Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Determination of the escape velocity of the Milky Way using a halo sample selected based on proper motion

Context. The Gaia mission has provided the largest catalogue ever of sources with tangential velocity information. However, it is difficult to use this catalogue for dynamical studies because most of the stars lack line-of-sight velocity measurements. Recently, we presented a selection of ∼107 halo stars with accurate distances that were selected based on their photometry and proper motions. Aims. Using this sample, we model the tail of the velocity distribution in the stellar halo locally and as a function of distance. Our goal is to measure the escape velocity, and based on this, to constrain the mass of our Galaxy. Methods. We fitted the tail of the velocity distribution with a power-law distribution, a commonly used approach that has long been established. For the first time, we used tangential velocities that were accurately measured for an unprecedented number of halo stars to estimate the escape velocity. Results. In the solar neighbourhood, we obtain a very precise estimate of the escape velocity, which is 497−8+8 km s−1. This estimate is most likely biased low, our best guess is by 10%. As a result, the true escape velocity is most likely closer to 550 km s−1. The escape velocity directly constrains the total mass of the Milky Way. To find the best-fitting halo mass and concentration parameter, we adjusted the dark (spherical Navarro-Frenk-White) halo of a realistic Milky Way potential while keeping the circular velocity at the solar radius fixed at vc(R⊙) = 232.8 km s−1. The resulting halo parameters are M200+10% = 1.11−0.07+0.08 · 1012 M⊙, and the concentration parameter is c+10% = 11.8−0.3+0.3, where we use the explicit notation to indicate that they are corrected for the 10% bias. The slope of the escape velocity with galactocentric distance is as expected in the inner Galaxy based on Milky Way models. Curiously, we find a disagreement beyond the solar radius where the estimated escape velocity is higher than at the solar radius. This result is likely an effect of a change in the shape of the velocity distribution and could be related to the presence of velocity clumps. A tentative analysis of the escape velocity as a function of (R, z) shows that the slope is shallower than expected for a spherical halo when standard values are used for the characteristic parameters describing the galactic disc.
Twitter’s Messages about Hydrometeorological Events. A Study on the Social Impact of Climate Change

This study is based on an interdisciplinary collaboration between scientists from natural and social sciences to create scientific knowledge about how Twitter is valuable to understand the social impact of hydrometeorological events. The capacity of citizens’ reaction through Twitter to environmental issues is widely analyzed in the current scientific literature. Previous scientific works, for example, investigated the role of social media in preventing natural disasters. This study gives scientific evidence on the existence of diversity in the intentionality of Twitters’ messages related to hydrometeorological events. The methodological design is formed by four experiments implemented in different moments of a temporal axis. The social impact on social media methodology (SISM) is implemented as social media analytics. From the findings obtained, it can be observed that there are different forms of intentionality in Twitter’s messages related to hydrometeorological events depending on the contextual circumstances and on the characteristics of Twitter’s users’ profiles (including the geolocation when this information is available). This content is relevant for future works addressed to define social media communication strategies that can promote specific reactions in vulnerable groups in front the climate change.
AccountAbility’s AA1000AP standard: a framework for integrating sustainability into organisations

Purpose This study aims to evaluate corporate sustainability integration by evaluating corporate practices against the sustainability principles of inclusivity, materiality, responsiveness and impact outlined in AccountAbility’s AA1000 Accountability Principles (AA1000AP) standard. Design/methodology/approach Data comprise 12 semi-structured interviews with senior managers of listed New Zealand companies. Findings are evaluated against AccountAbility’s principles of inclusivity, materiality, responsiveness and impact, which are based on a normative view of stakeholder theory. Findings In terms of inclusivity, stakeholder engagement is primarily monologic and is directed more towards traditional stakeholder groups. However, social media, which is gaining popularity, has the potential to facilitate greater dialogic stakeholder engagement. While most companies undertake a materiality assessment (with varying degrees of rigour) to support sustainability reporting, only some use it to drive planning and decision-making. Companies demonstrate responsiveness to stakeholder concerns through corporate governance and sustainability initiatives. Companies are monitoring and measuring their impact on stakeholders using sustainability key performance indicators (KPIs). However, measuring traditional metrics is easier than measuring areas such as the community. In rare instances, the executive’s remuneration is linked to these sustainability KPIs. Practical implications The study findings offer useful examples of the integration of sustainability into corporate processes and systems. Practitioners may find the insights useful in understanding how sustainability is currently being integrated into corporate practices by best practice New Zealand companies. Regulators may consider incorporating AA1000AP into their corporate governance guidelines. Finally, academics may find the study useful for teaching business and accounting courses and to guide the next generation of business managers. Originality/value First, the study brings together four streams of research on how sustainability reports are prepared (inclusivity, materiality, responsiveness and impact) in a single study. Second, the findings offer novel insights by evaluating corporate sustainability against the requirements of a standard that has received little academic attention.
The Preservation of Climate‐Driven Landslide Dams in Western Oregon

Bedrock landsliding, including the formation of landslide dams, is a predominant geomorphic process in steep landscapes. Clarifying the importance of hydrologic and seismic mechanisms for triggering deep‐seated landslides remains an ongoing effort, and formulation of geomorphic metrics that predict dam preservation is crucial for quantifying secondary landslide hazards. Here, we identify >200 landslide‐dammed lakes in western Oregon and utilize dendrochronology and enhanced 14C dating (“wiggle matching”) of “ghost forests” to establish slope failure timing at 20 sites. Our dated landslide dataset reveals bedrock landsliding has been common since the last Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake in January 1700 AD. Our study does not reveal landslides that date to 1700 AD. Rather, we observe temporal clustering of at least four landslides in the winter of 1889/1890 AD, coincident with a series of atmospheric rivers that generated one of the largest regionally recorded floods. We use topographic and field analyses to assess the relation between dam preservation and topographic characteristics of the impounded valleys. In contrast to previous studies, we do not observe systematic scaling between dam size and upstream drainage area, though dam stability indices for our sites correspond with “stable” dams elsewhere. Notably, we observe that dams are preferentially preserved at drainage areas of ∼1.5 to 13 km2 and valley widths of ∼25 to 80 m, which may reflect the reduced downstream influence of debris flows and the accumulation of mature conifer trees upstream from landslide‐dammed lake outlets. We suggest that wood accumulation upstream of landslide dams tempers large stream discharges, thus inhibiting dam incision.
How successful countries are in promoting digital transactions during COVID-19

PurposeThis paper aims to assess whether the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has encouraged governments to take actions towards fostering digital means of payments and financial transactions to stimulate economic activities and achieve higher financial inclusion.Design/methodology/approachUsing a logit model, this paper tests the impact of the level of income and GDP per capita, government effectiveness, digital adoption, number of commercial banks and the pandemic-related closure of business and stores due to full lockdowns on governments’ policy response regarding digital means of payments.FindingsThe author finds that low- and lower-middle-income countries had significantly responded to the surged need for digital means of payment during the pandemic compared to the upper-middle-income and high-income countries. The author also finds that government effectiveness and the number of commercial banks were predictors of government policy response, while the full lockdown of countries and the overall digital adoption were not.Research limitations/implicationsData of the post-COVID-19 pandemic are limited, and the sample size is small.Originality/valueThis is the first paper to empirically model governments' response during the pandemic to promote digital means of payments. This paper gives insight into post-crisis potential changes in digital payment adoption in the upcoming years.
Impact of imitation ability on ASEAN countries' intra-industry trade: a system GMM approach

Abstract This study analyzes the impacts of imitation ability on major ASEAN countries' horizontal and vertical intra-industry trade for the period 2006–2016. The unique features of this study are twofold. Firstly, we develop a new composite index of imitation ability based on broad coverage of various components. Secondly, we consider the differential impacts of imitation ability on ASEAN countries' intra-industry trade with partner countries grouped by their levels of economic development. We found that ASEAN countries’ imitation ability positively impacts the extent of their horizontal and vertical intra-industry trade globally. However, the impact of imitation ability on ASEAN countries' HIIT is the highest in their trade with middle-income countries. In contrast, the effect of imitation ability on ASEAN countries' VIIT is the strongest in their trade with high-income countries.
A new species of Mesopolobus (Hymenoptera, Pteromalidae) from black locust crops

A new species of the genus Mesopolobus Westwood, 1833, Mesopolobus robiniae Lakatos & László sp. nov., is described and illustrated from east-central Europe (Romania and Hungary). The species was reared from black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) seedpod samples, where it most likely parasitizes the black locust’s seed predator Bruchophagus robiniae Zerova, 1970. Here we present the new species and report on its ecological relationships within the European seed predator community of black locust. We also give details regarding type material and type locality, a detailed description with images, a differential diagnosis of the new species, and a modifi cation to the identifi cation key published by Graham (1969), that distinguishes this new species from closely related species. In addition, we provide information on the distribution, biology and results of barcoding analysis. We also provide the DNA sequence data to complement the morphological taxonomy.
Chromate-free conversion coatings for aluminum

This paper presents filiform, neutral salt-spray, electrical conductivity and paint adhesion data on a commercially available and environmentally friendly conversion coating system for cast and wrought aluminum alloys. All test data is presented in direct comparison to standard chrome - chromate conversion coatings on castings and wrought alloys. Hexavalent chromium used in conversion coating systems is a known carcinogen. European Union End-of-Life-Vehicles (ELV) Directives specified a limit of 2 g of hexavalent chromium per vehicle entering the European market after July 1, 2007. This conversion coating system will exceed these specifications.
Klasifikasi Jenis Pemeliharaan dan Perawatan Container Crane menggunakan Algoritma Machine Learning

Pada industri jasa pelayanan peti kemas, Terminal Nilam merupakan pelanggan dari PT. BIMA, yang secara khusus bergerak dibidang jasa perbaikan dan perawatan alat berat. Terminal ini menjadi sentral tempat untuk melakukan aktifitas bongkar muat peti kemas domestik yang memiliki empat buah container crane untuk melayani dua kapal. Proses perawatan alat berat seperti container crane yang selama ini beroperasi, agaknya kurang memperhatikan data pengelompokkan atau klasifikasi jenis perawatan yang dibutuhkan oleh alat berat tersebut. Di kemudian hari, alat berat dapat menunjukkan kinerja yang tidak maksimal bahkan dapat berujung pada kecelakaan kerja. Selain itu, kelalaian perawatan container crane juga dapat menyebabkan pembengkakan biaya perawatan lanjut. Target produksi bongkar muat dapat berkurang dan juga keterlambatan jadwal kapal sandar sangat mungkin terjadi. Metode pembelajaran menggunakan mesin atau biasa disebut dengan Machine Learning (ML), dengan mudah dapat melenyapkan kemungkinan-kemungkinan tersebut. ML dalam penelitian ini, kami rancang agar bekerja dengan mengidentifikasi lalu mengelompokkan jenis perawatan container crane yang sesuai, yaitu ringan atau berat. Metode ML yang pilih untuk digunakan dalam penelitian ini yaitu Random Forest, Support Vector Machine, k-Nearest Neighbor, Naïve Bayes, Logistic Regression, J48, dan Decision Tree. Penelitian ini menunjukkan keberhasilan ML model tree dalam melakukan pembelajaran jenis data perawatan container crane (numerik dan kategoris), dengan J48 menunjukkan performa terbaik dengan nilai akurasi dan nilai ROC-AUC mencapai 99,1%. Pertimbangan klasifikasi kami lakukan dengan mengacu kepada tanggal terakhir perawatan, hour meter, breakdown, shutdown, dan sparepart.
Perception of American English consonants /v/ and /w/ by Hindi speakers of English

This study examined perception of the American English (AE) /v/-/w/ consonant contrast by Hindi speakers of English as a second language (L2). A second aim was to determine whether residence in the US modulated perception of this difficult contrast for proficient bilingual Hindi-English listeners. Two groups of Hindi-English bilinguals (the first resided in the US for more than five years, the second lived in India) and a group of AE-speaking listeners participated in the study. Listeners’ identification and discrimination of nonsense words (e.g., “vagag” vs. “wagag”) were examined. Hindi listeners performed significantly less accurately than AE controls. Accuracy by Hindi listeners was near chance for identification and higher-than-chance for discrimination. Exposure to AE in the US did not improve performance. These results are consistent with previous studies of late L2 learners and extend findings to a population that was proficient in an L2 before arriving in the L2 environment.
Greening of the boreal peatland food web: Periphyton supports secondary production in northern peatlands

Characterizing spatial and temporal variability of food web dynamics is necessary to predict how wetter and more nutrient‐rich conditions expected with climate change will influence the fate of organic matter within northern peatlands. The goals of this study were to (1) document spatial and temporal variability in the contribution of periphyton to peatland food webs using isotope analysis (13C and 15N), and (2) quantify the influence of increased nutrient availability on primary and secondary production across a gradient of rich, moderate, and poor fen peatlands common to the northern boreal biome. We established replicate m2 plots within each fen located in interior Alaska to quantify periphyton (algae and bacteria) and macroinvertebrate biomass with and without nutrient addition throughout a growing season (May–August). Stable isotope analysis showed that periphyton contributed x¯ = 65% of organic matter to the food web over time and across fens compared to x¯ = 7% from plants or detritus. The transfer of basal resources was reflected in an increase in herbivore biomass as algal biomass increased over time in all fens, followed by an increase in predatory macroinvertebrates during the latter part of the growing season. Furthermore, all measures of periphyton and macroinvertebrate biomass were enhanced by nutrient addition. These data provide insight into patterns of natural variation within the aquatic food web of boreal peatlands and show that basal resources within this ecosystem, which are generally considered to be “detritus‐based,” are actually driven by periphyton with minimal input from plant detrital pathways.
Organic Beekeeping Practices in Romania: Status and Perspectives towards a Sustainable Development

Romanian beekeeping faces a lot of challenges nowadays due to the problems related to climate change, the use of pesticides in agriculture, but also to the pandemic crisis. In this context, organic beekeeping represents an important alternative to traditional apicultural practices. The purpose of the study was to present the current situation of organic beekeeping in Romania, but also to identify some aspects related to sustainability. The research methodology was based on secondary and primary data. An online survey was conducted in 2020 on a sample of 433 Romanian beekeepers. The main findings showed that the majority of participants were aware of organic principles and were familiar with the concept of sustainability in beekeeping. However, only a small percentage of beekeepers were certified in the organic system. The evaluation of the concept of sustainability showed that the most important factor for the surveyed beekeepers was the environmental aspect, followed by the economic and social components. The pandemic crisis has negatively impacted the beekeepers’ activities due to travel restrictions and the limited access to the apiaries. If, in economic terms, they were affected by the sales drop in the first months of the crisis, there were also some positive effects such as the increase in demand for health-related products.
Coping with oil spills: oil exposure and anxiety among residents of Gulf Coast states after the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill

In April 2010, a fatal explosion on the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig in the Gulf of Mexico resulted in the largest marine oil spill in history. This research describes the association of oil exposure with anxiety after the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and evaluates effect modification by self-mastery, emotional support and cleanup participation. To assess the impacts of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) conducted the Gulf States Population Survey (GSPS), a random-digit-dial telephone cross-sectional survey completed between December 2010 and December 2011 with 38,361 responses in four different Gulf Coast states: Louisiana, Florida, Alabama and Mississippi. Anxiety severity was measured using the Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD) symptom inventory. We used Tobit regression to model underlying anxiety as a function of oil exposure and hypothesised effect modifiers, adjusting for socio-demographics. Latent anxiety was higher among those with direct contact with oil than among those who did not have direct contact with oil in confounder-adjusted models [β = 2.84, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.78, 4.91]. Among individuals with direct contact with oil, there was no significant interaction between participating in cleanup activities and emotional support for anxiety (p = 0.20). However, among those with direct contact with oil, in confounder-adjusted models, participation in oil spill cleanup activities was associated with lower latent anxiety (β = −3.55, 95% CI: −6.15, −0.95). Oil contact was associated with greater anxiety, but this association appeared to be mitigated by cleanup participation.
Preliminary Analysis of a Lightweight and Deployable Soft Robot for Space Applications

The rising interest in soft robotics, combined to the increasing applications in the space industry, leads to the development of novel lightweight and deployable robotic systems, that could be easily contained in a relatively small package to be deployed when required. The main challenges for soft robotic systems are the low force exertion and the control complexity. In this manuscript, a soft manipulator concept, having inflatable links, is introduced to face these issues. A prototype of the inflatable link is manufactured and statically characterized using a pseudo-rigid body model on varying inflation pressure. Moreover, the full robot model and algorithms for the load and pose estimation are presented. Finally, a control strategy, using inverse kinematics and an elastostatic approach, is developed. Experimental results provide input data for the control algorithm, and its validity domain is discussed on the basis of a simulation model. This preliminary analysis puts the basis of future advancements in building the robot prototype and developing dynamic models and robust control.
Can tourism help to revive shrinking cities? An examination of Chinese case

Urban shrinkage has become a global phenomenon. Although China is still experiencing rapid urbanization, population losses arise in an increasing number of cities. As a booming industry, tourism is expected as a mean to create jobs and curb population loss. Can tourism industry contribute to revive the shrinking cities? Based on panel data of 54 shrinking cities in China, this article explores effects of tourism development on shrinking cities. The results show that there is no evidence that tourism has a significant impact on the population of the shrinking cities. However, tourism shows positive effects on these cities in terms of many aspects, including urban economy, employment, investment, and consumption. This indicates that tourism can revive shrinking cities by economic boom, rather than population growth.
The impact of compassionate mind training on qualified health professionals undertaking a compassion‐focused therapy module

This paper reports on a study exploring the impact of compassionate mind training [CMT] on 15 qualified health professionals, counsellors, psychotherapists, a psychological well‐being practitioner and a registered mental health practitioner, enrolled on a compassion‐focused therapy [CFT] module. For the purpose of this paper, those undertaking the course are referred to as ‘students’, as CFT and CMT were new to all those enrolled on the module.