Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Dynamic Impacts of Climate and Land-Use Changes on Surface Runoff in the Mountainous Region of the Haihe River Basin, China

The relative contributions of different factors to the variation in surface runoff have been broadly quantified. However, little attention has been paid to how these relative contributions have changed over time. We analyzed the changes in surface runoff during 1980–2010 in six subbasins in the mountainous region of the Haihe River Basin, one of the most serious water shortage regions in China, and identified the changes in the relative contributions of climate (precipitation and temperature) and land-use to surface runoff decrease. There was a decreasing tendency in surface runoff in all subbasins, four of which had an abrupt change point around 1998. Comparing the relative contributions before and after 1998 in the four subbasins, the average influence of climate was found to decline dramatically from 67.1% to 30.5%, while that of land-use increased from 23.9% to 69.5% mainly due to the increase of forest area. Our results revealed that the primary environmental factor responsible for runoff variations was not constant, and an alternation may accentuate the impact and stimulate an abrupt change of runoff in semiarid and semihumid mountainous regions. This will help in taking tracking measures to deal with the complex water resource challenges according to different driving factors.
In-cloud processes of methacrolein under simulated conditions – Part 1: Aqueous phase photooxidation

The photooxidation of methacrolein was studied in the aqueous phase under simulated cloud droplet conditions. The obtained rate constant of OH-oxidation of methacrolein at 6°C in unbuffered solutions was 5.8(±0.9)×10^9 M−1 s−1. The measured rate coefficient is consistent with OH-addition on the C=C bond. This was confirmed by the mechanism established on the study of the reaction products (at 25°C in unbuffered solutions) where methylglyoxal, formaldehyde, hydroxyacetone and acetic acid/acetate were the main reaction products. An upper limit for the total carbon yield was estimated to range from 53 to 85%, indicating that some reaction products remain unidentified. A possible source of this mismatch is the formation of higher molecular weight compounds as primary reaction products which are presented in El Haddad et al. (2009) and Michaud et al. (2009).
Distributed Simulation for Evolutionary Design of Swarms of Cyber-Physical Systems

Swarms of Cyber-Physical Systems (CPSs) can be used to tackle many challenges that traditional multi-robot systems fail to address. In particular, the self-organizing nature of swarms ensures they are both scalable and adaptable. Such benefits come at the cost of having a complex system that is extremely hard to design manually. Therefore, an automated process is required for designing the local interactions between the agents that lead to the desired swarm behavior. In this work, the authors employ evolutionary design methodologies to generate the local controllers of the agents. This requires many simulation runs and, as a consequence, distributed simulation. The paper first proposes a network-based Application Programming Interface (API) that employs a publish / subscribe broker architecture to distribute simulations among multiple Simulation Servers (SSs). Following this, a file-based API is proposed, which exports the agent controller to the simulator enabling deployment of the evolved solution on CPSs. Both approaches are compared in terms of time needed for the evolutionary optimization process with the support of simulations. A proof of concept demonstrates the portability to CPSs using TurtleBot robots. The results suggest that for most scenarios it is beneficial to export the agent controller to the simulator to avoid the vast communication overhead. The presented network-based approach currently lacks this feature but is well suited to offload computation-heavy simulations to a cluster of SSs. Keywords–Swarms; Evolution; Optimization; Cyber-Physical Systems (CPSs); Simulation; Architecture; Robot Operating System (ROS).
The control of vessel size and density along the plant axis: a new hypothesis

Abstract An hypothesis is presented which ascribes the general increase in vessel size and decrease in vessel density from leaves to roots to a gradient of decreasing auxin concentration from leaves to roots. Application of auxin in a lanolin paste to decapitated bean stems produced a very sharp basipetal gradient of decreasing vessel number and increasing vessel size. The high auxin concentration at the point of application resulted in numerous vessels that remain small because of their rapid differentiation. The low auxin concentration further down resulted in slow differentiation and therefore fewer and larger vessels.
The use of high-definition video technology on diabetes management

Background : Diabetes, a metabolic disorder, has reached epidemic proportions in developed and developing countries. So, the Use of High-Definition Video Technology has gained acceptance as a tool for improving diabetes management. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of using High-definition video technology on diabetes management. Methods : Subjects: All 120 diabetic children, in the Diabetic center in the EL Mogamaa EL Teby AL Shamal, Menoufia Governorate, Egypt. Instruments: It consisted of four tools: 1) Questionnaire for socio demographic data; 2) Questionnaire for nutritional practices and practicing of exercise; 3) Observational checklists, guidelines for testing urine reagent strips for acetone or sugar, guidelines for Diabetic foot and nails care and guidelines Steps in Performing a capillary blood glucose test by using the home device; 4) Diabetic child ’ s investigations ’ results (fasting blood glucose level, postprandial blood glucose level and glycosylated hemoglobin level) were collected from child's record. All tools were used for pre-post intervention. Results : The study showed a statistical significant reduction in fasting blood sugar, Post prandial blood sugar and glycosylated hemoglobin level of cases group after intervention (120.57 + 29.13, 165.57 + 29.13 and 7.08 + 1.56, respectively) compared with cases group before intervention (166.37 + 27.66, 232.80 + 57.02 and 9.61 + 1.94, respectively). Also, there was statistical significant improvement in care of feet and nails, blood glucose monitoring and nutritional practices of cases group after intervention (64.25 + 2.81, 36.35 + 2.44, and 10.88 + 1.45, respectively) compared with control group (23.21 + 1.37, 17.63 + 2.11, and 5.28 + 1.37, respectively). Conclusions : The implementation teaching-assisted High-Definition Video Technology has succeeded in achieving significant improvement in diabetic children' diabetes management practices skills. Recommendations: implementation of teaching-assisted High-definition video technology for all patients ’ health education fields.
Surface deformation on the west portion of the Chapala lake basin: uncertainties and facts

Abstract. In this study we investigate different aspects of land subsidence and ground failures occurring in the west portion of Chapala lake basin. Currently, surface discontinuities seem to be associated with subsiding bowls. In an effort to understand some of the conditioning factors to surface deformation, two sounding cores from the upper sequence (11 m depth) were extracted for analyzing physical and mechanical properties. The upper subsoil showed a predominant silty composition and several lenses of pumice pyroclastic sand. Despite the relative predominance of fine soil, the subsoil shows mechanical properties with low clay content, variable water content, low plasticity and variable compressibility index, amongst some others. Some of these properties seem to be influenced by the sandy pyroclastic lenses, therefore, a potential source of the ground failure could be heterogeneities in the upper soil.
ICT and Non-ICT Investments: Short and Long Run Macro Dynamics

In this paper, we model business investment distinguishing between ICT (communication equipment, hardware and software) and Non-ICT (machinery and equipment, and nonresidential buildings) components and taking into account asset specific characteristics potentially affecting the reactivity of capital accumulation over the business cycle. Business investment and ICT and Non-ICT assets are estimated within a VECM model to test, in a unique framework, the assumptions of the flexible accelerator model (Clark, 1944, and Koyck, 1954) and of the neoclassical model of Hall and Jorgenson (1967), as well as how financial constraints and uncertainty influence investment behaviour (Hall and Lerner, 2010, and Bloom, 2007). Our findings suggest that the long-run relationship with standard macro determinants (output and user cost) is verified for aggregate business capital stock as well as for individual Non-ICT assets but not for ICT. In the short run, liquidity is a key determinant of investment behaviour independently of the asset type. In the long-run, uncertainty significantly affects ICT. Finally, the results of the counterfactual exercises over the latest Italian recession support the idea that ICT is a key policy variable to foster the economic recovery.
Augmented reality for educational enhancement

Augmented Reality superimposes virtual objects over real world environment. Educators know that learning deepens, not just through reading and listening, but also through creating and interacting. This proposed project of ours aims to enhance current educational system using Augmented Reality. We are developing an application which will show animations, videos and 3D models of educational material. This project can enhance learning, creativity and retention among students. Our application will also foster intellectual curiosity among students making them smarter. We aim to change the conventional way of education and open a new opportunity towards a smart classroom.
Percolation threshold of a simple cubic lattice with fourth neighbors: the theory and numerical calculation with parallelization

The method of nding a percolation threshold xc of innite lattice in the problem of nodes is proposed. Theoretically was shown that curves of conditional probability of percolation of nite lattices are intersected in the critical point xc. The method has been implemented in numerical experiment with parallelization on a nite simple cubic lattice for coordination numbers
Updating traditional trade direction algorithms with liquidity motivation

Trade-direction algorithms play an important role in traditional studies of market microstructure and in understanding the market for immediacy. This paper examines the underlying definition of trade origination and proposes a new liquidity motivation (LM) method to classify individual trades using orders. This LM model represents a unique alternative to the traditional algorithms used in most microstructure research. Using the NYSE TORQ database, LM trade classifications are compared with traditional methods for classifying trade direction. We document systematic biases resulting from the conventional algorithms and provide an alternative liquidity-based classification method that captures the actual behavior of market participants.
Engaging Norwegian Youth in Mission: An Empirical Study

AbstractA reform of Christian education began in Norway in 2004 covering all those baptised in the Church of Norway from birth to 18. Mission is a significant dimension in the Plan for Christian Education but, despite the many projects initiated by congregations, relatively few deal with mission. The empirical material underpinning this article is a close study of four congregations’ projects on mission and youth aged from 14 to 18. Projects with good experience in this respect were selected and the main focus was on identifying factors which accounted for the success of projects designed to engage Norwegian youth in mission. Following a brief presentation of the Norwegian background regarding Christian education and an introduction to the empirical material the main part of the article discusses factors which were crucial to the projects’ success.
Finite Temperature Holography in Higher Spin Theory/Vector Model

Vector-like models with O(N) and U(N) symmetries at their critical points were seen to exhibit duality with higher spin gravitational theories of Vasiliev. In the dissertation, we study the finite temperature Vector Model/Higher Spin Duality in Large N . For CFTs given by 3d O(N) (or U(N)) vector models, I evaluate the leading and one-loop partition functions in a variety of geometries. This calculations are performed in the scheme of collective field theory, which was seen in earlier studies to represent a bulk description of Vasiliev higher spin theory. The calculations presented provide data for comparison of small fluctuation determinants, giving further evidence for the one-to-one bulk identification between the bi-local and the AdS picture. They also o er insight into the identification of coupling constants G and 1/N of the two descriptions for models based on O(N) symmetry. I also consider the canonical structure of the collective formulation of Vector Model/Higher Spin Duality in AdS4. This formulation involves a construction of bulk AdS Higher Spin fields through a time-like bi-local Map, with a Hamiltonian and canonical structure that are established to all orders in 1/N . Finally, I study the Large N dynamics of the O(N) field theory in the Thermo field dynamics approach. The question of recovering the high temperature phase and the corresponding O(N) gauging is clarified. Through the associated bi-local representation, we discuss the emergent bulk space-time and construction of (Higher spin) fields. We note the presence of “evanescent” modes in this construction and also the mixing of spins at finite temperature.
Adhesion G-protein Coupled Receptors in Autism

Dario Siniscalco1,2,3* 1Department of Experimental Medicine, Second University of Naples, Italy 2 Centre for Autism – La Forzadel Silenzio, Caserta 81036, Italy 3Cancell autismo–No profit association for Autism care, Florence 50132, Italy *Corresponding author: Dario Siniscalco, Department of Experimental Medicine, Second University of Naples; via S. Maria di Costantinopoli, 16 80138 Napoli, Italy; Tel: +39 (0)81 5665880; Fax: +39 (0)81 5667503; E-mail: dariosin@uab.edu
Chapter 4 Molecular modeling and docking studies of PDE2 inhibitors

Selective inhibition of phosphodiesterase 2 (PDE2) in cells where it is located elevates cGMP and acts as novel analgesic with antinociceptive activity. 3D-QSAR studies for pyrazolodiazepinone inhibitors exhibiting PDE2 inhibition were performed using CoMFA, CoMSIA and Topomer CoMFA and 2D-QSAR study was performed using HQSAR method. QSAR models were generated using training set of 23 compounds and were validated using test set of 9 compounds. The most active compound 27 was used as a template for alignment which was done using align database. The optimum partial least square analysis (PLS) for CoMFA-Focusing, CoMSIA-SDH, Topomer CoMFA and HQSAR models exhibited good „„leave-oneout‟‟ cross validated correlation coefficient (q 2 ) of 0.790, 0.769, 0.840 and 0.787, correlation coefficient (r 2 ) of 0.999, 0.964, 0.979 and 0.980 and high predictive power (r 2 pred) of 0.796, 0.833, 0.820 and 0.803 respectively. Docking studies revealed that inhibitors that are able to bind to amino acid Gln859 by c-GMP binding orientation called „glutamine-switch‟ and also bind to the hydrophobic clamp of PDE2 isoform could possess high selectivity for PDE2. From the results of all the studies, structure activity relationships and structural requirements for binding to active site of PDE2 have been established which provide useful guidance for designing and future synthesis of potent PDE2 inhibitors. 4.2 Phosphodiesterase 2 Enzyme
A novel particle filter based people tracking method through occlusion

A novel multi-regions based particle filters that effectively deals with occlusion problem in people tracking has been proposed in this paper. After locating multiple key regions, the algorithm uses several nearly independent particle filters (NIPF) to track each region which will be influenced by the proximity and/or behavior of other regions. Comparing with the tracking method based on independent particle filter, the proposed algorithm is more effective in solving long-time partial or total occlusion problem. And the performance advantage the nearly independent particle filters in comparison with a joint filter is significant. This is demonstrated by the experimental results.
Germination, protein contents and soluble carbohydrates during storage of sugar apple seeds (Annona squamosa L.)

The aim of this study was to evaluate changes in the germination potential, protein contents and soluble carbohydrates in sugar apple ( Annona squamosa L.) seeds from Castilla-Tolima and Apulo-Cundinamarca, Colombia during storage for 30, 60 and 120 days in a cool room, refrigeration, and ambient conditions. In each period, the seed moisture contents, germination percentage (GP), mean germination time (MGT), mean germination rate (MGR), soluble protein content, and contents of sucrose, glucose and fructose were evaluated. The highest GP (> 80%) and MGR (0.15 germinated seeds / day) and the lowest MGT (<7 days) were reached after 60 and 120 days of storage under ambient conditions. In the three storage conditions, the protein contents declined at 60 days and 120 days in seeds from Castilla and Apulo, respectively. Under the ambient conditions (AC), there was an increase of 72.3% in the sucrose content, 61% increase in the fructose content and 70% decrease in the glucose content. The results show that this environment temperature for 60 and 120 days was best suited for maintaining short term germination. The high GP and MGT values and low MGR value indicated a possible dormancy release that occurred naturally.
Using a Linux Security Module for Contest Security

The goal of a programming contest grading system is to take unknown code and execute it on test data. Since the code is frequently buggy and potentially malicious, it is necessary to run the code in a restricted environment to prevent it from damaging the grading system, bypassing resource constraints, or stealing information in order to obtain a better score. We present some background on methods to construct such a restricted environment. We then de- scribe how the South African Computer Olympiad has used a Linux Security Module to implement a restricted environment, as well as the limitations of our solution.
Response of Cyclotella species to nutrients and incubation depth in Arctic lakes

The relative abundances of small centric diatoms have increased in many Arctic lakes over the past century, with these changes commonly attributed to warming. However, the specific mechanisms by which diatom community structure is changing in response to warming remain unclear. We investigated the responses of two common centric diatoms to nutrient enrichment and incubation depth, the latter used to manipulate light availability which is a key factor that changes with altered mixing depths in lakes. We conducted 2 × 2 factorial experiments, manipulating nutrients (none added or N + P addition) and incubation depth (shallow or deep), and measured changes in growth rates and cell densities of Discostella stelligera and Puncticulata radiosa. A second set of experiments was conducted on D. stelligera in a growth chamber to separate temperature and light effects associated with incubation depth. Puncticulata radiosa was always more abundant in the shallow depth incubations, regardless of nutrient conditions. In contrast, D. stelligera responded most strongly to nutrient additions, and cell densities of this species were affected by interactions between nutrients and incubation depth or light. Our research suggests that processes that alter light availability (such as water clarity and water column stability) and nutrient concentrations are likely to play a major role in controlling the growth of small centric diatoms in Arctic lakes.
How New Secondary School Headteachers access Coaching and Mentoring: Support Strategies for New Senior Leaders

This article derives from doctoral research which took a client perspective and a grounded theory approach to investigate how new secondary school headteachers use coaching and mentoring. Six newly appointed headteachers in England were interviewed three times during their first year in post. The article reports one aspect of the findings, namely how newly appointed secondary school headteachers access their coaching and mentoring support. Member checks undertaken with experienced coaches indicate that research findings could be transferable to other circumstances and sectors.
Observing and modelling phytoplankton community structure in the North Sea: can ERSEM-type models simulate biodiversity?

Phytoplankton form the base of the marine food chain, and knowledge of phytoplankton community structure is fundamental when assessing marine biodiversity. Policy makers and other users require information on marine biodiversity and other aspects of the marine environment for the North Sea, a highly productive European shelf sea. This information must come from a combination of observations and models, but currently the coastal ocean is greatly under-sampled for phytoplank- ton data, and outputs of phytoplankton community structure from models have therefore yet to be properly validated. This 5 study presents a novel set of in situ observations of phytoplankton community structure for the North Sea using accessory pig- ment analysis. The observations allow a good understanding of the patterns of surface phytoplankton biomass and community structure in the North Sea for the observed months of August 2010 and 2011. Two physical-biogeochemical ocean models, the biogeochemical components of which are different variants of the widely-used European Regional Seas Ecosystem Model (ERSEM), were then validated against these and other observations. Both models were a good match for sea surface tempera- 10 ture observations, and a reasonable match for remotely sensed ocean colour observations. However, the two models displayed very different phytoplankton community structures, with one better matching the in situ observations than the other. Nonethe- less, both models shared some similarities with the observations in terms of spatial features and inter-annual variability. A comparison of the formulations and parameterisations of the two models suggests that diversity between the parameter set- tings of model phytoplankton functional types, along with formulations which promote a greater sensitivity to changes in light 15 and nutrients, is key to capturing the observed biodiversity. These findings will help inform future model development, which should be coupled with detailed validation studies, in order to help facilitate the wider application of marine biogeochemical modelling to user and policy needs.
Do Chimpanzees Know What Each Other See? A Closer Look

Hare et al. (2000) reported that when placed into competitive feeding situations chimpanzees exhibit evidence of reasoning about what each other can see. Subjects were reported to select food items that were hidden behind barriers and therefore were not visible to a rival chimpanzee. We report eight experiments that attempted to replicate these findings and test alternative interpretations of them. Although we robustly replicated the finding that subjects obtained more hidden than visible food items, we consistently did not replicate the more relevant result of subjects' food choice. Further studies revealed that even those subjects who showed a tendency to approach the hidden food first did not differentiate between barriers which did and did not obscure the rival’s view. Overall, the results support the idea that although chimpanzees may use a variety of competitive strategies in such tests, no predictive power is added by postulating that they are reasoning about what each other can or cannot see.