Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Modified recycled concrete aggregates for asphalt mixture using microbial calcite precipitation

Using recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) in an asphalt mixture has many economic and environmental benefits for our society. However, due to the poor adhesion of RCA to asphalt binder, the replacement of normal aggregate with RCA leads to a reduction in the properties of asphalt mixture. This study presents a new approach to overcome this deficiency by treating RCA with microbial carbonate precipitation to develop chemical bonds between RCA and asphalt binder. This study first investigates the effect of this surface treatment on the properties of RCA. The experimental results showed that the capillary water absorption and porosity of the treated-RCA could be reduced by 86.5% and 32%, respectively, as compared to those of the untreated-RCA. In addition, this study investigates the influence of this surface treatment on the interfacial behavior of RCA to asphalt binder by means of standard boiling test and direct tension test. According to the test results, the adhesion behavior of the treated-RCA to asphalt binder could be improved by 2 grades as compared to the asphalt mixture with untreated-RCA. Moreover, the bonding strength of treated-RCA to asphalt binder was also improved by 55%. The formation of chemical affinity between treated-RCA and asphalt binder, as shown in FTIR spectra, is the explanation for the enhancement in the bonding strength and water susceptibility for the treated-RCA–asphalt mixture.
Smarter choices - changing the way we travel - final report of the research project 'The influence of soft factor interventions on travel demand' - vols 1 and 2

Soft transport policy measures include workplace / school travel plans, personalised travel planning, travel awareness campaigns, public transport information / marketing, car clubs, car sharing schemes, teleworking, teleconferencing and home shopping. This report draws on earlier studies of the impact of soft measures, new evidence from the UK and abroad, case study interviews relating to 24 specific initiatives, and the experience of commercial, public and voluntary stakeholders involved in organising such schemes. The assessment focusses on two different policy scenarios for the next ten years. The high intensity scenario would aim for a reduction in peak period urban traffic of about 21%, peak period non-urban traffic of about 14% and a nationwide reduction in all traffic of about 11%. Prevention of induced traffic is considered important to achieve these traffic reductions, involving the reallocation of road space, improved public transport, parking control, traffic calming, pedestrianisation, cycle networks, congestion charging etc. A low intensity scenario (as currently practised in the UK) would reduce peak period urban traffic by about 5% and overall traffic by 2-3%. Sufficient suporting policies to control induced traffic are still required. Cost benefit analysis indicated that for every £1 spent on well-designed soft measures, a £10 benefit would result from reduced congestion alone, provided that induced traffic is controlled.
The Nexus between Sea Ice and Polar Emissions of Marine Biogenic Aerosols

AbstractAccurate estimation of the climate sensitivity requires a better understanding of the nexus between polar marine ecosystem responses to warming, changes in sea ice extent, and emissions of marine biogenic aerosol (MBA). Sea ice brine channels contain very high concentrations of MBA precursors that, once ventilated, have the potential to alter cloud microphysical properties, such as cloud droplet number, and the regional radiative energy balance. In contrast to temperate latitudes, where the pelagic phytoplankton are major sources of MBAs, the seasonal sea ice dynamic plays a key role in determining MBA concentration in both the Arctic and Antarctic. We review the current knowledge of MBA sources and the link between ice melt and emissions of aerosol precursors in the polar oceans. We illustrate the processes by examining decadal-scale time series in various satellite-derived parameters such as aerosol optical depth (AOD), sea ice extent, and phytoplankton biomass in the sea ice zones of both hemis.
Defect Processes in a PbS Metal Organic Framework: A Quantum-Confined Hybrid Semiconductor

We report the effects of reduced dimensionality and organic networks on defect reactions in a hybrid solid of PbS (galena). Through first-principles calculations, we demonstrate that formation of the organic−inorganic network increases both the band gap and defect reaction energies. Remarkably, anion vacancies result in a localized defect center in both the bulk and hybrid materials, with high ionization energies deep in the band gap, while cation vacancies provide low energy shallow acceptor levels; the hybrid system will favor intrinsic p-type conductivity. The results demonstrate the feasibility of utilizing hybrid solids to engineer material properties for solar cell applications.
A census of radio-selected AGNs on the COSMOS field and of their FIR properties

We use the new catalogue by Laigle et al. (2016) to provide a full census of VLA-COSMOS radio sources. We identify 90% of such sources and sub-divide them into AGN and star-forming galaxies on the basis of their radio luminosity. The AGN sample is COMPLETE with respect to radio selection at all z<3.5. Out of 704 AGN, 272 have a counterpart in the Herschel maps. By exploiting the better statistics of the new sample, we confirm the results of Magliocchetti et al. (2014): the probability for a radio-selected AGN to be detected at FIR wavelengths is both a function of radio luminosity and redshift, whereby powerful sources are more likely FIR emitters at earlier epochs. Such an emission is due to star-forming processes within the host galaxy. FIR emitters and non-FIR emitters only differentiate in the z<1 universe. At higher redshifts they are indistinguishable from each other, as there is no difference between FIR-emitting AGN and star-forming galaxies. Lastly, we focus on radio AGN which show AGN emission at other wavelengths. We find that MIR emission is mainly associated with ongoing star-formation and with sources which are smaller, younger and more radio luminous than the average parent population. X-ray emitters instead preferentially appear in more massive and older galaxies. We can therefore envisage an evolutionary track whereby the first phase of a radio-active AGN and of its host galaxy is associated with MIR emission, while at later stages the source becomes only active at radio wavelengths and possibly also in the X-ray.
Wellbeing and Welfare: A Psychosocial Analysis of Being Well and Doing Well Enough

Abstract Wellbeing is increasingly supplanting welfare as a central political goal for social and public policy. In academic social policy, some writers have suggested that a focus on wellbeing allows us to consider a ‘fully rounded humanity’ whereas welfare focuses on economic utility. This article avoids this polarisation and proposes a generative and relational view of wellbeing and welfare as mutually constitutive. It adopts a trans-disciplinary critical psychosocial perspective to reveal highly normative views of wellbeing and agency employed in these political and academic discourses. It proposes a view of agency for wellbeing which is contextual, includes non-rational action and is oriented to being well enough with others. Instead of a concern with outcome measures such as happiness, it proposes a view of wellbeing as a process which varies according to context. Drawing on the notion of ‘thick’ and ‘thin’ needs, the specific content of wellbeing is seen as generated through ‘close’ and ‘distant’ relationships. This approach challenges contemporary policy responses to wellbeing which are individualised and market-led and suggests that a question for social policy is: which relationships and contexts are generative of individual wellbeing and welfare?
The effect of financial deepening on economic growth in Kenya

xii CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION.1 1.1 Background of the Study . 1 1.1.1 Financial Deepening . 2 1.1.2 Economic Growth . 3 1.1.3 Effect of Financial Deepening on Economic Growth . 4 1.1.4 Financial Deepening and Economic Growth in Kenya . 6 1.2 Research Problem . 7 1.3 Objectives of the study . 9 1.4 Value of the Study . 9 CHAPTER TWO.11 LITERATURE REVIEW.11
F-19 Optimal Monetary Policy in a Credit Economy

This paper investigates the performance of monetary policy rules in a credit economy. In particular, the paper considers whether or not performance depends upon financial market imperfection. For this purpose, the paper analyzes a credit economy model incorporating a financial friction into a new Keynesian macroeconomic model. The answer is yes. First, the central bank should respond to output rather than to inflation if the financial market is markedly imperfect. Second, under this market condition, the bank should not adopt policy smoothing. Third, the bank should not respond to inflation as aggressively under financial and wealth distribution shocks as under a common supply shock. The results are exactly the same even if the economy takes account of the stability of nominal interest rate or if the central bank responds to expected inflation rather than current inflation. The paper therefore does not support inflation targeting as the dominant strategy of monetary policy and suggests instead that, in practice, the Taylor rule might be more appropriate in fragile financial markets. Optimal Monetary Policy in a Credit Economy 1
Enhancement of the expression of defense genes in tomato against Ralstonia solanacearum by N-octanoyl-L-homoserine lactone

Many Gram-negative bacteria use N-acyl-homoserine lactone (AHLs) as quorum sensing (QS) signalling molecules to monitor their population density and to regulate gene expression in a density dependent manner. Recently, it has been shown that AHLs are detected by the plants and they trigger plant defense responses. In this study, N-octanoyl-L-homoserine lactone (C8-HSL) has been used as resistant inducer against bacterial wilt disease of tomato caused by Ralstonia solanacearum. The present investigation focused on the role of defense related enzymes (phenylalanine ammonia lyase, peroxidase, polyphenol oxidase and lipoxygenase) in imparting resistance in tomato against R. solanacearum. Activities of these defense enzymes, increased in C8-HSL treated tomato plants, which were challenged with R. solanacearum. The transcripts accumulation studies for these enzymes were carried out using semi-quantitative reverse transcription PCR, with maximum mRNA accumulation in resistant cultivar upon treatment with C8-HSL. Quantitative real time-PCR (qRT-PCR) confirmed the maximum induction of all these four genes in C8-HSL treated plants. However, the expression of defense genes was higher in C8-HSL treated resistant cultivar than that of susceptible cultivar. Therefore, the results support the view that C8-HSL molecule enhances disease protection against R. solanacearum infection in tomato through the activation of defense genes. Key words: N-octanoyl-L-homoserine lactone, Ralstonia solanacearum, tomato, defense genes, quantitative real time-polymerase chain reaction (PCR).
The effect of arbitrage activity in low volatility strategies : an empirical analysis of return comovements

The goal of this thesis is to examine the effect arbitrageurs have on prices in the stock market. More specifically, we seek to investigate arbitrage activity in the low volatility anomaly by decomposing it into systematicand firm-specific parts. Our main contribution is to create a measure of arbitrage activity for the idiosyncratic volatility strategy, which goes long stocks with low idiosyncraticand short stocks with high idiosyncratic volatility. We fulfil this by mainly utilizing previous methodology of Ang et al. (2006), Lou and Polk (2013) and Huang et al. (2016). First, for a proof that we are able to construct our own measure of arbitrage activity in low volatility strategies, we implement the methodology of Huang et al. (2016) and successfully replicate CoBAR, a measure of arbitrage activity in beta-strategies. We then proceed by creating our own measure of arbitrage activity in the idiosyncratic volatility strategy, which we dub CoIVOL. This proxy is used to identify periods of relatively low and high arbitrage activity and asses whether trading in the strategy is crowded. We use this to examine the implications and effects arbitrageurs have on prices. Our findings indicate that abnormal returns to the idiosyncratic volatility strategy, conditional on the arbitrage activity, are decreasing with time and activity. More specifically, we find that when activity is at its lowest, we achieve an average alpha of 1.71%/month for the first six months after portfolio formation. This alpha decreases monotonically with activity, and eventually becomes insignificant when arbitrage activity peaks. We conclude that arbitrageurs exploiting the idiosyncratic volatility anomaly has a stabilizing effect on prices.
Delivering Development to Gender-conscious Communities in S. Korea: What Factors Matter?

This paper aims to suggest an alternative monitoring framework for the WFC (Women-Friendly City) project that can have an impact on the performance of the WFC project. In particular, this study looks at the mutual relationships between the factors of the framework that was suggested through the analysis of the project-related interviewees` accounts of qualitative research. Path analysis was carried out to analyze the relationship between the six variables - independent (Institutional Resources), parametric (PPCo or Public-Public Cooperation), Education, PPP (Public-Private Partnership) and dependent (Performance and (Gender) Representation). As a result, it was found that Institutional Resources, PPCo, and PPP had a significant influence on Performance and Representation. In particular, there were four statistical associations (paths): Institutional Resources → Performance, PPCo → Performance, PPCo → Representation, and PPP → Representation (p<0.05).
Circulation and transformation of Atlantic and Arctic water masses in climate models

Ocean heat transport and associated heat loss to the atmosphere contributes significantly to the anomalously mild climate of northwestern Europe and its variability. In this thesis, the circulation and transformation of water masses in the northern North Atlantic and the Nordic Seas have been assessed and explored in state-of-the-art climate models. A most important aspect of model evaluation is to identify the degree of realism in model climatology and variability, e.g., for model improvement or in order to assess the potential for decadal-scale climate prediction. A main approach for assessing simulated ocean circulations herein is water mass analysis as routinely applied in observational oceanography. Air-sea exchange and water mass transformation at northern high latitudes are accordingly related to the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC). The variable overturning of the Bergen Climate Model (BCM) – the core model system in this thesis – is found to reflect decadal variability in dense water formation in the Labrador Sea and in the oceanic heat transport into the Nordic Seas, the overall constraint on the northernmost water mass transformation. The simulated AMOC is strongly interconnected with the horizontal Subpolar Gyre circulation. Decadal variability of BCM’s Subpolar Gyre, as its AMOC, can partly be explained as a response to distinct patterns of atmospheric variability. The intercomparison of BCM with two other climate models finds the model pathways for the North Atlantic Current and the model sea-ice covers to differ substantially, and hence their oceanic poleward transport of heat, their air-sea exchange, and consequent northern water mass transformation to be very different.
The in fl uence of soil moisture de fi cits on Australian heatwaves

Several regions of Australia are projected to experience an increase in the frequency, intensity and duration of heatwaves (HWs) under future climate change. The large-scale dynamics ofHWs arewell understood, however, the influence of soilmoisture deficits—due for example to drought—remains largely unexplored in the region. Using the standardised precipitation evapotranspiration index, we show that the statistical responses ofHW intensity and frequency to soilmoisture deficits at the peak of the summer season are asymmetric and occurmostly in the lower and upper tails of the probability distribution, respectively. For aspects ofHWs related to intensity, substantially greater increases are experienced at the 10th percentile when antecedent soilmoisture is low (mildHWs get hotter). Conversely, HWaspects related to longevity increasemuchmore strongly at the 90th percentile in response to low antecedent soilmoisture (longHWs get longer). A corollary to this is that in the eastern and northern parts of the countrywhereHW-soilmoisture coupling is evident, high antecedent soilmoisture effectively ensures fewHWdays and lowHWtemperatures, while low antecedent soilmoisture ensures highHWtemperatures but not necessarilymoreHWdays.
National Memory and Divisive Narrative Building in Poland’s 2010 Presidential Election

Abstract This paper employs the 2010 Polish presidential election as a case study to explore the implications of memory politics, examining the Law and Justice party’s (PiS) use of national memory ahead of the June election. Through process tracing, this paper finds that the Smolensk Air Crash became the central theme of this race, which pitted Civic Platform (PO) candidate Bronisław Komorowski against the late President Lech Kaczynski’s twin brother, PiS’s Jarosław Kaczynski. Amplified by the media, PiS selectively drew on easily recognisable events and figures from Polish history to construct an “Us versus Them” conflict of “true Polish patriots” - those who supported the party and its anti-Russian stance - and “Others” - those who, although sympathetic to the crash victims, favoured Tusk and his push for renewed Polish-Russian relations. The primary goal of this paper is to demonstrate how a historical memory approach can inform the study of contemporary politics - a subject which is too oft en left solely to social scientists.
Numerical analysis of particle recycling in the TEXTOR helical divertor

The TEXTOR helical divertor is a magnetic configuration created by the application of external resonant magnetic perturbations with the intention to control plasma edge transport and the resulting particle and heat fluxes to the divertor target. It is confirmed by 3D computer simulations that no high-recycling-like regime is established under TEXTOR relevant conditions, despite the fact that a transition to detachment (i.e. a saturation or even a roll-over of the recycling flux) is observed at high densities. The driving mechanisms are, distinct from apparently similar observations in poloidal divertors and stellarator divertors, a combination of volumetric power losses and enhanced upstream-to-downstream heat transport, but with no significant role of the momentum balance.
Tomato yellow vein streak virus: relationship with Bemisia tabaci biotype B and host range

The Tomato yellow vein streak virus (ToYVSV) is a putative species of begomovirus, which was prevalent on tomato crops in Sao Paulo State, Brazil, until 2005. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the interaction between ToYVSV and its vector Bemisia tabaci biotype B and to identify alternative hosts for the virus. The minimum acquisition and inoculation access periods of ToYVSV by B. tabaci were 30 min and 10 min, respectively. Seventy five percent of tomato-test plants were infected when the acquisition and inoculation access periods were 24 h. The latent period of the virus in the insect was 16 h. The ToYVSV was retained by B. tabaci until 20 days after acquisition. First generation of adult whiteflies obtained from viruliferous females were virus free as shown by PCR analysis and did not transmit the virus to tomato plants. Out of 34 species of test-plants inoculated with ToYVSV only Capsicum annuum, Chenopodium amaranticolor, C. quinoa, Datura stramonium, Gomphrena globosa, Nicotiana clevelandii and N. tabacum cv. TNN were susceptible to infection. B. tabaci biotype B was able to acquire the virus from all these susceptible species, transmitting it to tomato plants.
COMPARATIVE STUDY ON GROWTH OF SUPERMALE TILAPIA AND MONOSEX TILAPIA IN EARTHEN MINI POND

Correction: On 29th April 2015 the page numbers of this article were changed from 167-173 to 169-175 An investigation was conducted to determine the comparative growth study of supermale tilapia and monosex tilapia in earthen mini ponds from May-July 2012. Four treatments were considered having two replicates. For supermale tilapia treatments were named as ST 1 and ST 2 and for monosex tilapia were MT 1 and MT 2 . All the fish were of same age group having mean body weight of 1.4 g. Feeding frequency in all the treatments were two times a day. Fish were fed diet at a rate of 30% of their body weight for the first thirty days that was gradually reduced to 15% for the next thirty days and 5% till the termination of the experiment. Final weight, weight gain, average daily weight gain, % weight gain and production of supermale tilapia were significantly (p 0.05) varied. However, the result of the present study showed that the best weight gain of 124.85 g was observed in ST 1 after 90 days culture period. Average weight gain (g) were 1.39, 1.16, 1.14 and 1.05, SGR (per day) were 2.17, 2.09, 2.08 and 2.04%, FCR were 2.98, 2.65, 2.84 and 2.57, survival rate were 96, 94.50, 95 and 91% and fish production were 5053.92, 8926.10, 4108.07 and 7821.41 kg/ha in ST 1 , ST 2 , MT 1 and MT 2 respectively. The present research findings suggested that supermale tilapia has significantly high growth potential compare to monosex tilapia under mini ponds culture condition. Res. Agric. , Livest. Fish.2(1): 169-175, April 2015
Evaluation of forage-based weaning systems in spring-born cross-bred beef calves

Preconditioned calves have greater marketvalue per unit weight than normal-weaned calves. Development of a low cost forage-based preconditioning system allows producers to add value to their calf-crop. This study evaluated calf performance in three forage-based weaning systems; early-weaned calves were backgrounded in legume/grass forage plots and supplemented with commercial preconditioning feed (Treatment 1) or an on-farm corn-mix (Treatment 2). Control (Treatment 3) calves suckled for an additional 45 days. Supplements provided2.17 kgTDN/calf/ day. Weights were collected on days -30, 0 and 45 with respect to early weaning, from135 inyear 1 and 150 calves in each of the two subsequent years. Effects of treatment, age of dam, sex of calf and their interactions on calf weight gain were analyzed by analysis of covariance using GLM procedures of SAS. Marginal effects of treatment and feed cost were used to evaluate economic feasibility. Sensitivity analyses were evaluated for anticipated market fluctuations in feed costs and calf premiums. Data are reported as least squares means. Calf weight gains differed (P 51.5 kg, respectively). Steers calves gained more (P