Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Temporal development of crown condition of Picea abies: Two-step approach using statistical and geostatistical methods

The aim of the presented Internal Report 2001 is to analyse the temporal development of defoliation of Picea abies in Europe by means of the transnational Level I data set. Additional external deposition and meteorological data are used to describe the influence of single stress factors. Evaluations are conducted using multivariate linear models in a two step analysis. Step 1 evaluates variables that were available in annual or higher time resolution in relation to annual mean plot defoliation for the years 1994 to 2000. The regression coefficient for the interaction term 'year*plotid' is interpreted as plot-wise time trend. It is presented in maps and after a geostatistical analysis detecting spatial autocorrelation interpolated by the geostatistical method 'kriging'. Rooted mean squared errors (RMSE) are calculated for all plots. They give a sensitive measure for the discontinuity of defoliation development and serve as a conservative estimate for the accuracy of the linear models offering a tool for quality control when interpreting the time trends. Results of step 1 show significant influences of insects, age and country as well as their interaction terms on annual mean defoliation. Time trends were only significant for plots and countries, which shows that for Picea abies there is no significant mean European wide trend. Fungi gave implausible results, whereas summer precipitation showed insignificant but mostly plausible effects. Larger regions with deteriorating defoliation are observed in southern Sweden and Finland, in Estonia as well as in alpine regions of Switzerland, Austria, and Slovenia. Improving crown condition is observed in northern Scandinavia, Lithuania, southern Poland, and in Slovakia. The analysis of the RMSE reveals single plots with extreme defoliation values, these could however only be partly explained by information available from the Level I data base. The interpretation of time trends at these plots has to be conducted with care. Step 2 of the analysis is the explanation of plot-wise time trends and RMSE values by predictors of low temporal resolution. Preliminary results show that trends of defoliation are correlated with the difference in SOx deposition between 1998 and 1997, with water availability and base saturation. The promising results for sulphur deposition underline the necessity to include annual deposition values into step 1 of the analysis in the future. Site characteristics may show closer correlation when combined with meteorological data of higher time resolution. After discussion of the results in an editorial group the evaluations are foreseen to be extended and applied to other main tree species for a presentation in the Forest Condition Report of UN/ECE and EU in 2002.
An analysis of consumers' perception of the quality of the Etna DOC wine*

In advanced societies, the behaviour of consumers is very variable and produces continuous change. This is mainly due to socio-economic changes and to modifications in the modern style of living. These evolutionary processes brought about a different “approach” to the consumption of alcoholic drinks, in particular wine. With reference to wine, two diametrically opposed phenomena have been observed over the last decade. Actually, if on the one hand there has been a reduction in consumption of table wine, on the other hand there has been greater demand for quality wines. Over the last few years, indeed, an increasing attention has been paid to DOC, DOCG and IGT wines (registered designation of origin, registered and guaranteed designation of origin and typical geographical indication, respectively), gathering together elements of quality and of regional specificity. Hence, wine became a source of pleasure with a strong high hedonistic character that is increasingly destined to stir up “emotions”. In the context of the new food consumption trends, the educated, aware, informed, careful and selective consumer looks for quality as a means of ensuring differentiation, and for those traditions that only a “quality” product coming from small areas is able to produce. The present paper aims at analysing the perception of the wine quality (Etna DOC) through the application of a conjoint analysis.
Stationary configurations of the Standard Model Higgs potential: electroweak stability and rising inflection point

We study the gauge-independent observables associated with two interesting stationary configurations of the Standard Model Higgs potential (extrapolated to high energy according to the present state of the art, namely the NNLO): i) the value of the top mass ensuring stability of the SM electroweak minimum, and ii) the value of the Higgs potential at a rising inflection point. We examine in detail and reappraise the experimental and theoretical uncertainties which plague their determination, finding that: i) stability of the SM is compatible with the present data at the 1.5 sigma level; ii) despite the large theoretical error plaguing the value of the Higgs potential at a rising inflection point, application of such configuration to models of primordial inflation displays a 3 sigma tension with the recent bounds on the tensor-to-scalar ratio of cosmological perturbations.
Cultural Offer and Distance in a Spatial Interaction Model for Tourism

Culture is more and more considered as an important driver of tourism. However, it is critical, for policymakers, to evaluate the potential returns from investments in culture and generally cultural offer, in particular in multiregion settings with a potentially inefficient distribution of cultural offer. Our paper focuses on the role of distance (between the tourist’s origin and destination regions) in mediating the tourism impact of cultural offer. This research question is investigated by means of a spatial interaction model, applied to the case of Italian domestic tourism. We find that distance indeed matters: a destination’s endowment in culture appears to be more attractive for long-distance tourists, while an origin region’s endowment seems to dinsincentivate long-distance trips to a greater extent.
QTL alleles from a winter feed type can improve malting quality in barley

Mapping quantitative trait loci (QTLs) responsible for malting quality traits in barley populations has been the main genetic approach to malting quality breeding. A ‘winter × spring’ doubled haploid barley population ‘Nure’ × ‘Tremois’, where such traits were segregating, has been recently developed. Our objective was to map QTLs for malting quality from 2 years of trials in two contrasting locations. QTLs were found on six chromosomes, with a main cluster on chromosome 1H. For wort viscosity and malt extract, favourable alleles at two loci on chromosome 5H were carried by the winter feeding parent ‘Nure’. Doubled-haploids with higher quality than the spring malting cultivar ‘Tremois’ showed either a facultative or a winter growth habit and a level of frost tolerance comparable with that of the winter tolerant parent ‘Nure’. Markers and QTLs of quality traits were further validated on a separate set of DH lines, coming from the same cross, by means of marker-assisted selection. This showed that, at least in the present cross combination, positive contributions to malting quality can be found in winter feed barley.
Two Approaches to Solving $l_1$-Regularized Least Squares with Application to Truss Topology Design

Many real-world problems may lead to minimization of a non-differentiable convex function of large number of variables. In this paper, we study two different approaches for solving the so-called $l_1$-regularized least squares problem. We apply and compare two competing methods of convex optimization for solving this problem, namely the proximal gradient method and the interior-point method. We describe two specialized inexact interior point methods for solving the $l_1$-regularized least squares problem and compare them with three different versions of the proximal gradient method known from literature. We illustrate performance of these methods on a truss topology design problem with more than 35000 variables. Both methods are compared, analyzed and a discussion on the performance is provided.
Impact of anthelmintic efficacy of Calotropis procera on tegumental enzymes of the trematode, Gastrothylax indicus

The trematode parasite, Gastrothylax indicus was exposed to ethanolic and aqueous flower extract of Calotropis procera to evaluate the anthelmintic efficacy of the plant. The parasites were incubated in 6.25, 12.5, 25, 50 mg ethanolic and aqueous extracts per ml of PBS at a temp of 37± 1oC. Mortality was observed at 0.5± 0.05h and 0.75± 0.10h for ethanolic and aqueous extracts respectively for the parasite at the highest test concentration of the plant extract. The commercial anthelmintic albendazole was tested for various concentrations ranged from 20-80 μg/ml and mortality was observed instantly (0.08±0.01h) at the concentration of 80 μg/ml. To further investigate the efficacy of plant extract, vital tegumental enzymes of the parasite viz. Alkaline phosphatase (ALP), Acid phosphatase(ACP), Adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) and Glucose6phosphatase (G-6-pase) was found to be suppressed by 43.890, 30.287,18.970 and 22.842% by ethanolic extract and 62.710, 19.780, 57.554 and 10.035% by aqueous extract whereas albendazole inhibited 41.617, 25.650, 64.797 and 26.611% respectively. Enzyme kinetic studies showed inhibition to be non-competitive in case of ACP with both the extracts and albendazole whereas for ALP it was found to be noncompetitive with ethanolic and mixed type with aqueous extract. Albendazole showed competitive inhibition in case of ALP. KeywordsAnthelmintic, Calotropis procera, Gastrothylax indicus, Tegumental enzymes
Forensic Linguistics: Applying the Science of Linguistics to Issues of the Law

The well-established science of linguistics analyzes all aspects of human language. Linguistics has many subfields, including the study of language structure, sound patterns, the dynamics of language in interpersonal and intergroup communication, and the interplay of meaning, grammar, and context. In academic departments it is often paired with other neighboring disciplines such as cognitive science. The branch of linguistics known as “forensic linguistics” applies the science of linguistic investigation to issues of the law. Forensic linguistics augments legal analysis by applying rigorous, scientifically accepted principles of language analysis to legal evidence such as e-mails, text messages, contracts, letters, confessions, and recorded speech.
Macroscopic Violation of Duality Generated on a Laser Beam

It is shown theoretically and experimentally that passage of a laser beam through particular conventional Ronchi gratings prepares the beam in an altered state that violates quantum duality. The violation is characterized by a readily measured net transfer of energy between the prepared beam and an unmodified beam from a similar, independent laser. Notably, the experiment is conducted with the beams at macroscopic power levels where measurability of the duality-violating transfer is vastly improved over that of the discrete photon regime. These results are consistent with other recently reported experiments that have challenged the validity of the duality-related principle of complementarity.
Improved field emission currents of carbon nanotubes after laser irradiation

Field emission (FE) currents were measured for silver-pasted and glass-pasted single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) after illuminating the tubes with a pulsed 532 run laser. A very low turn-on field of approximately 0.4 V/μm and a high current density ∼1700 μA/cm 2 at 3.5 V/μm was obtained for the silver-pasted SWNTs after laser irradiation but on the whole, no improvements were found for the glass-pasted SWNTs. Two roles of laser irradiation for the silver-pasted SWNTs were proposed. First, the embedded SWNTs and SWNT bundles inside the silver paste were immerged on the outer surface due to an instantaneous melting or annealing of the silver metals by the laser resulting in an increase of the field emission sites. Second, the laser irradiation was thought to improve the electrical contact between SWNTs and the silver metal by reducing the contact resistance via laser-induced thermal annealing, which was responsible for increasing the FE currents.
A Tool for Beamforming and Real-Time Link Budget Analysis in Aeronautical Communications Using Kinematics

Aeronautical Communication (AC) systems are likely to be a part of future tiered communication network structures. Therefore maintaining a robust AC link with a minimum power burden on the host platform has a critical importance. In this paper, we analyze the AC systems from a link budget analysis point of view and define the requirements for the parameters of link budget with an emphasize on antenna gains. First, we study the link budget analysis in an AC system. Then, we present a mathematical framework to provide an end-to-end link budget analysis utilizing the platform kinematics. Finally, we present the numerical results for typical AC scenarios and discuss that these results can be used for calculating the real-time link budget and electronic beamforming to provide a robust link.
CHILD SUPPORT IN THE U.S.: CAN FATHERS AFFORD TO PAY MORE?

This paper presents up-to-date estimates of the ability of nonresident fathers to pay child support. While no nationally representative data exist on the incomes of fathers, this issue has become more pertinent in recent years, as child support has become an important national issue. The authors find that fathers on average are able to pay nearly five times more in child support than they currently pay and also that low-income fathers can afford to pay substantially more than they actually pay. They also find that changes in nonmarital childbearing and the returns to education have had only minimal effects on trends in fathers' incomes. Copyright 1997 by The International Association for Research in Income and Wealth.
Relationships of Chamaecyparis formosensis crown shape and parameters with thinning intensity and age

Taiwan red cypress (Chamaecyparis formosensis Matsum) is an indigenous and important cypress conifer with a broad area of natural forests and plantations in Taiwan. Because of the high economic value and multiple uses of the species, numerous researchers have studied its growth and yield within plantation forests. However, few studies have examined how the crown characteristics of the tree respond to different thinning regimes, particularly in the long run. The crown is a dominant outline of aboveground component of a tree that can sensitively reflect competitions from trees located nearby. This study evaluated the crown form of Taiwan red cypress at three different growth stages with different thinning intensities over 20 years. The study began in 1982, when the three plantations examined were aged 7, 15, and 21 years, and when thinning treatments began. In 2002, crown form parameters (CFPs) and crown profile equations (CPEs) were used to analyze the thinning effects at the tree level. Two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed that age class influenced most CFPs and that thinning treatments influenced all CFPs, indicating that both factors could simultaneously affect the CFPs. Moreover, the CPEs fit the observed data well for all age classes, demonstrating that the equation had a high capacity for predicting crown form. The CPEs were used to determine the mean crown shape profile for each thinning treatment and age class. According to the mean crown profile predicted by CPEs, we found that crown length and width increased with thinning intensity for all aged trees, especially after a heavy thinning treatment.
A radial basis neural network for the analysis of transportation data

This thesis describes the implementation of a Radial Basis Function (RBF) network to be used in predicting the effectiveness of various strategies for reducing the Vehicle Trip Rate (VTR) of a worksite. Three methods of learning were utilized in training the Gaussian hidden units of the network, those being a) output weight adjustment using the Delta rule b) adjustable reference vectors in conjunction with weight adjustment, and c) a combination of adjustable centers and adjustable sigma values for each RBF neuron with the Delta rule. The justification for utilizing each of the more advanced levels of training is provided using a series of tests and performance comparisons. The network architecture is then selected based upon a series of initial trials for an optimum number of hidden Radial Basis neurons. In a similar manner, the training time is determined after finding a maximum number of epochs during which there is a significant change in the SSE. The network was compared for effectiveness against each of the following methods of data analysis: force-entered regression, backward regression, forward regression, stepwise regression, and two types of back-propagation networks based upon the attributes discovered to be most predictive by these regression techniques.
Feature Subset Selection Algorithm for High-Minded Dimensional Data by Using Fast Cluster

-Feature selection involves recognizing a subset of the majority helpful features that produces attuned results as the unique set of features. Feature selection algorithm can be evaluated from mutually efficiency and effectiveness points of vision. FAST algorithm is proposed and then experimentally evaluated in this paper. FAST algorithm mechanism considering two steps. In the primary step, features are separated into clusters by means of graph-theoretic clustering methods. In the subsequent step, the majority delegate feature that is robustly connected to target classes is chosen from each cluster form a subset of features. The Features in unusual clusters are relatively self-governing the clustering-based approach of FAST has elevated possibility of producing a subset of useful features. in the direction of guarantee to the efficiency of FAST, we implement the efficient minimum-spanning tree clustering technique. general experiments are approved to contrast FAST and some delegate feature selection algorithms, namely, FCBF, ReliefF, CFS, Consist, and FOCUS-SF, by admiration to four types of famous classifiers, specifically, the probability-based Naive Bayes, the tree-based C4.5, the instance-based IB1, and the rule-based RIPPER and following feature selection .
Triangular Diplomacy and the End of the Vietnam War; Forcible Diplomacy and Feeble Bombings

The present study investigated the effects of shortand long-term memory on processes of selective attention during timbre discrimination. Pitch served as the distractor dimension, held constant on standard trials and deviating from the standard frequency on distractor trials. Shortterm memory was operationalized as levels of covariate context: Within a block of trials, pitch deviants (p=.28) were either absent (baseline condition), varied orthogonally (filtering condition) or systematically (positive and perfect conditions) with timbre values. Long-term memory was operationalized as levels of psychophysical context: Within a block of trials, the range of pitch change was psychophysically equated with timbre change in the low-imbalance condition, tilted slightly in favor of the distractor dimension in the medium imbalance condition, or tilted strongly in favor of the distractor dimension in the high imbalance condition. We found that the effects of imbalance (long-term memory) on subjects’ performance (accuracy and reaction time) were mediated by the degree of covariate context (short-term memory): The potency of the imbalance manipulation (low=best, high=worst) on distractor disruption (deviant minus standard) grew as the correlation between timbre and pitch increased from 0.0 (filtering), to . 72 (positive) to 1.0 (perfect). The results suggest an intimate relationship between attention and memory, with attention acting to suppress or resolve both shortand the long-term influences of distractor activation on target processing.
Visualization of Lamb Wave Interaction with a 5 mm Fatigue Crack using 1D Ultra High Frequency Laser Doppler Vibrometry

Elastic waves can travel across relatively large distances in thin metallic plates, and can be affected by discontinuities such as cracks. An important research area in guided wave SHM is the characterization of the lower limits of detectable damage and identification of measurement and signal processing techniques for reliable detection of damage at those limits. This paper presents the results of experimental measurements of Lamb waves collected using an ultra-high-frequency laser Doppler vibrometer (UHF-LDV). The two test articles were 3.175 mm thick aluminum plates with a small (1.59 mm) center hole added to facilitate growth of a fatigue crack. One plate was left undamaged while the second contained a 5 mm fatigue crack emanating from the hole. The UHF-LDV provides out-of-plane displacement measurements at a much greater temporal and spatial resolution than is possible with most other commercial LDV systems. Point spacing of approximately 0.5 mm was used in a 21 mm x 22 mm scan region centered on the hole and crack. PZT transducers were used to induce Lamb waves in the structure at frequencies from 400 to 600 kHz. The data show small but measureable differences in elastic wave propagation patterns between undamaged and damaged plates. Recommendations for additional analysis and future experiments are also provided.
In Silico Identification of Rice Gene Homologues in Brachypodium, Sorghum and Maize: Insight into Development of Gene Specific Markers

Rice, one of the important cereal species, is considered as a model for studying grass family. Whole rice genome is recently sequenced, fully annotated and hundreds of genes are characterized. Molecular resources in rice are ever increasing since the draft became publicly available and the information can be utilized to study other cereal genomes as well. This study presents a comprehensive identification of rice genes for important traits like biotic and abiotic stress tolerance and grain yield and design of gene-specific PCR-based markers. A total 925 functionally characterized genes for were identified through literature search and subjected for detection of their homologue counterparts in three different cereal species. The identified homologs found to be syntenic in their relationship with rice and appear to have shared a common ancestor. These selected rice genes were used to design gene-specific markers which have power of early prediction of the phenotype and can be exploited in marker assisted breeding and crop improvement programs. For designing gene-specific markers, sequences of homologous genes were mined for presence of microsatellite repeat motifs and primers were designed flanking the repeat motifs. We believe that these markers will find great usage in phenotyping for stress tolerance or any other trait of interest in related cereal crops and in selecting genotypes in breeding program aimed at transferring a particular gene in an elite genetic background.