Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Non-Consumptive Effects of Spiders and Ants: Does Fear Matter in Terrestrial Interaction Webs?

Most animals suffer from predators. Besides killing prey, predators can affect prey physiology, morphology and behaviour. Spiders are among the most diverse and frequent predators in terrestrial ecosystems. Our behavioural arena experiments revealed that behavioural changes under spider predation risk are relatively scarce among arthropods. Wood crickets (Nemobius sylvestris), in particular, changed their behaviour in response to cues of various spider species. Thereby, more common and relatively larger spider species induced stronger antipredator behaviour in crickets. Behavioural changes under predation risk are expected to enhance predator avoidance, but they come at a cost. Crickets previously confronted with cues of the nursery web spider (Pisaura mirabilis) were indeed more successful in avoiding predation. Surprisingly, crickets slightly increased food uptake and lost less weight under predation risk, indicating that crickets are able to compensate for short-term cost under predation risk. In a following plant choice experiment, crickets strongly avoided plants bearing spider cues, which in turn reduced the herbivory on the respective plants. Similar to spiders, ants are ubiquitous predators and can have a strong impact on herbivores, but also on other predators. Juvenile spiders increased their propensity for long-distance dispersal if exposed to ant cues. Thus, spiders use this passive dispersal through the air (ballooning) to avoid ants and colonise new habitats. In a field experiment, we compared arthropod colonisation between plants bearing cues of the nursery web spider and cue-free plants. We followed herbivory during the experimental period and sampled the arthropod community on the plants. In accordance with the plant choice experiment, herbivory was reduced on plants bearing spider cues. In addition, spider cues led to changes in the arthropod community: smaller spiders and black garden ants (Lasius niger) avoided plants bearing spider cues. In contrast, common red ants (Myrmica rubra) increased the recruitment of workers, possibly to protect their aphids. Although behavioural changes were relatively rare on filter papers bearing spider cues, more natural experimental setups revealed strong and far-reaching effects of predation risk. We further suggest that risk effects influence the spatial distribution of herbivory, rather than reduce overall herbivory that is expected if predators kill herbivores. Consequently, the relative importance of predation and risk effects is crucial for the way predators affect lower trophic levels.
ATTITUDE CONTROL SYSTEM DESIGN FOR AGGRESSIVE MANEUVER OF A QUAD-ROTOR UAV

This paper addresses the methodologies of attitude control system design and aggressive maneuver for a Quad-rotor UAV. For this purpose, first of all, Quad-rotor UAV’s dynamic model is derived, and it was used for designing an attitude controller of the Quad-rotor UAV. Attitude controllers are designed by two different methods. One is open-loop control system design and the other one is closed-loop control system design. Performances of both controllers are tested by 6-DOF simulation assuming that using the motion capture system on indoor flight test. Closed-loop control system is designed by conventional PID control method. In case of the open-loop control system, control inputs are calculated by quad-rotor dynamic model and thrust system model that are identified by thrust test. 6-DOF simulation environment was constructed in order to verify the performances of attitude controllers. We assume that flight tests are performed with motion capture system in an indoor facility. Therefore, 6-DOF simulation environment considers the indoor motion capture system. In addition, we present a methodology for an aggressive maneuver; especially flip maneuver method that is applied from the designed controllers in previous researches.
The stable isotopic composition of molecular hydrogen in the tropopause region probed by the CARIBIC aircraft

Abstract. More than 450 air samples that were collected in the upper troposphere – lower stratosphere (UTLS) region by the CARIBIC aircraft (Civil Aircraft for the Regular Investigation of the atmosphere Based on an Instrument Container) have been analyzed for molecular hydrogen (H 2 ) mixing ratios (χ(H 2 )) and H 2 isotopic composition (deuterium content, δ D ). More than 120 of the analyzed samples contained air from the lowermost stratosphere (LMS). These show that χ(H 2 ) does not vary appreciably with O 3 -derived height above the thermal tropopause (TP), whereas δ D does increase with height. The isotope enrichment is caused by H 2 production and destruction processes that enrich the stratospheric H 2 reservoir in deuterium (D); the exact shapes of the profiles are mainly determined by mixing of stratospheric with tropospheric air. Tight negative correlations are found between δ D and the mixing ratios of methane (χ(CH 4 )) and nitrous oxide (χ(N 2 O)), as a result of the relatively long lifetimes of these three species. The correlations are described by δ D [‰]=−0.35 · χ(CH 4 )[ppb]+768 and δ D [‰]=−1.90· χ(N 2 O)[ppb]+745. These correlations are similar to previously published results and likely hold globally for the LMS. Samples that were collected from the Indian subcontinent up to 40° N before, during and after the summer monsoon season show no significant seasonal change in χ(H 2 ), but δ D is up to 12.3‰ lower in the July, August and September monsoon samples. This δ D decrease is correlated with the χ(CH 4 ) increase in these samples. The significant correlation with χ(CH 4 ) and the absence of a perceptible χ(H 2 ) increase that accompanies the δ D decrease indicates that microbial production of very D-depleted H 2 in the wet season may contribute to this phenomenon. Some of the samples have very high χ(H 2 ) and very low δ D values, which indicates a pollution effect. Aircraft engine exhaust plumes are a suspected cause, since the effect mostly occurs in samples collected close to airports, but no similar signals are found in other chemical tracers to support this. The isotopic source signature of the H 2 pollution seems to be on the low end of the signature for fossil fuel burning.
Recent Innovations in Silk Biomaterials

Silk contains a fibre forming protein, fibroin, which is biocompatible, particularly after removing the potentially immunogenic non-fibroin proteins. Silk can be engineered into a wide range of materials with diverse morphologies. Moreover, it is possible to regenerate fibroin with a desired amount of crystallinity, so that the biodegradation of silk materials can be controlled. These advantages have sparked new interest in the use of silk fibroin for biomedical applications, including tissue engineering scaffolds and carriers for sustained release of biologically active molecules. This article summarizes the current research related to the formation of silk materials with different morphologies, their biocompatibility, and examples of their biomedical applications. Recent work on the preparation of silk particles by mechanical milling and their applications in silk composite scaffolds is also discussed.
El rol de la mujer indígena mapuche en la preservación de recursos genéticos y conocimientos tradicionales asociados. Un análisis jurídico desde la perspectiva de género

El presente trabajo es un artículo de reflexión sobre el reconocimiento jurídico de la perspectiva de género, sobre la preservación de los recursos genéticos y los conocimientos tradicionales asociados. Metodológicamente se emplearon dos estrategias, una teórica, consistente en revisión documental de la normativa internacional y chilena en la materia y otra de carácter empírica basada en entrevistas a mujeres mapuche, para conocer su percepción sobre su rol en la preservación de los recursos genéticos y conocimientos tradicionales. El análisis permitió concluir que la normativa revisada no da respuesta a las necesidades jurídicas levantadas a partir de las entrevistas, ya que las diferencias de género no están suficientemente abordadas y no garantizan una participación equitativa entre hombre y mujeres. Ello evidencia la necesidad de implementar procesos sistemáticos para generar recomendaciones específicas, en materia de equidad de género, en procesos de consulta, regulaciones jurídicas nacionales y en políticas y programas de desarrollo.
VY Sculptoris stars as magnetic cataclysmic variables

We show that the absence of outbursts during low states of VY Scl stars is easily explained if white dwarfs in these systems are weakly magnetized (µ ∼ 5 × 10 30 Gc m 3 ). However, some of the VY Scl stars are observed to have very slow declines to minimum and similarly slow rises to maximum. The absence of outbursts during such intermediate (as opposed to low) states, which last much longer than typical disc viscous times, can be explained only if accretion discs are absent when their temperatures would correspond to an unstable state. This requires magnetic fields stronger than those explaining outburst absence during low states, since white dwarfs in this sub-class of VY Scl stars should have magnetic moments µ ∼ 1.5 × 10 33 Gc m 3 i.e. similar to those of Intermediate Polars. Since at maximum brightness several VY Scl stars are SW Sex stars, this conclusion is in agreement with recent claims about the magnetic nature of these systems.
Title Muscle wasting and adipose tissue browning in infantile nephropathic cystinosis Permalink

Background Muscle wasting is a common complication in patients with infantile nephropathic cystinosis, but its mechanism and association with energy metabolism is not known. We define the metabolic phenotype in Ctns / mice, an established murine model of infantile nephropathic cystinosis, with focus on muscle wasting and energy homeostasis. Methods Male Ctns / mice and wild-type (WT) controls were studied at 1, 4, 9, and 12months of age. As Ctns / mice started to develop chronic kidney disease (CKD) at 9months of age, 9and 12-month-old Ctns / mice were also compared with age-matched WT mice with CKD. Serum and urine chemistry and energy homeostasis parameters were measured. Skeletal muscle histomorphometry and in vivomuscle function were measured. We studied expression of genes involved in muscle mass regulation, thermogenesis, energy metabolism, adipogenesis, and adipose tissue browning in Ctns / mice. Results Ctns / mice showed loss of weight and lean mass and increased energy expenditure. Ctns / mice exhibited abnormal energy homeostasis before the onset of their CKD. Food intake in Ctns / mice was comparable with age-matched WT controls. However, significantly lower total body mass starting at 1month of age and increased energy expenditure at 4months of age preceded the onset of CKD at 9months of age in Ctns / mice. Muscle accept content in 1and 4-month-old Ctns / mice was significantly lower than that in age-matched WT controls. At 12months of age, muscle fibre area and in vivo muscle strength was reduced in Ctns / mice than that in WT or CKD controls. Muscle wasting in Ctns / mice was associated with inhibition of myogenesis, activation of muscle proteolysis pathways, and overexpression of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Increased energy expenditure was associated with elevation of thermogenesis in skeletal muscle and adipose tissues. The development of beige adipocytes in Ctns / mice is a novel finding. Expression of beige adipose cell surface markers (CD137, Tmem26, and Tbx1) and uncoupling protein-1, which is a brown adipose tissue marker, was observed in inguinal white adipose tissue of Ctns / mice. Expression of key molecules implicated in the pathogenesis of adipose tissue browning (Cox2, cytochrome c oxidase subunit II; PGF2α, prostaglandin F2α; IL-1α, interleukin 1α; IL-6, interleukin 6; TNF-α, tumor necrosis factor α) was significantly increased in inguinal white adipose tissue of Ctns / mice than that in WT controls. Conclusion This study describes a mouse model of nephropathic cystinosis presenting with profound muscle wasting. The mechanism for hypermetabolism in Ctns / mice may involve up-regulation of thermogenesis pathways in skeletal muscle and adipose tissues. This study demonstrates, for the first time, the development of beige adipocytes in Ctns / mice. Understanding the underlying mechanisms of adipose tissue browning in cystinosis may lead to novel therapy.
Forecast and Backtesting of VAR Models in Crude Oil Market

The oil price has a very important effect on the world economy. In this paper, using data sets of Europe Brent and West Texas Intermediate (WTI) Cushing crude oil daily prices from Jan. 4, 2000 to Jan. 4, 2016, the VaR forecasting performance of GARCH-type models are analyzed and compared in a short horizon. Based on the Kupiecs POF-test and Christo ffersens interval forecast test, as well as a Back testing VaR Loss Function, the empirical results indicate that, for Europe Brent crude oil, EGARCH (1,1) has the best performance; while for WTI, APARCH (1,1) and GJR-GARCH (1,1) outperform other GARCH models. In fact, these results also give significant guidance on how to choose a better risk management model for the certain commodity of different companies even in the same time period.
Applicability of various wood species in glued laminated timber - parameter study on delamination resistance and shear strength

In a current research project the gluability of four European timber species and their applicability in glued laminated timber is investigated. The influence of different processing parameters on the adhesive bonding is assessed with regard to shear strength and delamination resistance. Furthermore, microscopy-based investigations revealed information about the penetration of the adhesive into the wood substrate, the topology of the glue line for different adhesive types and about the surface property of the wood. A deeper understanding of the interaction between wood species, adhesives and processing parameters was acquired.
The CD15 Immunohistochemical Marker of Hodgkin-Reed-Sternberg cells - a Perspective

A historical perspective of the expression of CD15 in classic Hodgkin lymphoma is presented. CD15 antigens expression has ranged over the years from 27% to 90% and more. The CD15 expression, although showing a sensitivity and specificity of less than 90% for Hodgkin-Reed-Sternberg (HRS) cells [1], has been used for several decades, together with CD30 to confirm the diagnosis of the presently classified classic Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL). Historically, the tumor cells of this malignancy have been considered to express from 75 to 90% positivity for this marker, using manual immunophenotyping and non-sialyl-CD15 antibodies [2]. This variance might have been due in part to the fixation process (stronger staining with the B5 fixation when compared with neutral formalin); and in part due to the anti-CD15 antibody employed (LeuM1 Becton Dickinson; 80H5 Immunotech, Marseille; C3D1 clone, DakoM1 Dakopatts and others the classic anti-CD15 antibodies). When the automated stainer, Ventana Benchmark (Ventana Medical Systems, Tucson, AZ), was introduced around 2009, some noted that the usual CD15 antibodies showed a much reduced staining capacity, and the HRS cells positivity in some labs reached an all times low of around 40%.
Biodegradation properties of wood-plastic composites containing high content of lignocellulosic filler and zinc borate exposed to two different brown-rot fungi

The decay resistance of zinc borate-reinforced wood-plastic composites (WPCs) was studied against two types of brown-rot fungi (Rhodonia placenta and Coniophora puteana). The WPCs with 70% wood fibers (Pinus sylvestris L.) were reinforced with 1% and 2% zinc borate. The reinforced WPCs were exposed to a decay test according to the EN 113 (1996) standard. The composite samples were characterized by their weight losses and water absorption capacity (WAC) as well as by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and differential thermal analysis (DTA). The weight losses and WAC results showed that zinc borate improved the decay resistance of the WPCs to a certain degree against brown rot fungi. The FTIR and SEM results showed that the brown rot fungi attacked the WPCs. It was concluded that the use of 1-2% zinc borate provided resistance to fungal attack on WPCs to a certain degree.
Effects of Language Laboratory on Students Performance in Spoken English

The purpose of this study was to verify the efficacy of the Language Laboratory in the teaching and learning of some phonemes of English language perceived as difficult. Based on the result of sixty four (64) students from the Federal College of Education Yola, a t-test statistics revealed a significant relationship between the use of the laboratory and performance. In view of the significant relationship established, the paper posited that progress in speech articulation, especially in Nigeria where English is taught, learned and spoken as a second language and where some sounds of English do not exist in the speaker’s First Language (L1), is predicated on the ability of the teachers and learners to make effective use of the language Laboratory. In conclusion, the educational implications of the findings were discussed.
DEEP LEARNING MODEL FOR BILINGUAL SENTIMENT CLASSIFICATION OF SHORT TEXTS

Sentiment analysis of short texts such as Twitter messages and comments in news portals is challenging due to the lack of contextual information. We propose a deep neural network model that uses bilingual word embeddings to effectively solve sentiment classification problem for a given pair of languages. We apply our approach to two corpora of two different language pairs: English-Russian and Russian-Kazakh. We show how to train a classifier in one language and predict in another. Our approach achieves 73% accuracy for English and 74% accuracy for Russian. For Kazakh sentiment analysis, we propose a baseline method, that achieves 60% accuracy; and a method to learn bilingual embeddings from a large unlabeled corpus using a bilingual word pairs.
The (Un)Attractiveness of Vocational and Technical Education: Theoretical Background

This paper considers the problem of the lack of attractiveness of vocational and technical education via a review of legislation on counselling practices, implementing documents, and the social factors by means of which the education system can influence the individual’s decision. It is apparent that legislation regulating the organisation and content of career counselling services in educational sector is inadequate. The organisation of career counselling at the level of implementation is also inadequate. Counsellors advise individuals on the basis of their academic results and the results of aptitude tests. Counselling practices deriving from theories that place career planning and management skills in the foreground are more rarely represented. Theories that treat career decisions as a social process show that at the level of the student population the choice of the type of school is a rational decision based primarily on the economic position and level of education to which a specific educational pathway is generally supposed to lead. The lower attractiveness of vocational and technical education coincides with the fact that representatives of lower social classes have a weaker economic position and more frequently have vocational and technical education qualifications than representatives of higher social classes. Nevertheless, the trend of high unemployment among young people with academic qualifications, which opposite of the traditional situation, indicates that it will be necessary to include career planning and management skills in the educational contents of institutionalised and formal education as a whole.
Looking Toward the Future: Heritage Presentation and Interpretation and their Relation to ICT

Aquest article examina l’us de les TIC en la presentacio i la interpretacio del conjunts de patrimoni cultural. Descriu les iniciatives actuals de desenvolupament d’aplicacions digitals per al registre i l’analisi de dades, la visualitzacio i la interpretacio publica. Suggereix que les TIC aplicades al patrimoni cultural han de continuar endavant amb els seus reptes tecnologics i cientifics, alhora que han de continuar reconeixent el patrimoni eminentment com una activitat social inserida en un context contemporani que canvia. Per aixo, el patrimoni digital ha de mirar mes enlla del seu us per a la divulgacio de les dades cientifiques i reconeixer el seu major potencial com a propiciador de la reflexio i discussio del public sobre el valor i el significat del passat.
Variation modes of vehicle interior roominess

Vehicle interior roominess is one of the key factors for buyers’ satisfaction. Principal component analysis, principal component regression, and correspondence analysis are applied to understand the modes of variation for interior roominess among 15 dimensions from 76 passenger vehicles, to predict buyers’ satisfaction and to identify dimensions with unique proportions. Three variation modes are found: (1) the interior plan-view variation mode (plan-view = vehicle length × width) shows the largest difference between small and large vehicles, (2) the vehicle height variation mode exposes the difference between the short and tall vehicles, and (3) the greenhouse-shape variation model reveals the difference between sleek and boxy vehicles. Domestic brands are found to receive lower satisfaction even though they are similar in the 15 dimensions. The knee clearance for the second-row shows the largest difference in proportion followed by the diagonal head clearances for the first and the second-rows.
Is Carrier Choice Different for 3PLs and other End-shippers? Some Preliminary Findings

As companies have increasingly sought to outsource their non-essential activities, there has been a dramatic rise in the use of the services of external companies (often referred to as Third Party Logistics Companies or 3PLs) to organize transportation logistics. Little is known about the degree to which their choice of carriers differs from that of traditional end-shippers. Because this sector is expected to grow in the future and thereby to exert more influence on the way freight is shipped, understanding any differences that they might manifest in carrier choice is useful in itself, but also potentially critical in evaluating the potential for rail to increase its share of freight. This paper presents some findings of a unique shipper carrier-choice stated preference survey of shippers in the Quebec City-Windsor Corridor. The survey was conducted during the fall of 2005. The survey was designed explicitly to evaluate shipper preferences for the carriage of intercity consignments, and particularly their preferences for carriers that contract the services of rail companies to carry these shipments via trailer on flat car (TOFC). Preliminary analysis suggests that 3PLs behave differently from other end-shippers, and in particular, are even more mistrustful of the use of rail to move their consignments than other end shippers. Among other things, this suggests that increasing rails share of freight faces tremendous challenges.
High performance solution-processed amorphous zinc tin oxide thin film transistor

Thin film transistors (TFTs) with amorphous zinc tin oxide (ZTO) channel layer were fabricated by a simple and low-cost solution process. The ZTO thin films are highly transparent (>90% transmittance) in the visible region. The ZTO TFTs fabricated at 400 and 500 °C are operated in enhancement mode. The TFT annealed at 500 °C shows a mobility of 14.11 cm2 V−1 s−1, a threshold voltage of 1.71 V, a subthreshold slope of 0.4 V dec−1 and an on–off current ratio greater than 108. In addition, we investigated the gate bias stability of the TFT. Positive gate bias results in a positive shift of the threshold voltage due to the charge trapping in the channel/dielectric interface.