Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Title: Seedling establishment in a deciduous and an evergreen oak under simulated climate

16 Climate change constitutes a major threat to global biodiversity and to the success of natural 17 and assisted tree regeneration. Oaks are among the most emblematic tree species in the 18 Northern Hemisphere, so it is crucial to understand the impact of changing climate on 19 seedling recruitment and early development. In this study, we investigated the effect of air 20 warming on the early development of one deciduous species – Quercus faginea – and one 21 evergreen species – Quercus ilex subsp . ballota . Acorns of both species were seeded in an 22 alluvial valley in southern Spain and subjected to an air warming treatment with Open-Top 23 Chambers (OTC), which increased air temperature by 2ºC. We monitored seedling 24 emergence, growth, chlorophyll concentration, and mortality in the first growing season. The 25 simulated climate change treatment accelerated plant emergence in early spring, reduced 26 spring shoot growth, and increased mortality from ~23% in control plots to ~40% inside 27 OTCs. Although Q. ilex and Q. faginea are sympatric species, Q. faginea showed lower 28 performance under simulated climate change in terms of growth. In addition, acorn fresh 29 weight was positively related with the probability and speed of emergence (only for Q. 30 faginea ), seedling size, and relative chlorophyll content, and plants that emerged earlier had 31 a greater likelihood of surviving. In short, larger acorns partly counter-balanced the negative 32 impact of temperature increase on plants. This study highlights the importance of 33 understanding plant response to climate change both to forecast potential changes in 34 species composition and to choose adequate species and traits such as acorn size in 35 restoration projects.
Working Paper Series Forecasting housing investment

This study applies a model averaging approach to conditionally forecast housing investment in the largest euro area countries and the euro area. To account for substantial modelling uncertainty, it estimates many vector error correction models (VECMs) using a wide set of short and long-run determinants and selects the most promising specifications based on in-sample and out-of-sample criteria. Our results highlight marked cross-country heterogeneity in the key drivers of housing investment which calls for country-specific housing market policies. A pseudo out-of-sample forecast exercise shows that our model averaging approach beats a battery of ambitious benchmark models, including BVARs, FAVARs, LASSO and Ridge regressions. This suggests that there is ample scope for model averaging tools in forecast exercises, notably as they also help to reduce model uncertainty and can be used to assess forecast uncertainty.
A process-based analysis of Arctic Ocean warming in response to increasing CO2

Using an ensemble of atmosphere–ocean general circulation models 7 (AOGCMs) in an idealized climate change experiment, this study evaluates the 8 contribution of diﬀerent ocean processes to Arctic Ocean warming. On the AOGCM-9 mean, the Arctic Ocean warming is greater than the global ocean warming in the 10 volume mean, and at most depths within the upper 2000 m. The Arctic warming 11 is greatest a few 100 m below the surface and is dominated by the import of extra 12 heat which is added to the ocean at lower latitude and is conveyed to the Arctic 13 via the large-scale barotropic ocean circulation. The change in strength of this 14 circulation in the North Atlantic is relatively small and not correlated with the 15 Arctic Ocean warming. The Arctic Ocean warming is opposed and substantially 16 mitigated by the weakening of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation 17 (AMOC), though the magnitude of this eﬀect has a large model spread. By reduc-18 ing the northward transport of heat, the AMOC weakening causes a redistribution 19 of heat from high latitude to low latitude. Within the Arctic Ocean, the propa-20 gation of heat anomalies is inﬂuenced by broadening of cyclonic circulation in the 21 east and weakening of anticyclonic circulation in the west. On the model-mean, 22 the Arctic Ocean warming is most pronounced in the Eurasian Basin, with large 23 spread across the AOGCMs, and accompanied by subsurface cooling by diapycnal 24 mixing and heat redistribution by mesoscale eddies. 25
Short-term responses of meat ewes facing an acute nutritional challenge in early-mid lactation

Abstract Simulating a consequence of a climate change event on feed availability, responses of Mediterranean meat ewes facing an acute undernutritional challenge (CHA; i.e., fed only low nutritional value cereal straw) were evaluated at a sensitive physiological stage (i.e., early suckling). Forty Romane ewes were chosen at early-mid pregnancy (around 2 mo) according to parity (20 primiparous, PRIM; 20 multiparous, MULT); feed efficiency genetic line of their sires (residual feed intake [RFI]; efficient, RFI−, n = 10 per parity; inefficient, RFI+, n = 10 per parity); litter size (i.e., bearing twins, diagnosed by ultrasonography); body weight (BW, kg) and body condition score (BCS) (initial BW and BCS [mean ± SD]: 51.6 ± 7.41 kg; 2.5 ± 0.20, respectively; representing flock’ averages per parity). Effects on dry matter intake (DMI), ewes’ BW and BCS, subcutaneous dorsal fat thickness (DFT), energy metabolism (plasma non-esterified fatty acids [NEFA], β-hydroxybutyrate (β-OHB), glucose, urea, triiodothyronine [T3]), and lambs’ growth (BW and average daily gain [ADG]; g/d) were examined before, during and after CHA. Individuals’ profiles of the response-recovery to CHA were described using a piecewise mixed-effects model. The fixed effect of parity and genetic line and the random effect of individual (ewe) were considered. A linear mixed-effects model was fitted to explore the effects on lambs’ growth. The 2-d straw-only CHA had significant effects on most of the recorded parameters. Meaningful drops and recoveries were observed on ewes’ DMI, BW, and DFT with effect on postchallenge levels. BW, BCS, DFT, or DMI were also affected by parity (MULT > PRIM) but not by genetic line. Plasma NEFA, β-OHB, glucose, urea, and T3 responded well to CHA with drops in T3, urea, and glucose levels, whereas NEFA and β-OHB significantly increased after CHA. MULT ewes presented sharper β-OHB recovery from CHA than PRIM (P ≤ 0.05). With this study, we provide tangible and necessary data for an emerging field of research. Our results give new insights into how such a short and abrupt CHA affects some key zootechnical and physiological parameters, and to what extent the impacts of CHA and the ewes’ response-recovery are influenced. It also revealed potential between-individual differences in the adaptive capacities of ewes, which require further exploration.
A generalized approach to characterize optical properties of natural objects

To understand the diversity of ways in which natural materials interact with light, it is important to consider how their reflectance changes with the angle of illumination or viewing and to consider wavelengths beyond the visible. Efforts to characterize these optical properties, however, have been hampered by heterogeneity in measurement techniques, parameters and terminology. Here, we propose a standardized set of measurements, parameters and terminology to describe the optical properties of natural objects based on spectrometry, including angle-dependent effects, such as iridescence and specularity. We select a set of existing measurements and parameters that are generalizable to any wavelength range and spectral shape, and we highlight which subsets of measures are relevant to different biological questions. As a case study, we have applied these measures to 30 species of Christmas beetles, in which we observed previously unrealized diversity in visible and near-infrared reflectance. As expected, reflection of short wavelengths was associated with high spectral purity and angle dependence. In contrast to simple, artificial structures, iridescence and specularity were not strongly correlated, highlighting the complexity and modularity of natural materials. Species did not cluster according to spectral parameters or genus, suggesting high lability of optical properties. The proposed standardization of measures and parameters will improve our understanding of biological adaptations for manipulating light by facilitating the systematic comparison of complex optical properties, such as glossy or metallic appearances and visible or near-infrared iridescence.
Voices of IB Learners: Social Justice Education in the EFL Classroom – Opening Doors to a More Communicative Approach

This research article describes a qualitative study conducted with 14 high school seniors currently enrolled in the International Baccalaureate Diploma program at a private educational institution in Cuenca, Ecuador. This article aims to explore the impact of social justice issue-based education on the development of oral communication in the English as a foreign language classroom. As part of the process, it was essential to analyze the participants’ perceptions and experiences as integral components of language learning. The data obtained was collected in two phases. First, a questionnaire composed of six questions was applied to explore the students’ perceptions of the issue in question. In the second phase, a discussion was held with the intervention of a focus group including five students, which allowed them to openly share their points of view on the subject of this exploration. In this way, it was evident that the topics related to social justice had a positive impact on the development of the student’s oral communication and that they constituted a useful learning approach for students to increase their knowledge of English. The results achieved through the present study aim to improve English-language teaching at different levels, and consequently strengthen oral communication development in class.
Аn Unusual Case of an Epidural Lesion of the Lumbar Spine: Tumor or Hematoma?

Spinal epidural hematoma is a rare clinical entity with an incidence of approximately one per 1,000,000 patients per year. Spinal epidural hematoma is a lesion that can cause spinal cord compression or cauda equina syndrome. We report a clinical case of а 69-year-old male patient who presented to the Neurosurgery Clinic of the General Hospital for Active Treatment “Dobrich” with pain and weakness in both legs for two months after falling in the bathroom. MRI revealed an L2-L3 fracture and a formation in the L2-L3 epidural space, which was compressing the nerve roots. An operative treatment was performed under general anesthesia and, intraoperatively, it was discovered that the formation was a hematoma. Aspiration of the hematoma and decompression of the spinal canal were performed. An L2-L3 stabilization with pedicle screws was done due to total laminectomy and potential instability. Postoperatively, the patient was mobilized on the day after intervention, and no surgery-related complications were observed. The patient experienced relief from his symptoms and was discharged on the fifth day. Six months post-surgery, the patient started to experience pain in his left leg. Radiography showed coxarthrosis on the left hip joint and the patient was referred to the orthopedics for further treatment.
The Interplay of Task Complexity (± Here-and-Now) and Students’ Proficiency in the Written Narratives in English as a Foreign Language

Task-Based Language Teaching has witnessed growing interest in the impact of task complexity on Second language (L2) learners’ linguistic performance. Within this field, the influence of resource-directing and resource-dispersing features of cognitive task complexity has attracted much attention. Research on task complexity focuses on the influence of different task features on language learners’ production in terms of linguistic complexity, accuracy, fluency and lexis. Within this field, a line of investigation that has attracted much attention is the influence of resource-directing and resource-dispersing features of cognitive task complexity. The review is helpful for better understanding of task complexity and allows to draw some preliminary pedagogical implications that may be useful for task-based syllabus design.
Paleoecologic, paleoclimatic, and evolutionary significance of the Oligocene Creede flora, Colorado

Application of multivariate statistical techniques, especially correspondence analysis, results in the recognition of four major communities for the Creede plant assemblages: fir-spruce forest, fir-pine forest, pine-juniper forest or woodland, and mountain mahogany chaparral. Physiognomy of the Creede assemblages indicates a mean annual temperature of <2.5°C. Paleoaltitudinal estimates based on this temperature estimate are inconsistent with physiographic and structural data of post-depositional uplift, unless the climatic effects of a closed basin are factored in; these effects imply that the Creede paleotemperature (and hence paleoaltitude) is applicable to the caldera rim. A variety of data indicate that summers were dry and most precipitation occurred as snow. The stratigraphic sequence of assemblages indicates that significant precipitational change occurred during deposition of the Creede plant-bearing beds. Chamaebatiaria, a shrub that now inhabits dry, open environments, had an ancestral taxon characteristic of the Creede fir-forest communities and strongly indicates a major shift in habitat for this lineage during the Neogene. A second genus, Luetkea, which is now herbaceous, is represented by a probable woody ancestral taxon that was common in the Creede forest communities. Consideration of the adaptive and morphologic histories of the Creede lineages suggests that physiologic adaptation may precede morphologic change. The Creede forest communities have no modern homologues.
Soil disturbance caused by ground-based skidding at different soil moisture conditions in Northern Iran

ABSTRACT Skidding operations induce considerable and wide spread soil disturbance. It is unclear how much additional damage is caused by increased soil moisture content at the time of skidding. We visually assessed 16 categories of soil surface disturbances, measured surface layer bulk density, porosity, and rutting in two oriental beech sites in northern Iran following five frequencies of traffic on two slope gradients with 19% and 33% soil moisture content. At both moisture contents, the most severe soil disturbances occurred with more frequent equipment traffic and on steeper slopes. Soil disturbances were detected on 65% of the harvested area at lower and 87% at higher moisture content. Bulk density, porosity, and rut depth were significantly affected by traffic frequency, trail slope and moisture content. Bulk density nearly reached critical values of 1.4-1.55 g cm–3 after 7 passes at higher and 12 passes at lower moisture content. Adverse effects on porosity caused by increased traffic and trail slope increased with increasing soil moisture content. Rutting was observed after one and seven passes at high and low moisture content, respectively, and was deeper on steeper slopes. To minimize disturbance, ground-based skidding should be limited to times when soil moisture content is low.
Predictive controllers for synchronous reluctance motor drive systems

This paper proposes the design and implementation of predictive controllers for synchronous reluctance motor drive systems to enhance their dynamic responses. The predictive speed and current controllers in this paper are designed in systematic procedures. The predictive speed controller is implemented by using Laguerre function procedure. The Laguerre function is used to simplify the algorithm and to minimize the execution time of the digital signal processor. For predictive current controller, a finite control set method improves the current tracking ability. The measured currents are used to predict the future phase-current based on the motor model. The optimal control inputs of both predictive controllers are determined by using a cost function minimization method. Experimental results show the proposed drive system provides a wide adjustable speed range, from 2 r/min to 1800 r/min. It has better performance than a proportional-integral (PI) controller including fast rise time, which is 0.9 second, small steady state error, which is 0.32 r/min, and small current ripples. A 32-bit floating-point digital signal processor, TMS-320-F-28335 DSP, is employed to implement the control algorithms.
Application of a Three‐Dimensional Coupled Hydrodynamic‐Ice Model to Assess Spatiotemporal Variations in Ice Cover and Underlying Mechanisms in Lake Nam Co, Tibetan Plateau, 2007–2017

A three‐dimensional lake‐ice coupled model is used to investigate the space‐time variations of ice and underlying mechanisms in Lake Nam Co (LNC), the third largest lake over Tibetan Plateau (TP), during 2007–2017. The model reasonably reproduces the in situ measured ice thickness and water temperature profile, and satellite retrieved ice coverage and lake surface temperature. Seasonally, the lake ice first forms in the eastern basin during early January, expands from east to west during January and February, covers nearly the entire LNC in March, starts melting from west to east in April, and eventually disappears in May. The eastward drift of thin ice throughout the ice‐covered phase and the eastward water heat transport during the ice melting phase are key factors to determine the spatial variation of ice and freeze‐thaw processes. A multiple linear regression analysis confirms that the eastward drift of thin ice can be mostly attributed to the prevailing westerly. During 2007–2017, ice volume, duration, ice‐on and ice‐off dates show significant interannual variations, and they are highly correlated with the surface air temperature (T2m) averaged over January‐March, from the preceding December to May, in December and over March–May, respectively, suggesting the “cumulative effects” of T2m. Seasonal and interannual variations of ice drift are attributed to the combined effects of wind and ice volume variations. Sensitivity analysis further points out the important impacts of ice on the lake temperature and circulation structure in winter and spring, hence the necessity of hydrodynamic‐ice coupled models in large TP lakes.
Does the Medical Staff Performance are Determined by Altruism Behavior, Intellectual Capital, and Work Motivation?

Introduction: Performance is determined by intellectual capital, behavioral altruism, and motivations that is directed toward a determined behavior. In practice, it is difficult to describe the action aspect of performance without referring to the outcome aspect. While performance is important as one of the indicators for hospitals for organizational continuity in providing complete services. Objective: This study aims to be able to evaluate the factors that determine the employeesâ€™ performance to be able to meet the organizational goals. More specifically, to find out how Altruism and Intellectual Capital affect performance mediated by work motivation. Methods: This study was conducted using primary data, namely by distributing questionnaires to respondents. SPSS and AMOS are used as statistical tools in processing the research data. Results: The results of the study found that the behavior of altruism, Intellectual capital, and work motivation simultaneously affects healthcare performance; altruism behavior affects motivation and performance; intellectual capital has a significant positive effect on motivation and performance; performance is determined by motivation positively but insignificantly; And motivation does not have a mediator role for the influence of altruism and intellectual capital behavior on performance. Conclusion: The Managerial Implications that can be applied by the management of Karya Medika 1 Hospital are by strengthening factors that can increase the employees' performance
Implementation of the Accelerated Stunting Handling Program

The East Bogor District Government implemented an accelerated stunting handling program to reduce stunting. This research aims to evaluate the effectiveness of implementing the acceleration program for handling stunting in the East Bogor Regency. The research method used is descriptive quantitative research. Data was collected through interviews and questionnaires given to respondents. The collected data was analyzed using the Weight Mean Score (WMS) method to calculate the average score of respondents. The research results show that the program accelerates treatment stunting in East Bogor District, Bogor City, which is very good. The dimensions of communication, resources, attitude of implementers, bureaucratic structure, and provision of PMT and MPASI show an average score of 87%, included in the perfect criteria. In the PMT and MPASI dimensions, the average score reached 90%, indicating the program's success in terms of PMT and MPASI. These results show that the East Bogor District Government firmly understands the importance of appointing bureaucrats/program implementers, providing work motivation incentives, and responding well to statutory regulations. This research can be a basis for developing and improving treatment programs that are more effective in the East Bogor District and contribute to efforts to overcome problems in the region.
WITHIN-SLOPE VARIABILITY OF GROUND HEAT FLUX, SUBARCTIC YUKON

This study examined local variability of heat flux within a north-facing hillslope in Wolf Creek basin, Yukon, during the thawed season of 1997. Ground heat flux was calculated by: (1) assessing vertical conduction and convection inputs (QGv) using near-surface temperature gradients and rainfall and (2) combining the sensible heat from ground temperature change with the latent heat associated with melting ground ice (QGs). Seasonally, the coefficient of variation (cv) of QGv was 20%, with most of the variation accounted for by changes in wetness and soil properties. Vertical convection of heat by infiltrating rainfall accounted for less than 3% of QGv. Measurements of QGs, which incorporate lateral heat transfer associated with groundwater flow, has a cv of 40%. Footslope sites do not have permafrost because of downslope advection of heat from groundwater and QGs was 2 to 3 times greater than upslope permafrost sites. QGv and QGs were similar at the upslope locations, however, the active layer depth varies depending on the ice content of the frozen soil. [Key words: ground heat flux, permafrost, subarctic, energy balance. ]