Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Ethics and animal welfare in organic animal husbandry: an interdisciplinary approach

Abstract Farm animals make importance contributions to organic farming systems. This thesis deals with the value and aims of organic farming in relation to animal welfare concerns. The organic standards and other publications from the organic movement are analyzed to define basic values. These are related to ethical theory, and ecocentric ethics is suggested as an ethical position for organic farming. It is concluded that although the main concern is to develop sustainable and environmentally friendly farming systems, animal welfare is an important aim in organic farming. Two studies have been made of Swedish organic livestock farmers to examine their values and beliefs about animal husbandry and animal welfare. The first study comprised 15 equalitative in-depth interviews. The second study was a quantitative questionnaire study, where answers were analyzed using principal component analysis (exploratory factor analysis). Both studies showed that the ecocentric position can be identified among Swedish organic livestock farmers in their perception of animal welfare. An important finding is that the animal welfare concept is understood differently in organic farming from what is usual in conventional agriculture. It is interpreted in terms of natural living, which includes the possibility of performing a natural behavior, feeds adapted to the animal's physiology and a natural environment. Thus, it is important for the organic farmers to be explicit and communicate their view of animal welfare to other groups. A literature study was performed to learn about the actual animal welfare situation in organic animal husbandry. Only 22 peer-reviewed articles were found. There were no indications in the literature that overall health is worse in organic than in conventional herds. A very careful conclusion was that animal health in organic farming is as good or perhaps better – with the important exception of parasitic diseases. The thesis also analyzes conflicting values and dilemmas in organic animal husbandry, e.g., between the ecocentric position and aspects of animal welfare. The questionnaire study revealed two groups with partially differing values: farmers who see organic farming as a life style and who believe environmental issues and natural living are important, and entrepreneurial farmers who consider making money and new challenges more important. An ethical contract is proposed as a tool to handle the dilemmas. It is concluded that it is important for organic farmers and for the organic movement to take animal health and welfare issues seriously.
Lithospheric mantle domains beneath Antarctica

Abstract The chemistry of mafic volcanic rocks and minor intrusions erupted on continents can be used to define sub-continental asthenospheric and lithospheric mantle sources. Data have been collated from Antarctica and the Falkland Islands (adjacent in Gondwana) in order to identify lithospheric mantle sources beneath the continent. The lithosphere-derived magmas include lamproitic and some lamprophyric rocks and end-members in basaltic suites that are interpreted as mixtures of magmas from lithospheric and asthenospheric sources. The lithosphere-derived mafic rocks from Archaean to Middle Proterozoic cratonic and circumcratonic areas of East Antarctica have time-corrected εNd values of −20 to −3. This demands isolation of the LREE-enriched sources within pockets of stable sub-cratonic lithosphere for more than 1 Ga, consistent with the lithosphere thickness up to 250 km imaged by seismic tomography. In contrast, lithosphere-derived mafic rocks from Middle Proterozoic to Early Palaeozoic areas of West Antarctica, Victoria Land and the Falkland Islands that formed the Gondwana continental margin, have time-corrected εNd values of −3.6 to +3.5, implying more recent isolation from asthenosphere. In terms of mantle reservoirs, cratonic and circumcratonic areas trend toward EMI, with EMII possibly being a minor component. In contrast, Gondwana margin areas trend toward EMII, with EMI being, at most, a very minor component.
Migrating around in circles ‐ Part III

This paper proposes (1) simulating a zero‐offset (ZO) section from common‐offset (CO) sections of different offsets and (2) a possibility to find the best velocity to do this simulation. More precisely, the paper discusses the kinematic aspects of a common‐reflection‐point (CRP) stack for an unknown velocity model.
Asymmetry of the Tripole Rainfall Pattern during the East Asian Summer

Abstract This study investigates the tripole rainfall pattern in East Asia during the northern summer. The tripole pattern is characterized by a zonally elongated and meridionally banded structure with signs changing alternatively from 20° to 50°N along the East Asian coast. The positive (negative) phase of the pattern is characterized by more (less) rainfall in central-eastern China, Japan, and South Korea, and less (more) rainfall in northern and southern China. Asymmetry between the positive and negative phases is one of the key findings of this study. The tripole pattern is closely associated with two wavelike patterns: the Pacific–Japan pattern and the Silk Road pattern. The former, which emanates from the tropical western Pacific to extratropical East Asia, is more evident in the positive phase, while the latter, emanating across the Eurasian continent, is more evident in the negative phase. The positive phase appears to have a stronger tropical connection, while the negative phase has a stronger ex.
Sparsification—a technique for speeding up dynamic graph algorithms

We provide data strutures that maintain a graph as edges are inserted and deleted, and keep track of the following properties with the following times: minimum spanning forests, graph connectivity, graph 2-edge connectivity, and bipartiteness in time<italic>O</italic>(<italic>n</italic><supscrpt>1/2</supscrpt>) per change; 3-edge connectivity, in time <italic>O</italic>(<italic>n</italic><supscrpt>2/3</supscrpt>) per change; 4-edge connectivity, in time <italic>O</italic>(<italic>n</italic>α(<italic>n</italic>)) per change; <italic>k</italic>-edge connectivity for constant <italic>k</italic>, in time <italic>O</italic>(<italic>n</italic>log<italic>n</italic>) per change;2-vertex connectivity, and 3-vertex connectivity, in the <italic>O</italic>(<italic>n</italic>) per change; and 4-vertex connectivity, in time <italic>O</italic>(<italic>n</italic>α(<italic>n</italic>)) per change. Further results speed up the insertion times to match the bounds of known partially dynamic algorithms. All our algorithms are based on a new technique that transforms an algorithm for sparse graphs into one that will work on any graph, which we call <italic>sparsification. </italic>
Climate, Carbon, and Territory: Greenhouse Gas Mitigation in Seattle, Washington

Hundreds of local governments in the United States have adopted greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction goals during the past several years, requiring critical examinations of the role of the state in climate governance and the effects of these programs on urban citizenship. Using a study of Seattle, Washington, a city at the forefront of implementing climate regulations through formal government institutions, this article examines how and why climate is incorporated into local environmental policy. By deliberately connecting the causes and consequences of global climate change to the local community, Seattle has been able to use climate as a conceptual resource for urban environmental policy via the climatization of the urban environment. Furthermore, a key mechanism for making climate governable in Seattle is the carbonization of urban governance, where a relationship between the production of GHG emissions and specific urban activities is established through the use of GHG inventories and emissions monitoring. These practices facilitate the act of territorialization, where material natures and state institutions are coconstituted through the production of carbon territories. A key effect of these practices is that Seattle has begun to enroll its residents as a new type of carbon-relevant citizen in the regulation of global climate, while also reaffirming its ability to regulate infrastructural design, commercial activities, and community development. These findings are discussed with respect to their implications for how we understand state practice in climate governance, as well as the relationship between “the state” and “nature” in environmental politics.
Presoaking Seeds with Vinegar Improves Seed Development and Drought Tolerance in Maize Plants

Climate change continues to contribute to severe drought conditions and threatens the food security of many developing countries. Maize is a very important source of food for developing nations. Climate change has contributed to the increasing annual temperatures around the world and poses a grave threat to Maize crops. Novel methods to help farmers combat drought conditions are urgently needed. Two methods proven to help combat plant drought stress effects are presoaking seeds (seeds are soaked in a liquid before planting) and the application of Acetic Acid (vinegar) to soil. The purpose of this experiment was to explore if combining these two methods by presoaking seeds with a vinegar solution can improve the seed development and plant drought tolerance of Maize plants during drought conditions. Three groups of seeds were created; Group 1 control (no presoaking), Group 2 (presoaking with water), and Group 3 (presoaking with vinegar solution). Seed development was determined by measuring the percent of seed germination and the rate of cotyledon emergence. Plant viability was measured by counting the number of viable plants and measuring final plant height. Our results revealed that presoaking Maize seeds with a vinegar solution (Group 3) was superior in terms of improving seed development and plant drought tolerance when exposed to drought conditions. We conclude that presoaking with a vinegar solution may offer a simple and inexpensive method of improving drought tolerance in Maize seeds and plants.
Representation of Generalized Map Series Using Semi-Structured Data Models

Large cartographic organizations worldwide produce generalized map series (GMS) in order to meet various user requirements. A GMS consists of maps of the same geographic region at different scales. Most of these maps currently are designed in a digital environment, and recently some of them have been distributed through the web. One important issue is the appropriate modeling and handling of cartographic entities composing individual maps in a GMS. Since these entities have rather complex descriptions and may be provided by various agencies, they usually do not conform to a fixed schema (i.e., they do not have a common structure). Hence, their representation in traditional data models, such as the relational or object-oriented, is not always feasible. This paper investigates the use of semi-structured data (SSD) models—an innovative approach recently developed in Information Technology for representing and handling entities in a GMS. Specifically, the Object Exchange Model (OEM), a popular database model for SSD, has been adopted to represent a GMS. How useful information can be extracted from such a representation using the LOREL query language—a popular language for SSD—is also shown.
Potential Multifunctional Agents for Dual Therapy of Age-Related and Associated Diseases: Alzheimer’s Disease and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Currently there is no cure for Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) and there seems to be an age-related link between AD and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (DM) in terms of incidence, symptoms and causation. The objective of this experiment is to assess the biological potentials of methanol extracts and its derived fractions of four Ayurvedic plants Buchania axillaris, Hemidesmus indicus, Pavetta indica and Ochna obtusa to develop potent agents for dual therapy of both AD and DM. Plant extracts in different concentrations were used in five colorimetric assays: Cholinesterase (AChE, BuChE inhibition) assay, Glucosidase (α–Glu) inhibition assay, an antioxidant activity assay, and MTT assay for cell viability and neuroprotective effects. It was found that that methanolic extract and its derived chloroform fraction of plants exhibited high inhibitory activity against AChE, BuChE, α–Glc enzymes. The active chloroform fractions also showed high antioxidant potential and neuroprotective capacity against H2O2 induced oxidative stress in human neuroblastoma cells. In all the assays, the samples were statistically different than the negative control meaning that the samples with the plant extracts were more effective than the controls without the treatment, while being as effective as the positive controls, which included current drugs used to treat the diseases individually.
Reactivación del sistema socioecológico ganadero de Picos de Europa (norte de España)

Rescia, A.J., Fungairino, S.G. , Dover, J.W. (2010). Recovery of social-ecologial livestock farming system of the Picos de Europa (northern Spain). Ecosistemas 19(2):137-145. Resilience of social-ecological system (SES) of the Picos de Europa is threatened by continuing changes of traditional livestock farmer activity which increase the economic vulnerability of the local population and their exodus to urban areas, as well as a homogenization of the landscape. We conducted a series of interviews-questionnaires in order to analyse the capacity of the population to have an influence or to be influenced by the dynamics of land use changes and their perception of previous changes. A conflict of interests among the SES components was detected and probable evolutionary trends by integrating historical, cultural and environmental parameters under different management policies were proposed. The recovery and persistence of this system under acceptable levels of biological and spatial diversity and productivity would be more viable under certain patterns of adaptive management and with the active participation of the local population in the decision-making processes. The continuity in time of the traditional landscape based on a livestock farming system would maintain the development of tourism, which is one of the current cornerstones of the local economy.
Creating a Phenology Trail Around Central Park Pond

In this study, we aimed to determine whether the life cycle stages, or phenophases, of some plants in the urban environment of Central Park, New York, differ from the typical phenophases of the same plant species. To address this aim, we created the first phenology trail in Central Park, New York, by monitoring physical changes in thirteen plants over time and using DNA barcoding to confirm the visual identification of plant species on the trail. We isolated DNA barcodes from thirteen leaf samples by performing DNA extraction, PCR, and gel electrophoresis, before sending the samples for sequencing. We created an online map of our phenology trail using the program iNaturalist so that said map may be used by future researchers and citizen scientists. We hypothesized that the phenophases of the thirteen plants we studied would differ from their typical phenophases due to the 2 to 3 degree increase in temperature resulting from the urban heat island effect, which would have an impact on temperature-determined phenophases. We observed that, although the phenophases of five of our plants matched up with typical trends, there were distinct changes in the phenophases of the other eight, possibly resulting from the urban heat island effect.
Activity rhythms and the influence of some environmental variables on summer ungulate behaviour in Ordesa-Monte Perdido National Park

We have studied daily activity rhythms and time-budgets of four large herbivores (cattle, sheep, goats and chamois) which form a multi-species grazing system in a summer pastoral unit of the Central Pyrenees. Also, the influence of some environmental variables (altitude, slope and plant cover) on the main activities has been appraised. Grazing is the activity to which most time is dedicated in all the species: cattle 48%, sheep 53%, goats 55% and chamois 68%. Cattle is the species with the highest resting rate (41%) and sheep is the species spends most time walking (35%). Results suggest the existence of an inverse relationship between body size and grazing time. Cattle show two clear grazing peaks during the day at early morning and late evening. Contrary to this, sheep and chamois show a multimodal pattern, with some peaks for this activity throughout the day. Environmental factors clearly influence cattle and chamois activities. Sheep and goats show a less definite pattern in respect to environmental factors, probably because of their herded condition.
Lunar tidal influence on inland river streamflow across the conterminous United States

We employ a comprehensive (1900–2009) stream discharge gauge database to analyze the tidal impacts on inland streams. Our analysis reveals a strong lunar phase signal in stream gauge time series across the conterminous United States such that the largest tidal impact on inland rivers is evident at or just after the quarter moon (halfway between full and new moons). As an explanation, we examine precipitation using the Historical Climate Network precipitation dataset. Verifying early studies’ results, we find an equivalent well‐defined lunar phase relationship with precipitation such that the largest tidal impact on precipitation generally occurs just before the quarter moon. Our results imply that inland precipitation is influenced by lunar tides and forces the lagged runoff evident in stream gauges. The lunar‐induced periodicities in the stream gauge network, evident far from ocean‐induced tides, may also influence flooding, as well as water management and power generation.
The effects of the “deadly trio” (warming, acidi�cation, and deoxygenation) on �sh early ontogeny

The interaction between increased dissolved carbon dioxide, rising temperatures, and oxygen loss – the so-called “deadly trio” – is expected to strongly affect marine biota over the coming years, potentially undermining ocean services and uses. Nonetheless, no study has so far scrutinized the cumulative impact of these three stressors on �sh embryonic and larval stages, known to be particularly vulnerable to environmental stress. To �ll this knowledge gap, we implemented a fully multi-factorial design to investigate the effects of acute warming ( Δ + 4°C; 22 ºC), acidi�cation ( Δ − 0.4 pH units; ~ 7.7 pCO 2 ) and deoxygenation ( Δ − 60% O 2 saturation, ~ 3 mg O 2 l − 1 ) over a comprehensive array of physiological (hatching success, survival rates, deformities rates, and heart rates) and behavioural responses (larvae responsiveness and phototaxis) across the early ontogeny of the temperate gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata). Deoxygenation was the main driver of negative impacts in the hatching success (64.25%), survival (46.71%), and heart rates (31.99%) of recently hatched larvae, being generally further exacerbated when warming and acidi�cation co-occurred. On the other hand, acidi�cation was the only factor to induce a signi�cant decrease in the proportion of phototactic behaviour (50%). The behavioural and physiological responses showed to be highly correlated across experimental treatments, speci�cally, phototaxis was negatively correlated with the incidence of malformations, and positively correlated with heart rates. Overall, our �ndings indicate that the interaction between warming, acidi�cation, and deoxygenation is markedly detrimental to �sh early developmental stages, impacting several key features at this critical life stage that may eventually cause adverse carry-over effects. Importantly, our analysis highlights the need to assess the concurrent impacts of stressors’ interaction on marine taxa to better predict future ecosystem responses to ocean changes.
Influence of socioeconomic status on academic performance in virtual classroom settings

As the children of immigrant parents, we understand the significant extent to which education is a tool for becoming contributing global citizens. During the COVID-19 pandemic, witnessing first-hand how socioeconomic inequalities were affecting education, we were determined to make a difference. We conducted an online survey to evaluate the impact of household socioeconomic status (SES) on student participation and performance in distance learning at the height of the COVID-19 in communities along the Monterey Bay Peninsula. SES is defined as the combined measure of gross income, educational attainment, and occupation. We hypothesized that students from low-socioeconomic households lacking resources and safe and supportive learning atmospheres would seldom participate during distance learning; therefore, earn lower grade point averages (GPAs) than students from higher SES households. We surveyed students from neighboring high schools whose student bodies are separated by a vast wealth gap, and utilized a novel scoring system to quantify the responses specifically for SES and direct participation factors (e.g., unmuting to participate in a class discussion and typing answers into the chat). The results suggested that high SES for Carmel High School and low SES for Monterey High School had a substantial impact on student achievement during distance learning. The average participation score for Carmel students was statistically significantly greater than Monterey students. Furthermore, students from the upper SES range attained higher weighted GPAs. This work ultimately reveals the inequality present in our current education system and the negative implications for low SES students in the online learning environment.