Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Clockwise hysteresis of diatoms in response to nutrient dynamics during eutrophication and recovery

Many lake ecosystems that have been severely disturbed by eutrophication, have also experienced large human efforts to restore “natural” conditions. However, the trajectories and the extent of recovery of these lake ecosystems are still poorly understood. In many shallow lakes, recovery was often delayed and counter‐clockwise hysteretic. Here, we study recovery and ecosystem trajectories in a large and deep lake using diatom remains in sediment cores and time series of phosphorus concentrations. We identified four periods of diatom community change: slow change during early eutrophication, thereafter a short period of rapid change after the 1950s, followed by community stability from the 1960s to the mid‐1980s, and finally a recovery phase until 2010. Diatom community structure responded quickly and in a saturating way to increasing phosphorus concentrations, but also fast to phosphorus decline. Hence, diatom community dynamics did not show counter‐clockwise hysteresis but was characterized by a high degree of recovery and clock‐wise hysteresis (CWH). We suggest that CWH in response to eutrophication and recovery is a typical and previously overlooked feature of deep lakes, which results from a more rapid change of average nutrient concentrations and thus productivity in the epilimnion compared to average nutrient concentrations across the entire water column. Such nonlinear and hysteretic responses to changing nutrients need to be considered when analyzing the effects of other stressors such as climate warming on ecosystem dynamics to prevent erroneous attribution of ecosystem change to other stressors instead of nutrient change.
Spatio-Temporal Variation of Extreme Heat Events in Southeastern Europe

Many studies in the last few years have been dedicated to the increasing temperatures and extreme heat in Europe since the second half of the 20th century because of their adverse effects on ecosystems resilience, human health, and quality of life. The present research aims to analyze the spatio-temporal variations of extreme heat events in Southeastern Europe using daily temperature data from 70 selected meteorological stations and applying methodology developed initially for the quantitative assessment of hot weather in Bulgaria. We demonstrate the suitability of indicators based on maximum temperature thresholds to assess the intensity (i.e., magnitude and duration) and the tendency of extreme heat events in the period 1961–2020 both by individual stations and the Köppen’s climate zones. The capability of the used intensity-duration hot spell model to evaluate the severity of extreme heat events has also been studied and compared with the Excess Heat Factor severity index on a yearly basis. The study provides strong evidence of the suitability of the applied combined approach in the investigation of the spatio-temporal evolution of the hot weather phenomena over the considered domain.
The universe in 3D : First observations with SPIFFI, the infrared integral field spectrometer for the VLT

17 S PIFFI (SPECTROMETER FOR Infrared Faint Field Imaging) is the new near-infrared field spectrometer for the VLT, developed at the Max-Planck-Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics (MPE, Eisenhauer et al. 2000). Here we report on the results of its first observing runs as a ‘guest instrument’ at the VLT in the February to April 2003 period. As of 2004 on, SPIFFI will be coupled to an adaptive optics module developed at ESO (Bonnet et al. 2003) to provide the SINFONI (SINgle Faint Object Near-IR Investigation) facility. SPIFFI offers imaging spectroscopy of a contiguous, two-dimensional field of 32 32 spatial pixels in the 1.1 – 2.45 μm wavelength range and a resolving power of 1300-3500. As a result, the instrument delivers a simultaneous, three-dimensional data-cube with two spatial dimensions and one spectral dimension. SPIFFI is the successor to the MPE integral field spectrometer 3D, the world’s first infrared integral field spectrometer developed in the early 1990s. When the new generation of 10242 pixels, near-infrared detectors became available in the mid-1990’s, we started the development of SPIFFI, for an order of magnitude increase in the number of spatial and spectral elements over 3D. Even more importantly, because of its fully cryogenic image slicer and high throughput optics, along with OH airglow suppression and smaller pixels, SPIFFI at the VLT delivers a factor of 20 to 50 improvement in point source sensitivity over 3D. This development attracted the attention of ESO, specifically because of its major advantages over long slit spectroscopy when operated together with adaptive optics. Simultaneous observation of a two-dimensional field is the best way to reach the full diffraction limited resolution in imaging spectroscopy, while in addition minimizing slit losses. The development of such an adaptive optics assisted integral field spectrometer was subsequently recommended by the ESO Scientific and Technical Committee (STC) in 1997, and finally formalized in 2001 with a contract between ESO and MPE. Because the research and development program for SPIFFI had been launched long before the official start of the full project, we took advantage of this head start and brought SPIFFI to the VLT as a guest instrument for seeing limited observations, while integration of the adaptive optics module was starting at ESO-Garching.
On focus vs. Wh-movement : The case of Caribbean Spanish

The focalized construction illustraded by Spanish sentences such as Juan comia era papas (Lit. John ate was potates) or Necesito es descansar (Lit. I need is to rest) has been repeatedly reported in some oral dialects of the Spanish spoken in Venezuela, Panama, Ecuador and Colombia. Two theoretical studies existing on this construction claim that this is a pseudo-cleft sentence containing a null wh-operator. In this paper I argue against this analysis and in favor of an alternative: the verb be is - in these cases - the head of a focus projection inside a VP. Null wh-pseudo-clefts are shown to be non-existent on both theoretical and empirical grounds
The Effect of Monthly Cash Transfers during 5 Years on Households’ Wealth

We use rich register data and a regression discontinuity design to estimate the effects of a monthly cash transfer during 5 years on households’ wealth, labor supply, marital status, and fertility. We find that receipt of the transfer has a significantly negative effect on households’ wealth index. We also find that women who receive the transfer are less likely to be married and, therefore, to have a spouse who works. The sizes of these effects are larger for prior nonrecipients than for prior recipients. We find no effects on female labor supply or on fertility.
Inflation in string cosmology

Cosmic inflation is responsible for the primordial density fluctuations which are the seeds of today's large-scale structures and which are observed through the temperature fluctuations of the Cosmic Microwave Background. In this thesis, we explore a particular model of inflation with modified kinetics : Dirac-Born-Infeld (DBI) inflation inspired by string theory. In this scenario, inflation is generated by the motion of a probe brane and particles can be created during inflation when trapped branes are present along the inflationary valley. We will show that such a coupling between the inflaton and matter fields leads to interesting features in the primordial power spectrum, similar to features a la Starobinsky sourced by the potential or scalar-tensor features sourced by a suddenly-varying inflaton-matter coupling function in k-inflation. We will insist on the possible observational consequences of our theories.
Microglia as Therapeutic Target for Radiation-Induced Brain Injury

Radiation-induced brain injury (RIBI) after radiotherapy has become an increasingly important factor affecting the prognosis of patients with head and neck tumor. With the delivery of high doses of radiation to brain tissue, microglia rapidly transit to a pro-inflammatory phenotype, upregulate phagocytic machinery, and reduce the release of neurotrophic factors. Persistently activated microglia mediate the progression of chronic neuroinflammation, which may inhibit brain neurogenesis leading to the occurrence of neurocognitive disorders at the advanced stage of RIBI. Fully understanding the microglial pathophysiology and cellular and molecular mechanisms after irradiation may facilitate the development of novel therapy by targeting microglia to prevent RIBI and subsequent neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders.
Prediction of the Factors Affecting PISA Mathematics Literacy of Students from Different Countries by Using Data Mining Methods

The purpose of this study is to predict the mathematical literacy levels of the students participating in the research through the data obtained from PISA 2015 exam organized by OECD using data mining and to determine the variables that affect mathematics literacy. For this purpose, students' mathematics literacy levels and the variables that affect their mathematics literacy levels were analyzed separately for 6 different countries at different proficiency levels. The population of the research is 519334 students from 72 countries, who have taken PISA 2015 exam. The sample that was determined according to the purpose of the study consists of a total of 34,565 students from Singapore, Japan, Norway, the USA, Turkey, and the Dominican Republic, which have been observed to be at different proficiency levels. In the first stage of the study, analyzes were performed using data mining prediction methods. At this stage, WEKA program was employed and M5P algorithm, which is one of the most common methods, was used. In the second stage of the research, the output variable was predicted from the input variables using Artificial Neural Networks methods to determine the extent to which decision trees obtained by M5P prediction method produce valid results. In the analyzes carried out in MATLAB program, the relationship between students' actual math literacy scores and literacy scores predicted from input variables was examined. As a result of the study, the variables that affect mathematics literacy were found to be the socio-economic status index for Singapore, Norway, the United States, Turkey, and Dominic. On the other hand, the variables influencing mathematics literacy for Japan were found to be mathematics learning time and father's education level. The consistency of the results was as follows: 86.10% for Singapore, 40.26% for Japan, 30.10% for Norway, 39.15% for America, 26.43% for Turkey, and 29.24 % for Dominic. As a result of the study, a differentiation was found among the variables that affect mathematics literacy of the countries at different proficiency levels.
A Broadened Understanding of University Student Food Security: Undergraduate and Graduate Student Food Utilization and Access at a Big Ten University

ABSTRACT Focusing on food access, existing college studies find rates of low or very low food security to range from 10–75%, with little understanding of variation among undergraduate and graduate students. A greater understanding of food security including access and utilization for both undergraduate and graduate students will help address its adverse effects on the health and academic outcomes of students. We evaluate food security at a large midwestern university, identifying characteristics related to both access and utilization. This approach allows for the identification of solutions tailored to undergraduate and graduate students living on- and off-campus who lack food security.
Predicting investors’ intention to invest in the stock market during COVID-19: can we use an extended theory of planned behavior?

Purpose This study aims to explain investors’ intention to invest in the stock market amid the COVID-19 pandemic by expanding the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). Design/methodology/approach This study adopts a quantitative approach, and a questionnaire-based survey was conducted to collect responses from existing and potential individual investors. To test the relationships between variables, structural equation modeling was used. Findings The findings indicated that investors’ attitude and perceived behavioral control had a significant influence on investment intentions. Further, perceived knowledge of COVID-19 improved the ability to predict the intention to invest. Moreover, psychological risk significantly moderated the association between subjective norms related to investors and their attitudes. Overall, the tested model was able to better account for the intention of investors in stock market investments. Research limitations/implications In this study, only the investor reactions in the context of an emerging market were evaluated, and future studies could focus on different market contexts and perform comparative studies. Financial markets could be considered as a mechanism that has a direct impact on the wealth distribution of society, and the key findings of this study could be used to promote investment in emerging markets, where participation is comparatively low. Originality/value The TPB was expanded by incorporating investors’ perceived knowledge of COVID-19 and psychological risk dimensions, which were then tested in an emerging market context to fill the knowledge gap identified in the contemporary behavioral finance literature.
Mindfulness and Relaxation Techniques for Stroke Survivors with Aphasia: A Feasibility and Acceptability Study

Stroke survivors with aphasia (SsWA) tend to experience high levels of anxiety and stress, leading to an increased risk of recurrent strokes. Mindfulness and/or relaxation that does not require language outputs could reduce psychosocial stress; however, these approaches work best if they consist of a range of techniques and are modified to suit the needs of SsWA. Using a mixed-methods approach, we examined the feasibility and acceptability of a set of tailored mindfulness and relaxation techniques for SsWA. Nine SsWA were recruited (six men and three women, median age = 51 years). Four relaxation and mindfulness techniques which had been tailored for SsWA were filmed into a DVD/YouTube video and were given to participants together with a practice diary for home practice once daily for 5 weeks. The participants joined focus group discussions and completed a feasibility scale 5 weeks later. The participants perceived these techniques as easy, user-friendly and acceptable for SsWA in general. Although practised less often than instructed, many participants reported benefits of regular practice. The perceived relevance of these techniques to the participants’ own situations and the intention to continue varied. Future research could encourage the regular practice of self-help interventions by incorporating behavioural change techniques such as using prompts and cues.
Trends in the Exposure, Distribution, and Health Risk Assessment of Perchlorate among Crayfish in the Middle and Lower Reaches of the Yangtze River

Perchlorate is a well-known thyroid-disrupting chemical as well as an extremely stable inorganic pollutant widely distributed in the environment. Therefore, perchlorate posts potential risks to the environment as well as human health. Crayfish is a dominant aquatic food with increasing consumption levels in recent years. It is crucial to evaluate the accumulation of perchlorate with well-water-soluble properties in crayfish and to assess its health risks. In our present study, we obtained crayfish samples from cultivated ponds and markets based on the regions of the Middle and Lower Reaches of the Yangtze River. The perchlorate concentration was measured in all 206 samples using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (UPLC–MS). Monte Carlo simulation was used to perform health risk assessments. The results indicated that perchlorate levels ranged from 7.74–43.71 μg/kg for cultivated crayfish and 4.90–16.73 μg/kg for crayfish sold in markets. The perchlorate accumulation mainly occurred in exoskeleton parts. All the HQ values were remarkable, at less than one—indicating that perchlorate exposure through the ingestion of crayfish does not pose an appreciable risk to human health.
Trend Analysis of Public Enthusiasm for COVID-19 Vaccines on Social Media

Social media users benefit from advances in information and communication technology. Each user can access and obtain information by using a mobile phone or other communication device connected to the internet. The implementation of the COVID-19 Vaccination is one of the hottest topics discussed on the Twitter social media platform. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to analyze the trend of public interest in the COVID-19 vaccine on Twitter. This study utilizes Twitter data crawled by the Drone Emprit Academic application using the term "Pfizer Vaccine Enthusiasm and Moderna Vaccines". This study examines 170,641 Twitter mentions related to COVID-19 vaccine messages. Based on the findings of this study, the public's response to COVID-19 immunization was 42,963 mentions from August 23, 2021, to April 23, 2022. Based on the findings of this study, Asia, Europe, and the United States factored for the vast bulk of tweets about the COVID-19 vaccination. There were 25,288 (59 percent) mentions of positive emotions, followed by 16,484 (38 percent) comments and 1,191 (3 percent) topics of neutral emotions. This study's findings enable the government to understand the complexities of the widely discussed topic of COVID-19 immunization, which it can utilize to promote policies and enhance service quality.
A Non-Destructive High-Speed Procedure to Obtain DNA Barcodes from Soft-Bodied Insect Samples with a Focus on the Dipteran Section of Schizophora

Simple Summary Molecular genetic identification of insect species usually requires destructive DNA isolation for insects. Due to database gaps, errors, or low resolution of the examined gene region, a supplementary morphological identification may be necessary. To employ taxonomical experts efficiently, we developed a fast, economic, and simple non-destructive way for the molecular genetic species identification of flies and other soft-bodied insects. Abstract While the need for biodiversity research is growing, paradoxically, global taxonomical expertise is decreasing as a result of the neglected funding for young academics in taxonomy. Non-destructive approaches for DNA barcoding are necessary for a more efficient use of this dwindling expertise to fill gaps, and identify incorrect entries in sequence databases like BOLD or GenBank. They are efficient because morphological re-examination of species vouchers is still possible post-DNA barcoding. Non-destructive approaches for Diptera with a comprehensive species representation or the consideration of diagnostic fragile morphological characters are missing. Additionally, most non-destructive approaches combine a time intensive and non-destructive digestion step with common DNA extraction methods, such as commercial kits or CTAB DNA isolation. We circumvented those approaches and combined a modified non-destructive TE buffer high-speed DNA extraction, with a PCR inhibitor-resistant PCR reaction system, to a non-destructive DNA barcoding procedure for fresh and frozen samples of the Schizophora (Diptera). This method avoids morphological impairment and the application of harmful chemicals, is cost and time effective, restricts the need for laboratory equipment to a minimum, and prevents cross-contamination risk during DNA isolation. Moreover, the study indicates that the presented non-destructive DNA barcoding procedure is transferable to other soft-bodied insects. We suggest that PCR inhibitor-resistant master mixes enable the development of new—and the modification of existing—non-destructive approaches with the avoidance of further DNA template cleaning.
Influence of Road Types on Transiting Test for Aerodynamic Coefficient Measurements Using Passive Wind Generated by a Moving Vehicle

A transiting test using vehicle-driving passive wind is a novel experimental technique to perform aerodynamic tests, proposed by the authors. However, this low-cost, short-cycle, and symmetrical test method can be influenced by many factors. In this paper, a comparative study on the influence of road types on a transiting test of aerodynamic coefficient measurements is presented. The tests were carried out on three different roads (expressway, viaduct highway, and tunnel highway); for each road type, structure models with and without end plates were investigated. For all the road types, measured turbulence intensity (around 4%) was similar to that of the wind tunnel test under the following conditions: 3 °C temperature, 42% humidity, 0.28 m/s natural wind speed, vehicle driving in a straight line with stable speed, and no traffic flow. All the tests were conducted under the above conditions. To deal with the interference components in the original data signals obtained from a viaduct highway and tunnel highway, a low-pass filter with a 1 Hz cutoff frequency was used. With wind attack angles changing, the tendency of the aerodynamic coefficients of the test model in the transiting test showed satisfactory consistency with that of the wind tunnel test; and the results exhibited fine repeatability. Regarding the drag coefficients, the test model with end plates was in good agreement with those from the wind tunnel test. Compared with the wind tunnel test, the results of expressway showed the best consistency, considering turbulence intensity, pavement surface roughness, and other factors. Thus, the transiting test in future research should be conducted on the expressway, with end plates installed on both ends of the structure model.