Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Demographic drivers of local population decline in Tree Swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) in Ontario, Canada

ABSTRACT Bird species around the world are threatened with extinction. In North America, aerial insectivores are experiencing particularly severe population declines. To conserve these species, we need to know which life stages have the largest influence on population growth. We monitored a box-nesting population of Tree Swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) from 1975 to 2017. From this long-term dataset, we derived estimates of 9 vital rates: clutch size, reproductive attempts, and overwinter return for 2 age classes of adult females, and hatching, fledging, and juvenile recruitment rates. We conducted a life-stage simulation analysis on this population based on a 3-stage, female-based population projection matrix to determine which of these vital rates had the greatest influence on overall population growth rate. We determined each vital rate's sensitivity (i.e. the effect of a small change in each vital rate on population growth), elasticity (i.e. the effect of a proportional change in each vital rate on population growth), and ability to explain variation in population growth rate. Juvenile recruitment, female return for both age classes, and fledging success determine population growth because they have high sensitivity, elasticity, and explained large amounts of variation in population growth rate. Contrary to expectations, the number of nesting attempts, clutch size, and hatch rate have little impact on population growth rate. To stem Tree Swallow decline, and potentially the declines we see across the aerial insectivores, fledging success or overwinter survival must increase.
Jointly Part-of-Speech Tagging and Semantic Role Labeling Using Auxiliary Deep Neural Network Model

: Previous studies have shown that there is potential semantic dependency between part-of-speech and semantic roles. At the same time, the predicate-argument structure in a sentence is important information for semantic role labeling task. In this work, we introduce the auxiliary deep neural network model, which models semantic dependency between part-of-speech and semantic roles and incorporates the information of predicate-argument into semantic role labeling. Based on the framework of joint learning, part-of-speech tagging is used as an auxiliary task to improve the result of the semantic role labeling. In addition, we introduce the argument recognition layer in the training process of the main task-semantic role labeling, so the argument-related structural information selected by the predicate through the attention mechanism is used to assist the main task. Because the model makes full use of the semantic dependency between part-of-speech and semantic roles and the structural information of predicate-argument, our model achieved the F1 value of 89.0% on the WSJ test set of CoNLL2005, which is superior to existing state-of-the-art model about 0.8%.
Cooperative Wireless-Powered NOMA Relaying for B5G IoT Networks With Hardware Impairments and Channel Estimation Errors

Massive connectivity and limited energy are main challenges for the beyond 5G (B5G)-enabled massive Internet of Things (IoT) to maintain diversified Qualify of Service (QoS) of the huge number of IoT device users. Motivated by these challenges, this article studies the performance of cooperative simultaneous wireless information and power transfer (SWIPT) nonorthogonal multiple access (NOMA) for massive IoT systems. Under the practical assumption, residual hardware impairments (RHIs) and channel estimation errors (CEEs) are taken into account. The communication between the base station (BS) and two NOMA IoT device users is realized through a direct link and the assistance of multiple relays with finite energy storage capability that can harvest energy from the BS. Aiming at improving the system performance, an optimal relay is selected among $K$ relays by using the partial relay selection (PRS) protocol to forward the received signal to the two NOMA IoT device users, namely, the far user (FU) and near user (NU). To evaluate the system performance, exact analytical expressions for the outage probability (OP) are derived in closed form. In order to get a better understanding of the overall system performance, we further undertake diversity order analyses by deriving asymptotic expressions for the OP in the high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) regime. In addition, we also investigate the energy efficiency (EE) of the considered system, which is a crucial performance metric in massive IoT systems so that the impact of key system parameters on the performance can be quantified. Finally, the optimal power allocation scheme to maximize the sum rate of the considered system in the high SNR regime is also designed. Numerical results have shown that: 1) hardware impairment parameter has a deleterious effect on system performance while the channel estimation parameter is always beneficial to the OP; 2) the expected performance improvements obtained by the user of PRS protocol are enhanced by increasing the number of relays; and 3) the proposed power allocation scheme can optimize the sum-rate performance of the considered system.
Does Goods And Services Spendings Reduce Income Inequality? A Panel Data Evidence From Indonesia

The main purposes of our study are to investigate the effect of goods & services spending (GSS) and social spending (SS) on income inequality (GR). Using a panel data set of 26 provinces in Indonesia from 2005 to 2015, panel vector autoregressive and Granger causality test are employed to explore the causal relationship of the variables. The study found out that the SS has a negative and significant effect on GR at the 2-period horizon. The GR has a positive and significant effect on the GSS at the 4-period horizon, but negative and significant effects at the 3-period horizon. The result of the Granger causality test indicates that there is a unidirectional causality running from GSS to SS, and bidirectional causality exists between GR and SS, and between GR and GSS.
Effect of dietary reduction and sex class on nutrient digestibility, nitrogen balance, excreted purine derivatives and infrared thermography of hair lambs

Abstract An experiment was conducted to evaluate whether dietary reduction and sex class affect nutrient intake, digestibility, purine derivative (PD) excretion and heat tolerance coefficient in lambs. Thirty-five hair lambs (14.5 ± 0.89 kg initial body weight (BW), 2 months old) were used in a completely randomized study with a 3 × 3 factorial arrangement, three sex classes (11 intact males, 12 castrated males and 12 females) and three levels of feeding (ad libitum, 300 and 600 g/kg/dry matter (DM) feed restriction) for 120 days. Intact and castrated males showed higher intakes of DM and neutral detergent fibre corrected for ash and protein (NDFap) than females. At 300 g/kg/DM feed restriction, NDFap digestibility was lower in intact males than in other classes; however, no differences were found between classes when subjected to ad libitum feeding or 600 g/kg/DM. The basal endogenous nitrogen and endogenous urinary losses were highest in intact males. Allantoin, uric acid and PD excretion, as well as PD absorption and microbial protein production were lowest in the animals subjected to 600 g/kg/DM feed restriction. Microbial protein synthesis (MPS) was highest in animals subjected to 600 g/kg/DM feed restriction. The lowest temperatures were observed in animals subjected to 600 g/kg/DM feed restriction. The heat tolerance coefficient was highest in animals subjected to 600 g/kg/DM feed restriction. In conclusion, feed restriction reduced the time spent on feeding and rumination but increased the digestibility of DM. The restriction level of 600 g/kg/DM maximized MPS and infrared thermography indicated an elevated heat tolerance coefficient.
Designing more effective practices for reducing workplace inequality

To explore the effectiveness of behavioral policy interventions on workplace inequality, we focus on four categories of interventions: affirmative action practices, targeted human resource management, diversity training, and accountability and transparency practices. We assess the impact of each of these approaches on improving employment outcomes for women and underrepresented minorities, and we highlight the approaches’ key design features. On the basis of this review, we offer recommendations for developing and implementing organizational policies and practices to increase workforce diversity and career growth at all levels and to decrease discrimination in the workplace. We also suggest directions for researchers, organizations, policymakers, and regulatory bodies to pursue.
Essays in international finance

In this dissertation, I offer two essays on international finance with particular attention to the sovereign debt maturity structure along with the dilution problem and interbank credit crisis that propagates from one country to another. First one is a study on the effect of varying maturity structure on the default probabilities and prices of bonds with and without the dilution problem while the later one develops a financially integrated twocountry model with moral hazard and asymmetric information in the banking sector of the economy where endogenously determined interest rates in the economy may cause interbank credit freeze due to overaccumulation of assets and/or a mild productivity shock. In “Sovereign Debt Maturity Structure and Dilution”, I investigate different maturity structure of sovereign bonds; starting from short-term bonds only. I assume that the sovereign can issue only short-term bonds or long-term bonds, and then extended the work with both shortand long-term bonds. Finally, I also investigate what happens to the default probabilities and the prices of bonds if there is a compensation covenant in the sovereign debt contracts for the long-term bondholders to mitigate the dilution problem. The finding is that the maturity structure of sovereign bonds plays an important role in determining the default probabilities and bond prices. Sovereign can improve these by issuing both type of bonds. Moreover, inclusion of the compensation covenant mitigates the dilution problem of sovereign debt in a larger scale when the maturity of long-term bonds is sufficiently high.
SCREEN HOUSE TEST OF EIGHT BIOPESTICIDE FORMULATION BACILLUS SUBTILIS AGAINST DOWNY MILDEW, PERONOSCLEROSPORA PHILIPINENSIS, ON CORN PLANT

Screen House Test of Eight Biopesticide Formulation Bacillus subtilis against Downy Mildew, Peronosclerospora philipinensis, on Corn Plant. Corn downy mildew (DM) caused by Peronosclerospora spp. is a major constraint to the decline in maize production because it can cause yield loss up to 100%. So far, DM was successfully controlled with metalxyl fungicide. But lately, the effectiveness of this fungicide has begun to decline, so there is a need for an appropriate and environmentally friendly control alternative, one of which is the use of biological control agents. The aim of this study was to know the influence of eight types of biopesticide formulation of Bacillus subtilis in controlling DM of corn plant. The study was conducted at the screenhouse of the Indonesian Cereals Research Institute at Maros from November to December 2016. The treatments were arranged in a randomized block design with nine treatments and three replications. The treatment consisted of seed treatment with eight types of B. subtilis formulations (TM4, TM3, BNt4, BNt5, BNt6, BNt8, BJ6, and TLB1) and one treatment with sterile water (control). The variety used was Anoman which is known to be highly susceptible to DM. The variables observed included number of germination, the incidence and incubation period of disease, plant height, and dry weight of the plant. The results showed that the eight B. subtilis formulations had the potential to suppress DM in corn. The symptom of DM began to be seen at 18 days after planting (DAP) on the treatment of BNt8, while the controls have been seen at 12 HST. B. subtilis TM formulation has the highest potential to suppress DM with the percentage of disease suppression reaching 63.1%.
Effectiveness of Core Stability Exercises with and without Physioball on Chronic Low Back Ache in Young Females: A Quasi-Experimental Study

Objective: To compare the effectiveness of core stability exercises with and without Physioball in chronic low back pain and functional ability in young female students of a private medical college. Methodology: A quasi-experimental study with non-probability convenience sampling technique from March 2019 to January 2020 carried out at Bahria University College of Physical Therapy Karachi. Inclusion was female with history of chronic mechanical and postural backache for more than 12 weeks, age 18-22 years. Exclusion criteria were those on pain killer medications for backache or having pathological back ache. Participants were divided into two groups. Group A were given core stability exercises with Physioball, which include back extension hold, sit ups and forward backward and side rolls. Group B were given core stability exercises without Physioball (Floor Mat), including superman, beetles and bridging. Three sessions per week for 6 weeks once in a day followed by warm up and cool down exercises. Pre and Post assessments through Visual Analogue Scale and The Roland-Morris Low Back Pain and Disability Questionnaire Results: A total of 70 participants were included. Mean pre-assessment of group A was 4.70 ± 0.91 and postassessment was 0.96 ± 0.52 with significant p value of<0.0001. Group B pre-assessment mean score was 5.32 ± 1.52 and post-assessment mean score was 1.36 ± 0.87 with significant p value of <0.001. Group B participants showed improvement in trunk stability and balance control whereas group A observed better results. Conclusion: Core stability exercises with Physioball showed better pain management, trunk control and balance as compared with floor mat exercises.
Modelling Corporate Probability of Default – A Possible Supervisory Benchmark Model

In recent years, supervisory bodies around the world have lost some of their confidence in the estimations of credit risk parameters at banks applying the internal ratings-based methodology. Supervisory experience shows that differences in risk metrics and ultimately in regulatory capital requirement levels stem primarily from inconsistencies in the modelling techniques applied and the various methodological approaches, rather than from any actual differences between the inherent risks of bank portfolios. To avoid this unwanted effect, in its supervisory review of banks’ internal capital adequacy assessment process, the Central Bank of Hungary (Magyar Nemzeti Bank, MNB) aims at specifying the necessary capital requirements by developing and applying harmonised benchmark models. This study shows how it is possible to estimate a probability of default (PD) for corporate portfolios, which is based on large banks’ corporate default rate data series and available corporate financial data, uses a harmonised methodology that factors in differences between the credit quality ratings of various customers, and is suitable for the supervisor’s calculation of the capital requirement for any given bank. Nonetheless, there may also be other factors in addition to individual financial data (e.g. qualitative expert elements, sector information) that may affect credit quality; identifying these may be one of the objectives of benchmark model development.
Interactions between bivalve filter feeding and oceanographic forcing drive the fluxes of organic matter and nutrients at an estuarine-coastal interface

Fluxes of nutrients and organic matter between estuaries and the open coast comprise an important component of ecosystem connectivity. Nevertheless, relatively little is known about how oceanographic processes, for example onshore retention of water in the coastal boundary layer, interact with major sinks for particulate organic matter such as bivalve filter feeding within inlets and estuaries. To investigate this interaction, total fluxes of water, nutrients (NH4, NOx and PO4) and chlorophyll a between Waitati Inlet on the wave-exposed coast of the South Island, New Zealand, and the coastal ocean were quantified over 40 tidal cycles. We found de clines in total flux of phytoplankton and increases in flux of NH4 between flood and ebb tides. Net declines in phytoplankton biomass followed a Type II functional response curve, consistent with consumption by the large biomass of filter feeding bivalves within the inlet; however, an asymptote was not reached for the highest concentrations, indicating that feeding was likely limited by exposure time rather than concentration of food relative to biomass. An information–theoretic framework was then used to infer the most likely combination of environmental conditions influencing total fluxes of phytoplankton into the inlet. Onshore wind stress, wave transport and salinity explained 90% of the variation in flux of phytoplankton entering the inlet on flood tides. These results highlight the importance of the interaction between oceanographic forcing and bivalve filter feeding in modulating material dynamics and connectivity between estuaries and the coastal ocean.
A review on the botanical aspects, phytochemical contents and pharmacological activities of Warburgia ugandensis

Warburgia ugandensis Sprague (Family Canellacea) commonly known as Ugandan greenheart or pepper bark tree, is a highly valued medicinal plant in traditional medicine with a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity whose parts especially the leaves and stem bark have for long been used in the treatment and management of many diseases and health conditions such as stomachache, cough, toothache, fever, malaria, oral thrush, measles and diarrhea in African communities where the plant occurs. This review focused on the phytochemical contents, medicinal uses and antimicrobial activities of W. ugandensis based on published peer reviewed articles. This review established that the high therapeutic value of W. ugandensis is attributed to the abundance of drimane sesquiterpenes in its stem bark and leaves. These chemicals have also made the plant to have potent antibacterial and antifungal activities. However, more pre-clinical and clinical trials need to be done to further validate the traditional medicine applications of W. ugandensis for possible drug discovery. Due to its high demand, W. ugandensis has been over exploited and hence its population is in drastic decline. Consequently, there is need for development of advanced and more rapid propagation techniques to increase its population and distribution in its natural environment to meet the ever-increasing demand. Key words: Antimicrobial, Canellaceae, medicinal uses, phytochemicals, Warburgia ugandensis.
Alcoholism and the politics of total prohibition in Tamil Nadu state, India: A historical and sociological overview

The consumption of alcohol in one form or other has prevailed throughout the history of the world. The first half of this paper deals with the sociocultural roots of alcoholism and drinking habits in ancient India, besides discussing its socioeconomic implications and impact on several areas of life. In the second half, it presents the history of the implementation and repeal of total prohibition in Tamil Nadu state against the backdrop of incumbent Dravidian political parties and a series of statewide anti-liquor protests during 2016 –2017.
DEVELOPMENT OF VOLATILE COMPOUNDS OF AVOCADO AND CASIMIROA DURING FRUIT MATURATION

Avocado fruits (Persea americana Mill) cv. Fuerte and white sapote (Casimiroa edulis) cv. Rotaceae cultivated in Egypt were collected at different maturity stages:green mature,commercial ripe and over ripe stages. The headspace volatiles of each maturity stage was isolated and subjected to gas chromatography- mass spectrometric analy-sis. A total of 43 components were identified in avocado aroma including; terpenes (15), esters (8), aldehydes (8), alcohols (6), ketones (2), thiazoles (l), pyridines (1), toluene and acetic acid, where as 18 compounds were, identified in casimiroa aro-ma, they contained (4) esters, (6) alcohols, (4) aldehydes, (3) terpenes and (1) ketone. Ethanol (Z)-3- hexenol and (E)-2- hexenal were the major constituents in green and ripe fruits of avocado whereas they decreased at the final stage of matu-ration. Over ripe avocado fruits had the highest content of esters (ethyl ethanoate, ethyl acetate and methyl propanoate) and terpenoides especially d-limonene and z-nerolidol. Esters and alcohols comprised more than 85% of the total concentra-tion of volatiles in casimiroa fruits during three stages of maturation. The highest content of ethyl butanoate (sweet and fruity aroma) and ethanol revealed the most prominent effect on consumer acceptability of the cosimiroa flavour attributes. It is obvious that maturation of the fruits was associ-ated with remarkable changes in the volatiles that mainly affect their flavour.
Warming impacts on early life stages increase the vulnerability and delay the population recovery of a long‐lived habitat‐forming macroalga

Understanding the combined effects of global and local stressors is crucial for conservation and management, yet challenging due to the different scales at which these stressors operate. Here, we examine the effects of one of the most pervasive threats to marine biodiversity, ocean warming, on the early life stages of the habitat‐forming macroalga Cystoseira zosteroides, its long‐term consequences for population resilience, and its combined effect with physical stressors. First, we performed a controlled laboratory experiment exploring the impacts of warming on early life stages. Settlement and survival of germlings were measured at 16°C (control), 20°C, and 24°C, and both processes were affected by increased temperatures. Then, we integrated this information into stochastic, density‐dependent integral projection models. Recovery time after a major disturbance significantly increased in warmer scenarios. The stochastic population growth rate (λs) was not strongly affected by warming alone, as high adult survival compensated for thermal‐induced recruitment failure. Nevertheless, warming coupled with recurrent physical disturbances had a strong impact on λs and population viability. Synthesis. The impact of warming effects on early stages may significantly decrease the natural ability of habitat‐forming algae to rebound after major disturbances. These findings highlight that, in a global warming context, populations of deep‐water macroalgae will become more vulnerable to further disturbances, and stress the need to incorporate abiotic interactions into demographic models.
E uropean X tramile C entre of A frican S tudies (EXCAS) EXCAS Working Paper

“ Replications are an important part of the research process because they allow for greater confidence in the findings ” (McEwan, Carpenter & Westerman, 2018, p. 235). This study extends Lashitew, van Tulder and Liasse (2019, RP) by addressing the concern of multicollinearity that affects the signs and significance of estimated coefficients. This article investigates nexuses between innovations in mobile money and financial inclusion in developing countries. Demand and supply factors that affect the diffusion of mobile services as well as macro-level institutional and economic factors are taken on board. The empirical evidence is based on Tobit regressions. The study finds that when the empirical analysis is robust to multicollinearity, two main tendencies are apparent: the significant findings of Lashitew et al. (2019) are confirmed and many new significant estimated coefficients emerge. While this study confirms the findings of the underlying research, it also goes further to improve the harmony in narratives between the predictors and the outcome variables. Accordingly, by accounting for multicollinearity, the earlier findings are now more consistent across the set of predictors (i.e. demand and supply factors) and the attendant financial inclusion outcomes (i.e. mobile money accounts, mobile used to send money and mobile used to receive money).