Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
International Agreements for Commodity Price Stabilisation: An Assessment

This paper looks at commodity stocks, their role in price determination for storable commodities, and past efforts of international stockholding arrangements with economic provisions in stabilising world prices. Low stocks to use ratios of recent years were one of a number of contributory factors to the grain price spike in 2007-08, the paper finds. However, the experience with past international commodity agreements (ICAs) with price band provisions and stockholding obligations suggests that they had only limited success in reducing the volatility of the prices they set out to stabilise, as well as being prone to many other operational problems. The paper also suggests that as a possible response to apparently inadequate private storage, public sector storage would be costly, ineffective in countering price spikes once stocks are fully exhausted, and would crowd out private storage. Some market-based approaches to countering food price volatility are also examined as alternatives to commodity storage.
Application of Constructal Theory to Write Mechanical Maximum Work Principle and Equilibrium State of Continuum Media Flow as a Solution of a Variational Optimization Problem

Abstract—This scientific research proposes a fundamental application of constructal theory developed by prof. Adrian BEJAN of Duke University in order to prove in a mathematical sense that the mechanical maximum work principle used by the theory of continuum media plasticity can be regarded as a solution of a general variational optimization problem. According to the first and second thermodynamics laws, the constructal principle search to complete the natural tendency for all finite-size system to raise the entropy obtaining specific optimal system design or material flow configurations. In accord with the constructal theory “all system searches to flow more and more easily over time using specific distribution of imperfections in order to maximize entropy and to minimize the losses”. In this sense, concerning the field of forming processes, all material flows under specified boundaries, loading and processing conditions are those which minimize the sum of dissipated deformation and friction power. Thus all the corresponding mechanical variables (velocities, stress, strain, strain rate) of the real mechanical state as those that minimizes the total dissipated power. It can be then obtained a variational constrained minimization problem. Equivalent form of the maximum work principle is proved also for the friction stresses together with the convexity properties of plastic or friction potential. An application in the case of a cylindrical upsetting shows the feasibility of the proposed minimization problem formulation to find analytical solution. To valid this theory, comparisons are made using the classical analytical analysis based on upper and lower bound theorems, slices method and numerical Finite Element Modelling (FEM).
OnePC: A portable software for parallel genetic algorithms used in optimization problems

OnePC is a software entirely written in ANSI C++ using the QT library to be portable. The software implements parallel genetic algorithms that are based to a novel algorithm to tackle the global optimization problem. The proposed algorithm contains an enhanced stopping rule and a periodical application of a local search procedure. Also, the software contains a script language to assist the programmers. The article introduces the software and the underlying algorithm as well as some experimental results.
The retention of academics in the early career phase : empirical research

The purpose of the study was to determine to what extent academics in the early career phase at a South African higher education institution are committed to the institution in question and the impact which this commitment has on labour turnover. More than 21% of the original respondents left the institution while this research was still underway. Insufficient financial remuneration was the most important reason why the respondents considered leaving the institution.
The role of dynamic contrasts in the L2 acquisition of Spanish past tense morphology*

This study examines the second language acquisition of Spanish past tense morphology by three groups of English speakers (beginners, intermediates and advanced). We adopt a novel methodological approach – combining oral corpus data with controlled experimental data – in order to provide new evidence on the validity of the Lexical Aspect Hypothesis (LAH) in L2 Spanish. Data elicited through one comprehension and three oral tasks with varying degrees of experimental control show that the emergence of temporal markings is determined mainly by the dynamic/non-dynamic contrast (whether a verb is a state or an event) as beginner and intermediate speakers use Preterit with event verbs but Imperfect mainly with state verbs. One crucial finding is that although advanced learners use typical Preterit–telic associations in the least controlled oral tasks, as predicted by the LAH, this pattern is often reversed in tasks designed to include non-prototypical (and infrequent) form–meaning contexts. The results of the comprehension task also show that the Preterit-event and Imperfect-state associations observed in the production data determine the interpretation that learners assign to the Preterit and the Imperfect as well. These results show that beginner and intermediate learners treat event verbs (achievements, accomplishments and activities) in Spanish as a single class that they associate with Preterit morphology. We argue that dynamicity contrasts, and not telicity, affect learners’ use of past tense forms during early stages of acquisition.
Turning to art as a positive way of living with cancer: A qualitative study of personal motives and contextual influences

Why do some women turn to creative art-making after a diagnosis of cancer? Eleven women provided qualitative accounts that were analysed following guidelines for interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). Some described taking up artistic leisure activities initially in order to manage emotional distress. Others emphasized their need for positive well-being, taking up art to experience achievement and satisfaction, to regain a positive identity, and to normalize family dynamics in the context of living with cancer. Participants’ turn to art-making was facilitated by biographical and contextual factors, including pre-existing craft skills, long-standing personal values and coping philosophies, family role models for managing adversity, and the supportive encouragement of family and friends. Other research has acknowledged that positive lifestyle change and posttraumatic growth can occur after a cancer diagnosis, and this study reveals a multi-faceted process. The findings suggest a need for further research into the experiences that facilitate positive lifestyle change and subjective well-being among people who are living with cancer.
Recent invasion of the foraminifer Nonionella stella Cushman & Moyer, 1930 in northern European waters: evidence from the Skagerrak and its fjords

The eastern Pacific benthic foraminifer Nonionella stella Cushman & Moyer, 1930 was recorded for the first time in the Skagerrak (North Sea) and its fjords. In this short note we evaluate its migration, considering both dispersal by propagules and ship ballast tanks. We suggest that the predominantly southward surface currents along the western European seaboard and Morocco would impede a wide-range dispersal of N. stella propagules and hypothesize transportation by ship ballast tanks as the possible vector of N. stella immigration into northern European seas.
Methods of oak silviculture in Austria

Summary — In Austria oak stands occupy an area covering a 150 000 ha or a 4% of the total forest area. Half of the oak stands are managed as coppice or coppice with standards, and half are managed as high forest. During the last 2 decades there has been a remarkable increase in developing young oak stands. The interest in managing suitable forest areas for oak is apparently growing. Therefore regeneration methods, timely and proper management and thinning regimes will be very important in the near future. As a result of different growth performances it is necessary to determine different production targets and rotation cycles. For this reason treatment programmes have been developed dependent on selected sites considering biological, ecological and technical parameters to achieve high economic yield. Investigations into oak stands of different age classes have already shown the importance of timely cleaning, tending and continuous thinning during the first third of the rotation cycles. Various treatment programmes and practical knowledge relating to regeneration, tending, crop selection and thinning have been discussed.
Could a diet enriched with n‐3 highly unsaturated fatty acids be considered a promising way to enhance the immune defences and the resistance of Penaeid prawns to environmental stress?

The prawn Penaeus stylirostris (Stimpson), when fed for 28 days with n-3 highly unsaturated fatty acid (HUFA)-enriched feed pellets, demonstrated an enhanced resistance to variations in environmental parameters (a decrease in temperature and salinity over a 4-day period from 28 °C to 17 °C and from 35 to 10 respectively) and an improvement in their immune defence potential, i.e. increased agglutination titre of plasma and increased respiratory burst of haemocytes.
EVALUATION OF PARTICLE SHAPE AND TEXTURE: MANUFACTURED VERSUS NATURAL SANDS

Many highway agencies now limit the amount of natural sand in hot mix asphalt (HMA) when used on heavy-duty pavements to minimize rutting. This procedure is usually accomplished by generically specifying the maximum allowable percentage of natural sand. Generally, natural sands tend to be rounded whereas manufactured sands tend to be angular. However, there are some natural sands that are subangular rather than rounded. Also, some manufactured or crushed sands can be subrounded rather than completely angular. There is a definite need to quantify the shape and texture of the fine aggregate so that it can be specified on a rational basis rather than generically. Fine aggregates (8 natural and 10 manufactured sands) of different mineralogical compositions were sampled from various sources in Pennsylvania. Particle shape and texture data were obtained using ASTM D3398, and two proposed methods of the National Aggregate Association (NAA). On the basis of ASTM D3398, a particle index value of 14 appears to divide the natural and manufactured sands, and therefore, can be used for specification purposes. However, because each sieve size fraction needs to be tested individually and results combined, the current ASTM D3398 test procedures are too time consuming. However, test data indicate that only the major fraction needs to be tested because its particle index has a fairly good correlation with the average particle index. Moreover, both NAA proposed Methods A and B show good correlations (R-squared equals 0.97) with the ASTM D3398 method. These methods are straightforward and less time consuming. Equations needed to compute ASTM D3398 weighted-average particle index values from two NAA methods are described.
Sexual behaviour and mating system of Botryotinia fuckeliana, teleomorph of Botrytis cinerea.

Summary: Analysis of 213 field isolates of Botrytis cinerea and 240 ascospore isolates of its sexual form Botryotinia fuckeliana indicated that sexual compatibility of this fungus is controlled by a single mating type gene with two alleles. Most isolates were heterothallic, that is, they were self-sterile and able to produce ascospore progeny when crossed with reference strains carrying the mating type gene MAT1-1 or MAT1-2. About 16% of the field isolates and 6% of the ascospore progeny were homothallic, that is, self fertile and compatible with both MAT1-1 and MAT1-2 strains. Both mating types are widespread in nature. The close association of MAT1-1 and MAT1-2 field isolates on various hosts in several regions of Italy shows that sexual reproduction and meiotic recombination might be an important source of genetic variation in this pathogenic fungus.
Intertemporal Excess Burden, Bequest Motives, and the Budget Deficit

The author aims to empirically determine the significant factors that affect the levels of budget deficits of central governments across time and across countries. He empirically tests two prominent theories of budget deficits-the Barro (1979) tax-smoothing approach, and the still-untested theory of negative bequest motives advocated by Cukierman and Meltzer (1989). The author uses econometric techniques including fixed-effects (both country and time) panel regressions spanning 87 countries over the period 1975 to 1992, and the Griliches treatment of missing data. The author finds relatively stronger statistical support for the tax-smoothing approach among developing countries but not in industrial countries. The existence of empirical evidence supporting the theory of negative bequest motives is indeterminate. The author also conducted post-regression analyses to assess the proportion of observed differences in budget deficits the factors were actually able to explain. These reveal that both theories are generally weak in accounting for inter-temporal changes in budget deficit shares for both industrial and developing countries. The theories performed significantly better in accounting for cross-section differences. The author has many contributions to the literature. First, he analyzes the question of what determines the size of central government budget deficits using cross-country time series data leading into the 1990s. Second, he provides empirical tests of the still-untested Cukierman-Meltzer (1989) negative bequest motive theory of budget deficits. By using the panel data, the author attempts to determine the factors that influence not only the inter-temporal differences in budget deficits but also those factors that lead to cross-country differences. Last but not least, he provides some preliminary evidence that poverty reduction is necessary for long-term government budget deficit reduction.
Predicting mountain plant richness and rarity from space using satellite‐derived vegetation indices

Can species richness and rarity be predicted from space? If satellite‐derived vegetation indices can provide us with accurate predictions of richness and rarity in an area, they can serve as an excellent tool in diversity and conservation research, especially in inaccessible areas. The increasing availability of high‐resolution satellite images is enabling us to study this question more carefully. We sampled plant richness and rarity in 34 quadrats (1000 m2) along an elevation gradient between 300 and 2200 m focusing on Mount Hermon as a case study. We then used 10 Landsat, Aster, and QuickBird satellite images ranging over several seasons, going up to very high resolutions, to examine the relationship between plant richness, rarity, and vegetation indices calculated from the images. We used the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), one of the most commonly used vegetation indexes, which is strongly correlated to primary production both globally and locally (in more seasonal and in drier and/or colder environments that have wide ranges of NDVI values). All images showed a positive significant correlation between NDVI and both plant species richness and percentage tree cover (with R2 as high as 0.87 between NDVI and total plant richness and 0.89 for annual plant richness). The high resolution images enabled us to examine spatial heterogeneity in NDVI within our quadrats. Plant richness was significantly correlated with the standard deviation of NDVI values (but not with their coefficient of variation) within quadrats and between images. Contrary to richness, relative range size rarity was negatively correlated with NDVI in all images, this result being significant in most cases. Thus, given that they are validated by fieldwork, satellite‐derived indices can shed light on richness and even rarity patterns in mountains, many of which are important biodiversity centres.
Defoliation increased above-ground productivity in a semi-arid grassland

Abstract In light of the continuing debate regarding overcompensation we studied the responses of above-ground biomass in a high-elevation, semi-arid grassland to defoliation, defoliation history, and livestock grazing. The above-ground annual net primary productivity (ANPP) was measured over 2 years in one-hundred twenty, 1-m2 plots that were exposed to single- and multi-year defoliation and grazing treatments. Plant communities showed an average increase in ANPP of 31%–45% due to a single defoliation event. The most conservative estimate of average ANPP of defoliated subplots was 29.4 g m−2 greater than the non-defoliated controls. A history of defoliation, due to clipping or grazing, lessened the magnitude of the compensatory response, but above-ground overcompensation of biomass was still observed, ranging on average from 17% to 26%. One dominant species, squirreltail grass [Elymus elymoides (Raf.) Swezeyi], accounted for nearly one-third of the community-level increases in ANPP. In contrast to above-ground patterns, below-ground root production of squirreltail did not increase in response to defoliation events. These results suggest that the above-ground production of high-elevation, semi-arid grasslands in the American Southwest may be temporarily increased through certain grazing events, and may help explain shifts in species dominance in grasslands exposed to long-term grazing by livestock.
Mixture models applied to microarray gene expression data

Feature selection is an important method for finding underlying processes and systems in microarray gene expression data. Microarray experiments often involve questions such as which genes are changing between classes of samples. Given a gene expression dataset and sample class labels, feature selection methods aim at extracting features that allow classification of a new example into one of the classes. We present a novel method based on mixture models for feature selection and sample classification applied to gene expression data. We show that the method is able to compete with and even outperforms existing methods in terms of classification accuracy on a set previously published datasets.
The investigation DO 3-type Fe 3 M ( M = Al , Ga , Si and Ge ) full-heusler alloys within first

Full-Heusler Fe3M (M=Al, Ga, Si and Ge) alloys whose crystal structure is DO3-type disordered structure which conforms to Fm3̅m space group, have been investigated by using Local Spin Density Approximation (LSDA) and Generalized Gradient Spin Approximation (GGSA) in the Density Functional Theory (DFT) as implemented in VASP (Vienna Ab initio Simulation Package) software. After the examination of ground states of our materials in DO3-type structure, their full structural, mechanical properties and electronic band structures have been investigated and made comparison between LSDA and GGSA. The calculated electronic band structures and total electronic density of states (DOS) within both of two approximation show that these alloys have metallic behavior. The calculated elastic constants and estimated mechanical properties depended on these constants indicate that these alloys are stable mechanically and have anisotropic behavior.
Key dimensions of personal innovativeness

The purpose of this paper is to provide insight into the concept of personal innovativeness through an application of the Ettlie and O'Keefe (1982) innovativeness scale. A mixed-mode approach to data collection involving online and postal surveying was used to obtain responses from 404 practicing UK managers. Although the work has a number of limitations relating to the personal innovativeness scale employed and difficulties associated with comparative analysis of the results, the findings are statistically significant and appear to have face value. The most important finding from this study is the identification of five key dimensions of personal innovativeness which suggests that the concept is fragmenting and becoming more complex. The paper concludes by considering the implications of the findings in terms of recruitment of managers, their education and training, the design of reward packages, and the allocation of resources.
Space-time pattern of habitat utilization for the Chobe riverfront elephant population

In order to examine potential contributing explanations to the high biodiversity seen along the Chobe riverfront in Northern Botswana, the space-time pattern of habitat use for the area’s elephant population was investigated during the dry season 2004. Bulls and family groups were monitored in four different habitats in the north eastern corner of Chobe National Park using line transect sampling method. The results show that the areas closest to the Chobe river had the highest densities of elephants during the day-night cycle. This implies that a high proportion of faeces and urine are deposited in this small area. Since the elephants mainly forage in the vast woodlands further away from the river they mediate a transport of nutrients from the woodlands in the interior part of the park to the areas close to the river, mainly to the floodplain. The Chobe and Zambesi rivers are the main available surface water in the area during the dry season but the vicinity of water can not alone explain the high biodiversity seen at the riverfront. The net import of nutrients to the floodplain, facilitated by the elephants, should be considered as one potential contributing factor to the high biodiversity, and should be taken into account for decisions of management of the area in general and its elephants in particular. Further, the results indicate that family units forage at greater distances from the Chobe river than what has been recorded before. The causes for this new pattern are, however, uncertain.
Inferences without necessary conclusion and easy to detect

Aristotle indicates four types of inferences whose conclusion does not necessarily follows its premises. In this paper, I review them from the mental models theory and try to show that, if this last framework is correct, people should note without a lot of effort that their conclusions are not necessary. I mainly base my analysis on the distinction between canonical and noncanonical models provided by Khemlani, Lotstein, Trafton, and Johnson-Laird (2015).