Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Diversity of Dry Grasslands in the Považský Inovec MTS (slovakia) - A Numerical Analysis

Diversity of Dry Grasslands in the Považský Inovec MTS (slovakia) - A Numerical Analysis The paper reveals a numerical and ecological analysis of 128 published relevés of xerothermic vegetation of the Považský Inovec Mts. Four associations have been recognised: Festuco valesiacae-Stipetum capillatae Sillinger 1930, Festuco pallentis-Caricetum humilis Sillinger 1930 corr. Gutermann et Mucina 1993, Poo badensis-Festucetum pallentis Klika 1931 corr. Zólyomi 1966 nom. invers. propos. and Minuartio setaceae-Seslerietum coeruleae Klika 1931 nom. mut. propos. Through the numerical methods, the study reconsiders the conception of the dry grassland associations, which are traditionally used in phytocoenological literature. It also defines the indication taxa group of the associations and characterises their environmental conditions. Major environmental gradients influencing the vegetation were interpreted using average Ellenberg indication values. Finally, the classification within the higher vegetation units, the nomenclature of the associations and the environmental threats are discussed. V članku je prikazana numerična in ekološka analiza 128 objavljenih popisov kserotermne vegetacije hribovja Považský Inovec. Ugotovljene so štiri asociacije: Festuco valesiacae-Stipetum capillatae Sillinger 1930, Festuco pallentis-Caricetum humilis Sillinger 1930 corr. Gutermann et Mucina 1993, Poo badensis-Festucetum pallentis Klika 1931 corr. Zólyomi 1966 nom. invers. propos. in Minuartio setaceae-Seslerietum coeruleae Klika 1931 nom. mut. propos. Z numeričnimi metodami je avtorica ponovno preverila sinsistem asociacij suhih travnikov, ki so omenjene v fitocenološki literaturi. Opredelila je skupine značilnih vrst asociacij in značilnosti rastišžnih razmer. S povprežnimi Ellenbergovimi indikacijskimi vrednostmi so prikazani glavni ekološki gradienti, ki vplivajo na floristično sestavo vegetacije suhih travišč. Članek obravnava uvrstitev asociacij v višje sintaksonomske enote, nomenklaturo asociacij in njihovo ogroženost.
Heterogeneous preferences for water rights reforms among smallholder irrigators in South Africa

In the light of growing water scarcity appropriate institutional arrangements are needed to complement technical interventions, in order to ensure more efficient use and allocation of water in agriculture. A theoretically interesting institutional intervention is the installation or improvement of water rights, but the benefits of such intervention and their distribution are insufficiently researched. This paper contributes to the water rights literature by applying a state-of-the-art valuation method to a case study in South Africa. Using a latent class choice modelling approach the heterogeneity in the benefits generated by changes in water rights is investigated. Two segments could be distinguished in the sample population. While one of the segments has a lot to gain from a water rights reform, benefits for the other seem rather limited. Furthermore they clearly differ in preference for specific improvements. Such considerations should be taken into account in policy design.
Biodiesel Production from Chicken Fat Using

Biodiesel can be produced from either vegetable oil or animal fats through transesterfication process. Problem that usually appears in transesterification process is long reaction time because oil and alcohol are not mutually dissolved. The addition of co-solvent can help mixing the reactants. In this study chicken fat was used as feedstock for biodiesel production through transesterification reaction. The reaction of chicken fat using diethyl ether as co-solvent, NaOH as catalyst, and methanol as reactant at a ratio molar of methanol/ oil 6 : 1. V ariables studied were temperature, reaction time, ratio of co-solvent to methanol, and the amount of catalyst on biodiesel characteristics. Products were analyzed by gas chromatography to obtain the composition of biodiesel. The biodiesel properties like methyl-ester content, density, and viscosity was evaluated and was found to compare well with Indonesian Standard (SNI). The results of this work showed that the use of chicken fat is very suitable as low cost feedstock for biodiesel production. The best result was obtained in a ratio of co-solvent/ methanol 0,5 : 1 (v/v), a temperature of 35 o C, 20 minutes of reaction time, and 0,8 % (w/w) of catalyst amount.
Determination of the antioxidant capacity, total phenolic and flavonoid contents of seeds from three commercial varieties of culinary dates

Date seeds are a major waste product of the date industry that could offer potentially valuable material for the production of useful food ingredients. The aim of the present study was to investigate the seeds of three date varieties of the UK market (Deglet Nour, Khouat Allig, and Zahidi) for their proximate composition, total phenolic (TPC), total flavonoid (TFC) contents and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) with a view to their eventual industrial application. Carbohydrates were present in the highest concentrations varying between 74.13 and 76.54 g 100 g-1 of date seed powder (DSP) on dry weight (DW) basis, followed in descending order by fats (7.64-8.84 g 100 g-1) and proteins (4.35-5.51 g 100 g-1). Potassium was found in high amounts with values ranging between 280.55 and 293.13 mg 100 g-1. The majority of the total phenolic content (2058-2984 mg GAE 100 g-1) was assumed to be composed of flavonoids (1271-1932 mg CAE 100 g-1). These families of dietary phenolics may be the major ones responsible for the high antioxidant capacity reported in date seeds, which varied from 12540 and 27699 µmol TE 100 g-1. These results suggest that date seeds can be considered a potential raw material for natural, active ingredients for food applications as well as an unexplored source of novel nutraceuticals and dietary supplements.
Ambidextrous Strategy and Firm Performance: The Moderating Effects of Organizational Slack and Organizational Life Cycle

The relationship between ambidexterity and firm performance holds a prominent place in the literature. However, studies that examine the conditions under which ambidexterity leads to success are relatively scarce. Based on a sample of 226 firms in China, this study examines the moderating effects of organizational slack and organizational life cycle on the relationship between balance dimension of ambidexterity and combined dimension of ambidexterity and firm performance. The empirical results reveal that pursuing a high level of combined dimension of organizational ambidexterity is only beneficial to firms with a high level of organizational slack or firms in maturity stage, while pursuing a high level of balance dimension of organizational ambidexterity is only beneficial to firms in growth stage, but not to firms in maturity stage.
Influence of Plasmopara viticola on gas exchange parameters on field-grown Vitis vinifera 'Merlot'

The impact of downy mildew ( Plasmopara viticola ) epidemic on main and lateral leaf assimilation capacity of Vitis vinifera 'Merlot' has been quantified, under field conditions during the ripening phase, by means of leaf gas exchange measurements. The aim was to describe the impact of different disease severity levels on the gas exchange rate of symptomless portions of main and lateral leaves and of the sporulating parts in comparison with healthy leaves. The measurements were carried out on plants normally treated and on plants where only the clusters were treated with a contact fungicide to prevent quantity yield losses. A drastic reduction in the photosynthetic rate was observed on the sporulating area of main and lateral leaf tissues. Stomatal and mesophyll conductance decreased and stomatal resistance increased, indicating the difficulty of CO2 diffusing through the stomata into the mesophyll to the site of carboxylation. Downy mildew affected more negatively the gas exchange parameters on the symptomless parts of a diseased lateral leaf than of a main leaf, indicating a greater susceptibility of lateral leaves. A decrease of stomatal conductance and, consequently, of the photosynthetic rate, transpiration and water use efficiency was observed already at low severity level with increments of the disease severity on the leaf. At the same time an increase of stomatal resistance on the symptomless area of a lateral leaf was measured. Visual assessment of the diseased leaf area didn’t reflect the actual part colonized by the pathogen and at least a portion of the leaf area determined as healthy has in fact a latent lesion. Therefore, the visual estimation of downy mildew infection may not give a good indication of the effect of the pathogen on host physiology. The results also emphasized the important role of downy mildew as a stress element for the plant during ripening phase, a source element for carbohydrate production.
FEM modelling and analysis of reinforced concrete section with lightweight blocks infill

In an attempt to reduce the self weight of reinforced concrete structures, a new development of lightweight sandwich reinforced concrete (LSRC) section has been proposed as an alternative option to solid section. LSRC section is a reinforced concrete section which contains lightweight blocks as infill material. An experimental investigation into the strength of LSRC beams has shown promising results under flexural tests. To ensure the serviceability of LSRC members under service load, it is necessary to accurately predict the cracking and deflection of this section. This paper will focus on analysing the behaviour of the tested beam specimens after cracking occurs. ANSYS 12.1 was employed to study the crack propagation of LSRC beams under bending. The numerical model shows the crack in the area of AAC blocks which associates with the brittle failure of LSRC beams. The crack propagation of the beams analysed by ANSYS agrees well with the results from the experimental investigation.
Marine-lacustrine stratigraphy of raised coastal basins and postglacial sea-level change at Lyngen and Vanna, Troms, northern Norway

and diatom analysis of core samples from 10 raised lake basins from an inner (Lyngen) and outer (Vanna) coastal area of Troms, northem Norway, was made in order to reconstruct relative sea-level change during the Holocene and Late Weichselian. A variety of facies types and facies sequences, controlled primarily by sea-level change and inftuenced also by climatic factors, is recognized. Main facies types are: (I) Marine (mud and sand), (Il) Transitional (laminated gyttja or gyttja and silt), (Ill) Lacustrine (gyttjajplant detritus), and (IV) Mixed (gyttja, mud and sand/gravel). Laminated transitional facies li, in nearly all cases, is interpreted as having formed under meromictic limnic conditions following basin isolation from the sea, whereas heterolithic mixed facies IV forms usually under littoral inftuence during ingression. Sea-level displacement curves are constructed for Lyngen and Vanna based on radiocarbon-date d isolation and ingression contacts, elevation/inferr ed-age data for prominent raised shorelines, and other data,. The evidence suggests that the Tapes transgression at Lyngen had a minimum amplitude of 2-3m and peaked at ca. 7000 BP. Average rates of pre-Tapes (before 8500 BP) and post-Tapes (after 6000 BP) regression are approximately 15 and 3 mm/year respectively at Lyngen, and lO and 1.5 mm/year respectively at Vanna.
Exchange and Specialisation as a Discovery Process a

In this paper we seek to identify some minimal structure necessary to support exchange and specialization. We develop a closed economy in which participants must even discover the ability to exchange, in addition to ascertaining what they are comparatively good at producing. As it turns out, many people demonstrate the ability to intuit comparative advantage, exhaust gains from trade, and effectively choose production that is consistent with the choices of others. However, not everyone becomes a specialist, even though full efficiency can only be achieved if everyone does so. Near-full efficiency does frequently occur bilaterally in these economies. That is, many subjects do fully specialize in the productive activity in which they have a comparative advantage, and when they do so it is typically because they have entered a stable trading relationship with a specialist in the other good. Such pairing does not necessarily give impetus to the formation of other pairs, nor are pairs typically open to the inclusion of a third party.
Interdependence of marital status and clinical characteristics of morbidity with health-related quality of life among low back pain patients

Summary Study aim: This study investigated the relationship of clinical characteristics of morbidity (CCM) and marital status with health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among patients with low back pain (LBP). Material and methods: A total of 100 subjects with LBP of mechanical origin participated in this study. HRQoL of the participants was measured with the short form-36 (SF-36) questionnaire and CCM were categorized based on duration of onset of LBP in weeks into acute (<6 weeks), sub-acute (6–12 weeks) and chronic (>12 weeks). The relationship of CCM and marital status with HRQoL was analysed using Pearson’s product moment coefficient of correlation. Results: The outcome of this study showed that CCM correlated poorly and inversely with all domains of HRQoL except mental health, though that was insignificant (p > 0.05). Also, a proportionate but insignificant relationship was found between marital status and domains of HRQoL except physical functioning and role limitations due to physical health problems. Conclusion: It was therefore concluded that CCM and marital status cannot determine or predict HRQoL among LBP patients, and it might not be necessary to take them into consideration during rehabilitation of these individuals.
Susceptibility of four grapevine rootstocks to Cylindrocladiella parva

The susceptibility of four common grapevine rootstocks (101-14, Schwarzmann, 5C and Riparia Gloire) to Cylindrocladiella parva (black foot disease) infection was assessed in a pot experiment. The roots of 4-month-old callused rooted cuttings were wounded in situ and inoculated with 50 ml C. parva conidial suspension (10/ml) or sterile water (controls). After 6 months of growth, shoot dry weight was signiicantly higher for control plants (24.2 g) than for those inoculated with C. parva (16.5 g), but did not differ between rootstock varieties. Root dry weight was not signiicantly affected by C. parva inoculation, but root dry weight of 101-14 was signiicantly higher than other rootstocks. Incidence and severity of trunk infection were signiicantly affected by rootstock variety, being lowest in rootstock 101-14 plants than other rootstocks. None of the rootstocks tested was resistant to this pathogen.
Spectral and timing analysis of the mHz QPOs in the neutron-star low-mass X-ray binary 4U 1636-53

We investigate the spectral and timing properties of the millihertz quasi-periodic oscillations (mHz QPOs) in neutron-star low-mass X-ray binary 4U 1636-53 using XMM-Newton and Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) observations. The mHz QPOs in the XMM-Newton/RXTE observations show significant frequency variation and disappear right before type I X-ray bursts. We find no significant correlation between the mHz QPO frequency and the temperature of the neutron-star surface, which is different from theoretical predictions. For the first time we observed the full lifetime of a mHz QPO lasting 19 ks. Besides, we also measure a frequency drift time-scale ˜15 ks, we speculate that this is the cooling time-scale of a layer deeper than the burning depth, possibly heated by the previous burst. Moreover, the analysis of all X-ray bursts in this source shows that all type I X-ray bursts associated with the mHz QPOs are short, bright and energetic, suggesting a potential connection between mHz QPOs and He-rich X-ray bursts.
Gender and Crime: Offense Patterns and Criminal Court Sanctions

The relation between gender and criminality is strong, and is likely to remain so. Women have traditionally been much less likely than men to commit violent crimes, and that pattern persists today. Rates of female involvement in some forms of property crime-notably petty theft and fraud-appear to be increasing. However, while the relative increase in women's property crime involvement is significant, female participation even in these crimes remains far less than that of men. The relation of gender to case processing decisions in the criminal justice system varies from stage to stage. Although the pertinent literature is plagued by methodological and interpretive problems, several tentative conclusions can be offered. Women are more likely than men, other things equal, to be released on recognizance; however, when bail is set, the amount of bail does not appear to be affected by the defendant's gender. There is no clear evidence that the defendant's gender systematically affects prosecution, plea negotiation, or conviction decisions. In sentencing, however, women appear to receive systematic leniency except when they are convicted of high-severity offenses.
Postglacial fire history and interactions with vegetation and climate in southwestern Yunnan Province of China based on charcoal and pollen records

A high-resolution, continuous 18.5 ka-long (1 ka=1000 cal yr BP) macroscopic charcoal record from Qinghai Lake in southwestern Yunnan Province, China reveals the postglacial fire frequency and variability history. 10 The results show that three periods with high fire frequency and intensity occurred during the periods 18.5-15.0 ka, 13.0-11.5 ka, and 4.3-~1.0 ka, respectively. This record was compared with the pollen record from the same core, and tentatively correlated with the regional climate proxy records with the aim to separate climate- from human-induced fire activity, and discuss vegetation-fire-climate interactions. The results suggest that fire was mainly controlled by climate before 4.3 ka and by combined action of climate and humans after 4.3 ka. Before 4.3 ka, high fire activity 15 corresponded to cold and dry climatic conditions, while warm and humid climatic conditions brought infrequent and weak fires. Fire was an important disturbance factor and played an important role in forest dynamics around the study area. Vegetation responses to fire before 4.3 ka are not consistent with that after 4.3 ka, suggesting that human influence on vegetation and fire regimes may have become more prevalent after 4.3 ka. The correlations between fire activity and vegetation reveal that evergreen oaks and Alnus are flammable plants. Evergreen oaks are fire-tolerant taxa 20 and Alnus is a fire-adapted taxon. The forests dominated by Lithocarpus/Castanopsis and/or tropical arbors are not easy to ignite, but Lithocarpus/Castanopsis and tropical arbors are fire-sensitive taxa in the study area.
Surface air temperature variability over the Arabian Peninsula and its links to circulation patterns

This study investigates the long‐term variability of surface air temperature (SAT) over the Arabian Peninsula (AP), using data from the Climate Research Unit (TS 3.22) for the 1960–2010 period. The long‐term climatology suggests that the warmest AP mean temperatures occur during summer, with the highest temperatures over the northern AP (NAP), due to the monsoon–desert mechanism. During winter, the NAP exhibits low SATs under the influence of western disturbances originating from the Mediterranean. The southwestern AP exhibits the lowest temperatures because of its proximity to the Arabian Sea cold waters, and also because of the orographic effects. The inter‐annual variability of the SAT is stronger during winters. A linear trend analysis reveals a significant increase in the SAT anomaly (0.10 °C/decade) across the AP, consistently with the global temperature anomalies. Besides the local convective heating, summer SAT variability is associated with the weakening of the Asian jet stream and a Rossby wave train from the Indian Ocean. This variability is also influenced by the anomalous low pressure over the North Atlantic and the Sahara, a high‐pressure system over Siberia and the northwest Pacific. Both in spring and autumn, sea surface temperature (SST) variations over the Indo‐western Pacific are highly influenced the AP SATs, whereas winter SATs are modulated by the subtropical jet stream and the Middle East jet stream. In all seasons, the AP SAT is strongly influenced by the SST variations over the tropical oceans. The temperature variability is closely associated with the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO), North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) and Arctic Oscillation (AO). The warm phase of ENSO (i.e., El Niño) is one possible reason behind the inter‐annual increase in SAT over the southern AP. The negative phases of NAO and AO also play a role in increasing AP SAT.
Role of various mobilization maneuvers in the management of low back pain

AMechanical Lowback pain is a disorder associated withmal-alignment or malfunctions related to the lower Spinal Column. Itmay indulge injury of a Lumbar column of Spine, although inmost cases the etiology is idiopathic. It is a very common musculoskeletal disorder. It has been evaluated as one of themost common and important disorder to infest theworking population. The main objective of this review manuscript is to present an overview of preferred practices for managing the Mechanical low back pain and to enlighten the lack of consensus therapist and people face regarding cause and conservative treatment of Mechanical Low back pain. The following study is designated as a literature review of relevant text and studies published. The conclusion derived fromthe following reviewmanuscript is that the different physical therapist prefers different schools of thought for mobilization; howeverMaitlandmanagement andMcKenzie management maneuvers are in fact the management approaches of choice and thusmost commonly implemented.
Vegetative development and content of calcium, potassium, and sodium in watermelon under salinity stress on organic substrates

The objective of this work was to evaluate the vegetative development and determine the concentration of sodium, potassium, and calcium in watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) grown on two organic substrates and under increasing saline concentrations. The substrates were soil + earthworm humus (S1) and soil + bovine manure (S2), and the saline treatments consisted of irrigation water with different electrical conductivities: 1.36 (control), 3.56, 5.76, and 7.96 dS m-1. The experimental design used was a randomized complete block in a 2×4 (substrate × conductivity) factorial arrangement with five replicates. Main branch length, root length, stem diameter, leaf number, leaf area, and fresh matter mass of shoots and roots, as well as the sodium, potassium, and calcium contents in the plants, were determined. All phenological parameters interacted with the substrates, and S1 improved plant performance. Substrates interacted significantly with: leaf area; leaf number; stem diameter; main branch length; root length; fresh matter mass of shoots and roots; and the contents of sodium, potassium, and calcium, in both shoots and roots of watermelon irrigated with saline water for up to 27 days after emergence. There are also interactions between substrates and salinity for stem diameter, main branch length, fresh matter mass of roots, and calcium contents in both shoots and roots, and potassium and sodium contents in the roots.