Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Trait matching of flower visitors and crops predicts fruit set better than trait diversity

Understanding the relationships between trait diversity, species diversity and ecosystem functioning is essential for sustainable management. For functions comprising two trophic levels, trait matching between interacting partners should also drive functioning. However, the predictive ability of trait diversity and matching is unclear for most functions, particularly for crop pollination, where interacting partners did not necessarily co-evolve. World-wide, we collected data on traits of flower visitors and crops, visitation rates to crop flowers per insect species and fruit set in 469 fields of 33 crop systems. Through hierarchical mixed-effects models, we tested whether flower visitor trait diversity and/or trait matching between flower visitors and crops improve the prediction of crop fruit set (functioning) beyond flower visitor species diversity and abundance. Flower visitor trait diversity was positively related to fruit set, but surprisingly did not explain more variation than flower visitor species diversity. The best prediction of fruit set was obtained by matching traits of flower visitors (body size and mouthpart length) and crops (nectar accessibility of flowers) in addition to flower visitor abundance, species richness and species evenness. Fruit set increased with species richness, and more so in assemblages with high evenness, indicating that additional species of flower visitors contribute more to crop pollination when species abundances are similar.Synthesis and applications. Despite contrasting floral traits for crops world-wide, only the abundance of a few pollinator species is commonly managed for greater yield. Our results suggest that the identification and enhancement of pollinator species with traits matching those of the focal crop, as well as the enhancement of pollinator richness and evenness, will increase crop yield beyond current practices. Furthermore, we show that field practitioners can predict and manage agroecosystems for pollination services based on knowledge of just a few traits that are known for a wide range of flower visitor species. Despite contrasting floral traits for crops world-wide, only the abundance of a few pollinator species is commonly managed for greater yield. Our results suggest that the identification and enhancement of pollinator species with traits matching those of the focal crop, as well as the enhancement of pollinator richness and evenness, will increase crop yield beyond current practices. Furthermore, we show that field practitioners can predict and manage agroecosystems for pollination services based on knowledge of just a few traits that are known for a wide range of flower visitor species. Editor's Choice
M ar 2 01 8 Connecting dissipation and noncommutativity : A Bateman system case study

Quantum effects on a pair of Bateman oscillators embedded in an ambient noncommutative space (Moyal plane) is analyzed using both path integral and canonical quantization schemes within the framework of Hilbert-Schmidt operator formulation. We adopt a method which is distinct from the one which employs ’t Hooft’s scheme of quantization, carried out earlier in the literature where the ambient space was taken to be commutative. Our quantization shows that we end up finally again with a Bateman system except that the damping factor undergoes renormalization. The corresponding expression shows that the renormalized damping factor can be non-zero even if ”bare” one is zero to begin with. Conversely, the noncommuatative parameter θ, taken to be a free one now, can be fine-tuned to get a vanishing renormalized damping factor. This indicates a duality between dissipative commutative theory and non-dissipative noncommutative theory.
Randomized methods for matrix
 computations

This report surveys a number of randomized techniques that have recently been proposed for computing matrix factorizations and for analyzing high dimensional data sets. It presents some modifications to algorithms that have previously been published that increase efficiency and broaden the range of applicability of the methods. The report also describes classical (non-randomized) techniques for solving the same problems such as, e.g., Krylov methods, subspace iteration, and rank-revealing QR factorizations. Differences and similarities between classical and new methods are discussed, and guidance is provided on when to use which set of techniques. One chapter discusses so called "structure preserving" factorizations such as the Interpolative Decomposition (ID) and the CUR decomposition. The factors in these decompositions preserve certain properties of the original matrix such as sparsity of non-negativity, which both improves computational efficiency and helps with data interpretation.
A Phase Separation Inlet for Droplets, Ice Residuals, and Interstitial Aerosols

Abstract. A new inlet for studying the aerosols and hydrometeor residuals that compose mixed-phase clouds – the phaSe seParation Inlet for Droplets icE residuals and inteRstitial aerosols (SPIDER) – is described here. SPIDER combines an omni-directional inlet, a Large-Pumped Counterflow Virtual Impactor (L-PCVI), a flow tube evaporation chamber, and a Pumped Counterflow Virtual Impactor (PCVI) to separate droplets, ice crystals, and interstitial aerosols for simultaneous sampling. Laboratory verification tests of each individual component and the composite SPIDER system were conducted. SPIDER was deployed to Storm Peak Laboratory (SPL), a mountain-top research facility at 3210 m a.s. l. in the Rocky Mountains, for a three-week field campaign. SPIDER performance as a field instrument is presented with data that demonstrates its capability of separating distinct cloud elements and interstitial aerosol. Possible design improvements of SPIDER are also suggested.
The influence of drought and thinning on leaf area index estimates from canopy transmittance method

On analyse l'indice foliaire (LAI), la transmittance - dans la bande de la PAR et du rayonnement global - et le coefficient d'extinction de la lumiere (k) pour evaluer l'influence de la secheresse et des eclaircies sur le soin la methode d'evaluation du LAI par la mesure de la transmittance et sur les caracteristiques du couvert dans des peuplements de chene chevelu (Quercus cerris L). L'etude a concerne deux series de parcelles permanentes eclaircies ou non: la premiere placee dans l'Apennin central (Valsavignone) avec un ete moderement sec, la deuxieme pres de la cote tyrrhenienne (Caselli), caracterisee par une secheresse estivale plus marquee. Les differences de densite et du LAI, causees par le traitement sylvicole, ont influence de facon significative la transmittance au-dessous de la cime mais non la valeur du k. Au contraire, les differences climatiques ont modifie les caracteristiques des feuilles et la valeur du k, specifiquement calcule pour le chene chevelu. La variabilite des caracteristiques du couvert des peuplements toutefois n'a pas affecte la precision (erreur < ± 5 %) de l'evaluation du LAI par la mesure de la transmittance dans la bande de la PAR. On discute sur les adaptations des cimes pour reduire les effets de la secheresse et sur l'influence des telles modifications sur les valeurs de k.
Digestibilidade aparente e suplementação de fitase em alimentos vegetais para tilápia do Nilo - DOI: 10.4025/actascianimsci.v26i3.1795

Vegetable feedstuff used in commercial fish diets contains antinutrients, such as phytate, molecule able to complex minerals, amino acids, starch and, which can also acts in a negative way on the digestive enzymatic reactions. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of phytase enzyme (0; 1,000; 2,000 UF/kg) on the apparent digestibility of five energetic feedstuff (corn, extruded corn, wheat middling, rice meal and sorghum) and five protein feedstuff (soybean meal, extruded soybean meal, sunflower meal, cottonseed meal and gluten meal) using an albumin-gelatin diet and 0.10% of chromic oxide (Cr2O 3 ), as indicator. Apparent digestibility coefficient (ADC) of dry matter, crude protein and gross energy were determinated. One hundred Nile tilapia juveniles, 100.0g average weight, were stocked in 10 cages for feeding and feces collect. Phytase acts in different way on vegetable feedstuffs. The digestible values of dry matter, crude protein and gross energy depend on the biological values of feedstuffs, concentration and nature of phytate and enzyme level supplementation.
Métrologie en ligne de faisceaux et d'optiques X de synchrotrons

Cette these presente des travaux de recherche de metrologie en ligne de faisceaux de rayons X dans les installations synchrotrons. Deux approches principales ont ete etudiees pour extraire la phase d'un front d'onde X : les methodes utilisant des reseaux optiques et celles utilisant l'effet speckle dans le domaine X. L'interferometre a reseaux X est l'outil le plus repandu resentatif de la premiere categorie. Ses performances et son potentiel furent etudies dans diverses situations de metrologie en ligne. Les methodes utilisant le speckle X sont des techniques originales developpees au cours de ce projet. Elles utilisent des membranes faites de petits grains diffusants, dont seule la distribution statistique est connue, pour permettre la modulation du front d'onde. Les differentes techniques furent deployees experimentalement sur les lignes de lumiere BM05 de l'ESRF et B16 de Diamond Light Source. Leurs implementations servirent a la caracterisation de differents composants optiques utilises pour manipuler les faisceaux synchrotron X et a l'etude de la faisabilite de micro imagerie par contraste de phase avec les sus citees techniques.
MISSION OF BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS AND THE SOCIAL-ECONOMIC ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Spontaneity within Business Mission represents a form of manifestation for entrepreneurial domanin. The strategies formulated by reference to the business organization's mission assertion illustrate a dynamic particular for the intentions of economic actors, but also for the required behavior. The expressed strategic assembly also represents the main determinant for action modalities within business organization. Therefore, capitalizing human and material potential at the level of a business organization involves a series of finalities of entrepreneurial nature.
THE FUNCTION OF THE ANTENNA CLEANER OF THE HONEYBEE (APIS MELLIFICA)

SUMMARY This paper describes the antenna cleaning activity of the worker honeybee (Apis mellifica) in detail. Our results are documented by a series of photographs of a grooming honeybee taken simultaneously from front, from the side and from above. The flagellum is cleaned by being inserted into the tibio-tarsal antenna cleaner (strigilis) of the ipsilateral fore leg. During the cleaning stroke an angle of about 100° is maintained between the tibia and the tarsus. During the cleaning procedure the antenna is almost completely enclosed by the strigilis ; its anterior part is brushed by the strigular comb, its posterior side cleaned by the posterior velum of the strigular spur.
The expected well-being of urban refugees and asylum-seekers in Johannesburg

The influx of asylum-seekers and refugees from across Africa into democratic South Africa has increased significantly. The aim of this paper is to determine the factors that influences the expect well-being of this unique group. Expected well-being is an important determinant of both the decision to migrate and the choice of a country of destination. Knowledge about this determinant therefore informs refugee policies. The results show that only a few of the factors found in the literature explaining the expected well-being of voluntary migrants also explain the expected well-being of forced migrants. However, a number of factors found in the literature that explain the subjective well-being and well-being in general of refugees and asylum-seekers also went towards explaining the expected well-being of this group. These factors include: government assistance, culture, the time spent in South Africa, economic factors, crime, refugee status, reasons for leaving the home countries and the number of people staying in a house in the receiving country. The findings of this study emphasise the differences between forced and voluntary migrants and highlight the factors that influence the expected well-being of forced migrants. These in turn shed light on migration decisions and the choice of destination countries.
The Predominant Role of Sorbent Phase Swelling or Modulus Changes in Determining the Responses of Polymer-Coated Surface Acoustic Wave Vapor Sensors

Abstract : The sorption of vapors by fluoropolyol, poly(epichlorohydrin), and poly(isobutylene) is examined by gas-liquid chromatography (GLC) and these results are compared with the responses of surface acoustic wave (SAW) vapor sensors coated with the same polymers. The sensor responses exceed those which can be attributed to gravimetric effects, indicating that the SAW devices are responding to some other change in the coating properties. A model is developed to estimate the effect of polymer swelling on SAW sensor responses. The model is based on the use of partition coefficients determined by GLc as an independent measure of polymer mass loading, and polymer thermal expansion on SAW surfaces as a measure of volume change effects which is independent of mass loading effects. Both experimental comparisons and the model indicate that swelling effects can be 4 times greater than mass-loading effects. The likely mechanism by which swelling influences the SAW sensor response is via reductions in the modulus of the polymer overlayer.
Applying Benford's Law to individual financial reports: An empirical investigation on the basis of SEC XBRL filings

The business reporting standard XBRL offers the opportunity to easily extract and analyze a sufficient number of monetary items out of single annual reports for statistical analysis purposes. Using XBRL 10-K reports filed with the SEC EDGAR system, we derive first digit distributions for single companies and measure the deviation from the Benford distribution. On average, we find that for all monetary numbers that are contained in the examined XBRL reports, the first digit distribution follows Benford's Law. Furthermore, our results indicate several line items with an abnormal digit frequency potentially indicating human interaction. Taken together, the empirical results suggest that the application of Benford's Law to financial reports might be a useful analytical tool for investors. The findings also may be of interest to the SEC for planning enforcement actions, as digit analysis could be an appropriate means of identifying suspect line items carrying a higher level of risk.
New results from the gravitational lensing of galaxies

We use a sample of 53 elliptical galaxies which are lensing background emission-line galaxies and have been observed by the SLACS collaboration using HST and SDSS to place constraints on the post-Newtonian parameter 7 and the cosmological parameter A.We find y = 1.00 ± 0.04 on kiloparsec scales, consistent with the predictions of general relativity. Assuming a flat universe, we constrain QA = 0.72 ± 0.15, in agreement with results from other independent techniques and strongly excluding QA = 0. We also use these lenses as a probe of galactic dynamics, finding constraints which are consistent with those obtained via other methods. Thesis Supervisor: Saul Rappaport Title: Professor, Department of Physics Acknowledgments J.S. would like to thank the SLACS collaboration for use of their data, especially Adam Bolton who participated in many helpful and important discussions along the way. He would also like to thank Scott Hughes for helpful comments relating to general relativity and the alternative theories of gravity discussed in Section 2.2. Finally, and most importantly, J.S. would like to thank Saul Rappaport for both his direct assistance in this work as well his mentorship over the past four years. This work is based on observations made with the NASA / ESA Hubble Space Telescope, obtained at the Space Telescope Science Institute, which is operated by AURA, Inc., under NASA contract NAS 5-26555. These observations are associated with programs 10174, 10494, 10587, 10798, and 10886. This work also makes use of data taken by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). Funding for the SDSS and SDSS-II has been provided by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, the Participating Institutions, the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Department of Energy, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Japanese Monbukagakusho, the Max Planck Society, and the Higher Education Funding Council for England. The SDSS Web Site is http://www.sdss. org/. The SDSS is managed by the Astrophysical Research Consortium for the Participating Institutions. The Participating Institutions are the American Museum of Natural History, Astrophysical Institute Potsdam, University of Basel, University of Cambridge, Case Western Reserve University, University of Chicago, Drexel University, Fermilab, the Institute for Advanced Study, the Japan Participation Group, Johns Hopkins University, the Joint Institute for Nuclear Astrophysics, the Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology, the Korean Scientist Group, the Chinese Academy of Sciences (LAMOST), Los Alamos National Laboratory, the MaxPlanck-Institute for Astronomy (MPIA), the Max-Planck-Institute for Astrophysics (MPA), New Mexico State University, Ohio State University, University of Pittsburgh, University of Portsmouth, Princeton University, the United States Naval Observatory, and the University of Washington.
Research on Temperature Compensation Algorithm in Torque Sensor of E-bike

When using torque sensor consisting of resistance strain gauge for the torque measurement in the E-bike, there is a nonlinear problem affected by temperature. In order to solve it, the surface fitting algorithm based on least-square method is proposed in this paper. Based on the error analysis of the torque sensor and the feasibility analysis of the system, the surface fitting algorithm is designed and implemented in the microprocessor NRF24LE1. The test results indicate that the algorithm works well with high stability and accuracy. The algorithm has great value of application with significant compensation effect, which provides a technical selection for the development and improvement of the E-bike.
The quantification of biological nitrogen fixation by Trifolium repens as affected by soil organic matter

There are currently immense societal pressures on agriculturalists to farm not only in a sustainable manner, but also to keep the production per unit area high. These pressures results from high and increasing population densities, urbanization, industrialization and global warming (Tate, 1992). The holistic aim for sustainable agriculture is attaining the maximum quantity and quality of pasture production with minimal nitrogen (N) input in the form of fertiliser and without N pollution of environmental resources. Human health can potentially also suffer from excessive and long term application of N. Methaemoglobinemia, cancer, pulmonary and respiratory diseases are some of the adverse effects of inorganic N on human health (Bohlool et al., 1992). Therefore, sustainability strives towards being beneficial in the long run, for both humans and the environment. Modern agricultural practices tend to maximise output from the soil in the short term and this deprives the soil from its nutrients. This is a major pitfall for future generations and supplying food for an ever increasing world population is becoming a challenge (Brockwell et al., 1995).
Ottimizzazione delle smart-grid: soluzione centralizzata e distribuita

Negli ultimi anni numerosi fattori, fra cui la rapida diffusione delle fonti di energia rinnovabile e lo sviluppo del concetto di produzione distribuita, hanno favorito la nascita delle smart-grid. Con tale termine vengono identificate le cosiddette rete elettriche “intelligenti”, in grado di operare perseguendo opportuni obiettivi di efficienza. Fra questi, uno dei piu significativi e rappresentato dall’ottimizzazione dei flussi di potenza che circolano in rete. La presente tesi studia proprio il problema dell’Optimal Power Flow, proponendo due diversi strumenti per la sua soluzione: l’Interior Point Method e l’Alternating Direction Multiplier Method. Entrambi sono algoritmi iterativi, ma mentre il primo sfrutta un approccio di tipo centralizzato, il secondo ne adotta uno di tipo distribuito. Dopo aver spiegato in che modo essi possono fungere da solutori per il problema dell’Optimal Power Flow, vengono analizzate le loro prestazioni sia dal punto di vista dell’efficacia che dell’efficienza risolutiva. Dal confronto di tali performance, vengono infine stabiliti quali possano essere i vantaggi e gli svantaggi derivanti dall’utilizzo di un approccio rispetto all’altro
Distinguishing bone fat exploitation from other taphonomic what the high level of bone fragmentation at the Middle Neolithic site of Ajvide , Gotland ?

The importance of bone fats as a resource is briefly discussed. The Middle Neolithic site of Ajvide, Gotland is described. The character of the bone assemblages from this site is discussed and the changes in subsistence economy on the island are outlined. Details of the methods used to str,tdy fracture ancl fragmentation patterns are given and an example oJ the use of such methods to id.entify bone marrow and grease extraction is presented. This example relates to the Paleo-Eskimo, Saqqaq Culture site of ltivnere, Western Greenland. The results of two similar analyses of samples from dffirent parts of the Ajvide site are presented. and discttssed. It is concluded. that bone marrow was exploited to some degree, but grease rendering was not carried out to any signfficant degree. The reasons why grease rendering mcry not have been carried. out at Ajvid.e are explained in terms of the seasonal rottnd at the site. processes: caused
A study of the hydrographic conditions in the Adriatic Sea from numerical modelling and direct observations (2000–2008)

Abstract. The inter-annual variability of Adriatic Sea hydrographic characteristics is investigated by means of numerical simulation and direct observation. The period under investigation runs from the beginning of 2000 to the end of 2008. The model used to carry out the simulation is derived from the primitive equation component of the Adriatic Forecasting System (AFS). The model is based on the Princeton Ocean Model (POM) adapted in order to reproduce the features of the Adriatic. Both numerical findings and observations agree in depicting a strong inter-annual variability in the entire Adriatic Sea and its sub-basins. Nevertheless, two model deficiencies are identified: an excessive vertical/horizontal mixing and an inaccurate representation of the thermohaline properties of the entering Mediterranean Waters. The dense water formation process has been found to be intermittent. In addition to inter-annual variability, a long-scale signal has been observed in the salinity content of the basin as a consequence of a prolonged period of reduced Po river runoff and high evaporation rates. As a result, the temperature and salinity of the northern Adriatic dense water vary considerably between the beginning and the end of the period investigated.