Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Velvetleaf (Abutilon theophrasti) Growth and Development in Conventional and No-Tillage Corn (Zea mays)

Monoculture velvetleaf had greater dry weight, growth rate, leaf area index, and height than velvetleaf grown in association with conventional or no-tillage corn. Velvetleaf planted 5 weeks after corn had significantly lower dry weight, leaf area index, and height compared to velvedeaf planted at the same time as corn. The combination of interference from corn and delayed planting caused a significant reduction in velvetleaf population at the end of the season, delayed the date of 50% velvetleaf flowering, increased the number of days required for 50% flowering, and reduced the number of capsules per plant. Velvetleaf dry weight/hectare and leaf area index increased as plant population increased. Velvetleaf dry weight, leaf area, capsules, and seed/plant decreased as plant density increased. There were no differences in vegetative or reproductive growth between velvetleaf grown in conventional or no-tillage areas.
Differential Mating Motives' Influence on Preferences for Facially Communicated Extraversion

Human facial structures communicate personality from which one can infer another’s behavioral intentions, forming a basis for mate selection. One particularly detectable trait through facial structures is extraversion. Extraversion is a trait associated with heightened interest in promiscuous mating strategies and preferred among individuals similarly interested in short-term mating, implicating extraverted mates as ideal trait for short-term mating. Nonetheless, behavioral repertoires associated with extraversion may also pose risks, particularly in long-term mating, as their increased promiscuity may undermine their fidelity to a specific partner, thereby potentially reducing biparental investment in any offspring produced. Thus, a preference for introversion (i.e., low extraversion) may be desirable in long-term mating. This dissertation sought to determine the extent to which differential mating contexts, as elicited through activating context-specific motives, influence preferences for facially communicated extraversion versus introversion. Men and women were experimentally primed with mating motives, either long-or short-term, or a control state before indicating the extent to which various mating-related motivational states were activated (i.e., arousal, intrasexual competition, infidelity concerns, sociosexually unrestricted attitudes). Finally, I tasked them with indicating their preferences among male and female face pairs manipulated to communicate high and low levels of extraversion. Consistent with previous research, participants reported a preference for extraverted female faces and aversion to extraverted male faces. However, and contrary to hypotheses, differential mating contexts influenced neither men’s nor women’s preferences for extraversion. Furthermore, no motivational states provided the predicted mediation pathways. I frame these results based on various methodological limitations that could inform future research and posit future directions.
Event Studies of O+ Density Variability Within Quiet‐Time Plasma Sheet

To understand the variations of the O+ ions in the quiet‐time plasma sheet between the regions of cold‐dense plasma sheet (CDPS) and hot plasma sheet (HPS), we conduct three event studies. These studies investigate the O+ densities in the two regions and how they are correlated with the strength of two magnetospheric sources important to ion outflows: the soft electron flux and Poynting flux toward the ionosphere. The CDPS is characterized by two‐component ions (one hot component mixed with one cold component), while the HPS ions consist of only one single hot component. Comparing the O+ density between the CDPS and HPS of the same event, the average CDPS O+ density was higher by a factor of ~2–5. Compared to the HPS, the soft electron flux source within the CDPS was higher, consistent with the fact that the soft electron precipitation and O+ upward number fluxes observed in the ionosphere were also higher within the CDPS. In the plasma sheet, broadband ultralow‐frequency electric and magnetic field waves with the characteristics of kinetic Alfvén waves were often more intense within the CDPS, providing a stronger Poynting flux source. In addition, electron resonant interaction with kinetic Alfvén waves results in acceleration along the magnetic fields and, thus, may drive the observed soft electron precipitation. These correlations suggest that the higher soft electron precipitation and Poynting flux coming from the magnetospheric CDPS likely produce larger ionospheric O+ outflows back to the magnetosphere, thus resulting in the higher O+ density within the CDPS.
Restoration of Ecosystem Function by Soil Surface Inoculation with Biocrust in Mesic and Xeric Alpine Ecosystems

ABSTRACT:Biocrusts are soil surface assemblages of lichens, bacteria, fungi, and bryophytes that support key ecosystem processes in alpine environments. Their role in carbon and nitrogen cycling is critical to soil pedogenesis. Establishment of biocrusts after disturbance events is an important first step in restoring ecosystem function. However, our understanding of active restoration of alpine biocrusts, as well as how environmental factors affect ecosystem processes associated with early succession, is poor. In a field experiment at two alpine sites (a xeric and a mesic site), we monitored microclimatic conditions and assessed function of mature biocrusts. We also examined the influence of inoculation with mature biocrusts and fertilization on the recovery of biocrusts in disturbed alpine soils. Biocrust cover and soil surface nitrogen fixation were enhanced by inoculation after 12 weeks at the mesic site. However, at the xeric site biocrust cover increased while nitrogen fixation declined. Restoration of dry and cold alpine environments presents many challenges and recovery of ecosystem services may require additional restoration techniques and longer timelines. Improved understanding of the community composition of alpine biocrusts and their developmental trajectories over time will assist with effectively using biocrusts to promote recovery of ecosystem processes in disturbed alpine environments.
Dose-dependent functions of SWI/SNF BAF in permitting and inhibiting cell proliferation in vivo

SWI/SNF complexes regulate transcription through chromatin remodeling and opposing gene silencing by Polycomb-group (PcG) proteins. Genes that encode SWI/SNF subunits are frequently mutated in human cancer. The selective advantage, subunit bias, and common heterozygosity of such mutations remains poorly understood. Here, we characterized how functional loss of various SWI/SNF subunits and PcG EZH2 affect proliferation-differentiation decisions in vivo, making use of the reproducible development of the nematode C. elegans. We applied a lineage-specific genetics strategy to create partial or complete SWI/SNF subunit loss, as well as double gene knockout with PcG EZH2. Our data show that a high SWI/SNF BAF dosage is needed to oppose Polycomb-mediated transcriptional repression and to arrest cell division during differentiation. In contrast, even in the absence of the PcG EZH2-related methyltransferase, a low level of the SWI/SNF BAF complex is necessary and sufficient to sustain cell proliferation and hyperplasia. Our data provide experimental support for the theory that during carcinogenesis partial SWI/SNF BAF loss-of-function mutations are selected because they eliminate a tumor suppressor activity while maintaining an essential transcription regulatory function.
Stochastic Models of Influenza Outbreaks on a College Campus

Disease outbreaks on residential college campuses provide an ideal opportunity for mathematical modelling. Unfortunately, publicly available data are rare and many of these outbreaks are relatively small, confounding traditional data-fitting techniques such as least-squares. Using data from three outbreaks during the 2015 and 2017 flu seasons at Trinity College, we fit several SIR-type stochastic models by approximating the likelihood of each model. We find that stochasticity is a key driver in determining the size of the outbreak, and that it strongly depends on the amount of time between the start of the outbreak and the next school holiday. Our results indicate that in order to prevent or limit the size of an outbreak, school closure is likely to be more effective than increasing the vaccination rate. As influenza is a leading cause of negative academic outcomes, these results offer important guidance for school administrators.
Strong Dependence of Atmospheric Feedbacks on Mixed‐Phase Microphysics and Aerosol‐Cloud Interactions in HadGEM3

We analyze the atmospheric processes that explain the large changes in radiative feedbacks between the two latest climate configurations of the Hadley Centre Global Environmental model. We use a large set of atmosphere‐only climate change simulations (amip and amip‐p4K) to separate the contributions to the differences in feedback parameter from all the atmospheric model developments between the two latest model configurations. We show that the differences are mostly driven by changes in the shortwave cloud radiative feedback in the midlatitudes, mainly over the Southern Ocean. Two new schemes explain most of the differences: the introduction of a new aerosol scheme and the development of a new mixed‐phase cloud scheme. Both schemes reduce the strength of the preexisting shortwave negative cloud feedback in the midlatitudes. The new aerosol scheme dampens a strong aerosol‐cloud interaction, and it also suppresses a negative clear‐sky shortwave feedback. The mixed‐phase scheme increases the amount of cloud liquid water path (LWP) in the present day and reduces the increase in LWP with warming. Both changes contribute to reducing the negative radiative feedback of the increase of LWP in the warmer climate. The mixed‐phase scheme also enhances a strong, preexisting, positive cloud fraction feedback. We assess the realism of the changes by comparing present‐day simulations against observations and discuss avenues that could help constrain the relevant processes.
MODELLING OF CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM REGULATION

The article deals with principles of cardiovascular system regulation. The work describes physiological basis of selected regulation mechanisms such as autoregulation and baroregulation. An overview of cardiovascular system models is presented. The paper contains description of linear regulation models and also models containing nonlinear phenomenon. The article describes implementation of heart rate and vascular resistance regulation to existing model of arterial system based on the principle of electromechanical analogy. The implemented regulation model is based on baroreceptor regulation application. There are analysed characteristic properties of baroreceptor regulation such as saturation, hysteresis or step change in baroreceptor impulse rate.
Studying a Sign Language: What Are Hearing Adults Doing Outside of Class?

Abstract:Scholars of second language (L2) learning and teaching are increasingly exploring students' use of the L2 outside the classroom setting, in recognition of the powerful effect this self-directed study can have on language learning. Within sign language studies, students have long been exhorted to immerse themselves in the Deaf community. However, until now we have lacked an evidence base of the degree to which they do this (or other out-of-class study), how effective they find it, or whether/how engagement changes as proficiency develops. This study explores these issues by considering responses from 157 students enrolled in four different levels of Auslan (Australian Sign Language) units at the same tertiary institution. Findings indicate that students at all levels have low engagement with structured revision but make good use of media resources and face-to-face interactions, and that uptake of these increase in relative frequency to their developing capabilities and personal networks. Innovative students also integrate Auslan study into everyday situations and interests.
Radiofrequency ablation as initial therapy in paroxysmal atrial fibrillation.

To the Editor: In the study by Cosedis Nielsen et al. (Oct. 25 issue),1 the authors report that there was no significant difference between the use of antiarrhythmic drugs and radiofrequency ablation as primary therapy for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation during a 2-year period. We have concerns regarding this conclusion. The outcomes are clouded by the intention-totreat analysis. Crossover to the alternative therapy (without a ruling of treatment failure) occurred in 36% of patients in the group assigned to receive antiarrhythmic drugs and in 9% of patients assigned to receive radiofrequency ablation. On-treatment analysis would have more accurately reflected the efficacy of therapy. Although the authors report no betweengroup difference in the rates of death or adverse events, they oddly conclude that given the risk of complications with radiofrequency ablation, antiarrhythmic drugs should be considered firstline therapy. The authors emphasize the rate of procedure-related death with radiofrequency ablation, yet they do not highlight the sudden death event in the group receiving antiarrhythmic drugs, which may represent a proarrhythmic death. Without significant differences in adverse events, the data support a patient-specific treatment strategy. If the objective of initial therapy is a reduction in the atrial fibrillation burden, then antiarrhythmic drug therapy is preferred. However, if the objective is freedom from atrial fibrillation, then the study confirms that radiofrequency ablation is superior to antiarrhythmic drug therapy.
Breaking Negative Stereotypes of Climate Activists: A Conjoint Experiment

We tested 44 variations in profiles of climate change activists to see what affected willingness to associate with them. The largest effects were from activists’ perspectives on climate change, how often they pressure others, gun control views, and party affiliation. If implemented as a traditional factorial experiment, this experiment would require 648,000 conditions and an infeasibly large sample. We obtained our results much more efficiently via an experimental design rare in communication research. Conjoint experiments will be useful to science communication researchers who wish to simultaneously test many factors of complex stimuli, such as individuals, organizations, technologies, or policies.
Quality of life predictors in informal caregivers of seniors with a functional performance deficit – an example of home care in Poland

Background: There is insufficient research into informal caregivers’ quality of life (QoL) in Poland. The purpose of this work is to study predictors that considerably affect QoL of informal caregivers (IC) providing home care for seniors with chronic diseases and a functional performance deficit. Materials and methods: In the cross-sectional research design, ICs were randomly chosen among the geriatric population receiving care in 5 primary health care settings. The WHOQoL-AGE questionnaire was used to assess QoL of ICs (n=138). The Barthel scale and Polish version of the Abbreviated Mental Test Score (AMTS) were applied to assess individuals with chronic diseases and functional and mental performance deficits (n=138). The Geriatric Depression Scale Short Form (GDS-SF) was used to measure the extent of risk of depressive symptoms in care-receivers. A hierarchical regression analysis was carried out to determine predictors of caregivers’ QoL. Results: Mean values in the group of seniors provided with home care were as follows: the Barthel scale M=43.20, SD=27.06, the AMTS M=7.78 (SD=1.65), and the GDS-SF M=7.34 (SD=3.10). QoL of ICs (the WHOQoL-AGE) was M=70.14 (SD=15.31). Significant predictors of caregivers’ QoL turned out to be support in care given by others β =0.605, p<0.001, experience in care β =–0.220; p<0.001, caregivers’ health self-assessment β =0.174, p<0.001, and depressive disorders in care-receivers GDS β = −0.178, p<0.001. Conclusions: The QoL of ICs who provide care for individuals with chronic diseases and a functional performance deficit improves with an increase in the support they receive from others, their higher health self-assessment, and greater experience in care. An increase in depressive symptoms in care-receivers determines a lower level of caregivers’ QoL.
Modified Vlasov Equation and Collective Oscillations of Relativistic Radiating Electron Plasma

A Covariant Statistical Mechanics is developed for a system of electrons within the limits of plasma physics. By using the Landau-Lifshitz equation of motion for point charged particles, the phase space reduces to be a seven dimensional space instead of the ten dimensional space proposed by Hakim and Mangeney [J. Math. Phys. 1968, 9, 1, 116]. A modified Vlasov equation is obtained which permits one to deduce a general expression for the dispersion relations. Unlike other works, neither the Special Relativity nor any of the properties of the gauge are used to discard some of the wave modes. Instead, the continuity equation is used as a constraint embedded in the definition of the 4—vector current. This permits to make a mathematical analysis for calculating and discarding the transverse and longitudinal modes for any temperature. An expression for the longitudinal wave modes is deduced for any temperature and wave number. Usually, certain approximations are made to obtain such an expression that matches our result. But in general, without making such approximations, the result differs by a factor. The Landau damping and the damping due to the radiation reaction force are obtained and contrasted at low and high temperature cases. The results are compared with the ones obtained within Magnetohydrodynamics. Moreover, a numerical method is applied in order to compare the dispersion relations obtained with the approximations made. Surprisingly, it is sampled numerically that the dispersion relations are bounded for each temperature and that there is a cut-off for each wave number.
Node-Based Service-Balanced Scheduling for Provably Guaranteed Throughput and Evacuation Time Performance

This paper focuses on the design of <italic>provably efficient online</italic> link scheduling algorithms for multi-hop wireless networks. We consider single-hop traffic and the one-hop interference model. The objective is twofold: 1) <italic>maximizing the throughput</italic> when the flow sources continuously inject packets into the network, and 2) <italic>minimizing the evacuation time</italic> when there are no future packet arrivals. The prior work mostly employs the link-based approach, which leads to throughput-efficient algorithms but often does not guarantee satisfactory evacuation time performance. In this paper, we propose a novel Node-based Service-Balanced (NSB) online scheduling algorithm. NSB aims to give scheduling opportunities to heavily congested nodes in a balanced manner, by maximizing the total weight of the scheduled nodes in each scheduling cycle, where the weight of a node is determined by its workload and whether the node was scheduled in the previous scheduling cycle(s). We rigorously prove that NSB guarantees to achieve an efficiency ratio no worse (or no smaller) than <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$2/3$</tex-math><alternatives><inline-graphic xlink:href="ji-ieq1-2777828.gif"/> </alternatives></inline-formula> for the throughput and an approximation ratio no worse (or no greater) than <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$3/2$</tex-math><alternatives> <inline-graphic xlink:href="ji-ieq2-2777828.gif"/></alternatives></inline-formula> for the evacuation time. It is remarkable that NSB is both throughput-optimal and evacuation-time-optimal if the underlying network graph is bipartite. Further, we develop a lower-complexity NSB algorithm, called LC-NSB, which provides the same performance guarantees as NSB. Finally, we conduct numerical experiments to elucidate our theoretical results.
Impact of contract farming on rice farm performance: Endogenous switching regression

Abstract Contract farming (CF) is increasing been used as a strategy in rice production in Ghana while there is no empirical data supporting it. This study investigated the importance of CF in rice production. Cross-sectional farm household level data collected from 350 rice farmers randomly selected across the rice production areas of Ghana was used. The adoption and casual impact of CF was estimated using endogenous switching regression and propensity score matching methods. Results revealed positive and significant relationship between CF and farm performance measures (yield and gross margins). Results indicate that, CF increases yield and gross margins significantly. It further identified educational level, rice farm size and ISFM as positive determinants of contract participation. This evidence provides strong support for efforts to promote CF in Ghana. Educated farmers should be targeted for CF participation because their propensity to participate in CF is high. Sensitising our illiterate farmers to participate in CF should be vigorously pursued. CF should also be encouraged as a means to promote the adoption of ISFM technology. CF is recommended as a good tool for developing the local rice value chain in Ghana.
A 4000-year record of hydrologic variability from the Olympic Mountains, Washington, USA

Sedimentological and geochemical analyses of gravity and piston cores retrieved from Lake Quinault, Washington, reveal an ~4000-year flood-dominated depositional record. Individual flood event layers are identified by combining core stratigraphy, sedimentology, and the ratio of incoherent to coherently scattered x-ray radiation (inc/coh) from µXRF (x-ray fluorescence) core scans. The inc/coh time series is used as a proxy for sediment grain size and, in combination with radiocarbon-anchored core age–depth models, enables the reconstruction of late-Holocene hydrologic variability for the Quinault River catchment. Decadal to centennial variability in inc/coh is interpreted to reflect trends in ocean-atmosphere teleconnections favorable for the formation of land-falling atmospheric rivers along the Pacific Ocean flank of the Olympic Mountains. Such processes likely modulate the rate of flooding and may explain notable increases in the frequency of flood event layers observed during the periods 2350–2450 cal. yr BP and the most recent century (AD 1910–2010). Understanding past hydrologic variability has important implications for the landscape and ecosystem response of Olympic Mountain catchments to future climate warming.
A partially deadlock-free typed process calculus

We propose a novel static type system for a process calculus, which ensures both partial deadlock-freedom and partial confluence. The key novel ideas are: (1) introduction of the order of channel use as type information and (2) classification of communication channels into reliable and unreliable channels based on their usage and a guarantee of the usage by the type system. We can ensure that communication on reliable channels never causes deadlock and also that certain reliable channels never introduce nondeterminism. With the type system, for example, the simply typed /spl lambda/-calculus can be encoded into the deadlock-free and confluent fragment of our process calculus; we can therefore recover behavior of the typed /spl lambda/-calculus in the level of process calculi. We also show that typical concurrent objects can also be encoded into the deadlock-free fragment.