Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Sensitivity of the Tropical Cyclone Boundary Layer to Vertical Diffusion in a Turbulent Kinetic Energy‐Based Boundary Layer Parameterization Scheme at Gray‐Zone Resolution

The impact of eddy diffusivities in the Mellor–Yamada–Nakanishi–Niino (MYNN) boundary layer parameterization on the fine‐scale turbulence and intensity of tropical cyclone (TC) simulations at gray‐zone resolution was investigated through comparison with large‐eddy simulation (LES) and observations. A series of idealized experiments were performed with varying vertical mixing lengths using the Advanced Research version of the Weather Research and Forecasting model. For enhanced eddy diffusivity cases, the storm intensity was sensitive to the eddy diffusivities and reducing the overestimation of the eddy diffusivities caused a significant increase in intensity. For the reduced eddy diffusivity cases, the TC intensity was marginally influenced by the eddy diffusivities. However, the reduction in eddy diffusivities effectively reproduced the fine‐scale turbulence. The stronger the resolved fine‐scale turbulence that could be established, the more frictional tendencies near the location of maximum wind were provided to the TC, the closer it was to the reference LES and observations. The resolved turbulence also had consequences in terms of preventing the wind gradient from increasing, which was one of the primary reasons for the discrepancies in the nonlinear intensity and fine‐scale features. The results of this study demonstrate that the modification of eddy diffusivities in the MYNN scheme can measure or guide improvements in the simulation of TC boundary layer fine‐scale features and intensity when operating at the gray‐zone resolution.
Tailored negativity. Campaign consultants, candidate personality, and attack politics

To what extent are negative election campaigns “tailored” to the personality of the candidates? And with what electoral consequences? In this article we tackle these questions by focusing on the 2019 Swiss federal election. We estimate the presence of negativity as a function of the personality profile of competing candidates (Big Five) and the presence of professional consultants. Analyses based on data from a candidate survey (Selects 2019) suggest that campaign consultants are likely to take stock of the character of their candidate, and tailor the content of their campaigns accordingly - more aggressive for more energetic candidates (higher plasticity) and for less stable candidates (lower stability). These results, we argue, support our central claim that the role of consultants is to provide the most adequate campaign for the candidate they are promoting (“tailoring hypothesis”). We fail however to find any convincing evidence that such tailoring is electorally successful.
Genome-wide clonal variability in European pear “Rocha” using high-throughput sequencing

Abstract Pears (Pyrus) are one of the most economically important fruits worldwide. The Pyrus genus is characterized by a high degree of genetic variability between species and interspecific hybrids, and several studies have been performed to assess this variability for both cultivated and wild accessions. These studies have mostly been limited by the resolving power of traditional molecular markers, although in the recent past the availability of reference genome sequences or SNP arrays for pear have enhanced the capability of high-resolution genomics studies. These tools can also be applied to better understand the intra-varietal (or clonal) variability in pear. Here we report the first high resolution genomics analysis of a pear clonal population using whole genome sequencing (WGS). Results showed unique signatures for the accumulation of mutations and transposable element insertions in each clone, which are likely related to their history of propagation and cultivation. The nucleotide diversity remained low in the clonal collection with the exception of few genomic windows, suggesting that balancing selection may be occurring. These windows included mainly genes related to plant fertility. Regions with higher mutational load were partially associated with transcription factors, probably reflecting the distinctive phenotypes in the collection. The annotation of variants also revealed the theoretical disruption of relevant genes in pear. Taken together, the results from this study show that pear clones accumulate mutations differently, and that those mutations can play a role on pear phenotypes, meaning that the study of pear clonal populations can be relevant in genetic studies, mainly when comparing with traditional association studies.
New Insights into the Neuromyogenic Spectrum of a Gain of Function Mutation in SPTLC1

Serine palmitoyltransferase long chain base subunit 1 (SPTLC1) encodes a serine palmitoyltransferase (SPT) resident in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Pathological SPTLC1 variants cause a form of hereditary sensory and autonomic neuropathy (HSAN1A), and have recently been linked to unrestrained sphingoid base synthesis, causing a monogenic form of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). It was postulated that the phenotypes associated with dominant variants in SPTLC1 may represent a continuum between neuropathy and ALS in some cases, complicated by additional symptoms such as cognitive impairment. A biochemical explanation for this clinical observation does not exist. By performing proteomic profiling on immortalized lymphoblastoid cells derived from one patient harbouring an alanine to serine amino acid substitution at position 20, we identified a subset of dysregulated proteins playing significant roles in neuronal homeostasis and might have a potential impact on the manifestation of symptoms. Notably, the identified p.(A20S)-SPTLC1 variant is associated with decrease of transcript and protein level. Moreover, we describe associated muscle pathology findings, including signs of mild inflammation accompanied by dysregulation of respective markers on both the protein and transcript levels. By performing coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering microscopy, presence of protein and lipid aggregates could be excluded.
Celebrities As Brand Shields: The Role of Parasocial Relationships in Dampening Negative Consequences from Brand Transgressions

Abstract Past research has delineated the use of celebrity endorsements as an effective marketing strategy that bolsters brand image and stimulates purchase intentions. However, there is a paucity of research investigating the role of celebrities in brand transgression contexts. Across two experimental studies, we examine whether and how celebrity endorsers influence consumers’ reactions toward an endorsed brand following a transgression. Grounded in parasocial interaction theory, the findings reveal that parasocial relationships bolster brand trust and brand forgiveness through brand self-congruity. Moreover, we identify the impacts of transgression controllability and endorsement timing on brand outcomes (brand trust and brand forgiveness). Specifically, we find that celebrity endorsements can buffer negative impacts of a brand transgression; however, employing celebrity endorsement after a controllable brand transgression may be ineffective and possibly even counterproductive. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
The Application of Hydraulic and Thermal Stimulation Techniques to Create Enhanced Geothermal Systems

Geothermal energy production requires temperature at depth, a working fluid to transport heat to the surface, and a network of fluid pathways connecting injection and production wells. These requirements constrain the availability of geothermal energy resources. Enhanced Geothermal System (EGS) development expands geothermal resource availability by artificially generating networks of fluid pathways in the reservoir. This is accomplished through hydraulic and thermal stimulation of the geothermal reservoir. Hydraulic and thermal techniques were applied at the Raft River geothermal field as part of a Department of Energy (DOE) EGS development project. The test well RRG-9 ST1 was hydraulically stimulated three times between February 2012 and April 2014. Since June, 2013 continuous injection of sub-reservoir temperature plant water has been used to thermally stimulate the well. The stimulation program has resulted in a large increase in the injectivity of the well, an increase from less than 20 gpm in June 2013 to nearly 1,000 gpm in April 2016. Wellbore imaging and temperature analysis identified a northeast striking fracture zone intersecting the well between 5,640 and 5,660 ft. measured depth (MD) that has nominally accepted all of the injected fluid. Microseismic activity, related to the stimulation program and plant activity, was used to track possible fluid pathways within the reservoir. The microseismic data indicate that the injected fluid moves primarily to the northeast through the Narrows Zone, a northeast striking fault structure
How engineers perceive the importance of ethics in Finland

ABSTRACT Success in complex and holistic engineering practices requires more than problem-solving abilities and technical competencies. Engineering education must offer proficient technical competences and also train engineers to think and act ethically. A technical ‘engineering-like’ focus and demand have made educators and students overlook the importance of ethical awareness and transversal competences. Using two Finnish surveys, conducted in 2014 and 2016, we examine how engineers perceive working life needs regarding ethics. The data consider different age groups. We research whether an engineer’s age affects their perception of the importance of ethics in their work and if there are differences between young experts and young managers in their use of ethics within work. The results indicate that practising engineers do not consider ethical issues important in their work. This especially applies to younger engineers; the older an engineer, the more important they consider ethics. No statistically significant difference was found between young engineering experts and managers.
Looking for Ties with Secret Agendas During the Pandemic: Conspiracy Mentality is Associated with Reduced Trust in Political, Medical, and Scientific Institutions – but Not in Medical Personnel

In a preregistered research, we examined the relationships between conspiracy mentality (i.e., the individual susceptibility to endorse conspiracy theories, Bruder et al., 2013) and trust in three actors of the COVID-19 crisis: 1) Political institutions, 2) scientific and medical institutions, and 3) the medical personnel. While the two former groups have played a direct or indirect role in decisions related to public health measures, the latter has not. We expected all these relationships to be negative and mediated by the belief that the pandemic is instrumentalized by authorities to pursue secret agendas. In a study conducted with Belgian (N = 1136) and French (N = 374) convenience samples, conspiracy mentality negatively predicted trust in political institutions, and trust in scientific and medical institutions. These relations were partly mediated by belief that the pandemic is instrumentalized by authorities. In addition, distrust in political, medical and scientific institutions were highly and positively correlated, suggesting that these groups may be viewed as part of a same supra-ordinate category – the “Elites”. By contrast, we found a small negative relationship between conspiracy mentality and trust in the medical personnel in the Belgian sample, but not in the French sample. Trust in the medical personnel was unrelated to the belief that the pandemic is instrumentalized, and only weakly related to distrust in political institutions. This suggests that individuals with a susceptibility to believe in conspiracy theories may not have a propensity to distrust all actors involved in the management of the pandemic, but only those directly or indirectly tied to decisions pertaining to public health measures.
Qualitative Disclosure and Credit Analysts’ Soft Rating Adjustments

Abstract Using both dictionary-based and topic modelling approaches, we examine whether and how credit analysts use borrowers’ qualitative disclosures to extract information pertaining to credit risk in making their assessments. We first decompose publicly-available ratings into qualitative factors (soft adjustments) and quantitative factors (hard adjustments). We find that credit analysts’ soft adjustments, but not the hard adjustments, reflect information in borrowers’ qualitative disclosures. Next, our results indicate that the association between firms’ qualitative disclosures and soft adjustments varies depending upon the rating agency’s reliance on public disclosure, access to management, and overall market uncertainty. Finally, we examine whether analysts’ use of credit risk-relevant information from borrowers’ qualitative disclosures increases the informativeness of credit rating downgrades. We find that the credit rating downgrades of borrowers that provide more qualitative disclosures are more informative than those who do not; however, the increase in informativeness diminishes after the Dodd-Frank Act, when legal liability and regulatory penalties for credit rating agencies increased.
Examining Inclusive pedagogy and practice: Moroccan primary teachers’ attitudes and practices in Moroccan Primary Schools

Inclusive schooling is a recent phenomenon in the Moroccan educational system. It is about giving all schoolchildren equal instructive prospects and opportunities in conventional classrooms. Schools are social institutions that should improve all students’ lives through appropriate teaching and learning practices. However, the school culture is vital for the improvement of inclusive education. This study aimed to explore primary teachers’ perceptions and attitudes towards inclusive education practice in supporting students with disabilities in Moroccan primary schools. In order to achieve this aim, this study takes on qualitative analysis to gather and analyse the data and present the results. Thematic content analysis was used for analysing qualitative data collected via semi-structured interviews. Ten interviews were conducted with ten teachers from Moroccan primary schools. The qualitative data showed that teachers support inclusive schooling; however, they hesitated to include students with severe disabilities. Several factors influenced Moroccan primary teachers’ attitudes towards inclusive education. The most common factors were: 1) inadequate training of teachers on teaching students with disabilities. 2) Lack of suitable equipment to support students and teachers in the teaching and learning process, 3) inadequate government funding, 4) limited pledge from the Moroccan Ministry of Education, and inadequate contribution and meeting of teachers on policy and curriculum proposals were also identified as causative influences for non-inclusion of students with debilities in conventional schools.
Growth and Development Dynamics of Young Holm Oak (Quercus Ilex L.) Stands after Shelterwood Cutting in Open Forest Road Conditions

The Mediterranean forest region has been exposed to anthropogenic impacts for centuries, and the constant biotic and abiotic factors, together with increasing climate change, have hindered the proper management of forest ecosystems. This study presents the results of multiyear, systematic, specific and practical monitoring of the conversion of holm oak coppices using the principles of the shelterwood system. It also presents the growth and development dynamics of the stand on a permanent experimental plot from 1997 to 2017. The research was performed in the Eumediterranean vegetation zone of coniferous forest (Forest Management, Buzet branch, Pula Forestry Office, Magran Cuf management unit, compartment 83a). The plot has all the properties of a holm oak and manna ash forests (Orno-Quercetum ilicis H-ić/1956/1958). The basic elements of stand structure were monitored: diameter at breast height (DBH), tree height, horizontal crown projection, crown ground shading (light) and the appearance and abundance of all woody vegetation, with special emphasis on the growth and development of young generations of holm oak from seed. The paper also describes the threats limiting growth, development and survival of holm oak from seed (strong shooting tendencies of coppiced holm oak and bay laurel trees, excessive presence of shrubs). Forest management requires effective, timely and repeated tending to thin stands (already under the canopy), while also protecting young trees from wild game. The statistical method of interpolation determined the trends of stand development; trend equation with coefficient of determination (R2) is very high. This indicates the growth and development of the stand in the direction of renewal of holm oak stands. Shelterwood cutting, with regular and timely tending of young generations of trees through a seven-year regeneration period, resulted in a high quality young high forest of holm oak, the first of its kind in the broader Mediterranean area. The indigenous stands of holm oak, as the fundamental climatogenic coniferous species of the Mediterranean species, have multiple roles such as protection from erosion, resilience to biotic and abiotic factors and forest fires, tourism and landscape functions, and other general forest functions, and therefore deserve intensive and ongoing research. Holm oak stands also play a part in conserving genetic and biological diversity, the potential and persistence of forest ecosystems, improving stand structure, stability and resilience of forest ecosystems to climate change, and in the long-term increase the commercial value of forest stands in the Croatian Mediterranean.
Development of a Linear Ultrasonic Motor with Segmented Electrodes

A novel segmented electrodes linear ultrasonic motor (USM) was developed. Using a planar vibration mode concept to achieve elliptical motion at the USM drive-tip, an attempt to decouple the components of the drive-tip trajectory was made. The proposed design allows greater control of the drive-tip trajectory without altering the excitation voltage. Finite element analyses were conducted on the proposed design to estimate the performance of the USM. The maximum thrust force and speed are estimated to be 46N and 0.5370m/s, respectively. During experimental investigation, the maximum thrust force and speed observed were 36N and 0.223m/s, respectively, at a preload of 70N. Furthermore, the smallest step achievable was 9nm with an 18μs impulse. Nevertheless, the proposed design allowed the speed of the USM to vary while keeping the thrust force relatively constant and allowed the USM to achieve high resolution without a major sacrifice of thrust force.
Towards Causal Effect Estimation of Emotional Labeling of Watched Videos

Emotions play a crucial role in human life, they are measured using many approaches. There are also many methodologies for emotion elicitation. Emotion elicitation through video watching is one important approach used to create emotion datasets. However, the causation link between video content and elicited emotions was not well explained by scientific research. In this article, we present an approach for computing the causal effect of video content on elicited emotion. The Do-Calculus theory was employed for computing causal inference, and a SCM (Structured Causal Model) was proposed considering the following variables: EEG signal, age, gender, video content, like/dislike, and emotional quadrant. To evaluate the approach, EEG data were collected from volunteers watching a sample of videos from the LIRIS-ACCEDE dataset. A total of 48 causal effects was statistically evaluated in order to check the causal impact of age, gender, and video content on liking and emotion. The results show that the approach can be generalized for any dataset that contains the variables of the proposed SCM. Furthermore, the proposed approach can be applied to any other similar dataset if an appropriate SCM is provided.
The practice of learning post-1994 instructional reforms in Ethiopia: Looking a case primary school through the lens of organizational learning theory

Abstract The purpose of this study was to examine school-level learning of post-1994 instructional reforms via the lens of organizational learning theory (OLT) in a sample primary school. Data were collected from three teachers, a school principal and head of Woreda Education Office (WEO) using interviews. Besides, data were collected from review of documents. The collected data were analyzed, narrated and interpreted qualitatively. The results showed that (1) the school displays only limited constructs of organizational learning (OL) and characteristics of a learning organization (LO), (2) team learning seemed the lively agency of learning followed by school-wide learning while teacher as agency were still indiscernible, (3) it seems that self-initiated instructional reforms have been overlooked both in policy and practice while reforms prescribed by MoE were the most focused contents of learning, (4) the influence of team learning and school-wide learning in reforming instruction seems insignificant as audited from teachers’ plans; rather, it resulted in a heap of reports that would be discarded after periodic performance appraisal, (5) the school’s subtle effort of being a learning school was hindered by overdose of prescribed reforms, lack of instructional leadership skills and teachers’ resistance resulting from pedagogical deskilling, subject matter incompetency and reluctance to change. On the basis of these findings, conclusions and implications have been made.
Presurgical temporal lobe epilepsy connectome fingerprint for seizure outcome prediction

Abstract Temporal lobe epilepsy presents a unique situation where confident clinical localization of the seizure focus does not always result in a seizure-free or favourable outcome after mesial temporal surgery. In this work, magnetic resonance imaging derived functional and structural whole-brain connectivity was used to compute a network fingerprint that captures the connectivity profile characteristics that are common across a group of nine of these patients with seizure-free outcome. The connectivity profile was then computed for 38 left-out patients with the hypothesis that similarity to the fingerprint indicates seizure-free surgical outcome. Patient profile distance to the fingerprint was compared with 1-year seizure outcome and standard clinical parameters. Distance to the fingerprint was higher for patients with Engel III–IV 1-year outcome compared with those with Engel Ia, Ib-d, and II outcome (Kruskal–Wallis, P < 0.01; Wilcoxon rank-sum pcorr <0.05 Bonferroni-corrected). Receiver operator characteristic analysis revealed 100% sensitivity and 90% specificity in identifying patients with Engel III–IV outcome based on distance to the fingerprint in the left-out patients. Furthermore, distance to the fingerprint was not related to any individual clinical parameter including age at scan, duration of disease, total seizure frequency, presence of mesial temporal sclerosis, lateralizing ictal, interictal scalp electroencephalography, invasive stereo-encephalography, or positron emission tomography. And two published algorithms utilizing multiple clinical measures for predicting seizure outcome were not related to distance to the fingerprint, nor predictive of seizure outcome in this cohort. The functional and structural connectome fingerprint provides quantitative, clinically interpretable and significant information not captured by standard clinical assessments alone or in combinations. This automated and simple method may improve patient-specific prediction of seizure outcome in patients with a clinically identified focus in the mesial temporal lobe.