Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Local forest governance and benefit sharing from reduced emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD)

Africa is one of the regions most affected by climate change. However its forests are important carbon sinks for the whole world, and if recognised as a global public good, could be conserved and contribute to green house gas emission reductions. A global mechanism, Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation(REDD+) aims to help developing countries in reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, and enhancement of carbon stocks. REDD+ strategies may, however exclude local forest dependent communities from forests in order to conserve and maximise carbon stocks, thus having a severe impact on local livelihoods. Therefore, how local communities can participate and share benefits from REDD+ is a key concern. This study investigates how three forest dependent communities in the Nazinon forest, in Southwest Burkina Faso could financially benefit from a REDD+ project. The aim of this study is to identify local governance structures for equitable distribution of benefits from avoided deforestation by investigating local-level experiences and practices in governance of forest resources, and trying to reveal structures that could be used for equitable benefit sharing and the implementation of an effective mechanism. This is a qualitative study which has been conducted through semistructured interviews and focus group discussions with woodcutters, women and other stakeholders. Interviews with governmental officials and representatives from the union of forest management cooperatives complement interviews conducted in the three villages. The empirical findings are supported by pervious research on deforestation, climate change and community forest management. The field data demonstrates a strong dependency of the local populations on the Nazinon forest, which provides products and services to various stakeholders, such as woodcutters, women, live-stock breeders, fuel wood transporters and traders and the state. Based on the empirical data, problems are observed in local forest governance and the existing land tenure regime, which can cause significant challenges when designing and implementing REDD+ in the Nazinon forest. Nevertheless numerous opportunities are identified in the existing governance structure, well-known rules and regulations, level of awareness of deforestation of local communities and their willingness to find alternative income generating activities to conserve their forest and improve their livelihoods. The government and the international community have high ambitions for REDD+ in Burkina Faso, requiring complex strategies and action plans before any actual carbon selling can take place. This study questions the need for overwhelming strategies when the existing forest governance problems are fundamental, requiring simple, but overarching reform processes in order to obtain sustainable forest management and empower local communities in the management of their forests.
An Analysis of the Effects of Bad Smell-Driven Refactorings in Mobile Applications on Battery Usage

Mobile devices are the most popular kind of computational device in the world. These devices have more limited resources than personal computers and battery consumption is always under user’s eye since mobile devices rely on their battery as energy supply. On the other hand, nowadays most applications are developed using object-oriented paradigm, which has some inherent features, like object creation, that consume important amounts of energy in the context of mobile development. These features are responsible for offering maintainability and flexibility, among other software quality-related advantages. Then, this chapter aims to present an analysis to evaluate the trade-off between object-oriented design purity and battery consumption. As a result, developers can design mobile applications taking into account these two issues, giving priority to object design quality and/or energy efficiency as needed.
Syn-extensional granitoids in the Menderes core complex and the late Cenozoic extensional tectonics of the Aegean province

Abstract The Miocene granitoid plutons exposed in the footwalls of major detachment faults in the Menderes core complex in western Anatolia represent syn-extensional intrusions, providing important geochronological and geochemical constraints on the nature of the late Cenozoic magmatism associated with crustal extension in the Aegean province. Ranging in composition from granite, granodiorite to monzonite, these plutons crosscut the extensional deformation fabrics in their metamorphic host rocks but are foliated, mylonitized and cataclastically deformed in shear zones along the detachment faults structurally upward near the surface. Crystallization and cooling ages of the granitoid rocks are nearly coeval with the documented ages of metamorphism and deformation dating back to the latest Oligocene–early Miocene that record tectonic extension and exhumation in the Menderes massif. The Menderes granitoids (MEG) are represented by mainly metaluminous-slightly peraluminous, high-K calc-alkaline and partly shoshonitic rocks with their silica contents ranging from 62.5 to 78.2 wt%. They display similar major and trace element characteristics and overlapping inter-element ratios (Zr/Nb, La/Nb, Rb/Nb, Ce/Y) suggesting common melt sources. Their enrichment in LILE, strong negative anomalies in Ba, Ta, Nb, Sr and Ti and high incompatible element abundances are consistent with derivation of their magmas from a subduction-metasomatized, heterogeneous sub-continental lithospheric mantle source. Fractional crystalization processes and lower to middle crustal contamination also affected the evolution of the MEG magmas. These geochemical characteristics of the MEG are similar to those of the granitoids in the Cyclades to the west and the Rhodope massif to the north. Partial melting of the subduction-metasomatized lithospheric mantle and the overlying lower-middle crust produced the MEG magmas starting in the late Oligocene–early Miocene. The heat and the basaltic material to induce this partial melting were provided by asthenospheric upwelling caused by lithospheric delamination. Rapid slab rollback of the post-Eocene Hellenic subduction zone may have peeled off the base of the subcontinental lithosphere, triggering the inferred lithospheric delamination. Both slab retreat-generated upper plate deformation and magmatically induced crustal weakening led to the onset of the Aegean extension, which has migrated southward through time.
Customer enquiry management and product customization: an empirical multi-case study analysis in the Italian capital goods sector

Purpose – The customer enquiry management (CEM) process is of strategic importance in engineer‐to‐order contexts but existing literature does not adequately describe how firms support delivery date setting and order acceptance decisions in practice. This paper seeks to explore how and why the CEM process varies between companies in the capital goods sector, thereby taking a contingency theory approach.Design/methodology/approach – Multi‐case study research involving 18 Italian capital goods manufacturers in four industrial sectors. Face‐to‐face interviews with senior representatives have been conducted. Companies have been grouped into five clusters, based on similarities in their CEM decision‐making modes, to aid analysis.Findings – Three contingency factors were found to be particularly relevant in determining CEM modes: degree of product customization, flexibility of the production system, and uncertainty of the context. These factors affect the choice of specific CEM decision‐making modes. However, a .
Stability and forcing of the Iceland-Faroe inflow of water, heat, and salt to the Arctic

Abstract. The flow of Atlantic water across the Greenland-Scotland Ridge (Atlantic inflow) is critical for conditions in the Nordic Seas and Arctic Ocean by importing heat and salt. Here, we present a decade-long series of measurements from the Iceland-Faroe inflow branch (IF-inflow), which carries almost half the total Atlantic inflow. The observations show no significant trend in volume transport of Atlantic water, but temperature and salinity increased during the observational period. On shorter time scales, the observations show considerable variations but no statistically significant seasonal variation is observed and even weekly averaged transport values were consistently uni-directional from the Atlantic into the Nordic Seas. Combining transport time-series with sea level height from satellite altimetry and wind stress reveals that the force driving the IF-inflow across the topographic barrier of the Ridge is mainly generated by a pressure gradient that is due to a continuously maintained low sea level in the Southern Nordic Seas. This implies that the relative stability of the IF-inflow derives from the processes that lower the sea level by generating outflow from the Nordic Seas, especially the thermohaline processes that generate overflow. The IF-inflow is an important component of the system coupling the Arctic region to the North Atlantic through the thermohaline circulation, which has been predicted to weaken in the 21st century. Our observations show no indication of weakening.
Efficacy of different post-emergence herbicides application alone and in combination in wheat

A field experiment was conducted during rabi season of 2016-17 at Agronomy Research Station of Doon (P.G) College of Agriculture and Allied Sciences, Selaqui, Dehradun. The experimental soil was sandy loam in texture, slightly acidic in nature having medium in available phosphorus (21.7 kg/ha) and potassium (167.4 kg/ha) and low in OC (0.4%). Ten weed management practices, viz. clodinafop 60 g/ha, sulfosulfuron 25 g/ha, metribuzin 175 g/ha, carfentrazone 50 g/ha, clodinafop + metribuzin 60 + 105 g/ha, clodinafop + metribuzin 60 + 122.5 g/ha, sulfosulfuron + metribuzin 25+105 g/ha, sulfosulfuron + metribuzin 25+122.5 g/ha, sulfosulfuron + carfentrazone 25+ 40 g/ha, weed free and weedy were laid out in randomized block design with three replications. The results revealed that sulfosulfuron + metribuzin at 25 and 105g/ha application as post-emergence recorded significantly less weed biomass and higher weed control efficiency followed by sulfosulfuron + carfentrazone at 25 and 40 g/ha, clodinafop 60 g/ha along with metribuzin 105 or 122.5 g/ha and compared to the rest of the herbicidal treatments. The higher wheat yield of 5.51 t/ha recorded with the application of sulfosulfuron + metribuzin 25 + 105 g/ha which was at par with sulfosulfuron + carfentrazone 25 + 40 g/ha (5.46 t/ha), clodinafop + metribuzin 60 + 105 g/ha (5.23 t/ha), clodinafop + metribuzin at 60 and 122.5 g/ha (5.17 t/ha) and weed free check (5.61 t/ha), and significantly superior to rest of the treatments. The straw yield, effective tillers and 1000 grain weight followed the trend as wheat grain yield.
Slow arm regeneration in the Antarctic brittle star Ophiura crassa (Echinodermata, Ophiuroidea)

Regeneration of arms in brittle stars is thought to proceed slowly in low temperature environments. Here a survey of natural arm damage and arm regeneration rates is documented in the Antarctic brittle star Ophiura crassa. This relatively small ophiuroid, a detritivore found amongst red macroalgae, displays high levels of natural arm damage and repair. This is largely thought to be due to ice damage in the shallow waters it inhabits. The time scale of arm regener- ation was measured in an aquarium-based 10 mo experiment. There was a delayed regeneration phase of 7 mo before arm growth was detectable in this species. This is 2 mo longer than the longest time previously described, which was in another Antarctic ophiuroid, Ophionotus victo- riae. The subsequent regeneration of arms in O. crassa occurred at a rate of approximately 0.16 mm mo �1 . To date, this is the slowest regeneration rate known of any ophiuroid. The confir- mation that such a long delay before arm regeneration occurs in a second Antarctic species pro- vides strong evidence that this phenomenon is yet another characteristic feature of Southern Ocean species, along with deferred maturity, slowed growth and development rates. It is unclear whether delayed initial regeneration phases are adaptations to, or limitations of, low temperature environments.
How Comparable are Different Measures of Self-Rated Health? Evidence from Five European Countries

Self-rated health (SRH) is a common health measurement in international research. Yet different versions of this item are often applied. This study compares the US (United States) version (from excellent to poor) and the EU (European) version (from very good to very bad) of SRH, and examines differences in their associations with demographic and objective health variables. Data were drawn from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE), comprising information from 11,622 respondents aged 50 years and over in five countries. Respondents were presented with both the EU and US versions. Information was collected on basic demographics and health variables including chronic diseases, symptoms, functional limitations and depression. Firstly, the distribution of each version of the SRH item was assessed, and both relative and literal concordance was examined. Subsequently, multivariate regression analysis was used to assess differences in the associations of both items with demographic and health indicators. The US version has a more symmetric distribution and smaller variance than the EU version. Although the EU version discriminates better at the negative end, the US version shows better discrimination at the negative end of the scale. 69% of respondents provided literally concordant answers, while only about one third provided relatively concordant answers. Overall, however, less than 10% of respondents were discordant in either sense. Furthermore, the two versions were strongly correlated (polychoric correlation = 0.88), had similar associations with demographics and health indicators, and showed a similar pattern of variation across countries. Health levels based on different versions of the self-rated health item are not directly comparable and require rescaling of items. However, both versions represent parallel assessments of the same latent health variable. We did not find evidence that the EU version is preferable to the US version as standard measure of SRH in European countries.
Differences in Thinking Styles among Low-; Average-; and High-Achieving College Students

The purpose of the present study was to examine the differences in thinking styles among low-, average-, and high-achieving United Arab Emirates college students. Thinking Styles Inventory was used to assess students' thinking styles. Results indicated that low-achieving students scored significantly lower on Executive, Hierarchical, Anarchic, Local, Conservative, and Internal styles. Low-achieving students scored significantly higher on Legislative, Oligarchic, and Liberal styles. A discriminant analysis revealed that Executive and Conservative styles were the most discriminating factors that separated low-achieving students from their high-achieving
Trade Credit and International Trade during the 2008-09 Global Financial Crisis

This paper studies the role of the credit crunch in the severe contraction of trade and economic activity at the height of the 2008-09 global financial crisis, using firm-level data from six emerging market economies in Asia. We construct firm-specific measures of global demand, which allow us to disentangle the effect of falling demand from that of financial constraints on sales. The results indicate that: (1) Although the fall in demand adversely affected the sales of all firms during the crisis, sales declined by less for firms with better pre-crisis financial conditions. (2) In the face of the decline in external financing opportunities, some firms relied more on trade credit from suppliers to supplement operating capital during the crisis, which allowed them to post relatively better sales. (3) Export-intensive firms with comparable financial vulnerability resorted less to trade credit as an alternative source of finance, and hence experienced sharper declines in sales than the domestically-oriented firms. These findings point to the presence of credit frictions among the factors that contributed to the disproportionately large decline in international trade during the crisis.
Detailed sedimentological study of a non-classical succession for Trois-Fontaines and Terres d'Haurs formations (Lower Givetian, Marenne, Belgium)- Introduction of the Marenne Member

This work details for the first time the sedimentology of the Marenne quarry. It exposes a remarkable succession of strata from the Trois-Fontaines Formation and the base of the Terres d'Haurs Formation. Two sections (Marenne East and Marenne Centre) are investigated within the quarry. The first one (115 metres) covers both formations and is characterized by a mixed carbonate-siliciclastic succession replacing the classical base of the Trois-Fontaines Formation. We propose here to include these particular facies into a new member of the Trois-Fontaines Formation, the Marenne Member. The second one (48 metres) exposes a reefal lens also attributed to this new Marenne Member. Magnetic susceptibility was used to confirm geometric correlations previously obtained between these two sections. Petrographic study leads to the definition of 14 microfacies which are integrated into three palaeoenvironmental models. The first model (six microfacies) is proposed for the Marenne Member. In this ramp model, terrigenous inputs are particularly important. The mid-ramp is composed of four microfacies more or less influenced by storm events. The inner ramp (limited to the FWWB vicinity) is characterized by the development of the reefal lens and by peloidal microfacies. The upper part of Trois-Fontaines Formation is depicted by a back-reef model (three microfacies) which is mainly dominated by lagoons. However, intermittent agitation and non-restricted settings allow the local development and the reworking of branching organisms. The last model proposed (five microfacies) concerns the Terres d'Haurs Formation and corresponds to a ramp profile with the development of shoals. Those shoals locally protect semi-restricted lagoons. Algal mats are also observed. The last part of the work concerns the sedimentary dynamics and proposes sea level variations as the key parameter probably responsible for the succession of these three depositional settings.
Getting the most from your curves: Exploring and reporting data using informative graphical techniques

Most psychological research employs tables to report descriptive and inferential statistics. Unfortunately, those tables often misrepresent critical information on the shape and variability of the data’s distribution. In addition, certain information such as the modality and score probability density is hard to report succinctly in tables and, indeed, not reported typically in published research. This paper discusses the importance of using graphical techniques not only to explore data but also to report it effectively. In so doing, the role of exploratory data analysis in detecting Type I and Type II errors is considered. A small data set resembling a Type II error is simulated to demonstrate this procedure, using a conventional parametric test. A potential analysis routine to explore data is also presented. The paper proposes that essential summary statistics and information about the shape and variability of data should be reported via graphical techniques. ￻ Exploratory data analysis (EDA), as an analytical
Imputing consumption in the PSID using food demand estimates from the CEX

This paper assesses the accuracy of decomposing income risk into permanent and transitory components using income and consumption data. We develop a specific approximation to the optimal consumption growth rule and use Monte Carlo evidence to show that this approximation can provide a robust method for decomposing income risk. The availability of asset data enables the use of a more accurate approximation allowing for partial sef-insurance against permanent shocks. We show that the use of data on median asset holdings corrects much of the error in the simple approximation which assumes no self-insurance against permanent shocks.
A Molecular Budget for a Peatland Based Upon 13C Solid‐State Nuclear Magnetic Resonance

Peatlands can accumulate organic matter into long‐term carbon (C) storage within the soil profile. This study used solid‐state 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (13C‐NMR) to investigate the transit of organic C through a peatland ecosystem to understand the molecular budget that accompanies the long‐term accumulation of C. Samples of biomass, litter, peat soil profile, particulate organic matter, and dissolved organic matter (DOM) were taken from the Moor House National Nature Reserve, a peat‐covered catchment in northern England where both the dry matter and C budget for the ecosystem were known. The results showed that: The interpretation of the 13C‐NMR spectra shows that polysaccharides are preferentially removed through the ecosystem, while lignin components are preferentially retained and come to dominate the organic matter accumulated at depth in the profile. The DOM is derived from the oxidation of both biomass and the degradation of lignin, while the particulate organic matter is derived from erosion of the peat profile. The DOM is differentiated by its proportion of oxidized functional groups and not by its aromatic content. The changes in functionality leading to DOM production suggest side chain oxidation resulting in C‐C cleavage/depolymerisation of lignin, a common reaction within white rot fungi. The 13C‐NMR budget shows that O‐alkyl functional groups are disproportionately lost between primary production and accumulation in the deep peat, while C‐alkyl functional groups are disproportionately preserved. The carbon lost as gases (CO2 and CH4) was estimated to be composed of 93% polysaccharide‐derived carbon and 7% lignin‐derived carbon.
Adsorption of BSA (Bovine Serum Albuminum) and lysozyme on poly(vinyl acetate) particles

Poly(vinyl acetate) (PVAc) particles find many uses in the biomedical field, including the use as particle embolizers. Particularly, embolizing particles can combine physical and chemical effects when they are doped with pharmaceuticals. For this reason, the adsorption of bovine serum albuminum (BSA) and lysozyme (used as model biomolecules) on PVAc particles produced through suspension polymerization is studied in the present manuscript in a broad range of pH values. It is shown that significant amounts of BSA and lysozyme can be adsorbed onto PVAc particles in the vicinities of the isoelectric point of the biomolecules (0.65mg of BSA and 1.0mg of lysozyme per g of PVAc), allowing for production of chemoembolizers through adsorption. Particularly, it is shown that lysozyme still presents residual activity after the adsorption process, which can constitute very important characteristic for real biomedical applications.