Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effectiveness of a small marine reserve in southern California

While relatively small, the San Diego-La Jolla Ecological Reserve is one of the oldest in California, and it contains giant-kelp-forest, boulder-reef, submarine-canyon and sandy-shelf habi- tats. We evaluated the effectiveness of this 'no-take' marine reserve and gauged its success accord- ing to the goals implicit in its design. To overcome the lack of data prior to its establishment, we employed habitat-specific analyses. Our study comprised 4 components: (1) an historical review of its establishment; (2) a survey of conspicuous species in kelp-forest, submarine-canyon, and boulder- reef habitats; (3) comparisons with historical data; (4) a public survey regarding awareness, knowl- edge, and support of the reserve. Despite 30 yr of protection, only a few sessile or residential species exhibit positive effects of protection, and most fished species have decreased in abundance inside the reserve. However, the reserve protects the largest remaining populations of green abalone Haliotis fulgens and vermillion rockfish Sebastes miniatus in the area, which therefore represent important sources of larvae. Implementation and enforcement of coastal reserves depends on public support, but the results of the public survey indicated a lack of knowledge of the reserve, highlighting the need for improved public education in this respect. The results of the study reflect the limited value of small reserves and document the inadequacy of inside/outside comparisons as tests of reserve effectiveness when baseline and historical data are lacking.
Growth And Production In Long-Line Cultivated Mediterranean Mussel (Mytilus Galloprovincialis) In Sinop, Black Sea

One-year rope-grown mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis Lam.) with a mean length of 37.6±0.52 mm and live weight of 5.02±0.28 g were collected from fish farm mooring ropes and cultured in cotton or nylon socks in a long-line system in Sinop, Black Sea. The growth of the mussels, water temperature, salinity, chlorophyll a, seston and particulate organic matter were monitored from July 1997 for eleven months. Shell length and live weight were high from May to October when the temperature was 13oC-25oC. Growth decreased during late autumn and winter due to the low temperature and food availability. A significant and positive relationship was found between particulate organic matter, shell growth and live weight. At the end of the experiment, shell length reached 59.89±0.93 mm in the cotton socks and 57.81±0.88 mm in the nylon socks, while live weight reached 19.42±0.91 g in the cotton socks and 16.89±0.76 g in the nylon. Harvestable production was lower in the cotton (4.1 kg/m) than in the nylon socks (8.7 kg/m). Meat yield was high during spring and early summer and significantly and positively correlated with chlorophyll a, particulate organic matter and seston. In the light of these results, recommendations for mussel culture in the long-line system are given.
Characterization and Elemental Composition of Atmospheric Aerosol Loads during Springtime Dust Storm in Western Saudi Arabia

Dust storm is a common phenomenonand, a severe environmental hazard in western Saudi Arabia. In this study, simultaneous measurement of PM_(10), PM_(2.5) and PM_(1.0) and elemental compositions analysis of PM_(2.5) in Jeddah city during springtime (March 2012) dust storm (DS) and non-dust storm (non-DS) periods were carried out to investigate the impact of DS on the levels, characterization and elemental compositions of atmospheric particles. Results indicate that PM fractions concentrations were higher in DS environment compared to non-DS. The diurnal variation of PM fractions concentrations was uni-modal in non-DS environment and bimodal in DS. PM_(1.0)/PM_(10), PM_(2.5)/PM_(10) and PM_(2.5)/PM_(2.5-10) ratios were relatively lower in DS, indicating that sand-dust events in spring carry much more coarse than fine particles to Jeddah. PM_(10), PM_(2.5) and PM_(1.0) in DS and PM_(10) and PM_(2.5) in non-DS might originate from similar sources. PM_(10), PM_(2.5), PM_(1.0) in DS and PM_(10) in non-DS were correlated negatively with relative humidity and positively with wind speed. PM_(2.5) and PM_(1.0) in non-DS were correlated positively with relative humidity and negatively with wind speed. The crustal elements accounted for 44.62 and 67.53% of the total concentrations of elements in non-DS and DS, respectively. The elements concentrations increased in DS, with highest DS/non-DS ratios for Ca, Si, Al and Fe. This indicates that the soil originating species contributed mainly in DS particles. The enrichment factors values and non-crustal fractions in both non-DS and DS indicate that the main sources of Na, Mg, Si, K, Ca, Ti, Cr, Mn, Fe, Rb and Sr are of a crustal type, whereas S, Cl, Co, Cu, Zn, Ga, As, Pb and Cd are anthropogenic. V and Ni in DS only are emitted from anthropogenic sources. The enrichment factors of these anthropogenic elements were lower in DS. They might originate mainly from local sources in Jeddah.
Physical, chemical and mechanical properties of Pinus sylvestris wood at five sites in Portugal

Abstract: The reduction of resinous species in Portuguese forest areas has caused constraints to wood industry supplies. Portugal represents the extreme southwest of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) natural distribution and large gaps exist in the knowledge of its wood-quality characteristics. Understanding the relationship between these traits is important for recognizing which combination of wood properties is the most suitable for specific uses. To address these questions, we assessed wood-quality traits, namely, wood-density components (microdensitometric analysis), chemical composition (NIR spectrometry) and mechanical properties (bending tests) of wood samples collected at five representative forest sites in Portugal. Our results showed that Portuguese Pinus sylvestris has good radial growth and denser wood, higher extractive content and higher stiffness and strength than northern European provenances. The lignin content was within the range attributed to softwoods. Among the Portuguese stands, trees growing at lower-altitude sites exhibited denser wood and higher mechanical properties, while trees from high-elevations showed higher amounts of lignin. Ring density was more strongly correlated with earlywood than latewood density. A negative, non-significant correlation was found between ring density and width, supporting the assumption that the higher radial growth (ring width) does not negatively affect wood quality (density). In general, chemical properties had a weak relationship with physical and mechanical properties (MOE and MOR). Both mechanical traits were positively correlated with density and growth components, supporting the assumption that trees with high radial growth do not exhibit poorer mechanical performances.
Stability of HEB receivers at THz frequencies

Stability of a hot-electron bolometer (HEB) heterodyne receiver was investigated at frequencies from 0.6THz to 1.9THz. The Allan variance was measured as a function of the integration time and the Allan time was obtained for HEB mixers of different size, as well as with different types of the local oscillator: FIR laser, multiplier chain, and BWO. We have found that due to stronger dependence of the mixer gain and noise vs mixer bias voltage and current the Allan time is shorter for smaller mixers. At 1.6THz the Allan time is 3 sec for 4x0.4μm2 bolometer, and 0.15-0.2 sec for 1x0.15μm2 bolometer. Obtained stability apears to be the same for the FIR laser and the mulitplier chain. The Allan time for smaller bolometers increases to 0.4-0.5sec at 0.6-0.7THz LO frequencies. The influence of the IF chain on the obtained results is also analyzed.
IN VITRO SCREENING OF SELECTED PLANT EXTRACTS AGAINST Alternaria alternata

Alternaria alternata has been responsible for causing leaf spot diseases in various host species. Methanolic extracts of six selected plant leaves viz Parthenium hysterophorus, Vernonia amygdalina, Eucalyptus camaldulensis, Nerium oleander, Lantana camara and Ocimum sanctum were in vitro screened for their antifungal activity against A. alternata at 5, 10 and 20% concentrations. Highest reduction in mycelial growth was achieved by Oleander followed by Parthenium, Ocimum, Lantana, Vernonia and Eucalyptus, respectively. Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) was carried out by using solvent system of Toluene: Ethyl acetate: Formic acid (3:1:2) to separate the compounds responsible for antifungal activity. Phytochemical analysis of leaf extracts revealed the presence of Alkaloids, Terpenoids, Phenols, Saponins and Tannins at various concentrations.
Effect of praziquantel treatment of Schistosoma mansoni during pregnancy on intensity of infection and antibody responses to schistosome antigens Tweyongyere,

Background: Praziquantel treatment of schistosomiasis during pregnancy was only recommended in 2002; hence the effects of treatment during pregnancy are not fully known. We have therefore evaluated the effects on infection intensity and the immunological effects of praziquantel treatment against Schistosoma mansoni during pregnancy, compared with treatment after delivery. Methods: A nested cohort of 387 Schistosoma mansoni infected women was recruited within a larger trial of de-worming during pregnancy. Women were randomised to receive praziquantel or placebo during pregnancy. All women were treated after delivery. Infection intensity after treatment was assessed by a single Kato-Katz examination of stool samples with duplicate slides and categorised as undetected, light (1–99 eggs per gram (epg)), moderate (100–399 epg) or heavy (≥400 epg). Antibodies against S. mansoni worm and egg antigens were measured by ELISA. Results were compared between women first treated during pregnancy and women first treated after delivery. Results: At enrolment, 252 (65.1%) of the women had light infection (median (IQR) epg: 35 (11, 59)), 75 (19.3%) moderate (median (IQR) epg: 179(131, 227)) and 60 (15.5%) had heavy infection (median (IQR) epg: 749 (521, 1169)) with S. mansoni. At six weeks after praziquantel treatment during pregnancy S. mansoni infection was not detectable in 81.9% of the women and prevalence and intensity had decreased to 11.8% light, 4.7% moderate and 1.6% heavy a similar reduction when compared with those first treated after delivery (undetected (88.5%), light (10.6%), moderate (0.9%) and heavy (0%), p = 0.16). Parasite specific antibody levels were lower during pregnancy than Published: 18 March 2009 BMC Infectious Diseases 2009, 9:32 doi:10.1186/1471-2334-9-32 Received: 26 December 2008 Accepted: 18 March 2009 This article is available from: http://www.biomedcentral. com/1471-2334/9/32 © 2009 Tweyongyere et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Den ecology of Octopus vulgaris Cuvier, 1797, on soft sediment: availability and types of shelter

SUMMARY: To avoid predation, octopuses select and actively modify shelters (also called dens) in the substratum, where they remain most of the time, especially during daylight hours. The main questions that this study deals with are: Is den availability a significant constraint for the distribution of Octopus vulgaris on soft sediment? What kind of dens does O. vulgaris use on soft sediment and what factors affect the selection of one type instead of another? With population density measurements by SCUBA diving and enrichment experiments with artificial dens, we concluded that the availability of solid materials necessary for den construction is a limiting factor for the distribution of O. vulgaris on soft sediment. O. vulgaris used four different types of den on soft sediment: “well” (a vertical hole in the sediment), “rock/stone” (the octopus uses a rock or a large stone to dig a cavity under it), “shell” (an empty shell is used), “human origin” (a solid material of human origin is used). The relative proportion of the four types of den in the areas studied was: 38.7% “human origin”, 29.7% “well”, 21.5% “rock/stone”, 2.9% “shell”. Also, 7.3% of the octopuses were found outside their den. The main types of den were found in different relative proportions in relation to the depth, the distance from shore, the octopus size and the granulometry of the sediment.
Environmental control of the vegetation pattern in deep rivervalleys of the Bohemian Massif

The pattern of natural vegetation on non-calcareous soils in two deep river valleys of the Bohemian Massif (Vltava and Dyje rivers, Czech Republic) was analyzed in order to determine the main topographic and soil variables affecting the composition of the vegetation.Vegetation data together with topographic and soil variables were collected along transects down the slope from the upper edge to the bottom of the valley. The distribution of vegetation types within the valleys was described using cluster analysis and non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS). Effects of topographic and soil variables were compared using a set of canonical correspondence analyses (CCAs) with explanatory variable selection based on the Akaike information criterion (AIC). In order to describe the non-linear interaction between the two topographic variables, elevation and aspect, a new method (moving window CCA) was introduced. This method assessed the explanatory power of aspect at various elevations above the valley bottom. Results show that main vegetation coenoclines are correlated with two complex environmental gradients: the moisture-nutrient-soil reaction and lighttemperature- continentality gradients. Soil variables are slightly better predictors of vegetation composition than topographic variables. Altogether, these variables explain 18.8-21.6% of the total inertia. Although soil development depends on topography, the variation jointly explained by both groups of variables is only 3.9-5.2%, indicating that each of these two groups of variables influences vegetation pattern in a different way. Variables selected by the most parsimonious model for the Vltava valley are aspect, soil pH, soil type fluvisol and soil depth. For the Dyje valley the same variables as in Vltava valley were selected except for soil depth, which was replaced by soil type cambisol. Aspect has a strong effect on vegetation on the middle slopes but not on the lower slopes of the valleys. The results of all analyses are similar between the two valleys, suggesting that similar patterns may also occur in other deep river valleys of mid-altitudes of the Bohemian Massif.
Fitting Categorical Models to Effect Sizes from a Series of Experiments

One method of combining the results of a series of two-group experiments involves the estimation of the effect size (population value of the standarized mean difference) for each experiment. When each experiment has the same effect size, a pooled estimate of effect size provides a summary of the results of the series of experiments. However, when effect sizes are not homogeneous, a pooled estimate can be misleading. A statistical test is provided for testing whether a series of experiments have the same effect size. A general strategy is provided for fitting models to the results of a series of experiments when the experiments do not share the same effect size and the collection of experiments is divided into a priori classes. The overall fit statisticH T is partitioned into a between-class fit statisticH B and a within-class fit statisticH w . The statisticsH B andH w permit the assessment of differences between effect sizes for different classes and the assessment of the homogeneity of effect size within classes.
Linking potential biodiversity and three ecosystem services in silvopastoral managed forest landscapes of Tierra del Fuego, Argentina

ABSTRACT Several studies confirm that biodiversity loss endangers ecosystem services (ES) supply and human well-being. A better understanding of biodiversity–ES relationships and effects of biodiversity loss on ES supply is needed. The objective was to determine relationships between potential biodiversity and three ES in Patagonia where cattle ranching under silvopastoral use occurs. We used grids of potential biodiversity (plant species richness) and three ES, provisioning (cattle stocking rate), regulating (CO2 sequestration) and cultural (geo-tagged digital-images). Potential biodiversity was negatively related to provisioning, but no significant relations were detected with regulating and cultural. These relations showed regional differences related to forest landscape distribution. High values of regulating were found in southern areas being coincident with high potential biodiversity. Opposite trends (negative relationship with biodiversity) was observed for provisioning in eastern and western regions where provisioning decrease from N-S. Results suggest that provisioning do not overlap spatially with the higher values of potential biodiversity maps, which is an advantage for land use planning when conservation and management requirements must be combined. Our results are the first contribution for Patagonia to underpin scientific and institutional efforts to connect biodiversity conservation with ES maintenance. However, further studies must be addressed including more ES and regions. EDITED BY Sandra Luque
Numerical Simulation of Stack-Heat Exchangers Coupling in a Thermoacoustic Refrigerator

The Navier‐Stokes equations for an unsteady and compressible flow are solved numerically to investigate the flow near the stack of a thermoacoustic refrigerator. The computational domain is a resonator “slice” including the resonator end but not the source. An incoming wave is introduced into the domain using the method of characteristics. Also included in the domain is a stack plate and two heat exchangers. The effects of the acoustic Mach number and geometrical parameters on refrigerator performance is investigated. Of special interest are some nonlinear temperature oscillations, which are not predicted by linear models and are due to acoustic propagation, and coupling between the stack plate and the heat exchangers. It is shown that the maximum heat pumping occurs fo ra stack/heat exchanger separation that is of the order of one particle displacement amplitude.
Integrated coherent matter wave circuits

An integrated coherent matter wave circuit is a single device, analogous to an integrated optical circuit, in which coherent de Broglie waves are created and then launched into waveguides where they can be switched, divided, recombined, and detected as they propagate. Applications of such circuits include guided atom interferometers, atomtronic circuits, and precisely controlled delivery of atoms. Here we report experiments demonstrating integrated circuits for guided coherent matter waves. The circuit elements are created with the painted potential technique, a form of time-averaged optical dipole potential in which a rapidly moving, tightly focused laser beam exerts forces on atoms through their electric polarizability. The source of coherent matter waves is a Bose–Einstein condensate (BEC). We launch BECs into painted waveguides that guide them around bends and form switches, phase coherent beamsplitters, and closed circuits. These are the basic elements that are needed to engineer arbitrarily complex matter wave circuitry.
Has Health Capital Formation Cured 'Baumol's Disease'? Panel Granger Causality Evidence for OECD Countries

A large body of both theoretical and empirical literature has affirmed a positive impact of human capital accumulation in the form of health on economic growth. Yet Baumol (1967) has presented a model in which imbalances in productivity growth between a 'progressive' (manufacturing) sector and a 'nonprogressive' sector of the economy (of which health care forms an integral part) lead to perpetual expenditure shifts into the latter and, as a consequence, to a decline in overall GDP growth. Which of the two views has an empirical grounding is here tested by means of Granger causality analysis of a panel of 21 OECD countries. The results do not lend support to the hypothesis that health capital formation fosters economic growth in rich countries. They are more in line with the predictions of Baumol's model of unbalanced growth.
Deteriorative Effects of Cadmium Stress on Antioxidant System and Cellular Structure in Germinating Seeds of Brassica napus L.

Cadmium (Cd), known as a non-essential heavy metal, can cause oxidative stress in plants. In this study, an attempt was carried out to find out whether Cd-induced oxidative and microscopic changes could be observed in the early stage of seedling growth. Seeds of Brassica napus (cvs. Zheda 619 and ZS 758) were germinated in vitro at 0, 100, 200, 300, and 500 µM Cd concentrations in dark for 48 hours. Results showed that the higher concentration of Cd (500 µM) significantly reduced plant growth in both cultivars. However, Cd concentration in both cultivars increased linearly with the Cd concentration, but was more pronounced in ZS 758 than the other cultivar. Moreover, Cd caused oxidative stress in germinated seeds by increasing reactive oxygen species, however, no relationship was found between antioxidative defense capacity including catalase, peroxidase, superoxide dismutase and glutathione reductase activities and Cd tolerance in the two cultivars. Cd toxicity showed significant ultrastructural changes in germinated seed cells, but cell structure in Zheda 619 did not show any difference, while cell structure in ZS 758 was totally damaged under higher concentration of Cd (500 µM). Based on the present findings, it can be concluded that cultivar Zheda 619 showed comparatively higher tolerance and integrity of cell organelles under Cd stress.
The organisational drivers and barriers of strategy implementation within a non-profit organisation: a case study at the Netherlands Red Cross

Level of satisfaction towards the process of the strategy implementation process When volunteers receive enough support to perform their activities (which fit in the new strategy). Head Office needs to come with a clear and uniform course. More clearness in the strategy and working together towards the strategy. More clarity towards the practice of the strategy objectives. When we, the NRC, become one, with one uniform strategy (one plan). When the strategy speaks for itself. When the strategic objectives are made clear. Total “indoctrination” of the strategy acceptation within the region (and its departments)