Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Mean-Square Analysis of Discretized Itˆo Diﬀusions for Heavy-tailed Sampling

We analyze the complexity of sampling from a class of heavy-tailed distributions by discretizing a natural class of Itˆo diﬀusions associated with weighted Poincar´e inequalities. Based on a mean-square analysis, we establish the iteration complexity for obtaining a sample whose distribution is (cid:15) close to the target distribution in the Wasserstein-2 metric. In this paper, our results take the mean-square analysis to its limits, i.e., we invariably only require that the target density has ﬁnite variance, the minimal requirement for a mean-square analysis. To obtain explicit estimates, we compute upper bounds on certain moments associated with heavy-tailed targets under various assumptions. We also provide similar iteration complexity results for the case where only function evaluations of the unnormalized target density are available by estimating the gradients using a Gaussian smoothing technique. We provide illustrative examples based on the multivariate t -distribution.
Preparing Eco-friendly Composite from End-life Tires and Epoxy Resin and Examining Its Mechanical, and Acoustic Insulation Properties

The recycling of the enormous number of used tires that are discarded annually after the end of their service is a high-priority issue in order to conserve the environment and reduce the raw material costs of products, particularly in cases where high strength requirements are not necessary. In this study, crumbed tire rubber (CTR) was used as a filler with different weight fractions (10%, 20%, 30%, and 40%) to prepare CTR/epoxy composites. Mechanical, thermal, and acoustic insulation properties were tested to gather sufficient data on the development of these properties with increasing CTR content. The results indicate a decline in mechanical properties with increasing CTR content. The composite with 40 wt. % CTR showed a decrease in hardness, tensile strength, and flexural strength compared to neat epoxy by 75%, 70%, and 75% respectively. Additionally, the thermal conductivity of this composite was 36.3% higher than that of epoxy. Finally, the acoustic insulation test for the composite with a 40% CTR weight fraction showed improved sound insulation over a wide range of applied frequencies (0-10000) Hz.
First Application of the Marine Differential Electric Dipole for Offshore Groundwater Studies: A Case Study from Bat Yam, Israel

The marine Differential Electric Dipole (DED) is applied for the first time to study a sub-seafloor groundwater body in the coastal region of Bat Yam, Israel. Previous marine long-offset transient electromagnetic (LOTEM) applications detected this freshwater body underneath the Mediterranean seafloor. The presented case study applies the novel DED method for the first time in the marine environment to further investigate this natural phenomenon. The main objectives are to locate the freshwater-seawater interface at the western aquifer edge and to identify the mechanism controlling this freshwater occurrence beneath the seafloor. The acquired step-on signals allow one to detect the freshwater body in the vicinity of the Israeli coastline to a depth of approximately 70 m beneath the seafloor. However, layer thickness is only poorly determined and may vary between 40 m and 100 m. A lateral resistivity contrast is observable between adjacent 1D inversion models and also apparent in data profile curves that co.
Vitamin D3 Bioaccessibility from Supplements and Foods—Gastric pH Effect Using a Static In Vitro Gastrointestinal Model

Vitamin D3 deficiency is a global phenomenon, which can be managed with supplementation and food fortification. However, vitamin D3 bioaccessibility may depend on factors such as matrix composition and interactions throughout the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. This research focused on the effect of different matrices on vitamin D3 content during digestion, as well as the effect of pH on its bioaccessibility. The INFOGEST protocol was employed to simulate digestion. Three different types of commercial supplements, two foods naturally rich in vitamin D3, and three fortified foods were investigated. High-Performance Liquid Chromatography was used to determine the initial vitamin D3 content in the supplements and foods, as well as after each digestion stage. The results indicate that the foods exhibited higher bioaccessibility indices compared to the supplements and a higher percentage retention at the end of the gastric phase. The pH study revealed a positive correlation between an increased gastric pH and the corresponding content of vitamin D3. Interestingly, exposing the matrix to a low pH during the gastric phase resulted in an increased intestinal content of D3. Vitamin D3 is more bioaccessible from foods than supplements, and its bioaccessibility is susceptible to changes in gastric pH. Fasting conditions (i.e., gastric pH = 1) enhance the vitamin’s bioaccessibility.
Microfacies of stromatolitic sinter from acid-sulphate-chloride springs at Parakiri Stream, Rotokawa geothermal field, New Zealand

We present a unique, scale-integrated, and spatially controlled study of acidderived sinters and their abiotic-biotic relations. Through a microfacies-based approach, we provide context and constraints for inferring causal factors in the formation of these sinters. Four distinct microfacies of siliceous stromatolitic sinter formation and their associated microbiota were elucidated from acid-sulphate-chloride hot spring outflows (pH 2.1-2.3, 91-30°C), located on the floodplain of Parariki Stream, ~1 km north of Lake Rotokawa in the Rotokawa Geothermal Field. Microfacies 1 comprises cupto ridge-shaped sinters forming close to vents (91-64°C) with relatively high water and gas discharge. Sinter surfaces are characterised by relatively small (0.5 cm high) spicules, irregular, gnarly siliceous textures and colonisation by coccoidal microorganisms (1-1.5 μm in diameter). Microfacies 2 consists of spiculose (1 cm high) sinters colonised by bacilli (1-2.3 μm long), diatoms and coccoidal algae (2–10 μm in diameter) that are surrounded by quiescent waters (85-30°C) with little steam discharge. Microfacies 3 is typified by parallel-laminated sinters forming on slightly steepened areas that are colonised by bacilli (1-8 μm long), diatoms and coccoidal algae (2–10 μm in diameter) and exposed to fluctuating water levels (60-54°C). Microfacies 4 constitutes thin siliceous sinter rims forming mainly on small pumiceous clasts that rest upon moist (67-45°C) sandy substrates and colonised by bacilli (1-2.3 μm long), diatoms and spherical cells (2-6 μm in diameter). Sinter morphology, texture and formation mechanisms, as well as microbial colonisation, depend on a variety of environmental constraints that can act at a scale of centimetres or less. Textural development of the sinters, including their laminae, is attributed to a combination of abiotic and biotic factors. The differential preservation potentials of microbial communities need to be taken into account when assessing biodiversity of ancient sinters. Richard Schinteie. Geology Programme, School of Geography, Geology and Environmental Science, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland 1142, New Zealand. Currently: Research School of Earth Sciences, Building 61, Mills Road, The Australian National University, Canberra A.C. T 0200, Australia. richard.schinteie@anu.edu. au SCHINTEIE, CAMPBELL, & BROWNE: STROMATOLITIC MICROFACIES 2 Kathleen A. Campbell. Geology Programme, School of Geography, Geology and Environmental Science, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland 1142, New Zealand. ka.campbell@auckland.ac. nz (corresponding author) Patrick R.L. Browne. Geology Programme, School of Geography, Geology and Environmental Science, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland 1142, New Zealand. prl.browne@auckland.ac. nz
Linking Late Cretaceous to Eocene Tectonostratigraphy of the San Jacinto Fold Belt of NW Colombia With Caribbean Plateau Collision and Flat Subduction

Collision with and subduction of an oceanic plateau is a rare and transient process that usually leaves an indirect imprint only. Through a tectonostratigraphic analysis of pre‐Oligocene sequences in the San Jacinto fold belt of northern Colombia, we show the Late Cretaceous to Eocene tectonic evolution of northwestern South America upon collision and ongoing subduction with the Caribbean Plate. We linked the deposition of four fore‐arc basin sequences to specific collision/subduction stages and related their bounding unconformities to major tectonic episodes. The Upper Cretaceous Cansona sequence was deposited in a marine fore‐arc setting in which the Caribbean Plate was being subducted beneath northwestern South America, producing contemporaneous magmatism in the present‐day Lower Magdalena Valley basin. Coeval strike‐slip faulting by the Romeral wrench fault system accommodated right‐lateral displacement due to oblique convergence. In latest Cretaceous times, the Caribbean Plateau collided with South America marking a change to more terrestrially influenced marine environments characteristic of the upper Paleocene to lower Eocene San Cayetano sequence, also deposited in a fore‐arc setting with an active volcanic arc. A lower to middle Eocene angular unconformity at the top of the San Cayetano sequence, the termination of the activity of the Romeral Fault System, and the cessation of arc magmatism are interpreted to indicate the onset of low‐angle subduction of the thick and buoyant Caribbean Plateau beneath South America, which occurred between 56 and 43 Ma. Flat subduction of the plateau has continued to the present and would be the main cause of amagmatic post‐Eocene deposition.
Flowering and fruiting phenology of Kemenyan toba (Styrax sumatrana J.J.Sm.) in AekNauli forest, North Sumatra

The observation on flowering, fruiting phenology and germination of Kemenyan toba (Styrax sumatrana) has not been widely reported. It isrequired to support the breeding activities for this tree improvement, the most Non-Timber Forest Product commodity in Lake Toba Catchment Area, North Sumatra. The objectives of the research were to identify the development of flowering, fruiting andto calculate the number of fruits that germinate for S. sumatrana in certain cycle period. The flowering and fruiting observation were conducted on ten sample trees in Aek Nauli forest from July 2012 to February 2013. The seeds viability was observed from January to November 2014 in the greenhouse. The study showed that the flowering development occurred for 30 to 152 days, began from the growing of generative buds, the flower’s shoots and bursts were developed, and young fruits were matured. All of processes proceeded for 30 to 152 days. The average percentage of flowering is 53.5%, and 72.8% for flowering to fruiting, and 47.3% for young to mature fruit. The percentage of mature fruit to germinate was 89.3%.
Diversity in ancient Maya water management strategies and landscapes at Caracol, Belize, and Tikal, Guatemala

The Classic Period Maya cities of Caracol and Tikal possessed unique urban morphologies of water management. In part, the built environment at each city reflects adaptations to the hydrology of their landscapes. Caracol exists in a rugged, hilly, and karst environment; its residents invested their landesque capital in constructing agricultural terraces and residential reservoirs. These features created Caracol's anthropogenic garden‐city landscape. This landscape was unified through a dendritic causeway system and the distributed nature of monumental nodes. The landscape of Tikal exhibits a lower slope, is generally smoother, and its residents invested in constructing a large and condensed site core along with their monumental reservoirs. Additionally, the people of Tikal invested in bajo margin agriculture. The differences in urban form and hydrology conditioned the resulting water management strategies employed by both cities; the resulting built environmental features are preserved in the archeological record. Because of its higher slopes, Caracol's landscape presents a greater hazard for soil erosion and faster rainfall runoff. Yet, the construction of distributed residential reservoirs and agricultural terraces acted to collect rainfall, increase soil saturation, and reduce this runoff. Tikal's landscape on the whole presents fewer hazards in terms of soil erosion but perhaps greater issues from torrential rainfall. Water management infrastructure at both cities reflects both their unique urban morphologies and environmental conditions.
The Difficult Place of Deserted Coasts in Archaeology: New Archaeological Research on Cooks Beach (Pukaki), Coromandel Peninsula, New Zealand

ABSTRACT Sites which have been occupied semi-continuously in the past present some inherent difficulties for archaeology. Here we present new research from a coastal site on the North Island of New Zealand at Cooks Beach where anthropogenic vegetation changes are seen using microfossil analysis of obsidian tools, sediments and pit fill. The results indicate the initial presence of people in AD 1300–1400 followed by subsequent periods of disuse or abandonment and sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) cultivation. Around the time of initial settlement, obsidian from this location is found at sites across the country. After AD 1400 the area appears to be deserted for a century or more, after which we see evidence for the cultivation of sweet potato in AD 1500 as evidenced by extensive soil modification and numerous storage pits. There is no evidence of a permanent settlement at the site. The geographic distribution of Cooks Beach obsidian was constricted while the site was used for sweet potato cultivation, a pattern often attributed to increased warfare. It appears cultivation was abandoned after AD 1650 marking a second secession of use, a fact confirmed in AD 1769 when Captain Cook visited the area. We consider the possible drivers for the late abandonment of cultivation at Cooks Beach.
Devastating Wildfires and Mental Health: Major Depressive Disorder Prevalence and Associated Factors among Residents in Alberta and Nova Scotia, Canada

Background: Since March 2023, hundreds of fires have burned from coast to coast throughout the country, placing Canada on track to have the worst wildfire season ever recorded. From East to West, provinces such as Quebec, Ontario, Nova Scotia, Alberta, and British Columbia have been particularly affected by large and uncontrollable wildfires. Objectives: The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of depression symptoms and predictors among residents living in extreme climate conditions during the Canadian wildfires of 2023 in Alberta and Nova Scotia and to update the literature with data related to those wildfires. Methods: A cross-sectional quantitative survey was conducted in this study. REDCap was used to administer an online survey between 14 May and 23 June 2023. Through the Text4Hope program, participants subscribe to receive supportive SMS messages daily. As part of the initial welcome message, participants were invited to complete an online questionnaire, containing demographic information, wildfire-related information, and responses to the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) for depression assessment. SPSS version 25 was used to analyze the data. Descriptive, univariate, and multivariate regression analyses were employed. Results: A total of 298 respondents completed the survey out of 1802 who self-subscribed to the Text4Hope program in Alberta and Nova Scotia and received a link to the online survey, producing a response rate of 16.54%. Most of the respondents were females (85.2%, 253), below 40 years of age (28.3%, 84), employed (63.6%, 189), and in a relationship (56.4%, 167). A historical depression diagnosis (OR = 3.15; 95% CI: 1.39–7.14) was a significant predictor of moderate to severe MDD in our study. The unemployed individuals were two times more likely to report moderate to severe symptoms of MDD than employed individuals (OR = 2.46; 95% CI: 1.06–5.67). Among the total sample population, the moderate to severe MDD prevalence was 50.4%, whereas it was 56.1% among those living in areas affected by wildfires. Conclusion: Based on our study findings, unemployment and a history of depression diagnosis were independently significant risk factors associated with the developing moderate to severe MDD symptoms during wildfire disasters. Further research is required to identify robust predictors of mental health disorders in disaster survivors and provide appropriate interventions to the most vulnerable communities and individuals.
THE JOURNAL OF TEACHING ENGLISH FOR SPECIFIC AND ACADEMIC PURPOSES

Language learners employ communication strategies (CSs) to avoid communication breakdowns in times of difficulty, and such strategies develop within strategic competence thanks to exposure to a target language. This research is designed as a developmental study aiming to investigate the possible effects of exposure to English as a foreign language on the use of CSs in the interlanguage of Turkish speakers of English. To attain this aim, we chose 20 Turkish learners of English from the beginner level, and they designated the topics they would speak and write about. Their oral and written performances on the topics were tested at the beginning prior to instruction, in the middle, and at the end of the academic year to observe whether CS usage altered over time. The findings revealed that participants resorted to different types of CSs in their speaking and writing tasks. The comparison of CS employment in each test showed that learners’ CS preferences, as well as L1 and L2-based CSs, changed over time in both speaking and writing. Therefore, it is concluded that exposure to the target language may have a significant effect on the preference of CSs. The results of this study are significant as they suggested that CSs in interlanguage evolves from L1-based to L2-based strategies. The findings of this study have important implications for teaching English as a foreign language in reference to the effects of language exposure on the use of CSs in both oral and written performances of L2
Analisis Kimia Sepuluh Jenis Bambu dari Jawa Timur

Chemical analyses of ten bamboo species from East Java has been conducted. The analyses comprised of the determination of cellulose, lignin, pentosan, ash, extractives and the solubility in one percent of sodium hydroxide. These analyses were commonly conducted to determine basic characteristics and ultimate uses of wood. The analyses showed that the cellulose content ranges from 42.4 - 53.6 percent, lignin from 19.8 - 26.6 percent, and pentosan 17.5 - 21.5 percent. The ash and silica content varies from 1.24 - 3.77 percent and from 0.10 - 1.78 percent, respectively: The solubility in cold water ranges from 4.5 - 9.9 percent, in hot water from 5.3 - 11.8 percent, in alcohol benzene ( 1 :2) from 0.9 - 6.9 percent, and in one percent sodium hydroxide solution from 22.2 - 29.8 percent. Based on chemical analyses, especially the cellulose content, the bamboos from East Java appeared to be a good material for pulp and paper industry .
Projected changes in the evolution of drought on various timescales over the Czech Republic according to Euro‐CORDEX models

The main objective of this study was to project changes in the evolution of drought characteristics (frequency, duration and magnitude) during the 21st century in lowlands, highlands and mountainous regions in the Czech Republic (CR). We focused on the multi‐scalar nature of droughts as a function of the variables that govern the balance of moisture during climate change, such as precipitation, which supplies moisture, and temperature, which modulates evapotranspiration. Thereby, this issue is addressed with two drought indices, i.e. the standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index (SPEI) and the standardized precipitation index (SPI), for various lags (1, 3, 6, 12 and 24 months). To assess the impact of climate change on drought characteristics, a set of eight regional climate models (RCMs) simulations were selected for further analysis driven by five different global circulation models (GCMs) carried out in the frame of Euro‐CORDEX. Future drought changes were developed for the two representative concentration scenarios (RCP4.5 and RCP8.5). For the temporal evolution of the droughts, the monthly drought indices were calculated over the entire study period from 1961 to 2100. The SPEI showed a higher frequency in the categories of severe droughts and extreme droughts than the SPI, while the SPEI yielded fewer events in the extreme wet categories. The probability distribution of the SPEI‐6 under the RCP8.5 scenario shifted more than one and a half standard deviations in lowlands at the end of the century, peaking at −1.65 (with a probability of 10.5%). This meant that severe droughts, according to the current climate criteria, will become the new norm in the period 2071–2100.
Association between increased BMI and cognitive function in first-episode drug-naïve male schizophrenia

Objective Although the adverse effects of obesity in schizophrenia are documented, there is limited research exists on the implications for untreated initial schizophrenia. Our investigation aimed to explore the connections between BMI and cognitive function in first-episode drug-naïve (FEDN)schizophrenia. Methods We enrolled 143 FEDN schizophrenia patients, and collected data on their body mass index, fasting blood glucose and lipid levels. Cognitive function was measured with the MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB). Using correlation and regression analysis to assess the relationship between BMI and cognitive performance. Results The prevalence rate of overweight plus obesity in FEDN schizophrenia patients was 33.57%. Patients with FEDN schizophrenia exhibited extensive cognitive impairment, and those who were overweight/obesity demonstrated more severe impairments in working memory and visual learning when compared to normal/under weight counterparts. Correlation analysis indicated a negative association between working memory and BMI and TG, as well as a link between visual learning and BMI and LDL-C. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that a higher BMI predicted a decrease in working memory in FEDN schizophrenia patients. Conclusion Our results indicate that the rate of overweight plus obesity is high in FEDN schizophrenia patients, and there is an association between BMI and cognitive function in schizophrenia, particularly in relation to working memory.