Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Long-term trends of bloater (Coregonus hoyi) recruitment in Lake Michigan: evidence for the effect of sex ratio

Long-term population trends are generally explained by factors extrinsic (e.g., climate, predation) rather than intrinsic (e.g., genetics, maternal effects) to the population. We sought to understand the long-term population dynamics of an important native Lake Michigan prey fish, the bloater Coregonus hoyi. Over a 38-year time series, three 10- to 15-year phases occurred (poor, excellent, and then poor recruitment) without high interannual variability within a particular phase. We used dynamic linear models to determine whether extrinsic (winter and spring temperature, alewife predator densities) or intrinsic factors (population egg production, adult condition, adult sex ratio) explained variation in recruitment. Models that included population egg production, sex ratio, winter and spring temperature, and adult bloater condition explained the most variation. Of these variables, sex ratio, which ranged from 47% to 97% female across the time series, consistently had the greatest effect: recruitment decline.
Resource And Traffic Based Congestion Control(Rtcc) In Wsn

To afford the congestion control design for wireless sensor network using RTCC (Resource and Traffic based Congestion Control) conceive. As the number of node increases in the wireless sensor network, the facts and figures developed by such node also is increased this directs to jamming. There are numerous sources for jamming. They are buffer overflow, coexisting transmission, package collision and numerous to one environment. Jamming determinants package loss, which in turn decreases throughput and power effectiveness. Therefore congestion in WSN's desires to be controlled for high energy-efficiency, to extend scheme lifetime, improve Quality of Service (QoS) in terms of throughput and package decrease ratio along with the packet delay. This design will supply the blended means of both asset and traffic congestion control based on the amount of mesh traffic utilizing duty-cycle adjustment of sensor nodes for wireless sensor networks. This RTCC design should advance the mesh concert of the wireless sensor network.
A time differences of arrival‐based homing strategy for autonomous underwater vehicles

A new sensor‐based homing integrated guidance and control law is presented to drive an underactuated autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) toward a fixed target, in 3‐D, using the information provided by an ultra‐short baseline (USBL) positioning system. The guidance and control law is first derived at a kinematic level, expressed on the space of the time differences of arrival (TDOAs), as directly measured by the USBL sensor, and assuming the plane wave approximation. Afterwards, the control law is extended for the dynamics of an underactuated AUV resorting to backstepping techniques. The proposed Lyapunov‐based control law yields almost global asymptotic stability (AGAS) in the absence of external disturbances and is further extended, keeping the same properties, to the case where known ocean currents affect the motion of the vehicle. Simulations are presented and discussed that illustrate the performance and behavior of the overall closed‐loop system in the presence of realistic sensor measurements and actuator saturation. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Smooth Ordering of Patches and its Application

: Here a new image processing technique is used. For a given corrupted image, we extract all patches with overlaps, refer to these as coordinates in high dimensional space, and order them such that they are chained in the “shortest possible path”. The obtained ordering applied to the corrupted image implies a permutation of the image pixels to what should be a regular signal. This technique is used for image denoising,image inpainting and image deblurring. Here we include an encryption scheme using Bakers algorithm to enhance security of image under military or medical section.
Expatriate adjustment as a multifaceted phenomenon: individual and organizational level predictors

A conceptual model is proposed that identifies critical antecedents of expatriate adjustment. Adjustment is conceptualized as the degree of fit between the expatriate manager and the environment, both work and socio-cultural. Adjustment is marked by both reduced conflict and increased effectiveness. As a multidimensional phenomenon, expatriate adjustment can be identified in psychological, socio-cultural and work domains. The model predicts that psychological and socio-cultural adjustment are the most immediate predictors of work adjustment. In this paper, it is asserted that the success of the expatriation process depends not only on the expatriate manager's competencies and skills, but also on organizational (both parent-company and local-unit) support and assistance prior to and during the assignment. Various international human resource management models are utilized to examine the organizational level antecedents of expatriate adjustment. Managerial resourcefulness, acculturation attitudes, personali.
Field Sprays of Bacillus subtilis and Fungicides for Control of Preharvest Fruit Diseases of Avocado in South Africa.

In 3 consecutive years, preharvest applications of Bacillus subtilis field sprays integrated with copper oxychloride or benomyl consistently reduced severity of avocado black spot (BS), caused by Pseudocercospora purpurea at Omega, Republic of South Africa. Control was equal to that obtained with copper oxychloride or benomyl-copper oxychloride in the first and third years of spraying at Omega. In the second year, only the integrated treatment controlled BS, while copper oxychloride proved ineffective. The antagonist was applied on its own or integrated with copper oxychloride sprays at two other geographically distinct locations, Westfalia Estate and Waterval. The integrated and biological treatments at these localities were less effective than copper oxychloride sprays in controlling BS disease. Integrated control was more effective than B. subtilis sprays at Westfalia. On continuation of the biological spray program at Waterval for an additional three seasons, control was as effective as copper oxychloride in the last 2 years of spraying. Sooty blotch (SB), caused by an Akaropeltopsis sp. , was reduced by the integrated treatment at Omega during the second season and at Westfalia during the first season. Although the two fungicide treatments reduced SB at Omega in the first season, copper oxychloride increased it above that of the control in the third season. Only the copper oxychloride treatment reduced SB at Waterval in the third season, while the B. subtilis treatment increased disease above that of the control in the fourth season.
Psychological Well-Being and Its Relationships with Active and Passive Procrastination

Procrastination affects many people and impacts overall effectiveness of individuals and organisations. While some studies have examined the correlates of procrastination in terms of impacts on well-being (including depression and anxiety) and on performance, few studies have examined procrastination as a dichotomous construct, with most seeing procrastination as unifactorial. One such study defining procrastination as dichotomous was that of Chu and Choi (2005). The current study examines how psychological well-being is related to the concepts of active procrastination and passive (traditional) procrastination. Active and passive procrastination are related insignificantly to each other (we are not dealing with one dimension); but what would be the relationships among psychological well-being, active procrastination and passive procrastination? The different forms of procrastination may have different relationships to well-being and research is scarce; and further, treatment processes for avoiding the negative effects of procrastination should be tailored to the different forms of procrastination. It was hypothesised that psychological well-being would be related positively to active procrastination and negatively to passive procrastination. To answer this question, 152 university students aged between 18 and 54, mean age of 23.3 (SD = 18) completed the Active Procrastination Scale, the Passive Procrastination Scale, and Ryff’s Scales of Psychological Well-Being. Standard multiple regression was used, linking psychological well-being, age, gender, active and passive procrastination. The findings show active and passive procrastination are in fact separate constructs and need to be treated differently. Being an active procrastinator can be a sign of healthy well-being.
Shybo. Design of a research artifact for human-robot interaction studies

This article discusses the role of Design Research in the field of Human-Robot Interaction (HRI). Notably, the Research through Design (RtD) approach is proposed as a valuable method to develop HRI research artefacts due to the importance of having a physical artefact, a robot, that enables direct interaction. Moreover, there is a growing interest in HRI for design methodologies as methods for investigation. The article presents an example of a design process, focused on hands-on activities, namely sketching, 3D modelling, prototyping, and documenting. These making practices were applied to the development of Shybo, a small sound-reactive robot for children. Particular attention has been given to the five prototypes that led to the definition of the current solution. Morphological, behavioral, and interaction aspects were investigated throughout the whole process. Each phase of the design process was then documented with the intent of sharing potentially replicable practices and contributing to the understanding of the role that RtD can play in HRI.
describe reductionism as a „ nothing but ‰ relation between things : Some thing A is made up of nothing other than certain other things

There are effectively two classes of explanations for how we come to be conscious, particularly in the sense of having a „mental world‰ or apprehending and comprehending phenomenal experience of both the material world in which we are present, and the worlds of our imagination. These, of course, are the physicalistic explanations in which consciousness somehow is a product of the brainÊs activity in the physical world, and the mentalistic (usually dualist) explanations in which some non-physical „stuff‰ carries our mental worlds and phenomenal experiences. Ultimately, even if the mental stuff hypothesis is proven to be the case, we will still have to produce an explanation for how there can be a causally efficacious connection between that mental stuff and the physical world
Are Probiotics Effective at Reducing the Symptoms of Asthma in Children From Birth to Twelve-Years Old?

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this systematic review is to determine whether or not probiotics are effective at reducing the symptoms of asthma in children ages birth to twelve-years old. STUDY DESIGN: Review of three English-language, double-blinded randomized controlled trials (RCTs) from 2010 and 2011. DATA SOURCES: Three peer-reviewed RCTs were found using PubMed database. These studies compared probiotics to placebos in patients with episodes of wheezing. OUTCOMES MEASURED: Reduction in symptoms of asthma (particularly wheezing) measured with the use of diary cards and symptom scores. RESULTS: Chen et al. demonstrated statistically significant improvement in daytime asthma symptoms in probiotic treated versus placebo treated children age 6–12 years, with a p value of 0.01. Rose et al found no statistically significant difference in asthma related symptoms between probiotic and placebo groups in children age 6–24 months. A Mann-Whitney U-test was used to determine this fact, using a 95% confidence interval. No test statistic was given. Van der Aa found that a synbiotic mixture containing a probiotic to reduce wheezing and/or noisy breathing apart from colds compared to placebo. This reduction was statistically significant, with a 95% confidence interval and a p value of 0.001. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that probiotics are effective at reducing asthma symptoms such as wheezing. Two of the three studies suggested statistically significant improvement in probiotic treated versus control groups.
HD 96446: a puzzle for current models of magnetospheres?

Context. Oblique magnetic dipole fields have been detected in Bp stars for several decades, and more recently also in normal massive stars. In the past decade, it has been established that stellar magnetospheres form through the channelling and confinement of an outflowing stellar wind by the stellar magnetic field. This explains specific properties of magnetic massive stars, such as their rotationally modulated photometric light curve, Hα emission, UV spectra, and X-ray emission. Aims. In the framework of the MiMeS (Magnetism in Massive Stars) project, four HARPSpol observations of the magnetic Bp star HD 96446 have been obtained. HD 96446 is very similar to σ Ori E, the prototype of centrifugally supported rigidly rotating magnetospheres (CM) and is therefore a perfect target to study the validity of this model. Methods. We first updated the basic parameters of HD 96446 and studied its spectral variability. We then analysed the HARPSpol spectropolarimetric observations using the LSD (Least-Squares Deconvolution) technique to derive the longitudinal magnetic field and Zeeman signatures in various types of lines. With LTE spectrum modelling, we derived constraints on the field modulus, the rotational velocity, and the inclination angle, and measured non-solar abundances of several elements which we checked with NLTE modelling. Finally, we calculated the magnetic confinement and Alfven and Kepler radii from the stellar magnetic field and rotation properties, and we examined the various types of magnetospheres that may be present around HD 96446. Results. We find radial velocity variations with a period around 2.23 h, that we attribute to β Cep-type p-mode pulsations. We detect clear direct magnetic Stokes V signatures with slightly varying values of the longitudinal magnetic field, typical of an oblique dipole rotator, and show that these signatures are not much perturbed by the radial velocity variations. The magnetic confinement parameter and Alfven radius in the centrifugally supported, rigidly-rotating magnetosphere (CM) model points towards the presence of confined material in the magnetosphere. However, HD 96446 does not present signatures of the presence of such confined material, such as Hα emission. Conclusions. We conclude that, even though HD 96446 fulfills all criteria to host a CM with confined material, it does not. The rotation period must be significantly revised, or another model of magnetosphere with a leakage mechanism will need to be developed to explain the magnetic environment of this star.
Migration, music and social relations on the NSW Far North Coast

This article explores urban-rural migration on the NSW Far North Coast (the 'Northern Rivers' region) and the emergence of popular music as a niche cultural industry. The various images of the NSW Far North Coast as a 'lifestyle' region, 'alternative' region and coastal retreat have attracted a diverse mix of ex- urban professionals, unemployed persons, youth subcultures and retirees, yet despite population growth, the region continues to suffer unemployment rates among the highest in Australia. Against this backdrop, popular music has emerged as a niche industry with linkages to cultural production in Sydney, Melbourne and overseas, and also an area of creative expression that interacts with, and mediates local social relations.
Generation mean analysis for forage yield and quality in Kenaf

Several techniques have been used for estimation of peak outflow from breach when dam failure occurs. This study proposes using a generalized regression artificial neural network (GRNN) model as a new technique for peak outflow from the dam breach estimation and compare the results of GRNN with the results of the existing methods. Six models have been built using different dam and reservoir characteristics, including depth, volume of water in the reservoir at the time of failure, the dam height and the storage capacity of the reservoir. To get the best results from GRNN model, optimized for smoothing control factor values has been done and found to be ranged from 0.03 to 0.10. Also, different scenarios for dividing data were considered for model training and testing. The recommended scenario used 90% and 10% of the total data for training and testing, respectively, and this scenario shows good performance for peak outflow prediction compared to other studied scenarios. GRNN models were assessed using three statistical indices: Mean Relative Error (MRE), Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) and Nash – Sutcliffe Efficiency (NSE). The results indicate that MRE could be reduced by using GRNN models from 20% to more than 85% compared with the existing empirical methods.
Implicit Leadership Theories: Think Leader, Think Effective?

In general, although research into leadership acknowledges negative aspects of leadership, research into implicit leadership theories lags behind in this respect. Most implicit leadership theories research implies that the image of a leader in general reflects an effective leader. However, recent results in leadership research as well as headlines and reports in the popular press cast doubt on this assumption. This article reports a qualitative study, focusing on general implicit leadership theories rather than effective images of leaders. The analysis of 349 statements results in 15 categories that describe leaders in general. The results imply that implicit leadership theories are composed of both effective and ineffective attributes. The study challenges previous assumptions on the effectiveness implied in implicit leadership theories.
Policy Forum: Alberta's Specified Gas Emitters Regulation

Over the past decade, many policy options have been proposed to limit greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from industrial activity in Canada. The purpose of this article is to introduce one specific example, Alberta’s Specified Gas Emitters Regulation (SGER), and to compare and contrast the incentives provided by this program with those provided by comparably priced carbon taxes. The results show that, unlike a carbon tax policy that prices all emissions reductions identically, the SGER program provides vastly different rewards for emissions reductions achieved in different ways within the same facility. Despite this, it is not accurate to say that the SGER systematically under prices emissions reductions relative to a carbon tax; in many cases the implicit incentives provided by the two policy options are identical, and in some cases the SGER would reward better performance where a carbon tax would not.
Size effects in statistical fracture

We review statistical theories and numerical methods employed to consider the sample size dependence of the failure strength distribution of disordered materials. We first overview the analytical predictions of extreme value statistics and fibre bundle models and discuss their limitations. Next, we review energetic and geometric approaches to fracture size effects for specimens with a flaw. Finally, we overview the numerical simulations of lattice models and compare with theoretical models.
Stereo Coherence in Watercolour Rendering

We investigate stereo coherence – or consistency of stereoscopic views – in non-photorealistic rendering (NPR) by example. We designed and carried out a pilot user study that compared stereoscopic animations created using two different watercolour rendering styles. The rendering styles use image-space and object-space noise respectively. A clear majority of participants preferred the object-based technique and found it more comfortable to watch than the image-space technique which suffers from the ‘shower door effect’. Based on these preliminary results, we conclude that stereo coherence is indeed a desirable property for non-photorealistic rendering techniques.
RAPD-PCR as a Molecular Discriminative Technique for Human Pathogenic Bacteria - A Review

The application of random amplified polymorphic DNA- polymerase chain reaction (RAPD-PCR) was found to be a simple, cheap and rapid tool to discriminate human pathogenic bacterial isolates especially at intraspecific level. This molecular biological technique relies on the use of random oligonucleotide primers that arbitrarily amplifies specific regions of the genome which gives rise to a unique genomic fingerprint of the strains under investigations. With continued development of novel molecular-based technologies for rapid, high-throughput detection of food borne pathogenic bacteria, the future of conventional microbiological methods such as viable cell enumeration, selective isolation of bacteria on commercial media, and immunoassays seems tenuous. Approaches that enhance recovery of sub lethally injured bacteria, differentiation among species, differentiation among bacteria of interest using biochemical profiling, enumeration using impedance technology, techniques to confirm the presence of target pathogens using immunological methods, and bioluminescence applications for hygiene monitoring are of utmost need in identifying and combating the human pathogenic isolates. The aim of this study is to esti­mate the efficiency of RAPD-PCR technique in assessing the genetic diversity of diseases causing bacterial isolates. The use of RAPD-PCR in evaluating the genomic variability among the pathogenic strains belonging to different genus are also been discussed in the present report.
Mxit advertising’s influence on cognitive attitudes amongst Millennials in the Western Cape

The social media have grown at an exponential rate in recent years, especially amongst the youth (known as Millennials) in South Africa, who access social media primarily via mobile devices; these have served as an additional catalyst to fuel this growth. The rapid advancement of social media is also attributed to the Millennials’ desires for social interaction connectedness, information, entertainment and convenience. Millennials portray a difficult market to reach with advertising due to the large fragmentation of media, diverse range of interests and demographical differences, but this lucrative market cannot be ignored owing to their huge purchasing power. Mxit is a popular social medium in South Africa and provides numerous advertising opportunities for organisations and their brands. The purpose of this study was to examine Millennials’ cognitive attitudes towards advertising on Mxit, and assess the influence of certain usage and demographic factors. The research surveyed 1858 young adults in the Western Cape who were between the ages of 18 and 30 years. Millennials maintained favourable cognitive responses towards Mxit advertising. All of the usage elements and a demographic factor, gender, were also found to have a significant influence. The results provide both academia and organisations with fresh insights and a greater understanding of social network advertising.