Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Hybrid Codes

Erasure codes are being extensively deployed in practical storage systems to prevent data loss with low redundancy. However, these codes require excessive disk I/Os and network traffic for recovering unavailable data. Among all erasure codes, Minimum Storage Regenerating (MSR) codes can achieve optimal repair bandwidth under the minimum storage during recovery, but some open issues remain to be addressed before applying them in real systems. Facing with the huge burden during recovery, erasure-coded storage systems need to be developed with high repair efficiency. Aiming at this goal, a new class of coding scheme is introduced—Hybrid Regenerating Codes (Hybrid-RC). The codes utilize the superiority of MSR codes to compute a subset of data blocks while some other parity blocks are used for reliability maintenance. As a result, our design is near-optimal with respect to storage and network traffic and shows great improvements in recovery performance.
The Unique Characteristics and Potential Mechanisms of the MJO‐QBO Relationship

Previous studies have shown that Madden‐Julian oscillation (MJO) convective activity increases when quasi‐biennial oscillation (QBO) easterlies appear in the lower stratosphere, and that this relationship is seen only during boreal winter. However, the physical mechanism behind this relationship is not fully understood. Building upon previous literature on the MJO‐QBO relationship, this study first tests whether the relationship between the QBO and MJO extends to other modes of organized tropical convection. Our analysis shows that the QBO does not have any significant relationship with other modes of variability such as convectively coupled equatorial waves (CCEWs). An extended analysis for periods prior to 1979 also shows that the boreal winter QBO‐MJO relationship substantially weakens prior to 1979. These results imply that, in addition to the seasonal dependence, any proposed mechanisms for the relationship between the QBO and MJO must be able to explain the uniqueness of this relationship with respect to other CCEWs, as well as the reason for its strengthening after 1979. Among the analyzed modes of tropical convection, the MJO is the most sensitive to the modulation of high cloud fraction and associated radiative feedback by the QBO and this sensitivity may weaken prior to 1979. These results indicate that the strong top‐heaviness of vertical motion and cloud‐radiative feedback associated with the MJO are important to explain its unique relationship with the QBO.
Lachnea poiraultii (Pezizales), rediscovered after more than one hundred years

Recent collections of a cup-fungus identified as Lachnea poiraultii Boud. from the Iberian and Istrian (Croatia) peninsulas provided the opportunity to investigate its modern taxonomic position. An examination of the type specimen of this taxon confirmed the determination of Croatian, Portuguese and Spanish collections. Based on the results of multi-gene phylogenetic analyses which placed L. poiraultii within the Pyronemataceae with no support of affiliation with another genus, and the study of microscopic features in the living state, the new genus Paratricharina is proposed to accommodate L. poiraultii. The morphological similarities and differences from the most closely related species are discussed. A full description and illustrations of P. poiraultii are also provided.
The Effect of Classroom Climate on Academic Motivation Mediated by Academic Self-Efficacy in a Higher Education Institute in China

Learning theories and empirical findings have widely recognized academic motivation as the driving force behind student academic performance. However, recent findings have indicated the need to pay attention to drive academic motivation among undergraduate students in China. Therefore, this present study examines the direct and indirect effects of classroom climate on student academic motivation in higher education. A total of 119 undergraduate students from a medical college in China was approached to respond to a survey questionnaire. The data analysis result shows that classroom climate significantly and positively affects student academic motivation and that the relationship is significantly mediated by academic self-efficacy. Particularly, the relationship established in this study additionally indicates that a planned and cohesive classroom climate can effectively improve student academic motivation. Indicatively, a planned and fair classroom climate effectually builds students' self-efficacy in their learning. This study highlights the indispensable and pivotal role that a positive classroom climate plays in motivating students to be more engaged and learn effectively. Also, the findings of this study provide guidance and references for stakeholders, school administrators, and lecturers in building and sustaining a positive and healthy classroom climate for better learning. https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.19. 8.11
The titanium 3D-printed flute: New prospects of additive manufacturing for musical wind instruments design

Titanium additive manufacturing (Ti-AM) is currently used for customized parts in medicine, aviation, and aerospace. The combination of superior mechanical and physical properties of titanium alloys, together with lightweight properties, seemed to be attractive also for other, large-scale consumer fields. However, the list of successful Ti-AM applications is still limited. Furthermore, in some areas where the potential of Ti-AM can be considered as especially valuable, no attempts had been found to use it. One such promising area is wind musical instruments. The current case study focused on the design and 3D-printing of titanium flute.
ARPads: Mid-air Indirect Input for Augmented Reality

Interacting efficiently and comfortably with Augmented Reality (AR) headsets remains a major issue. We investigate the concept of mid-air pads as an alternative to gaze or direct hand input to control a cursor in windows anchored in the environment. ARPads allow users to control the cursor displayed in the headset screen through movements on a mid-air plane, which is not spatially aligned with the headset screen. We investigate a design space for ARPads, which takes into account the position of the pad relative to the user’s body, and the orientation of the pad relative to that of the headset screen. Our study suggests that 1) indirect input can achieve the same performance as direct input while causing less fatigue than hand raycast, 2) an ARPad should be attached to the wrist or waist rather than to the thigh, and 3) the ARPad and the screen should have the same orientation.
Coreference and parallelism

ABSTRACT Previous studies have demonstrated a reliable effect of parallelism in a variety of domains. These studies have suggested that parallelism is preferred during both production and comprehension, and that parallelism can result in facilitation during sentence processing. There is, however, some debate about whether such effects are truly limited to coordination. In both coordinate and subordinate environments we examined whether parallelism affects pronoun resolution, and furthermore investigated whether distance between a pronoun and an antecedent (locality) affects the retrieval process. Two experiments, each consisting of an offline forced choice task as well as an eye tracking task, indicated that both locality and parallelism influence the pronoun resolution process in both coordinate and subordinate contexts. These findings are discussed in light of popular retrieval models.
Male mating preference of two cryptic species of the herbivorous insect Eccritotarsus catarinensis

ABSTRACT When using biological control against pest populations, more than one biocontrol agent might be introduced simultaneously. This could be counterproductive in the event of negative interactions between the biocontrol agents. Within and between species interactions have a strong impact on mating behaviour and reproduction, and can have an impact on the effectiveness of biological control. We studied the reproductive compatibility between two geographically isolated strains (Brazil and Peru) of Eccritotarsus catarinensis (Heteroptera: Miridae), a biocontrol agent against the invasive aquatic weed, Eichhornia crassipes. By performing inter- and intra-species mating experiments, we investigated whether or not males from each of the cryptic species would be able to distinguish between partners from either species, and if they would mate with partners from the opposite species. Our results showed the decrease in lifetime fecundity, and most importantly, the lack of production of offspring from eggs resulting from forced hybridisation. We showed that Peruvian males mated only with females from their own species, and did not mate with females from the Brazilian species. In contrast, Brazilian males mated equally with females from both species, but needed significantly more time in order to commence a mating, and no offspring were produced from eggs resulting from hybridisation. Although future studies demand more rigorous controls, our results indicate asymmetrical sexual isolation between the two species. We speculate on mechanisms involved in reproductive isolation in the two cryptic species, and the possible implications for effective biocontrol, and include some morphological measurements that might support our assumptions.
Liming as a means of reducing copper toxicity in black oats

EnglishSoils which are cultivated with grapevines have high available copper (Cu) content, which can be toxic to cover crops cohabiting vineyards, such as black oats. This study aimed to assess the effect of liming in reducing Cu toxicity in black oats grown in sandy soils. Samples of a Typic Hapludalf were collected at 0-20cm, dried and subjected to the addition of Cu (0 to 50Mg kg-1) and limestone (0, 1.5, and 3.0Mg ha-1). The soil was placed in a rhizobox and black oats were grown for 30 days. We assessed root and shoot dry matter production, copper (Cu), calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) contents in the tissues; Cu content in the root symplast and apoplast, as well as Cu, carbon and pH values in the rhizosphere and bulk soil. Liming reduced Cu toxicity in black oats. Cu was preferentially accumulated in the roots, mostly in the apoplast, which may be the result of a plant tolerance mechanism to prevent the transport of Cu to the shoots. Key words: heavy metal; phytotoxicity; limestone; rhizosphere. portuguesSolos cultivados com videiras possuem alto teor de cobre (Cu) disponivel, que pode ser toxico as plantas de cobertura do solo que coabitam vinhedos, como a aveia preta. O estudo objetivou avaliar o efeito da calagem na reducao da toxidez por Cu em plantas de aveia preta cultivadas em solo arenoso. Amostras de um Argissolo Vermelho foram coletadas na camada de 0-20cm, secas e submetidas a adicao de duas doses de Cu (0 e 50Mg kg-1) e tres de calcario (0, 1,5 e 3,0Mg ha-1). O solo foi acondicionado em rhizobox e submetido ao cultivo de aveia preta durante 30 dias. Avaliaram-se a producao de materia seca das raizes e da parte aerea, o teor de cobre (Cu), calcio (Ca) e magnesio (Mg) nos tecidos; o teor de Cu no simplasto e apoplasto das raizes, e os teores de Cu, de carbono e valores de pH no solo rizosferico e nao rizosferico. A aplicacao de calcario reduziu a toxidez por Cu na aveia preta. O Cu foi preferencialmente acumulado nas raizes, especialmente no apoplasto, o que pode ser resultado de mecanismo de tolerância das plantas para evitar o transporte de parte do elemento para a parte aerea. Palavras-chave: metal pesado; fitotoxidez; calcario; rizosfera
Agro-Pellets from Oil Palm Residues/Pine Sawdust Mixtures: Relationships of Their Physical, Mechanical and Energetic Properties, with the Raw Material Chemical Structure

: The need for biomass as an alternative source for energy purposes points toward oil palm fruit residues ( Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) as an attractive solution. Oil palm industry residue, such as oil palm empty fruit bunch (EFB) composites and mesocarp ﬁber (PMF), have a high gross caloriﬁc value and could help countries meet their energy demands. However, information concerning physical, mechanical, and energy characteristics of agro-pellets made from mixtures of oil palm residue with pine sawdust, is not available. In this research, oil palm residues were mixed at ratios of 100:0, 80:20, 60:40, 40:60, 20:80, and 0:100 with pine sawdust, and were chemically analyzed. Agro-pellets from mixtures were tested on their physical and mechanical properties, and the relationship of these properties with the chemical composition of oil palm residue mixtures was determined. Normality distribution tests of the variables were performed using the Kolmogorov–Smirnov test. Normal variables were analyzed through one-way ANOVA tests. When di ﬀ erences were found, they were validated using the Tukey’s honestly signiﬁcant di ﬀ erence (HSD) test and were considered statistically signiﬁcant at p ≤ 0.05. Data not normally distributed were analyzed by the Kruskal–Wallis test. Bulk density, particle density, and gross caloriﬁc value of agro-pellets (from mixing 80:20 oil palm residues with pine sawdust) were statistically higher ( p < 0.05) to agro-pellets of 100% oil palm residues. Adding pine sawdust to oil palm residues increases some mechanical agro-pellet properties. Addition of pine sawdust oil palm residues some mechanical properties of agro-pellets.
Too much mortgage debt? The effect of housing financialization on housing supply and residential capital formation

This article argues that the explosion of mortgage finance has not led to a proportional expansion of housing supply across 17 countries in a historical perspective (1913–2016). Based on a collection of housing construction data, it shows that the co-cyclical behavior of construction, prices and mortgage credit has been followed by a decoupling of house-price mortgage spirals from the underlying stagnating or declining construction activity since the 1980s. Mortgage debt is nonlinearly associated with new construction: positive up to a threshold, negative thereafter. The article argues that the increasing use of housing as an asset, or housing financialization, can explain why mortgages grow without construction, i.e. through privatization of state housing and supply restrictions as a result of rentier strategies of housing-market insiders and private developers. Private mortgage markets have thus been a less reliable policy alternative to traditional state-led housing construction policies. The article confirms for housing what has previously been found for growth or capital formation: beyond a certain threshold, there is a curse of too much finance.
Patterns and dynamics of European vegetation change over the last 15,000 years

Palaeoecological reconstructions document past vegetation change, with estimates of fast shifts in species distributions. The resulting rates of plant spread are often not matched by model simulations of climate‐driven vegetation dynamics. Genetic surveys of extant plant populations document directions of the post‐glacial spread of trees, challenging traditional interpretations. Our aim is to examine an updated continental pollen data set from Europe in the light of the new ideas about vegetation dynamics emerging from genetic research and vegetation modelling studies.
Cell therapy for neurological disorders: Progress towards an embryonic medial ganglionic eminence progenitor-based treatment

Impairment of development, migration, or function of inhibitory interneurons are key features of numerous circuit-based neurological disorders, such as epilepsy. From a therapeutic perspective, symptomatic treatment of these disorders often relies upon drugs or deep brain stimulation approaches to provide a general enhancement of GABA-mediated inhibition. A more effective strategy to target these pathological circuits and potentially provide true disease-modifying therapy, would be to selectively add new inhibitory interneurons into these circuits. One such strategy, using embryonic medial ganglionic (MGE) progenitor cells as a source of a unique sub-population of interneurons, has already proven effective as a cell transplantation therapy in a variety of preclinical models of neurological disorders, especially in mouse models of acquired epilepsy. Here we will discuss the evolution of this interneuron-based transplantation therapy in acquired epilepsy models, with an emphasis on the recent adaptation of MGE progenitor cells for xenotransplantation into larger mammals.
Risk Screen of Freshwater Tropical Ornamental Fishes for the Conterminous United States

AbstractThe trade in ornamental fish is increasingly viewed as a major source for the introduction of invasive species into the environment. However, few ornamental fishes are established and widespread in the conterminous United States, and fewer still are thought to cause noticeable environmental impacts. To better evaluate the risk of this pathway, we conducted a risk screen of 34 important freshwater ornamental fish species by using the Fish Invasiveness Screening Kit (FISK) version 2 for the conterminous United States. Screens from three to five independent assessors resulted in categorization of 91–100% of the species as noninvasive. The low climate match of these mostly tropical species largely confines establishment risk to subtropical regions, primarily peninsular Florida, and to isolated thermal refuges (e.g., geothermal springs) in otherwise unsuitable climates. Few data on impacts exist for tropical ornamental fish in the conterminous United States, and there is little evidence for the occurre.
Quantifying Contributions of Climate Change and Local Human Activities to Runoff Decline in the Second Songhua River Basin

In the past several decades, climate change and human activities have influenced hydrological processes, and potentially caused more frequent and extensive flood and drought risks. Therefore, identification and quantification of the driving factors of runoff variation have become a hot research area. This paper used the trend analysis method to show that runoff had a significant downward trend during the past 60 years in the Second Songhua River Basin (SSRB) of Northeast China. The upper, middle, and lower streams of five hydrological stations were selected to analyze the breakpoint of the annual runoff in the past 60 years, and the breakpoints were used to divide the entire study period into two sub-periods (1956–1974 and 1975–2015). Using the water–energy coupling balance method based on Choudhury–Yang equation, the climatic and catchment landscape elasticity coefficient of the annual runoff change was estimated, and attribution analysis of the runoff change was carried out for the Fengman Reservoir and Fuyu stations in SSRB. The change in potential evapotranspiration has a weak effect on the runoff, and change in precipitation and catchment landscape were the leading factors affecting runoff. Impacts of climate change and land cover change were accountable for the runoff decrease by 80% and 11% (Fengman), 17% and 206% (Fuyu) on average, respectively; runoff was more sensitive to climate change in Fengman, and was more sensitive to catchment landscape change in Fuyu. In Fengman, the population was small, owing to the comparatively inhospitable natural conditions, and so human activities were low. However, in Fuyu, human activities were more intensive, and so had more impact on runoff for the Lower Second Songhua River compared to the Upper Second Songhua River.
A Review of the Araucaria-Associated Weevils of the Tribe Orthorhinini (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Molytinae), with Description of New Species of Ilacuris Pascoe, 1865 and Notopissodes Zimmerman & Oberprieler, 2014 and a New Genus, Kuschelorhinus Anderson & Setliff

The Araucaria-associated weevils of the tribe Orthorhinini are reviewed, namely the genera Eurhamphus Shuckard, 1838; Ilacuris Pascoe, 1865; Imbilius Marshall, 1938; Notopissodes Zimmerman & Oberprieler, 2014 and Vanapa Pouillaude, 1915. The genus Ilacuris is revised with three species recognized: I. laticollis Pascoe, 1865 and I. suttoni Anderson & Setliff, new species from Australia, and I. papuana Anderson & Setliff, new species from Papua New Guinea. A second species of Notopissodes, N. variegatus Oberprieler, new species from Australia, is also described. Lastly, Kuschelorhinus hirsutus Anderson & Setliff, new genus and new species, is described from Papua New Guinea. The new genus is a close relative of Ilacuris and it is named in honor of our esteemed late colleague, Guillermo ‘Willy’ Kuschel (1918–2017), recognizing his interest in Araucaria-associated Coleoptera. Habitus images, natural history information and a key to the Araucaria-associated Orthorhinini are presented.
Virtual Collaborative Design Environment: Supporting Seamless Integration of Multitouch Table and Immersive VR

Throughout the design of a new building it is essential that all involved stakeholders understand, communicate, participate, and collaborate with each other to acquire a high-quality result. To support these shared and creative design processes, this paper presents the design and evaluation of virtual collaborative design environment (ViCoDE) - a new collaborative design system. ViCoDE features seamless integration of several immersive VR systems and a multitouch table that facilitates collaborative and interactive design work with immediate feedback. The evaluation of the system has been done during two real-life collaborative design workshops in a context of designing new healthcare environments. The results show that the VR system and multitouch table complement each other very well by facilitating both collaborative, and individual design spaces - and that it fosters better understanding, participation, communication, knowledge sharing, and collaboration among the different stakeholders. The contribution is two-fold: presentation of a new collaborative design system and the evaluation of its use in a real-life design context, which demonstrate how these new technology-based workshops may facilitate design management.
GROWTH PERFORMANCE AND CARCASS TRAITS OF GOATS FED WITH OIL PALM BYPRODUCTS BASED FEED PELLET

The study was conducted to develop a nutrient-balanced goat feed pellet from oil palm by-products and to assess the effects of the feed pellet on growth performance and carcass traits of Katjang goats. Treatment groups consisted of oil palm by-products based (OPB), control without addition of oil palm by-products control (CNT) and commercial (COM) pellets. Twelve 12-month-old Katjang goats were assigned to the three treatment groups and subjected to 14-weeks of feeding trial. Each group was offered 1.5% body weight (BW) of respective pellets and ad libitum supply of Napier grass. Feed intake (FI) was recorded daily and the BW of the goats was recorded weekly. At the end of the feeding trial, all goats were slaughtered for carcass traits study. All treatment groups showed no significant difference in BW increment (p=0.51) and average daily gain (ADG) (p=0.94). There were no significant differences (p>0.05) between the treatment groups for carcass traits parameters. As a conclusion, the OPB pellet has shown to contain complete nutrient for goat’s diet and was comparable to the COM feed pellet in terms of growth performance of Katjang goat. The inclusion of oil palm by-products in the feed formulation did not adversely affect the carcass traits of the goats.