Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Influence of Prediction Cell Size on LiDAR-Derived Area-Based Estimates of Total Volume in Mixed-Species and Multicohort Forests in Northeastern North America

Abstract LiDAR has become a common means for providing area-based estimates of forest attributes. An important, yet understudied, factor influencing forest attribute estimation is the prediction cell size. In this analysis, the influence of 6 prediction cell sizes (2-, 4-, 10-, 25-, 50-, and 100-m squares) and 2 prediction methods (parametric vs. nonparametric) on LiDAR-derived, area-based, stand- and forest-level estimates of total volume at 2 separate locations in the Acadian Forest were evaluated and compared to field-based measurements. Statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) were observed between the field-based and some of the LiDAR-derived volumes. The stand-level percent differences between the various cell sizes ranged from < 0.1 to >38%, and were generally greatest at the 2 extreme cell sizes examined (2 m and 100 m). At the forest-level, all LiDAR-estimates were within the 95% confidence interval for the ground-based estimate, except for a few values from smaller cell sizes. There was also a general trend of smaller cell sizes producing lower values of volume, whereas larger cell sizes tended to give higher estimates. Overall, this study highlights the importance cell size influence on stand- and forest-level estimates and indicates that additional work is needed to better understand the trends identified in this analysis.
Canine Descemet Stripping Endothelial Keratoplasty with a Tissue Insertion Device: Technique and Long-Term Outcome

Introduction. We describe a case of canine Descemet's stripping endothelial keratoplasty (DSEK) using an open-source canine tissue delivery device. Case Presentation. We follow the four-year outcomes of a 1.5-year-old Tibetan Terrier who presented with difficulty seeing, diffuse corneal edema, and central corneal thickness of 1400 microns in the left eye. To perform DSEK, a polycarbonate carrier and insertion device was designed for canine corneas that measure up to 15 mm in diameter. The tissue was loaded into the inserter prior to surgery with the endothelium facing inwards and the stroma facing the cartridge wall. From the cartridge, the graft was pulled into the eye using microforceps and an anterior chamber maintainer. We assessed preoperative endothelial cell count, postoperative corneal clearance, and graft adhesion. The donor was a two-year-old Airedale Terrier who died one day prior to surgery, with endothelial cell density of 3149 cells/mm2. One week after DSEK, the cornea began to clear, and pachymetry of the donor and graft total was 1410 microns. This improved to 800 microns at 4 months and continued improving in its clarity at the last postoperative visit 4 years after surgery. Discussion. We demonstrate the feasibility of conducting canine endothelial keratoplasty with a specially designed tissue delivery device and the potential of long-term corneal clearance after DSEK in canine eyes.
Subglacial emplacement of tills and meltwater deposits at the base of overdeepened bedrock troughs

The sedimentary infills of subglacially eroded bedrock troughs in the Alps are underexplored archives for the timing, extent and character of Pleistocene glaciations but may contain excellent records of the Quaternary landscape evolution over several glacial–interglacial cycles. The onset of sedimentation in these bedrock troughs is often reflected by diamicts and gravels directly overlying bedrock in the deepest basin segments. Subglacial or proglacial depositional environments have been proposed for these coarse‐grained basal units but their characteristics and origin remain controversial. This article presents results from drill cores that recovered a coarse‐grained basal unit in a major buried bedrock‐trough system in the Lower Glatt Valley, northern Switzerland. The excellent core recovery allowed a detailed study combining macroscopic, microscopic and geochemical methods and gives unprecedented insights into the transition from erosion to deposition in overdeepened bedrock troughs. These results show that the basal infill comprises diamicts, interpreted as subglacial tills, separated by thin sorted interbeds, originating from subglacial cavity deposition. The stacking of these units is interpreted to represent repeated switching between a coupled and decoupled ice–bed‐interface indicating an ever‐transforming mosaic of subglacial bed conditions. Decoupling in response to high basal water pressures is probably promoted by the confined subglacial hydraulic conditions resulting from the bedrock acting as aquitards, the narrow reverse sloping outlet and a large catchment area. While stratigraphic and lithological evidence suggests that erosion and the onset of basal sedimentation occurred during the same glaciation, different scenarios for the relative timing of infilling in relation to formation and glaciation of the bedrock trough are discussed. Overlying deltaic and glaciolacustrine sediments suggest deposition during subsequent deglaciation of the bedrock trough. The basal sediment characteristics are in agreement with previous reports in hydrogeological and seismic exploration and suggest the occurrence of similar basal successions in other subglacially overdeepened basins in the Alps and elsewhere.
Post-stroke fatigue: a review of development, prevalence, predisposing factors, measurements, and treatments

Background Post-stroke fatigue (PSF) is a ubiquitous and overwhelming symptom for most stroke survivors. However, there are no effective management strategies for PSF, which is partly due to our limited understanding. Objective In this paper, we review the development, prevalence, predisposing factors, measurements, and treatments of PSF. Results PSF is an independent symptom after stroke, with a prevalence ranging from 42 to 53%, which depends on the selection of measurement tools and stroke characteristics. It is affected by biological, physical, and psychological factors, among which inflammation may play a key role. Conclusion Numerous but non-specific evaluation measurement tools limit the management of PSF. In clinical practice, it may be beneficial to identify PSF by combining scales and objective indexes, such as walking tests and electromyographic examinations. There are no evidence-based interventions to improve PSF. However, increasing evidence suggests that transcranial direct-current stimulation and mindfulness-based interventions may become promising treatments. Further studies are urgently needed to better understand the etiology of PSF, thereby providing the basis for developing new measurement tools and targeted treatments.
Noninvasive Surveillance and Evolutionary Insight into Siadenovirus among Antarctic Penguins

Avian siadenoviruses infect diverse terrestrial and aquatic birds worldwide. Antarctica hosts several avian species that are susceptible to siadenovirus infection, such as penguins and South Polar skuas. However, the presence, diversity, and transmission of these viruses in Antarctic birds are poorly understood due to limited surveillance and sequence data. In this study, we performed a noninvasive surveillance of avian siadenoviruses using fecal samples collected from waterbirds at King George Island (part of South Shetland Islands, Antarctica) from late January to mid-February 2023. Polymerase chain reaction, sequencing, and phylogenetic analysis were used to investigate the occurrence, genetic diversity, and evolutionary relationships of these viruses in this unique environment. The results of these studies confirmed the presence of siadenoviruses in penguins living along the southeastern coast of King George Island. Distinct viral strains, specific to each penguin species studied, were found suggesting limited interspecies transmission and a complex viral ecosystem within Antarctic bird populations. Siadenovirus strains isolated from penguin’s species were genetically distinct from those infecting South Polar skuas. An in silico 3D modeling of hexon proteins from siadenoviruses gathered from gentoo penguins permitted to detect key amino acid substitutions in the FG2 domain that may affect capsid structure and function. The persistent prevalence of siadenoviruses in Antarctica underscores the need for ongoing surveillance to understand the evolutionary dynamics of viruses in this region. This study is the first to noninvasively detect siadenoviruses in Antarctic penguins, opening a new avenue for viral research. This approach not only sheds light on viral dynamics but also contributes to the conservation of Antarctica’s unique wildlife and biodiversity, especially in the face of increasing global warming.
Deformability response of rock salt around circular mining excavations

A nonassociated constitutive equation of elastic/viscoplastic type for rock salt is presented, which can describe the transient and stationary creep, work-hardening, irreversible volumetric dilatancy and/or compressibility during creep, failure and slow deterioration in time of the rock during creep. Several simple examples have been given to show how these formulae can be applied in mining engineering
Evidence-based care for older people: where are we now and where to in the future?

ABSTRACT Within contemporary health and social care for older people, it is widely accepted that best outcomes are achieved when health professionals collaborate to provide integrated, evidence-based and person-centred care. Though past studies have reported broad data about the nature of speech pathology services provided to older people, this study seeks increased understanding of factors that influence clinician choice of assessment and therapy approaches and clinician ability to provide evidence-based, interprofessional care. An online survey was used to gather data from 145 Australian speech-language pathologists working with people over the age of 65; in hospital, community, and residential aged care settings. Data reported were drawn from free text responses and analysed using thematic analysis. Results highlight the influence of clinician access to, and the dynamics of, an interprofessional team and support network as well as the availability of ongoing education on their ability to provide evidence-based, quality care. Participants emphasized the complexity of care provided to older people as necessitating team-based, coordinated care, and careful consideration of each clients’ unique abilities and limitations. Though participants acknowledged the importance of reliability and validity in the selection of assessment and therapy approaches, they commented that assessment and therapy choice was most often determined by contextual factors. To facilitate best practice, there is a need for further research, teaching, and professional development that explicitly supports speech pathology involvement in interprofessional care teams, alongside consideration of an expanded model of evidence-based decision-making that further accounts for the influence of clinical context and team dynamics.
The relationship between depression and self-compassion with non-suicidal self-injury among university students

The non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) has been reported among university students which must be taken into consideration because it can have a negative impact on students’ well-being and lives. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate the relationship between depression and self-compassion with NSSI among university students. This study was to identify the levels of depression, self-compassion, and NSSI. Purposive sampling was used in this correlational study and quantitative research design. This study included 73 NSSI reported year 1 and 2 undergraduate students from one of the programs at a Malaysian university. The instruments used in this study were the depression anxiety stress scale-21 (DASS-21) depression subscales, selfcompassion scale (SCS), and inventory of statements about self-injury (ISAS). Findings show that respondents had a moderate level of depression and self-compassion, as well as a low level of NSSI. Findings also demonstrate that there was a significant positive relationship between depression and NSSI. Self-compassion and NSSI had a significant negative relationship. There were also different findings for the relationship between the dimensions of self-compassion and NSSI. In conclusion, NSSI is a risky behavior that has negative consequences among university students.
Analysis of Climate Variability (ENSO) and Vegetation Dynamics in Gojjam, Ethiopia

This study analyses the regional climate variability, especially La Nina or El Nino Southern Oscillation events and their impact on rainfall variability and vegetation coverage. The temporal and spatial distributions of temperature, precipitation, and vegetation coverage have been investigated for the two agricultural productive seasons from (2000–2008), using data from 11 meteorological station and MODIS satellite data in Gojjam, Ethiopia. The normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) is widely accepted as a good indicator for providing vegetation properties and associated changes for large spatial scale. The analyses indicated that climate variability is quite common particularly in the small rainy season, Belg and continues to affect the vegetation condition in the region. The statistical correlation analysis indicated that there is a strong positive correlation between NDVI and the seasonal rainfall in most years, whereas, the temperature increase decreases the vegetation coverage in both seasons. The effect of ENSO, climate variability has been high to the regional rainfall variability in mostly of the months or years. In the fully strong El Nino or La Nina episode years like 2000 and 2002 the SST and rainfall showed positive correlation with r2 values 0.75 and 0.63, respectively. The NDVI anomaly pattern is almost similar to that of the main documented precipitation and temperature anomaly pattern associated with ENSO. The spatial and temporal analyses of basic climate elements and NDVI values for the growing season showed that NDVI and rainfall are highly variable during the 9 years period. The ENSO analyses showed an increase in seasonal vegetation coverage during El Nino episodes contrasting to La Nina episodes. However, there has been a rainfall delay during El Nino episodes in the first one or two months of Kiremt season.
A Behavioral Assessment of College Students’ Knowledge, Awareness, and Consumption on Snack Foods That May Contain Probiotics

With the increasing variety of snack foods containing probiotics infiltrating the market, it is important that consumers become more aware and knowledgeable about these products. The aim of the current study was to investigate potential consumers’ behavior by assessing knowledge about probiotics, awareness of snack foods containing probiotics, and frequently consumed snacks among student college departments within a university setting. Participants included 125 college students (n = 34 male, n = 91 female), all 18 years and older, and evaluated via a 19-item questionnaire using descriptive statistics, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Gabriel’s post hoc test. Level of significance was set at p ≤ 0.05. There was a statistically significant difference in knowledge about probiotics among the student college departments, p = 0.012. Specifically, students in the College of Health and Human Services (CHHS) were statistically significantly more knowledgeable than those in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) college, p = 0.010. There was no statistically significant difference in awareness of snack foods containing probiotics, p = 0.262. On average, participants’ knowledge about probiotics was low (48.1%) and awareness of snack foods containing probiotics was very low (2.5%), though, a majority of participants (94.1%) were aware that yogurt may contain probiotics. Overall, these findings should guide food product developers and marketers to create products that are relevant and messages that enhance consumers’ knowledge and awareness to the existence of the probiotics in that product.
Heterogeneous wrench-dominated transpression in the deep crust recorded by the Burnsville fault and related structures, Blue Ridge, North Carolina: Implications for the Acadian orogeny in the Southern Appalachians

The Burnsville fault juxtaposes Precambrian Laurentian crust and the Ashe metamorphic suite within the Fries thrust sheet of the Blue Ridge thrust complex of western North Carolina. The Burnsville fault and adjacent Ashe metamorphic suite accommodated high strain at amphibolite facies (~700 °C and ~9 kbar) during the Acadian orogeny and then were tilted southeast during Alleghanian thrusting. Deformation resulted in three kilometer-scale structural domains: the Burnsville fault dextral strike-slip domain, the “transitional” domain, and the Otter Knobs domain. Structures recording the fi nite fl attening plane are subparallel; those southeast of the Burnsville fault shear zone are rotated counterclockwise by ~10°–15°, consistent with a component of dextral shear. Across strike into the transitional domain, shear sense indicators become scarce, fabric grades to S > L, and lineations change from subhori zontal to downdip. Across strike into the Otter Knobs domain, lineations grade to moderately southwest-plunging, and the orientation distribution of poles to foliation indicates moderately southwest-plunging folding. The macroscale Otter Knobs fold, a tight-to-isoclinal synform in which the hinge line, associated lineations, and minor fold hinges plunge moderately southwest, is interpreted to represent this structural element. No evidence of oblique or reverse shear is observed. The across-strike changes between these coeval domains are consistent with heterogeneous wrenchdominated (10°–20° from the plate boundary) transpression. Changes across strike from the Otter Knobs domain into the transitional domain record part of the deformation path for a zone with an “effective” convergence angle of 14°–18°, including the rotation of structures recording the maximum incremental stretch.
MAGNITUDE DEPENDENCE OF STRESS DROP: WHAT DOES THE OBSERVED MAGNITUDE SCALING OF GROUND-MOTIONS TELL US?

The behavior of earthquake stress-drop magnitude scaling has been the topic of significant debate in the earthquake source community over the past two decades. Methodologies which have been adopted by a large number of source studies require corrections for source radiation pattern, path attenuation and site amplification that ultimately introduce large uncertainties for stress-drop estimates. In this study, we adopt a different strategy: we analyze directly the ground-motions (Y) and their dependencies with magnitude (M). We first use simple stochastic models (e.g. [1]) comprised of a [2, 3] source spectrum and various models of magnitude-dependent stress drop. We show that magnitude-dependent stress-drop and constant stress-drop models lead to different scaling of ground-motions (dlogY/dM) with frequency. Using the results of [4], we then analyze the magnitude dependency of NGA-West 2 ground-motions for source-site configurations where stress-drop is the key controlling factor of ground-motions (moderate distances and rock-sites). In addition, the use of a neural network method allows us to obtain fully record-driven evaluations of (dlogY/dM) with frequency both for simulated and observed records. The comparison between these observed and simulated (dlogY/dM) allows us to discuss the scaling of the stress-drop with magnitude. We do not observe strong differences of the magnitude scaling of ground-motions between mainshocks and aftershocks.
Functions of music, focused on the context of music listening, and psychological well-being in late adolescence regarding gender differences

Late adolescences, as a developmentally challenging transitional period between childhood and adulthood, provides a number of pressures that impact well-being of youth. Among approaches for facilitating well-being, music is reported to be one of the most effective ones, which was especially proven during Covid-19 pandemic. Given the significance of music and music listening in late adolescence, our study sought to examine the relationship between psychological well-being and music listening among university students (N = 603; Nfemale = 356, Nmale = 247) with a focus on the social, intrapersonal, and sociocultural context of music listening. The RESPECT music scale, the SPWB, and the PANAS were used to measure positive and negative affect as well as the six components of psychological well-being. The findings revealed that, while there were no gender differences in the sociocultural setting, females reported to listen to music more frequently than males in intrapersonal and social contexts. In two areas, female students rated their psychological well-being higher than male students: personal growth and positive relationships with others. They also reported experiencing positive and negative affect more frequently than men. Regression analyses revealed that the functions of music explained only a small amount of the variance in psychological well-being. Specifically, music listening in a social and sociocultural context significantly explained two aspects of psychological well-being: personal growth and positive relations with others. The intrapersonal context of music listening predicted a positive affect, while the social context predicted a negative affect. Our study highlights several implications of music listening in youth regarding gender either in everyday activities or in educational and clinical setting.
Financial Reform and Financing Decisions of Listed Firms in Zimbabwe

Abstract We examine the impact of the economic reform programme on the financing choices of Zimbabwean listed companies. Using the published accounts of a sample of companies, we show that listed firms rely heavily on external finance, especially short-term bank financing. We estimate an eclectic econometric model of firms' capital structure based on key predictions from the theory of finance, augmented by variables aimed at capturing the impact of Zimbabwe's reform programme. The analysis shows that an orthodox model has little explanatory power over firms' capital structure in the pre-reform period, but in the post-reform period it does better. The differences between the pre-reform and post-reform era suggest that the reforms achieved partial success in opening up the capital markets and improving the transparency of firm financing behaviour.
Preservice Chemistry Teachers’ Preconception on the Topic of Sustainable Development Oriented Plant Pigments Separation

One of the important principles in the success of learning activities is that educators need to pay attention to students' preconceptions before designing learning designs, because this will provide direction in compiling learning materials and strategies to achieve learning goals. This study aims to identify the preconceptions of preservice chemistry teachers’ as a basis for developing a didactic design on the topic of plant pigments separation which is one of the materials discussed in analytical chemistry II lectures. This research uses descriptive methods with participants were 36 pre-service chemistry teachers at one of the state universities in Pekanbaru City. This descriptive study used a diagnostic test in the form of an essay which totaled 19 questions. Based on the results of preconception analysis, it was identified that most of the students experienced learning barriers mostly in the following sub-discussions: (1) types of green solvents; (2) benefits of eutectic solvents; (3) the relationship of eutectic solvent with principles of green chemistry; (4) the process of making eutectic solvents; (5) experimental stages of plant pigment extraction; (6) processes that occur during extraction; and (7) extraction techniques. So it can be concluded that students do not yet have sufficient basic knowledge because students are not yet able to answer questions in most contexts on the topic of separating plant pigments