Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Description of Paenibacillus albicerus sp. nov. and Niallia alba sp. nov., isolated from digestive syrup.

Two aerobic, Gram-stain variable, catalase and oxidase-positive, spore-forming, motile rods of strain UniB2T and UniB3T, were isolated from digestive syrup containing fungal diastase (10 mg/ml), pepsin (2 mg/ml) and sugar base containing polyethene glycol. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, strain UniB2T has the highest sequence similarity with Paenibacillus humicus NBRC 102415T (98.30 %) and strain UniB3T showed the highest sequence similarity with Niallia circulans DSM 11T (98.95 %). The DNA G+C content of UniB2T was 63.74 mol %. The dDDH and ANI values between the strain UniB2T and its phylogenetically close relative were <38.3 % and <89.55 %, respectively. The major fatty acids of the strain UniB2T were C16:00 (13.9 %), C15:0 anteiso (39.7 %), C17:0 anteiso (15.5 %). The DNA G+C content of UniB3T was 35.6 mol%. The dDDH and ANI values between the strain UniB3T and its close relatives were <29.1 % and 84.62%, respectively. The major fatty acids of strain UniB3T were C16:0 (13.54 %), C15:0 anteiso (40.09 %) and C17:0 anteiso (16.03 %). Major polar lipids for both strains were Diphosphotidylglycerol and Phosphatidylethanolamine. Additionally, both the strains showed unique carbon utilization and assimilation pattern that differentiated them from their phylogenetically related neighbours. These phenotypic, genotypic and chemotaxonomic characters indicated the strains UniB2T and UniB3T represent two novel species for which the names Paenibacillus albicerus sp. nov. (Type strain UniB2T =MCC 3997T =KCTC 43095T =JCM34513T) and Niallia alba sp. nov. (Type strain UniB3T = MCC 3998T =KCTC 43235T =JCM 34492T) are proposed.
Regional Heterogeneity of the Family Farming in Brazil: an Analysis Using a Spatial Stochastic Frontier

Family farming is quite different between Brazilian regions, where one of the main factors of this distinction is the implementation of agricultural modernization that initially benefited the regions South and Southeast, making these regions more mechanized and with a higher level of human capital. Given this fact, this article aims to measure the productive differences of family farmers between Brazilian regions using data from the 2017 Agricultural Census and applying a spatial stochastic frontier at municipal level. The results have shown that there is a high heterogeneity between Brazilian regions, where although all areas have shown a decreasing return of production scale, these returns were greater for the regions Midwest, Southeast, and South. Besides, technology and labor have a lesser effect on the gross income of farmers in the Northeast. The results also show that spillovers were different between regions, both for the factors of production and for the determinants of inefficiency. Furthermore, the heterogeneity can be confirmed by the efficiency scores, which were higher in the regions South, Midwest, and Mid-South regions of the Southeast. The results also suggest that, according to the profile of each region, it is necessary to implement more efficient policies that aim to improve the effectiveness of existing policies and mitigate the differences between them, especially in the North and Northeast of Brazil.
Dry Port Network Model: Best Practices In The Eu With Notes From The Usa

The modern distribution of goods is highly complex, as it supports a closely linked globalized world. In the development of port terminals, competition is no longer only at the level of services. The increase in maritime transport and demand/supply in the hinterlands, with ensuing problems of capacity, distribution and movement, have called for renewed attention on adequate structures and infrastructures. This evolution, enabled by technology, commercial interests and public policies, can be considered as a stage in the ongoing development of containerization and intermodal transport. At this stage, it is important to consider port terminals and maritime navigation networks as a system, together with terrestrial goods transport. Increasingly, regions are developing so-called dry or inland ports, to better serve the demand. We set out to define a sustainable model for dry ports, beginning with a review of relevant literature focused on Italian, Dutch and selected USA examples. We first define dry port, in the context of intermodal transport, ports in general and inland ports. Our investigation led to the identification of management tools and best practices. We report on visits and interviews to selected inland ports and identify key dry port activities, applications of innovative technologies and implications for different modes of transport. For the three countries studied, we identify strengths and weaknesses related to infrastructure, structures, internal organization of yard, types of imported and exported goods, transport methods and related travel times and costs. In regards to resilience and sustainability, vulnerabilities such as congestion, climate issues and cyber-attacks are considered. Finally, a maturity model for assessing dry ports is proposed.
Molecular taxonomy of Korean Cafius Stephens, 1829 (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Staphylininae) with description of a new species

Abstract. A species delimitation study of Korean Cafius Stephens, 1829 using molecular characters (COI and 28S) is presented. Six coastal species are recognized, one of which is described as Cafius calculosus Lee & Ahn sp. nov. in the intertidal zone of the southern part of the Korean peninsula based on morphological and molecular characters. The new species is closely related and very similar to C. mimulus (Sharp, 1874). Interspecific genetic divergence of COI using uncorrected p-distance ranged from 10.77% to 18.78%, while intraspecific divergence ranged from 0.00% to 2.51% among six Korean Cafius species. All six species were each strongly supported as a single lineage using COI and 28S on both neighbor-joining and parsimony trees. A description, habitus photograph and diagnostic characters of the new species and a key to the species of Korean Cafius are provided to facilitate identification.
Genetic Dissection of Drought Resistance of Common Bean at the Seedling Stage by Genome-wide Association Study

A variety of adverse conditions, including drought stress, severely affect common bean production. Molecular breeding for drought resistance has been proposed as an effective and practical way to improve the drought resistance of common bean. A genome-wide association analysis was conducted to identify drought-related loci based on survival rates at the seedling stage using a natural population consisting of 400 common bean accessions and 3832340 SNPs. The coefficient of variation ranged from 40.90% to 56.22% for survival rates in three independent experiments. A total of 12 associated loci containing 89 significant SNPs were identified for survival rates at the seedling stage. Four loci overlapped in the region of the QTLs reported to be associated with drought resistance. According to the expression profiles, gene annotations and references of the functions of homologous genes in Arabidopsis, 39 genes were considered potential candidate genes selected from 199 genes annotated within all associated loci. A stable locus (Locus_10) was identified on chromosome 11, which contained LEA, aquaporin, and proline-rich protein genes. We further confirmed the drought-related function of an aquaporin (PvXIP1;2) located at Locus_10 by expression pattern analysis, phenotypic analysis of PvXIP1;2-overexpressing Arabidopsis and Agrobacterium rhizogenes-mediated hairy root transformation systems, indicating that the association results can facilitate the efficient identification of genes related to drought resistance. These loci and their candidate genes provide a foundation for crop improvement via breeding for drought resistance in common bean.
Motivation toward English Language Learning among Iraqi University Students

Purpose: This study aimed to examine motivation toward learning the English Language among learners from different universities in Iraq. The study focused on identifying the type of, instrumental and integrative, and also the activities that learners prefer to use in the classroom. Methodology/Approach/Design: The study applied both qualitative and quantitative design. The instruments used in the study included questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. A sample of 200 participants were engaged in an online survey and filled the questionnaire questions. An interview through zoom was also conducted with the selected group of learners. Results: The findings of the study revealed that learners were motivated more instrumentally as compared to integratively. It was also evident that the students were interested in different learning activities. Practical Implication: This study will have a greater contribution to the pedagogy of English language learning. The findings of the study might be used by curriculum developers to make changes and implement the best techniques of teaching English in the Iraqi EFL curriculum. Originality/Value: The results of this study may make the university teachers and students aware of the significance of motivation in enhancing the English learning process. Also, the findings may make university teachers more creative in developing interactive learning activities that will be suitable for students.
Decentralized control for large scale systems with inherently coupled subsystems

This paper brings a novel scalable control design methodology for Large-Scale Systems. Such systems are considered as multi-agent systems with inherent interactions between neighboring agents. The presented design methodology uses single-agent dynamics and their interaction topology, rather than relying on the model of the entire system. The dimension of the design problem therefore remains the same with growing number of agents. This allows a feasible control design even for large systems. Moreover, the proposed design is based on simple Linear Matrix Inequalities, efficiently solvable using standard computational tools. Numerical results validate the proposed approach.
The effect of natural infrastructure on water erosion mitigation in the Andes

Abstract. Soil erosion by water is affecting natural and anthropogenic environments through its impacts on water quality and availability, loss of soil nutrients, flood risk, sedimentation in rivers and streams, and damage to civil infrastructure. Sustainable management aims to avoid, reduce and reverse soil erosion and can provide multiple benefits for the environment, population, and livelihoods. We conducted a systematic review of 121 case studies from the Andes to answer the following questions: (1) Which erosion indicators allow us to assess the effectiveness of natural infrastructure? (2) What is the overall impact of working with natural infrastructure on on-site and off-site erosion mitigation? and (3) Which locations and types of studies are needed to fill critical gaps in knowledge and research? Three major categories of natural infrastructure were considered: protective vegetation, soil and water conservation measures, and adaptation measures that regulate the flow and transport of water. From the suite of physical, chemical and biological indicators commonly used in soil erosion research, two indicators were particularly relevant: soil organic carbon (SOC) of topsoil, and soil loss rates at the plot scale. In areas with protective vegetation and/or soil and water conservation measures, the SOC of topsoil is –on average– 1.3 to 2.8 times higher than in areas under traditional agriculture. Soil loss rates in areas with natural infrastructure were reported to be 38 % to 54 % lower than rates measured in untreated croplands. Further research is needed to evaluate whether the reported effectiveness holds during extreme events related to, for example, El Niño–Southern Oscillation.
CONCEPTUAL DESIGN FOR ASSEMBLY IN AEROSPACE INDUSTRY: SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS OF MATHEMATICAL FRAMEWORK AND DESIGN PARAMETERS

Abstract One of the most challenging activity in the engineering design process is the definition of a framework (model and parameters) for the characterization of specific processes such as installation and assembly. Aircraft system architectures are complex structures used to understand relation among elements (modules) inside an aircraft and its evaluation is one of the first activity since the conceptual design. The assessment of aircraft architectures, from the assembly perspective, requires parameter identification as well as the definition of the overall analysis framework (i.e., mathematical models, equations). The paper aims at the analysis of a mathematical framework (structure, equations and parameters) developed to assess the fit for assembly performances of aircraft system architectures by the mean of sensitivity analysis (One-Factor-At-Time method). The sensitivity analysis was performed on a complex engineering framework, i.e. the Conceptual Design for Assembly (CDfA) methodology, which is characterized by level, domains and attributes (parameters). A commercial aircraft cabin system was used as a case study to understand the use of different mathematical operators as well as the way to cluster attributes.
Importance of the Northward IMF for the Quasistatic Mesoscale Field‐Aligned Currents Embedded in the Diminished Region 1/2 Current System in the Dusk Sector

To understand the features of the quasistatic field‐aligned currents (FACs) consisting of multiple mesoscale (∼10–100 km) upward and downward FAC regions in the duskside auroral oval, we examined the magnetic field data obtained through the constellation measurements of Swarm satellites for a duration of more than three years. We introduced a method of automated event identification and took the events in 577 satellite orbits that pass through the high‐latitude part of the 14–18 magnetic local time auroral oval. The results of the analysis reveal that the occurrence ratio of the FAC events increases with the IMF BZ, and that the event can be detected at a ratio exceeding 20% for BZ greater than 1 nT. This indicates that the quasistatic mesoscale FACs in the duskside sector are pertinent to a northward IMF condition and that they are not a simple remnant of the diminished Region 1. The results also show that the FAC density tends to increase with the solar wind proton density, implying that the latter is directly associated with FAC generation. The FAC events can occur in a wide range of solar zenith angles, that is, 65–135°, indicating that whether the ionosphere is sunlit or dark is not crucial for the appearance of the event. These results strongly suggest that multiple mesoscale FACs are produced in the low‐latitude boundary layer through a mechanism related to solar wind plasma entry processes that can be more easily attained as the northward component of the IMF increases.
Towards a post-COVID geography of economic activity: Using probability spaces to decipher Montreal’s changing workscapes

In March 2020, many workers were suddenly forced to work from home. This brought into stark relief the fact that urban economic activity is no longer attached to specific workplaces. This detachment has been analysed in research on organisations and workers, but has not yet been incorporated into concepts used to document and plan the economic geography of cities. In this article, three questions are explored by way of an original survey: first, how can a shift in the location of economic activity be measured at the urban scale whilst incorporating the idea that work is not attached to a single location? Second, what is the nature of the shift that occurred in March 2020? Third, what does this tell us about concepts that have underpinned the study of urban economic form by geographers and planners? Applying concepts developed in organisation studies and sociology, we operationalise the idea that economic activity happens across multiple spaces: it occurs within a probability space, and since March 2020 it has shifted within this space. To better understand and interpret the longer-term impact of this shift on cities – downtowns in particular – we draw upon interviews with people working from home.
The Influence of Seed Production Environment on Seed Development and Quality of Soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merrill)

The aim of the study was to determine the effect of seed production environment in Sri Lanka on seed development, maturation, and subsequent seed quality. The experiment was conducted at six production environments, three locations (Mahailluppalama (M1), Polonnaruwa (POL), and Aluttarama (ALU), over two planting cycles (P1, P2). Seed development and maturation, seed and seedling quality characteristics were evaluated at five reproductive (R6, R7, R8, R8 + 5 and R8 + 10) maturity stages. The study infers that production environment at the late reproductive (LR) stage (R6–R8) was critical in determining the seed quality. If the LR stage coincided with cumulative rainfall (RF) over 100 mm or above 75% relative humidity (RH), categorized as wet environment, around 27.5 days was required for the completion of seed maturation compared with only 17.5 days in dry environment. Seed lots from dry environment during LR stage surpassed the minimum quality standards (75% final germination, germination index of 300, germination rate index of 25% per day, seedling vigor index of 2500 and 15 µmol/min/mg FW catalase activity) at maturity stage R7 onwards, while this only occurred at maturity stage R8 for wet environment. A significant negative correlation (r = −0.50 **) was observed between glucose content, antioxidant enzyme activities and germination percentage. In conclusion, the findings provide useful information for the expansion of areas for seed production in Sri Lanka.
The Mediating Role of Mathematics Self-Concept in the Association of Self-esteem and Classroom Environment Perceptions with Math Anxiety in Students

Background: Math anxiety (MA) emerges as a state of discomfort and anxiety when a student is faced with a math problem. Objectives: The present study aimed to investigate the association between self-esteem and classroom environment perceptions with math anxiety through the mediating role of mathematics self-concept (MSC) in female high school students. Methods: This descriptive-correlational study was conducted on all the female high school students in Ahvaz, Iran in the academic year 2020 - 2021. In total, 237 students were selected as the sample population via single-stage cluster sampling. Data were collected using the Math Anxiety questionnaire (MAQ), Self-Esteem questionnaire (SEQ), Dundee Ready Educational Environment measure (DREEM), and Mathematical Self-Concept questionnaire (MSCQ). The proposed research model was evaluated using structural equation modeling. Results: With the exception of self-esteem and classroom environment perceptions (CEPs), all the direct paths were significantly correlated with MA (P = 0.001). Moreover, the indirect paths of self-esteem were significantly correlated with MA considering the mediating role of MSC (β = -0.240; P = 0.002). Furthermore, a significant association was observed between CEP and MA, mediated by MSC (β = -0.129; P = 0.001). Conclusions: According to the results, the proposed model had a good fit and could be an important step in identifying the influential factors in the MA of students.
Improved Regional Scale Dynamic Evapotranspiration Estimation Under Changing Vegetation and Climate

Vegetation change can significantly alter evapotranspiration (ET), an important component of the terrestrial water balance, and consequently influences other hydrological processes. With no direct measurement techniques available at large spatial scales, the accurate estimation of ET under changing forest landscapes and climate is challenging. In this study, we used an improved method based on Fuh's equation (a functional form of the Budyko framework) to investigate ET responses to cumulative forest disturbance and climate in the snow‐dominated interior of British Columbia, Canada. First, we divided the study region into three distinct climate groups, and then related the watershed parameter m in Fuh's equation to vegetation change (represented by cumulative equivalent clearcut area (CECA)) and watershed properties, with independent calibration and validation watersheds. The validated relationships were used to examine regional ET variations (∼380,000 km2). Our results showed that ET in moderate climates had the highest sensitivity to CECA, characterized by wetness index between 1 and 2 (the ratio of precipitation to potential evapotranspiration). ET in dry climates (wetness index <1) was also significantly related to CECA, but with reduced sensitivity compared to the moderate climates. Wetter climates (wetness index >2) did not show a significant relationship with CECA, suggesting an insensitivity of ET to forest change. Simulations under future climate and vegetation disturbance scenarios demonstrated that ET would be further decreased in most of the study region. Forest management should consider reducing disturbance in the dry to moderate climate areas to mitigate negative impacts on hydrological processes and functions.
Flight to Safety: COVID-Induced Changes in the Intensity of Status Quo Preference and Voting Behavior

The relationship between anxiety and investor behavior is well known enough to warrant its own aphorism: a “flight to safety. ” We posit that anxiety alters the intensity of voters’ preference for the status quo, inducing a political flight to safety toward establishment candidates. Leveraging the outbreak of the novel coronavirus during the Democratic primary election of 2020, we identify a causal effect of the outbreak on voting, with Biden benefiting between 7 and 15 percentage points at Sanders’s expense. A survey experiment in which participants exposed to an anxiety-inducing prompt choose the less disruptive hypothetical candidate provides further evidence of our theorized flight to safety among US-based respondents. Evidence from 2020 French municipal and US House primary elections suggests a COVID-induced flight to safety generalizes to benefit mainstream candidates across a variety of settings. Our findings suggest an as-yet underappreciated preference for “safe” candidates in times of anxiety.
Phytoplankton Time-Series in a LTER Site of the Adriatic Sea: Methodological Approach to Decipher Community Structure and Indicative Taxa

In the shallow and landlocked northeast Adriatic Sea, environmental factors have changed in recent decades. Their influence on seasonal and inter-annual variability of phytoplankton has been documented in the recent literature. Here, we decipher the long-term variability of phytoplankton phenology at a Long-Term Ecological Research site (Gulf of Trieste, Slovenia). Structural changes in the phytoplankton community (period 2005–2017) were analysed using a multivariate protocol based on Bayesian clustering. The protocol was modified from the literature to fit the needs of the study, using correspondence analysis and k-means clustering. A novel index for ordination and selection of taxa based on frequency and evenness was developed. The Total Inertia analysis showed that this index better preserved the available information. Typical seasonal assemblages were highlighted by applying the Indicative Value index in conjunction with likelihood ratio values. We obtained a rough picture of the seasonal separation of the diatom-dominated community from the mixed community and a refined picture of the phenology of the assemblages and bloom events. The spring diatom peak proved to be inconstant and short-lived, while the autumn bloom was generally long and diverse. As expected for nearshore environments, the average life span of the assemblages was found to be short-periodic (2–4 months). The second part of the year and the last part of the series were more prone to changes in terms of typical assemblages.