Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Economic-environmental efficiency of european agriculture: a generalized maximum entropy approach

The study aims to estimate the agricultural economic-environmental efficiency (eco-efficiency) for European countries. Eco-efficiency is obtained by the data envelopment analysis (DEA) and stochastic frontier analysis (SFA) using a generalized maximum entropy (GME) approach. Agriculture gross value added (GVA) is considered as the desirable output and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions as the undesirable output. Capital, labour, land, energy and nutrients are regarded as inputs. The GVA/GHG ratio is the measure of eco-efficiency. The estimation was made for the years 2005 and 2010, which correspond to the 1st year of commitment to the Kyoto Protocol and the most recent year with information concerning all the variables in the study, and is a period that can allow us to see some changes after the agreement. The results show that in 2005, Austria, Slovenia, Hungary, the Netherlands and Portugal revealed the higher levels of eco-efficiency; and countries such as Estonia, Germany, Ireland, Latvia and Slovakia are the group with the lowest levels of eco-efficiency. In 2010, Bulgaria, Finland, Greece, the Netherlands and Portugal are the group of countries with the higher levels of eco-efficiency, while Denmark, Germany, Latvia, Romania and the United Kingdom are the group with the lowest levels of eco-efficiency.
Emergence of HIV Types and Risk Factors in Pregnant Women in Burkina Faso from 2006 to 2014

HIV-1 first to be discovered [1,2], is more prevalent than HIV2 [3-5]. This explains the direction of research into HIV-1 since 1984 for its diagnosis and in particular by ELISA (Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay) and Western Blot for the detection of antibodies, antigenemia P24, PCR [6] or the cell culture [7] to treatment including molecular research by deciphering of its genome, viral load and resistance to antiretroviral [8-11]. This is followed by determining its impact techniques [8,11] from the 2000s to the present. The consequence of all these efforts is a reduction of is the reduction of HIV-1 prevalence [12,13] over the years. However, HIV-2 discovered a few years later raged mainly in West Africa [14,15] and recorded a low prevalence [16,17]. Burkina Faso is among the countries where HIV prevalence is moderate. The average national HIV prevalence in Burkina Faso obtained through the monitoring of sentinel sites was falling since 2009. Knowledge of the facets of the epidemic can develop specific strategies to refine the management and monitoring of people living with HIV. The therapeutic management of people living with HIV necessarily involves identifying the types of HIV (HIV-1, HIV-2 or HIV-1+2). Tests have been developed for this purpose, however, it remains false positive or negative results or indeterminate [18,19], due to the co-circulation of both virus Volume 5 Issue 2 2017
Exploiting Sparse Interactions for Optimizing Communication in Dec-MDPs

Decentralized partially observable Markov decision processes (Dec-POMDPs) provide powerful modeling tools for multiagent decision-making in the face of uncertainty, but solving these models comes at a very high computational cost. Two avenues for side-stepping the computational burden can be identified: structured interactions between agents and intraagent communication. In this paper, we focus on the interplay between these concepts, namely how sparse interactions reflect in the communication needs. A key insight is that in domains with local interactions the amount of communication necessary for successful joint behavior can be heavily reduced, due to the limited influence between agents. We exploit this insight by deriving local POMDP models that optimize each agent’s communication behavior. Our experimental results show that our approach successfully exploits sparse interactions: we can effectively identify the situations in which it is beneficial to communicate, as well as trade off the cost of communication with overall task performance.
Osmotic induction marking with Alizarin Red S on juveniles of pejerrey, Odontesthes bonariensis (Atherinopsidae)

Juveniles of pejerrey, Odontesthes bonariensis, were exposed to 0.1% Alizarin Red S (ARS) alone or with a previous immersion in 2.2% saline solution (Osmotic Induction, OI) to enhance the ARS marking method. Fish were marked in the field and immediately released in 1 m3 cages in "La Salada de Monasterio" lagoon, Chascomus, Buenos Aires , Argentina. After 73 days, clear marks were observed in the otoliths, caudal fin rays and scales with both treatments, being the intensity of the signal in the scales of OI+ARS treated fish higher. On the other hand, no marks were observed in the control group on the same structures. Approximately one year post-treatment (385 days), only marks in caudal fin rays were found clearly in OI+ARS treated fish. After this period, no significant differences in total length or weight between marked or control fish were observed and the mortality ranged between 30-40 % in all cages. These results provide strong evidence for the potential applicability of this cost-effective marking technique in differentiation of wild and hatchery-produced pejerrey. The success in the caudal fin rays marking is also important because it is easy to do and does not require the sacrifice of fish.
The relationship between population means and variances in reproductive success: implications of life history and ecology

Within populations, individuals vary in breeding performance even under identical environmental conditions. Here, we present a model of logistic improvement in reproductive success (proportion of fledglings raised per egg laid) with environmental quality for breeders with different capacities. The mean reproductive success in our model denotes environmental quality for breeding. Our model establishes a space of potential combinations of means and variances in reproductive success. In this space, positive, negative or absent trends are possible. The literature and our own long-term studies show that life-history strategies may markedly affect the sign and shape of the relationship between mean and variance in reproductive success. Populations of long-lived birds rarely achieve a high mean reproductive success, and associations between the mean and variance of breeding success in different years tend to be positive. Conversely, populations of short-lived birds present negative mean–variance relationships with high mean reproductive success and variance in good environmental conditions approaching zero. Other factors, such as resource distribution and mating system, may also affect the variance in reproductive success and mean–variance trends. Plotting means and variances in reproductive success for different years or populations may indicate important aspects of the life history and ecology of organisms.
Analysis of students’ mathematical reasoning

The reasoning is one of the mathematical abilities that have very complex implications. This complexity causes reasoning including abilities that are not easily attainable by students. Similarly, studies dealing with reason are quite diverse, primarily concerned with the quality of mathematical reasoning. The objective of this study was to determine the quality of mathematical reasoning based perspective Lithner. Lithner looked at how the environment affects the mathematical reasoning. In this regard, Lithner made two perspectives, namely imitative reasoning and creative reasoning. Imitative reasoning can be memorized and algorithmic reasoning. The Result study shows that although the students generally still have problems in reasoning. Students tend to be on imitative reasoning which means that students tend to use a routine procedure when dealing with reasoning. It is also shown that the traditional approach still dominates on the situation of students’ daily learning.
Effect of Vegetation Management and Site Conditions on Volume, Biomass and Leaf Area Allometry of Four Coniferous Species in the Pacific Northwest United States

Allometric equations are useful tools for calculating tree and stand-level attributes, such as above-ground biomass or stem volume, using simple measurements that can be obtained from stand inventory data. These equations tend to be species-specific and can be affected by site conditions and silvicultural treatments. Forest vegetation management treatments (VM) are an important component of reforestation programs in the Pacific Northwest of the United States; however, no study has investigated the impact of these treatments on crop tree allometry. In this study we assessed the long-term effects of two contrasting VM treatments on the allometry of sixteen-year-old Douglas-fir, western hemlock, western redcedar, and grand fir trees growing in Oregon’s central Coast Range (CR) and fifteen-year-old Douglas-fir and western redcedar trees growing in Oregon’s Cascade foothills (CF). The VM treatments included a control which received only a pre-planting herbicide application and a VM treatment consisting of five consecutive years of vegetation control after planting. The equations developed in this study were species-specific and were not affected by VM with the exception of western redcedar foliage biomass. For western redcedar, tress of similar diameter had more foliage biomass when growing on plots without VM after planting. The allometry of Douglas-fir and western redcedar was also found to be affected by site, such that trees of similar diameter and height had larger stem volume when growing at the CR site than the CF site. This difference in stem volume was found to be the result of differences in stem tapering. There was a strong relationship between stand basal area and leaf area index that was the same for all species tested and was unaffected by site. The equations presented in this study are useful for calculating stem volume, leaf area and individual tree and component biomass for stands of the studied species that are of similar age.
Atmospheric forcing of the Beaufort Sea ice gyre: Surface-stratosphere coupling

[1] In a companion article we examined the nature of correspondence between synoptic weather patterns and reversals in the Beaufort Sea ice gyre. In this paper we extend this analysis to examine the role of stratospheric forcing on surface phenomena. Investigated in particular is the correspondence between reversals in stratospheric winds at 10 mbar during winter as defined by stratospheric sudden warmings (SSW) and mean sea level pressure synoptic types in the Beaufort Sea region. Connections between stratospheric and surface events are characterized using relative vorticity and the square of strain computed at different pressure levels from the stratosphere to the surface in the Beaufort Sea region. We quantify the correspondence between stratospheric flow and surface phenomena through investigation of the frequency in synoptic types derived in a companion article during stratospheric sudden warming events. Investigation of stratospheric wind gradients averaged over the Beaufort Sea region demonstrates a prevalence in anticyclonic activity during SSWs that persists for approximately 20 days. Examination of the evolution in synoptic types in the Beaufort Sea region also shows an increase in the number of synoptic types associated with anticyclonic activity during SSWs.
Sorting out the impact of cultural diversity on innovative

An increasing amount of research in the migration literature shows a positive association between migrant diversity and rm productivity. However, the potential bias due to unobserved heterogeneity remains a challenge. In this paper we analyse the impact of cultural diversity on rm innovativeness, while using nite mixture modeling to control for observed and unobserved heterogeneity. Recent availability of microdata has enabled us to construct a linked employee-employer dataset through merging datasets on both workers and rms. We explore the possible ways of rm-level knowledge exchange among
Mixed arbuscular mycorrhizae from the Triassic of Antarctica

Arbuscular mycorrhizae are the most ubiq- uitous of mycorrhizal fungi, that have formed mutu- alistic relationships with virtually almost all major groups of vascular plants. Five genera of arbuscular endomycorrhizal fungi are currently delineated, but fossil arbuscular mycorrhizae have been allied with only two, Glomus and Sclerocystis. A Triassic arbuscu- lar mycorrhiza described inhabiting the roots of An- tarcticycas was originally allied with Glomus. It is now known to be a mixed colony comprised of fungi at- tributable to the suborders Glomineae and Gigaspor- ineae of the Glomales, described as two new species. The fossil Gigasporinean mycorrhiza is characterized by irregularly swollen intercellular and intracellular hyphae that are coiled extensively within the cells. Arbuscules have thick trunks and narrow branches. In the Glominean form, hyphal diameter is more uni- form,with coiling rarely present. Arbuscules have thin trunks and fine branches. Vesicles may be lateral or terminal. Spores are not present; therefore, the prob- ability of more than one species of each suborder being represented cannot be conclusively demon- strated. This provides the first fossil representative of the Gigasporineae and supports current rDNA esti- mates of the age of the lineage. Moreover, it is the first reported instance of a mixed colony of arbus- cular endomycorrhizae in the fossil record.
Physiological races and virulence diversity of Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici on wheat in Ethiopia

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is the fourth largest food crop cultivated in Ethiopia, being grown on more than one million hectares, with an average yield of 1.4 tons per hectare, and making up about 13% of total crop production (Central Statistical Authority, 2002). The internal demand for wheat has increased steadily in recent decades. Although over 30 fungal wheat diseases have been identified in Ethiopia, stem rust caused by Puccinia graminis Pers: Pers. f. sp. tritici Eriks. & E. Physiological races and virulence diversity of Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici on wheat in Ethiopia
Optimal Fear of Floating: The Role of Currency Mismatches and Fiscal Constraints

Evidence suggests that developing countries are much more concerned with stabilizing the nominal exchange rate than developed countries. This paper presents a model to explain this observation, based on the hypotheses that both interventions and depreciations are costly. Interventions are costly because they generate a financial need in a fiscally constrained government that relies solely on distortionary taxes. Depreciations are costly because the country, in particular its financial sector, is exposed to a currency mismatch between its assets and its liabilities that is not effectively hedged. The results suggest that the amount of intervention will depend on the degree of currency mismatch between assets and liabilities, the elasticity of money demand, and the relative size of the financial system. It would be expected that countries with a high degree of currency mismatch and large financial sectors would intervene heavily in foreign exchange markets, as long as the money demand is not too sensitive to the nominal interest rate.
Impact of Adoption and Use of Mobile Phone Technology on the Performance of Micro and Small Enterprises in Kisii Municipality Kenya

The study sought to determine the impact of adoption and use of mobile phone technology on the performance of micro and small enterprises in Kisii municipality, Kenya. The owner’s’ perception on mobile phone adoption, purpose, sources, factors and perceived effects were studied. The study targeted owners of MSEs in Kisii Municipality. A cross sectional survey research design aimed at identifying MSE owners’ perception on the adoption and use of mobile phone technology was used. Stratified sampling was used to identify the MSEs and simple random sampling techniques used to select the respondents and questionnaires placed to collect the data. A questionnaire was used to collect data and a split-half method of estimating reliability used with the aim of assessing the reliability and validity of the research instrument through the expert advice of the supervisors and faculty. The study sample comprised four hundred (400) owners of MSEs out of a population of three thousand five hundred and twenty eight (3528). Once the data had been collected, quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics such as mean, distributions in percentages and frequency counts. Qualitative data was recorded from field data, transcribed and reported in themes and sub themes. Multiple regression analysis was also utilized to assess the relationship among the independent and dependent variables. The study showed among other findings, that there is an impact on adoption and use of mobile phone technology on the performance of micro and small enterprises.
Rejuvenating the Cider Route in Quebec: An Action Design Research Approach to Stakeholder Collaboration and Innovation

A substantial amount of research has been conducted on wine routes and oenotourism (Brunori & Rossi, 2000; Correia et al., 2004; Hashimoto & Telfer, 2008; López Guzmán et al., 2014; Rainer, 2016; Telfer, 2001). In particular, the strategic potential of theme trails and routes to contribute to the development of tourism and regions across the world has been widely investigated (Peris-Ortiz et al., 2016). However, there appears to be no prior research on cider routes in spite of the growing interest for cider transformation and consumption in Quebec and elsewhere (Jolicoeur, 2013). This article examines how an action design research approach to the design and development of the artifact proposal (a mobile application), to be considered as a boundary object, can help foster both collaboration and innovation among stakeholders of the Cider Route in Quebec, Canada (Box 1; Figure 1). This article examines the problem of rejuvenating collaboration for innovation among cideries (cider producers) and the regional tourism association as the historical key stakeholders of the Cider Route of the Montérégie region in Quebec, Canada. The article reports on the initial steps of an action design research approach to support the stakeholders of the Cider Route in designing an innovative solution in response to numerous challenges they face, including a lack of new initiatives and steeply declining membership among cideries. The first step of the action design research was to define the problem: to renew the collaborative process among the Cider Route stakeholders by redefining the vision, mission, and strategy leading to an artifact proposal that could take the form of a mobile application. Thus, the notion of a boundary object is employed – in relation to the process of designing an information technology artifact in the form of a mobile application for the Cider Route – as a way to understand the need to collaborate to innovate in this context. The article also reports on the ongoing second step of the action design research process, which consists of supporting the collaborative process using group concept mapping. The group concept mapping method was suggested to guide and sustain the collaborative process over time because it is a participatory, bottom-up, mixed-methods approach to evaluation and planning. The group concept mapping, applied within the action design research approach, could be helpful in two ways: first, to define the rejuvenated vision, mission, and strategy for the Cider Route; second, to define the specific functionalities of the mobile application for the Cider Route. Our goals can only be reached through a vehicle of a plan, in which we must fervently believe, and upon which we must vigorously act. There is no other route to success.
Non-target risk assessment for crops engineered for insect resistance

Non-target Risk Assessment for Crops Engineered for Insect Resistance. Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) maize genetically engineered for insect resistance has been commercially available in the United States since 1996. Bt maize has been popular with most U.S. growers because it provides economic advantages and reduces the reliance on chemical insecticides. Prior to commercialization all genetically-engineered (GE) crops go through a comprehensive and rigorous evaluation by three U.S. government agencies to demonstrate their safety to the environment and human and animal health. This paper focuses on improving methods to evaluate possible non-target effects of GE crops, which should be helpful to scientists in countries that are considering the use
Atmospheric inorganic nitrogen input via dry, wet, and sea fog deposition to the subarctic western North Pacific Ocean

Abstract. Aerosol, rainwater, and sea fog water samples were collected during the cruise conducted over the subarctic western North Pacific Ocean in the summer of 2008, in order to estimate dry, wet, and sea fog deposition fluxes of atmospheric inorganic nitrogen (N). During sea fog events, mean number densities of particles with diameters larger than 0.5 μm decreased by 12–78%, suggesting that particles with diameters larger than 0.5 μm could act preferentially as condensation nuclei (CN) for sea fog droplets. Mean concentrations of nitrate (NO3−), methanesulfonic acid (MSA), and non sea-salt sulfate (nss-SO42−) in sea fog water were higher than those in rainwater, whereas those of ammonium (NH4+) in both sea fog water and rainwater were similar. These results reveal that sea fog scavenged NO3− and biogenic sulfur species more efficiently than rain. Mean dry, wet, and sea fog deposition fluxes for atmospheric total inorganic N (TIN; i.e. NH4+ + NO3−) over the subarctic western North Pacific Ocean were estimated to be 4.9 μmol m−2 d−1, 33 μmol m−2 d−1, and 7.8 μmol m−2 d−1, respectively. While NO3− was the dominant inorganic N species in dry and sea fog deposition, inorganic N supplied to surface waters by wet deposition was predominantly by NH4+. The contribution of dry, wet, and sea fog deposition to total deposition flux for TIN (46 μmol m−2 d−1) were 11%, 72%, and 17%, respectively, suggesting that ignoring sea fog deposition would lead to underestimate of the total influx of atmospheric inorganic N into the subarctic western North Pacific Ocean, especially in summer periods.