Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Guidelines for conserving connectivity through ecological networks and corridors

Connectivity conservation is essential for managing healthy ecosystems, conserving biodiversity and adapting to climate change across all biomes and spatial scales. Well-connected ecosystems support a diversity of ecological functions such as migration, hydrology, nutrient cycling, pollination, seed dispersal, food security, climate resilience and disease resistance. These Guidelines are based on the best available science and practice for maintaining, enhancing and restoring ecological connectivity among and between protected areas, other effective areas based conservation measures (OECMs) and other intact ecosystems. For the first time, this publication introduces a common definition and recommends formal recognition of ecological corridors to serve as critical building blocks of ecological networks in conjunction with protected areas and OECMs. Furthermore, these Guidelines also include 25 case studies that demonstrate current approaches to conserving ecological connectivity and ecological networks for different ecosystems and species, and at different spatial and temporal scales.
The Italian experience in implementing Industry 4.0

espanolEste articulo analiza la implantacion de la Industria 4.0 en Italia. En la primera parte, la informacion esencial sobre el plan Industria 4.0 del gobierno italiano y las reacciones de los empresarios y sindicatos a dicho plan. En la segunda parte, resume los resultados del estudio de campo llevado a cabo por la Fundacion “Claudio Sabattini” en nombre de los sindicatos italianos. En esta investigacion, entrevistamos tanto a los gerentes de la empresa como a los trabajadores en treinta companias. Los resultados muestran dos caminos diferentes de innovacion basados en la Industria 4.0: la fabrica inteligente y los productos inteligentes. Segun las entrevistas de los empleados, los principales problemas de esta transformacion a la industria 4.0 son la intensificacion del ritmo de trabajo y la intensificacion de las cargas de trabajo que hacen posible las nuevas tecnologias 4.0. EnglishThis article analyzes the implementation of Industry 4.0 technologies in Italy. The article provides, in the first part, the essential information on the government plan on Industry 4.0 and the reactions of entrepreneurs and unions to this plan. In the second part, the research summarizes the results of a field research conducted by the “Claudio Sabattini” Foundation on behalf of the Italian unions. In this research, we interviewed both company managers and individual workers in thirty companies. We identified two different paths of innovation based on Industry 4.0: the smart factory and the smart products. According to the employees’ interviews, the main problems of the adoption of Industries 4.0 technologies are the intensification of work pace and the intensification of workloads made possible by the new technologies.
Relevance of the problem of dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) determination in baby food products

The Aim of the Article. Analysis of the current state of the problem of the dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) determination in baby food products and the development of sample preparation methods for determining these xenobiotics in food products for infants and young children. Dioxins form a group of structurally and chemically related chlorinated tricyclic oxygen-containing aromatic compounds (congeners), which includes 75 polychlorinated dibenzo-para-dioxins (PCDDs) and 135 polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs). The most toxic congeners of dioxins, in which chlorine atoms along with other positions are necessarily in 2,3,7,8 positions of benzene rings. Their total number is 17:7 PCDD congeners and 10 PCDF congeners. A group of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) – chlorinated bicyclic aromatic compounds, which consists of 209 different congeners, 12 of which have a spatial and electronic structure and exhibit toxicological properties similar to dioxins, therefore, they are called dioxin-like PCBs (DL-PCBs). In addition, when monitoring food products as a marker, a group of 6 PCBs was selected that did not exhibit dioxin-like toxicity and therefore did not belong to dioxin-like PCBs (NDL-PCBs). Thus, of the total number of 419 PCDDs, PCDFs and PCBs, only 35 are toxicologically significant, therefore, these compounds are subject to control in baby food products. To control the content of the amount of dioxins, the amount of dioxins and DL-PCBs and the amount of NDL-PCBs in foods for infants and children from one to three years in Ukraine, the maximum levels of these compounds on the basis of the order of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine No. 368 of 05/13/2013 were harmonized with the maximum allowable levels in foods for infants and young children in accordance with Commission Regulation (EU) No. 1259/2011. Methods for the analysis of dioxins and PCBs. Two instrumental analysis methods are used to determine dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs in foods for baby food: 1) a combination of high-resolution (capillary) gas chromatography with high-resolution mass spectrometry (GC/MS); 2) a combination of GCHR with tandem mass spectroscopy (GC/MS/MS). High-resolution (capillary) gas chromatography is used to determine non-dioxinlike (marker) PCBs. The stage of sample preparation, including the stages of extraction and purification, is key in determining dioxins and PCBs. Conclusions. The stage of sample preparation using automatic devices (liquid extraction under pressure, an automated extract purification system) and chromatographic columns was developed to further determine the mass concentration of dioxins and PCBs in baby food products. The developed procedures using devices for the automatic extraction and purification of the obtained extracts from baby food samples will make it possible in the future to determine PCDDs/PCDFs, ortho-unsubstituted, mono-ortho-substituted and marker PCBs in one sample.
The Mediating Role of Risk Tolerance in the Relationship between Financial Literacy and Investment Performance

The main objective of this research paper is to study the impact of financial literacy on investment performance, with the mediating effects of risk tolerance. Data was collected using a standardised questionnaire from 203 individual investors in Chennai, India and the results indicate that there is a significant positive relationship between financial literacy and investment performance while the level of risk tolerance is partially mediating that relationship. This study is the first of its kind which has explored the mediating role of risk tolerance, and it demonstrated that higher levels of financial literacy make investors more tolerant towards risk which in turn makes a better and satisfying investment performance. This study has several implications for investors, financial advisors and policymakers. It also aids in understanding the significance of financial literacy for the investors and ameliorating awareness and intention to invest among the non-investors.
Self-Healing Performance of Biogranule Containing Microbial Self-Healing Concrete Under Intermittent Wet/Dry Cycles

Development of self-sensing and self-healing concrete is essential to minimize the labour-intensive monitoring and repair activities conducted for the maintenance of concrete structures. A type of self-healing concrete can be achieved by using microbial agents that induce calcium carbonate precipitation inside a concrete crack. Recently, biogranules consist of nitrate reducing microorganisms were presented as a new generation microbial healing agent and biogranule containing specimens revealed decent healing performance under completely submerged conditions. However, their performance under intermittent wetting conditions, a common case for various concrete structures, remains unknown. This study presents the self-healing performance of biogranule containing biomortar specimens under intermittent wet/dry conditions. In-house produced biogranules were incorporated into mortar specimens at a dose of 1.45% w/w cement (1.00% of bacteria w/w cement) and self-healing performance of cracked specimens were investigated under alternating wet/dry conditions for a crack width range of 50 to 600 µm. Upon alternating wet/dry treatment for 4 weeks, cracks up to a 400 µm crack width were effectively healed in biomortar specimens. Their water tightness regain was 44% better than control specimens due to their enhanced healing performance. Overall, non-axenic biogranules appear to be useful in development of self-healing bioconcrete for applications under spraying or intermittent wetting conditions.
Ensiling Total Mixed Ration for Ruminants: A Review

The interest of ensiling total mixed rations (TMR) for ruminants reemerged in the last decades. In many situations, ensiling TMR has been a sustainable alternative to efficiently handle wet byproducts in ruminant diets. An ensiled TMR typically has a markedly higher aerobic stability than its respective fresh TMR. Ensiling a TMR increases ruminal protein degradability due to proteolysis during storage. An increase of feed efficiency by ruminants fed ensiled rations have been reported, due to the improved starch digestibility in TMR silages containing cereal grains. This manuscript brings an overview of the main nutrient transformations during the ensiling of TMR and their feeding value for ruminants.
Determining management preferences in a multimethod consumptive recreational fishery

Understanding behavioral responses of recreational fishers to management changes is fundamental for effective policy making. However, given the diverse motivations and nonmarket nature of recreational fishing, evaluating fishers’ preferences is nontrivial. This study examined fishers’ management preferences toward different management tools (i.e., a new measure or a change in the setting for an existing measure) in a highly consumptive recreational fishery. A combination of a discrete choice experiment and an opinion-based survey explored the potential heterogeneity in management preferences in the Tasmanian Rock Lobster fishery. Although the fishery has extensive management in place, further restrictions are required to limit recreational harvest in support of a strategy to achieve a stock rebuilding target. As a diverse fishery, with various fishing methods and a range of activity levels, it is expected that the perceptions of management changes vary across fisher subgroups. A phone survey was used to ask fishers’ opinions on how effective different management tools are at restricting catch and if they supported or opposed the tool. Additionally, a discrete choice experiment was used to assess if fishers’ utility is associated with a management tool and to what extent fishers are willing to trade a change in one management tool for a change in another. Results show that there are both homogenous and heterogeneous management preferences in the fishery across fisher subgroups. There was consensual aversion by all fisher subgroups toward changes in management settings that directly limit the catch of lobster, including a reduction in daily bag limit and shortened season length. Other changes to management settings, such as an increase in the minimum size limit, have less consensus in preference between fisher groups, and any changes in these tools could differentially impact fisher subgroups. The results from this research can support managers in identifying whether and to what extent intra-sector separation for the purposes of designing and implementing new management measures and settings is warranted, on the basis that it can increase effectiveness of achieving management and the likelihood of maximizing net utility within a fishery.
A cross sectional study on clinical trends of reproductive performances and reproductive disorders of dairy cows in Rajshahi district of Bangladesh

Performance evaluation of existing dairying is important to design relevant dairy development strategies and implement context specific interventions for future development of the dairy enterprise. The present study was carried out to evaluate the clinical trends (reproductive performance and disorders) of dairy cows of Rajshahi district, Bangladesh. A total of 500 cows randomly selected and data were collected directly from the dairy farms owners from 6 upazilas and 4 metro thanas of Rajshahi district by using questionnaires and diagnosis of reproductive disorders (RD) was made on the basis of history, clinical signs and response to treatment. The average reproductive performance (RP) were recorded as age at puberty 26.42±0.22 m, age at first calving 35.48±0.22 m, post-partum heat period 121.85±3.48 days, service per conception 1.93±0.04, days open 136.80±3.57 days and calving interval 401.04±3.94 days. The better RP was found at metro thanas compared to upazilas, though no significant difference was found except on service per conception (p<0.05). The overall prevalence of RD was 78.6% in Rajshahi district. Among the reproductive and productive disorders, anoestrus 24.6% was the highest prevalent disorders followed by abortion 13.4%, repeat breeding 11.4%, retained placenta 10.2%, dystocia 5.4%, mastitis 4.4%, vaginal prolapse 2.4%, pyometra 1.8%, metritis 1.6%, uterine prolapse 1.4%, milk fever 1.2% and still birth 0.8%. The highest occurrence of RD was recorded in Tanore upazila (92%) and the lowest in Poba upazila (62%). In comparison between the upazila and metro thanas the minimum occurrence of RD was recorded in metro thanas (31%) than upazilas (47.6%).
Exchange rate risk and sectoral returns: A wavelet-based MRA-EDCC GARCH analysis

Abstract This study empirically investigates the spillover between exchange rate risk and sectoral returns in Pakistan over the period of 1992–2017 using high-frequency data. Building on the Wavelet-multi-resolution-extended dynamic conditional correlation GARCH (MRA-EDCC GARCH) model, our findings suggest that exchange rate risk transmission to sectoral stock returns is scale-dependent. The extent of mean and volatility spillover prevalence varies across different scales. Hence, homogenous trading strategies for short-term and long-term investors may not be favorable. The finding further reveals that the risk transmissions are notable over the short run. In the context of cross spillover, there is greater evidence of exchange rate volatility impact on sectoral returns, whereas, few sectoral returns are found to affect exchange rate. Our results are robust to alternative methods of causality and short-run volatility spillover through GARCH-in-mean SVAR model. Our findings provide useful implications for risk mitigation of portfolio managers and speculators.
Transitions of the anomalous positive longitudinal magnetoconductivity of a Weyl semimetal in an ac electric field

Considering the Landau quantization and chiral anomaly, we develop a semiclassical theory of the positive longitudinal magnetoconductivity (LMC) of a Weyl semimetal induced by the chiral anomaly in an ac driving electric field. We find that for low angular frequencies, the anomalous LMC behaves in the same manner as in the dc case. However, the LMC decreases rapidly to zero with increasing the angular frequency of the electric field to be above a critical frequency, which is equal to the inverse of the intervalley relaxation time. With further increasing the frequency, the zero-magnetic-field conductivity diminishes above a critical frequency, which is equal to the inverse of the intravalley relaxation time. The two distinct transitions might be observed experimentally, so that the intervalley and intravalley relaxation times can be determined directly, which are considered to be two key parameters controlling the anomalous positive LMC effect in existing theories.
CSR in the telecom industry of a developing country: employees' perspective

PurposeThe study examines employee perceptions of CSR relating to stakeholders in the telecommunication industry of Ghana. It also analyses the variations in CSR practices among the sampled telecommunication firms.Design/methodology/approachBy means of a survey, the study explored from the perspective of employees the CSR practices of their firms highlighting the stakeholder group they perceive their firms to be focussing on. A self-administered questionnaire was used to gather data from employees working with leading telecommunication firms in Ghana. A total of 177 valid responses were used for the study analysis. Data was analysed by means of descriptive statistics, and differences in respondent views across the different firms were ascertained using analysis of variance test (ANOVA). FindingsThe study results demonstrate that although telecommunication firms engage in CSR activities in some respect, generally these activities are directed more at the stakeholder group “society” distantly followed by shareholder group. The authors also find from their target respondents that not so much attention is given to issues relating to the stakeholder group “the environment”. The results also suggest variations exist in the direction of CSR practices by these firms.Practical implicationsManagers of telecommunication firms in Ghana seem to balance the interest of stakeholders by focussing on society rather than prioritizing these stakeholders.Originality/valueThis study contributes to CSR studies highlighting the perception of employees on their companies' CSR practices while comparing practices amongst telecommunications firms. This would help management of these firms to map out strategies to direct their CSR activities based on stakeholder prioritization.
Increasing on Fruit Set and Yield of ‘Monalisa’ and ‘Maxi Gala’ Apple Trees Using Plant Growth Regulators

Aims: To evaluate the effect of different plant growth regulators on fruit set and yield of apple trees in mild winter conditions. Study Design: The experiment was arranged in a randomized block design. Place and Duration of Study: The experiments were carried out in southern Brazil, municipality of Caçador/SC, during the cycle 2016/2017 to 2019/2020 in the 'Monalisa'/M9 and another experiment with cultivars Maxi Gala/M9 and Monalisa/M9, in 2018/2019 and 2019/2020. Methodology: The following products were tested: TDZ (Thidiazuron) Naphthalene acetic acid (NAA), Maxcel, Ethrel, Promalin, Ammonium thiosulfate, and the combination TDZ + Viviful + Retain ® . The following evaluations were carried out: fruit set, fruit yield per plant and per hectare; number of fruits per plant, average fruit mass, the red skin color of fruits, degree of russeting and classification of fruits by size. Results: In 'Monalisa' apple trees, TDZ alone and combined with PCa + AVG increases the fruit set, when applied in full bloom, while TDZ alone and NAA applied in full bloom increases the Original Research Article Petri et al.; JEAI, 42(5): 34-43, 2020; Article no.JEAI. 57621 35 productivity. TDZ alone reduces return bloom and induces greater alternate bearing while, combined with PCa + AVG does not cause bearing alternation; however, it reduces the average fruit mass. BA + GA reduces the productivity of 'Monalisa' apple trees. The fruit set increased significantly with AVG treatments 52 ppm, 104 ppm, and 156 ppm, while the yield per plant, number of fruits per plant and estimated productivity, all treatments were significantly superior to the control treatment with the exception of AVG 52 ppm, on the Cv. Monalisa. The control treatment and AVG, 104 ppm and 156 ppm presented fruits with larger caliber and only AVG 26 ppm showed a lower percentage of fruits in the class of higher coloration, in comparison to the other treatments. The russeting incidence did not present significant differences in the cultivar Monalisa and Maxi Gala. None of the variables were significantly altered by the application of Retain ® in the Cv. Maxi Gala.
Multivariate recursive Bayesian linear regression and its applications to output-only identification of time-varying mechanical systems

This article focuses on the output-only recursive identification of time-varying systems by using parametric time-domain methods. A novel multivariate recursive Bayesian linear regression method is proposed based on the vector time-dependent autoregressive moving average model. The standard setup of univariate batch Bayesian linear regression is first extended to the multivariate case for multiple response signal modeling and further extended to the recursive case to meet the output-only recursive identification requirement of practical systems. A sliding window mechanism is finally applied to deemphasize data from the remote past and fix the computational complexity for each consecutive update, allowing the proposed method to be capable of tracking the time-varying dynamics online. The proposed multivariate recursive Bayesian linear regression method is first validated by a simple numerical system and subsequently applied to identify two mechanical systems with typical time-varying dynamics. Comparative identification results via Monte Carlo tests numerically and experimentally demonstrate the superior achievable accuracy and time-varying tracking capability of the proposed method.
The Effect of Cigarette Advertising on Smoking Behaviour of Students in Banda Aceh City, Indonesia

The prevalence of student smokers has been increasing in Banda Aceh City recently. The presence of cigarette advertisements near schools is believed to be one of the causes. However, there is a lack of study for this issue. This study tries to calculate the effect of cigarette advertisements around schools on the smoking activities of students. This research is conducted in the city of Banda Aceh with a total sample of 365 students. We use the Linear Probability Model to estimate the effect by assuming that smoking behaviour is a factor of individual, household and environmental characteristics of students. The result shows that cigarette advertising has a positive and significant effect on the smoking behaviour of high school students in Banda Aceh. The presence of cigarette billboards near the school increases the probability of students’ smoking behaviour by 12.4%, whereas the presence of banners causes an increase in the probability by 18.4%. It shows that 41% of the samples are smokers or had smoked before with 37% daily smokers and 59% occasional smokers. Through in-depth interviews, this study finds that having a smoker father or brother as well as friend increases the willingness of students to be smoker. Therefore, the local government should undertake a policy to ban cigarette advertisements in order to reduce the students’ risk of being smokers. The government must also promote the creation of smoke-free families to reduce the possibility of increasing student smoker rate.