Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Revised slope steepness factor for the universal soil loss equation

ABSTRACT Areanalysis of historical and recent data from both natural and simulated rainfall soil erosion plots has resulted in new slope steepness relationships for the Universal Soil Loss Equation. For long slopes on which both interrill and rill erosion occur, the relationships consist of two linear segments with a breakpoint at 9% slope. These relationships predict less erosion than current relationships on slopes steeper than 9% and slopes flatter than about 1%. A separate equation is proposed for the slope effect on short slopes where only interrill erosion is present. For conditions where surface flow over thaw-weakened soil dominates the erosion process, two relationships with a breakpoint at 9% slope are presented.
Major biogeographic barriers in eastern Australia have shaped the population structure of widely distributed Eucalyptus moluccana and its putative subspecies

Abstract We have investigated the impact of recognized biogeographic barriers on genetic differentiation of grey box (Eucalyptus moluccana), a common and widespread tree species of the family Myrtaceae in eastern Australian woodlands, and its previously proposed four subspecies moluccana, pedicellata, queenslandica, and crassifolia. A range of phylogeographic analyses were conducted to examine the population genetic differentiation and subspecies genetic structure in E. moluccana in relation to biogeographic barriers. Slow evolving markers uncovering long term processes (chloroplast DNA) were used to generate a haplotype network and infer phylogeographic barriers. Additionally, fast evolving, hypervariable markers (microsatellites) were used to estimate demographic processes and genetic structure among five geographic regions (29 populations) across the entire distribution of E. moluccana. Morphological features of seedlings, such as leaf and stem traits, were assessed to evaluate population clusters and test differentiation of the putative subspecies. Haplotype network analysis revealed twenty chloroplast haplotypes with a main haplotype in a central position shared by individuals belonging to the regions containing the four putative subspecies. Microsatellite analysis detected the genetic structure between Queensland (QLD) and New South Wales (NSW) populations, consistent with the McPherson Range barrier, an east‐west spur of the Great Dividing Range. The substructure was detected within QLD and NSW in line with other barriers in eastern Australia. The morphological analyses supported differentiation between QLD and NSW populations, with no difference within QLD, yet some differentiation within NSW populations. Our molecular and morphological analyses provide evidence that several geographic barriers in eastern Australia, including the Burdekin Gap and the McPherson Range have contributed to the genetic structure of E. moluccana. Genetic differentiation among E. moluccana populations supports the recognition of some but not all the four previously proposed subspecies, with crassifolia being the most differentiated.
Community violence and academic achievement: High-crime neighborhoods, hotspot streets, and the geographic scale of “community”

Numerous studies have demonstrated a negative relationship between community violence and youth academic achievement, but they have varied in their geographic definition of “community,” especially as it relates to proximity to students’ residences. We extend this by considering the independent relationships between academic achievement and violent events (from 911 dispatches; e.g., gun shots) at the neighborhood (i.e., census tract) and street-block levels. We use data from standardized Math and English Language Arts (ELA) tests from Boston, MA for 2011–2013. Exposure to community violence was partially independent between streets and tracts, with some students living on low-crime streets in high-crime neighborhoods or high-crime streets in low-crime neighborhoods. Initial regression models found that differences in a neighborhood’s violent crime predicted up to a 3% difference in test scores on both Math and ELA tests. Students living on high-crime streets scored an additional 1% lower than neighbors on safer streets. Subsequent models with student-level fixed effects, however, eliminated these relationships, except for the effect of neighborhood-level violence on Math scores. These findings suggest that future work should consider community violence at both geographic scales, but that in this case the impacts were only consistent at the neighborhood level and associations at the street level were seemingly due to spatial segregation of households.
Descriptive Analysis of Patients with Gastric Tumors Referred to the Largest Emergency Hospital in Oltenia Region-Romania, Between 2015-2020

Gastric cancer represents the third most frequent cause of death worldwide, with the treatment being impaired also by the fact that patients present in the late stages of disease progression. We have aimed here to evaluate the main clinical and pathological features of all recorded cases of gastric tumor patients presented between January 2015 and December 2020 within the Emergency County Hospital of Craiova. Our retrospective analysis identified a total number of 745 cases, and showed a relative homogenous distribution of the age of the patients / year, with the peak age at presentation of 70-80 years old, and with males having a slightly higher prevalence compared to females. There was no correlation of the number of hospitalization days with the localization of the tumor, but the patients in the age group 60-70 years of age tended to show longer hospitalization times compared to the rest of the age groups. Also, pyloric/ antral tumors tended to present at younger ages compared to other localizations, and interestingly, these patients also represented most of the casuistry. Altogether, the distribution of gastric cancer patients’ features did not change significantly in the last 5 years despite treatment advances (especially chemo-and radiotherapy), and the advanced stage of presentation call for a more aggressive detection and increased awareness of the population for this frequent pathology.
A new ML-based approach to enhance student engagement in online environment

The educational research is increasingly emphasizing the potential of student engagement and its impact on performance, retention and persistence. This construct has emerged as an important paradigm in the higher education field for many decades. However, evaluating and predicting the student’s engagement level in an online environment remains a challenge. The purpose of this study is to suggest an intelligent predictive system that predicts the student’s engagement level and then provides the students with feedback to enhance their motivation and dedication. Three categories of students are defined depending on their engagement level (Not Engaged, Passively Engaged, and Actively Engaged). We applied three different machine-learning algorithms, namely Decision Tree, Support Vector Machine and Artificial Neural Network, to students’ activities recorded in Learning Management System reports. The results demonstrate that machine learning algorithms could predict the student’s engagement level. In addition, according to the performance metrics of the different algorithms, the Artificial Neural Network has a greater accuracy rate (85%) compared to the Support Vector Machine (80%) and Decision Tree (75%) classification techniques. Based on these results, the intelligent predictive system sends feedback to the students and alerts the instructor once a student’s engagement level decreases. The instructor can identify the students’ difficulties during the course and motivate them through e-mail reminders, course messages, or scheduling an online meeting.
The inductive connection effects of a mounted SPDT in a plastic SO8 package

An investigation of the electrical performance of an assembled SO8 package with a single-pole, double-throw (SPDT) switch is presented. Using an equivalent electric network for the whole assembly, the isolation and the insertion losses are computed for a signal frequency up to 5 GHz. From the modeling and simulation results, a significant effect of the path connection to ground is shown, and the required modifications of the connecting layout are discussed. The modeling concept is applicable to any single-chip package. <<ETX>>
16 Years of breed management brings substantial improvement in population genetics of the endangered Cleveland Bay Horse

Abstract The consequences of poor breed management and inbreeding can range from gradual declines in individual productivity to more serious fertility and mortality concerns. However, many small and closed groups, as well as larger unmanaged populations, are plagued by genetic regression, often due to a dearth in breeding support tools which are accessible and easy to use in supporting decision‐making. To address this, we have developed a population management tool (BCAS, Breed Conservation and Management System) based on individual relatedness assessed using pedigree‐based kinship, which offers breeding recommendations for such populations. Moreover, we demonstrate the success of this tool in 16 years of employment in a closed equine population native to the UK, most notably, the rate of inbreeding reducing from more than 3% per generation, to less than 0.5%, or that attributed to genetic drift, as assessed over the last 16 years of implementation. Furthermore, with adherence to this program, the long‐term impact of poor management has been reversed and the genetic resource within the breed has grown from an effective population size of 20 in 1994 to more than 140 in 2020. The development and availability of our BCAS for breed management and selection establish a new paradigm for the successful maintenance of genetic resources in animal populations.
Sexual dimorphism in an adaptive radiation: Does intersexual niche differentiation result in ecological character displacement?

Abstract Evolutionary radiations are one plausible explanation for the rich biodiversity on Earth. Adaptive radiations are the most studied form of evolutionary radiations, and ecological opportunity has been identified as one factor permitting them. Competition among individuals is supposedly highest in populations of conspecifics. Divergent modes of resource use might minimize trophic overlap, and thus intersexual competition, resulting in ecological character displacement between sexes. However, the role of intersexual differentiation in speciation processes is insufficiently studied. The few studies available suggest that intersexual niche differentiation exists in adaptive radiations, but their role within the radiation, and the extent of differentiation within the organism itself, remains largely unexplored. Here, we test the hypothesis that multiple morphological structures are affected by intersexual niche differentiation in “roundfin” Telmatherina, the first case where intersexual niche differentiation was demonstrated in an adaptive fish radiation. We show that sexes of two of the three morphospecies differ in several structural components of the head, all of these are likely adaptive. Sexual dimorphism is linked to the respective morphospecies‐specific ecology and affects several axes of variation. Trait variation translates into different feeding modes, processing types, and habitat usages that add to interspecific variation in all three morphospecies. Intrasexual selection, that is, male–male competition, may contribute to variation in some of the traits, but appears unlikely in internal structures, which are invisible to other individuals. We conclude that intersexual variation adds to the adaptive diversity of roundfins and might play a key role in minimizing intersexual competition in emerging radiations.
A dynamic model of decision making in ATC

Signal Detection Theory (SDT; Green & Swets, 1966) is a well-established method for understanding performance on decision making tasks. Despite its popularity within the human factors community, this method does not take into account the dynamic nature of decision making and the speed-accuracy tradeoffs that affect performance (Balakrishnan, Busemeyer, MacDonald, & Lin, 2003). This study tested a model of decision making that accounts for the dynamic processes affecting performance. Tested within the applied context of an Air Traffic Control conflict detection task, the model provided a viable explanation of conflict decisions and decision times across a range of experimental conditions. At a practical level, a successful model of conflict detection may inform the development and assessment of design attempts aimed at assisting controllers achieve optimal performance outcomes and reduce their workload.
Increasing temperatures reduce invertebrate abundance and slow decomposition

Decomposition is an essential ecosystem service driven by interacting biotic and abiotic factors. Increasing temperatures due to climate change can affect soil moisture, soil fauna, and subsequently, decomposition. Understanding how projected climate change scenarios will affect decomposition is of vital importance for predicting nutrient cycling and ecosystem health. In this study, we experimentally addressed the question of how the early stages of decomposition would vary along a gradient of projected climate change scenarios. Given the importance of biodiversity for ecosystem service provisioning, we measured the effect of invertebrate exclusion on red maple (Acer rubrum) leaf litter breakdown along a temperature gradient using litterbags in warming chambers over a period of five weeks. Leaf litter decomposed more slowly in the warmer chambers and in the litterbag treatment that minimized invertebrate access. Moreover, increasing air temperature reduced invertebrate abundance and richness, and altered the community composition, independent of exclusion treatment. Using structural equation models, we were able to disentangle the effects of average air temperature on leaf litter loss, finding a direct negative effect of warming on the early stages of decomposition, independent of invertebrate abundance. This result indicates that not only can climate change affect the invertebrate community, but may also directly influence how the remaining organisms interact with their environment and their effectiveness at provisioning ecosystem services. Overall, our study highlights the role of biodiversity in maintaining ecosystem services and contributes to our understanding of how climate change could disrupt nutrient cycling.
Clinical Study on the Increased Incidence of Nodular Melanoma Cases Compared to Superficial Melanoma

Our study group was comprised of 67 patients with melanoma, admitted and operated in our clinic between 2010-2018. Only the patients with melanoma localized on the head, torso and upper limb were selected for our study. We attempted to establish a link between the clinical appearance, presence or absence of ulceration, presence or absence of regional lymphadenopathy or distant metastases, surgical technique, histopathological type, Clark level and Breslow depth, disease stage (TNM), adjuvant therapies and survival rates at 1, 3, 5 and 10 years.
Elastohydrodynamic Contact Model For Calculation Of Axial And Angular Stiffness In Thrust Bearing

Thrust bearing model is developed for ﬂuid ﬂow calculation and for determination of bearing integral characteristics in the presence of sliding surfaces closure and shaft angular displacements. The model is based on the coupled solution of the problem of incompressible ﬂuid ﬂow between the sliding surfaces and the problem of bearing and shaft elements deformation under the action of the ﬂuid ﬁlm pressure. Veriﬁcation of the bearing model results is carried out by the comparison versus the ﬂuid ﬂow calculation results obtained by STAR-CD software and the experimental and theoretical results represented in the certain literature. Thrust bearing characteristics are determined versus sliding surfaces closure and rotating disk (runner) angular displacements. The contribution of the sliding surfaces deformations into bearing integral characteristics is estimated.
1 Responses to Saving Commitments : Evidence from Mortgage Runoffs

We study consumers’ responses to removing a saving constraint. Mortgage run-offs predictably relax a saving constraint for borrowers whose mortgage committed them to save by paying down principal. Using the entire Danish population, we identify mortgages on track to run off between 1995 and 2014. We measure the effect of run-offs on earnings and the household balance sheet. We find that borrowers use 39 percent of previous mortgage payments to decrease labor income, and use 53 percent to pay down other debts. Borrowers run up non-mortgage debt prior to the run-off and this run-up stops once the mortgage is repaid. JEL classification: D14, D15, G21 1 Andersen: Department of Finance, Copenhagen Business School, Porcelaenshaven 16A, DK-2000 Frederiksberg, Denmark, email: san.fi@cbs.dk, work phone: +45 3815 3495. d’Astous: Department of Finance, HEC Montréal, 3000 Chemin de la Côte-Sainte-Catherine, Montréal, Québec, H3T 2A7, Canada, email: philippe.dastous@hec.ca, work phone: +1 514 340 7120. Martínez-Correa: Department of Economics, Copenhagen Business School, Porcelaenshaven 16A, DK2000, Frederiksberg, Denmark, email: jima.eco@cbs.dk, work phone: +45 3815 2349. Shore: Department of Risk Management and Insurance, Robinson College of Business, Georgia State University, 35 Broad Street, Atlanta, GA 30303, USA, email: sshore@gsu.edu, work phone: +1 404 413 7466. We thank the Pension Research Center (PeRCent) at the Copenhagen Business School, the Retirement and Savings Institute at HEC Montréal, and the Center for the Economic Analysis of Risk (CEAR) at Georgia State University for financial support. We thank Rob Alessie (discussant), Ben Keys (discussant), Jeanne Lafortune (discussant), John Leahy, Alex Michaelides (discussant), Dan Silverman, Barry Scholnick, Geng Li, and seminar participants at FMA 2019 Conference in Bogotá, Colombia, the CEPR European Conference on Household Finance 2017, the EAFIT Behavioral Finance Workshop 2017, the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta Real Estate Finance Conference, Georgia State University, HEC Montréal, the Netspar International Pension Workshop 2018, the Semiannual PeRCent Meetings 2016 and 2017, and the Utah State Quantitative Society for Pensions and Savings Workshop 2017 for many useful comments, and Ann-Lea Falk Larsen for excellent and dedicated research assistance. 2 Responses to Saving Commitments: Evidence from Mortgage Run-offs
Measuring performance of the Malaysian construction industry

A systematic measurement framework for the Malaysian construction industry is essential to enable the industry to monitor its progress towards achieving the goals set out in the Construction Industry Master Plan 2006–15. The objectives were to develop a comprehensive set of performance measures for the construction industry, to compute these measures for the 2006 base year and to benchmark the available data. The Balanced Scorecard approach was used to examine the links between the critical success factors and strategic thrusts defined in the master plan to ensure that these provide a balanced view of the industry’s competitive standing. The resulting strategy map revealed that the eight critical success factors and seven strategic thrusts of the master plan generally cover all four Balanced Scorecard perspectives with a strong emphasis on learning and growth. Thirty‐four performance measures were adapted from other initiatives, modified to suit local practices, or were created specifically to measure the outcomes of the strategic thrusts. Performance measures were computed for the 2006 base year. A comparative analysis of the available data was conducted to determine tentative targets for these measures.
Factors Influencing Catenary Behavior in Ductile Steel-Framed Structures

ii Acknowledgements . iv List of Tables . xi List of Figures . xiii Chapter 1 – Introduction . 1 1.1 Overview . 1 1.2 Motivation . 4 1.3 Research Objectives . 4 1.4 Tasks . 4 1.5 Scope and Approach . 5 1.6 Organization of Thesis . 6 Chapter 2 – Background . 7 2.1 Overview . 7 2.2 Current Design Guidelines . 7 2.2.1 Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and other Structures (ASCE 7-10) . 7 2.2.2 International Building Code (IBC 2009) . 10 2.2. 3 Department of Defense‟s Unified Facilities Criteria (UFC 4-023-03) . 11
Precision volume measurements on silicon spheres [Avogadro constant]

In the determination of the Avogadro constant N/sub A/, use is made of silicon spheres as volume-density standards, where volume measurements play a critical role. After various changes in the experimental apparatus and in the measurement procedure, new volume measurements have been made on the two IMGC spherical standards. Present results confirm the 1994 results within 0.15/spl times/10/sup -6/ in volume. Preliminary data are also presented on the thermal expansivity of four silicon spheres. The average linear coefficient of thermal expansion at 20/spl deg/C is a=2.567/spl times/10/sup -6//K/sup -1/, with a sphere-to-sphere variability of up to 2.5/spl times/10/sup -8//K/sup -1/.
The value of Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin and Neutrophil / Lymphocyte Ratio in the diagnosis of preeclampsia and its severity.

Many hypotheses underlie the pathogenesis of preeclampsia. This study aims to evaluate Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (a marker of immune hypothesis) and Neutrophil / Lymphocyte ratio (a marker of inflammation) in the diagnosis of preeclampsia and its severity and to determine the correlation between them.Study design : This randomized case-control study involved 132 pregnant women ; 88 were diagnosed with PE (divided into non-severe and severe groups), and 44 healthy pregnant women as a control group. Results : The mean serum level of NGL was significantly higher in PE (535.37 ± 158.61 ng / ml for severe PE, 522.5 ± 106.3 ng / ml for non-severe PE, and 161.96 ± 17.48 ng / ml for the control group). The ROC Curve NGL criteria of more than 204.4 ng / ml showed 100% sensitivity and specificity in both severe and non-severe cases versus control. The N / L ratio showed a significant difference (5.81 ± 5.24 for severe PE, 4.1 ± 3.41 for non-severe PE, and 3.89 ± 1.79 for the control group), but the ROC curve criterion was not significant. Both showed a non-significant positive correlation. Conclusion : NGL is an excellent diagnostic factor, whereas N / L might have lower diagnostic performance compared with NGL. Both are related independently to the pathophysiology of PE. J. Med. Invest. 68 : 321-325, August, 2021.