Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Species loss drives ecosystem function in experiments, but in nature the importance of species loss depends on dominance

Acknowledgments: MG was funded by NSF grant DEB-1556629 to RW. Tropical forest carbon storage data were provided by the Tropical Ecology Assessment and Monitoring (TEAM) Network, a collaboration between Conservation International, the Missouri Botanical Garden, the Smithsonian Institution, and the Wildlife Conservation Society, and partially funded by these institutions, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, and other donors. Pollination data was funded by USDA NIFA AFRI grant #2009-65104-5782 to RW. Kelp forest datasets were provided by the Santa Barbara Coastal LTER Program and funded by the US National Science Foundation (OCE-0620276). We thank the Jena Experiment for making data publicly available through Ecological Archives. Collection of Cedar Creek data (Biodiversity II, BioCON, and observational grassland plant biomass data) was supported by grants from the US National Science Foundation Long-Term Ecological Research Program (LTER) including DEB-0620652 and DEB-1234162. Further support was provided by the Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve and the University of Minnesota. Helene Muller-Landau and James Grace provided useful feedback on earlier drafts.
Portfolio Balance Approach to Asymmetries, Structural Breaks and Financial Crisis: Testing a Model for Nigeria

Portfolio Balance Approach to Asymmetries, Structural Breaks and Financial Crisis: Testing a Model for Nigeria Oluwasegun B. Adekoya1 This study tests the Portfolio Balance Theory (PBT) for Nigeria for the period starting from September, 1997 to September, 2018. It extends the hypothesized linear inverse relationship between exchange rate and stock price to include asymmetries and structural breaks. It further examines the impact of the 2008 global financial crisis on the PBT to determine its stability after the crisis. The full sample results show that the PBT holds for Nigeria and asymmetries and structural breaks matter in the nexus between stock price and exchange rate. However, the impact of stock price on exchange rate diminished in the long-run with the advent of the 2008 global financial crisis, thus eroding the relative consistency of the PBT after the crisis. The sensitivity of the Nigerian exchange rate to stock price changes calls for the strengthening of the stock market performance through relevant policies including the enhancement of portfolio diversification and risk-hedging assets. The role of asymmetries should not also be jettisoned in predicting exchange rate with stock prices to obtain accurate forecast results.
Power considerations in bilingualism research: Time to step up our game

Abstract Low power in empirical studies can be compared to blurred vision. It makes the signal ambiguous, so that conclusions depend more on interpretation than on observation. Data patterns that look sensible are published as evidence for theoretical positions and unclear patterns are discarded as noise, whereas both could be due to sampling error or could be a perfect reflection of the population parameters. Simulations indicate that little research with sample sizes lower than 100 participants per group provides a picture of enough resolution to draw firm conclusions. This is particularly true for research comparing groups of people and involving interaction effects. As a result, it is to be feared that many findings in bilingualism research do not have a firm base, certainly not if they go beyond a simple comparison of two within-participants conditions.
“The guys love it when chicks ask for help”: an exploration of female rugby league fans

Abstract This article explores the relationship between gender, space and performances of fandom by female match-going fans of the Australian rugby league team the St George Illawarra Dragons. Drawing on a case study that utilised participant observation, semi-structured interviews and a focus group, this article develops a fan typology that details four different types of female fans of rugby league. The findings suggest some female fans were under levels of stricter gatekeeping by male fans depending on their spatial location inside of the stadium. Their inclusion into match-day culture was, therefore, shown to have limits. On the one hand, female match-going fans have agency and choice in the construction and interchange of a fan identity, but on the other, that same identity attests to oppression. We conclude that traditional match-day engagement with rugby league requires conformity to a predominantly masculine ideal. Supplemental data for this article is available online at https://doi.org/10.1080/17430437.2020. 1809380.
Eukaryotic Communities in Bromeliad Phytotelmata: How Do They Respond to Altitudinal Differences?

Bromeliad phytotelmata are habitats for different organisms and models for ecological studies. Although poorly known, these environments are widely distributed in tropical ecosystems, harboring cosmopolitan and endemic species. Here, we investigated the diversity of the eukaryotic community in bromeliad phytotelmata considering the influence of altitude. We randomly sampled three bromeliad individuals (twice per season over one year) at four altitudinal strata (20 m, 400 m, 910 m, and 915 m) through a mountain range in southern Brazil. Species richness of phytotelmata community was higher at intermediate altitude while community-wide multivariate analyses revealed differences in phytotelmata communities at each height. Winter was the season with highest community richness, but a peak in summer was observed. Diversity partitioning in different spatial components showed that gamma diversity decreased linearly with altitude, whereas alpha diversity peaked at intermediate altitudes, and beta diversity decreased with height. The relative importance of the components of beta diversity showed different patterns according to the altitude: turnover was more important at intermediate and lower levels, while higher altitude communities were more nested. Our results indicate that differences in height affect diversity patterns of bromeliad phytotelmata communities, which were more diverse at lower altitudes in comparison with more homogeneous communities at higher levels.
The Independence Question

In 2014, voters were asked ‘Should Scotland be an independent country? ’ Over the campaign it emerged that the meaning of independence was complex and contested. The proposals focused the SNP-led Scottish Government’s white paper Scotland’s Future on what might be retained of the British state, including the currency union, open borders, and co-operation at the European level. These proposals were derided by critics as ‘independence-lite’. The ensuing debate provided an opportunity to reflect on meanings of independence, statehood, and sovereignty. This chapter explores the meaning of independence in the 2014 debate. The nature and framing of independence are assessed with reference to the changing nature of the British state and the international, and particularly European context, in which these goals are articulated. The chapter will also reflect on the ways that the meaning of independence may have changed in light of the 2014 vote.
Analysis of business process management capability and information technology in small and medium enterprises in the garment industry (multiple case studies in East Java, Indonesia)

This research explores the interrelationships between internal and external factors, business process management (BPM) capability of garment‐based SMEs, and the IT that matches this capability. Multiple case studies are conducted in three SMEs in East Java, Indonesia. The data is collected using in‐depth interviews with the owners and employees of SMEs. A grounded theory approach is used to analyze the findings. Analysis of the three cases found two main factors that affect the BPM in the garment SMEs. The first is the owner's business aptitude and expertise, and the second is the connection between external factors, business context and business strategy. Business strategy is closely related to the way SMEs define their business process, organize their employees, and develop culture. The BPM capabilities needed by SMEs in Indonesia include business process documentation and business process improvement. The business process and business process capability determine the IT needs of garment SMEs. IT is used to support sales, marketing, and payment processes in the three case companies. SMEs are very careful about their IT investment decisions due to resource constraints. SMEs will choose IT systems requiring minimal investment which are less risky to implement, such as social media and the e‐marketplace.
Assessment of magnesium calcium alloys improved by rare earths addition for medical implants

Biodegradable materials are used as alternative implants for orthopedic applications due suitable strength, fatigue resistance, ductility and biocorrosion resistance which are features for biodegradable implants. Mechanical properties can be improved by adding alloying elements. The decrease of the corrosion rate of Mg can be induced by modifying the structure and phase distribution. Thus, Mg alloys have been designed to meet the requirements of bone repair implant materials by adding = Calcium and Yttrium or Gadolinium. Mg based alloy with Ca and Y/Gd had been proved to be a biocompatible material, osteoconductive and biodegradable and can be used in bone repairs. The system is defined as Mg100-(n+x) Ca(n) RE(x), varying the RE concentration in order to slow the degradation process. Beside morphological combining characterization SEM, EDX, with non-invasive testing is required to be carried out the determination of mechanical characteristics. The interest in this study is to analyze the influence of RE over elastic properties of these alloys in order to choose the best values appropriate with human bones, using Resonant Ultrasound Spectroscopy and ultrasound method.
Learn to Make Decision with Small Data for Autonomous Driving: Deep Gaussian Process and Feedback Control

Autonomous driving is a popular and promising field in artificial intelligence. Rapid decision of the next action according to the latest few actions and status, such as acceleration, brake, and steering angle, is a major concern for autonomous driving. There are some learning methods, such as reinforcement learning which automatically learns the decision. However, it usually requires large volume of samples. In this paper, to reduce the sample size, we exploit the deep Gaussian process, where a regression model is trained on small sample datasets and captures the most significant features correctly. Besides, to realize the real-time and close-loop control, we combine the feedback control into the process. Experimental results on the Torcs simulation engine illustrate smooth driving on virtual road which can be achieved. Compared with the amount of training data in deep reinforcement learning, our method uses only 0.34% of its size and obtains similar simulation results. It may be useful for real road tests in the future.
Sex-specific differences in preen gland size of Zebra Finches during the course of breeding

ABSTRACT In birds, the preen gland produces a waxy secretion that protects the plumage from environmental conditions and ectoparasites and is, therefore, important for feather maintenance, individual quality, and health. Several studies have demonstrated that the size of the preen gland and the composition of its secretion change throughout the course of reproduction, thus indicating an increased requirement for preen gland secretion during the breeding season. However, the exact timing of the gland's size increase is unknown. To get information about this temporal pattern, we repeatedly measured the preen glands in 22 breeding pairs of adult domesticated Zebra Finches (Taeniopygia guttata) during the course of reproduction (prior to the breeding season, on the day the first egg was laid, on the day the first chick hatched, on the day the first chick fledged, and after the chicks became independent). Zebra Finches have biparental care, in which both sexes are involved in incubation and food provisioning. As expected, our data reveal that the preen gland increases in size during the breeding season and decreases afterward. Moreover, we found sex-specific differences in the temporal pattern of gland enlargement. Females reached a maximum gland size when the first chick hatched, whereas male gland size peaked earlier, when the first egg was laid.
Development of a protein-based sensor assay for rapid classification of complex biological samples

Metabolomics, one of the core “omics” fields within the umbrella of systems biology, is the study of the small molecules which can be used to characterize the state of an organism. Metabolites are constantly being transformed inside a cell in direct response to stimuli around them. This makes the metabolome the most dynamic of all the omics fields and is considered to be a direct readout of the cells state at any given time. Although highly informative, the metabolome is inherently difficult to study, with thousands of known metabolites, any of which could be important for classifying a cell into a healthy or diseased state. Techniques such as mass spectrometry are well suited to study the metabolome and have been used to successfully classify cells by identify markers for a given disease state. However, current methods require lengthy analysis times due in part to the complexity of the metabolome. The research presented in this dissertation highlights a new and promising methodology which improves classification and speeds marker discovery. Making use of a protein found in animals which has evolved to selectively bind metabolites, an assay was developed which better classified samples compared to current methods used in the field of metabolomics. This improved classification was achieved with an overall decrease in analysis time. The implementation of this method in the study of complex biological systems would have an immediate impact in academic and medical research.
Soil Matric Potential Based Irrigation Schedule for Brinjal

Brinjal is one of the most commonly used vegetable in Indian households from the highest consumption point of view. Brinjal (Solenum melongena) is considered native to India and is a widely grown vegetable in Asian countries. India is the second largest producer of Brinjal after China. Total area cultivated and production of brinjal in India was 0.66 million hectare and 12.5 million tonnes respectively. West Bengal is the chief state for production of brinjal followed by Odisha and Gujarat. Among the Indian states Gujarat recorded higher brinjal cultivated area of 0.76 lakh hectare and production of 14.77 lakh tonnes. Uttar-Pradesh registered higher productivity of 34.34 MT/ha followed by International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences ISSN: 2319-7706 Volume 9 Number 8 (2020) Journal homepage: http://www.ijcmas. com
The Impact of Export Activity, Location, Size and Supply Chain Management on Firm’s Performance

The foremost purpose of the current study is to examine the impact of export activities along with location, size and supply chain management impact on the firm performance of the pawnshop situated in Jember, Indonesia. The data has been gathered from the employees of pawnshop situated in Jember, Indonesia by using questionnaires while PLS-SEM has been executed for analysis purpose. The results indicated that export activities, location, size and supply chain management have positive along with the significant impact on the firm performance of the pawnshop situated in Jember, Indonesia. These findings are valuable for the new researchers while investigating this area in future along with the policymakers who want to develop the policies related to the supply chain and firm performance.
Distoseptispora hydei sp. nov. (Distoseptisporaceae), a novel lignicolous fungus on decaying bamboo in Thailand

In this paper, we described and illustrated a new species of lignicolous fungi, Distoseptispora hydei, found on decaying bamboo in Phitsanulok Province, Thailand. According to the phylogenetic results from combined sequence data (LSU, ITS and RPB2), the new species is distinct from other Distoseptispora species. Distoseptispora hydei is characterized by obpyriform to fusiform conidia with 7–9 distosepta and a hyaline, gelatinous sheath around the tip. Phylogenetic analyses and morphological comparisons with other species of Distoseptispora are provided in this study.
Flexible Assignment of Loading Bays for Efficient Vehicle Routing in Urban Last Mile Delivery

Urban freight deliveries are often subject to many access restrictions which creates the need to establish a system of loading bays and to split the last mile delivery into driving and walking parts. A new model based on hard and soft clustering approach is developed to solve the loading bay assignment problem for efficient vehicle routing and walking in last mile delivery. The flexibility of the model is provided by the soft clustering approach based on different membership degrees of customers to loading bays. Especially for instances with large numbers of loading bays, soft clustering seems to give better results, it leads to higher flexibility of city logistics systems, minimal driving distances, and adequately short walking paths, which contribute to the goal of reaching sustainable urban freight deliveries.
Estimation of fisheries reference points of the Largehead hairtail, Trichiurus lepturus (Teleostei: Trichiuridae) in Iranian waters of Persian Gulf and Oman Sea

The purpose of this study was to develop a framework to investigate the catch trend and estimation of the optimized catch limit of the Largehead hairtail, Trichiurus lepturus , stock by collecting catch data in the Iranian part of Persian Gulf and Oman Sea. In this research, catch data was collected for 20 years (1997-2018) and the optimized catch limit was estimated using data-limited approach and R Software. The average catch (Ct) for this period was 11550 tonnes (95% confidence interval 11500-11599 tonnes) and it has significantly increased over the past two decades (R=0.68, P <0.05). The intrinsic growth rate (r), carrying capacity (K), maximum sustainable yield (MSY), biomass of maximum sustainable yield (Bmsy), current biomass (B), fishing mortality of maximum sustainable yield (Fmsy) and present fishing mortality (F) were obtained by Catch-maximum sustainable yield (CMSY) models. The results showed that stock of the Largehead hairtail is suffering from over fishing and thereby, reduction of the fishing mortality and exploitation rate and bring back them to the MSY level are essential to save the stock.
Comparative Study of Small-Signal Stability Under Weak AC System Integration for Different VSCs

Voltage source converters (VSCs) with self-commutation ability are suitable for interconnecting weak ac systems. This article conducts a comparative study of the small-signal stability characteristics for three typical VSCs, namely, the two-level VSCs (TL-VSCs), the half-bridge modular multilevel converters (HB-MMCs), and the hybrid MMCs (HY-MMCs), under weak ac system integration with special consideration on both inverter and rectifier operation. The frequency responses based on impedance models are compared using the frequency-domain analysis. The oscillation frequencies and mainly participated state variables of the unstable modes are compared using root locus and participation factor analysis in the time domain. Proper parameter retuning approaches for stability enhancement are proposed. The above analysis is adequately validated by electromagnetic simulations.
Tree Swallow selection for wetlands in agricultural landscapes predicted by central-place foraging theory

ABSTRACT Millions of wetland basins, embedded in croplands and grasslands, are biodiversity hotspots in North America's Prairie Pothole Region, but prairie wetlands continue to be degraded and drained, primarily for agricultural activities. Aerial insectivorous swallows are known to forage over water, but it is unclear whether swallows exhibit greater selection for wetlands relative to other habitats in croplands and grasslands. Central-place foraging theory suggests that habitat selectivity should increase with traveling distance from a central place, such that foragers compensate for traveling costs by selecting more profitable foraging habitat. Using global positioning system (GPS) tags, we evaluated habitat selection by female Tree Swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) at 4 sites containing wetlands and where terrestrial land cover was dominated by grasslands (grass, herbaceous cover) and/or cultivated cropland. We also used sweep-net transects to assess the abundance and biomass of flying insects in different habitats available to swallows (wetland pond margins, grassy field margins, and representative uplands). As expected for a central-place forager, GPS-tagged swallows selected more for wetland ponds (disproportionate to availability), and appeared to increasingly select for wetlands with increasing distance from their nests. On cropland-dominated sites, insect abundance and biomass tended to be higher in pond margins or grassy field margins compared to cropped uplands, while abundance and biomass were more uniform among sampled habitats at sites dominated by grass and herbaceous cover. Swallow habitat selection was not clearly explained by the distribution of sampled insects among habitats; however, traditional terrestrial sampling methods may not adequately reflect prey distribution and availability to aerially foraging swallows. Overall, our results underscore the importance of protecting and enhancing prairie wetlands and other non-crop habitats in agricultural landscapes, given their disproportionate use and capacity to support breeding swallow and insect populations. LAY SUMMARY Miniature GPS tags were used to track breeding female Tree Swallows at agricultural sites. Across agroecosystems, Tree Swallows selected more for wetland ponds than available in the landscape. Swallows increasingly selected for wetland ponds with increasing distance from nests, consistent with central-place foraging theory. Insect abundance and biomass tended to be greater in pond margins and non-crop vegetation (field margins or grasslands) than in croplands, but insect distribution patterns did not fully explain swallow habitat selection.
Resistance in tax and transparency standards: small states’ heterogenous responses to new regulations

Abstract In the wake of the financial crisis of 2007–2009, by means of a major Western state-led initiative in tax cooperation designed to eliminate tax evasion in the world, offshore financial centers were required to exchange information on bank accounts, first on request, then automatically. Even though all major offshore financial centers have agreed to the new tax standards, the emerging literature on global tax politics disagrees on their effectiveness. To make sense of these contrasting findings, I argue that we need to shift our focus to the diverse ways that targeted actors have responded to the new standards. I develop a typology of resistance strategies and show why state actors engage in one or the other strategy despite pressure from great powers. New tax treaty data, as well as archival and interview material in the matched cases of the Bahamas and Barbados demonstrate variance in the relationships between governments and the financial industry, and governments and international organizations, which in turn leads to the pursuit of different resistance strategies. Ultimately, by highlighting the heterogeneity of targeted actors’ responses to global standards, the study has important implications for the literature on institutional emergence and design writ large.