Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The effect of soil hydraulic properties vs. soil texture in land surface models

Proper selection of parameters for a land surface model is critical, but is difficult due to the lack of data and difficulties in scaling existing data. In particular, the spatial distribution of Soil Hydraulic Properties (SHPs) is not well known. This study focuses on the effect of SHP selection on modeled surface fluxes following a rain storm in a semi‐arid environment. SHPs are often defined based on a Soil Texture Class (STC). To examine the effectiveness of this approach, we run the Noah land surface model with each of 1306 soils in a large SHP database. Within most STCs, the outputs have a range of 350 Wm−2 for latent and sensible heat fluxes, and 8K for surface temperature. The average difference between STC median values is only 100 Wm−2 for latent and sensible heat. STC explains 5–15% of the variance in model outputs and should not be used to determine SHPs.
Event Ecology, Causal Historical Analysis, and Human–Environment Research

Research on human–environment interactions is especially challenging given its interdisciplinary character and its need to address complexly interacting causes in time and space. Event ecology has been suggested and illustrated as an approach that can effectively address these challenges. Yet, previous writings on event ecology offer only a limited rationale for the approach. This article attempts to address this shortcoming through a more explicit examination of the underlying logic and practice of event ecology. Event ecology is based on a pragmatic view of research methods and explanation, articulated by such scholars as Peirce, Lewis, and Chamberlin, that has recently resurfaced in scholarly debates. This view places at the center of research inquiry the answering of “why” questions about specific environmental changes of interest, instead of evaluating causal theories, models, or factors that are thought in advance to influence such changes. Explaining environmental change this way involves constructing causal histories of interrelated social and biophysical events through a process of eliminative inference and reasoning from effects to causes, called abduction. Precise questions, concrete event descriptions, and counterfactual analysis are central to this. In practical terms, researchers should strive to be skeptical about what constitutes evidence, yet open-minded and adaptable to unexpected findings, and be willing to employ whatever sound methods and theoretical ideas are best suited to answer the question at hand. Examples from field research experience on people–forest interactions in the Philippines and Saint Lucia are included to illustrate these features of the event ecology approach.
An Open Label Study investigating the Efficacy of Hypericum perforatum Special Extract (ZE117), Nicotine Patches and Combination (ZE117)/ Nicotine Patches for Smoking Cessation

Introduction: Nicotine addiction has become one of the largest international health problems, increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease, cancers, and respiratory diseases. There are several treatments available for smoking cessation with the most common transdermal nicotine replacement and anti-depressants. However current treatments are only mildly efficacious and have side effects which lead to a decrease in their effectiveness. Additional treatments for smoking cessation with lower side effects are required. Methods: We examined the efficacy of Remotiv® (Hypericum perforatum Special Extract - ZE117) compared to Nicabate® CQ Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) and combination ZE117/NRT for smoking cessation over a treatment time of 10 weeks. Given the different pharmacological profiles of Ze117 and NRT it was expected that a combination treatment would be most efficacious for smoking cessation than the other two treatments alone. Sixty smokers aged between 18 and 60 years were enrolled in the study. Smoking status was assessed using CO levels measured by the Bedfont Smokerlyzer (primary outcome measure). Secondary outcome measures of anxiety, DSMIV nicotine dependence and Fagerstrom craving and symptoms were also recorded. Results: A significant main effect of reduction in the number of smokers over the course of the study was observed although there were no significant differences between any of the treatment groups on this variable after 14 weeks. Conclusions: These results indicate that the three treatment options are equally efficacious for smoking cessation. Interestingly the Ze117 treatment significantly reduced the amount of craving over the treatment duration of the study compared to the other two treatments indicating a possible mechanism by which Ze117 may assist in smoking cessation.
Photosynthetic gas exchange and water use in tropical and subtropical populations of the mangrove Aegiceras corniculatum

Photosynthetic gas exchange and stomatal behaviour in the tropical (Darwin: 12°25′S) and subtropical (Ballina: 28°50′S) populations of the mangrove Aegiceras corniculatum (L.) Blanco were compared at elevated air temperatures (>32°C) and leaf-to-air vapour pressure deficit (vpd >25 mbar) with a quantum flux at, or above, their light saturation capacity (>600 µmol m-2 s-1). At the lower end of the tested aridity range, the tropical population showed a less conservative water use than the subtropical population. As aridity increased, both populations showed a reduction in stomatal conductance. However, transpiration rates remained higher in the subtropical population at all times, reducing its water-use efficiency from that under less arid conditions. At extreme aridity (temperature >37°C and vpd >35 mbar), the efficiency of the evaporative cooling of fully exposed leaves was evident in the leaf-to-air temperature differential which remained minimal in the tropical population while it increased significantly in the subtropical population. Aridity tolerance was more pronounced in individuals from the tropical site than from the subtropical site, as evidenced by a tighter stomatal control on water use in the tropical population. These data suggest that the tropical and subtropical populations of A. corniculatum have different physiological responses to aridity.
Temperature‐driven coral decline: the role of marine protected areas

Warming ocean temperatures are considered to be an important cause of the degradation of the world's coral reefs. Marine protected areas (MPAs) have been proposed as one tool to increase coral reef ecosystem resistance and resilience (i.e. recovery) to the negative effects of climate change, yet few studies have evaluated their efficacy in achieving these goals. We used a high resolution 4 km global temperature anomaly database from 1985–2005 and 8040 live coral cover surveys on protected and unprotected reefs to determine whether or not MPAs have been effective in mitigating temperature‐driven coral loss. Generally, protection in MPAs did not reduce the effect of warm temperature anomalies on coral cover declines. Shortcomings in MPA design, including size and placement, may have contributed to the lack of an MPA effect. Empirical studies suggest that corals that have been previously exposed to moderate levels of thermal stress have greater adaptive capacity and resistance to future thermal stress events. Existing MPAs protect relatively fewer reefs with moderate anomaly frequencies, potentially reducing their effectiveness. However, our results also suggest that the benefits from MPAs may not be great enough to offset the magnitude of losses from acute thermal stress events. Although MPAs are important conservation tools, their limitations in mitigating coral loss from acute thermal stress events suggest that they need to be complemented with policies aimed at reducing the activities responsible for climate change.
Food security, food poverty, food sovereignty: moving beyond labels to a world of change?

Food security, food poverty, food sovereignty: moving beyond labels to a world of change? Author(s) Sage, Colin Editor(s) Crowley, John Smyth, William J. Murphy, Mike Publication date 2012-09 Original citation Sage, C. (2012) 'Food security, food poverty, food sovereignty: moving beyond labels to a world of change? ' in Crowley, J., Smyth, W.J. and Murphy, M. (eds.) Atlas of the Great Irish Famine, 1845-52. Cork: Cork University Press, pp. 658-665 Type of publication Book chapter Rights © 2012, Colin Sage. Item downloaded from http://hdl.handle. net/10468/3073
Adjustment of Mineral Elements in the Culture Medium for the Micropropagation of Three Vriesea Bromeliads from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest: The Importance of Calcium

Many different species of Bromeliaceae are endangered and their conservation requires specific knowledge of their growth habits and propagation. In vitro culture of bromeliads is an important method for efficient clonal propagation and in vitro seed germination can be used to maintain genetic variability. The present work aims to evaluate the in vitro growth and nutrient concentration in leaves of the epiphyte bromeliads Vriesea friburguensis Mez, Vriesea hieroglyphica (Carriere) E. Morren, and Vriesea unilateralis Mez, which exhibit slow rates of growth in vivo and in vitro. Initially, we compared the endogenous mineral composition of bromeliad plantlets grown in half-strength Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium and the mineral composition considered adequate in the literature. This approach suggested that calcium (Ca) is a critical nutrient and this was considered for new media formulation. Three new culture media were defined in which the main changes to half-strength MS medium were an increase in Ca, magnesium, sulfur, copper, and chloride and a decrease in iron, maintaining the nitrate:ammonium rate at '2:1. The main difference among the three new media formulated was Ca concentration, which varied from 1.5 mM in half-strength MS to 3.0, 6.0, and 12 mM in M2, M3, and M4 media, respectively. Consistently, all three species exhibited significantly higher fresh and dry weight on M4, the newly defined medium with the highest level of Ca (12 mM). Leaf nitrogen, potassium, zinc, magnesium, and boron concentrations increased as Ca concentration in the medium increased from 1.5 to 12 mM.
Analysis of Macro and Micronutrients in Soils from Palestine Using Ion Exchange Membrane Technology

Ion Exchange membrane technology (IEM) is a method that allowed a single extraction process and a single subsequent measurement of different elements that are available in soil. The values of the available forms of the different macro- and micronutrients obtained by IEM extraction were compared with the values of the soluble form obtained by conventional extraction methods. In surface soil sample, the concentrations of available potassium, nitrate, phosphate, iron and boron were 37.7 mg kg–1, 17.5 mg kg–1, 3.6 mg kg–1, 171.0 μg kg–1, and 4.2 μg kg–1 respectively were greater than that of soluble forms of the same elements which were 7.0 mg kg–1, 9.2 mg kg–1, 0.4 mg kg–1, 109.0 μg kg–1, and 1.9 μg kg–1 respectively.
Unifying Macro Elasticities in International Economics

International trade studies have higher macro (Armington) elasticity measures compared to international finance studies. This observation has evoked not only mixed policy implications regarding tariffs and exchange rates but also mixed welfare gains from trade. Regarding the policy implications, this so-called international elasticity puzzle is solved in this paper by distinguishing between elasticities of substitution and price elasticities of demand that are connected to each other through expenditure shares. It is shown theoretically and confirmed empirically that the macro elasticity in international trade is a weighted average of the macro elasticity in international finance and the elasticity of substitution across products of foreign countries. It is implied that one can always find an elasticity of substitution across foreign countries that would be consistent with different macro elasticities in the two literatures; therefore, the puzzle is something artificial due to the way that the foreign products are aggregated at destination countries. Regarding the welfare gains from trade, the two literatures are shown to have the very same implications when international finance studies have a unitary macro elasticity of substitution between home and foreign products or unitary terms of trade. As opposed to the existing literature that has offered many supplyside solutions to the puzzle, the results in this paper are independent of the supply side and thus are consistent with any production structure.
Governance and Poverty Reduction: Paths of Connection

Good governance is crucial to address poverty reduction and strengthening the link demands a balance between state e fficiency and accountability. Economic growth, aid efficiency and linking governance with human development will contribute significantly to poverty reduction. This will involve taking account of formal institutions and their underlying power relationships. External actors who promote governance as a means to reduce poverty should be aware of how their actions can affect the political capacities of the poor. They also need to employ a case by case analysis to avoid a normative and formalistic approach.
Green Food Consumption in China: Segmentation Based on Attitudes Toward Food Safety

ABSTRACT The objectives of this report are twofold: to examine the demographic factors that drive demand for green food and to segment Chinese consumers based on their attitudes toward food safety. An online survey was used to collect consumer behavior information. A total of 402 responses were obtained covering participants who lived in 24 provinces and municipalities in China. Probit modeling, analysis of variance, and cluster analysis are used. Income, education, age, gender, presence of young children, household size, and overseas experience are variables that have an impact on green food purchase. Young, wealthy men, who have young children and live in a small household, are likely to buy green food. The survey shows that Chinese consumers are willing to pay a price premium for green food; however, price will be a major factor restricting the growth of the green food label in China, given market prices. Three segments―the “distrustful consumer,” the “ambivalent consumer,” and the “trusting consumer”―are identified for market segmentation purposes.
A Tractable Solution for Engineering Calculations on a Full Scale Enclosure Fire

The phenomenological analysis of backdraft, experimentally observed in enclosure fire, has been made with the help of CFD simulation. The current numerical simulations include the initial mixing as a gravity current after opening of the enclosure, the ignition, spreading of flame in the enclosure, the external fireball, and subsequent decay. Histories of the calculated relative pressure pulse and temperature peak are compared with the measured ones. The predicted pressure and temperature levels agree quantitatively with the experimental data. Globally, Large Eddy Simulation combined with an EDC combustion model shows the feasibility for simulations of transient combustion events occurring in an enclosure filled with a mixture of fuel in air.
REPLICATION OF Oryctes NUDIVIRUS ( OrNV ) IN INSECT CELL LINE DSIR-HA-1179 AND ITS INFECTIVITY ON NEONATES OF RHINOCEROS BEETLE , Oryctes rhinoceros

The Oryctes nudivirus (OrNV) or previously known as Oryctes baculovirus is a biocontrol agent for rhinoceros beetle, Oryctes rhinoceros. The replication of three types of OrNV, the types A, B, and C in the insect cell line DSIR-HA-1179 was studied. The cells were grown in PS100 media containing 10% fetal bovine serum. The signs of infection in cells by all types of OrNV were clearly seen at 10 to 14 days after treatment (DAT). The infected cells experienced cytopathic effects (CPE) involving formation of high number of vesicle or globule like-structures around the cells. The density of viable cells in flasks inoculated by the nudivirus decreased over time. At 16 DAT, the viable cell density in flasks inoculated with OrNV types A, B, and C was 1.49 × 10, 0.29 × 10, and 4.78 × 10 cells ml respectively, significantly lower (P<0.05) compared to control flask of 7.98 × 10 cells ml. Based on the Tissue Culture Infectious Dose 50% (TCID 50 ), it was found that the OrNV type B was more virulent than the OrNV types A and C as it produced high infectious virus particles. The TCID 50 values for the OrNV types A and C were 3.00 × 10 infectious unit (IU ml) and 8.03 x 10 IU ml as compared to type B which was 7.09 × 10 IU ml. The PCR analysis showed that all types of OrNV had successfully replicated in the cells as early as 4 DAT. Pathogenicity study on neonates using cells-propagated OrNV has again showed that the OrNV type B was more pathogenic than the other types of OrNV. The LT 50 value for the OrNV type B was 33.47 days, shorter than the OrNV type A (49.35 days) and the OrNV type C (48.58 days). The DNA profiles of OrNV extracted from dead infected neonates in the bioassay were the same as those from infected gut tissues collected from field population. Thus, it is suggested that the Malaysian OrNV types A, B and C were successfully produced in cell line DSIR-HA-1179.
Six-dimensional quantum Hall effect and three-dimensional topological pumps

Modern technological advances allow for the study of systems with additional synthetic dimensions. Using such approaches, higher-dimensional physics that was previously deemed to be of purely theoretical interest has now become an active field of research. In this work, we derive from first principles using a semiclassical equation-of-motion approach the bulk response of a six-dimensional Chern insulator. We find that in such a system a quantized bulk response appears with a quantization originating from a six-dimensional topological index: the third Chern number. Alongside this unique six-dimensional response, we rigorously describe the lower even-dimensional Chern-type responses that can occur due to nonvanishing first and second Chern numbers in subspaces of the six-dimensional space. Last, we propose how to realize such a bulk response using three-dimensional topological charge pumps in cold atomic systems.
Optimizing Finishing Process in Wedming of Titanium Alloy (Ti6Al4V) by Brass Wire based on Response Surface Methodology

Verifying the optimal cutting parameters in order to achieve high performance in various kinds of machinery has always been a critical matter. This research aims to investigate the behavior of three control parameters according to Design of Experiment (DOE) method while WEDM of titanium alloy (Ti6Al4V) is being examined. The sample was cut by an electrode instrument made of brass wire of 0.25 mm diameter. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) technique was used to find out the parameters affecting the Surface Roughness (SR), Material Removal Rate (MRR) and Sparking Gap (SG). Assumptions of ANOVA were discussed and carefully examined using analysis of residuals. This study has been established as a second-order mathematical model based on the Response Surface Methodology (RSM). The residual analysis and confirmation runs indicate that the proposed models could adequately describe the performance of the factors those are being investigated. The outcomes are particularly useful for scientists and engineers to determine which subset of the process variable can optimize the performance.
Daily CDS Pricing in Emerging Markets Before and During the Global Financial Crisis

In this paper, we study the determinants of daily spreads for emerging market sovereign credit default swaps (CDS) over the period April 2002–December 2011. Using GARCH models, we find, first, that daily CDS spreads for emerging market sovereigns are more related to global and regional risk premia than to country-specific risk factors. This result is particularly evident during the second subsample (August 2007–December 2011), where neither macroeconomic variables nor country ratings significantly explain CDS spread changes. Second, measures of US bond, equity, and CDX High Yield returns as well as emerging market credit returns turn out to be the most dominant drivers of CDS spread changes. Finally, our analysis suggests that CDS spreads are more strongly influenced by international spillover effects during periods of market stress.
Public acceptability of road pricing

Executive summary The findings Conclusion Final Report Introduction Aims and objectives 1 Background 1.1 What do we already know? The findings 2 Public acceptability of a problem needing to be solved 3 Public acceptability of the need for demand management 4 Public acceptability of the principle of road pricing 5 Public acceptability of the specific road pricing schemes 6 Public acceptability of the detail and deisgn of the road pricing scheme 7 Impact of the media, family, friends and the research on the acceptability of road pricing 8 Conclusion Annex One 1.
Developing a Legally Compliant Reachability Management System as a Countermeasure against SPIT 1

This paper explains why SPIT (Spam over Internet Telephony) is harder to filter than conventional e-mail spam, lists scenarios, possible countermeasures, and presents a prototype for a legally compliant and privacy-friendly SPITfiltering reachability management system that is currently in development within the SPIT-AL project.
On Pragmatic Transfer

Studying pragmatic transfer today implies carrying out interdisciplinary empirical research: on the one hand, one must be aware of the evolution of thoughts and methodology and of the findings within SLA research; on the other hand, knowledge of pragmatic theory and practice is also necessary. There is a clear convergence of these two disciplines of study in what has been termed INTERLANGUAGE PRAGMATICS, where the study of pragmatic transfer remains one of the most frequently addressed issues.
Behavioural Microsimulation Modelling for Tax Policy Analysis in Australia: Experience and Prospects

paper describes microsimulation modelling in non-technical terms and explains what can be achieved with microsimulation modelling in general, and the Melbourne Institute Tax and Transfer Simulator (MITTS) in particular. The focus is on behavioural microsimulation modelling, which takes individuals' labour supply responses into account when analysing tax and transfer reforms. Microsimulation models are built to replicate closely the considerable degree of heterogeneity observed in the population. Several examples of recent uses of MITTS are given and briefly described. Given the relatively recent development of behavioural microsimulation models, there are several opportunities for further extensions. For example, it would be valuable to allow for the demand side of labour, indicating whether new labour force participants are likely to find work or to allow for life-cycle dynamics, which are important to deal with population-ageing issues and female labour force participation. 1. Introductionax policy questions may relate to specific problems, concerning perhaps the revenue implications of a particular tax, or they may involve an extensive analysis of the cost and redistributive effects of a large number of taxes and transfer payments. While small tax models help to provide useful general lessons and guiding principles for reform, evaluations that can be directly related to practical policy questions and can provide direct inputs into rational policy debate require the construction of large tax microsimulation models.