Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Social-ecological performance of collaborative wildlife governance : the case of Swedish moose management

Natural resources such as wildlife are part of social-ecological systems, which are characterized by inherent complexity, uncertainty, and changes. Therefore, collaborative, decentralized, and adaptive approaches tend to be preferred in environmental governance. Despite extensive research efforts, central questions about ‘what works where, and why’ remain. My thesis helps bridge this knowledge gap with insights from Swedish moose (Alces alces) management. In 2012, Sweden implemented a multi-level collaborative governance regime to manage moose in accordance with the ecosystem approach. This involved establishing Moose Management Areas (MMA), which are led by Moose Management Groups (MMG) consisting of landowner and hunter representatives. The aim of my thesis was to analyse the effects of context and institutional design on the social-ecological performance of the moose management system. I based my analyses on surveys, interviews, and workshops with actors on different governance levels, which I combined with information from management plans and ecological monitoring. My results revealed spatial and functional misfits created by the design and implementation of the system. In northern Sweden, large MMAs were created to match seasonal moose migration. This creates challenges for collaboration because large areas require more time investment from MMGs and processes that enable the integration of many stakeholders. Functional misfits occur in southern Sweden, where land use is more diverse and several other ungulate species co-exist with moose; both of these factors adversely affected moose quota fulfilment. Adaptations are needed to overcome these misfits. I found that linking and bridging social capital between governance levels were significant determinants of actors’ perceived adaptive capacity. On the local level, perceptions of fairness also contributed, while sufficient resources and knowledge were important for MMGs. ‘Good examples’ (i.e. MMAs that achieved good social and ecological outcomes) were characterized by leadership, social capital, and innovation, which allowed them to use the available institutional flexibility to create processes that overcame the identified misfits. Overall, my thesis highlights the need for multi-level collaboration and locally adapted institutions that match the social-ecological context. The varying implementation of the governance system also created opportunities for policy learning. Forums for systematic learning across governance levels and regions could further increase the system’s social-ecological performance.
Transformer Fault Prognosis Using Deep Recurrent Neural Network Over Vibration Signals

Vibration analysis is considered as a cost-efficient and nondestructive technique to monitor the transformer operating conditions and evaluate the transformer mechanical integrity. This method enables transformer fault prognosis before insulation catastrophic failure. In this work, the possibility of using deep neural networks in capturing the hidden patterns of vibration time series to predict the transformer underexcitation and overexcitation and interturn fault progress prediction in early stages is examined. This focus is warranted because deep learning techniques lend themselves to integrating the feature extraction into the predictive model construction stage. In this regard, deep recurrent neural network (RNN) architecture, including unidirectional and bidirectional gated recurrent units (GRUs) and long short-term memory (LSTM) models, are adopted. The constructed RNN for predicting excitation voltage exhibits a remarkable performance with a relative absolute error (RAE) of 0.56%. Predicting the interturn fault proved to be a more challenging problem and the constructed RNN for this purpose showed an RAE of 17.58%. The source code for implementing all constructed models is available at https://github.com/azollanvari/FaultPrognosisDL.
Effect of several commercial rubber as substrates for zinc oxide in the photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue under visible irradiation

A new approach of mechanical preparation of photocatalyst zinc oxide (ZnO)/rubbers from four types of rubbers: styrene butadiene rubber (SBR), ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM), natural rubber (NR), and epoxidized natural rubber (ENR) with 50% epoxidation is presented. This technique is simple, fast and cost effective as ZnO/rubbers were me-chanically mixed using conventional two-roll mill at 27°C for 10 min and compressed into flat sheet. The characteristics of photocatalyst were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis) and field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM). The photocatalytic activity of ZnO/rubbers was evaluated using methylene blue (MB) as a model pollutant under visible light for 300 min. The photocatalytic degradation efficiency of ZnO/SBR is nearly as good as that of ZnO powder (87.32%) compared to ZnO/NR, ZnO/EPDM and ZnO/ENR. This is due to the highest index of conjugated carbon-carbon bond of SBR and hydrogen bonding between ZnO and SBR. The formation of hydrogen bonding was confirmed by FTIR and reduction of energy band gap of ZnO/SBR. The photocatalytic degradation of MB with ZnO/SBR was could be fitted by pseudo-first-order kinetics of the Langmuir-Hinshelwood model.
Salinity Tolerance of Mungbean Genotypes at Seedling Stage

Salinity is a major abiotic stress limiting mungbean production worldwide including Indonesia. Since mungbean plant is very sensitive to salt condition, selection of salinity tolerant genotypes becomes important for mungbean improvement. The objective of this study was to evaluate the tolerance of eight mungbean genotypes to salinity at seedling stage under different levels. The experiment was arranged in a randomized complete block design with two factors (mungbean genotypes and salinity levels) and triplicates. Observation variables were germination percentage, vigor index, germination rate, hypocotyls length, epicotyls length, root length, number of root, seedling fresh weight, and seedling dry weight. The result showed that increasing level of salinity concentration inhibited the speed of germination, germination percentage, vigor index, normal seedling fresh weight, and number of lateral roots. Murai and Vima 1 were identified as tolerant genotypes, while Vima-2 and MLGV 0180 were identified as salinity sensitive genotypes at seedling stage. Currently, mungbean varieties with special characters, such as saline-tolerant is not yet available. The availability of saline-tolerant variety of mungbean is a cheaper and easier technology for farmers to anticipate the expansion of the saline area. The tolerant genotypes may be further tested at the later stage to obtain promising genotype tolerant to salinity that effectively assist mungbean breeding program.
Characteristics of Self-reported Favorite Musical Experiences

Research supports the folk wisdom that individual preferences are tied to our experiences: we like what we know and as a result, we know what we like. Yet our understanding of the elements contained in lived examples of musical experiences that facilitate enjoyment and investment in music is little described. The current study recruited Australian residents (N = 135) to complete an online survey, which asked them to describe their favorite musical experience with regard to its context and impact. The majority of favorite musical experiences involved listening to live music and performing. The descriptions provided indicated that these experiences resulted in layered emotional experiences, much more subtle than folk psychology would suggest. Further, thematic analysis results revealed that Gabrielsson’s Strong Experiences with Music Descriptive System adequately categorizes the elements of people’s favored experiences, with particular reference to general characteristics, bodily reactions, perceptual phenomena, cognitive aspects, emotional aspects, existential and transcendental aspects, and personal and social aspects. A wide variety of musical genres were involved, though pop, classical, rock, and hip-hop music featured predominately. By detailing key components which lead to favored musical experiences, the findings have implications regarding how musical engagement opportunities can be better designed to support continued musical investment, which has particular relevance for educational and community uses of music for fostering positive individual and community benefits.
High-Level Synthesis Of Inverse Quantization And Transform Block For HEVC Decoder On FPGA

This paper presents an efficient High-level synthesis (HLS) hardware design to implement the Inverse Quantization and Transform (IQ/IT) for a High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) decoder. Using Xilinx Vivado HLS tool, different directives are applied to the IQ/IT C code to select the optimized hardware architecture in terms of area and clock cycles. This architecture is implemented in a SW/HW context for verification. In fact, it is connected to ARM Cortex-A9 processor using AXI stream interface and integrated on Xilinx Zynq ZC702 platform. Therefore, the experimental results show that the SW/HW design can only decode 240p@15fps with a gain of 8% in throughput and 74% in power consumption compared to SW implementation.
Volatility spillover and contagion effects between EURODOLLAR future and zero coupons markets: Evidence from Italy

This paper examines the time-varying conditional correlations between the Eurodollar futures market and the zero coupons of Banca Fideuram. We apply a bivariate dynamic conditional correlation (DCC) GARCH model in order to capture potential contagion effects between the markets for the period 2005-2017. Empirical results reveal contagion during the under-investigation period regarding the twenty-one bivariate models, showing that the Eurodollar futures market has a major impact on the zero coupons of Banca Fideuram. Findings have crucial implications for policymakers who provide regulations for the above-mentioned derivative markets.
Determinants of Collective Marketing Action and Profitability of Smallholder Farmers Enterprise in Uganda

This paper explores the theoretical underpinnings of Collective Market as a practical Marketing model promoted to address the problem of social and economic inclusion into global agro-commodity market supply chains of smallholder farmers in Africa. A qualitative study based on the grounded theory approach was used supported by the philosophical underpinnings of objectivism ontology and interpretivism epistemology. In-depth interviews were conducted to explore the perspectives of farmers and stakeholders participating in collective marketing and export programs. Data was analyzed using the provisions of Grounded Theory and the concept of Theoretical Saturation guided the determination of sample size and sampling adequacy. Data validity was established through credibility, dependability, conformability and transferability parameters. This study is purely based on a qualitative research design. It does not attempt to provide a quantitative empirical test for the proposed theory. The has provided a theoretical explanation of the relationship between collective marketing and profitability of smallholder farmer’s and offers a practical understanding for academia, promoters of collective marketing and policy markers concerned with integration of smallholder farmers into global supply chains. It will enable better planning of collective marketing for smallholder farmers, with the potential to focus efforts towards commercializing smallholder agriculture, advance inclusion into global markets and achieve poverty eradication goals. The study makes the first known attempt to construct a Theory of Collective Marketing” to systematize the understanding of collective marketing. The theory proposed is grounded on original data.
The Analysis of the Tobacco Product Bans Using a Random Coefficients Logit Model

The studies of tobacco demand accounting for product diversity have attracted much attention in the literature, but the ex ante measurements of the effects of product bans are relatively scarce. This paper aims to fill this gap and considers the 2020 EU-induced ban on menthol cigarettes as an example, focusing on the Polish market. In the proposed approach, a 2004-2017 productlevel dataset for Poland is used to estimate a random coefficients logit model and simulate the effects of the menthol ban and, for comparison, a cigarette excise hike. The dataset is unique as it encompassess substantial changes in the tobacco tax level and structure that took place in Poland over the sample period. The simulations suggest that the ban, despite switching of consumers towards non-menthol cigarettes, results in relatively strong reduction in demand for duty-paid cigarettes, stronger than in the case of the excise hike.
Cointegrating Relationship between Macroeconomic Variables and Stock Market Prices in Nairobi Securities Exchange

The study of stock market prices movements and macroeconomic indicators has been imperative in view of the country’s economic growth because the most sensitive segment of any developing economy is its stock market. The buy and sell decision rule are affected by the investor’s psychology which exerts influence on the macroeconomic events. The very critical question when it comes to this is that how instantaneous the information is transferred to the investors and market analyst and in return reflects on stock market prices. Therefore, the purpose of this paper was to analyze cointegrating relationship between macroeconomic indicators and the stock market prices in the context of Nairobi Securities Exchange. The paper used longitudinal research design using monthly secondary data for the period 2005 to 2018. The data were sourced from NSE, KNBS and Central Bank of Kenya. Augmented Dickey Fuller test confirmed the presence of unit root at levels for some variables, and all the variables attained stationarity after first difference. The Optimum lag length selected was 3. Johansen cointegration test showed that the variables were cointegrated thus Vector Error Correction Model was used to estimate the parameters. The error correction term was -1.1804 and significant at p-value 0.000 indicating a long-term existence between variables and the stock market prices. Jarque-Bera test showed the residuals followed normal distribution. Inflation and interest rate negatively and significantly affected stock market prices at coefficient -0.8371 (p-value 0.005) and -4.0876 (0.000) respectively. However, Exchange rate and nominal GDP had positive and significant effects on stock prices at 0.0001 (p-value=0.012) and 0.00002 (p-value=0.000) respectively. It was recommended based on the findings that the government should adopt expansionary monetary policy to by regulating interest rate and stabilizing exchange rate to create more money for investors. There is need for the government to encourage activities that increases GDP since it is an important macroeconomic indicator for health economy.
Educating the Learning, Growing and Internal Process Dimensions through Balanced Scorecard for a Financial Performance

This study explores the influence of educating the balanced scorecard indicators on the financial performance and investment decision in general industrial shareholding companies in Jordan. We collected the perception based data from the 122 financial and planning managers working in the industrial shareholding companies in Jordan. At first, we check the reliability of all constructs and their items through Cronbach Alpha test and ensured the validity of all constructs. There is a statistically significant impact of financial dimension, customer dimension, learning and growth dimension and internal process dimension on the financial performance of the general industrial shareholding companies using balance scorecard. It is recommended to educate the indicators of a balanced scorecard model since it contributes to improve the financial performance and investment decision. It is imperative to empower the employees through education and training to implement the balanced scorecard indicators. The companies should give more emphasis on developing training for the workers to achieve the growth and profitability using balance scorecards.
Phonetic Feature Interpretation in Second Language Phonology: The Acquisition of the Final Obstruent Voicing Contrast

Although languages may share certain phonological features, their phonetic realizations can be variable. The classical example is the difference in VOT as the underlying factor of the binary distinction in voicing. In this paper, we examine the voicing contrast of English final obstruents (plosives and fricatives) in the production of native speakers of Serbian. The paper reports the results of a production experiment, in which 14 relatively proficient speakers of English as L2 read eight monosyllabic words (minimal pairs) inside frame sentences. Although both English and Serbian contrast final voiced and voiceless obstruents, the results indicate that L2 speakers in our study have not fully mastered the phonetic realization of word-final voicing in English, but greatly retain the phonetic realization of voicing typical of their L1.
STUDY OF THE INTERACTIONS BETWEEN TAILPIPE EXHAUST FLOW AND AHMED BODY WAKE

Air quality is a key issue. Cars contribute significantly to the emission of gaseous pollutants. It is crucial to analyse how these pollutants disperse in the wake of a vehicle and infiltrate the car cabin exposing passengers to high concentrations. Here, a 3D numerical study of the flow developing downstream of a simplified car model (squared-back Ahmed body) is presented when a gas (Nitrogen) is emitted from the exhaust pipe. A Reynolds-Average-Navier-Stokes (RANS) model (k- SST) is used coupled with a multicomponent gas method. Parameters for the simulation correspond to experimental investigations led in a wind tunnel to allow comparisons and the validation of the results. Based on the height of the car and the incoming velocity, the Reynolds number is 5×10. Altogether, these conditions correspond to an urban environment. This study focuses on the mixing between air and nitrogen and the flow dynamics in the close wake. We show that the tailpipe flow has no significant influence on the wake flow meaning that it is fully offset by the momentum of the incoming flow. Comparisons with experimental data obtained in wind tunnel at the same reduced scale are provided. Strong agreements are found for mean and turbulent velocities and for Reynolds stresses validating our model. The results of the volume fraction of nitrogen are also discussed indicating that the gas tracer is captured by the recirculation region due to turbulent structures. These results could provide interesting indications regarding the positioning of air intake in order to minimize pollutant infiltration.
Characterization of mycotoxigenic Alternaria species isolated from the Tunisian halophyte Cakile maritima

Copyright: © 2020 A. Chalbi, B. Sghaier-Hammami, G. Meca, J.M. Quiles, C. Abdelly, C. Marangi, A.F. Logrieco, A. Moretti, M. Masiello. This is an open access, peer-reviewed article published by Firenze University Press (http://www.fupress.com/pm) and distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
New Records of the Genus Euschaefferia Leng, 1920 (Coleoptera: Trogossitidae: Trogossitinae: Trogossitini) from Mexico

While identifying bark gnawing beetles (Trogossitidae) deposited in the insect collection of the Monte L. Bean Life Science Museum, Brigham Young University (BYUC), I found four specimens of a small (,2 mm) trogossitid matching the description of Euschaefferia mclayi (Van Dyke, 1944) (Figs. 1–2; Barron 1971; Kolibáč 2013). Presently, Euschaefferia Leng, 1920 is comprised of two species: Euschaefferia hicoriae (Schaeffer, 1918) and E. mclayi. The genus can be identified by the combination of a small, cylindrical body, pronotum without raised lateral margins, and prominent outer angles of the submentum that extend beyond the base of the mandibles (Barron 1971; Kolibáč 2013). Identification was verified through comparison with focus stacked images of the holotype housed at the California Academy of Sciences (R. Diaz-Bastin, in litt.). These newly discovered specimens are of special interest due to the fact that they were collected from two locations in southern Mexico, thus representing the first published records of the genus Euschaefferia from outside the USA. One specimen was collected 24 km west of Tehuantepec, Oaxaca on 22 June 1967, and three specimens were collected 3.2 km east of Tehuacán, Puebla on 8 July 1967 (Fig. 3). All four of the Mexican specimens were collected by the late Stephen L. Wood, a prolific BYU entomologist and well-known scolytid specialist, who frequently collected in Mexico (S. L. Clark, in litt.). Prior to this report, the only published records of E. mclayi had been from the type series of 12 specimens plus an additional specimen, all collected from “Westwood Hills, Los Angeles County, California” (Van Dyke 1944; Barron 1971), and two specimens collected from north of Sedona, Coconino County, Arizona (Bright 1976). Euschaefferia hicoriae is reported from Florida, North Carolina (type locality), and Texas (Barron 1971; Thomas 2009). Similar to most members of Trogossitini, adult Euschaefferia appear to be predatory (Kolibáč 2013). This assumption is supported by Van Dyke (1944) who noted that the type series was collected on Malvastrom [sic, 5 Malvastrum A. Gray, 1849, Malvaceae] as well as with an associated scolytid Pseudothysanous [sic,5 Pseudothysanoes Blackman, 1920] bartoniBruck, 1936 (Curculionidae: Scolytinae). Bright (1976) listed E. mclayi from galleries of Pseudothysanoes spinura Wood, 1959 in Figs. 1–2. Euschaefferia mclayi, specimen collected 3.2 km east of Tehuacán, Puebla, Mexico on 8 July 1967 by S. L. Wood. 1) Dorsal habitus with prominent outer angles of the submentum clearly visible (arrow); 2) Lateral habitus. Scale bar 5 1 mm.
A Transient 3-D Thermal Modeling Method for IGBT Modules Considering Uneven Power Losses and Cooling Conditions

Junction temperature is a key parameter for the safe operation of power semiconductor devices in power electronic systems. However, it is difficult to forecast the accurate thermal stress of the device in field use. Consequently, engineers tend to use higher rated devices to maintain excessive margin, resulting in a higher cost. In this article, a transient 3-D thermal modeling method for insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) modules is proposed to obtain accurate temperature distribution considering uneven power losses and cooling conditions. The analytical model of uneven switching energy losses among the parallel IGBT chips in modules is built according to the analysis of device simulation results. The effect of uneven cooling conditions on temperature distribution in IGBT modules is considered by thermal-fluid cosimulation. Furthermore, a hybrid simulation strategy is proposed to obtain the transient thermal behavior in three dimensions. Through appropriate interface design, the power loss model is connected with the finite element model to achieve field-circuit cosimulation with multiple time steps, which takes full consideration of the multiphysical coupling effects among power loss, temperature, and flow fields. Finally, the thermal stresses of IGBT modules under different operating conditions are forecast by the proposed method.