Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Scale orientated analysis of river width changes due to extreme flood hazards

Abstract. This paper analyses the morphological effects of extreme floods (recurrence interval >100 years) and examines which parameters best describe the width changes due to erosion based on 5 affected alpine gravel bed rivers in Austria. The research was based on vertical aerial photos of the rivers before and after extreme floods, hydrodynamic numerical models and cross sectional measurements supported by LiDAR data of the rivers. Average width ratios (width after/before the flood) were calculated and correlated with different hydraulic parameters (specific stream power, shear stress, flow area, specific discharge). Depending on the geomorphological boundary conditions of the different rivers, a mean width ratio between 1.12 (Lech River) and 3.45 (Trisanna River) was determined on the reach scale. The specific stream power (SSP) best predicted the mean width ratios of the rivers especially on the reach scale and sub reach scale. On the local scale more parameters have to be considered to define the "minimum morphological spatial demand of rivers", which is a crucial parameter for addressing and managing flood hazards and should be used in hazard zone plans and spatial planning.
Riemann wave description of erosional dam-break flows

This work examines the sudden erosional flow initiated by the release of a dam-break wave over a loose sediment bed. Extended shallow-water equations are formulated to describe the development of the surge. Accounting for bed material inertia, a transport layer of finite thickness is introduced, and a sharp interface view of the morphodynamic boundary is adopted. Approximations are sought for an intermediate range of wave evolution, in which equilibration of the sediment load can be assumed instantaneous but momentum loss due to bed friction has not yet been felt. The resulting homogeneous hyperbolic equations are mathematically tractable using the Riemann techniques of gas dynamics. Dam-break initial conditions give rise to self-similar flow profiles. The wave structure features piecewise constant states, two smoothly varied simple waves, and a special type of shock: an erosional bore forming at the forefront of the wave. Profiles are constructed through a semi-analytical procedure, yielding a geomorphic generalization of the Stoker solution for dam-break waves over rigid bed. For most flow properties, the predictions of the theoretical treatment compare favourably with experimental tests visualized using particle imaging techniques.
“So now I’m panic attack free!”: Response stories in a peer-to-peer online advice forum on pregnancy and parenting

This paper examines the functions of stories in an online peer-to-peer advice forum on pregnancy and parenting, particularly drawing attention to how parents as advice-givers use stories in health-related discussions. The analysis shows that stories are multi-functional, serving to establish rapport with advice-seekers, give and support advice, express and substantiate agreement or disagreement. The results add to the current scholarship by showing that response stories can be used to give etiological (causal) assessments of others’ health issues, thus delivering a diagnostic opinion.
Citizenship Education in Italian Textbooks. How Much Space Is There for Europe and Active Citizenship

Purpose: In this article we investigated how the Italian school curricula incorporated European and national recommendations concerning European and Citizenship education, analysing how much and which kind of space is devoted to Europe and active citizenship in Italian high school textbooks.Design/methodology/approach: We selected a sample of bestseller textbooks of different disciplines (History and English as a Second Language) for secondary (lyceum and technical) school students (18 years old), including books explicitly designed for citizenship education, and analysed them using a mixed methods approach (quantitative analysis, and thematic content analysis). Findings: We argue that the current European recommendations on citizenship education are far from being incorporated in the architecture and the contents of textbooks used in Italian secondary schools. We identified some shortcomings which should be addressed to increase the capacity of textbooks to form young European citizen.Practical implications: The opportunities that the EU offers to young people to practice active citizenship and supporting the acquisition of critical and reflective skills beyond formal knowledge deserve more attention.
UvA-DARE ( Digital Academic Repository ) Determinants of English accents

In this study we investigate which factors affect the degree of non-native accent of L2 speakers of English who learned English in school and mostly lived for some time in an anglophone setting. We use data from the Speech Accent Archive containing over 700 speakers speaking almost 160 different native languages. We show that besides several important predictors, including the age of English onset and length of anglophone residence, the linguistic distance between the speaker’s native language and English is a significant predictor of the degree of non-native accent in pronunciation. This study extends an earlier study [1] which only focused on Indo-European L2 learners of Dutch and used a general speaking proficiency measure.
Change in Free Polyamine Contents and Expression Profiles of Two Polyamine Biosynthetic Genes in Citrus Embryogenic Callus under Abiotic Stresses

ABSTRACT Citrus industry usually encounters a series of adverse environment factors. Polyamines have been shown to play key roles in plant response to a wide range of abiotic stresses. Herein efforts were made to identify the change of free polyamines and expressions of two important polyamine biosynthetic genes, arginine decarboxylase (ADC) and S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (SAMDC), in Newhall navel orange (Citrus sinensis) embryogenic callus under high salinity, low and high temperature. Our results showed the three most widely present polyamines, putrescine, spermidine and spermine, could be detected in the callus. Under the aforementioned stresses, the three kinds of polyamines showed accumulation to different extent, in which spermine exhibited the most prominent increase. ADC and SAMDC were induced by the stressful conditions. However, a close correlation between the free polyamine contents and the expression of the two genes could not be fully established. Our data revealed that abiotic stresses led to alteration of free polyamine contents and transcriptional change of the biosynthetic genes in citrus.
ALFVÉN WAVES IN A PARTIALLY IONIZED TWO-FLUID PLASMA

Alfvén waves are a particular class of magnetohydrodynamic waves relevant in many astrophysical and laboratory plasmas. In partially ionized plasmas the dynamics of Alfvén waves is affected by the interaction between ionized and neutral species. Here we study Alfvén waves in a partially ionized plasma from the theoretical point of view using the two-fluid description. We consider that the plasma is composed of an ion–electron fluid and a neutral fluid, which interact by means of particle collisions. To keep our investigation as general as possible, we take the neutral–ion collision frequency and the ionization degree as free parameters. First, we perform a normal mode analysis. We find the modification due to neutral–ion collisions of the wave frequencies and study the temporal and spatial attenuation of the waves. In addition, we discuss the presence of cutoff values of the wavelength that constrain the existence of oscillatory standing waves in weakly ionized plasmas. Later, we go beyond the normal mode approach and solve the initial-value problem in order to study the time-dependent evolution of the wave perturbations in the two fluids. An application to Alfvén waves in the low solar atmospheric plasma is performed and the implication of partial ionization for the energy flux is discussed.
The Impact of FDI, Cross Border Mergers and Acquisitions and Greenfield Investments on Economic Growth

This paper investigates whether aggregate foreign direct investment (FDI), cross border mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and greenfield investments affects economic growth based on a panel data of 53 countries over the period 1996-2006. Both causality tests and single growth equations are applied to examine this relationship. The evidence suggests that there is bidirectional causality between FDI, M&A and growth. We can also conclude that economic growth Granger causes greenfields, but the reverse is not true. The estimation of the growth equation leads us to conclude that FDI through greenfield investments exerts a positive impact on economic growth in both developed and developing countries. Oppositely, M&A has a negative effect on the economic growth of developing countries, but insignificant on developed countries.
Testing the marine and continental fossil records: Comment and Reply

viewpoint. Opinions presented in this publication do not reflect official positions of the Society. positions by scientists worldwide, regardless of their race, citizenship, gender, religion, or politicalarticle's full citation. GSA provides this and other forums for the presentation of diverse opinions and articles on their own or their organization's Web site providing the posting includes a reference to thescience. This file may not be posted to any Web site, but authors may post the abstracts only of their unlimited copies of items in GSA's journals for noncommercial use in classrooms to further education andto use a single figure, a single table, and/or a brief paragraph of text in subsequent works and to make employment. Individual scientists are hereby granted permission, without fees or further requests to GSA,Copyright not claimed on content prepared wholly by U.S. government employees within scope of their
3D electromagnetic design and electrical characteristics analysis of a 10-MW-class high-temperature superconducting synchronous generator for wind power

In this paper, the general electromagnetic design process of a 10-MW-class high-temperature superconducting (HTS) synchronous generator that is intended to be utilized for large scale offshore wind generator is discussed. This paper presents three-dimensional (3D) electromagnetic design proposal and electrical characteristic analysis results of a 10-MW-class HTS synchronous generator for wind power. For more detailed design by reducing the errors of a two-dimensional (2D) design owing to leakage flux in air-gap, we redesign and analyze the 2D conceptual electromagnetic design model of the HTS synchronous generator using 3D finite element analysis (FEA) software. Then electrical characteristics which include the no-load and full-load voltage of generator, harmonic contents of these two load conditions, voltage regulation and losses of generator are analyzed by commercial 3D FEA software.
Effects of Temperature on Growth and Survival of Pathogenic Vibrio Parahaemolyticus

This study investigated the effects of temperature on the survival of Vibrio parahaemolyticus during cold storage and heating process. V. parahaemolyticus enriched in sterile alkaline peptone water (APW) supplemented with 1.5% NaCl (APW-salt broth) at 37˚C overnight (12-16h) was subjected to cold storage (-30, -18, 0, 5, 10, 15 and 20˚C) and heating treatment (50, 55, 60, 70, 80, and 90 ˚C) at various temperatures. The populations of V. parahaemolyticus were determined before and after the treatment. Results showed that V. parahaemolyticus in APW-salt broth increased rapidly when temperature was higher than 15 ˚C, while decreased gradually at 0 and 5 ˚C. Freezing treatment could greatly decrease the population of V. parahaemolyticus in APW-salt broth. Storage at -18 ˚C was more effective in inactivating V. parahaemolyticus than that at -30˚C. Keeping V. parahaemolyticus frozen at -18 and -30 ˚C from 15 to 30 days could reduce the pathogen to non-detectable levels (<3 MPN/g). Heating at 60 °C for 5 min, 70 °C for 2 min, or 80 °C or higher for 1 min also reduced V. parahaemolyticus from 10,000 MPN/g to non-detectable level. In conclusion, V. parahaemolyticus did not survive well during frozen treatment or low temperature storage (<5 ˚C). In addition, heating treatment (˃60 °C) is also effective to inactivate V. parahaemolyticus. This study can be applied to reduce risks of infections associated with foodborne pathogen V. parahaemolyticus.
Chapter 17 Properties and Applications of Ruthenium

Ruthenium (Ru) with atomic number of 44 is one of the platinum group metals, the others being Rh, Pd, Os, Ir and Pt. In earth’s crust, it is quite rare, found in parts per billion quantities, in ores containing some of the other platinum groupmetals. Ruthenium is silvery whitish, lustrous hard metal with a shiny surface. It has seven stable isotopes. Recently, coordination and organometallic chemistry of Ru has shown remarkable growth. In this chapter, we review the application of Ru in diverse fields along with its physical and chemical properties. In the applications part of Ru we have primarily focused on the biomedical applications. The biomedical applications are broadly divided into diagnostic and treatment aspects. Ru and their complexes are mainly used in determination of ferritin, calcitonin and cyclosporine and folate level in human body for diagnosis of diseases. Treatment aspects focuses on immunosuppressant, antimicrobial and anticancer activity.
The closedness of some generalized curvature 2-forms on a Riemannian manifold I

In this paper we study the closedness properties of generalized cur- vature 2-forms, which are said to be Riemannian, Conformal, Projective, Concircular and Conharmonic curvature 2-forms, associated to each generalized curvature tensors on a Riemannian manifold. Corresponding to each curvature tensors, such generalized curvature 2-forms are the associated curvature 2-forms. In particular, we focus on the closedness of difierential 2-forms associated to the divergence of generalized curvature tensors, which is weaker than the notion of harmonic curvature. In this case, we give an algebraic condition involving the Riemann curvature tensor and the Ricci tensor arising from an old identity due to Lovelock.
Use of homogenized drone semen in a bee breeding program in Western Australia

HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access archive for the deposit and dissemination of scientific research documents, whether they are published or not. The documents may come from teaching and research institutions in France or abroad, or from public or private research centers. L’archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, émanant des établissements d’enseignement et de recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires publics ou privés. Use of homogenized drone semen in a bee breeding program in Western Australia M.E. Kühnert, M.J. Carrick, L.F. Allan
A STUDY OF THE KINEMATICS OF THE LOCAL DARK CLOUDS

Lack of reliable estimates of distances to most of the local dark clouds has, so far, prevented a quantitative study of their kinematics. Using a statistical approach, we have been able to extract the average spatial distribution as well as the kinematical behaviour of the local dark clouds from their measured radial velocities. Since radial velocities were available only for the northern dark clouds, we have obtained them for 115 southern ones to make a more complete kinematical study of the local clouds. The thesis mainly deals with the presentation of this new data, analysis of the new as well as the existing data and the comparison of the results with those arrived at by earlier studies. The local clouds are found to be expanding at a speed of ~4 km s-1 which is in general agreement with the estimates from optical and HI studies. However, it is found that the kinematics of the local clouds is not described by the model proposed for the local HI gas where a ring of gas expanding from a point gets only sheared by the galactic rotation. Rather, the observed distribution of their radial velocities is best understood in terms of a model in which the local clouds are participating in circular rotation appropriate to their present positions with a small expansion also super-imposed. This possibly implies that cloud-cloud collisions are important. The spatial distribution of clouds derived using such a model is in good agreement with the local dust distribution obtained from measurements of reddening and extinction towards nearby stars. In particular, a region f size ~350pc in diameter enclosing the Sun is found to be devoid of clouds. Intriguingly, most clouds in the longitude range 100 degrees to 145 degrees appear to have negative radial velocities implying that they are approaching us. Two other related research efforts are also reported in the thesis: (i) Since the clouds observed are distributed over the entire longitude range and wide latitude range, the resultant database of the spectral line parameters is well-suited for studying the average physical properties of the local clouds. Our investigation in this regard shows that, with respect to latitude, the medians of both the brightness temperatures of the clouds and their 13CO column densities increase marginally while the median of the 12CO linewidths shows clear decrease. Some explanations for these trends are given. (ii) Maps of one of the Orion system of cometary clouds, L1616, in J=1 -> 0 transitions of 12CO and 13CO are also presented. The distribution of the "wing" emission shows evidence for mass motions. Also, the "virial" mass of the cloud is found to be five times the actual cloud mass determined from the 13CO column density map. It is argued that this cloud has abnormal star formation efficiency and is possibly disintegrating. The morphology and the location of the cloud indicates that it is being affected by the star epsilon Orionis which is also possibly responsible for the cloud's unusual star formation efficiency.
Urban water supply and management

Population growth and rapid urbanization lead to considerable stress on already depleting water resources. A great challenge for water authorities of urban cities is to supply adequate and reliable safe water to all consumers. In most of the developing countries water scarcity and high demands have led the water authorities to resort to intermittent supplies. Surface and groundwater are the major sources of supply in urban cities. The direct consequences of intermittent supplies and poor sanitation practices have led to the incidences of many water borne diseases thereby risking the public health. In order to minimize the supply-demand gap and to assure good quality of water, new techniques or models can be helpful to manage the water distribution systems (WDS) in a better way. In the present paper, a review is carried out on the existing urban water supply management methodologies with a way forward for the proper management of the water supply systems.
Immigration, Ethnic Wage Differentials and Output Pay in Canada

Recent work suggests that ethnic minority wage differentials in Canada are smaller among those receiving performance pay and that the returns to performance pay are larger for ethnic minorities. This article adds to these findings. First, it demonstrates critical gender differences. The earlier findings are generated almost exclusively by males, as we show that the minority wage differential is small or zero for women in both the time rate sector and the performance pay sector. Second, accounting for immigration and language tends to move the ethnic wage differential in favour of minorities. Minority women on output pay are shown to earn more than non-minority women. While the differential often remains negative for minority men on time rates, it becomes insignificant in our most narrow comparison.
Exports vs. foreign direct investment: evidence from cross-country industry data

The recent process of globalization has been characterized by a rapid increase of foreign direct investments (FDIs), outpacing the simultaneous expansion of arms-length trade (exporting). Trade theory traces back different patterns of internationalization to differences in productivity levels between firms. As in Helpman et al. (2004), we argue that differences in productivity are affected by heterogeneity in firm size. However, we explicitly consider the number of large firms in a sector rather than the size dispersion. Moreover, previous literature performs single country analysis, whereas we extend our analysis to several developed as well as developing countries. By using comprehensive cross-section data on bilateral exports and FDIs (proxied by mergers and acquisitions) over the period 1994-2004, we explain differences across 57 manufacturing sectors in the relative incidence of trade and FDIs. Controlling for other factors affecting the patterns of internationalization and performing several sample splits and robustness tests, our results confirm that sectors with a higher number of large firms are associated with stronger incidence of FDIs relative to trade. , Il recente processo di globalizzazione A¨ stato caratterizzato dal'incremento degli investimenti diretti esteri (IDE) che ha superato di gran lunga la rapida e simultanea espansione delle esportazioni. La teoria sul commercio internazionale spiega i patterns di internazionalizzazione attraverso le differenze nei livelli di produttivita' tra le imprese. Compatibilmente con i risultati di Helpman et al. (2004), questo lavoro argomenta che le differenze di produttivita' tra le imprese sono determinate dall'eterogeneia' tra le imprese in termini di dimensione. Tuttavia, questo lavoro considera esplicitamente il numero di imprese di grandi dimensioni presenti in ciascun settore, anzichA© la dispersione della dimensione. Inoltre, la letteratura esistente compie analisi specifiche per singoli paesi, mentre il nostro lavoro estende l'analisi a diversi paesi, sia sviluppati che in via di sviluppo. Utilizzando un dataset cross-section sulle esportazioni e gli IDE (misurati attraverso il valore delle fusioni e acquisizioni) bilaterali, per il periodo 1994-2004, il lavoro spiega le differenze nell'incidenza del commercio sugli IDE, tra 57 settori manifatturieri. Controllando per diversi fattori che incidono sui patterns di internazionalizzazione e riportando i risultati di diversi test di robustezza, il lavoro conferma che i settori caratterizzati da una maggiore presenza di imprese di grandi dimensioni presentano una piA¹ elevata incidenza degli IDE rispetto alle esportazioni.
Globalising the Class Size Debate: Myths and Realities (doi: 10.14425/00.50.26)

Public opinion reflects a 'common sense' view that smaller classes improve student academic performance. This review reveals that the 'class size' effect of increased academic performance, although significant for disadvantaged students and students in the very early years of schooling, does not necessarily transfer to other student groups. Moreover, the literature indicates there are other more cost-effective variables that enhance student learning outcomes such as those associated with teacher quality. Internationally, large-scale interventions concluded that systematic class size reductions were more resource intensive requiring more personnel, training and infrastructure. From the large quantitative studies of the 1980s to the more qualitatively focused research in the last decade, there is a now an understanding that class size reductions function to provide opportunities for more student-focused pedagogies and that these pedagogies may be the real reason for improved student academic performance. Consequently, the impact of class size reductions on student performance can only be meaningfully assessed in conjunction with other factors, such as pedagogy.