Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Effect of Aging on the Cracking Resistance of Recycled Asphalt

Fatigue cracking is an important concern when a high percentage of Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP) is used in an asphalt mixture. The aging of the asphalt binder reduces its ductility and makes the pavement more susceptible to cracking. Rejuvenators are often added to high-RAP mixtures to enhance their performance. The aging of a rejuvenated binder is different from virgin asphalt. Therefore, the effect of aging on a recycled asphalt mixture can be different from its effect on a new one. This study evaluated the cracking resistance of 100% recycled asphalt binders and mixtures and investigated the effect of aging on this performance parameter. The cracking resistance of the binder samples was tested by a Bending Beam Rheometer. An accelerated pavement weathering system was used to age the asphalt mixtures and their cracking resistance was evaluated by the Texas Overlay Test. The results from binder and mixture tests mutually indicated that rejuvenated asphalt has a significantly better cracking resistance than virgin asphalt. Rejuvenated mixtures generally aged more rapidly, and the rate of aging was different for different rejuvenators.
Combined wind turbine fatigue and ultimate load reduction by individual blade control

If each blade of the wind turbine has individual pitch actuator, there is possibility of employing the pitch system to mitigate structural loads through advanced control methods. Previously, considerable reduction of blade lifetime equivalent fatigue loads has been achieved by Individual Blade Control (IBC) and in addition, it has also been shown the potential in blade ultimate loads reduction. However, both fatigue and ultimate loads impact on the design and life of wind turbine blades. In this paper, the design and application of IBC that concurrently reduce both blade fatigue and ultimate loads is investigated. The contributions of blade load spectral components, which are 1P, 2P and edgewise mode from blade in-plane and/or out-of-plane bending moments, are firstly explored. Four different control options for reducing various combinations of these load components are compared. In response to the different spectral peaks of both fatigue and ultimate loads, the controller has been designed so that it can act on different frequency components which vary with wind speed. The performance of the IBC controller on fatigue and ultimate load reduction is assessed by simulating a 5MW exemplar wind turbine. Simulation results show that with a proper selection of controlling inputs at different wind speed, the use of a single combined IBC can achieve satisfactory reduction on both fatigue and ultimate loads.
Does Trade Among ASEAN Members Promote Efficiency? Sectoral Evidence from the Gravity Model*

This study investigates whether intra-ASEAN trade represents higher trade with efficient members (trade creating) or with inefficient members (trade diverting). Since ASEAN integration efforts are geared toward “open regionalism”, factors affecting both inter-industry and intra-industry trade at the disaggregated level are also identified. Using the extended gravity model, intra-ASEAN trade with efficient members is found for total exports, mainly contributed by five sectors: beverages & tobacco, minerals & fuels, chemicals & materials, machinery & transport equipment, and miscellaneous manufactures. Thus, this study finds that only „good‟, i.e., efficient intra-regional trade is taking place within ASEAN, which is in line with the objective of establishing the ASEAN Economic Community. Income levels, transportation costs as well as level of development are shown to have a significant effect on total trade as well as on most sectors. Based on the findings, the study provides policy recommendations to promote higher trade for ASEAN members.
Are Wages and Productivity in Zimbabwe Affected by Human Capital Investment and International Trade?

To analyze what determines wages and productivity in Zimbabwe, the author analyzes an employer/employee data-set from Zimbabwe's manufacturing sector. The author finds that: * Formal education, training, and experience positively affect wages and productivity positively. * Women are paid roughly 37 percent less than men although they are not measurably less productive. * There is no strong indication of ethnic discrimination among employees, but Europeans are being paid more in larger firms, although they are marginally less productive than workers of African origin. * The wage premium for workers who completed secondary school does not necessarily reflect greater productivity but may indicate a shortage of educated workers. * Workers trained in-house earn more although in-house training does not instantly affect productivity. Training by outside trainers does improve productivity but is not rewarded with higher wages. * Apprentices are paid more than non-apprentices. Perhaps an apprentice diploma serves as a screening device, when hiring. * Temporary workers are more productive than permanent workers, perhaps hoping to get a permanent contract. * Union members earn less than non-union members despite being more productive. Perhaps union members fight more to have skills upgraded than for wage increases. * Larger exporting firms are marginally less productive and pay marginally less than the average firm, but ar more productive than smaller firms (and their wages match productivity). Workers in larger woods and metals are paid less than workers in smaller firms, although they are not less productive. * Exporting firms benefit more than employees do from trade openness and greater productivity. * Foreign-owned firms are more productive than other firms (perhaps because of new technology). * Firms that employ more expatriates tend to pay more. The more expatriates there are in metals firms, the more productive the employees are, perhaps because the expatriates bring knowledge about new technology to the enterprise. * Employees in the metal and textile sectors are paid more than those in the food sector, but employees in metals are less productive than employees from other sectors.
A Light-weight Emotion Model for Non-Player Characters in a Video Game

Displaying believable emotional reactions in virtual characters is required in applications ranging from virtual-reality trainers to video games. Manual scripting is the most frequently used method and enables an arbitrarily high fidelity of the emotions displayed. However, scripting is labor intense and thus greatly reduces the scope of emotions displayed and emotionally affected behavior in virtual characters. As a result, only a few virtual characters can display believable emotions and only in pre-scripted encounters. In this thesis we implement and evaluate a light-weight algorithm for procedurally controlling both emotionally affected behavior and emotional appearance of a virtual character. The algorithm is based on two psychological models of emotions: conservation of resources and appraisal. The former component controls emotionally affected behavior of a virtual character whereas the latter generates explicit numeric descriptors of the character’s emotions which can be used to drive the character’s appearance. We implement the algorithm in a simple testbed and compare it to two baseline approaches via a user study. Human participants judged the emotions displayed by the algorithm to be more believable than those of the baselines.
Attachment mechanism in a highly specific association between ectosymbiotic bacteria and marine nematodes

The marine Stilbonematinae (Nematoda) are known for their highly specific mutualistic association with thiotrophic ectosymbiotic bacteria. The mechanism mediating recognition and binding between symbionts and host was studied in 5 host species. When incubated with D-mannose and L-rhamnose the symbionts detached in 2 species, Laxus cosmopolitus and L. oneistus, most likely due to competitive interactions with sugars involved in the binding mechanism; 3 other species, Stilbonema maium, Eubostrichus topiarius and E. dianae, did not lose their bacteria during any tested sugar incubations. Incubations with lectins binding specifically to D-glucose/D-mannose (ConA, concanavalin agglutinin) and to D-mannose (NPA, Narcissus pseudonarcissus agglutinin) respec- tively, both in vivo and on ultrathin sections, confirmed that accessible D-mannose is located on the symbionts of L. cosmopolitus, but not on the host's surface. Our results showed an involvement of D-mannose and L-rhamnose residues of the bacterial surface in the attachment mechanism. We hypo- thesize that the recognition and binding of the environmentally transmitted symbionts in the 2 Laxus species, which harbor only 1 phylotype of symbiotic γ-proteobacterium each, is most probably mediated through a yet unknown mannose/rhamnose-specific lectin of host origin.
Allometric Method to Estimate Leaf Area Index for Row Crops

883 Leaf area index is a fundamental plant physiological variable, but is one of the most challenging to measure or estimate (Bréda, 2003). For most applications involving broadleaf plants (i.e., crops), LAI is defi ned as the one-sided leaf tissue area per unit ground area (Watson, 1947). Leaf area index interacts with practically every aspect of the mass and energy balance of vegetated surfaces. Th erefore, LAI has direct bearing on the radiation balance, net primary production, evapotranspiration (ET), and carbon and other gas exchange (Norman and Campbell, 1989). It follows that the quality of LAI measurements or estimates will impact any model involving the mass or energy balance of vegetated surfaces. Ground-based or in situ methods to quantify LAI have been broadly described as direct, semi-direct, or indirect (Chen et al., 1997; Bréda, 2003; Jonckheere et al., 2004; Weiss et al., 2004). Direct and semi-direct methods include destructive plant harvesting and nondestructive methods, such as litter collection and allometric methods. Destructive plant harvesting is the most direct and usually accurate method, but it is limited to smaller plants (i.e., crops, pasture, shrubs) and limited areas (i.e., a few point samples in a fi eld due to its destructive nature and substantial labor requirements). Litter collection, while nondestructive, is limited to deciduous species and requires careful siting and maintenance of litter traps. Allometric methods are also nondestructive, have been successfully used for many vegetation types, and can be applied to larger areas. However, allometric methods are based on empirical relationships with some other (more easily measured) morphometric variable(s), such as leaf size, leaf shape, dry matter, or diameter at breast height, and hence may be siteand season-specifi c (Bréda, 2003). In contrast with direct and semi-direct methods, indirect methods usually entail non-contact approaches, such as irradiance extinction or optical analysis (e.g., hemispherical photography), and infer LAI based Allometric Method to Estimate Leaf Area Index for Row Crops
Finite-size effects in transport data from quantum Monte Carlo simulations

We have examined the behavior of the compressibility, the dc-conductivity, the single-particle gap, and the Drude weight as probes of the density-driven metal-insulator transition in the Hubbard model on a square lattice. These quantities have been obtained through determinantal quantum Monte Carlo simulations at finite temperatures on lattices up to 16 X 16 sites. While the compressibility, the dc-conductivity, and the gap are known to suffer from `closed-shell' effects due to the presence of artificial gaps in the spectrum (caused by the finiteness of the lattices), we have established that the former tracks the average sign of the fermionic determinant ( ), and that a shortcut often used to calculate the conductivity may neglect important corrections. Our systematic analyses also show that, by contrast, the Drude weight is not too sensitive to finite-size effects, being much more reliable as a probe to the insulating state. We have also investigated the influence of the discrete imaginary-time interval (\Delta\tau) on , on the average density (\rho), and on the double occupancy (d): we have found that and \rho are more strongly dependent on \Delta \tau away from closed-shell configurations, but d follows the \Delta\tau^2 dependence in both closed- and open-shell cases.
A specialisation of the Europeana Data Model for the representation of manuscripts: The DM2E model

The RDF-based Europeana Data Model (EDM) (EDM Primer, 2013) is used by Europeana, the European Digital Library, for representing heterogeneous data coming from museums, libraries, archives and galleries. The model combines various standards and existing ontologies and is very generic to suit many different cases. In order to represent rich metadata, the EDM can be specialised for specific domains as done by the Digitised Manuscripts to Europeana (DM2E) project for the domain of handwritten manuscripts with the DM2E model. Before creating the DM2E model, decisions on a general modelling approach had to be made including the method of reusing external resources (Droge, Iwanowa et al., 2013), decisions on the granularity of the specialisation and instruments of documentation. Model-related research questions are: What is the best way for creating a shared ontology for representing manuscripts in a digital library and how can diverse ontology requirements be combined without leading to a model which is too general? The first step in the model creation was to analyse the metadata about manuscripts coming from different data providers and in different formats like TEI, METS/MODS, MARC21 or provider-specific schemas. Furthermore, it was investigated if the data meets the mandatory requirements of the EDM. Additional properties, classes, resource definitions, restrictions and recommendations were added to the EDM which resulted in the DM2E model. The first operational version of the model was created in April 2013 and since then iteratively refined. New functions of the model include the representation of uncertain timespans and hierarchical objects. The DM2E model will be discussed in its current representation. First mappings from provided data to the model will be analysed. Data mapped to the DM2E model is dereferenceable and will not only be delivered to Europeana but also be available via a LOD access point (Heath & Bizer, 2011). Keywords : DM2E Model, Europeana Data Model, Linked Data, Ontology Development, Digital Libraries.
The Evolution of Loyalty Intentions

The drivers of customer loyalty intentions are dynamic. What remains unclear is how these intentions evolve through the introduction and growth phases of a life cycle. Using a longitudinal study of cellular phone customers, the authors demonstrate that loyalty intentions are a function of perceived value early in the life cycle. Over time, more affective attitudes toward the brand and the relationship with the company come to mediate the effects of value on intentions. The results suggest that from the introduction to the growth stage of a life cycle, managers must adapt from improving value per se to measuring and managing relationships and brands directly.
The willingness-to-pay for Caplanian irrationality

Bryan Caplan’s The Myth of the Rational Voter popularizes the “near-neoclassical” demand curve for irrationality. This article attempts to show that there is a demand for irrationality at prices higher than zero. This may change policy implications. Many instances of consumer behavior, such as paying a premium for locally produced and “fair trade” goods, the use of local currencies, and the failure to vaccinate children, are other instances of the means-ends irrationality that Caplan observes in political markets.
Single step multiplex RT-PCR for detection and differential diagnosis of avian influenza, newcastle disease and infectious bursal disease viruses in chicken

Avian Influenza (AI), Newcastle Disease (ND) and Infectious Bursal Disease (IBD) are highly contagious diseases with high occurrence in poultry. These 3 viral diseases are a major cause of disease problems in the poultry industry in Indonesia. The classical methods for detection and characterization of the etiological agents are by clinical sign, serological test, immunodiffusion test, pathology, histopathology and virus isolation. Since these conventional laboratory method have low sensitivity and specificity, the rapid diagnostic tool based on molecular technique are needed. Rapid detection and differential diagnosis for viral diseases have an important implication in clinical, economical and epidemiological aspects. RT-PCR amplification for diagnosis of viral disease in poultry industry is common used. This method can detect virus as etiological agent in poultry disease. Multiplex RT-PCR involves simultaneous amplification of more than one infectious agent using more than primer pair. In the present study, we developed a single step multiplex RT-PCR method, which can help in rapid detection and differentiation viruses as an etiological agent of AI, ND and IBD diseases. The method is highly sensitivity, specificity, fast and less expensive. The results showed that the single step multiplex RT-PCR method has been developed to rapid detection and differential diagnose for AI, ND and IBD viruses simultaneously in one step amplification reaction. This method is simple and easy for laboratory diagnosis application as well as specific and efficient to diagnose of viral diseases in poultry
Synthesis of a One-Dimensional Coordination Polymer of Nickel(II) Complex with a β-Oxodithioester Ligand

Bis-[methyl-1-hydroxy-1-cyclopentene-2-dithiocarboxylate-O,S]nickel(II) 1 was prepared starting from methyl 2-hydroxycyclopent-1-encarbodithioate ligand (CPDT) and Ni(II), and catena-[(μ2-4,4′-Bipyril)-bis-(methyl-2-hydroxy-1-cyclopentene-2-dithiocarboxylate-O,S)]nickel(ΙΙ) 2 was prepared in good yields from 1 plus 4,4′-bipyridyl (bpy) by shish-kebab methodology. The structure of 1 was confirmed by FTIR, elemental analysis, 1H NMR, UV–vis in chloroform solution and in solid, XPS, and PXRD. Compound 2 was characterized by FTIR, elemental analysis, UV–vis in chloroform solution, and in solid, XPS, PXRD, ESR, and solid state magnetization measurements. The structure of the polymer was established mostly by PXRD, ESR, and magnetization.
Biomedical potential of cyanobacteria and algae

Cyanobacteria have appeared on the primordial Earth over three billion years ago and still thrive in most habitats. These photosynthetic microbes have remarkable genetic plasticity and variability and have evolved an amazing arsenal of biochemical pathways that exert defence mechanisms and produce metabolites unique to them. By forming plastids, endosymbiont cyanobacteria contributed to the development of plants. Algae, the simplest plants, thrive in similar habitats and face the same challenges of the ever changing environment as cyanobacteria; and they have maintained similarity to them, with respect to production of unique metabolites and utilizing unique pathways. The exploration of these natural compounds and the biochemical pathways leading to their production provide excellent tools in fighting some major challenge that mankind needs to face in our days. In this contribution we briefly list the benefits that the genetics of these microbes and the produced compounds can offer, with emphasis on possible medical relevance. We mention applications in basic science, industry and agriculture, and list the potentials in medical drug development, therapy and nutrition of some enzymes, polysaccharides, polyphenols, pigments, peptides and lipids, among others, in the current state of the world-wide research on the topic.
The role of the Hall effect in the global structure and dynamics of planetary magnetospheres: Ganymede as a case study

We present high‐resolution Hall MHD simulations of Ganymede's magnetosphere demonstrating that Hall electric fields in ion‐scale magnetic reconnection layers have significant global effects not captured in resistive MHD simulations. Consistent with local kinetic simulations of magnetic reconnection, our global simulations show the development of intense field‐aligned currents along the magnetic separatrices. These currents extend all the way down to the moon's surface, where they may contribute to Ganymede's aurora. Within the magnetopause and magnetotail current sheets, Hall J × B forces accelerate ions to the local Alfvén speed in the out‐of‐plane direction, producing a global system of ion drift belts that circulates Jovian magnetospheric plasma throughout Ganymede's magnetosphere. We discuss some observable consequences of these Hall‐induced currents and ion drifts: the appearance of a sub‐Jovian “double magnetopause” structure, an Alfvénic ion jet extending across the upstream magnetopause, and an asymmetric pattern of magnetopause Kelvin‐Helmholtz waves.
Reaping and sowing the news from an Arab Spring: the politicised interaction between traditional and alternative journalistic practitioners

The ‘Arab Spring’ has been discussed in the mainstream media as a ‘social media revolution’; a seismic shift away from the traditional news correspondence towards an era of citizen journalism and social media reporting. This paper reports on a preliminary analysis of the ways in which mainstream and alternative modes of journalistic practice in particular, interacted during the initial months of protest in Egypt and Libya in 2011. Using both quantitative and qualitative forms of analysis of mainstream news reports as well as social media and blogging, the paper compares the ways in which the two modes of journalistic practice collaborated to disseminate news and information about the protests. The preliminary analysis indicates that productive interactions did occur and led to changes in traditional journalistic practice, though true collaboration was hindered by the organisational constraints posed by the reporting practices of each group.
Interactive comment on “ Assessment of vadose zone sampling methods for detection of preferential herbicide transport ” by N

This study adds to the dissemination of well established facts. The authors correctly address the problem by stating that “. practitioner awareness (of preferential flow) lagged . ”. Practitioners in this sense probably include not primarily the agronomic consultants and extension specialists, but rather the scientists and administrators involved in pesticide regulation (as for instance, in the OECD). It does make sense to confront a wide segment of readers – as reached by HESS – with another set of experimental results about the sampling problem of chemical transport in soils under partly water-unsaturated conditions. The question is, however, whether those who need this additional lesson actually read HESS. Nevertheless, I advocate to make this informa-
Influences of T-stress on constraint effect in mismatched modified boundary layer model for creep crack

Constraint effect plays an important role in assessing the stress field and the growth rate of creep crack in components under high temperature. The mismatched modified boundary layer (MMBL) model is extended to creep crack in this paper. For the MMBL model, the Q-parameters for different mismatch factors are studied under different T-stresses. The variation of the dimensionless T-stress in creep zone is given. The variations of open stresses with creep time for different mismatch factors are presented under different T-stresses. The comparisons of Q-parameter between homogeneous material and mismatched materials are made. The influences of mismatch factor on the constraint parameter are discussed. The influence of creep exponent on the open stress is also discussed.