Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Scalar arguments of the mathematical functions defining molecular and turbulent transport of heat and mass in compressible fluids

The advection–diffusion equations defining control volume conservation laws in micrometeorological research are analysed to resolve discrepancies in their appropriate scalar variables for heat and mass transport. A scalar variable that is conserved during vertical motions enables the interpretation of turbulent mixing as ‘diffusion’. Gas-phase heat advection is shown to depend on gradients in the potential temperature (θ), not the temperature (T). Since conduction and radiation depend on T, advection–diffusion of heat depends on gradients of both θ and T. Conservation of θ (the first Law of Thermodynamics) requires including a pressure covariance term in the definition of the turbulent heat flux. Mass advection and diffusion are universally agreed to depend directly on gradients in the gas ‘concentration’ (c), a nonetheless ambiguous term. Depending upon author, c may be defined either as a dimensionless proportion or as a dimensional density, with non-trivial differences for the gas phase. Analyses of atmospheric law, scalar conservation and similarity theory demonstrate that mass advection–diffusion in gases depends on gradients, not in density but rather in a conserved proportion. Flux-tower researchers are encouraged to respect the meteorological tradition of writing conservation equations in terms of scalar variables that are conserved through simple air motions
NEIGHBOUR COVERAGE BASED PROBABILISTIC REBROADCAST REDUCTION OF ROUTING OVERHEAD AND CROSS TALK AVOIDANCE IN MANETS

In this approach if there exists any cross talk while communicating two parties, the connection will be terminated as soon as the crosstalk has been identified. It also improved crosstalk avoidance by either re-routing the communication or by terminating it with the help of packet transmissions and overhead. In order to limiting the number of rebroadcasts can effectively optimize the broadcasting, a neighbor coverage-based probabilistic rebroadcast (NCPR) protocol, in order to effectively exploit the neighbor coverage knowledge. A novel rebroadcast delay to determine the rebroadcast order, and then obtain a more accurate additional coverage ratio and by keeping the network connectivity and reduce the redundant retransmissions, a metric named connectivity factor to determine how many neighbors should receive the route request (RREQ) packet. By combining the additional coverage ratio and the connectivity factor, introduce a rebroadcast probability, which can be used to reduce the number of rebroadcasts of the RREQ packet to improve the routing performance.
Resistance-Associated Substitutions/Variants Correlate to Therapeutic Outcomes of Novel Direct-Acting Antivirals in Different HCV Genotype Treated Individuals

The expanded classification of hepatitis C virus (HCV) genome into various genotypes and numerous subtypes significantly correlates to therapeutic outcomes of interferon-free direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) in HCV treated patients. In particular, genotypes 3 and 4 are still harder to treat, and higher sustained virologic response (SVR) rates are not achieved in some difficult-to-treat specific populations (i.e., HCV subtype 1a patients, compensated and decompensated cirrhotic patients, HCV/HIV co-infection, and prior treatment failure with pegylated interferon plus ribavirin and first-generation protease inhibitor based therapeutic regimens). Furthermore, the pre-existing and treatmentemergent resistance associated substitutions (RAS) at specific amino acid positions within the viral quasispecies may increase the chances of viral breakthrough (HCV RNA remains lower limit of quantification, but increased to 100 IU/mL or 1.log10 during DAAs therapy), viral relapse (undetectable viral load at the end of treatment but positive within the follow-up of 6 months), and discontinuation of therapy in treated individuals. Although the clinical importance of RAS is not entirely elucidated, it is believed that such substitutions decrease the therapeutic efficacy of DAAs in treated individuals. Similarly, the emergence of multiclass hepatitis C virus resistance to interferon-free DAAs failure in real-world experiences demands eagerly tailored second-line anti-hepatitis C therapies. This book chapter comprehensively overviews the clinical correlation of HCV genotypes, viral quasispecies and harboring RAS to treatment outcomes of revolutionary interferonfree DAAs in hepatitis C-treated patients. © 2016 The Author(s). Licensee InTech. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and eproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. DOI: 10.5772/intechopen.76395 © 2018 The Author(s). Licensee IntechOpen. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Trophic facilitation by introduced top predators: grey wolf subsidies to scavengers in Yellowstone National Park

Summary 1. The reintroduction of grey wolves Canis lupus (L.) to Yellowstone National Park provides a natural experiment in which to study the effects of a keystone predator on ecosystem function. 2. Grey wolves often provision scavengers with carrion by partially consuming their prey. 3. In order to examine how grey wolf foraging behaviour influences the availability of carrion to scavengers, we observed consumption of 57 wolf-killed elk Cervus elaphus (L.) and determined the percentage of edible biomass eaten by wolves from each carcass. 4. We found that the percentage of a carcass consumed by wolves increases as snow depth decreases and the ratio of wolf pack size to prey size and distance to the road increases. In addition, wolf packs of intermediate size provide the most carrion to scavengers. 5. Applying linear regression models to the years prior to reintroduction, we calculate carrion biomass availability had wolves been present, and contrast this to a previously published index of carrion availability. Our results demonstrate that wolves increase the time period over which carrion is available, and change the variability in scavenge from a late winter pulse dependent primarily on abiotic environmental conditions to one that is relatively constant across the winter and primarily dependent on wolf demographics. Wolves also decrease the year-to-year and month-to-month variation in carrion availability. 6. By transferring the availability of carrion from the highly productive late winter, to the less productive early winter and from highly productive years to less productive ones, wolves provide a temporal subsidy to scavengers.
FIRST CONCEPTUAL CONSIDERATIONS OF ECONOMIC OPTIMISATION OF MONITORING AND SURVEILLANCE SYSTEMS FOR ANIMAL HEALTH AND FOOD SAFETY

Introduction and background The mission of food safety authorities (FSAs) is to assure to the safety of food and animal health. A vast amount of biological agents, chemical contaminants and residues can adversely affect animal and human health. The socio-economic impacts of the presence of some hazards in food production chains are substantial. FSAs aim to minimize these impacts by legislation enforcement and assessing risks, as well as risk management. Their tasks centre on prevention, monitoring and control. This research focuses on monitoring only. Monitoring and surveillance systems (MOSSs) serve various objectives including early detection (e.g. of an animal disease or medical residue), detection of threshold violations, free status substantiation, determining hazard characteristics, providing baseline prevalence estimates and monitoring trend development. Many actors are involved, such as individual farmers, laboratories, veterinary services, product boards and authorities. FSAs have monitoring responsibilities for a large hazard portfolio. Monitoring and surveillance is costly and it is simply impossible and undesirable to monitor any hazard at any stage at any time. Consequently, an economic optimisation problem exists for FSAs. The performance of both single and portfolio MOSSs must be maximized under budget constraints. To address this optimisation problem a PhD project was initiated. The problems are formulated from the perspective of the Dutch and German FSAs. The project is executed within the large German-Dutch project Safeguard. The aim of this paper is to describe the global set-up of the research and to present conceptual considerations of the optimisation problems.
Biosorption Behavior of Basic Red 46 and Violet 3 by Dead Pleurotus mutilus from Single- and Multicomponent Systems

The performance of nonviable P. mutilus for removal of Crystal Violet (CV) and Basic Red 46 (BR46) was investigated in single and binary systems. Batch kinetic studies were carried out as a function of pH, temperature, biomass amount, and dye concentration to determine the decolorization efficiency of biosorbent. In single system, the biosorption capacities of P. M. reached 166 and 76.92 mg/g for CV and BR46, respectively. A comparison of kinetic models applied to the adsorption of basic dyes onto P. Mutilus was evaluated for the pseudo-second-order and intraparticle diffusion kinetics models. The experimental data fitted very well the pseudo-second-order kinetic model, whereas diffusion is not only the rate-controlling step. The thermodynamic study indicates that the adsorption of dyes is spontaneous and endothermic process. In binary system, the biosorption capacities of P. Mutilus for both dyes decreased significantly compared to that in single system. Competitive coefficients calculated on a concentration basis using Sheindorf-Rebhun-Sheintuch (SRS) equation were useful for describing the degree of competitive interaction in P. M.
Consumers' willingness to pay for climate-friendly food in European countries

Since food consumption contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions it is important field of action for consumer engagement. In this context, the present article looks into the question if carbon footprint labels are a suitable mean to foster climate-friendly food purchase behavior. By means of a mixed methods approach comprising choice experiments and qualitative face-to-face interviews European consumers’ preferences and willingness to pay for carbon footprint labels compared to other sustainability labels as well as socio-psychological barriers for climate-friendly consumption are explored. The results reveal that consumers are prepared to pay a price premium for carbon footprint labels but that label skepticism and fatigue as well as a lack in awareness about the impact of food production and consumption on climate change are major barriers for climate-friendly purchase behavior. Information provision in form of carbon footprint labels can only be one part of the solution. Political engagement and engagement by the retail are incremental for success.
Global Product Structure Matrix: An Integrated Component of a Variable Process Model for Global Platforms

This research is targeted at manufacturers of special purpose machinery and custom-made products, who operate multi-nationally. Globalization pressures lead these companies to develop platform-based products. In the style of the automotive industry, many of these companies started to develop their product families based on global product platforms. The difficult task is to cover all kinds of local standards, laws, and regulations within the platform. Supplementary strong variations in the purchasing power of customers, education of work forces, and availability of technology or mere fashions in local markets are further hindering the platform development. This paper describes two elements of a new variable platform process for global product development. The goal is to guarantee variant management already during the development of a global product family and improve global collaboration. The Global Product Structure Matrix is the platform process' backbone and helps to determine the optimal product variety and at the same time improves the integration and collaboration of R&D and market representatives. But the real "spirit" of the process is the Component Box platform model. Its novel structure offers the robustness for component re-use and flexibility for local differentiation. Even more important it facilitates the collaborative product development in the globally distributed development network by remaining "visible" throughout the entire process.
Co-injection of ETV-2 and HGF viral vectors significantly improve angiogenesis in mice with hindlimb ischemia

Introduction: Both ETV-2 and HGF factors are known to be important factors which trigger neo-angiogenesis both in vitro and in vivo models. This study aimed to treat hindlimb ischemia in mice by co-injection of ETV-2 and HGF viral vectors. Methods: ETV-2 and HGF vectors were prepared per previous publications. The mouse ischemic hindlimb model was performed by ligating and burning the artery at the hindlimb. ETV-2 and HGF viral vectors were co-injected into the ligated and burnt sites. Results: The results showed that co-injection of the vectors significantly improved angiogenesis as well as reduced leg loss in mice compared to placebo treatment. The percentage of mice who succumbed to ischemia was also significantly reduced compared to control. Conclusion: Overall, this study suggests a potential impact of combining ETV-2 and HGF to treat angiogenesis. Use of ETV-2 and HGF viral vectors can be a promising therapy for ischemia treatment in the future.
EFFECT OF FORTY-FOUR YEARS OF GRAZING ON FESCUE GRASSLAND SOILS

A grazing study was initiated in the foothills of southwestern Alberta on the rough fescue grasslands (Festuca campestris (Rydb.) in 1949 comparing various grazing intensities. In 1992, soil samples were obtained from the Ah horizon of paddocks grazed at 1.2 (light), 2.4 (heavy), and 4.8 (very heavy) animal unit month ha-1 and from an ungrazed exclosure (control). The thickness of the Ah horizon of the control averaged 22 cm while that of the lightly, heavily and very heavily grazed paddocks averaged 18, 12, and 8 cm, respectively. Soil color changed from 10YR 2/1 (black) to 10YR 4/3 (dark brown to brown) in response to very heavy grazing. Grazing pressures decreased the mean-weight diameter of water-stable aggregates, total C and P, monosaccharide content and the galactose + mannose/xylose + arabinose ratio, while it increased bulk density, pH-CaCl2, and total N. The loss of P must be viewed with concern. Treatment effects on most soil parameters were most pronounced at the two heavier grazing pressures. Particularly, the heavy grazing pressure jeopardized the sustainability of the ecosystem by reducing fertility and water-holding capacity.
Is culture a golden barrier between human and chimpanzee?

Culture pervades much of human existence. Its significance to human social interaction and cognitive development has convinced some researchers that the phenomenon and its underlying mechanisms represent a defining criterion for humankind. However, care should be taken not to make hasty conclusions in light of the growing number of observations on the cultural abilities of different species, ranging from chimpanzees and orangutans to whales and dolphins. The present review concentrates on wild chimpanzees and shows that they all possess an extensive cultural repertoire. In the light of what we know from humans, I evaluate the importance of social learning leading to acquisition of cultural traits, as well as of collective meaning of communicative traits. Taking into account cross‐cultural variations in humans, I argue that the cultural abilities we observe in wild chimpanzees present a broad level of similarity between the two species.
A Study of Patient Satisfaction in Outdoor Services of Private Health Care Facilities

The concept of patient satisfaction has encouraged the adoption of marketing culture in service sector including health care services. This article reports the findings of a survey aimed at understanding the extent of patient satisfaction with diagnostic services. It has constructed a special instrument for measuring patient satisfaction. The instrument captures the behaviour of doctors and medical assistants, quality of administration, and atmospherics. The role of demographic characteristics like gender, occupation, education, and income is also considered. Based on the findings, the article suggests strategic actions for meeting the needs of the patients of private health care sector more effectively.
The role of servicescape as a driver of customer value in experience-centric service organizations: the Dragon Football Stadium case

Service experience is the core of service offering. However, research on the role of the service environment when creating experiences is still underdeveloped, and even less empirical evidence is available that relates servicescape with customers' perceptions of value. Our purpose is to focus on the role of servicescape as a driver of customer experience by analyzing its impact on customer value creation and behavior. We have chosen an experience-centric service organization, a football club, to develop our analysis. A regression analysis was performed to determine the main drivers of value among ‘sportscape’ components and how it influenced customers' attitude and behavior. A total of 349 questionnaires were collected during a match of the Portuguese Football League at Dragon Stadium. Our analysis showed that servicescape influences consumer perceived value, attitudes, and behavior when creating service experiences: value-in-context generates customers' satisfaction, which in turn has a positive effect on their desire to repeat the experience.
DEVELOPING A SUSTAINABILITY FRAMEWORK FOR ASSESSING BIOENERGY PROJECTS

Focusing on the situation relating to Bioenergy in India, this paper provides an analysis of the currently available methodologies for assessing the varied impacts, both positive and negative, of bioenergy production. This contextual information is then framed within a perspective of planning for sustainability; and the reasoning behind development of the RE-Impact framework, drawing particularly from field experience in India, is presented. Keywords: bioenergy, decentralised generation, environmental impact, rural development, socio-economic impact, sustainability.
On the optical thickness in the UV range: Analysis of the ground‐based data taken at Belsk, Poland

[1] The longest time series of UV-B and short wavelength of UV-A aerosol optical depth has been constructed for the period 1992–2002 using the direct Sun irradiances obtained during standard calculations of total ozone by the Brewer spectrophotometer at Belsk (51°84N, 20°78E), Poland. The long-term variations appear to be trendless with only small year-to-year variations. The statistical analysis of the 1-day change of aerosol optical depth in the UV range shows that in 30% of cases the scale of the aerosol change is important for the next day UV index forecast. In the analysis of dependence of the aerosol optical depth on wavelength we combine the CIMEL Sun photometer and the Brewer spectrophotometer optical depth data. The Angstrom's exponent is calculated for the pairs of wavelengths in the visible, UV-A, and UV-A/UV-B ranges. It is found that Angstrom's exponent decreases for the shorter wavelength pair, and it is possible that in the UV-B/UV-A range the exponent is actually negative, yielding an increase of aerosol optical depth with wavelength. The Mie code simulations corroborate the hypothesis of possible negative values for the Angstrom's exponent in the UV-B/UV-A range.
Early Parental Support as Predictor of Early Literacy Skills: A Study from Four Administrative Districts in Ghana

This study from four administrative districts in Ghana suggest that early parental involvement in their children’s literacy practices is likely to predict better effects on these children in basic reading skills. The benefits of parental involvement and support as predictor of literacy and educational achievement are enormous. They go beyond early academic achievement in pre-school. Early exposure to reading with parents from the homes predisposes children for formal basic literacy instruction. Indeed, early involvement of parents in their child’s reading is found to be the number one critical factor contributing positively to language and emergent literacy. Home reading activities in which parents are involved significantly influence achievements in reading as well as in language comprehension and expressive language skills. This report also points to possible link between educational background of parents and children’s reading achievement at the pre-school: the higher the parental education background, the higher the level of home involvement predicting children’s early achievement in literacy skills.
Miniature as a hypothetical regulatory protein of the Bursicon/Rickets signaling cascade in the wing epithelia of Drosophila melanogaster

Soon after eclosion, epithelial cells of the Drosophila wing undergo a number of the processes due to a release of the neurohormone bursicon and its further binding to the GPCR Rickets, collectively referred to as wing maturation. Here we propose hypothetical models of the interaction between extracellular Miniature, and also Dusky, proteins and proteins responsible for triggering of the wing maturation processes in Drosophila melanogaster.
Quaternary climate changes explain diversity among reptiles and amphibians

It is widely believed that contemporary climate determines large-scale patterns of species richness. An alternative view proposes that species richness reflects biotic responses to historic climate changes. These competing ‘‘contemporary climate’’ vs ‘‘historic climate’’ hypotheses have been vigorously debated without reaching consensus. Here, we test the proposition that European species richness of reptiles and amphibians is driven by climate changes in the Quaternary. We find that climate stability between the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) and the present day is a better predictor of species richness than contemporary climate; and that the 08C isotherm of the LGM delimits the distributions of narrow-ranging species, whereas the current 08C isotherm limits the distributions of wide-ranging species. Our analyses contradict previous studies of large-scale species richness patterns and support the view that ‘‘historic climate’’ can contribute to current species richness independently of and at least as much as contemporary climate.