Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Building organization and employee resilience in disaster contexts

This study explored the resilience-building initiatives of work organizations using the Johns Hopkins Resistance–Resilience–Recovery Model. It also determined how resilience-building initiatives increase organizational resilience and promote employee resilience. ,The study employed an exploratory sequential mixed-methods approach. In Study 1, resilience-building initiatives of selected work organizations in the Philippines were determined through qualitative research. A survey questionnaire to determine the presence of resistance, resilience and recovery programs in organizations was developed based on the results of this qualitative study. In Study 2, the empirical relations of these initiatives to reported levels of perceived organizational resilience as well as individual employee resilience were determined through a quantitative survey among employees. Data was analyzed using structural equation modeling. ,The findings of the study described resistance, resilience and recovery programs in work organizations. Results also supported the hypothesis that the presence of resilience-building initiatives contributes to organizational resilience, which in turn affects employee resilience. ,The relatively low contribution of organization initiatives on organization resilience suggests that other factors may need to be explored. Also, despite using a sequential mixed-method approach, conducting longitudinal studies in future research will provide more robust data on the impact of interventions on resilience. ,Management may use the results in identifying initiatives that can increase resilience in their organizations. The tool created may be utilized in gathering data on initiatives and help those in-charge of disaster risk reduction and management build a business case on the importance of investing in resilience-building efforts. ,The study identified resilience-building initiatives of work organizations in a country that regularly experiences disasters as well as demonstrated the utility of the Johns Hopkins Model as framework for resilience building in the workplace. A survey questionnaire to determine the presence of resistance, resilience and recovery programs in organizations was developed through the exploratory study (Study 1), and the contributions of these initiatives to resilience of employees and organizations were established in Study 2.
Water inputs across a tropical montane landscape in Veracruz, Mexico: synergistic effects of land cover, rain and fog seasonality, and interannual precipitation variability

Land‐cover change can alter the spatiotemporal distribution of water inputs to mountain ecosystems, an important control on land‐surface and land‐atmosphere hydrologic fluxes. In eastern Mexico, we examined the influence of three widespread land‐cover types, montane cloud forest, coffee agroforestry, and cleared areas, on total and net water inputs to soil. Stand structural characteristics, as well as rain, fog, stemflow, and throughfall (water that falls through the canopy) water fluxes were measured across 11 sites during wet and dry seasons from 2005 to 2008. Land‐cover type had a significant effect on annual and seasonal net throughfall (NTF <0=canopy water retention plus canopy evaporation; NTF >0=fog water deposition). Forest canopies retained and/or lost to evaporation (i.e. NTF<0) five‐ to 11‐fold more water than coffee agroforests. Moreover, stemflow was fourfold higher under coffee shade than forest trees. Precipitation seasonality and phenological patterns determined the magnitude of these land‐cover differences, as well as their implications for the hydrologic cycle. Significant negative relationships were found between NTF and tree leaf area index (R2=0.38, P<0.002), NTF and stand basal area (R2=0.664, P<0.002), and stemflow and epiphyte loading (R2=0.414, P<0.001). These findings indicate that leaf and epiphyte surface area reductions associated with forest conversion decrease canopy water retention/evaporation, thereby increasing throughfall and stemflow inputs to soil. Interannual precipitation variability also altered patterns of water redistribution across this landscape. Storms and hurricanes resulted in little difference in forest‐coffee wet season NTF, while El Niño Southern Oscillation was associated with a twofold increase in dry season rain and fog throughfall water deposition. In montane headwater regions, changes in water delivery to canopies and soils may affect infiltration, runoff, and evapotranspiration, with implications for provisioning (e.g. water supply) and regulating (e.g. flood mitigation) ecosystem services.
Technical efficiency of rice farmers in Anambra State value chain development programme

The study is aimed at determining the technical efficiency of rice farmers in Anambra State value chain development programme. A well-structured questionnaire was administered to elicit information from 372 rice farmers from the five participating Local Government Areas (Ayamelum, Awka North, Anambra West, Anambra East, and Orumba North) after which only 337 respondents were fit for the study. Cobb Douglas stochastic frontier model was used to ascertain the frontier line of the farmer’s production potentials. The determinant of technical inefficiency was sex and farming experience. The findings revealed that the gamma value (0.0315) captures the variation in technical efficiency by farmers, therefore, about 3.15% variation is observed and frontier output is due to rice farmer’s technical inefficiency effect. The study equally showed that the mean technical efficiency as predicted in the study was 84.76% implying that the farmers are operating 15.24% below their optimum production capacity. These, therefore, justify the need for policymakers to constantly organize training and sensitization workshops for the rice farmers in Anambra State and Nigeria at large paying particular attention to women farmers and the general farmer’s farming experience which will help to tailor down training to specific needs. Key words: Stochastic frontier, technical efficiency and inefficiency, return to scale, influence, utilization, sensitization.
Sex-specific variation in the onset of reproduction and reproductive trade-offs in a boreal small mammal

In seasonal environments, the optimal onset of reproduction plays a major role in defining the reproductive success of an individual. Environmental cues, like day length, weather conditions, and food, regulate the initiation and termination of the breeding season. Besides the interspecific variation in response to environmental cues, it has been suggested that due to different selection pressures, females and males can have different responses to environmental stimuli. However, this phenomenon has gained relatively little consideration, and the physiological mechanism behind these differences is not well known. Here, we report how two different environmental cues, variability of temperature and nutritional conditions in spring, affect the onset of breeding in a boreal small rodent, the bank vole, Myodes glareolus. We exposed wild-trapped individuals to four different treatments manipulating temperature (stable vs. variable) and food quality (high vs. low protein content) over five weeks in the laboratory. We monitored body-mass development, food consumption, and initiation of breeding. We found sex-specific responses to temperature variability, as males achieved their breeding condition faster in variable temperature treatments, whereas female maturation was delayed. Food quality had no effect on the onset of breeding. To test for possible reproductive trade-offs caused by reproductive decisions made in early spring, the experiment was continued in large outdoor enclosures. There seemed to be no significant long-term effects on reproduction, but early summer survival was affected by climate conditions experienced in spring. Our results show clear sex differences in the response to environmental cues regulating the onset of reproduction in bank voles. Hence, our study suggests that when an organism experiences rapid environmental changes, as are occurring on a global scale, divergent cues may lead to a reproductive mismatch between the sexes. This could noticeably decrease the fitness of many seasonally breeding species.
Seasonal and spatial differences in feeding habits of the Neotropical otter Lontra longicaudis (Carnivora: Mustelidae) in a coastal catchment of southeastern Brazil

The diet of the Neotropical otter Lontra longicaudis (Olfers, 1818) is one of the best known aspects of its biology throughout its distribution range. However, most dietary studies have been undertaken during short time periods, making it difficult to identify temporal patterns in the feeding behavior of the species. The present study aimed to describe the diet of L. longicaudis in the lower region of the Mambucaba Catchment, state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, during a three year period, based on analyses of spraints (feces). The results show fish as the main prey item (frequency of occurrence, FO = 85.78%), as already described in previous studies. Crustaceans were the second main prey (FO = 70.67%), occurring in the spraints during the whole year, however presenting a higher frequency of occurrence than fish in samples collected during some months. Anurans were the third most important prey item (FO = 9.56%) and mammals, birds and reptiles were preyed upon only rarely (less than 4%). Fish and crustaceans were present in the diet of the species throughout the year and frogs were important mostly from June to August (dry season). This higher rate of predation on amphibians during the drier months was probably related to the decrease of the main prey.
Camarosporium sensu stricto in Pleosporinae, Pleosporales with two new species

Three coelomycete species with muriform conidia were collected in Italy and subjected to morpho-molecular analyses. In morphology, all species are similar to Camarosporium sensu stricto . Based on morphology, one was identified as C. spartii and the other two taxa are introduced as new species, viz. C. clematidis and C. robiniicola . Maximum likelihood, maximum parsimony and Bayesian analyses of the combined LSU, SSU and ITS dataset show that the three taxa cluster with C. quaternatum , the type species of Camarosporium , with high bootstrap and PP values. All four species can be considered as Camarosporium sensu stricto . Cucurbitaria elongata groups in the Camarosporium clade near to Camarosporium robiniicola and is considered that it is not congeneric with Cucurbitaria sensu stricto ( Cucurbitariaceae ).
Evaluation of pan coefficient equations for estimating reference crop evapotranspiration in the arid region

Reference evapotranspiration (ET0) can be estimated on basis of pan evaporation data (Epan), whose measurements have the advantage of low cost, simplicity of the measuring equipment, simple data interpretation and application as well as suitability for locations with limited availability of meteorological data. Epan values were converted to ET0 using the pan evaporation coefficient (Kpan). In this study, seven common Kpan equations were evaluated for prediction of ET0 in the growing season (April to October) in arid region of Iran. The Cuenca approach was best suited compared to the standard FAO Penman–Monteith method (FAO-56 PM).
Patient-Centred Care for Patients With Diabetes and HIV at a Public Tertiary Hospital in South Africa: An Ethnographic Study

Background: Healthcare systems across the globe are adopting patient-centred care (PCC) approach to empower patients in taking charge of their illnesses and improve the quality of care. Although models of patient‐centredness vary, respecting the needs and preferences of individuals receiving care is important. South Africa has implemented an integrated chronic disease management (ICDM) which has PCC component. The ICDM aims to empower chronic care patients to play an active role in disease management process, whilst simultaneously intervening at a community/ population and health service level. However, chronic care is still fragmented due to systemic challenges that have hindered the practice of PCC. In this article, we explore provider perspectives on PCC for patients with comorbid type 2 diabetes and HIV at a public tertiary hospital in urban South Africa. Methods: This study utilizes ethnographic methods, encompassing clinical observations, and qualitative interviews with healthcare providers (n=30). Interview recordings were transcribed verbatim and data were analyzed inductively using a grounded theory approach. Results: Providers reported various ways in which they conceptualized and practiced PCC. However, structural challenges such as staff shortages, lack of guidelines for comorbid care, and fragmented care, and patient barriers such as poverty, language, and missed appointments, impeded the possibility of practicing PCC. Conclusion: Health systems could be strengthened by: (i) ensuring appropriate multidisciplinary guidelines for managing comorbidities exist, are known, and available, (ii) strengthening primary healthcare (PHC) clinics by ensuring access to necessary resources that will facilitate successful integration and management of comorbid diabetes and HIV, (iii) training medical practitioners on PCC and structural competence, so as to better understand patients in their sociocultural contexts, and (iv) understanding patient challenges to effective care to improve attendance and adherence.
Toxicity assessment of phycocyanin - a blue colorant from blue green alga Spirulina platensis.

Abstract Phycocyanin, a blue colorant from the cyanobacterium (blue green alga) Spirulina platensis was evaluated for its safety as a natural food colour by toxicity evaluation studies in albino rats. Acute and subchronic studies on phycocyanin were conducted on both sexes of albino rats. Phycocyanin at high concentrations‐ 0.25 to 5.0 g/kg body weight (w/w) did not induce any symptoms of toxicity nor mortality of the animals. Feeding of low concentrations of phycocyanin at 0.5 to 4.0 g/kg in the diet for 14 weeks did not affect food intake or body weight gain of phycocyanin‐fed rats compared to control animals. Terminal values on absolute and relative weights of vital organs, hematology and serum enzymes did not reveal any differences between phycocyanin‐fed and control groups. Histological examination of vital organs did not show any remarkable differences between treated and control groups. Overall, consumption of phycocyanin, a natural colorant from Spirulina platensis did not result in adverse effect.
Analyzing Upper Bounds on Mean Absolute Errors for Deep Neural Network-Based Vector-to-Vector Regression

In this paper, we show that, in vector-to-vector regression utilizing deep neural networks (DNNs), a generalized loss of mean absolute error (MAE) between the predicted and expected feature vectors is upper bounded by the sum of an approximation error, an estimation error, and an optimization error. Leveraging upon error decomposition techniques in statistical learning theory and non-convex optimization theory, we derive upper bounds for each of the three aforementioned errors and impose necessary constraints on DNN models. Moreover, we assess our theoretical results through a set of image de-noising and speech enhancement experiments. Our proposed upper bounds of MAE for DNN based vector-to-vector regression are corroborated by the experimental results and the upper bounds are valid with and without the “over-parametrization” technique.
Genetic and Environmental Correlations Among Female Fertility Traits and Milk Production in Different Parities of Swedish Red and White Dairy Cattle

The main objective of this study was to estimate genetic correlations between fertility and production traits in first, second and third lactations as well as between fertility traits measured in the same way at different ages. The fertility traits studied were: number of inseminations per service period, number of treatments for reproductive disturbances, interval between first and last inseminations, interval between calving and first insemination, and interval between calving and last insemination. Early milk production was measured as the average of the energy-corrected milk yield at the second and third monthly testdays in a lactation. The number of records was approximately 450 000, 350 000, 180 000 and 75 000 in the heifer period, first, second, and third lactations, respectively. A linear, trivariate model that included the effects of herd-year, year, month, age and sire of the cow was applied. To reduce the effect of ongoing selection, 305-days kg protein production in first lactation was included as a variate in all of the analyses. Correlations between the herd-year effects indicated that factors of herd-year level conducive to increased production had a tendency to increase the number of inseminations as well as the number of reproductive treatments, although there was an earlier start and termination of the insemination period. Genetic correlations between fertility traits and production were in the range of 0.2-0.4, all of them unfavourable and higher at later parities. The genetic correlations between fertility traits in the heifer period and the same traits in first lactation were 0.7. Genetic correlations between the first and second lactation varied between 0.7 and 0.9, and between the second and third lactation they were all 0.9 or higher. In conclusion, fertility and production traits need to be selected for simultaneously if fertility is going to be maintained along further genetic improvement on production, and such selection should include fertility results from lactating cows.
EU Stock Markets vs. Germany, UK and US: Analysis of Dynamic Comovements Using Time-Varying DCCA Correlation Coefficients

For this paper, we dynamically analysed the comovements between three major stock markets—Germany, the UK, and the US—and the countries of the European Union, divided into two groups: Eurozone and non-Eurozone. Correlation coefficients based on a detrended cross-correlation analysis (DCCA) were used, and the respective temporal variation was evaluated. Given the objective of performing a dynamic analysis, sliding windows were used in an attempt to represent short and long-term analyses. Critical moments in financial markets worldwide were also taken into account, namely the subprime debt crisis, the sovereign debt crisis, and Brexit. The results suggest that Germany and other Eurozone countries generally share high levels of comovements, although the Brexit decision reduced those connections. The subprime crisis also increases comovements among markets.
Employing Locally Finitely T-Transitive Binary Relations to Prove Coincidence Theorems for Nonlinear Contractions

In this article, we prove some relation-theoretic results on coincidence and common fixed point for a nonlinear contraction employing a locally finitely - transitive binary relation, where stands for a self-mapping on the underlying metric space. Our newly proved results deduce sharpened versions of certain relevant results of the existing literature. Finally, we adopt some examples to substantiate the genuineness of our proved results herein.
HETEROTROPHY AND PHOTOHETEROTROPHY BY ANTARCTIC MICROALGAE: LIGHT‐DEPENDENT INCORPORATION OF AMINO ACIDS AND GLUCOSE 1

Diatoms isolated from the benthic, planktonic and sea ice microbial communities in McMurdo Sound, Antarctica assimilated ambient concentrations of dissolved amino acids and glucose in both the light and dark. Uptake of amino acids but not glucose was influenced by the iucubation irradiance and amino acid uptake rates were up to 250 times greater than those of glucose. Amino acids were incorporated into proteins and other complex polymers and the rates of assimilation and patterns of polymer synthesis were similar to those of the light‐saturated photosynthetic incorporation of inorganic carbon. This suggests that these diatoms can use exogenous amino acids to synthesize the essential macromolecules for heterotrophic growth. The assimilation of dissolved organic substrates could supplement light‐limited growth during the austral spring and summer as well as potentially support the heterotrophic growth of these diatoms throughout the aphotic polar winter.
Nitrogen uptake and growth of wheat during O2 deficiency in root media containing NO3 - only, or NO3 - plus NH4.

The effects of hypoxia at 0.003 mol O2 m-3 on growth and nitrogen uptake of wheat seedlings (Triticum aestivum L. ev. Gamenya) was compared between plants growing in nutrient solutions containing either NO3 - only, or NO3 - plus NH4 + . Hypoxia reduced the uptake of N by the plants, however both at 0.28-0.31 mol O2 m-3 (aerated solutions) and 0.003 mol O2 m-3 , rates of N uptake from solutions containing NO3 - plus NH4 + were 34% higher than from solutions containing NO3 - only. In aerated solutions, growth was faster when NO3 - plus NH4 + was supplied. By contrast, at 0.003 mol O2 m-3 both N treatments had the same low growth rate (expressed on a dry weight basis) despite considerably higher internal N concentrations in the plants supplied with NO3 - plus NH4 + . It is concluded that N nutrition did not limit growth at 0.003 mol O2 m-3 in either N treatment. Other possible causes of the growth reduction and differences in uptake characteristics between NO3 - and NH4 + are discussed.
A new distributed optimization approach for home healthcare routing and scheduling problem

Home health care faces new challenges day by day and it has become increasingly legitimate in the face of an aging population. Home healthcare centers are exposed to cumulative demands and academics are paying attention to the routing and scheduling matter, which is offered in literature as a Technician Routing and Scheduling Problem (TRSP) where the aim is to minimize the total cost subject to the time windows constraints to serve the patients respecting their priorities. In this paper, we develop a new distributed algorithm to resolve the home health care routing and scheduling problem (HHRSP). The principal idea of this algorithm is to apply artificial intelligence techniques in a distributed optimization method. The integration of automatic learning and search methods are applied to optimize the assignment of appointments to home caregivers. It allows us to gain time, effort, especially cost, and while complying with the problem constraints. The comparison results prove the efficacy of the recommended approach, which can offer decision support for medical executives of home health care.
Diverse Fossil Epacrids (Styphelioideae; Ericaceae) from Early Pleistocene Sediments at Stony Creek Basin, Victoria, Australia

There is currently intense interest in the radiation of the scleromorphic groups that dominate the Australian flora, but at present, only Proteaceae and Casuarinaceae have fossil records detailed enough to provide useful evidence on the timing of these radiations. This article records a diverse assemblage of fossil leaves of another major scleromorphic group, the epacrids (subfamily Styphelioideae of Ericaceae, formerly known as Epacridaceae). The fossils are from Stony Creek Basin, in the western uplands of Victoria, Australia, and are of earliest Pleistocene age (ca. 1.6 million years old). They include 19 forms sufficiently distinct as to constitute different species. This diversity is considerably greater than the extant diversity of epacrids in the region. Published taphonomic data are used to argue that the actual diversity of the source vegetation of the fossil flora may have been significantly greater and comparable to the current local species richness of the centers of diversity. Ten of the fossil species are assigned to the largest extant tribe (Styphelieae), eight are assigned to Epacrideae or Archerieae, and one is assigned to Cosmelieae. This evidence is used to argue that substantial radiation of the epacrids had occurred by the beginning of the Pleistocene.