Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Physiological and Morphological Traits of Exotic, Invasive Exotic, and Native Plant Species in Tallgrass Prairie

We compared 13 traits of invasive exotic, noninvasive exotic, and ecologically similar native species to determine if there are generalizable differences among these groups that relate to persistence and spread of exotic species in tallgrass prairie plant communities. When species were grouped as invasive (two species), noninvasive (five species), and native (six species), no differences were found for the suite of traits examined, likely because of the high variability within and between groups. However, when exotic species, regardless of invasiveness, were compared with the native species, specific leaf area was ca. 40% higher for the exotic species, a result that is consistent with that of other studies. This pattern was also observed for five of seven pairwise comparisons of exotic and native species with similar life history traits. In contrast, total end‐of‐season biomass was as much as three times higher for the native species in five of seven of the native‐exotic species pairs. For other traits, differences between exotic and native species were species‐specific and were generally more numerous for noninvasive than for invasive exotic species pair‐wise comparisons. Thus, contrary to predictions, exotic species capable of successfully invading tallgrass prairie did not differ considerably from native species in most traits related to resource utilization and carbon gain. Moreover, invasive exotic species, those capable of displacing native species and dominating a community, were not distinct for the observed traits from their native counterparts. These results indicate that other traits, such as the ability to respond to resource pulses or herbivory, may explain more effectively why certain invasive species are able to invade these communities aggressively.
Reproductive biology of Holothuria fuscocinerea (Echinodermata: Holothuroidea) from Oaxaca, Mexico

The sea cucumber Holothuria fuscocinerea is among the most common holothurian species widely distributed in the Tropical Eastern Pacific Region and is becoming a potentially important fishery in Mexico. Nevertheless, there are no studies about its reproductive biology. This study analyzed several reproductive traits of H. fuscocinerea based on monthly time-series samples taken from April 2008 to March 2009 at La Entrega Bay, Oaxaca, in the Mexican tropical Pacific. Sex ratio, gonad development stages (GDS), reproductive cycle, diameter and distribution of oocytes, and fecundity were determined. Reproductive indices (the gonadosomatic index (GSI) and maturity index (MI)) were calculated, and their relationship with some environmental factors (temperature, rainfall, salinity, and pH) was evaluated. H. fuscocinerea is a gonochoric holo - thuroid, and its annual ratio of males to females was not significantly different from 1:1. Four GDS (i.e. gametogenesis, mature, spawning, post-spawning) as well as one period of gonadal recovery, which is 'sexually undifferentiated', were established. Spawning occurred from June to October in females and from April to September in males. Post-spawning of females and males and recov- ery stages coincided from October to January. Mean fecundity was 2.9 ± 2.8 million oocytes per female, with ovaries exclusively comprised of vitellogenic oocytes from June to September. GSI and MI values showed similar variations in accordance with the reproductive cycle, and GSI showed a relationship with rainfall season. Seasonal rainfall may act as a cause of the seasonal reproductive pattern observed in H. fuscocinerea.
Building a cloud in the southeast Atlantic: understanding low-cloud controls based on satellite observations with machine learning

Abstract. Understanding the processes that determine low-cloud properties and aerosol–cloud interactions (ACIs) is crucial for the estimation of their radiative effects. However, the covariation of meteorology and aerosols complicates the determination of cloud-relevant influences and the quantification of the aerosol–cloud relation. This study identifies and analyzes sensitivities of cloud fraction and cloud droplet effective radius to their meteorological and aerosol environment in the atmospherically stable southeast Atlantic during the biomass-burning season based on an 8-day-averaged data set. The effect of geophysical parameters on clouds is investigated based on a machine learning technique, gradient boosting regression trees (GBRTs), using a combination of satellite and reanalysis data as well as trajectory modeling of air-mass origins. A comprehensive, multivariate analysis of important drivers of cloud occurrence and properties is performed and evaluated. The statistical model reveals marked subregional differences of relevant drivers and processes determining low clouds in the southeast Atlantic. Cloud fraction is sensitive to changes of lower tropospheric stability in the oceanic, southwestern subregion, while in the northeastern subregion it is governed mostly by surface winds. In the pristine, oceanic subregion large-scale dynamics and aerosols seem to be more important for changes of cloud droplet effective radius than in the polluted, near-shore subregion, where free tropospheric temperature is more relevant. This study suggests the necessity to consider distinct ACI regimes in cloud studies in the southeast Atlantic.
Rank, Sex, Drugs, and Crime

We show that a student’s ordinal ability rank in a high-school cohort is an important determinant of engaging in risky behaviors. Using longitudinal data from representative U.S. high schools, we find a strong negative effect of rank on the likelihood of smoking, drinking, having unprotected sex, and engaging in physical fights. We further provide evidence that these results can be explained by sorting into peer groups and differences in career expectations. Students with a higher rank are less likely to be friends with other students who smoke and drink, while they have higher expectations towards their future educational attainment.
The effectiveness of working memory training – points to consider for future research

: Working memory training (WMT) has recently become one of the most debated issues in the field of cognitive psychology. Since working memory (WM) is considered a strong correlate of IQ, numerous researchers have been trying to increase the latter by training the former. Proven effectiveness of working memory training could lead to its application in the therapy of many cognitive impairments. WMT could be also used as a tool of improving cognitive functioning of healthy subjects. However, almost every publication claiming to provide evidence for achieving one of above mentioned objectives has been criticised, mostly because of methodological shortcomings. The aim of my presentation is to extract potential sources of inconsistencies existing between the authors of meta-analysis and reviews of WMT research. For this reason I take a closer look at results and conclusions of several meta-analysis and reviews. As a result I point few indications that should be taken into consideration in future studies on WMT effectiveness.
Growth and Volatility Reconsidered: Reconciling Opposite Views

Many contributions in the recent literature have investigated over the relationship between GDP growth and its volatility without getting a clear and unambiguous answer. Besides reassessing the well-known effect of output volatility on growth as benchmark analysis, this study aims at looking into the “black box” of the business cycle volatility by disentangling the impacts of volatility of GDP major components—that is, private consumption, private investment and government expenditure—on growth, simultaneously considered. Our empirical analysis unveils a remarkably robust and strong negative correlation of consumption volatility with mean growth and a positive one with volatility of investment and of public expenditure. If these findings shed some additional light on the (still controversial) relationship between economic fluctuations and growth, they will also make it possible to compare the relative impact of each component, with possibly relevant policy implications. Importantly, this might reconcile opposite views about the issue that different empirical results might originate from the relative importance across empirical studies of the various components of volatility.
Autism Spectrum Disorders in Iran

Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs), which consist of Autistic Disorder, Asperger Syndrome and PDD Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS), are subsets of Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD) (1, 2). Obviously, ASDs are characterized by abnormalities in social interaction and communication, as well as repetitive and stereotyped behaviors (3). Although various studies have been conducted in ASDs etiology across the world, it seems that they are still unknown in developing and developed countries. In fact, ASDs have been introduced as multifactorial disorders; from ascendancy of genetic to environmental factors are involved in causing them (4-7). Although there are substantial biological bases for ASDs, no perspicuous symptoms exist for their diagnostic conditions. Therefore, behavioral criteria are mainly utilized to identify individuals with ASDs. Some assessment instruments are Autism Diagnostic InterviewRevised (ADIR), Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS), Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS), Diagnostic Interview for Social and Communicative Disorders (DISCO), Developmental, Dimensional and Diagnostic Interview (3di), Autism Spectrum Disorders-Diagnostic for Children (ASD-DC), Autism Spectrum Disorders-Comorbidity for Children (ASD-CC) and Autism Spectrum Disorders-Behavior Problem for Children (ASDBPC) (8-15). There is universal agreement in diagnostic criteria of ASDs; however, the cultural differences influence their diagnosis (16). With regards to obscure etiology of ASDs, they have not been specifically treated up to now. Nevertheless, several treatments have been performed to improve ASDs including behavioral, medical, biological, sensorymotor and relationship development interventions (17-21). Whereas cultural factors play an essential role in prevalence, diagnosis and treatment of ASDs, cross-cultural studies should be performed (22-24). Hence, some scientific researches have been conducted on ASDs in Iran. Several preliminary investigations have been done to evaluate ASDs prevalence and some risk factors and effective variables have also been studied in the field of etiology. Diagnostic evaluation of ASDs, especially based on EEG, and several pharmacological and behavioral interventions for ASDs treatment have been performed in Iran. In parental studies, mental health, stress levels and personality characteristics were investigated in parents of children with ASDs, with focus on mothers.
Methanogenic activity and biomass in Holocene permafrost deposits of the Lena Delta, Siberian Arctic and its implication for the global methane budget

Permafrost environments within the Siberian Arctic are natural sources of the climate relevant trace gas methane. In order to improve our understanding of the present and future carbon dynamics in high latitudes, we studied the methane concentration, the quantity and quality of organic matter, and the activity and biomass of the methanogenic community in permafrost deposits. For these investigations a permafrost core of Holocene age was drilled in the Lena Delta (72°22′N, 126°28′E). The organic carbon of the permafrost sediments varied between 0.6% and 4.9% and was characterized by an increasing humification index with permafrost depth. A high CH4 concentration was found in the upper 4 m of the deposits, which correlates well with the methanogenic activity and archaeal biomass (expressed as PLEL concentration). Even the incubation of core material at −3 and −6°C with and without substrates showed a significant CH4 production (range: 0.04–0.78 nmol CH4 h−1 g−1). The results indicated that the methane in Holocene permafrost deposits of the Lena Delta originated from modern methanogenesis by cold‐adapted methanogenic archaea. Microbial generated methane in permafrost sediments is so far an underestimated factor for the future climate development.
Impact of ship-borne nitrogen deposition on the Gulf of Finland ecosystem: an evaluation

The degree of inter-annual variability in spring and summer phytoplankton blooms and nitrogen fixation in response to the deposition of oxidized nitrogen originating from ship emissions (hereafter nitrogen deposition) was evaluated in the Gulf of Finland (Baltic Sea) based on 10-year (1997–2006) simulation results using a coupled hydrodynamic (GETM) and ecological (ERGOM) model. Ship emissions were generated for 2008 using the Ship Traffic Emission Assessment Model, and ship nitrogen deposition was calculated using the Hilatar chemistry-transport model over the Baltic Sea. The annual ship nitrogen deposition in the Gulf of Finland was 1.6 kt N, about 12% of the annual atmospheric deposition, and increased in summer, up to 30% compared to the monthly atmospheric deposition. Ship nitrogen deposition caused an increase in spring and post-bloom primary production in two functional groups (diatoms and flagellates), at the same time reducing phosphate resources in the upper layer. Nitrogen fixation due to ship nitrogen deposition decreased by 1–1.6 kt N year−1 (2–6%). The effect of ship nitrogen deposition on nitrogen fixation was greater in the western and central Gulf of Finland. The additional ship nitrogen deposition to the Gulf was practically compensated for by a decrease in nitrogen fixation.
Spectrophotometric characterization of high proper motion sources from WISE

The census of the solar neighborhood is almost complete for stars and becoming more complete in the brown dwarf regime. Spectroscopic, photometric and kinematic characterization of nearby objects helps us to understand the local mass function, the binary fraction, and provides new targets for sensitive planet searches. We aim to derive spectral types and spectro-photometric distances of a sample of new high proper motion sources found with the WISE satellite, and obtain parallaxes for those objects that fall within the area observed by the Vista Variables in the V\'ia L\'actea survey (VVV). We used low resolution spectroscopy and template fitting to derive spectral types, multiwavelength photometry to characterize the companion candidates and obtain photometric distances. Multi-epoch imaging from the VVV survey was used to measure the parallaxes and proper motions for three sources. We confirm a new T2 brown dwarf within $\sim$15 pc. We derived optical spectral types for twenty four sources, mostly M dwarfs within 50 pc. We addressed the wide binary nature of sixteen objects found by the WISE mission and previously known high proper motion sources. Six of these are probably members of wide binaries, two of those are new, and present evidence against the physical binary nature of two candidate binary stars found in the literature, and eight that we selected as possible binary systems. We discuss a likely microlensing event produced by a nearby low mass star and a galaxy, that is to occur in the following five years.
Seed Invigouration with Botanicals to Improve Physiological Performance of Soybean ( Glycine max (L.) Merrill) Seeds

A laboratory experiment was carried out in the Department of Seed Science and Technology Laboratory, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, from 2012-2013 to study the seed invigouration with different botanicals on the seed quality of soybean seeds. Botanical powders of fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) seed, leafs of ashwagandha (Withania somnifera), tea (Camellia sinensis) and noni (Morinda citrifolia) were ball milled for 1 and 2 h and treated to seeds @ 2, 3 and 4g kg-1 with 30, 60 and 90 min. shaking. The treatments were subjected for seedling evaluation test. The results indicated that, among all the dry treatments, treatment with 1h ball milled fenugreek seed powder @ 2 g kg-1 with 60 min. shaking showed higher seed quality parameters viz., germination % (95 %), dry matter production (3.639 g) and vigour index (4569) than other treatments and control.
Is Aid Allocation Consistent with Global Poverty Reduction?: A Cross-donor comparison (Japanese)

In this paper, we investigate the gap between the first target of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the actual allocation of grant aid in the late-1990s and the early-2000s in order to identify necessary policy adjustments to achieve the goal. As a theoretical framework, we extend the poverty-targeting model of Besley and Kanbur (1988) by considering multiple donors and possible strategic interactions among them. To test theoretical predictions, we employ detailed data on grant aid allocation of eleven major aid donor countries and on aid disbursement of six international institutions including the IBRD, IDA, and UN organizations. Four main empirical results emerged. First, both in the late-1990s and the early-2000s, grant allocations from Canada, France, Japan, the Netherlands, and UK are consistent with the necessary conditions of optimal poverty targeting. Second, we found that there is a negative population scale effect for aid allocation, suggesting that strategic motives may also exist. Third, the overall results for multilateral donors indicate that allocation patterns are consistent with the theory of poverty targeting. Finally, there has been a recent improvement in coordination among major donors in reducing global poverty.
Perceptions of Intelligence and Academic Achievement Among Undergraduate Students with Learning Disorders

Students with learning disorders are one of the largest and fastest growing populations of college students with disabilities, yet many experience significant difficulty in formal academic settings. These challenges may include lower levels of academic achievement, negative perceptions of school, and negative perceptions of themselves. Research has shown that certain variables, including implicit theory of intelligence, goal orientation, and self-efficacy, are related to academic achievement. The current study sought to assess the relationships between these variables and academic achievement, as measured by cumulative GPA, among a sample of college students with identified learning disorders. Results showed medium to large correlations between self-efficacy scales and GPA. There was no relationship between implicit theory of intelligence and college GPA, though a small negative relationship with high school GPA. Additional small correlations were found between goal orientation and GPA, implicit theory of Running head: PERCEPTIONS OF INTELLIGENCE iv intelligence and goal orientation, and implicit theory of intelligence and self-efficacy. When compared to a control group, students with learning disorders had similar GPAs and were no more likely to endorse a fixed view of intelligence. Though this sample did not differ significantly from the control group, some of the relationships among the variables may warrant further investigation as areas of intervention among this population. Running head: PERCEPTIONS OF INTELLIGENCE v
Hyers-Ulam-Rassias stability of Jensen's equation and its application

The Hyers-Ulam-Rassias stability for the Jensen functional equation is investigated, and the result is applied to the study of an asymptotic behavior of the additive mappings; more precisely, the following asymptotic property shall be proved: Let X and Y be a real normed space and a real Banach space, respectively. A mapping f: X -* Y satisfying f(O) = 0 is additive if and only if 112f [(x + y)/2] f(x) f(y)| -* 0 as llxll + IlYl oo.
An X-band Schottky diode mixer in SiGe technology with tunable Marchand balun-DTU Orbit (31/12/2018)

Orbit (26/05/2019) An X-band Schottky diode mixer in SiGe technology with tunable Marchand balun In this paper, we propose a double balanced mixer with a tunable Marchand balun. The circuit is designed in a SiGe BiCMOS process using Schottky diodes. The tunability of the Marchand balun is used to enhance critical parameters for double balanced mixers. The local oscillator-IF isolation can be changed from –51 to –60.5 dB by tuning. Similarly, the IIP2 can be improved from 41.3 to 48.7 dBm at 11 GHz, while the input referred 1-dB compression point is kept constant at 8 dBm. The tuning have no influence on conversion loss, which remains at 8.8 dB at a LO power level of 11 dBm at the center frequency of 11 GHz. The mixer has a 3 dB bandwidth from 8 to 13 GHz, covering the entire X-band. The full mixer has a size of 2050 μm × 1000 μm.
Exploring the Need for Gender-Equitable Fiscal Policies for a Human Economy: Evidence from Uganda and Zimbabwe

Fiscal policy can be a powerful tool for governments to help achieve a ‘human economy’, if these policies are designed to address gender inequalities and the gender biases in current macroeconomic thinking. This report uses the case of one element of fiscal policy – public spending – to demonstrate how such policy design could help achieve gender equality and improve human development outcomes in developing countries. The report identifies unpaid care and domestic work as a key area where fiscal policy has a significant impact on gender equality. Using data from Oxfam’s 2017 Household Care Survey in Uganda and Zimbabwe, the report explores the impact on adults’ and children’s/adolescents’ time use of access to improved water sources, electricity, healthcare and childcare. It also considers secondary impacts on measures of well-being and women’s empowerment, including women’s health and decision making.
Financing in Islamic Banking Scheme: Performance and Effect on Malaysian Output

The Islamic banking system is gaining momentum. Many conventional banks have started to open branches which operate in accordance with the Islamic Sharia'h principles under Islamic banking scheme (IBS) worldwide, including Malaysia. The Islamic banking system is expected to face strong competition not only from the Islamic banks but also from well-established conventional banks offering Islamic products and services. It directly influences output growth for those countries offering products and Islamic banking service. The general objective of this study is to analyze the financing supply in Islamic banking scheme: performance and effect on output in Malaysia during the period of 2003-2009. This study will use an empirical model and panel of statelevel data to test whether changes in bank financing supply affect output. In this study, a general production function is used and for panel data, we have chosen the Im and Pesaran and Shin (1997; IPS hereafter), which are based on the well-known Dickey-Fuller procedure. For long-run relationship among real per capita GDP growth rates and the independent variables we used panel cointegration test with Fully Modified Ordinary Least Squares (FMOLS) Estimation. The tests suggested by Pedroni (1999, 2004). We can conclude that the result, financing in Islamic banking scheme in selected sectors in Malaysia has correlation and high significant level to output or GDP in Malaysia.