Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Climatic Change of Sunshine Duration in Northwest China during the Last 47 Years

With EOF,REOF,Mann-Kendall,trend analysis and correlation analysis method,the spatial distribution features and time evolution rule of sunshine duration in the last 47 years in Northwest China are analyzed based on the monthly mean data for the period 1961 to 2007 collected from 135 observational stations.It is shown that sunshine duration of the region decreases from the southeast to the northwest,the value on both sides is low and the center is high.The border area of Gansu,Qinghai and Xinjiang is the high value region in sunshine duration of northwest.The winter sunshine duration is the least,summer is the most,and the spring's is more than the autumn's.Northwest sunshine duration in most part of northwest reduces remarkably,the average reduction rate of the entire region is 19.92 h/10 a;it has a sudden change in 1980.Southwest Xinjiang and southern Qinghai present an obvious increasing tendency,but in Gannan-Central Gansu-southern Ningxia-east Gansu-Central Shaanxi the increase in sunshine duration is not obvious.Using the REOF method we detailedly divide the region into seven subregions,i.e.,the eastern part of northwest,mid-northern Xinjiang,southwest Xinjiang,northwest Qinghai Plateau,Qilian mountainous area,southern Qinghai Plateau and Gansu Corridor.The sunshine duration is a single peak in eastern part and mid-northern Xinjiang,while it is a double peak pattern in Gansu Corridor,Qilian mountainous area and southwest Xinjiang,and a triple peak pattern in Qinghai plateau.Under background of the climate warming the relative humidity increases and the cloud cover increases in Northweat China,a primary cause for the reduction of sunshine duration in most part of the region.
Correlation analysis of Type-2 diabetes mellitus with proliferative retinopathy and central macular thickness

Objective: To investigate the relevant risk factors of proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) in patients with Type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and their correlations with the central macular thickness (CMT). Methods: This is a retrospective study. The clinical data of 300 patients with T2DM were collected and divided into a PDR group (observation group) and non-PDR group (control group) according to the occurrence of PDR in Aier Eye Hospital (Taiyuan) from February 2019 to February 2022. The relevant risk factors were screened out through the t test and the χ2 test, and analyzed by logistic regression. Results: Logistic regression analysis showed that systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, course of diabetes, fasting blood glucose (FBG), two hours postprandial blood glucose (two hours PBG) and urinary albumin were independent risk factors for T2DM complicated with PDR. ROC curve revealed that systolic blood pressure, course of diabetes and urinary albumin had the highest diagnostic efficiency. Correlation analysis demonstrated that CMT was positively correlated with systolic blood pressure, course of diabetes, HbA1c level and urinary albumin level. Conclusion: For patients with T2DM, blood pressure, course of diabetes, FBG, 2hPBG and urinary albumin are independent risk factors for PDR, and increased systolic blood pressure, course of diabetes, HbA1c level and urinary albumin level will increase CMT. Combining the above indexes to predict the occurrence of PDR has a synergistic effect, and the increase in systolic blood pressure, course of diabetes, HbA1c level and urinary albumin level will increase the CMT of the patients.
Arctic Ocean outflow and glacier–ocean interactions modify water over the Wandel Sea shelf (northeastern Greenland)

Abstract. The first-ever conductivity–temperature–depth (CTD) observations on the Wandel Sea shelf in northeastern Greenland were collected in April–May 2015. They were complemented by CTDs taken along the continental slope during the Norwegian FRAM 2014–2015 drift. The CTD profiles are used to reveal the origin of water masses and interactions with ambient water from the continental slope and the tidewater glacier outlet. The subsurface water is associated with the Pacific water outflow from the Arctic Ocean. The underlying halocline separates the Pacific water from a deeper layer of polar water that has interacted with the warm Atlantic water outflow through the Fram Strait, recorded below 140 m. Over the outer shelf, the halocline shows numerous cold density-compensated intrusions indicating lateral interaction with an ambient polar water mass across the continental slope. At the front of the tidewater glacier outlet, colder and turbid water intrusions were observed at the base of the halocline. On the temperature–salinity plots these stations indicate a mixing line that is different from the ambient water and seems to be conditioned by the ocean–glacier interaction. Our observations of Pacific water are set within the context of upstream observations in the Beaufort Sea and downstream observations from the Northeast Water Polynya, and clearly show the modification of Pacific water during its advection across the Arctic Ocean. Moreover, ambient water over the Wandel Sea slope shows different thermohaline structures indicating the different origin and pathways of the on-shore and off-shore branches of the Arctic Ocean outflow through the western Fram Strait.
Impact of International Monetary Policy in Uruguay: A favar Approach

This study analyzes the Uruguayan economy’s vulnerability to foreign monetary policy in the last twenty years. The usual way of assessing monetary policy transmission effects - such as panel data analysis, correlation analysis and even case studies - have not offered much statistically significant evidence for Uruguayan economic growth. However, being a small open dollarized economy with a relatively less sophisticated asset market, it seems plausible that Uruguay may suffer from international monetary policy shocks. The challenge, then, is to unveil the channels through which those monetary shocks finally affect relevant Uruguayan variables. In this paper, factor augmented vector autoregressive (FAVAR) models are used in two stages. In the first stage, the impact of foreign monetary policy is assessed on commodity prices, foreign output, and regional output. In the second one, the effects on real exchange rate, domestic assets (as housing prices) and on domestic output are analyzed. Este estudio analiza la vulnerabilidad de la economia uruguaya a los shocks de politica monetaria externos en los ultimos veinte anos. La forma habitual de analizar los efectos de la transmision de los shocks de politica monetaria – tales como analisis de datos de panel, analisis de correlacion e incluso estudio de casos – no han ofrecido mucha evidencia estadisticamente significativa con respecto a los efectos sobre el crecimiento economico en Uruguay. Sin embargo, siendo una pequena economia abierta dolarizada con un mercado de activos relativamente poco sofisticado, parece razonable que Uruguay sufra los choques de politica monetaria internacional. Entonces, el desafio es revelar los canales a traves de los cuales esos choques finalmente afectan las variables economicas uruguayas relevantes. En este documento se utilizan modelos de factores aumentados autorregresivos (FAVAR) en dos etapas. Primero, se establece el impacto de la politica monetaria externa sobre precios de commodites, producto externo y producto regional. En una segunda etapa, se analizan los efectos sobre el tipo de cambio real, activos domesticos (como el precio de la vivienda) y el producto domestico.
Optimal Levels of Additional N Fertigation for Greenhouse Watermelon Based on Cropping Pattern and Growth Stage

An estimation of optimal requirement of additional N by cropping pattern and growth stage is very important for greenhouse watermelon. The objectives of this study were to estimate an amount of optimal additional N based on growth, N uptake and yield of watermelon. In order to achieve these goals, we performed the study at farmer’s greenhouse with a fertigation system and watermelon was cultivated three times (spring, summer and autumn) in 2015. The levels of additional N were set up with x0.5, x0.75, x1.0 and x1.5 of the NO₃-N-based soil-testing N supply for watermelon cultivation. The trends of growth and N uptake of watermelon markedly differed from cropping pattern; spring (sigmoid), summer and autumn (linear). The yield of watermelon was the highest at summer season and followed by autumn and spring. Also, the x1.5N showed a significantly higher yield compared to other N treatments. On the basis of growth, N uptake and yield of watermelon, we estimated an optimal level of additional N by cropping pattern and growth stage as follows; 1) spring (transplanting ~ 6 WAT : 6 ~ 14 WAT : 14 ~ harvest = 5 : 90 : 5%), summer (transplanting ~ 4 WAT : 4 ~ 8 WAT : 8 ~ harvest = 25 : 50 : 25%) and autumn (transplanting ~ 4 WAT : 4 ~ harvesting : 50 : 50%). In conclusion, nutrient management, especially N, based on cropping pattern and growth stage was effective for favorable growth and yield of watermelon.
Factors Affecting Poverty in Central Java Province for the Period 2017-2022

Poverty is a serious issue that is hard to ignore in many Indonesian provinces, especially the province of Central Java. This study uses secondary data in the form of a datapanel with cross-section 35 districts / cities and time series for 6 years to measure four independent variables—the city minimum wage (UMK), open unemployment, the human development index (HDI), and foreign investment—and one dependent variable—the poverty variable (Y). The goal is to determine the factors that affect poverty in the province of Central Java. This study's data analysis technique is panel data regression with a Fixed Effect Model (FEM) approach, which is handled with version 12 eviews. Because the District Minimum Wage (UMK) variable had a probability value of 0.0001 < 0.05 and a coefficient value of -5.73000, the study's findings demonstrated that it had a negative and substantial impact on poverty. With a prob value, the Open Unemployment variable statistically significantly and favorably affects poverty. 0.0000 less than 0.05. Furthermore, because the HDI variable has a prob value, research has demonstrated that it significantly and negatively affects poverty. the HDI's ability to lower the number of people living in poverty (0.0008 < 0.05). However, because the Foreign Investment variable has a low value, it was unable to demonstrate that it had an impact on poverty. The results indicated that the poverty rate was unaffected by the amount of foreign direct investment, with 0.7696 > 0.05. The study's overall findings demonstrate that 56.8% of poverty can be described by the four independent factors, with the remaining 43.2 percent being explained by variables not included in the research model.
Changes of the Tropical Tropopause Layer under Global Warming

AbstractThis paper investigates changes in the tropical tropopause layer (TTL) in response to carbon dioxide increase and surface warming separately in an atmospheric general circulation model, finding that both effects lead to a warmer tropical tropopause. Surface warming also results in an upward shift of the tropopause. A detailed heat budget analysis is performed to quantify the contributions from different radiative and dynamic processes to changes in the TTL temperature. When carbon dioxide increases with fixed surface temperature, a warmer TTL mainly results from the direct radiative effect of carbon dioxide increase. With surface warming, the largest contribution to the TTL warming comes from the radiative effect of the warmer troposphere, which is partly canceled by the radiative effect of the moistening at the TTL. Strengthening of the stratospheric circulation following surface warming cools the lower stratosphere dynamically and radiatively via changes in ozone. These two effects are of compar.
Abnormal Glucose Tolerance in Women Diagnosed With Gestational Diabetes (WHO 2013) 10 Years After Index Pregnancy

Abstract Context It is not clear if the risk of abnormal glucose tolerance (AGT) is attenuated in the long-term in women diagnosed with gestational diabetes (GDM) using the World Health Organization (WHO) 2013 criteria and who have received appropriate treatment during pregnancy. Objective We aimed to assess the long-term prevalence of AGT and other cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors in this cohort. Methods A retrospective cohort follow-up study was conducted of 37 and 107 women diagnosed with and without GDM respectively using the WHO 2013 criteria between June 2010 and December 2010. Women were invited to attend our center, where they underwent a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test, blood and urine collection, body measurements, and electrocardiography. Main outcome measure included the development of AGT using the American Diabetes Association criteria. Results Sixteen (43.2%) women with GDM compared to 5 (4.7%) women with normal glucose tolerance (NGT) at index pregnancy had AGT (P < .001). In the GDM group, 10 (27.0%), 7 (18.9%), and 4 (10.8%) women had impaired fasting glucose (IFG), impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), respectively. In the NGT group, 2 (1.9%), 3 (2.8%), and 1 (0.9%) woman had IFG, IGT, and T2DM, respectively. Women with AGT also had an unfavorable metabolic profile including obesity, hypertension, insulin resistance, and dyslipidemia. Conclusion Women treated for GDM (WHO 2013 criteria) remain at increased risk for developing AGT and adverse CVD risk factors as early as a decade after diagnosis. Continued efforts are needed to accurately follow this population to address modifiable risk factors.
Impact of SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic and Lockdown on the HRSV Circulation: Experience of Three Spoke Hospitals in Northern Italy

The SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic affected the global epidemiology of respiratory infections, including Human Respiratory Syncytial Virus (HRSV), thanks to state governments’ implementation of mitigation strategies, like the promotion of face masks and lockdowns. However, after the Pandemic, the dramatic resurge of these diseases was reported worldwide. Our retrospective study, involving three Spoke Pediatric Departments, includes all the infants under one year of age hospitalized for HRSV bronchiolitis in a period before the Pandemic period (2017–2020), during the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic (2020–2021), and after the Pandemic (2021–2023). The primary aim was to analyze the temporal trend of HRSV in these three periods. Then, the clinical and epidemiological characteristics were analyzed to highlight the clinical differences in the affected patients, in the severity of the infections, and in the short-term outcomes. Ultimately, we analyzed the HRSV prevalence in the global bronchiolitis hospitalization over the reported periods. Overall, we included 237 patients. Before the Pandemic, the peak was recorded in January and February, while after the Pandemic, the peak was in November and December. A higher prevalence of HRSV was demonstrated after the Pandemic compared to the period before the Pandemic; overall, no difference in severity was reported. In conclusion, an increase in HRSV cases after the Pandemic has been demonstrated with an anticipated peak, while no differences were recorded in severity.
Characterization of soundscapes in shallow water habitats of the Florida Keys (USA) and their influence on the settlement of larval fish and invertebrates

CHARACTERIZATION OF SOUNDSCAPES IN SHALLOW WATER HABITATS OF THE FLORIDA KEYS (USA) AND THEIR INFLUENCE ON THE SETTLEMENT OF LARVAL FISH AND INVERTEBRATES John R. Butler Old Dominion University, 2016 Director: Dr. Mark J. Butler, IV In recent decades, changes in climate and water quality in Florida Bay and the Florida Keys (FL, USA) caused expansive cyanobacteria blooms that in turn precipitated massive sponge die-offs that drastically altered sponge-dominated hard-bottom communities in south-central Florida Bay. This area served as a model system to explore the effect of ecosystem change and habitat restoration on underwater soundscapes and larval recruitment. I had four main objectives: (1) characterize the underwater soundscapes of three near-shore, benthic habitats: mangrove islands, seagrass meadows, and hard-bottom (Chapter 2); (2) quantify larval settlement within healthy, degraded, and restored hard-bottom areas to test whether habitat degradation altered larval settlement (Chapter 3); (3) empirically test the role of sound in promoting larval recruitment to hard-bottom habitat (Chapter 3); and (4) employ the passive sonar equation and distance sampling techniques to evaluate how the loss of large sponges affected the densities and abundances of snapping shrimp (Chapter 4). I found that near-shore habitats exhibit distinct soundscapes, that habitat degradation alters those soundscapes, and that habitat restoration can reestablish natural soundscapes. Habitat type and time of day significantly affected soundscapes, whereas lunar phase did not. Healthy hard-bottom and mangrove habitats exhibited louder spectra and more snapping shrimp snaps than did degraded hard-bottom or seagrass beds. However, four years after restoration, the acoustic spectra and numbers of snapping shrimp snaps on restored hardbottom were similar to those of healthy hard-bottom. Habitat quality and moon phase both significantly affected larval recruitment. Overall, healthy hard-bottom habitat attracted significantly more larvae than either degraded or restored hard-bottom, particularly during full moon. Playback of healthy hard-bottom soundscapes within degraded hard-bottom areas prompted higher larval settlement, particularly during the full moon. Estimates of snapping shrimp populations within degraded areas were significantly lower than estimates within healthy areas. Shrimp abundance estimates on healthy hardbottom sites were one to two orders of magnitude greater than those on degraded sites. These studies demonstrate that tropical coastal habitats differ in soundscape characteristics, that habitat degradation affects soundscapes and the ecological process of larval settlement and recruitment, and that restoration of hard-bottom habitat can aid in returning these functions.
A study on Taiwan’s vocational senior high school teachers’ teaching identity and teaching transformation when facing a new competency-based curriculum

Introduction The competency of education is advocated in the 2023 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. UNESCO encourages countries to provide inclusive, equitable, competency education and lifelong learning opportunities for all. Starting from 2019, 12-Year-Basic-Education, a new curriculum, was fully implemented in Taiwan to conform to the competency education strategy. For the teachers on site, teachers’ understanding of the new curriculum and teaching practice has a direct impact on the competency of the implementation of this new policy. The main purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between vocational senior high school teachers’ competency-oriented teaching, teaching identity and teaching transformation regarding this new curriculum. Methods In order to effectively expand teachers’ understanding of competency-oriented teaching identity, this study put forward 6 hypothetical approaches based on the implicit theory of teaching transformation. The 747 valid questionnaires accounted for 97.1% of the total recovered questionnaires. The reliability and validity analyses, as well as overall model fitting analysis and research model validation were performed on these valid questionnaires. Results The results of the study showed: (1) With the background of Competency-oriented teaching, teachers’ teaching attitude and teaching willingness has a positive impact on teaching identity; (2) teachers’ teaching identity has a positive impact on teaching preparation, teaching practice, further study, three types of teaching transformation. In summary, three conclusions from this study were concluded on the aspects of teaching preparation, teaching practice and further study on practical competency-oriented teaching, teaching identity and teaching transformation in the educational field. Conclusion Three conclusions were derived for the relationships among these six constructs: (1) Teachers with a “good attitude” and “strong willingness” to teach, a “high sense of identification” acceptance and full implement of “teaching preparation” are considered as teachers with a “foresight and a visionary predictive style”; (2) Teachers with a high sense of self-awareness who can fully practice “teaching practice” are teachers with a “pragmatic teaching by example style”; (3) Teachers with a “good attitude,” a “strong willingness” to teach, a “high sense of identification” acceptance and who are able to fully practice “advanced research” are considered as teachers with an “empowerment-enhancing coaching style”.
Stochastic modeling of transport and degradation of reactive solutes in heterogeneous aquifers

Stochastic Modeling of Transport and Degradation of Reactive Solutes in Heterogeneous Aquifers. (May 2005) Ziad Joseph Fadel, B.E. , American University of Beirut Co-Chairs of Advisory Committee: Dr. Jeffrey Cunningham Dr. Anthony Cahill Hydraulic conductivity fields (K) and degradation rate constants (α) are commonly used in predicting the fate and transport of reactive contaminants. The natural heterogeneity in aquifer porous materials and its effect on hydrological parameters such as K and α has to be accounted for by using an appropriate stochastic approach. The spatial distribution of K and its correlation with α were examined. Random fields of K having prescribed mean, variance, and correlation lengths were generated using the HYDRO_GEN method. Transport simulations were conducted for an ensemble of two-dimensionally heterogeneous aquifers. Both positive and negative correlations of K and α were considered. The solute’s remaining mass in both the positive and negative correlation scenarios was found to be, on average, within a small range. Concentration profiles for a positive K-α correlation displayed a more uniform behavior of the contaminated plume, compared to a more variable spreading in the negatively correlated cases.
Trophic Relationships Among Caribou Calf Predators in Newfoundland

Previous research in Newfoundland, Canada, identified black bear (Ursus americanus), coyote (Canis latrans) and lynx (Lynx canadensis) as primary predators of caribou, and in particularly their calves. Our research project was designed to investigate food habits of these primary predators of caribou during the calving (1 – 27 June) and summer (28 June – 31 August) seasons of 2009 and 2010 in Newfoundland. We considered how to best collect fecal samples for microscopic analysis of prey items and how to spatiotemporally design our effort. We began by exploring the potential implications of intensive selection pressure on seasonally abundant prey items by a specific subset of a predator population. Utilizing our previous experience we located and trained detector dogs to survey for predator scats within and outside caribou calving areas in three study areas. Additionally, scats collected by our detector teams were genetically tested to identify species and individuals for predator occupancy and abundance estimates. Initially, our detection dogs were trained to target scats of black bear, coyote and lynx. However due to a paucity of lynx training samples and in-field reinforcement, lynx were omitted from the analysis due to an insufficient sample size. We collected over 800 samples; 393 from bear and 414 from coyote. The canines were successfully able to accurately identify our target species as evident by the high rate of validation from genetic testing in 2009 (bear = 95% and coyote = 91%) and 2010 (bear = 97% and coyote = 91%). To assess likelihood of finding a sample (N = 214) without the canine, we categorized samples as impossible (77%), low (13%), medium