Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Modelling water provision as an ecosystem service in a large East African river basin

Reconciling limited water availability with an increasing demand in a sustainable manner requires detailed knowledge on the benefits people obtain from water resources. A frequently advocated approach to deliver such information is the ecosystem services concept. This study quantifies water provision as an ecosystem service for the 43 000 km 2 Pangani Basin in Tanzania and Kenya. The starting assumption that an ecosystem service must be valued and accessible by people necessitates the explicit consideration of stakeholders, as well as fine spatial detail in order to determine their access to water. Further requirements include the use of a simulation model to obtain estimates for unmeasured locations and time periods, and uncertainty assessment due to limited data availability and quality. By slightly adapting the hydrological model Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT), developing and applying tools for input pre-processing, and using Sequential Uncertainty Fitting ver. 2 (SUFI-2) in calibration and uncertainty assessment, a watershed model is set up according to these requirements for the Pangani Basin. Indicators for water provision for different uses are derived from model results by combining them with stakeholder requirements and socio-economic datasets such as census or water rights data. Overall water provision is rather low in the basin, however with large spatial variability. On average, for domestic use, livestock, and industry, 86–105 l per capita and day (95% prediction uncertainty, 95 PPU) are available at a reliability level of 95%. 1.19–1.50 ha (95 PPU) of farmland on which a growing period with sufficient water of 3–6 months is reached at the 75% reliability level – suitable for the production of staple crops – are available per farming household, as well as 0.19–0.51 ha (95 PPU) of farmland with a growing period of ≥6 months, suitable for the cultivation of cash crops. The indicators presented reflect stakeholder information needs and can be extracted from the model for any physical or political spatial unit in the basin.
Media Enjoyment as Need Satisfaction: The Contribution of Hedonic and Nonhedonic Needs

Most early research on entertainment defines media enjoyment in functional terms as the satisfaction of hedonic needs. Two studies demonstrate the value of including nonhedonic and hedonic need satisfaction in defining enjoyment. Both studies find support for a need-satisfaction model showing that hedonic (arousal and affect) and nonhedonic (competence and autonomy) need satisfaction account for unique variance in enjoyment experienced during video game play. Study 2 extends the findings of Study 1 to account for noninteractive media entertainment enjoyment. Results show hedonic and nonhedonic need satisfaction to be distinct but complementary components of media enjoyment. Discussion focuses on the advantage of a needs-based approach for understanding positive valuations of media and offers a new perspective on the enjoyment-appreciation distinction. © 2011 International Communication Association.
Seasonality of stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes within the pelagic food web of Taihu Lake

Particulate organic matter (POM), dissolved organic matter (DOM), bacteria and cladoceran were sampled seasonally at Zhihugang Estuary and Lake Center in Taihu Lake. The δ 13 C of the four organic matter fractions showed consistent temporal variation, with heaviest values in summer and lower at other times of the year. The cladoceran δ 13 C showed a significant correlation with that of POM, reflecting a heavy dietary dependence on POM during the study period. The bacteria became enriched in 13 C compared with that of DOM throughout the sampling dates, although no significant relationship was found between the two fractions. δ 13 C values of POM, cladoceran and bacteria were all negative significantly correlated with oxidation and reduction potential (ORP), and specific conductivity (SpCond). As for δ 15 N, the seasonal pattern of food web components was variable. The POM δ 15 N signature exhibited the most enriched isotope ratios during the summer months when dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) nutrients were at their lowest concentrations. The consumption of DIN in summer can explain in part the progressive accumulation of heavy nitrogen isotopes during this period. Spatially, δ 13 C and δ 15 N of the food web components were all slightly depleted at Estuary than that at Lake Center during the study period, possibly due to large allochthonous inputs at Zhihugang Estuary. Relatively wide ranges of stable isotopic values from both sites suggest that seasonality should be considered when attempting to establish food web structures in a eutrophic lake.
Smallholder farmers’ access to credit in the Amathole District Municipality, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa

Provision of credit has being identified as an important instrument for improving the welfare of smallholder farmers directlyandforenhancingproductivecapacitythroughfinancinginvestmentbythefarmersintheirhumanandphysical capital. This study investigated the individual and household characteristics that influence credit market access in Amathole District Municipality, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa, using a cross sectional data from smallholder farmers’ household survey. The aim is to provide a better understanding of the households’ level socio-economic characteristics, not only because they influence household’s demand for credit but also due to the fact that potential lenders are most likely to base their assessment of borrowers’ creditworthiness on such characteristics. The results of the logistic regression suggest that credit market access was significantly influenced by variables such as gender, education, households’ income, value of assets, savings, dependency ratio, repayment capacity and social capital. Implications for rural credit delivery are discussed.
Voice and community in the refugee crisis: A Content Analysis of news coverage in Eight European Countries

Drawing on a Content Analysis of 1200 news articles on the 2015 refugee ‘crisis’ across eight European countries, we address the question of whether and how refugees ‘speak’ in the news. To this end, we categorized the language of these articles in terms how they narrated the subjects, status and contexts of voice. Our analysis establishes three different linguistic practices through which the voice of refugees is managed in the news – what we call practices of ‘bordering’: bordering by silencing, by collectivization and by de-contextualization. In light of these findings, we reach two conclusions. First, the distribution of voice in European news follows a strict hierarchy – one that relies on specifically journalistic strategies of selection and ordering yet reflects and reproduces broader hierarchies of the European political spheres. Second, this hierarchy of voice leads to a triple misrecognition of refugees as political, social and historical actors, thereby keeping them firmly outside the remit of ‘our’ communities of belonging.
The effect of different feeds such as Chlorella vulgaris, Azolla pinnata and yeast on the population growth of Daphnia magna commonly found in freshwater systems

The effect of different concentrations of Phytoplankton (Chlorella vulgaris, Azolla pinnata, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae) for fed with Daphnia magna on Survival, population and Growth rate for 20 days, algae cells are harvested, dried, powdered and used as feed and both species are easily maintained in culture. The experimental was E1, E2 and E3 small freshwater Zooplankton organisms (D. magna) fed with mix phytoplankton Feed different Concentration (%) 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. The Experimental Daphnia magna on Survival, population and Growth rate Biochemical composition, of the three different species analyzed were significantly (p
Complete group classification of systems of two linear second-order ordinary differential equations : the algebraic approach

We give a complete group classification of the general case of linear systems of two second-order ordinary differential equations. The algebraic approach is used to solve the group classification problem for this class of equations. This completes the results in the literature on the group classification of two linear second-order ordinary differential equations including recent results which give a complete group classification treatment of such systems. We show that using the algebraic approach leads to the study of a variety of cases in addition to those already obtained in the literature. We illustrate that this approach can be used as a useful tool in the group classification of this class of equations. A discussion of the subsequent cases and results is given. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
An investigation of the motivational aspects of peer and self-assessment tasks to enhance teamwork outcomes.

Teamwork and cooperative learning models are based on the premise that learning is best achieved interactively rather than through a one-way transmission process. In this study, the relationship between students’ motivational orientation and the quality of learning in collaborative teams is investigated. A self-report measure of student self-efficacy and selfregulation was administered to students working on team-based assessment tasks, and correlated with performance data obtained from classroom assignments. The results showed that motivational beliefs were the best predictor of academic performance.
Sorafenib plus tegafur–uracil (UFT) versus sorafenib as first line systemic treatment for patients with advanced stage HCC: a Phase II trial (ESLC01 study)

Background Phase II trials found that tegafur–uracil (UFT) is an effective drug in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), while preclinical data suggested that its combination with sorafenib may have a promising activity. Our Phase II randomized trial aimed to evaluate efficacy and tolerability of sorafenib plus UFT vs sorafenib in advanced HCC. Methods Patients with advanced HCC, with no prior systemic therapy, were randomized to receive either UFT at 125 mg/m2 twice daily for 4 out of 5 weeks plus sorafenib at 400 mg twice daily (arm 1) or single agent sorafenib at 400 mg twice daily (arm 2). Primary end point was time to progression (TTP). Results Between March 2012 and March 2014, 76 eligible patients – out of 143 preplanned – were randomized. The study was terminated early because of futility. This is the final analysis of the study, after a median follow-up of 10.2 months and death of 86% of randomized patients (n=64). Median TTP was 7.5 months and 8.2 months in arms 1 and 2 respectively (HR: 1.07; 95% CI, 0.52–2.22; P=0.855), while the median overall survival was 8.2 months and 10.5 months respectively (HR: 1.58; 95% CI: 0.90–2.76, P=0.112). Nine patients (25%) in the combination arm discontinued treatment because of toxicity vs eight patients (21.1%) in the sorafenib monotherapy arm (P=0.899). Conclusion In patients with advanced HCC, adding UFT to sorafenib is feasible, but it did not improve efficacy outcome over sorafenib monotherapy.
BER Analysis for NOMA-Enabled Visible Light Communication Systems with M-PSK

Visible light communication (VLC) and non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) are deemed two promising technologies in the next generation wireless communication systems due to their capabilities in achieving high capacity and massive connectivity. This paper studies the performance of a NOMA-enabled VLC system using M-ary phase shift keying (M-PSK). In particular system level bit error rate (BER) are derived for different modulation orders. Conventional methods used for analyzing the BER under orthogonal multiple access cannot be directly applied to NOMA. We propose an analytical framework based on bitwise-decision axis and signal space to obtain the closed-form BER expressions for a NOMA-enabled VLC system using M-PSK. Simulation results demonstrate the accuracy of the theoretical analysis. The study shows that the BER gap among users decreases with the increase of the modulation order but at the cost of a higher power consumption in order to achieve a better signal to noise ratio. It is observed that 8-PSK modulation in NOMA-enabled VLC systems strikes a good tradeoff between the power cost and the achievable BER.
In Search of COBRAs-Understanding consumers ’ brand-related social media use

In the era of social media, customers are more empowered to affect their own and others’ consumer behavior than ever before. As the power is shifting from companies to customers, brands need to adapt their marketing accordingly. However, brands are struggling with their social media marketing. While consumers go to social media to interact, brands are there to sell. In order for marketing to be effective in social media, brands should better understand their customers and brand-related interactions. The lack of understanding may, at worst, result in decreased brand loyalty. Therefore, this study explores consumers’ brand-related social media use by examining consumers’ online brand-related activities (COBRAs) and motivations. While general social media use has received a lot of attention among academics, brand-related social media use is still rather unexplored. In fact, currently, consumers’ brand-related activities have been mainly adapted from general social media use. Additionally, the focus has been on a specific type of social medium and on exploring the motivations in that channel, rather than on comprehensively understanding consumer behavior in the social media ecosystem. Due to the lack of previous research, the study was conducted qualitatively. Data were collected from three focus group interviews during March 2016 with the help of an interview guide. Each group consisted of 5-6 informants. The data were content analyzed according to guidelines for qualitative analysis. As a result, a framework for understanding consumers’ brand-related social media use was developed. The results show that there are two underlying dimensions that define consumers’ brand-related social media use: the type of interaction (i.e. human-to-human vs. human-to-brand interactions) and the level of privacy (private and public activities). Based on these dimensions, four COBRA categories are proposed. Consumers’ brandrelated activities and motivations are categorized within the four proposed categories. Three new types of activity were found, leading to a new COBRA typology. The findings indicate further that not all motivations are equally important. Private activities are primarily driven by utilitarian needs, and public activities by social identity. Lastly, it was discovered that consumers engage in brand-related activities in a social media ecosystem.
Fungal diversity and Aspergillus in hospital environments

Introduction and objective. Nosocomial invasive fungal infections, particularly aspergillosis, are an increasing problem in immunocompromised patients. The presented study evaluates fungal diversity and the presence of Aspergillus in air samples from two hospitals. Materials and methods. Over the course of one year (rainy and dry seasons), the air was sampled from three areas in two hospitals (1 and 2) using a single-stage Andersen viable particle sampler (Thermo Scientific, Waltham, MA, USA). The fungi were identified by macro- and micromorphology, and the number of colony forming units (CFU)/m 3 air and their richness, abundance, and diversity were determined. Isolates Aspergillus genus were characterized by their thermotolerance. Results. The CFU/m 3 air was similar at both hospitals during the two seasons, but different between the sampled areas. Results showed 10 fungal genera for hospital 1, and 8 for hospital 2. The most abundant were Penicillium , Cladosporium and Aspergillus . The thermotolerance test confirmed the identification of A. fumigatus section Fumigati . The highest growth rate was found in Aspergillus section Nigri . Conclusion. Determining the fungal diversity in the two hospitals was important because all the species have the potential to be pathogenic, especially the section Fumigati .
Assessing and treating three to twelve-year-olds displaying disruptive behaviour problems

Axberg, U. (2007). Assessing and treating three to twelve-year-olds displaying disruptive behaviour problems. Department of Psychology, Goteborg University, Sweden The aim of this thesis was (a) to examine a Swedish version of a measure for early identification and treatment evaluation of children with disruptive behaviour problems and (b) to explore the effectiveness, in terms of reduction of children’s disruptive behavioural problems, of interventions not specifically directed towards the children but to their caregivers and other adults in their immediate environment. The focus of this thesis has been on clinical applicability. However, their have been considerable advances in the knowledge of the origins, development and maintenance of disruptive behaviour in children. This has led to corresponding changes in treatment. In line with this, research on phenomenology, prevalence, etiology, treatment and assessment of children that display disruptive behaviour are presented as an introduction to the empirical studies. The aim of study I was to develop and examine a systemic school-based model for detection and early intervention among 4 to 12 year old children who displayed externalizing behaviour problems. The intervention was a combination of the Marte Meo model and Coordination meetings. Treatment effects in the group who had received the intervention (N= 33) were compared with a group (N=16) who had received treatment-as-usual in their ordinary school setting. Assessments were carried out before and two years after the intervention. There was a significant decrease in children’s symptoms for the intervention group, but not for the comparison group. The aim of study II was to evaluate the effectiveness of the structured parent training programme Incredible Years Series in diverse clinical settings in Sweden. Parents of 113 children aged 3 to 9 participated in the study. Pre-data were collected prior to commencement of the parent training groups and post-data immediately after the training group sessions had finished. Significant reduction was found on all symptom-related measures in parents’ ratings. A significant increase in the self-rated well-being of the parents was also found. The aim of study III was to examine the psychometric properties and obtain Swedish norms for the Eyberg Child Behaviour Inventory (ECBI). Parents of 841 children aged 3 to 10 participated. The ECBI showed sound psychometric properties and seems to be a very useful measure in a Swedish context. Normative data from the Swedish sample was also presented. The aim of Study IV was to examine a three factor solution of the ECBI in a confirmatory factor analysis based on 22 items in a Swedish sample. The same sample as in study III was used. The results were consistent with the results from an American sample indicating that the 22-item version of the ECBI is a robust and useful alternative that can be used for evaluating and measuring treatment outcome. Preliminary normative data was also presented.
The Environmental Kuznets Curve for Water Quality: An Analysis of Its Appropriateness Using Unit Root and Cointegration Tests

La hipótesis de la Curva Ambiental de Kuznets sugiere la existencia una relación en forma de U invertida entre la degradación ambiental y el ingreso. Algunos economistas asumen que el crecimiento económico revertirá los impactos ambientales de las primeras etapas del desarrollo económico. No obstante, Perman y Stern (2003) argumentan que los métodos econométricos empleados en los primeros análisis de la EKC son inapropiados debido a las propiedades temporales de las series. Este artículo analiza la conformidad de la EKC para un panel de 46 países y 21 períodos mediante la implementación de pruebas de raíces unitarias y de cointegración a nivel individual y del panel. También se estima un Vector de Corrección de Errores. Los resultados obtenidos no corroboran la evidencia de una EKC común para el conjunto de países estudiados. Palabras claves: Curva ambiental de Kuznets, crecimiento económico, pruebas de raíz unitaria y cointegración en panel de datos. Clasificación JEL: Q53, Q56, C23 Abstract: The Environmental Kuznets Curve hypothesis suggests the existence of an inverted U-shaped relationship between environmental degradation and income. Several economists assume that the environmental impacts occurred during the first stages of the development process will be reverted as a result of economic growth. Yet Perman and Stern (2003) have argued that the econometric methods used in the earlier analysis of the EKC are inappropriate, given the time properties of the series. This article examines the appropriateness of the EKC for a panel of 46 countries and 21 periods by implementing individual and panel tests for unit roots and cointegration. An error correction model is also estimated. The results do not support evidence of a common EKC for the countries analyzed. Keywords: Environmental Kuznets curve, economic growth, unit root and cointegration tests in panel data. JEL Classification: Q53, Q56, C23 Résumé: L'hypothèse de la Courbe Environnementale de Kuznets (CEK) suggère l'existence d'une relation en U inversé entre la dégradation environnementale et le revenu. Plusieurs économistes estiment que les incidences négatives sur l'environnement qui sont produites pendant les premières étapes du processus de développement économique seront corrigées par les effets positifs de la croissance économique. Pourtant, Perman et Stern (2003) ont remis en cause la validité des méthodes économétriques employées dans les premières études de la CEK sur la base des propriétés des séries temporelles. Cet article examine la pertinence de la CEK en utilisant un panel de 46 pays et de 21 périodes et en conduisant des tests de racine unitaire et de cointégration aussi bien par pays que pour l.ensemble du panel. Un modèle à correction d'erreurs est également estimé. Les résultats ne soutiennent pas l.existence d'une CEK commune aux pays considérés dans le panel. Mots clés : Courbe Environnementale de Kuznets, croissance économique, racine unitaire et test de cointégration dans des données de panel. Classification JEL: Q53, Q56, C23
The Effect of the Corrective Feedback on Iranian EFL Learners' Speaking Accuracy and Breakdown Fluency

The purpose of the current study was to explore the effects of different corrective feedback (CF) conditions on Iranian EFL learners’ spoken general accuracy and breakdown fluency and their relationships. Consequently, four pre-intermediate intact classes were randomly selected as the control, delayed explicit metalinguistic CF, extensive recast, and intensive recast groups; these groups participated in spoken reproduction tasks for six sessions and their errors were treated differently. Then, the data was transcribed, coded for accuracy and fluency, and analyzed. The results indicated that the different CF conditions had insignificant effects on the number of error free Analysis of Speech (AS)-units, as an index of the spoken general accuracy. Considering the fluency, although different CF conditions had insignificant effects on the number of pauses the participants produced, it had a significant effect on the whole number of pauses; there was a significant correlation between participants' pauses and the whole number of pauses, with a medium effect size. The correlations between the general accuracy and breakdown fluency of all groups were negative and insignificant. In addition, different CF conditions had insignificant effects on the relationship between the accuracy and fluency. These findings suggest that there is no trade-off between spoken general accuracy and breakdown fluency. In addition, different CF conditions have insignificant effects on the EFL learners' spoken general accuracy, breakdown fluency, and their relationships.