Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The ability of climate envelope models to predict the effect of climate change on species distributions

Climate envelope models (CEMs) have been used to predict the distribution of species under current, past, and future climatic conditions by inferring a species’ environmental requirements from localities where it is currently known to occur. CEMs can be evaluated for their ability to predict current species distributions but it is unclear whether models that are successful in predicting current distributions are equally successful in predicting distributions under different climates (i.e. different regions or time periods). We evaluated the ability of CEMs to predict species distributions under different climates by comparing their predictions with those obtained with a mechanistic model (MM). In an MM the distribution of a species is modeled based on knowledge of a species’ physiology. The potential distributions of 100 plant species were modeled with an MM for current conditions, a past climate reconstruction (21 000 years before present) and a future climate projection (double preindustrial CO2 conditions). Point localities extracted from the currently suitable area according to the MM were used to predict current, future, and past distributions with four CEMs covering a broad range of statistical approaches: Bioclim (percentile distributions), Domain (distance metric), GAM (general additive modeling), and Maxent (maximum entropy). Domain performed very poorly, strongly underestimating range sizes for past or future conditions. Maxent and GAM performed as well under current climates as under past and future climates. Bioclim slightly underestimated range sizes but the predicted ranges overlapped more with the ranges predicted with the MM than those predicted with GAM did. Ranges predicted with Maxent overlapped most with those produced with the MMs, but compared with the ranges predicted with GAM they were more variable and sometimes much too large. Our results suggest that some CEMs can indeed be used to predict species distributions under climate change, but individual modeling approaches should be validated for this purpose, and model choice could be made dependent on the purpose of a particular study.
On the solution and applications of generalized equations using Newton's method

We provide local and semilocal convergence results for Newton’s method when used to solve generalized equations. Using Lipschitz as well as center-Lipschitz conditions on the operators involved instead of just Lipschitz conditions we show that our Newton–Kantorovich hypotheses are weaker than earlier sufficient conditions for the convergence of Newton’s method. In the semilocal case we provide finer error bounds and a better information on the location of the solution. In the local case we can provide a larger convergence radius. Our results apply to generalized equations involving single as well as multivalued operators, which include variational inequalities, nonlinear complementarity problems and nonsmooth convex minimization problems.
Conformal symmetries of the super Dirac operator

In this paper, the Dirac operator, acting on super functions with values in super spinor space, is defined along the lines of the construction of generalized Cauchy-Riemann operators by Stein and Weiss. The introduction of the superalgebra of symmetries osp(m|2n) is a new and essential feature in this approach. This algebra of symmetries is extended to the algebra of conformal symmetries osp(m + 1, 1|2n). The kernel of the Dirac operator is studied as a representation of both algebras. The construction also gives an explicit realization of the Howe dual pair osp(1|2) x osp(m|2n) < osp(m + 4n|2m + 2n). Finally, the super Dirac operator gives insight into the open problem of classifying invariant first order differential operators in super parabolic geometries.
Baseflow and peakflow chemical responses to experimental applications of ammonium sulphate to forested watersheds in north‐central West Virginia, USA

Stream water was analysed to determine how induced watershed acidification changed the chemistry of peakflow and baseflow and to compare the relative timing of these changes. Two watersheds in north‐central West Virginia, WS3 and WS9, were subjected to three applications of ammonium sulphate fertilizer per year to induce acidification. A third watershed, WS4, was the control. Samples were collected for 8 years from WS9 and for 9 years from WS3. Prior to analyses, concentration data were flow adjusted, and the influence of natural background changes was removed by accounting for the chemical responses measured from WS4. This yielded residual values that were evaluated using robust locally weighted regression and Mann–Kendall tests. On WS3, analyte responses during baseflow and peakflow were similar, although peakflow responses occurred soon after the first treatment whereas baseflow responses lagged 1–2 years. This lag in baseflow responses corresponded well with the mean transit time of baseflow on WS3. Anion adsorption on WS3 apparently delayed increases in SO4 leaching, but resulted in enhanced early leaching losses of Cl and NO3. Leaching of Ca and Mg was strongly tied, both by timing and stoichiometrically, to NO3 and SO4 leaching. F‐factors for WS3 baseflow and peakflow indicated that the catchment was insensitive to acid neutralizing capacity reductions both before and during treatment, although NO3 played a large role in reducing the treatment period F‐factor. By contrast, the addition of fertilizer to WS9 created an acid sensitive system in both baseflow and peakflow. On WS9, baseflow and peakflow responses also were similar to each other, but there was no time lag after treatment for baseflow. Changes in concentrations generally were not as great on WS9 as on WS3, and several ions showed no significant changes, particularly for peakflow. The lesser response to treatment on WS9 is attributed to the past abusive farming and site preparation before larch planting that resulted in poor soil fertility, erosion, and consequently, physical and chemical similarities between upper and lower soil layers. Even with fertilizer‐induced NO3 and SO4 leaching increases, base cations were in low supplies and, therefore, unavailable to leach via charge pairing. The absence of a time lag in treatment responses for WS9 baseflow indicates that it has substantially different flow paths than WS3. The different hydrologies on these nearby watersheds illustrates the importance of understanding watershed hydrology when establishing a monitoring programme to detect ecosystem change. Published in 2002 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Characterization, Properties and Applications of Nonthermal Plasma: A Novel Pulsed-Based Option

The glow discharge from a novel spark-based nonthermal plasma generator is described and characterized using spectrophotometry, radiometry and gas detectors. Spectral information identified ultraviolet radiation within the plasma discharge. High levels of reactive oxygen and nitrogenous species were also detected within the analyzed plasma. The plasma discharge is found to have a significant germicidal effect on Gram-positive bacteria, independent of temperature increase. The ultraviolet radiation and ionized gaseous species are found to contribute to this observed effect, synergistically. Plasma filtration reduced germicidal survivability significantly. The liquid environment in which bacterial cells were exposed to the nonthermal plasma also was important, when determining the efficacy of nonthermal plasma, as a germicidal agent. Staphylococcus aureus cultures exposed to nonthermal plasma for two minutes within low nutrient sources, such as water or phosphate-buffered saline, had very low survival. Cultures exposed to the same plasma interval in nutrient rich liquids tolerated the plasma exposure better, and survived at higher numbers. This plasma discharge is highly bactericidal, due to the high concentrations of known antimicrobial agents, but its effectiveness is subject to a synergistic effect, that depends upon the surrounding environment.
Detection of Dengue Virus Serotype 2 in Aedes aegypti in Quintana Roo, Mexico, 2011

Abstract. In October 2011, the State Health Department announced that several laboratory-confirmed cases of dengue had occurred among residents in two neighborhoods of Benito Juarez, Quintana Roo State, Mexico. To identify the dengue virus serotype(s) temporally and spatially associated with the cases, entomologic-based virus surveillance was initiated in October 2011 in both neighborhoods. Adult mosquitoes were collected from 88 houses by CDC-backpack aspirator, and all female Aedes aegypti L. (n = 419) were individually homogenized and assayed in pools of as many as 10 by reverse transcriptionpolymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) using dengue virus-specific primers. Five (12%) of 41 pools were positive for dengue virus RNA. The individual mosquitoes that comprised the pools were analyzed separately by RT-PCR using dengue virus serotype-specific primers. Six mosquitoes were positive for dengue virus serotype-2 (DENV-2) RNA, three of which were collected in the same house. The mean number of female Ae. aegypti collected in each house was 4.76 ± 6.19. The overall dengue virus-infection rate in female Ae. aegypti was 1.4%. Interestingly, most (60%) of mosquito females were collected only from 15 (17%) houses. In summary, we provide evidence of recent DENV-2 transmission in Quintana Roo State.
Realized Volatility and Business Cycle Fluctuations: A Mixed-Frequency VAR Approach

In this paper we analyze the link between uncertainty in financial markets and economic fluctuations. In particular, we test for Granger non-causality between the monthly growth rate of Industrial Production Index and the logarithm of daily bipower variation, an observed measure of volatility, in both directions. Due to the mismatch of sampling frequencies, we analyze Granger non-causality testing in a mixed-frequency vector autoregressive model (VAR), originally proposed by Ghysels (2012) and extended to the non-stationary case by Gotz et al. (2013). Due to the constituents of the regressand-vector, we define the term nowcasting causality as the mixed-frequency version of instantaneous causality (Lutkepohl and Kratzig, 2004). We show that, starting from a mixed-frequency VAR, the presence or absence of nowcasting causality has a crucial impact on testing for Granger causality in standard mixed-frequency regression models. Furthermore, given a realistic sample size, the number of high-frequency observations per low-frequency period, 20 for our specific example, leads to parameter proliferation problems in case we attempt to estimate the VAR unrestrictedly. Hence, we propose several parameter reduction techniques, among which are reduced rank conditions and the imposition of an ARX(1) structure on the high-frequency variables. The performance of these various approaches in terms Granger non-causality testing behavior is investigated in a Monte Carlo experiment. Subsequently, the techniques are illustrated for the initial empirical research question. JEL Codes: C32 JEL
Response of a compressible laminar boundary layer to free-stream vortical disturbances

As a first step towards understanding the role of free-stream turbulence in laminar–turbulent transition, we calculate the fluctuations induced by free-stream vortical disturbances in a compressible laminar boundary layer. As with the incompressible case investigated by Leib et al. (J. Fluid Mech. vol. 380, 1999, p. 169), attention is focused on components with long streamwise wavelength. The boundary-layer response is governed by the linearized unsteady boundary-region equations in the typical streamwise region where the local boundary-layer thickness δ* iscomparable with the spanwise length scale Λ of the disturbances. The compressible boundary-region equations are solved numerically for a single Fourier component to obtain the boundary-layer signature. The root-mean-square of the velocity and mass-flux fluctuations induced by a continuous spectrum of free-stream disturbances are computed by an appropriate superposition of the individual Fourier components. Low-frequency vortical disturbances penetrate into the boundary layer to form slowly modulating streamwise-elongated velocity streaks. In the compressible regime, vortical disturbances are found to induce substantial temperature fluctuations so that ‘thermalstreaks’ also form. They may have a significant effect on the secondary instability. The calculations indicate that for a vortical disturbance with a relatively large Λ, the induced boundary-layer fluctuation ultimately evolves into an amplifying wave. This is due to a receptivity mechanism, in which a vortical disturbance first excites a decaying quasi-three-dimensional Lam–Rott eigensolution. The latter then undergoes wavelength shortening to generate a spanwise pressure gradient, which eventually converts the Lam–Rott mode into an exponentially growing mode. The latter is recognized to bea highly oblique Tollmien–Schlichting wave. A parametric study suggests that this receptivity mechanism could be significant when the free-stream Mach number is larger than 0.8.
Physics of Eclipsing Binaries. III. Spin–Orbit Misalignment

Binary systems where the axis of rotation (spin) of one or both components is tilted w.r. t. the axis of revolution are called misaligned binary systems. The angle of misalignment, obliquity, has been measured for a handful of stars and extrasolar planets to date. Here, we present a mathematical framework for a complete and rigorous treatment of misalignment and introduce an extension to the public PHOEBE code that implements this framework. We discuss misalignment for the Roche geometry and introduce methods for computing stellar shapes, equilibrium (generalized Lagrange) points of the potential, and minimal requirements for lobe existence. Efficient parameterization of misalignment is proposed in the plane-of-sky coordinates and implementation details in PHOEBE are given alongside the proof-of-concept toy model, comparison with a known misaligned binary DI Her, and comparison with a misaligned planetary system, Kepler-13. We provide important mathematical details of the model in the Appendix. This paper accompanies the release of PHOEBE 2.1, which is available from its website, http://phoebe-project.org.
Effect of Chemical Preservatives on the Shelf Life of Hummus during Different Storage Temperatures

Different levels of potassium sorbate (PS), sodium benzoate (SB) and sodium metabisulfite (SM) were added individually or in combinations to hummus, which was acidified to pH 4.5, before storage at 5, 10 and 15C. Addition of 0.05% and 0.1 % PS increased the shelf life of hummus to 35 and 49 days, respectively, while it was 15 days for the control hummus without preservatives. The concentrations 0.1% and 0.15 % of SB were needed to achieve the same shelf life of PS treated hummus. Sodium metabisulfite was the most effective preservative since adding 0.05% and 0.1% was associated with shelf lives of 63 and 77 days, respectively. Combinations of 0.05% of each of SM and PS and of  0.05% SM and  0.15% SB extended the shelf life of hummus to  90 days. Keeping hummus at 10 and 15C reduced the shelf life for all levels and types of preservatives used. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) formed the predominant microorganisms at the spoilage onset for the control, PS and SB treated hummus; Enterobacteriaceae and both yeasts and molds remained significantly (p ≤ 0.05) at lower counts than LAB. In all SM treatments, LAB, yeasts and molds were predominant while Enterobacteriaceae remained at significantly (p ≤ 0.05) lower counts.
Antioxidant and Antibacterial Properties of Alpinia galanga, Curcuma longa, and Etlingera elatior (Zingiberaceae)

Abstract Antioxidant and antibacterial properties of methanolic extracts, non-polymeric phenolic fractions, and polymeric tannin fractions of leaves and rhizomes of Alpinia galanga and Curcuma longa, and leaves and inflorescences of Etlingera elatior were investigated. Antioxidant properties based on total phenolic content (TPC) and ascorbic acid equivalent capacity (AEAC ) were screened using the Folin-Ciocalteu and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assays, respectively. Antibacterial activity based on minimum inhibitory dose (MID) was tested against Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus, Micrococcus luteus, and Bacillus cereus using the disc-diffusion method. The effect of ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA ) on the antibacterial properties of extracts and fractions was also studied. Extraction yields ranged from 4.1–6.0%. Yields of non-polymeric phenolic (NP) fractions (66–92%) were much higher than that of polymeric tannin (PT) fractions (0.5–10%), suggesting that the former were the major compounds. Highest TPC and AEAC were observed in the PT fraction of A. galanga rhizomes, in the crude extract and NP fraction of C. longa rhizomes, and in the PT fraction of E. elatior leaves. Leaf extracts and fractions of A. galanga and C. longa did not show any antibacterial activity against S. aureus, M. luteus, and B. cereus. Rhizome extracts and fractions of A. galanga and C. longa had no inhibitory effect on M. luteus and S. aureus, respectively. PT fractions of E. elatior leaves and inflorescences displayed no antibacterial activity. With the addition of 0.01 mg/ml of EDTA , extracts and fractions of A. galanga, C. longa, and E. elatior showed moderate, weak, and strong responses, respectively. Strongest antibacterial activity was observed in the PT fraction of A. galanga rhizomes with MID of 0.06 mg/disc against all three bacterial species. PT fractions of E. elatior leaves and inflorescences displayed antibacterial activity with MID of 0.13 mg/disc, which showed no activity prior to the addition of EDTA . The effect of EDTA on the antibacterial activity of extracts and fractions of these three ginger species warrants further investigation.
What Makes an Old Market Sustainable? An Empirical Analysis on the Economic and Leisure Performances of Traditional Retail Markets in Seoul

Traditional retail markets have long been the center for urban vitality, yet they have been under threat of advancing superstores run by corporate retailers. Studies have attempted to identify the competitiveness of the markets, but empirical evidence is not sufficient for presenting which factors contribute to the maintenance of a traditional market’s economic vitality. In South Korea, urban policies have been directed to revitalizing the markets, but their effectiveness has been questioned. This study aims to fill this void by examining traditional markets in Seoul with multiple regression on (1) the revenue and (2) the volume of customers and with negative binomial regression on (3) the popularity measured by the number of blog posts on the markets. Using a comprehensive set of variables, this paper finds that investments in physical infrastructure ( p < 0.000) and organizational/operational capacities ( p < 0.008 and p < 0.094) make a significant contribution to the economic vitality. Among product categories, the ratios of perishable food stores were found to be significant ( p < 0.000) as well as those of food shops and vendors ( p < 0.030). On the other hand, extending convenient facilities and anchor stores would reduce the revenue in the short term. In addition, traditional markets that are recognized as popular destinations may not necessarily be profitable. In this vein, attention should be paid to this mismatch when a strategy is deliberated to transform a market into a tourist attraction.
Larger drupe size and earlier geminants for better seedling attributes of teak (Tectona grandis Linn. f.)

Massive plantation establishment programme in the tropics has led to an ever-increasing demand for good quality planting stock of teak ( Tectona grandis L.f.). Although drupe size in teak is positively correlated with seedling growth much less is known about the combined effect of drupe size and time of emergence on the performance of the seedlings. The drupes were divided in 3 diameter categories (i.e. 9-12, 12-15 and 15-18 mm) and the number of germinants were weekly counted for four weeks. The resulted seedlings were planted in poly bags containing rooting medium of soil and sand (1:1 ratio). Results of the study indicated that the seedling emergence was largest during second week irrespective of drupe size. Seedlings from 15-18 mm diameter class drupes recorded the highest seedling attributes followed by 12-15 mm and 9-12 mm classes. However, net assimilation rate and relative growth rate were highest in the seedlings obtained from 9-12 mm class drupes. With a few exceptions, first week emergents recorded the highest seedling attributes followed by second, third and fourth week germinants. Cluster analysis of the seedling attributes identified the seedlings belonging to 15-18 mm drupe size and emerging during first week as superior. But, considering the largest number of drupes in 12-15 mm size class, peak germination during second week after sowing, price of planting stock and cost of nursery operation per unit of planting, second week germinants of 12  15 mm size drupes can also be recommended for raising seedlings in plantation programmes of teak.
Measuring unsaturated soil deformations during triaxial testing using a photogrammetry-based method

When characterizing an unsaturated soil using the triaxial test apparatus, it is required to measure the soil deformation during loading. Recently, a photogrammetry-based method has been developed for total and localized volume change measurements on unsaturated soils during triaxial testing. In this study, more in-depth discussions on the photogrammetry-based method are addressed, such as system setup, the measurement procedure, accuracy self-check, data post-processing, and differences from conventional image-based methods. Also, an application of the photogrammetry-based method on unsaturated soil deformation measurements is presented through a series of undrained triaxial tests with different loading paths. After testing, three-dimensional (3D) models of the tested soils at different loading steps were constructed based on the 3D coordinates of measurement targets on the soil surface. Clear barreling processes for soils during deviatoric loading were observed through the constructed 3D models at diffe.
The effects of increased phosphorus application on shoot dry matter, shoot P and Zn concentrations in wheat (Triticum durum L.) and maize (Zea mays L.) grown in a calcareous soil

Zinc (Zn) deficiency is a worldwide nutritional problem resulting in significant reduction in crop yields. It is often observed in calcareous soils and also after heavy doses of phosphorus (P) fertiliser applications, the latter being termed P-induced Zn deficiency. For management purposes, it is important to understand how crops with different root architecture would respond to P-induced Zn deficiency. This glasshouse study was aimed at determining the effects of increased P application on shoot dry matter, shoot P and Zn concentration in wheat and maize grown in a calcareous soil supplied with five rates of P (0, 30, 60, 90 and 120 mg kg -1 soil). Compared to the control treatment, increasing soil P supply increased shoot P concentration (2.7 - 3.0 fold), while decreased shoot dry matter (10 and 23%) and shoot Zn concentration (75 and 82%) (wheat and maize, respectively). In wheat, the reduction in shoot dry matter was associated with Zn concentrations below the critical level indicating P-induced Zn deficiency as being the main cause of reduced shoot growth. In maize, the reduction in shoot dry matter was accompanied by higher than adequate shoot P concentrations and lower than adequate shoot Zn concentrations suggesting P toxicity and Zn deficiency as the main contributing factors for reduced shoot growth. The results suggest that heavy applications of P fertilizers can induce not only Zn deficiency but also P toxicity depending on the crops thus P application rates should be chosen carefully.