each 21 brain voxel. We also construct a co-registered probabilistic brain atlas for each MRI image to 22 incorporate the prior knowledge about brain anatomy into the segmentation process. The 23 proposed LVGM learning algorithm has been evaluated against five state-of-the-art brain 24 MRI image segmentation methods on both synthetic and clinical data. Our results suggest that 25 the LVGM algorithm can segment brain MRI images more effectively and provide more 26 precise distribution of major brain tissues. 27 28 Keywords—Image segmentation; magnetic resonance imaging; variational Bayes 29
A Novel Method for Construction of 3D-Tissue Structures using " Origami " Technique

We propose a method derived from the traditional Japanese art form of “Origami” (paper folding) to produce entire organs to be utilized for transplantation, such as in kidney and heart transplants. By considering how the 3D structure is formed by bending and folding, we designed a two-dimensional surface diagram made by unfolding and unbending the 3D structure. According to this surface diagram and folding process, a branch structure, capillary networks and a vascular construct were successfully prepared by combination of the technology of cross-linked gel with transglutaminase, Biocompatible Anchor for Membrane (BAM) and microfabrication technique. This novel method will be widely applied for making more complex 3D structures which can not be created by the previous method like simple layering of cell sheets.
Theory and practice in archaeology

Preface 1. Theory practice and praxis PART A. SYMBOLIC AND STRUCTURAL ARCHAEOLOGY 2. Symbolism, meaning and context 3. Symbols in action (1982) 4. Burials, houses, women and men in the European Neolitihic (1984) PART B. SOME IMPLICATIONS OF THE NEW IDEAS 5. Post-processual archaeology 6. Theoretical archaeology: a reactionary view (1982) 7. Archaeology in 1984 (1984) 8. Politics and archaeology in the World Archaeological Congress 1986 (1986) PART C. DEBATE AND RE-EVALUATION 9. The processual reaction: "You have gone too far" 10. Towards radical doubt: a dialogue 11. The post-processual reaction: "You haven't gone far enough" 12. Towards a coherent archaeology.
Comparison of Effects of Sevoflurane and Propofol on Cerebral Oxygen Metabolism in Pediatric Anesthesia

This paper aims to study the effect of sevoflurane and propofol on cerebral oxygen metabolism during the maintenance of paediatric anaesthesia. To this end, the children who had undergone surgical treatment in General Surgery Department were selected as study subjects, and they were divided into experimental group and control group. Patients in the control group received propofol to maintain anesthesia, while patients in the experimental group maintained anaesthesia with sevoflurane. Then, the hemodynamic changes at different time points and the depth of anesthesia were compared between the two groups of patients during anesthesia maintenance. The results show that there was no significant difference in cerebral oxygen metabolism between these two groups; the content detected in the experimental group was significantly higher than that in the control group. Therefore, it is concluded that both the sevoflurane and propofol in the pediatric anesthesia maintenance process has a good effect value, which can reduce cerebral oxygen metabolism in children and have a minor impact on hemodynamics, but the sevoflurane is significantly superior to propofol in reducing cerebral oxygen metabolism.
Government-Opposition or Left-Right? The Institutional Determinants of Voting in Legislatures*

This study uses roll-call voting data from 16 legislatures to investigate how the institutional context of politics—such as whether a country is a parliamentary or presidential regime, or has a single-party, coalition or minority government—shapes coalition formation and voting behavior in parliaments. It uses a geometric scaling metric to estimate the “revealed space” in each of these legislatures and a vote-by-vote statistical analysis to identify how much of this space can be explained by government-opposition dynamics as opposed to parties’ (left-right) policy positions. Government-opposition interests, rather than parties’ policy positions, are found to be the main drivers of voting behavior in most institutional contexts. In contrast, issue-by-issue coalition building along a single policy dimension is only found under certain restrictive institutional constraints: presidential regimes with coalition governments or parliamentary systems with minority governments. Put another way, voting in most legislatures is more like Westminster than Washington.
MICE IN SPACE: SPACE USE PREDICTS THE INTERACTION BETWEEN MICE AND SONGBIRDS

The density-dependence inherent in population interactions can be under- mined when the behavior or distribution of predators is not predictable from their population density. For instance, unequal use of space by consumers can lead to improper character- izations of their interaction with prey if based solely on population density. Instead, quitting harvest rates (QHRs) from resource patches might provide a useful alternative index of predator impacts. We tested whether space use would predict predation rates of white-footed mice (Peromyscus leucopus) on experimental songbird nests and whether QHRs or mouse density would best predict the proportion of space used. Our results indicated that space use was an accurate predictor of nest predation rates. Moreover, space use was significantly related to QHRs, but not to mouse density. In our study, space use is the outcome of behavioral mechanisms that do not appear to scale with or lag behind consumer density. In such cases, we may expect a disjuncture between population density and species inter- actions.
Effect of Climate on Vine and Bunch Characteristics: Bunch Rot Disease Susceptibility

Climatic conditions of temperature, light (quantity and quality) humidity and rainfall have major impacts on vine performance, crop yield and berry quality when vines are exposed to extremes in these various climate parameters. A major climatic contrast between Eastern Australian and inland central vineyards is the day temperatures are significantly higher at the inland vineyards (35-€“42-°C) whereas relative humidities are higher at the eastern vineyards (30 cf. 80% RH). This difference in climate causes a high predisposition of grapes to non-Botrytis bunch rots, most notably bitter rot (Greeneria uvicola) and ripe rot (Colletotrichum acutatum), in the wetter eastern sites and little to no infection on vines in the inland vineyards. By contrast, high light exposures, coupled with extremely hot (&gt;35-°C) temperatures at inland vineyards cause severe skin damage in the form of sunburn. Sunburn damage does, however, increase the incidence of Botrytis latent infections in grapes. In both cases bunch rots and skin damage causes a loss of berry quality and has severe impacts on wine quality. Management practices include maintaining open canopies for Botrytis control; however, this has the downside of increasing non-Botrytis bunch rot infections. A greater effect of this practice on west compared to east-facing rows suggests combinations of sunburn and/or heat stress or even higher UV-B (280-€“320 nm) may explain the exacerbation in non-Botrytis bunch rot incidence. While exposure to UV-C (&lt;280 nm) elicits formation antifungal metabolites in vine tissues, this effect is not seen with UV-B which may in fact encourage bunch rots. Future climate changes that lead to increased wetness in the inland wine grape regions of Australia will be detrimental in bringing higher incidences of bunch rots and reducing the competitive advantage in grape growing that these regions currently enjoy. Author Address: csteel@csu.edu.au dgreer@csu.edu.au URL: http://www.actahort. org/books/785/785_31. htm http://www.actahort. org/books/785/ http://researchoutput.csu.edu.au/R/-? func=dbin-jump-full&amp;object_id=8204&amp;local_base=GEN01CSU01 http://www.csu.edu.au/research/nwgic/Docs/2008publications.pdf http://bonza.unilinc. edu.au:80/F/? func=direct&amp;doc_number=001396045&amp;local_base=L25SER
Nectar Production by Invasive Lantana camara and Endemic L. peduncularis in the Galápagos Islands1

Abstract: Measurements of nectar volume and sugar concentration along two elevational gradients, in flower exclusion experiments, and over a diurnal cycle of nectar production were compared for invasive Lantana camara and endemic Lantana peduncularis in the Galápagos Islands during the dry season. Both species show the same pollination syndrome and are pollinated by Lepidoptera. Lantana camara flowers had a higher nectar volume than L. peduncularis flowers at every elevation and higher total sugar content. However, nectar in L. peduncularis flowers was much more concentrated than in L. camara flowers at lower elevations. The differences in nectar production between Lantana species seemed to be intrinsic and related to contrasting strategies to cope with drought. Nectar volume of unbagged flowers of L. camara was lower than that of bagged flowers at sunrise, which was probably related to consumption of nectar by nocturnal Lepidoptera. Nectar removal by floral visitors had a pronounced effect on total amount of nectar secreted by L. camara flowers but sugar concentration did not vary significantly. Our results suggest that L. camara may compete with L. peduncularis for pollinators.
APPLICATION OF ARTIFICIAL GROUND PLANES IN DUAL-BAND ORTHOGONALLY-POLARIZED LOW-PROFILE HIGH-GAIN PLANAR ANTENNA DESIGN

Application of artificial ground planes in design of compact cavity-resonance dual-band high-gain antennas is presented. The artificial ground plane consists of periodic strip grating on grounded dielectric slab. A code based on method of moment (MoM) is developed to analyze and design such artificial ground planes. The reflection parameters obtained using the MoM code are employed to characterize the surface impedance of the artificial ground plane for different incident angles and both TE and TM polarizations. Then, this impedance surface is used in transverse equivalent network (TEN) model of the cavity-resonance antenna with high-permittivity dielectric superstrate. Using TEN model radiation properties of such antennas are analyzed. Finally, the antenna with the compact size is designed to demonstrate the maximum directivity. An interesting characteristic of this antennas is that when the antenna ground plane acts as an artificial magnetic conductor the height of the antenna is almost reduced by a factor of two, while its directivity is increased by about 1 dB compared to the conventional antennas of this class having PEC ground plane.
GNSS FOR STRUCTURAL DEFORMATION AND DEFLECTION MONITORING: IMPLEMENTATION AND DATA ANALYSIS

GNSS, particularly GPS has been used for monitoring structural deformation and deflection for more than a decade. While it is used for this purpose, GPS has demonstrated its feasibility and obvious advantages over other more traditional monitoring systems. However, there is an apparent shortage of applicable specifications and standards as well as reliable data processing techniques. The common interface between surveyors carrying out field data collection and their structural engineering counterparts who are responsible for further structural dynamic interpretation is far beyond mature. Structural engineers now still cannot fully understand the potentials of GPS and confidently use it as a major field data acquisition tool. Based on more than ten years experience in using GPS and other sensors such as triaxial accelerometers and ground-based pseudo-satellites for structural deformation and deflection monitoring in the UK, the authors present a feasible and reliable monitoring system and relevant data processing techniques which can be employed to monitor and analyse the performance of an operational suspension bridge with main spans varying from several tens of metres to more than one thousand metres. Detailed procedures for field data collection, data analysis and visualisation, generation of reliable analytical model, model updating and prediction for structural operational condition are also recommended. Data from a real - life bridge monitoring practice are analysed in the paper to address different issues raised by the authors.
Cloning and prokaryotic expression of the globular head domain of hemagglutinin antigen ( HA 1 ) of influenza A ( H 3 N 2 ) virus in Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis

Background: The influenza virus hemagglutinin is the major surface protein of the influenza A virus which is composed of HA1 and HA2 subunits. HA1 has an important role in binding of virus to cells and designing neutralizing antibodies. Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Bacillus subtilis (B. subtilis) both are known as the most useful prokaryotic hosts to express recombinant proteins. The aim of this study was to clone and express recombinant HA1 protein in E. coli and B. subtilis bacteria. Materials and Methods: HA1 gene was cloned into pET-28a vector and pHT43 shuttle vector and then, both transformed to E. coli. The recombinant plasmids were extracted and then transformed into the BL21 and WB600 as expressing hosts. After induction with isopropyl-β-d-thiogalactoside (IPTG), expressed recombinant protein was analyzed by SDS-PAGE. Finally, the expressed protein was confirmed by the Western blot. Results: HA1 gene was cloned into pET-28a vector and pHT43 shuttle vector and then, both transformed to E. coli. The recombinant plasmids were extracted and then transformed into the BL21 and WB600 as expressing hosts. After induction with isopropyl-β-d-thiogalactoside (IPTG), expressed recombinant protein was analyzed by SDS-PAGE. Finally, the expressed protein was confirmed by the Western blot. Conclusion: This study demonstrated a strategy for production and purification of recombinant protein in large scale to test as vaccine candidate against influenza and it’s potentially immunogenicity be assessed in animal models.
An exploratory study into communications between IS staff and users during requirement specification

An Exploratory Study into Communications between IS Staff and Users during Requirement Specification C J du Plessis, S D E Rip and P M Q Lay Department of Accounting, University of Cape Town, Private Bag, Rondebosch, 7700 Communication between IS staff and users during requirement specification is unavoidable. However, little research has been conducted to e.xplore the relationship between effective group communication and the quality of the requirement specification. This empirical research was based on group communication theory by Johnson and Johnson and requirement specification theory by Wetherbe and Awad. This study confirms that effective group communication is positively associated with the quality of the requirement specification. Furthermore, it highlights the three attributes of group communication which are most positively associated with the quality of the requirement specification. These are: problem solving ability, group cohesion and decision making ability. The three attributes of group communication which are least associated with the quality of the requirement specification are: interpersonal communication, participation and leadership, and power and influence.
The Impact of Structural Reforms on Poverty: A Simple Methodology with Extensions

Structural reforms are often designed to change the prices of key goods and services. Since the overall intention of such reforms is the reduction of poverty, it is important to understand how the resulting price changes affect the poor. However, organizations seeking to provide timely advice to policymakers in developing countries often do not have the data and resources needed to undertake the most sophisticated approaches to such analysis. McCulloch outlines a simple methodology based on the analysis of household survey data to estimate the first-order impact of a variety of structural reforms. He also elaborates on the ways in which this methodology may be extended in a flexible way to account for particular features of a country in question. Finally, he outlines the direction of some extensions on the approach to tackle dynamics, risk, and qualitative poverty analysis.