Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Aspects of Competition in Saxicolous Lichen Communities

The means by which lichens compete for space upon a substrate both with each other, and with other organisms, has been little studied (Malinowski 1912; Degelius 1940; Topham 1977; Hawksworth and Chater 1979), although many crustose and squamulose species are well suited for the study of plant competition as they grow radially from a single point. Growth in the direction perpendicular to the substrate is limited, and to a good approximation, may be considered constant (Topham 1977). In such cases the biomass of the lichen is directly proportional to its surface area. Furthermore, when such plants meet each other, their points of contact are commonly determinate and distinctive. There are remarkably few plant communities where the interactions of the competing species can be so clearly seen and unambiguously recorded. This study brings together some observations concerning the development of saxicolous lichen communities in the British Isles.
Disparities In Outcomes Among COVID-19 Patients In A Large Health Care System In California.

As the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic spreads throughout the United States, evidence is mounting that racial and ethnic minorities and socioeconomically disadvantaged groups are bearing a disproportionate burden of illness and death. We conducted a retrospective cohort analysis of COVID-19 patients at Sutter Health, a large integrated health care system in northern California, to measure potential disparities. We used Sutter's integrated electronic health record to identify adults with suspected and confirmed COVID-19, and used multivariable logistic regression to assess risk of hospitalization, adjusting for known risk factors, such as race/ethnicity, sex, age, health, and socioeconomic variables. We analyzed 1,052 confirmed cases of COVID-19 from January 1-April 8, 2020. Among our findings, we observed that, compared with non-Hispanic white patients, African Americans had 2.7 times the odds of hospitalization, after adjusting for age, sex, comorbidities, and income. We explore possible explanations for this, including societal factors that either result in barriers to timely access to care or create circumstances in which patients view delaying care as the most sensible option. Our study provides real-world evidence that there are racial and ethnic disparities in the presentation of COVID-19. [Editor's Note: This Fast Track Ahead Of Print article is the accepted version of the peer-reviewed manuscript. The final edited version will appear in an upcoming issue of Health Affairs. ].
Comparison of the enterotoxigenic types, toxic shock syndrome toxin I (TSST-1) strains and antibiotic susceptibilities for enterotoxigenic Staphylococcus aureus strains isolated from food and clinical samples.

The distribution of enterotoxin types and toxic shock syndrome toxin I (TSST-1) strains for 176Staphylococcus aureusstrains obtained from food samples and 62S. aureusstrains isolated from clinical samples were compared. It was found that for both the food and clinical isolates, staphylococcal enterotoxin A (SEA) strains accounted for the major part (75% and 45% of the total enterotoxigenic strains for food and clinical isolates, respectively) followed by SEB or SEAB, SEC and SED strains. For food isolates, none of theS. aureusstrains was TSST-1 strain while for clinical isolates, three strains (1 SEC, 1 SED and 1 SEAB strain) were found to be TSST-1 strains. When susceptibilities for these enterotoxigenicS. aureusstrains to antibiotics, such as penicillin, oxacillin, vancomycin, methicillin, streptomycin, tetracycline, gentamycin and kanamycin were compared, results showed that 51.6% of the food isolates were resistant to penicillin G only but sensitive to the other antibiotics tested. Also, 8 of the 64 enterotoxigenic strains isolated from food samples were all sensitive to antibiotics while none of the enterotoxigenic strains from clinical samples showed this antibiotic susceptibility pattern. No methicillin resistantS. aureus(MRSA) strains could be found among the food isolates. On the other hand, the majority (42.4%) of the enterotoxigenicS. aureusstrains from clinical samples were penicillin and/or other antibiotics resistant MRSA strains. Since MRSA strains often posed the therapeutic problem, the MRSA strains were further confirmed by PCR assay using the primers specific formecA gene. It was found that results obtained from the disc agar diffusion method and the PCR method were the same.
Yield components, light interception and marker compound accumulation of stevia (Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni) affected by planting material and plant density under western Himalayan conditions

A field experiment was conducted to study the effect of planting material and plant density on stevia (Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni) under western Himalayan conditions during 2011 and 2012. The experiment conducted in a split plot design consisted of two types of planting material (rooted slips and fresh seedlings) in the main plot and five inter- and intra-row spacing in subplots with three replications. Yield attributes and dry leaf biomass yield of stevia were not affected by the type of planting material; however, plant density significantly influenced the yield attributes and leaf and stem dry biomass. Although the wider spacing (60 × 45 cm) gave more leaves, higher leaf area index, higher leaf dry mass per plant as compared to closer spacing, it resulted in lower values of these attributes per unit area. Plants spaced in 30 × 30 cm accumulated 41.2% and 42.8% more total biomass than 60 × 45 cm. Steviol glycoside content did not change due to different planting materials and plant densities; however, closer plant spacing (30 × 30 cm) recorded 114.8% and 70.0% higher steviol glycoside accumulation compared to wider row spacing (60 × 45 cm) in 2011 and 2012, respectively.
Phylogeny of Melaleuca, Callistemon, and Related Genera of the Beaufortia Suballiance (Myrtaceae) Based on 5S and ITS‐1 Spacer Regions of nrDNA

A phylogenetic analysis of genera within the informal suballiance Beaufortia (family Myrtaceae), largely endemic to Australia and New Caledonia, is presented based on separate and combined data sets for 5S and ITS‐1 spacer regions of nuclear ribosomal DNA. The two sets were not in conflict but the 5S data set was more informative. Data were analysed using conventional parsimony, jackknife parsimony, and three‐item parsimony analyses. Three‐item analysis gave more resolved trees than conventional parsimony analysis. The Beaufortia suballiance includes two major clades, with all Australian representatives of Callistemon (shown to be monophyletic) and most Australian representatives of Melaleuca forming one of these. The sister clade comprises a well‐defined group of endemic New Caledonian taxa (classified as Callistemon and Melaleuca), some Australian species of Melaleuca, a clade including the Western Australia/Northern Territory genera Beaufortia, Lamarchea, and Regelia, and a clade including the south‐west Western Australian genera Calothamnus, Eremaea, Conothamnus, and Phymatocarpus. All molecular analyses sup port the monophyly of Conothamnus and of Regelia, genera for which a number of species were included. Three‐item analysis of the combined data set supports the monophyly of Beaufortia. The findings have implications for both taxonomy and biogeography.
EEG-based Control of a 3D Game Using 14-channel Emotiv Epoc+

This work focuses on the use of brain signals to interpret the neurophysiological signals as a direct communication pathway to an external device. The main objective is to build a simple development platform based on a commercially available 14-channel electroencephalography (EEG)-based brain-computer interface (BCI) to control a 3D game. The proposed method consists on harvesting, recording and processing of EEG data from an Emotiv Epoc+ headset. Support vector machine (SVM), linear neural network (NN) and decision trees (DT) are used to build machine learning models and are compared based on statistical measures. The models are trained on two control states: forward and backward, in order to control the character in the game. In the first stage of modeling, each user is built using its own unique model based on the data gathered during user training. Then a more general model is developed to allow plug and play interactions with many users, without the need for retraining. The proposed classifiers are able to sufficiently model brain control for a single user with acceptable errors for the motor action training dataset, but fail to generalize to datasets with multiple users. Feature extraction improves learning of the models like neural network, but decreases the number of learning samples which calls for more datasets to generalize results for multiple users. The 3D game used for control is built on Unity 5 game engine. The traditional navigation controls in the game are mapped to the machine learning model predictions, while the internal Gyroscope is used for panning and rotation.
Uso de imagens de sensoriamento remoto para estratificação do cerrado em inventários florestais

As imagens de sensoriamento remoto podem ser utilizadas como uma ferramenta auxiliar para o inventario de florestas nativas. Nesse sentido, o objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o processo de estratificacao de um fragmento de cerrado com base em tecnicas de interpretacao visual de imagens e comparar os erros de estimativa de dois desenhos amostrais, a Amostragem Casual Estratificada (ACE) e a Amostragem Sistematica (AS). A area de estudo corresponde a um fragmento de cerrado sensu stricto localizado no municipio de Papagaios, MG. Os volumes de madeira do cerrado foram obtidos atraves de um inventario de campo onde 32 unidades amostrais foram medidas sistematicamente. Realizou-se a estratificacao da area de estudo utilizando a interpretacao visual de uma imagem Landsat 5 TM e os estratos formados foram: “Estrato I”, “Estrato II”, “Estrato III”, agua e mata ciliar. Houve reducao de 43% no erro do inventario empregando-se os estimadores da ACE, em relacao aos estimadores da AS. Concluiu-se que o procedimento de estratificacao baseado em interpretacao visual de imagens de sensoriamento remoto foi eficiente, produzindo estratos homogeneos e reduzindo os erros do inventario florestal.
Network Embedding Using Deep Robust Nonnegative Matrix Factorization

As an effective technique to learn low-dimensional node features in complicated network environment, network embedding has become a promising research direction in the field of network analysis. Due to the virtues of better interpretability and flexibility, matrix factorization based methods for network embedding have received increasing attentions. However, most of them are inadequate to learn more complicated hierarchical features hidden in complex networks because of their mechanisms of single-layer factorization structure. Besides, their original feature matrices used for factorization and their robustness against noises also need to be further improved. To solve these problems, we propose a novel network embedding method named DRNMF (deep robust nonnegative matrix factorization), which is formed by multi-layer NMF learning structure. Meanwhile, DRNMF employs the combination of high-order proximity matrices of the network as the original feature matrix for the factorization. To improve the robustness against noises, we use $\ell _{2,1}$ norm to devise the objective function for the DRNMF network embedding model. Effective iterative update rules are derived to resolve the model, and the convergence of these rules are strictly proved. Moreover, we introduce a pre-training strategy to improve the efficiency of convergence. Extensive experiments on several benchmarks of complex networks demonstrate that our proposed method DRNMF is effective and has better performance than the state-of-the-art matrix factorization based methods for network embedding.
Growth and toxicity in Prymnesium patelliferum (Prymnesiophyceae) isolated from Norwegian waters

Blooms of Prymnesium causing mortality in farmed fish have been registered in fjords belonging to the Sandsfjord system, southwestern Norway, annually since 1989. These blooms consist of two closely related species, P. patelliferum and P. parvum. Cultures of the former species were established from field samples, and their identity was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy. Growth rates of this P. patelliferum strain were compared with those of an Australian strain of the same species and with a Danish strain of P. parvum. In a 3-month growth experiment at 20 °C, both P. patelliferum strains grew significantly faster than P. parvum. The Australian P. patelliferum strain grew faster than the Norwegian strain at 20 °C, and this difference was accentuated at 28 °C. The optimum salinity range for growth was 8–25‰ for all three strains. All showed toxicity to Anemia nauplii, though the Norwegian P. patelliferum appeared significantly less toxic than the others. In all strains, increased toxicity was se.
Interest Rate Model With Investor Attitude and Text Mining

This paper develops and estimates an interest rate model with investor attitude factors, which are extracted by a text mining method. First, we consider two contrastive attitudes (optimistic versus conservative) towards uncertainties about Brownian motions driving economy, develop an interest rate model, and obtain an empirical framework of the economy consisting of permanent and transitory factors. Second, we apply the framework to a bond market under extremely low interest rate environment in recent years, and show that our three-factor model with level, steepening and flattening factors based on different investor attitudes is capable of explaining the yield curve in the Japanese government bond (JGB) markets. Third, text mining of a large text base of daily financial news reports enables us to distinguish between steepening and flattening factors, and from these textual data we can identify events and economic conditions that are associated with the steepening and flattening factors. We then estimate the yield curve and three factors with frequencies of relevant word groups chosen from textual data in addition to observed interest rates. Finally, we show that the estimated three factors, extracted only from the bond market data, are able to explain the movement in stock markets, in particular Nikkei 225 index.
Use of a Rye Cover Crop following Corn in Rotation with Soybean in the Upper Midwest

There is a need for improved soil and water conservation in the corn (Zea mays L.)-soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr. ] rotation common to the upper Midwest, and an appropriate cover crop may fulfill this need. A corn-soybeanrotation that included a rye (Secale cereale L.) cover crop was studied at two Minnesota locations in 2002 and 2003 to evaluate rye management method and timing for no-tiff soybean production. Fall-planted rye following corn harvest at Waseca and Rosemount was managed the next spring by: (i) mowing once, (ii) mowing twice, (iii) applying glyphosate herbicide once, (iv) applying herbicide twice, and (v) mowing once followed by applying herbicide, with four mow dates beginning 1 May separated by approximately 1 wk. Rye regrowth after mowing but before stem elongation in early to mid-May was similar to that of uncut rye but decreased dramatically when mowed at anthesis in early June. At Rosemount, low weed populations and the presence of the rye cover crop, when properly managed, had only a minimal affect on soybean yield, resulting in the one-pass mowing system being equally profitable as the no-rye two-pass herbicide system. At Waseca, where weed pressure was high, the rye cover crop treatments without subsequent herbicide application as well as the early one-pass herbicide applications did not provide adequate control, making these systems less profitable. Our research indicated soybean yields following a rye cover crop were often comparable to yields where no rye cover crop was grown, but economic returns were usually reduced.
A null model to study community structure of microcrustacean assemblages in northern Chilean shallow lakes

The inland water bodies of northern Chile (18-27°S) are characterized by high salinity levels and impoverished species richness. This study presents field observations of species associations sampled from shallow water bodies in the Antofagasta region of northern Chile (23°S). A species presenceabsence matrix was created for calculating the Jaccard Index of community similarity and for testing null models of species associations, with the aim of determining whether species associations, are random or not. The results of the Jaccard Index calculations indicated the existence of defined groups, including three sites with Artemia franciscana , two sites with Boeckella poopoensis , and a sixth site only containing the ostracod Sarscypridopsis aculeata . The results of the null model analysis denoted the presence of regulating factors only in fixed-fixed simulation, that is the most robust in comparison to the other two simulations that denoted absence of regulator factors in species associations. The Jaccard indices and significant null model analysis agree with previous ecological descriptions of salinity as a determinant of species associations, whereas the non-significant results of the other two simulations could be due to the low number of species reported. The ecology and biogeography of these communities are also discussed. Los cuerpos de agua continentales del norte de Chile (18-27°S) se caracterizan por su alta salinidad y baja riqueza de especies. Este estudio presenta observaciones en terreno de asociaciones de especies muestreadas en lagunas poco profundas en la region de Antofagasta, en el norte de Chile (23°S). Se aplico una matriz de presencia y ausencia de especies para calcular un indice de Jaccard de similitud de comunidades y probar un modelo nulo de asociaciones de especies con el objetivo de determinar si las asociaciones de especies son aleatorias. Los resultados de los calculos del indice de Jaccard indican la existencia de grupos definidos, incluyendo tres sitios con Artemia franciscana , dos sitios con Boeckella poopoensis y un ultimo sitio con el ostracodo Sarscypridopsis aculeata . Los resultados del analisis por modelo nulo denotan la presencia de factores reguladores solo en la simulacion fijo-fijo, que es la mas robusta respecto a las dos restantes, las cuales indican que las asociaciones de especies son aleatorias. Los resultados del indice de Jaccard y la simulacion del modelo nulo con resultados significativos esta de acuerdo con otras descripciones ecologicas previas donde la salinidad es el determinante principal de las asociaciones de especies, mientras que las dos similaciones del modelo nulo no significativas podrian deberse al bajo numero de especies observadas. Se discutio la ecologia y biogeografia de las comunidades.
Seed production and subsequent seed germination of Senecio vulgaris (groundsel) grown alone or in autumn‐sown crops

Senecio vulgaris is a common weed of agriculture in the UK, but is also of food value to invertebrates and birds. Thus, it may be beneficial to retain it within agricultural ecosystems to enhance overall biodiversity. A less intensive approach to weed management requires a sound understanding of weed population dynamics so as to avoid unacceptable population growth. Experiments were carried out in 2003 and 2004 to assess seed production, and subsequent germination, by S. vulgaris growing alone, in winter wheat, or in winter field beans. Plant and seed samples were collected during May and June. There was a strong allometric relationship between capsule number and plant weight, irrespective of the year or the presence of crop competition. Numbers of seeds/capsule varied slightly from 51 to 66 seeds per capsule. Plants growing alone were estimated to produce 8471 to 12 887 seeds per plant, whilst those in wheat only 923 to 2156. Germination tests in Petri dishes in incubators showed that virtually all seeds were viable and germinated under daily alternating light:dark conditions within 10 days. Seeds in continuous dark germinated less readily, reaching only 30% after 21 days. On the basis of this and other published work, it would appear that the retention of S. vulgaris in arable fields will not pose a major threat to the long-term viability of crop production.
Automated Security Analysis for Microservice Architecture

Designing a software system that applied the microservice architecture style is a challenging task, as its characteristics are vulnerable to various security attacks. Software architect, therefore, needs to pinpoint the security flaws in the design before the implementation can proceed. This task is error-prone as it requires manual analysis on the design model, to identify security threats and trace possible attack scenarios. This paper presents an automated security analysis approach for microservice architecture. Our approach can automatically identify security threats according to a collection of formally defined security characteristics and provide an insightful result that demonstrates how the attack scenarios may happen. A collection of formally defined security characteristics can be extended to support other security characteristics not addressed in this paper.
Application of Simultaneous Localization and Mapping for Large-scale Manipulators in Unknown Environments

In this paper, we study the application of simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) for estimating the tool center point (TCP) 6 degrees-of-freedom (DOF) pose of a largescale hydraulic manipulator without a priori knowledge of the environment. We attach a stereo camera near the TCP of the manipulator and perform SLAM by utilizing the open source version of ORB-SLAM2. In offline experiments, the camera frame and the TCP frame are extrinsically calibrated using an iterative closest point search to match a point cloud of poses from the SLAM module with a point cloud of ground-truth TCP poses, which are obtained from joint encoder measurements along with a kinematic model of the manipulator. The estimated TCP trajectory provided by the SLAM is then compared to the ground-truth TCP trajectory. These preliminary experiments show that a pure visual SLAM algorithm can perform reasonably well in this application scenario. Limitations and future work are also discussed.
Frequency-Sweep-Range-Reconfigurable Complementary Linearly Chirped Microwave Waveform Pair Generation by Using a Fourier Domain Mode Locking Optoelectronic Oscillator Based on Stimulated Brillouin Scattering

A Fourier domain mode locking (FDML) optoelectronic oscillator (OEO) based on stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) is proposed to generate complementary linearly chirped microwave waveform (LCMW) pairs with flexibly-reconfigurable frequency sweep range and excellent frequency sweep linearity. The FDML OEO involves an SBS-based dual-passband microwave photonic filter with its two passbands linearly and fast scanning in the opposite direction at an identical frequency sweep rate, which is realized by using a single laser source to obtain a fast frequency sweep probe light and a two-tone pump light through electro-optic modulation. A proof-of-concept experiment is carried out to demonstrate the proposed scheme. In the experiment, frequency-sweep-range-reconfigurable complementary LCMW pairs with period of 20.5 μs are generated in the range of 5 GHz to 18 GHz, where the maximum time-bandwidth product and chirp rate are 82000 and ±0.195 GHz/µs, respectively. Most importantly, the frequency sweep linearity is measured to be 1.76%, which is much better than the results obtained in the existing FDML OEOs.