Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Changing precipitation patterns alter plant community dynamics and succession in an ex-arable grassland

Summary 1. Changes in the frequency of extreme events, such as droughts, may be one of the most significant impacts of climate change for ecosystems. Models predict more frequent summer droughts in much of England: this paper investigates the impact on different types of plants in an ex-arable grassland community. 2. A long-term experiment simulated increased and decreased summer precipitation. Substantial interannual variation allowed the effects of summer drought to be tested in combination with wet and dry weather in other seasons. This is important, as climate models predict increased winter precipitation. 3. Total cover abundance in early summer increased with increasing water supply in the previous summer; there was no effect of winter precipitation. Productivity is therefore likely to decrease with more frequent summer droughts, with no mitigating effect of wetter winters. 4. The percentage cover of perennial grasses declined during a natural drought in 1995‐97; this was exacerbated by the experimental drought treatment and reduced by supplemented rainfall. Simultaneously, short-lived ruderal species increased; this was greatest in drought treatments and least with supplemented rainfall. 5. These trends were subsequently reversed during several years of unusually wet weather, with perennial grasses increasing and short-lived forbs decreasing. This occurred even in experimentally droughted plots, and we propose that it resulted from rapid coverage of gaps during wet autumns and winters. 6. Deep-rooted species generally proved to be more drought resistant, but there were exceptions. 7. We conclude that increased frequency of summer droughts could have serious implications for the establishment and successional development of ex-arable grasslands. Increased winter precipitation would moderate the impact on species composition, but not on productivity.
Examining the relationships between face concerns and dissent

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine the relationships between face concerns, articulated (upward) dissent and organizational assimilation. In this study, articulated dissent was conceptualized as a type of dissent. Design/methodology/approach A questionnaire was distributed to 370 working adults in the USA via Qualtrics. The questionnaire measured five face concerns, namely, self, other and mutual-face, articulated dissent and organizational assimilation. Before hypothesis testing, each measure was subjected to a confirmatory factor analysis to ensure that the hypothesized factor structure held. Pearson correlation and ordinary least squares estimation were used to test the hypotheses. Findings Conceptualizing dissent as a type of conflict, the findings of the current study are as follows: self-face and assimilation are positively correlated, other-face and assimilation are positively correlated, mutual-face and assimilation are positively correlated, assimilation and articulated dissent are positively correlated and organizational assimilation mediated the relationship between mutual-face and articulated dissent. Research limitations/implications Theoretically, the self-presentation process (face) is more critical as a person becomes part of an organization; it is through assimilating into an organization that members become familiar with the norms of an organization and more comfortable dissenting to their superiors (articulated dissent); and the more the authors integrate with the work colleagues the more the authors engage in mutual face-saving. Practical implications The results of this study demonstrate that self-presentation is critical as a person becomes part of an organization, particularly when it comes to managing conflict. Originality/value This is the first study to link facework with organizational dissent. The results add to the understanding of how face affects whether we choose to express this kind of conflict behavior.
Endocrine control of reproductive periodicity in male Typosyllis prolifera (Polychaeta, Syllidae)

Under a “summer” light-temperature regime (LD 16:8, 20°C), the polychaete Typosyllis prolifera shows a spontaneous 30-day cycle of reproduction (stolonization). Previous experiments suggested cyclic reproduction to be controlled by corresponding changes in the inhibitory endocrine activity of the proventriculus. The evidence in this paper, however, indicates that the prostomium rather than the proventriculus is the primary source of control of reproductive periodicity. The prostomium of a “summer” male undergoes a spontaneous lunar cycle of hormonal activity. Hormone secretion occurs around day 13 after previous stolon release each time. The hormone probably operates a triggering mechanism that shifts worms from the postreproductive regeneration phase to the next stolonization phase. However, the action on peripheral targets may be indirectly via the proventricular system, the inhibitory activity of which probably becomes inactivated periodically under endocrine influence of the prostomium. Considering al.
An audit of reporting of conflict of interest policies among three stakeholders in Indian biomedical journals

Background: A conflict of interest (COI) in publication exists when the primary interest of publication is influenced by a secondary interest (financial or non-financial). International guidelines are available that can be used by journal editors to formulate their own COI policies. The present study was carried out with the objective of evaluating COI policies existing among Indian biomedical journals. Materials and Methods: MEDLINE/PubMed and MedIND/IndMed databases were searched. Inclusions were journals that were active and indexed. Outcome measures were proportion of journals: (a) mentioning COI disclosure statement for authors, reviewers, and editors, (b) adequately explaining COI, (c) referring to three international guidelines, and (d) the proportion of PubMed/other than PubMed indexed journals mentioning COI policy for authors, reviewers, and editors and providing an adequate explanation for COI. Apart from descriptive statistics, associations between indexing and COI Policy for all three stakeholders were evaluated. Results: A total of n = 106 journals formed the final sample. Among them, 82 (77%) were PubMed and 24 (23%) were MedIND/IndMed indexed. COI disclosure statement was mentioned in 93 (87.7%) journals for authors, 10 (9.4%) for reviewers, and 06 (5.6%) for editors. Only 35 (33%) journals adequately explained COI. A total of 61 (57.5%) journals endorsed all the three international guidelines. PubMed indexing was found to be associated with approximately 19 times the odds of COI policies being present on the journal's home page relative to the journals indexed with other indexing agencies (crude odds ratio - 18.8, 95% confidence interval [4.6, 77],P < 0.0001). Conclusion: Very few Indian biomedical journals have COI policies for reviewers and editors and most did not explain it adequately. Nearly, a fifth of the journals we evaluated did not follow any guideline for disclosing COI.
Investigating Paramedic Student Professional Identity

Introduction A robust professional identity is a known predictor of personal and professional satisfaction and is viewed as foundational to successful practice in health occupations. Despite this, there is a gap in the research on paramedic identity (PI). Using the Macleod Clark Professional Identity Scale (MCPIS-9), the primary objective of this study was to measure the self-reported professional identity of paramedic students during their university studies. A secondary objective was to determine potential predictor variables for professional identity. Method A convenience sample of 102 paramedic students at a single university campus participated in this descriptive cross sectional study. An electronic, purpose designed survey recorded demographic information, background characteristics as well as the self-reported strength of student PI using the MCPIS-9. Results 66.7% of participants were women and 46% were between the ages of 19–24 years; 75% reported no prior education in health care and 82% indicated paramedicine was their first choice of study. Most students (82%) had no prior paramedic-related work or volunteer experience. The mean MCPIS-9 score was 38.8/45 with a standard deviation of 4.9. There were no statistical differences associated with PI scores and demographics or background factors, however, some interesting trends were observed in the data. The only variable found as a significant predictor of MCPIS-9 scores was the student's year of study. Conclusion Paramedic students in our study reported a strong sense of professional identity which had a tendency to increase from year-to-year. There appears to be a predictive relationship between year of study and strength of professional identity. We found that the self-reported strength of paramedic students’ identity does not specifically correlate with gender or previous education. However, those with prior paramedic type experience who selected paramedicine as their first choice of study may experience a stronger professional identity. Further studies and subsequent replication of our findings will determine whether or not we can make solid inferences from our sample to paramedic students in general.
Tourism, poverty reduction and rentier state in Iran: a perspective from rural areas of Turan National Park

ABSTRACT The current study focused on the impact of policies adopted by rentier states on tourism plans and poverty reduction from the viewpoint of Stakeholders in rural areas of Turan National Park, Iran. A qualitative face-to-face interview were undertaken of 30 respondents through snow-ball sampling technique. Due to the geographical isolation of the area and traditional ways of living, the rural people there suffer from severe poverty. In recent years, the Iranian government has made efforts to reduce poverty through the development of tourism in these areas by means of mandatory plans and government budgets. The results showed that government-supported tourism has been able to reduce poverty to some extent, and it has increased opportunities, job skills and willingness of the poor to participate. However, the centralized administrative structure of Iran is in contrast with the participation and sharing of power to all groups, including the poor. Such a structure, indeed, is keen on implementing its plans in an imperative manner.
A Review on Genus Saurauia: Chemical Compounds and their Biological Activity

Plants of the genus Saurauia are widely distributed in Indonesia. One species regarded as quite widely known is Saurauia bracteosa. This species grows widely in the Lake Toba’s Catchment Area, located in North Sumatra, Indonesia. This species can be found all the way from Lumban Julu, Sipangan Bolon, Merek up to Sipiso-piso area. In the last two years there has been massive harvesting of Saurauia leaves because it is believed able to efficaciously cure various diseases. Many of the leaves are traded around the trans-Sumatra road.
Phylogenetic Relationships of Allomaieta, Alloneuron, Cyphostyla, and Wurdastom (Melastomataceae) and the Resurrection of the Tribe Cyphostyleae

In the Melastomataceae, flowers with superior ovaries usually develop into capsular fruits, while flowers with inferior or partially inferior ovaries develop into berries. The phylogenetic position and affinities of four enigmatic genera with inferior ovaries and capsular fruits, Allomaieta, Alloneuron, Cyphostyla, and Wurdastom, were investigated using three plastid loci (rbcL, ndhF, and rpl16) and morphological characters. These four genera have been placed at times in their own tribe, the Cyphostyleae, but they have also been placed in the Miconieae, and whether they form a group at all has also been the subject of debate. We find that these four genera form a well-supported group that can be diagnosed by the unique character combination of haplostemonous flowers (same number of anthers and petals), inferior ovaries, and capsular fruits. Most members of the tribe also have a calyptrate calyx, but the mode of dehiscing of the calyx varies across species. This character combination and the phylogenetic position of this clade within the family warrant the recognition of the tribe Cyphostyleae. The previously proposed synonymy of Cyphostyla under Allomaieta is maintained, and a key to the genera in the tribe and a list of all species, with nomenclatural and taxonomic information, are provided. Lectotypifications for two species are also included.
Evidence of illegal catch in the benthic artisanal fisheries of central Chile: patterns across species and management regimes

Non-compliance with fishing regulations is a widespread phenomenon in fisheries worldwide, jeopardizing the recovery of stocks and ecosystem services. There is an urgent need to fill the gaps in our understanding of the scale and nature of illegal fishing in artisanal fisheries, balancing the advances made in industrial fisheries. We explored patterns of fisher compliance with the existing minimum legal size (MLS) regulation in the small-scale benthic fisheries of central Chile. We focus on two of the most conspicuous species (loco Concholepas concholepas and keyhole limpets Fissurella spp.) and comparing two management regimes: management areas (MAs; local name for territorial use rights for fisheries) and open access areas (OAAs; no spatial entry restrictions). We also evaluated the effect of the spatial distribution of MAs, which determines the availability of OAAs on compliance. For both species, we measured the size of individuals in the catch in two consecutive years. We developed an index that accounts for the availability of open access areas per fisher. We found that a) the number of undersized individuals in the catch in OAAs is enormous, b) management regime influences both the median size and fraction of the undersized catch, and c) as the availability of OAAs per fisher decreases, illegal fishing increases, demonstrating the need to manage the levels of effort displacement in designing area-based instruments for management and conservation. Our findings also highlight the need to a) analyze the benefits of area-based instruments at the seascape scale, and b) develop and adapt instruments to prevent illegal fishing.
Influence of pre‐emergence experience on response to host and host plant odours in the larval parasitoid Eupelmus vuilleti

The response to different host and plant species odours was investigated in Eupelmus vuilleti (Crw). This hymenopteran is a solitary ectoparasitoid of several species of bruchids developing inside Leguminosae seeds. The locomotor behaviour of females reared on Bruchidius atrolineatus (Pic) larvae developing in Vigna unguiculata (Walp) seeds was analysed using a tubular olfactometer. Females showed a specific sensitivity to the semiochemicals emanating from the host and the seed species on which they had developed. Odours from V. unguiculata seeds were attractive to the parasitoid and stimulated their locomotor activity. Odours from Vigna radiata (Wil) seeds had no effect on the locomotor behaviour. Odours from B. atrolineatus larvae were attractive to the females whereas odours from Callosobruchus maculatus (Fab), another bruchid species, had no effect. By isolating the females from the seed and the host at different developmental stages, we found that the specific sensitivity observed resulted from an early adult learning. This learning which occurs before the emergence from the seed while the imago is in the larval chamber of its host is dependent on contact with the seed and the host larval remains.
Fluoride intake influences the distribution of aluminum in rats

The aim of this study was to qualitatively determine the effect of fluoride (F) on the intake and distribution of aluminum (Al) into tissues of rats. Twenty-eight Sprague–Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups, and fed with 0, 1, 20, or 100 ppm sodium fluoride (NaF). All rats were intraperitoneally (ip) injected with 0.69 mg Al once a week for 24 weeks. Femurs, kidneys, liver, and brain were removed. The F and Al were analyzed using a specific F ion electrode and an inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrophotometer, respectively. Tissues were stained with solochrome azurine and examined by light microscopy. The body burden of Al decreased following administration of F, and a significant difference was observed in the liver. The qualitative analysis of Al showed that Al grains in the group administered Al alone were present either in the cytoplasm of liver cells or around the hepatic artery and portal vein or macrophage-like cells, but the number of Al deposits was markedly reduced in 100 ppm NaF group. It is postulated that F forms an inactive complex with Al, thus reducing the body burden of Al in rats.
Lipid and protein changes in jojoba callus under salt stress

Calluses of jojoba [Simmondsia chinensis (Link) Schneider] were grown for two months in medium either without salt (control), or with 150 mM NaCl (treated). During the first month, the salt-treated calluses grew much more slowly than the controls, and most of them (60%) became necrotic. Afterwards, the salt-resistant calluses grew faster for one more month. Their morphological aspect was similar to that of the controls but their cells appeared enlarged and with thicker walls. Polypeptides of 18, 27 and 49 kDa, which accumulated in salt-treated calluses, appeared as marker proteins for salt adaptation
Cross-Scale Vulnerability Assessment for Smallholder Farming: A Case Study from the Northeast of Brazil

Climate change heavily impacts smallholder farming worldwide. Cross-scale vulnerability assessment has a high potential to identify nested measures for reducing vulnerability of smallholder farmers. Despite their high practical value, there are currently only limited examples of cross-scale assessments. The presented study aims at assessing the vulnerability of smallholder farmers in the Northeast of Brazil across three scales: regional, farm and field scale. In doing so, it builds on existing vulnerability indices and compares results between indices at the same scale and across scales. In total, six independent indices are tested, two at each scale. The calculated indices include social, economic and ecological indicators, based on municipal statistics, meteorological data, farm interviews and soil analyses. Subsequently, indices and overlapping indicators are normalized for intra- and cross-scale comparison. The results show considerable differences between indices across and within scales. They indicate different activities to reduce vulnerability of smallholder farmers. Major shortcomings arise from the conceptual differences between the indices. We therefore recommend the development of hierarchical indices, which are adapted to local conditions and contain more overlapping indicators for a better understanding of the nested vulnerabilities of smallholder farmers.
Remittances as an opportunity to increase savings and financial inclusion of youth in South East Europe

Abstract Paper discusses financial inclusion of youth focussing on effects of remittances on financial inclusion of youth (usage of debit card, credit card, savings and borrowing instruments) in South East Europe. It is argued that remittances, as stable sources of income (capital), contribute to savings and lead to an improvement in financial inclusion of individuals who receive remittances. We test our hypothesis that remittances contribute to increase in savings and in the level of financial inclusion of youth in South East European countries. We estimate probit regression models with a set of dummy dependent variables for financial inclusion: having a debit card, having a credit card, borrowing and savings, and regress them on receipt of remittances controlling for age, gender, education and income level. Results show negative impact of remittances on youth financial inclusion in selected countries with respect to having debit card, credit card and borrowing. On the other hand, results show positive effect of remittances on savings among youth that receive remittances.
Rate and Extent of Top Spoilage Losses in Horizontal Silos

Abstract Alfalfa, corn, and forage sorghum silages were stored in farm- and pilot-scale silos, and DM and OM losses and fermentation characteristics were measured at three depths within the top meter of silage. The alfalfa was unsealed or sealed immediately with . 15-mm plastic sheeting. Corn and forage sorghum were unsealed, sealed immediately, sealed immediately after a topical application of a mold inhibitor, or unsealed for 7 d and then sealed after application of a mold inhibitor. All unsealed silage maintained higher temperatures within the top meter than sealed silage. Unsealed silage deteriorated completely at 25 and 0 to 33 cm in the farm- and pilot-scale silos, respectively, and farm-scale silage stored at 50 cm lost more DM and OM in unsealed than in sealed silos. Unsealed silage began to deteriorate immediately above 33 cm, and deterioration progressed to 67 cm in the silage from all three crops. Immediate sealing preserved more DM and OM after d 180 at 25 cm than delayed sealing. Recoveries of OM estimated by an equation containing silage ash content were highly correlated with actual OM recoveries in all unsealed silage. Estimated and actual recoveries were not highly correlated in sealed silage, particularly below 33 cm.
Life is better in flip flops. Digital nomads and their transformational travels to Thailand

Purpose The metamorphosis within the Thai segment of the hospitality industry has influenced the global outlook for hospitality services, shifting the focus from leisure to a hybrid approach of providing all-inclusive work-leisure offerings. The purpose of this paper is, therefore, to outline the hybridisation of the hospitality industry in Thailand that is frequented by digital nomads, and to discuss the adaptation of local infrastructure to accommodate this trend. Design/methodology/approach Taking the form of a research note, this paper assesses the impact that digital nomads are having upon the hospitality industry in Thailand, and describes how different localities have begun to respond to the challenges and opportunities this trend presents. Additionally, the paper proposes an empirical study that would evaluate the success of various types of work–leisure hubs in adapting to the needs of digital nomads, and the alignment of their offerings with the expectations of these travellers. Findings A preliminary review of available resources reveals that there are a variety of work–leisure spaces catering to the needs of digital nomads. These spaces tend to combine lodging accommodations with a shared office environment, incorporating design elements and social activities that are likely to foster interpersonal relationships between guests. Be that as it may, the exact nature of the work–leisure space models behind these environments is unclear. Originality/value The paper envisions a study that will enhance scholarly understanding of the transformation which the Thai hospitality industry is currently undergoing in response to the influx of digital nomads. These insights will enable industry experts to assess both the feasibility and profitability of diverse work-leisure models, and assist policymakers in different jurisdictions.