Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Comparison of Changing Population Exposure to Droughts in River Basins of the Tarim and the Indus

Droughts are major, large‐scale, weather‐driven natural disasters, on the rise in the changing climate. We project changing population exposure to drought in two vulnerable, adjacent, basins of large rivers, the Tarim River Basin (TRB) and the Indus River Basin (IRB), for the future horizon 2021–2065. Drought events are assessed based on the outputs of multiple Global Climate Models, by applying the Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) and the Intensity‐Area‐Duration method (IAD). Future population exposure to droughts is evaluated by combining the drought events under three RCP scenarios (RCP2.6, RCP4.5, and RCP8.5) with the projected population from Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs), acknowledging the recent two‐child policy in China. Results show that frequency of drought events in both river basins could increase in the future, while increase in the TRB is stronger than in the IRB. The areal coverage of drought events in both river basins is projected to be greater in 2021–2065 than in 1961–2005. Increase of frequency and areal coverage in both basins is especially strong for the class of extreme drought events. According to the ensemble mean of multi‐GCMs, population exposure to droughts was 25.0% and 20.9% of the total population in the TRB and the IRB, respectively, in 1961–2005, and it is projected to increase by over 60% for the TRB and to increase by over 30% for the IRB, in 2021–2065.
Age, growth and reproduction of the greenback mullet, Liza subviridis (Valenciennes), in an estuary in Southern Iraq

Age, growth, length-weight relationship, sex ratio, stages of maturity and fecundity of the greenback mullet in Shatt Al-Basrah Canal, an estuary in Southern Iraq, were studied from February 1985 to January 1986. Age and growth determinations were made from scales from 538 fish ranging from 145 to 310 mm total length. Females (age groups I to VI) were slightly longer than males (age groups I to IV) and their growth, analysed by length-weight relationship, followed very closely the cubic-law for isometric growth, but males grew more slowly. The annual average male: female sex ratio was 1.0: 1.4. Monthly examinations of stages of maturity produced abundant gravid fish in February. The maximum values for the gonadosomatic index were obtained in February and March. The smallest mature male and female were respectively 137 and 142mm long. The fecundity ranged between 133 224–295 065 for fish ranging from 182 to 243 mm total length. Although eggs or newly hatched larvae were not found in the Canal, fry 27–40 mm in length were captured from April to June. Spawning appears to occur in the Arabian Gulf, not far from Shatt Al-Basrah Canal.
Antibacterial Properties of Helianthemum glomeratum, a Plant Used in Maya Traditional Medicine to Treat Diarrhoea

Ethnobotanical studies indicate that Helianthemum glomeratum is a plant widely used in Maya communities to treat diarrhoeas. A possible mechanism to counteract infectious diarrhoea would be by inhibiting the growth of the enteropathogen causing the disease. The aim of this work was to study the antimicrobial activity of H. glomeratum against bacterial enteropathogens isolated from faeces of children with acute diarrhoea or dysentery. A methanol extract obtained from the leaves and stems was highly active against Shigella spp and Vibrio cholerae; activity against Salmonella spp and Escherichia coli isolates was also present. Acetone/water extract from the roots was also highly active against Shigella and Vibrio isolates. Further chemical fractionation indicated that antibacterial activity was associated with the polyphenolic fraction. Shigella spp causes severe dysentery in children and Vibrio cholerae causes severe watery diarrhoea. Antidiarrhoeal activity of H. glomeratum may be due, at least in part, to the antimicrobial activity of polyphenolics against bacterial enteropathogens commonly associated with the disease. © 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Produtividade de híbridos de abobrinha italiana cultivados sob diferentes coberturas de solo

Um experimento foi realizado na empresa Sakata Seed Sudamerica Ltda. , em Braganca Paulista-SP, de 22 de agosto a 11 de outubro de 2006, com o objetivo de avaliar diferentes tipos de materiais para cobertura do solo e seu efeito na ocorrencia de frutos com sintomas de viroses e na produtividade de dois hibridos de abobrinha. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi de blocos casualizados, com quatro repeticoes. Os tratamentos foram arranjados em esquema de parcelas subdivididas, sendo as parcelas constituidas por seis tipos de cobertura de solo (polietileno preto, polietileno prata, polietileno branco, polipropileno preto, casca de arroz e solo descoberto); as sub-parcelas foram constituidas de dois hibridos de abobrinha [Novita Plus (cv. tipo caserta) e Samira (cv. tipo libanesa)]. Observou-se que a tecnica de cobertura de solo com plastico, independentemente da coloracao utilizada, mostrou-se superior ao solo descoberto para todas as caracteristicas avaliadas. Entre os tipos de materiais coube o destaque para o polietileno prata que promoveu a maior produtividade e menor infeccao de viroses, em relacao as demais coberturas de solo. Entre os hibridos, Novita Plus foi superior a Samira para as caracteristicas de pegamento de frutos, numero de frutos por planta e produtividade, alem de apresentar 12% a menos de frutos com sintomas de viroses em relacao a Samira. Para o hibrido Novita Plus, cabe destacar que a deteccao da ocorrencia de sintomas de viroses nos frutos teve inicio somente a partir da oitava colheita nos tratamentos com polietileno prata, branco e casca de arroz. Para 'Samira', os sintomas nos frutos comecaram ja na segunda colheita nos tratamentos com solo descoberto e polipropileno preto, e a partir da quarta para as outras coberturas de solo.
The Post-Ecdysial Development of the Cuticle and the Eye of the Devonian Trilobite Phacops rana milleri Stewart 1927

Specimens of the Devonian trilobite Phacops rana milleri Stewart 1927 from the Silica Shale of Ohio are sometimes preserved in the early stages of the post-ecdysial cycle. Individuals that died in this early stage have pale, thin and wrinkled cuticles; in later stages the cuticle became rigid as it thickened and darkened. The post-ecdysial development of the cuticle and the schizochroal compound eye has been studied in a suite of specimens representing various stages, culminating in the intermoult condition. Scanning electron microscope studies on etched specimens, supplementing cathodoluminescence and light microscopy, have enabled primary structures to be distinguished from secondary diagenetic effects, and have been used to elucidate diagenetic changes. In our earliest post-ecdysial cuticle the 10 pm thick outer prismatic layer is already formed and the principal layer below this is only about 25 pm thick. The later thickening of the cuticle affects the principal layer alone. In subsequent development there is a division into three zones with a variety of vertical canals. The final intermoult cuticle can be up to 500 pm thick. In the developing eye, each of the post-ecdysial lenses has initially the form of a small, simple calcite cone hanging from the lower surface of the cornea. In later stages this lens spreads to the full width of the lens capsule, losing its conical form, taking on a Huygensian shape, and eventually acquiring its mature form in which there is a central core of massive texture and, proximally, a thin intralensar bowl, of much the same appearance as the core. The upper unit of the lens consists of thin calcite lamellae, radially arranged around the c-axis, each lamella consisting of palisade-like fibres, parallel in the lower part of the lens, but radiating outwards where they meet the convex outer lens surface. When the lens is mature, a ring of scleral material forms on the inside of the cylindrical wall of the lens capsule, together with an annular girdle of fine-grained material at the junction of lens and sclera. Some suggestions are made regarding function in the developing eye, and the need for complete replacement of calcium carbonate at each ecdysis is discussed.
Multiregional comparison of the ecological and phylogenetic structure of butterfly species richness gradients

Aim To examine butterfly species richness gradients in seven regions/countries and to quantify geographic mean root distance (MRD) patterns. My primary goal is to determine the extent to which an explanation for butterfly richness patterns based on tropical niche conservatism and the evolution of cold tolerance, proposed for the fauna of Canada and the USA, applies to other parts of the world.
An updated paleontological timetree of lissamphibians, with comments on the anatomy of Jurassic crown-group salamanders (Urodela)

We present an update of our time-calibrated supertree of extant and extinct lissamphibians (Marjanović D, Laurin M. 2007. Fossils, molecules, divergence times, and the origin of lissamphibians. Syst Biol 56(3):369–388) and of the divergence dates that can be inferred from it. The present version contains 319 extinct species or possible species of lissamphibians, compared to 223 previously. Discoveries of new fossiliferous sites, advances in phylogeny and recently obtained radiometric dates have offered opportunities to test our results, including the conclusion that the fossil record of Lissamphibia is dense enough to provide reliable calibration constraints for molecular divergence dating. By and large, the results are upheld. Some of the divergence dates we infer from the tree are up to 15 Ma younger than we previously published, some are up to 15 Ma older, some have had their range of uncertainty drastically reduced and the maximum age for the origin of Urodela (the salamander crown group) is no longer well constrained. The dermal bone plates in the gill region of the Jurassic urodeles Beiyanerpeton, Seminobatrachus and Chunerpeton and the grooves for the lateral line organ on the skull of the first require either unexpected reversals or several independent losses in other lissamphibians and indeed other urodeles.
Interferência entre espécies de planta daninha e duas cultivares de feijoeiro em duas épocas de semeadura

Brazil is the world's largest producer of bean, but weed interference can cause yield losses between 15 to 80% due several factors such as bean cultivar and weed species in the area. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of six weed species on growth and productivity of two bean cultivars, in two sowing seasons. It was observed that the dicot plants cause more interference in the crop, especially Amaranthus viridis and Raphanus raphanistrum. All cause losses in bean yield except Eleusine indica that was less competitive. The ´Rubi´ bean cultivar is more productive and competitive than ´Carioca´, and the higher production is achieved during the drought sowing season. The choice of cultivar and correct season for sowing may be management strategy as in weeds control.
Current potato varieties are too susceptible to late blight to be grown without chemical control under North-East European conditions

Abstract The main aim of this research was to evaluate foliar resistance of the potato varieties of Dutch breeding company Agrico to find those most resistant to late blight in order to diminish the number of fungicide sprays required while obtaining a high yield in North-East European conditions. In the trial at the Einola Farm in 2010 and 2011, 10 potato varieties and 2 breeding lines were included. The disease scores of different varieties varied from 2.1 to 7.6 points. Nine of the varieties grown were susceptible and two varieties very susceptible to late blight. The most resistant variety was Toluca (foliar blight estimated mean value 5.9), which is immune to foliar blight in its land of origin. On the basis of two years data, we can conclude that most of the tested varieties are too susceptible to late blight to be grown without chemical control against this pathogen in North-East European conditions.
Youngia zhengyiana (Asteraceae, Crepidinae), a new species from south China, with notes on the systematics of Youngia inferred from morphology and nrITS phylogeny

Youngia zhengyiana, a new species of Youngia sect. Mesomeris (Asteraceae: Crepidinae) from Guizhou province of south China is described and illustrated. The placement of this species within Youngia is assessed based on a molecular phylogenetic analysis of the nuclear ribosomal ITS and on morphological comparisons with related species. The new species can be easily distinguished by morphology from the only species known to possess 5 florets, Y. szechuanica. The infrageneric classification and the recently debated circumscription of Youngia are discussed in the light of the nrITS phylogeny, which includes several species for the first time. Pseudoyoungia is confirmed as a congener of Youngia. The redefined Youngia is still non-monophyletic with Lapsanastrum nested within it.
Spider mites of Egypt (Acari: Tetranychidae)

Abstract Twelve genera and thirty-three species of the family Tetranychidae are collected from Egypt. Of these, a new genus and twelve new species are described. These are Septobia g.n. , Bryobia meyerus sp.n. , Septobia bakeri sp.n. , S.aegyptiacus sp.n. , Petrobia (Mesotetranychus) lycopersici sp.n. , Langella summersi sp.n. , Aponychus solimani sp.n. , Eotetranychus zaheri sp.n. , Schizotetranychus tuttleii sp.n. , Tetranychus (Tetranychus) attiahi sp.n. , T. (Armenychus) ehari sp.n. , Oligonychus (Reckiella) sayedi sp.n. and O. (Reckiella) krantzi sp.n. Four species are recorded for the first time: Tetranychina marsai (Manson), Oligonychus (Oligonychus) punicae (Hirst), O. (Reckiella) afrasiaticus (McGregor) and O. (Reckiella) pratensis (Banks). A female of unknown species of the genus Schizotetranychus is also described and keys to the genera and species are given.
Is Liquidity An Influencing Factor for Profitability of Banks? An Empirical Study

This study attempts to assess whether liquidity has any influence on the profitability of Turkish banks or not. We conduct the study using panel data collected from the website of the Association of Banks of Turkey. We select 10 biggest banks of Turkey based on asset size as on 31.12. 2017 and used 10 years’ data ranging from 2008-2017. Loan Deposit, Deposit Asset, Liquid Asset to TA, Liquid Asset to Short- term Liability and Liquid Assets to Deposits and Non-Deposit Resources Ratio has been considered as a proxy of liquidity and average ROA and average ROE has been considered as a proxy of profitability. We analyze the data based on correlations analysis. We also run the Random effect regression model in our study with the support of E-Views 10. Our study reveals that Loan Deposit Ratio and Liquid Asset to Total Asset ratio do have a significant negative influence on both ROE and ROA. Deposit Asset Ratio does have a significant and negative influence on ROA but an insignificant and negative influence on ROE. Moreover, Liquid Asset to Deposit and Non-Deposit Resources Ratio shows a statistically significant but negative influence on ROE; in contrast an insignificant but positive impact on ROA.
VEGETATIVE AND FRUIT RESOURCES AS DETERMINANTS OF HABITAT USE BY MATURE-FOREST BIRDS DURING THE POSTBREEDING PERIOD

Abstract Recent studies have demonstrated that many birds of mature forests heavily use early-successional habitat during the postbreeding period. Two frequently invoked hypotheses to explain these shifts are that postbreeding birds select (1) dense cover to reduce risk of predation and (2) abundant fruit resources to facilitate foraging. Using mist nets between 15 June and 16 August in 2002 and 2003, we captured mature-forest birds during the postbreeding period in 12 regenerating hardwood clearcuts (three to seven years old) in southeast Ohio. Vegetation structure and fruit resources were measured at nine net locations within each clearcut. We applied an information-theoretic approach, where we used vegetative and fruit variables as predictors in seven a priori models to evaluate how habitat factors might explain capture rates. In two seasons, we captured 1,089 hatch-year (HY) and 445 after-hatch-year (AHY) postbreeding birds of 32 mature-forest species. In general, models reflecting habitat structure (density of low vegetation, canopy height) best explained variation in capture rates, which were negatively related to the density of low vegetation (<1.5 m) and positively related to canopy height. Extremely dense low vegetation may be disadvantageous if it inhibits movements and provides cryptic locations for ground predators. Instead, habitats with greater vertical structure (e.g., taller vegetation) and relatively less dense low vegetation below may provide better protection from aerial and ground predators. Overall, results suggest that vegetation structure may explain high use of early-successional forests by many birds during the postbreeding period, though fruit may be the most important factor for seasonal frugivores. Recursos Vegetativos y de Frutos como Determinantes del Uso de Hábitat por Aves de Bosque Maduro Durante el Período Posterior a la Reproducción
Impacts of different forest management scenarios on forestry and reindeer husbandry

In northern Sweden, the forests are used simultaneously for both timber production and reindeer husbandry. During the winter months, lichen is the most important fodder for reindeer. Forest management operations are generally considered having a negative impact on reindeer husbandry as harvesting and dense stands remove or obscure the ground lichen cover. In this study, we simulate three different scenarios for forest management, differing in the intensity and types of harvest operations. The resulting 100-year scenarios are analyzed with respect to their estimated suitability for providing reindeer pasture areas. Suitability is determined by vegetation type, stand density and stand height. The results indicate that the current trend of a decrease in lichen area will continue if existing forestry practice prevails. Implementing continuous cover forestry as a management alternative and carrying out precommercial thinning could halt the decrease in reindeer pasture area and even lead to a future increase in pasture area, with losses of approximately 5% in the net present value of forestry.
Cytogenetic study of the Siberian mole, Talpa altaica (Insectivora : Talpidae) and karyological relationships within the genus Talpa

Le caryotype de la taupe de Siberie Talpa altaica (32 autosomes dont 13 paires de metacentriques et submetacentriques et 3 paires de subtelocentriques, selon les etudes precedentes) a ete etudie en detail. Le chromosome 1 est le plus grand element de ce caryotype: il porte un bloc heterochromatique riche en GC sur tout son bras court. Ce segment montre un heteromorphisme entre les bivalents. Chez certaines taupes nord-americaines et asiatiques, la structure caryotypique, qui comprend seulement un chromosome beaucoup plus grand, est comparable; ces chromosomes ont ete consideres comme homologues par les auteurs precedents. Nous concluons cependant que le chromosome 1 de T. altaica est derive du chromosome subtelocentrique 16 de la taupe espagnole T. occidentalis, qui a ete etudiee par banding et par duplication heterochromatique C. Nous pensons qu'il n'y a la qu'une ressemblance superficielle avec les especes nord-americaines et asiatiques de Talpidae. Cette observation nous incite a suggerer une homogeneite caryologique des especes europeennes et siberienne du genre Talpa.
ASSESSING STUDENTS’ HIGHER ORDER THINKING SKILLS USING MULTIDIMENSIONAL ITEM RESPONSE THEORY

The development of the economics HOTS test that combines critical thinking skills, problem-solving, and critical thinking are essential to meet the challenges of the 21st century life skills. The combination of these thinking skills in the HOT test will help teachers to diagnose students' strengths and weaknesses. However, it could interfere with the accuracy of the measurement results if analyzed using IRT in a single analysis. The Multidimensional Item Response Theory (MIRT) resolved the accuracy of the measurement issues. This research aimed to develop the economics HOTS test to estimate the student’s abilities in higher order thinking skills using the MIRT. The samples were 750 high school students selected from fourteen high schools in West Sumatera, Indonesia. The data were collected using tests which calibrated through the simple-structure MIRT model using R studio. The test reliability was calculated based on coefficients Alpha and test information function. The results show MIRT offers accurate measurement in estimating multidimensional test parameters. The item had a moderate average multidimensional discriminant and difficulty, while the students had a moderate HOTS ability. Their ability to think creatively was lower than critical thinking and problem-solving abilities. The test was proven to be reliable with coefficients Alpha of 0.81, it yielded a high-test information function of the 4.0124, and a low measurement error of 0.4992. It is suitable to be tested on students who have moderate abilities in problem-solving and critical thinking, but with high creative thinking ability. Keywords: HOTS, critical thinking, creative thinking, problem solving, MIRT.
Aerosol Direct Radiative Effect Sensitivity Analysis

Both to reconcile the large range in satellite-based estimates of the aerosol direct radiative effect (DRE) and to optimize the design of future observing systems, this study builds a framework for assessing aerosol DRE uncertainty. Shortwave aerosol DRE radiative kernels (Jacobians) were derived using the MERRA-2 reanalysis data. These radiative kernels give the differential response of the aerosol DRE to perturbations in the aerosol extinction coefficient, aerosol single-scattering albedo, aerosol asymmetry factor, surface albedo, cloud fraction, and cloud optical depth. This comprehensive set of kernels provides a convenient way to consistently and accurately assess the aerosol DRE uncertainties that result from observational or model-based uncertainties. The aerosol DRE kernels were used to test the effect of simplifying the full vertical profile of aerosol scattering properties into column-integrated quantities. This analysis showed that, although the clear-sky aerosol DRE can be had fairly accurately, more significant errors occur for the all-sky DRE. The sensitivity in determining the broadband spectral dependencies of the aerosol scattering properties directly from a limited set of wavelengths was quantified. These spectral dependencies can be reasonably constrained using column-integrated aerosol scattering properties in the midvisible and near-infrared wavelengths. Separating the aerosol DRE and its kernels by scene type shows that accurate aerosol properties in the clear sky are the most crucial component of the global aerosol DRE. In cloudy skies, determining aerosol properties in the presence of optically thin cloud is more radiatively important than doing so when optically thick cloud is present.