Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Long-term effects of exclusion of grazing stock on degraded herbaceous plant communities in a riparian Eucalyptus camaldulensis forest in south-eastern Australia.

Stock grazing has degraded many riparian ecosystems around the world. However, the potential for ecosystem recovery following the removal of grazing stock is poorly known. We developed a conceptual model to predict the responses of native and exotic herbaceous plants to grazing exclusion, based on site productivity and the degree of initial vegetation degradation. The effects of excluding grazing stock on richness, cover and composition of herbaceous plants were examined over 12 years in the degraded understorey of a riparian forest in Gulpa Island State Forest in south-eastern Australia. We predicted that grazing exclusion would lead to limited changes in vegetation cover, richness and composition, owing to presumed low site productivity and the high degree of understorey degradation. Results showed that the cover, richness and composition of native and exotic species varied significantly among years. Over all plots, regions and years, total cover was slightly but significantly lower in grazed than in ungrazed plots (43.4% vs. 50.8%). While the cover of native plants increased over time in both treatments, the rate of increase was slightly greater in ungrazed plots. Grazing exclusion had no effect on the richness of native or exotic species, but had a significant but minor impact on plant composition, with different common species (mostly exotics) being promoted or diminished in ungrazed plots. The composition of grazed and ungrazed areas did not become more different over time. Overall, the effects that could be attributed to grazing exclusion were relatively minor and transient. Results are consistent with predictions based on site productivity and initial degradation, and should not be extrapolated to other more productive, or less degraded, riparian systems.
Growth Height Determination of Tree Walls for Precise Monitoring in Apple Fruit Production Using UAV Photogrammetry

In apple cultivation, spatial information about phenotypic characteristics of tree walls would be beneficial for precise orchard management. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) can collect 3D structural information of ground surface objects at high resolution in a cost-effective and versatile way by using photogrammetry. The aim of this study is to delineate tree wall height information in an apple orchard applying a low-altitude flight pattern specifically designed for UAVs. This flight pattern implies small distances between the camera sensor and the tree walls when the camera is positioned in an oblique view toward the trees. In this way, it is assured that the depicted tree crown wall area will be largely covered with a larger ground sampling distance than that recorded from a nadir perspective, especially regarding the lower crown sections. Overlapping oblique view images were used to estimate 3D point cloud models by applying structure-from-motion (SfM) methods to calculate tree wall heights from them. The resulting height models were compared with ground-based light detection and ranging (LiDAR) data as reference. It was shown that the tree wall profiles from the UAV point clouds were strongly correlated with the LiDAR point clouds of two years (2018: R² = 0.83; 2019: R² = 0.88). However, underestimation of tree wall heights was detected with mean deviations of -0.11 m and -0.18 m for 2018 and 2019, respectively. This is attributed to the weaknesses of the UAV point clouds in resolving the very fine shoots of apple trees. Therefore, the shown approach is suitable for precise orchard management, but it underestimated vertical tree wall expanses, and widened tree gaps need to be accounted for.
Edaphic Aridity as a Factor in Angiosperm Evolution

Ancient terranes of granitic and metamorphic rocks regularly form steep-sided mountains (bornhardts), domes, ridges, and plains. They provide dry edaphic sites in climatic regions ranging from wet tropical to desert, enabling edaphic deserts to occur in proximity to tropical rain forest, savanna and other types of vegetation, including those in temperate climates. Similar dry edaphic sites have been present throughout angiosperm history. Their scattered distribution and steep gradients of decreasing moisture have provided environmental opportunities that have encouraged the origin of taxa adapted to varying grades of drought. These arid sites may also have served as loci from which some taxa readapted to nearby moister sites. During periods of climatic amelioration, as in Cenomanian and later times, dry edaphic sites appear to have been local refugia for unique taxa adapted to drought whose decendants have persisted to the present. Inasmuch as evolutionary rate would tend to accelerate in local dry sites, the preceding relations may account for the rarity of "missing links" in the fossil plant record, for the "sudden appearance" in the record of taxa that are already fully evolved, and for the occurrence today of unique adaptive types that have no fossil record because they developed in dry edaphic sites remote from areas where most of the fossil record accumulated.
An Altitudinal And Stable Carbon Isotope Survey of C3 and C4 Graminoids On Mount Kenya

ABSTRACT An altitudinal survey of grasses and sedges was conducted on the Sirimon and Chogoria tracks on Mount Kenya to supplement previous surveys restricted to the Timau track. Thirty seven grasses and twenty three sedges were recorded and stable carbon isotope analysis was used to identify the photosynthetic pathway (C3 or C4) used by these species. The occurrence of a group of C4 graminoids was confirmed close above the tree line, and the literature suggests this may also hold for the Aberdares Range and other East African mountain massifs. Lower altitude graminoids are C3 forest species, and this distribution upsets the assumption that C4 gives way to C3 with increasing altitude. The significance of this is discussed in relation to the interpretation of palaeoenvironments through carbon stable isotope proxies.
A Statistical–Dynamical Methodology to Downscale Regional Climate Projections to Urban Scale

The demand of city planners for quantitative information on the impact of climate change on the urban environment is increasing. However, such information is usually extracted from decadelong climate projections generated with global or regional climate models (RCMs). Because of their coarse resolution and unsuitable physical parameterization, however, their model output is not adequate to be used at city scale. A full dynamical downscaling to city level, on the other hand, is computationally too expensive for climatological time scales. A statistical–dynamical computationally inexpensive method is therefore proposed that approximates well the behavior of the full dynamical downscaling approach. The approach downscales RCM simulations using the combination of an RCM at high resolution (H-RES) and a land surface model (LSM). The method involves the setup of a database of urban signatures by running an H-RES RCM with and without urban parameterization for a relatively short period. Using an analog approach, these signatures are first selectively added to the long-term RCM data, which are then used as forcing for an LSM using an urban parameterization in a stand-alone mode. A comparison with a full dynamical downscaling approach is presented for the city of Brussels, Belgium, for 30 summers with the combined ALADIN–AROME model (ALARO-0) coupled to the Surface Externalisée model (SURFEX) as H-RES RCM and SURFEX as LSM. The average bias of the nocturnal urban heat island during heat waves is vanishingly small, and the RMSE is strongly reduced. Not only is the statistical–dynamical approach able to correct the heat-wave number and intensities, it can also improve intervariable correlations and multivariate and temporally correlated indices, such as Humidex.
Preferences, Confusion and Competition

Existing literature has argued that firms benefit from confusing consumers of homogeneous goods. This paper shows that this insight generally breaks down with differentiated goods and heterogeneous preferences: With polarized taste distributions, firms fully educate consumers. In cases where firms nevertheless confuse consumers, the welfare consequences are worse than for homogeneous goods, as consumers choose dominated options. Similar insights are also obtained for political contests, in which candidates compete for voters with heterogeneous preferences: Parties choose ambiguous platforms only when preferences are ‘indecisive’, featuring a concentration of indifferent voters.
Optimizing Dry Skin Management Utilizing NP Led Phone Follow-up

Optimizing Dry Skin Management Utilizing NP Led Phone Follow-up Among Geriatrics in an Outpatient Clinic Background: Current literature supports using the dry skin protocol to help primary care teams identify patients that require xerosis cutis skin care, particularly of the lower extremities. The primary focus of this project will be timely detection of patients with the dry skin condition that will be identified with the standardized Overall Dry Skin (ODS) scale. When the patient meets the ODS criteria, a timely discussion will be held to review the protocol moisturizer treatment and goal of skin care with the patients. Purpose/Aim: This Evidence-Based project's purpose is to adopt a standardized dry skin protocol for outpatient geriatric patients to promote overall well-being and improve quality of life. Description of the Innovation: A small team of healthcare providers led by an advanced practice nurse are (a) educating patients in the primary clinic setting on what to expect before, during and after their xerosis cutis treatment; (b) written education materials related to their dry skin; and (c) conducting a survey via telephone to the patients at post 2 weeks and post 4 weeks of treatment. Phone communications are guided by an evidence-based standardized questionnaire while employing the 5 A’s Behavior Change Model (assess, advise, agree, assist, and arrange).
Wood Identification of Historical Architecture in Korea by Synchrotron X-ray Microtomography-Based Three-Dimensional Microstructural Imaging

1) For visual inspection-based wood identification, optical microscopy techniques typically require a relatively large sample size, and a scanning electron microscope requires a clean surface. These novel techniques experience limitations for objects with highly limited sampling capabilities such as important and registered wooden cultural properties. Synchrotron X-ray microtomography (SR-μCT) has been suggested as an effective alternative to avoid such limitations and various other imaging issues. In this study, four pieces of wood fragments from wooden members used in the Manseru pavilion of Bongjeongsa temple in Andong, Korea, wereused for identification. Three-dimensional microstructural images were reconstructed from these small wood samples using SR-μCT at SPring-8. From the analysis of the reconstructed images, the samples were identified as Zelkova serrata, Quercus sect. Cerris, and Pinus koraiensis. The images displayed sufficient spatial resolution to clearly observe the anatomical features of each species. In addition, the three-dimensional imaging allowed unlimited image processing.
Using reading mistakes as features for sleepiness detection in speech

Automatic detection of sleepiness can help to improve the follow-up of patients suffering from chronic diseases. Previous research on sleepiness detection has shown that this task is feasible using voice recordings. Most studies however rely on numerous features extracted from healthy subjects recordings and machine learning, the target being the output of subjective sleepiness questionnaires. In this paper, we propose to study the reading errors made by patients suffering from Excessive Daytime Sleepiness on the MSLT database collected at the Bor-deaux hospital. This database differs from the others on two key points: patients are recorded instead of healthy subjects and their sleepiness level is assessed using multiple measurements, both subjective and objective. With the help of Speech Therapists, we deﬁned and counted reading errors and confront these numbers with sleepiness measurements. We show that evaluating these reading errors can be useful to elaborate robust markers of objective sleepiness but also to elaborate exclusion criteria of the speakers not having a sufﬁcient reading level.
Fungicidal control of groundnut leafspots and rust by ultra‐low volume spray

Abstract Four systemic fungicides, a formulation of tridemorph + maneb (0.39 and 1.26 kg a.i./ha respectively), carbendazim (0.125 kg a.i./ha), benomyl (0.30 kg a.i./ha), tridemorph (0.45 kg a.i./ha) and a non‐systemic fungicide, mancozeb (2.00 kg a.i./ha) were evaluated for the control of groundnut leafspots caused by Mycosphaerella arachidis Deighton (Cercospora arachidicola Hori) and M. berkeleyii Jenkins (Cercosporidium personatum (Berk. & Curt.) Deighton) and rust, caused by Puccinia arachidis Speg. , using ultra‐low volume application. Mancozeb application resulted in significantly higher pod and haulm (shoot) yields than the application of the systemic fungicides, except tridemorph + maneb. Mancozeb and tridemorph + maneb controlled both the leafspots and rust, consequently, their application resulted in higher yields than the other fungicides which controlled either the leafspots or the rust. The pod and haulm yields from the mancozeb treated plots were approximately 200 and 286%, respectively, of .
Spatiotemporal history of fluid-fault interaction in the Hurricane
fault zone, western USA

Abstract. The Hurricane Fault is a ~250-km-long, west-dipping normal fault located along the transition between the Colorado Plateau and Basin and Range tectonic provinces in the western U.S. Extensive evidence of fluid-fault interaction, including calcite mineralization and veining, occur in the footwall damage zone. Calcite vein carbon (δ13CVPDB) and oxygen (δ18OVPDB) stable isotope ratios range from −4.5 to 3.8 ‰ and −22.1 to −1.1 ‰, respectively. Fluid inclusion microthermometry constrain paleofluid temperatures and salinities from 45–160 °C and 1.4–11.0 wt % as NaCl, respectively. These data identify mixing between two primary fluid sources including infiltrating meteoric groundwater (70 ± 10 °C, ~1.5 wt % NaCl, δ18OSMOW ~−10 ‰) and sedimentary brine (100 ± 25 °C, ~11 wt % NaCl, δ18OSMOW ~5 ‰). Interpreted carbon sources include crustal- or magmatic-derived CO2, carbonate bedrock, and hydrocarbons. U-Th dates from 5 calcite vein samples indicates punctuated fluid-flow and fracture healing at 539 ± 10.8, 287.9 ± 5.8, 86.2 ± 1.7, and 86.0 ± 0.2 ka in the upper 300 m of the crust. Collectively, the data imply that the Hurricane Fault imparts a strong influence on regional flow of crustal fluids, and that the formation of veins in the shallow parts of the fault damage zone has important implications for the evolution of fault strength and permeability.
Psychological Antecedents of Financial Risk Tolerance

Research indicates that financial risk tolerance (FRT) is a subjective and complex phenomenon and may diverge from individual to individual based on their demographics, genetic makeup, socioeconomic profiles, personality types, and psychological constructs. Past researchers have mainly focused on relating the socioeconomic profile, demographics, and personality type of investors to FRT. This article uses a novel approach that relates other critical behavioral and psychological factors, such as financial anxiety, financial satisfaction, obsession with money, personality type, self-esteem, and sensation-seeking behavior, as equally important contributors for determining the FRT. Confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling techniques were used to test the variables and hypotheses. The results show that financial satisfaction is negatively correlated with FRT, whereas financial anxiety, obsession with money, personality type, self-esteem, and sensation-seeking behavior are positively correlated with FRT. All these variables act as antecedents of FRT. TOPIC: Wealth management Key Findings • Personality Type A, self-esteem, and sensation-seeking behavior are positively correlated with financial risk tolerance. • Financial satisfaction negatively influences financial risk tolerance. • Obsession with money negatively influences financial satisfaction, whereas financial satisfaction negatively influences financial anxiety.
Toward Smart Wireless Communications via Intelligent Reflecting Surfaces: A Contemporary Survey

This paper presents a literature review on recent applications and design aspects of the intelligent reflecting surface (IRS) in the future wireless networks. Conventionally, the network optimization has been limited to transmission control at two endpoints, i.e., end users and network controller. The fading wireless channel is uncontrollable and becomes one of the main limiting factors for performance improvement. The IRS is composed of a large array of scattering elements, which can be individually configured to generate additional phase shifts to the signal reflections. Hence, it can actively control the signal propagation properties in favor of signal reception, and thus realize the notion of a smart radio environment. As such, the IRS’s phase control, combined with the conventional transmission control, can potentially bring performance gain compared to wireless networks without IRS. In this survey, we first introduce basic concepts of the IRS and the realizations of its reconfigurability. Then, we focus on applications of the IRS in wireless communications. We overview different performance metrics and analytical approaches to characterize the performance improvement of IRS-assisted wireless networks. To exploit the performance gain, we discuss the joint optimization of the IRS’s phase control and the transceivers’ transmission control in different network design problems, e.g., rate maximization and power minimization problems. Furthermore, we extend the discussion of IRS-assisted wireless networks to some emerging use cases. Finally, we highlight important practical challenges and future research directions for realizing IRS-assisted wireless networks in beyond 5G communications.
Deliberation, Democracy, and the Digital Landscape

Deliberative scholarship is particularly well positioned to offer insight on our new digital reality. The papers in this Special Issue showcase both the methodological pluralism that flourishes in deliberative democracy studies and the productive collaborations across methodologies. This Special Issue shows how deliberative theory can place digital media in a wider theoretical context, sharpen our understanding of the Internet’s worst features, and show the way forward to a better design for digital public engagement. Whether online or offline, democracy will always remain a work in progress, and these essays should help us navigate a course toward a more deliberative democracy in the digital age.
Mode Selection and Power Allocation in Multi-Level Cache-Enabled Networks

Moving contents proximity to the network edge and proactively caching popular contents at multiple infrastructures are promising directions for solving the backhaul congestion problem. This letter proposes and evaluates a multi-level cache-enabled network, where cache-hit users can fetch their data from the available cache at either small base-stations, unmanned aerial vehicles, or cache-enabled mobile device-to-device users. Cache-miss users, on the other hand, fetch their data from the central cloud via limited capacity backhaul links. This letter considers the problem of maximizing the network weighted-sum rate by jointly determining the users’ mode of operation and their transmit powers, subject to backhaul capacity and transmit power constraints. After showing how the association problem can be formulated as a generalized assignment problem, the letter solves the transmit power problem using an iterative function evaluation apprach. The resulting mode-selection and power-allocation (MSPA) iterative algorithm is then tested through numerical simulations, which suggest that, while being easily implementable, the proposed multi-level caching can substantially relieve the backhaul congestion, especially in dense-networks, and at low-backhaul capacity regimes.
Relation of Lactation Milk Production in Dairy Cows to Maximum Initial Milk Yield and Persistency of Lactation

Summary A correlation study was performed on "total," "among-lactations," and "among-cows-in-lactation" bases, with 139 lactation records from 93 Holstein cows and 57 lactation records from 34 Guernsey cows, to determine the effects of maximum initial milk yield and persistency of lactation on lactation milk production. Since the relationships among these factors were found to be similar in the two breeds, combined correlations were obtained on an "among-lactations-in-breed" and "among-cows-in-lactation-in-breed" basis. Maximum initial milk yield and persistency were highly correlated with lactation milk production (0.81** 3 3In this paper * and ** indicate statistical significance at the 5% (P ** ). On an "among-lactations-in-breed" basis, lactation milk production and persistency were negatively correlated (−0.72 ** ), which expresses the observed effects of age of maturity on this relationship. In an analysis of the variation association with lactation milk production on an "among-cows-in-lactation-in-breed" basis, the effects associated with the correlation of maximum initial milk yield accounted for 65.6% of the total variation; whereas, the additional effects due to persistency contributed 8.5% to the total variation. Similarly, on an "among-lactations-in-breed" basis, the effects associated with the correlation of maximum initial milk yield with lactation milk production accounted for 92.1% of the total variation, and the effects due to persistency contributed an additional 0.9% to the total variation.
Direction-of-Arrival Estimation for 2D Coherently Distributed Sources with Nested Array Based on Matrix Reconstruction

This paper has made proposition of a nested array and an estimation algorithm for direction-of-arrival (DOA) of two-dimensional (2D) coherently distributed (CD) sources. According to the difference coarray concept, double parallel hole-free virtual uniform linear arrays are generated by virtue of vectorization operation on cross-correlation matrices of subarrays. Sensor coordinates of virtual arrays are derived. Rational invariance relationships of virtual arrays are derived. According to the rotational invariance relationships, matrices satisfying rotation invariance are constructed by extracting and regrouping the receive vectors of the virtual arrays, and then an estimation of signal parameters via rotational invariance techniques- (ESPRIT-) like framework on matrix reconstruction is deduced. Optimal configuration of the nested array as well as computational complexity are analyzed. Without pair matching, the proposed method can resolve more sources than the sensor number. Simulation outcomes indicate that the proposed method tends to have a better performance as compared to the traditional uniform arrays that have similar number of sensors.