Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
AN ASSESSMENT OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF TWO METHODS IN DESCRIBING A NEOTROPICAL CLOUD FOREST BIRD COMMUNITY

Mist netting and point-counting are the two most commonly used techniques for surveying Neotropical avifauna communities, although their effectiveness remains poorly understood in tropical montane cloud forest. This paper seeks to determine how best to conduct bird surveys in this distinctive ecosystem by comparing the effectiveness of these two methodologies in the Parque Nacional Cusuco, North-West Honduras. Mist netting was conducted at 26 sites, with point counts being conducted at 126 sites. Neither technique succeeded in providing a wholly accurate description of avifaunal assemblages, with mist netting and point counts detecting 37.5% and 59.3% of all avian species respectively, in com- parison with our preliminary checklist of the area. However, results indicate point-counts as more effec- tive overall, detecting a greater sum of species (124 species compared to 78), being markedly more time-efficient and detecting a wider range of avian sub-groups. Both methods in conjunction still failed to detect 27.8% of species on the preliminary checklist. Any survey aiming to accurately survey all cloud forest species would therefore need to incorporate a wide range of integrated methodological tech- niques. Accepted 22 February 2010.
Environmental impacts of 3D-printed and conventional houses and applicability of 3D-printing to provide sustainable housing in developing countries

Construction is one of the most polluting industry sectors (Ametepey et al., 2015). Given the population and urbanisation growth that is expected in the coming years and the subsequent necessity for housing, it is important to implement ways to reduce the environmental impacts of construction. Additive manufacturing, the process of creating an object by building it one layer at a time, was found to be a viable option, but since it is still a relatively new technology, there is a lack of research assessing its sustainability. Moreover, it is also important to determine the social sustainability and the impacts that it might have on the labour market. The present research therefore focused on calculating and comparing the environmental impacts of 3D-printing versus conventionally built houses. The potential and limitations of using 3D-printing to provide housing in developing countries was also investigated. A Life Cycle Assessment on four 3D-printed and ten most conventionally built houses was performed. 3D-printed buildings were found to perform better than conventional ones in all the environmental impact categories considered. Three experts were interviewed to determine the potential of 3D-printing of providing sustainable housing in developing countries. Printing material availability, legal gaps, cultural resistance, and uncertainty in how the labour market would respond to 3D-printing are the main limitations highlighted during the interviews. To overcome these challenges, investments in the sector could be increased, and new norms implemented to guarantee the safety of the 3D-printed buildings.
Biodegradation of N-Alkanes by Fungi Isolated from Waste Engine Oil Polluted Soil and Their Extracellular Enzyme Activities

: Fungi capable of effectively degrading and cleaning up alkanes was isolated from soil samples contaminated with waste engine oil (WEO) at auto-mechanic workshops (at Mgbuka-Nkpor), Nigeria. The ability of the potential isolates to utilize WEO, diesel and petrol were assessed using gravimetric method. The ability of both the pure and consortium culture of the best potential strains to degrade the n-alkanes component of WEO, diesel and petrol was assessed using Gas Chromatography. Enzymatic activity of the extracellular enzymes; catalase, lipase and peroxidase were also investigated. A total of 8 fungal isolates were obtained from soil samples contaminated with WEO. Of these isolates, 4 that showed high hydrocarbonoclastic potentials in the screen flask were confirmed as Candida tropicalis , Rhodosporidium toruloides , Fusarium oxysporium and Aspergillus clavatus using 18S r RNA gene sequence. C. tropicalis and A. clavatus exhibited the fastest onset and highest extent of biodegradation of WEO, diesel and petrol, and were therefore selected for further studies. High biodegradation efficiency (> 70%) was recorded in short-chain (C 8 ) and long-chain (C 24 – C 39 ) alkanes in WEO, diesel and petroleum with both the pure and consortium culture of the isolates; C. tropicalis and A. clavatus , within 16 days of incubation at 28 o C. However, there was a complete (100%) depletion of most of the medium-chain (C 10 – C 23 ) alkanes in the hydrocarbon substrates with the pure and consortium culture of the isolates within 16 days of incubation at 28 o C. Highest catalase and lipase production of 18.9±0.5UmL -1 and 11.66±1.04UmL -1 respectively was obtained with A. clavatus in the presence of petroleum oil. However, both organisms produced a high yield (> 30UmL -1 ) of peroxidase enzyme in diesel and petrol, while a peroxidase production of 17.59±1.12UmL -1 and 15.83±1.17UmL -1 was obtained with C. tropicalis and A. clavatus respectively in the presence of WEO.
Entropy in the ‘entrepot’: Examining the challenges of relief supply chains during COVID-19 pandemic relief item distribution operation-2020 in Uganda [version 1; peer review: awaiting peer review]

Background : Distribution and management of relief supplies during hard times is seen as one of the key roles among governments in developing economies. Management of relief supply chains during a pandemic could be an uphill task that calls for an investigation. The present study focuses on the relief aid distribution of food items and face-masks during the first COVID-19 lockdown in Uganda. It specifically examines the challenges faced by the relief supply chain. Methods: It was a case study of stakeholders involved in relief distribution and conducted through electronic and physical interviews. 20 electronic interviews were conducted through zoom and telephone calls while 20 physical interviews were conducted at the interviewees’ respective workplaces. Data were collected from January 2021 to March 2021. The method of data collection and analysis was qualitative. Data were thematically analyzed using Atlas ti. v7.57. Results: It was found that many challenges ranging from needs identification, procurement, warehousing, transportation, handling, beneficiary verification, and distribution inhibited the proper functioning of the relief items distribution supply chain. Other obstacles were the media and its increasing influence on supply activities. Also, politics coupled with the emergence
Phrase-level and edge marking in Drehu

This study investigates prosodic correlates of phrasing in Drehu, an Oceanic language from New Caledonia. The analysis is concerned with the demarcation of prosodic levels in the language, namely the Accentual Phrase and the Intonation Phrase. First impressionistic descriptions of Drehu state there is fixed word initial stress, however recent experimental evidence does not support this claim. Instead, it has been suggested that Drehu could be an edge-marking language which relies on right boundary marking. To determine whether the patterns recorded in the literature are borne out, the phonological and phonetic realisation of post-lexical word level prosody is investigated. An experiment was conducted to examine the extent to which fundamental frequency (F0) and duration contribute to boundary marking in Drehu. The results show that F0 cues mark the right boundary of two prosodic levels, the AP and IP, and that the strength of the boundary is related to its level in the prosodic hierarchy. Preboundary lengthening also cues IP boundaries but not AP boundaries.
On-line Adaptation of Conﬁdence Intervals based on Weather Stability for Wind Power Forecasting

Existing literature or tools for wind power forecasting do not consider online estimation of conﬁdence intervals for the output of the forecasting models. Uncertainty is estimated either based on error estimations coming form weather forecasts or on the inappropriate assumption that the error distribution is Gaussian and the intervals symmetrical around the spot predictions. This situation reveals the necessecity to develop formal methods for on-line uncertainty estimation adequate for the problem of wind power forecasting. The paper introduces an advanced method for this purpose. The aim is to compute intervals for wind power forecasts with a conﬁdence level deﬁned by the end-user. The intervals are derived after an analysis of wind power prediction error characteristics. The error distribution parameter is estimated in an adaptive way after appropriate exploitation of past errors and using fuzzy set modeling. Then, an index named as MRI, expressing the expected weather stability is used for ﬁne-tuning the intervals. This index reﬂects the spread of poor man’s ensemble weather forecasts. A relation between the MRI and the level of power prediction error is shown: the linear trend is used for narrowing the intervals when weather situation is considered as stable. Evaluation results of this methodology over a three-year period on the case study of a Danish wind farm and over a one-year period on the case study of nine Irish farms are given. The proposed methodology has an operational nature and can be applied to all kinds of wind power forecasting models.
Comparison of the different types of visual representations integrated into the contents of the United States and Turkish middle school life science textbook units

Abstract The goal of the study was to compare how visual representations were integrated into the contents of the U.S. and Turkish textbooks used in life science. Data was collected from 6th, 7th, and 8th grade middle school topics common to both countries. Content analysis was used to analyse visual representations in textbooks. The visual representations were coded into five categories representative of the level of integration. Findings of the study revealed that many representations in Turkish textbooks were not designed with enough labels and captions compared to the U.S. one. This limited the function of the images in the textbook. The implications for textbook revisions aimed at improving the use of visual representations in the classrooms are discussed.
Concepts in halokinetic-sequence deformation and stratigraphy

Abstract Halokinetic sequences are unconformity-bound packages of thinned and folded strata adjacent to passive diapirs. Hook halokinetic sequences have narrow zones of deformation (50–200 m), >70° angular discordance, common mass-wasting deposits and abrupt facies changes. Wedge halokinetic sequences have broad zones of folding (300–1000 m), low-angle truncation and gradual facies changes. Halokinetic sequences have thicknesses and timescales equivalent to parasequence sets and stack into composite halokinetic sequences (CHS) scale-equivalent to third-order depositional cycles. Hook sequences stack into tabular CHS with sub-parallel boundaries, thin roofs and local deformation. Wedge sequences stack into tapered CHS with folded, convergent boundaries, thicker roofs and broad zones of deformation. The style is determined by the ratio of sediment-accumulation rate to diapir-rise rate: low ratios lead to tabular CHS and high ratios result in tapered CHS. Diapir-rise rate is controlled by the net differential load on deep salt and by shortening or extension. Similar styles of CHS are found in different depositional environments but the depositional response varies. CHS boundaries (unconformities) develop after prolonged periods of slow sediment accumulation and so typically fall within transgressive systems tracts in shelf settings and within highstand systems tracts in deepwater settings. Sub-aerial settings may lead to erosional unroofing of diapirs and consequent upward narrowing of halokinetic deformation zones.
“I Don’t Feel Like There’s Enough Awareness about the Damage That Social Media Does”: A Thematic Analysis of the Relationships between Social Media Use, Mental Wellbeing, and Care Experience

Social media (SM) has become an unavoidable mode of communication for many young people today, leading to increasing importance in exploring its impact on mental wellbeing. This includes exploring the impact on those who may be more susceptible to developing mental health issues due to adverse childhood experiences, such as care-experienced young people. This study consisted of 22 semi-structured interviews with young people from the general population (n = 11) and care-experienced young people (n = 11). Thematic analysis revealed varying effects of SM, including positive effects such as entertainment, inspiration, and belongingness. However, other findings indicated that the design of SM is damaging for young people’s wellbeing. Age and developmental maturity appeared as key factors influencing the impact of SM on wellbeing, with the indication of further protective factors such as self-awareness, education, and certain SM design features. Specifically, care-experienced young people expressed how lived experiences of the care system can have both positive and negative effects on SM use while revealing the complex relationship between care experience, SM use, and wellbeing. These results can be used to inform SM design and policy and to provide suggestions for SM and wellbeing education among the general population and care-experienced young people.
Empirical Modelling of Stem Cambium Heating Caused by Prescribed Burning in Mediterranean Pine Forest

Little is known about the interactions between the variables involved in the post-fire response of Mediterranean pine species to prescribed burning (PB). Thus, it is essential to develop an empirical model in order to assess the influence of tree and stand attributes, burn season, and fire severity on the probability of stem cambium damage occurring. Prescribed burnings were conducted in different seasons and areas covering a wide climatic and ecological range. Potential explanatory variables were measured. A random effects hurdle model framework was used to evaluate the temperature duration above 60 °C as a proxy for stem cambium damage at tree scale. The results showed significant differences in cambium damage between the PB seasons. Pinus nigra was more resistant than other pine species. Bark thickness was critical for protecting cambium. Volume of crown scorch, percentage of stem scorch, and maximum outer bark temperature were directly related to temperature duration above 60 °C in the cambium. Prescribed burning conducted under tree canopy in Mediterranean pine species generally results in a low level of cambium damage. Empirical models could help managers to predict the effects of PB and thus select the most suitable prescriptions.
Peculiarity of the Structure and Luminescence of Glasses in La2S3-Ga2S3-GeS2:Pr3+ System

The effect of modifying the composition of a glass matrix based on the Ga2S3-GeS2:Pr3+ system due to the addition of La2S3 on the structure and the optical and luminescent properties of these glasses has been studied. It has been shown that the addition of La2S3 leads to changes in the nearest structural environment of Ga, Ge, and S and increases the degree of ionicity of the bonds of the Pr3+ ion. Despite the existence of a large glass formation region in the Ga2S3-GeS2-La2S3 system and the structural and chemical similarity of La and Pr, La2S3 does not promote a more uniform distribution of Pr3+ ions in the glass matrix, and thus does not reduce the concentration quenching of the luminescence of Pr3+ ions. However, the addition of La2S3 increases the probability of emission of Pr3+ ions and decreases the radiative lifetime. Additionally, it was shown that, when studying the structure and luminescent properties of glasses with La, it is necessary to take into account a significant concentration of rare earth traces (Pr and Nd).
Sufficient Conditions for Uniform Asymptotic Stability and Input-to-State Stability Using High-Order Control Barrier Functions

Control barrier functions (CBFs) ensure the safety of controlled dynamical systems by enforcing forward invariance of safe subsets of the state space. First-order CBFs are applicable for systems where the control input appears in the first time derivative of the controlled output. High-order CBFs (HOCBFs) extend the notion of CBFs to systems of any order, following a procedure reminiscent of the recursive design of a control Lyapunov function in backstepping. Asymptotic stability of compact safe sets for Lipschitz continuous HOCBF-based controllers has recently been reported in the literature. In this article, we extend this result by establishing sufficient conditions for uniform asymptotic stability of closed, but not necessarily compact, safe sets. Moreover, we show that uniform asymptotic stability holds for differential inclusions that correspond to allowing the control input to take on arbitrary values that satisfy the HOCBF-induced input constraints. This result circumvents the need to establish continuity properties of optimization-based safeguarding control laws. Sufficient conditions for input-to-state stability are also established, by constructing a vector comparison system from the worst case evolution of the HOCBF along the disturbed versions of the aforementioned differential inclusions. The theoretical results are illustrated by two case studies.
The Mesolithic Settlement of Sindh (Pakistan): A Preliminary Assessment

The discovery of Mesolithic sites in Upper and Lower Sindh is of fundamental importance for the study of the Early Holocene communities that inhabited the territory around the beginning of the Holocene. Microlithic chipped stone assemblages have been discovered in two distinct regions: the Thar Desert of Upper Sindh, and along the coast of the Arabian Sea and on the terraces of the rivers that flow into it, around the Karachi Gulf (Lower Sindh). The variable characteristics of the chipped stone assemblages seem to indicate different chronological periods of habitation and models of exploitation of the natural resources. Due to the rarity of organic material, only one Lower Sindh site has been so far radiocarbon-dated. The typological analysis of the assemblages, currently under way, will lead to a more detailed definition of the periods represented at the different sites. At present the only parallels can be extended to the microlithic sites of Rajastan and Gujarat, in India, a few of which consist of radiocarbon-dated, stratified settlements.
Response of lake metabolism to catchment inputs inferred using high‐frequency lake and stream data from across the northern hemisphere

In lakes, the rates of gross primary production (GPP), ecosystem respiration (R), and net ecosystem production (NEP) are often controlled by resource availability. Herein, we explore how catchment vs. within lake predictors of metabolism compare using data from 16 lakes spanning 39°N to 64°N, a range of inflowing streams, and trophic status. For each lake, we combined stream loads of dissolved organic carbon (DOC), total nitrogen (TN), and total phosphorus (TP) with lake DOC, TN, and TP concentrations and high frequency in situ monitoring of dissolved oxygen. We found that stream load stoichiometry indicated lake stoichiometry for C : N and C : P (r2 = 0.74 and r2 = 0.84, respectively), but not for N : P (r2 = 0.04). As we found a strong positive correlation between TN and TP, we only used TP in our statistical models. For the catchment model, GPP and R were best predicted by DOC load, TP load, and load N : P (R2 = 0.85 and R2 = 0.82, respectively). For the lake model, GPP and R were best predicted by TP concentrations (R2 = 0.86 and R2 = 0.67, respectively). The inclusion of N : P in the catchment model, but not the lake model, suggests that both N and P regulate metabolism and that organisms may be responding more strongly to catchment inputs than lake resources. Our models predicted NEP poorly, though it is unclear why. Overall, our work stresses the importance of characterizing lake catchment loads to predict metabolic rates, a result that may be particularly important in catchments experiencing changing hydrologic regimes related to global environmental change.
Comparison of OGO 6 measured thermospheric temperatures with the MSIS‐86 empirical model

The thermospheric temperatures measured by the Fabry-Perod interferometer on the OGO 6 satellite are found to be reasonably represented by the mass spectrometer/incoherent scatter 1986 (MSIS-86) empirical model except for two anomalies, one in the South Atlantic and the other near noon local time. These anomalies are likely due to measurement problems. The OGO 6 temperature data were not used in the generation of the MSIS models, so this is an independent comparison of measured and model temperatures. The measurements were made primarily during daytime at mid to low latitudes and throughout the day at high latitudes. On average, the measured temperatures are 16 K below the MSIS-86 model temperatures. Latitude gradients during solstices as well as for the yearly average are well represented by the model, as are high-latitude longitudinal and magnetic activity variations.
Atmospheric Processes Associated with Summer Floods and Droughts in the Central United States

Abstract Persistent wet and dry events over the central United States are examined during summer. Composites based on selected persistent wet and dry events reveal common atmospheric processes and circulation features. During summer, heavy precipitation in the central United States is accompanied by less precipitation to the south, in a band that extends from the tropical eastern Pacific through the Gulf of Mexico into the western Atlantic. Dry conditions also occur along the western coasts of Canada and Mexico during persistent wet episodes in the central United States. This rainfall pattern is supported by an inverse temperature–rainfall relationship over North America. During dry events, high pressure extends throughout a vertical column in a pattern that covers North America from 30° to 60°N. In contrast, during wet events, the high pressure is confined to the eastern half of North America, with low pressure prevailing in the western half. Increased northward meridional winds are found between this cy.
Development of Social Studies Animation Video (S2AV) Teaching Materials on the Material "Plurality of Indonesian Society" for Junior High School Students

Teaching materials are a resource for teachers and students to carry out the learning process. Therefore, it is necessary to develop innovative teaching materials that enable students to achieve superior learning outcomes. One of the innovative and creative and interesting teaching materials is the Social Sciences Animation Video-Based Teaching Material (S2AV). In this study, the aim of this study was to commercialize social studies teaching materials by using animated videos as teaching materials for class VIII junior high school students on the subject of "Indonesian Community Plurality". This development research uses the 4-D method (Define, Design, Develop, and Disseminate). The results showed that the S2AV learning media was valid with an average total score of 3.83 based on material expert validation and 3.87 based on media expert validation. The response of the eighth graders was positive (97%).