Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Estimated influence of extreme climate events in the 21st century on the radial growth of pine trees in Povolzhie region (European Russia)

The projected climate change in the 21st century is expected to affect various forest ecosystems with corresponding ecological, economic, and social impact. Adaptation measures for forestry need to be planned well in advance, because the forests being regenerated today will have to cope with future climate conditions in long time periods. Here we use a process-based forward model of tree growth, VS-Lite, calibrated and independently validated on tree-ring data and forced by climate projections according to various greenhouse gas emission scenarios. We estimate the ensemble radial tree growth of pine in Povolzhie region in the future. Our projections show a constant tree growth throughout the 21st century. The increased temperature will slightly favour the tree growth, especially in the case of an extended growth season, while mostly constant precipitation will not lead to any soil moisture deficit. The results of this study are crucial for the development of Povolzhie region in the near or remote future.
INTERCULTURAL EXPERIENCES FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF NARRATIVE INTERVIEWING: METHODOLOGICAL PITFALLS AND CHALLENGES IN THE EYES OF THE STUDENT AND THE TEACHER

This paper attempts to take a critical look at the narrative interview in order to identify the methodological pitfalls and challenges posed by this widely-applied research tool. It analyses the research process in a project involving sixty-four 3 year students of applied linguistics at a large university in western Poland in the summer term of the academic year 2018/2019. The project included three stages: (1) interviewing a person from another country studying in Poland about their intercultural experiences; (2) transcribing the interviews and (3) presenting the results of their analysis in the form of a written report. On completion of their assignments, the students were asked to share their reflections on all stages of their research in an anonymous survey study. The questionnaire data was juxtaposed with analysis of the student transcripts and reports in order to identify and compare the student and the teacher perspectives on methodological aspects of narrative research. The outcomes of the survey study show that the students, as inexperienced or even first-time researchers, mostly focused on their language proficiency and technical aspects of the interview, while the teacher/researcher pointed primarily to flaws in the formulation of the interview questions and lack of subsequent probing questions, which resulted in superficial responses or even at times deprived the interview of a narrative character. The study also documented the evolution of students as researchers and its results might be applicable for teachers offering courses in academic writing or BA/MA seminars. Emilia Wąsikiewicz-Firlej 308
On the Derivation of Nonclassical Symmetries of the Black–Scholes Equation via an Equivalence Transformation

The nonclassical symmetries method is a powerful extension of the classical symmetries method for finding exact solutions of differential equations. Through this method, one is able to arrive at new exact solutions of a given differential equation, i.e., solutions that are not obtainable directly as invariant solutions from classical symmetries of the equation. The challenge with the nonclassical symmetries method, however, is that governing equations for the admitted nonclassical symmetries are typically coupled and nonlinear and therefore difficult to solve. In instances where a given equation is related to a simpler one via an equivalent transformation, we propose that nonclassical symmetries of the given equation may be obtained by transforming nonclassical symmetries of the simpler equation using the equivalence transformation. This is what we illustrate in this paper. We construct four nontrivial nonclassical symmetries of the Black–Scholes equation by transforming nonclassical symmetries of the heat equation. For completeness, we also construct invariant solutions of the Black–Scholes equation associated with the determined nonclassical symmetries.
Combined Application of Rhizosphere Bacteria with Endophytic Bacteria Suppresses Root Diseases and Increases Productivity of Black Pepper (Piper nigrum L.)

Black pepper (Piper nigrum L.) is one of the most important crops and global demand continues to increase, giving it a high export value. However, black pepper cultivation has been seriously affected by a number of pathogenic diseases. Among them, “quick wilt” caused by Phytophthora sp. , “slow decline” caused by Fusarium sp. , and root-knot nematode Meloidogyne sp. have a serious negative effect on black pepper growth and productivity. There have been different chemical and biological methods applied to control these diseases, but their effectiveness has been limited. The aim of this research was to evaluate different combinations of rhizosphere bacteria and endophytic bacteria isolated from black pepper farms in the Central Highland of Vietnam for their ability to suppress pathogens and promote black pepper growth and yield. Formula 6, containing the strains Bacillus velezensis KN12, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens DL1, Bacillus velezensis DS29, Bacillus subtilis BH15, Bacillus subtilis V1.21 and Bacillus cereus CS30 exhibited the largest effect against Phytophthora and Fusarium in the soil and in the roots of black pepper. These bio-products also increased chlorophyll a and b contents, which led to a 1.5-fold increase of the photosynthetic intensity than the control formula and a 4.5% increase in the peppercorn yield (3.45 vs. 3.30 tons per hectare for the control). Our results suggest that the application of rhizosphere and endophytic bacteria is a promising method for disease control and growth-promotion of black pepper.
Teachers Pedagogical Practices Vis-A-Vis Academic Achievement of SeniorHigh School Students in Ada East District, Ghana

The study sought to establish the relationship between teachers’ pedagogical practices and Senior High School (SHS) students’ academic achievement in Ada East District of the Greater Accra Region, Ghana. The cross-sectional survey research design was adopted for the study. The census method was used to select all the 126 teachers in the district while 126 students were also selected from a population of 1294 using the stratified proportionate and simple random sampling techniques. Four hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. Pearson Product Moment Correlation was used to test the first two hypotheses while Independent-Sample T-test and One-Way ANOVA were used to test the third and fourth hypotheses respectively. The result revealed that there was a statistically significant positive weak relationship between teachers’ competence in planning and preparation and students’ academic achievement. There was also a positive weak relationship between teachers’ pedagogical responsibilities and students’ academic achievement. Furthermore, both male and female teachers demonstrated similar pedagogical practices and finally the study established that significantly, the pedagogical practices of teachers statistically differed based on their teaching and professional qualification. Recommendations were made on how teachers could improve upon their pedagogical practices to enhance the academic achievements of their students.
PKR Exchange Rate Forecasting Through Univariate and Multivariate Time Series Techniques

This study aims to examine and compare the accuracy of time series and econometric forecasting models in the context of the exchange rate as we know that fluctuation in the exchange rate may affect the economic activities at the macro – level. For this purpose, the author has chosen the Pakistani Rupee exchange rate against United States Dollars with the annual data from 1980 to 2018. The results revealed that the exponential model provides the most effective accuracy in forecasting rather than the Naive, ARIMA and ARDL Co-integration model. This paper has also covered the gap of unavailability of literature regarding the application of ARDL and Exponential Smoothing model for the forecasting of the exchange rate in Pakistan. It is also anticipated that historical data do not play a vital role in the forecasting of the future trend of time series i.e. Pakistani Rupees against US Dollars. However, all three-time series anticipated that the recent observations play a significant role in the speculation of the upcoming future trend. Keywords: Forecasting, Exchange Rate, Naïve Model, ARDL Co-Integration model, Econometrics
Response of Potatoes to Nitrogen Form and to Change in Nitrogen Form at Tuber Initiation

A controlled environment study was conducted to determine if ‘Russet Burbank’ potatoes (Solanum tuberosum L.) were more tolerant of NH4-N as established plants than as young plants. When grown on one N source for 86 days, root and shoot growth were best with NO3-N, intermediate with NH4 + NO3, and least with NH4-N. Changing the N source from NO3-N or NH4 + NO3 to NH4-N at tuber initiation (58 days after planting) reduced both shoot and root growth. Conversely, changing the N source from NH4-N to NH4 + NO3 improved growth. The highest tuber weights were obtained with continuous NH4 + NO3 or when NH4-N was applied at tuber initiation to plants previously grown on NO3-N alone. Nitrogen source also influenced absorption of other nutrients. Changing the N source once plants were established, however, did not have a consistent effect on mineral composition. We conclude that when NH4-N is the sole form of N available to the plant, it is detrimental to potato growth regardless of stage of development.
Investigating The Relationship Between Insomnia, Menopausal Syndrome and Depression and Exploring The Therapeutic Effects of Jieyu Pill

Background: This paper explores the effects of insomnia and menopausal syndrome on the depressive process at the cellular and molecular levels, and investigates the mechanisms by which the commonly used antidepressant formula, Jieyu Pill (JYP), also has efficacy in insomnia and menopausal syndrome. Methods: Neo4j was used to construct a graph database based on three diseases and mechanism of JYP; PPI data were used to analyze the molecular mechanism of effects of the diseases on depression process; the entity grammar system was used to resolve the mechanism of JYP in treatment of two diseases. Results: A database of JYP and three disease charts was constructed. The relationship between insomnia and menopausal syndrome in terms of molecular mechanisms and cellular communication on the depressive process was obtained. The mechanism of JYP in insomnia and menopausal syndrome was obtained. Conclusions: The results of this paper, which was conducted from the point of view of cellular communication and molecular mechanisms, show that insomnia and menopausal syndrome can have an impact on the course of depression. Therefore, synergistic treatment should be given to patients with depression associated with these two disorders. JYP is effective for all three disorders, can comprehensively regulate the organism and has high compliance, making it a clinical formula worth promoting.
The Determination of Mega Permittivity in PEDOT-PSS Films

This paper presents measurement of the relative permittivity (εr) of PEDOT-PSS films by measuring the capacitance at metal semiconductor junction. PEDOT-PSS films with and without contact resistances were investigated and it was observed that relative permittivity of the PEDOT-PSS films at low frequencies without contact resistance was large as 5143 and in presence of contact resistances it was 41838 which is 8 times more than the relative permittivity obtained without contact resistance. Such materials with mega permittivity are suitable to build super capacitors.
Time-resolved fluorescence microscopy

Fluorescence imaging techniques are powerful tools in the biological and biomedical sciences, because they are minimally invasive and can be applied to live cells and tissues. The fluorescence emission can be characterized not only by its intensity and position, by also by its fluorescence lifetime, polarization and wavelength. Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging (FLIM) in particular has emerged as a key technique to image the environment and interaction of specific proteins in living cells. Using a time-correlated single photon counting (TCSPC)-based FLIM set-up, we find that the fluorescence lifetime of GFP-tagged proteins in cells is a function of the refractive index of the medium the cells are suspended in. In addition, combining Fluorescence Recovery After Photobleaching (FRAP) of fluorescently labeled proteins of different sizes in sol gels with time-resolved fluorescence anisotropy measurements, we demonstrate that we can measure their lateral and rotational diffusion. This allows us to infer the size and connectivity of the pores in the sol gel matrix. Moreover, wide-field photon counting imaging, originally developed for astronomical applications, is a powerful imaging method because of its high sensitivity and excellent signal-to-noise ratio. It has a distinct advantage over CCD-based imaging due to the ability to time the arrival of individual photons. The potential of time-resolved wide-field photon counting imaging with a fast CMOS camera applied to luminescence microscopy is demonstrated.
Using network analysis for rapid, transparent, and rigorous thematic analysis: A case study of online distance learning

In thematic analysis, themes construction can be performed manually by the researcher or automatically by a computer. Both methods have strengths and weaknesses. This article introduces a strategy that involves the role of both researcher and computer to construct themes from qualitative data in a rapid, transparent, and rigorous manner. The strategy makes use of network analysis and is demonstrated by employing a case study on students’ perceptions of online distance learning they experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic. The themes-construction strategy consists of four systematic phases, namely (1) determining unit of analysis and coding; (2) constructing the code co-occurrence matrix; (3) conducting network analysis; and (4) generating, reviewing, and reporting the themes. The strategy is successfully demonstrated in generating themes from the data with modularity value Q = 0.34. The application of network analysis in this strategy allows researchers to automatically generate themes from qualitative data using mathematical algorithms, represent these themes visually using network graph, and interpret the themes to answer the research questions.
Wearable Soft Technologies for Haptic Sensing and Feedback

Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) systems have garnered recent widespread attention due to increased accessibility, functionality, and affordability. These systems sense user inputs and typically provide haptic, audio, and visual feedback to blend interactive virtual environments with the real world for an enhanced or simulated reality experience. With applications ranging from immersive entertainment, to teleoperation, to physical therapy, further development of this technology has the potential for impact across multiple disciplines. However, VR/AR devices still face critical challenges that hinder integration into everyday life and additional applications; namely, the rigid and cumbersome form factor of current technology that is incompatible with the dynamic movements and pliable limbs of the human body. Recent advancements in the field of soft materials are uniquely suited to provide solutions to this challenge. Devices fabricated from flexible and elastic bio‐compatible materials have significantly greater compatibility with the human body and could lead to a more natural VR/AR experience. This review reports state‐of‐the‐art experimental studies in soft materials for wearable sensing and haptic feedback in VR/AR applications, explores emerging soft technologies for on‐body devices, and identifies current challenges and future opportunities toward seamless integration of the virtual and physical world.
The Feminisation of Titles, Office and Profession Nouns in Algerian French
 The Case of the Press in the International Women’s Day

After 132 years of colonization, French remains anchored to Algeria. With nearly 14 million French speakers (33% of its population) is an interesting field of study. An analysis of the press released in March 2018, around the date of the international celebration of Women’s Day, will show that the use of professional nouns is quite diverse according to speakers, due to absence of established rules.
Audit Committee Attributes and Financial Distress: A Case of Malaysian PN17 Companies

Companies that have a good financial health have opportunities to attract the investor to invest into the companies. Audit committee of the company have crucial responsibilities in monitoring the company’s operations and internal control or act as an early detector of financial distress. Moreover, company that involved in financial distress tend to commit fraud and could lead to bankruptcy. The aim of this study is to investigate between the attributes of the audit committee (audit committee financial literacy and audit committee meeting) with the financial distress companies. The sample was selected from Bursa Malaysia, listed under Practice Note 17 (PN17), which consists of 18 companies in December 2017. The annual reports and financial statements were analysed and the company’s financial health is measured by using Altman Z-Score. The results show that there is no significant relationship between audit committee financial literacy and audit committee meeting with financial distress. Hence, this study found that the attributes of the audit committee did not provide as an early detection of the financial distress. 2357-1330 © 2020 Published by European Publisher.
The Nexus+ approach applied to studies of Impacts, vulnerability and adaptation to climate change in Brazil

This paper aims to present the methodology developed within the Impacts, Vulnerability and Adaptation (IVA) to climate change component of the Fourth National Communication (4CN) of Brazil. The methodological choice of this 4CN involves the application of the nexus+ integrated approach, based on studies of impacts and vulnerabilities for water, energy, food and socio-environmental securities, in the different in the territories of Brazilian biomes, coastal areas and cities. For each of these securities it were identified the observed impacts; analysis of risk conditions; definition and assessments of integrated analysis of key impacts at territorial level; inventory, selection and analysis of adaption options in the context of Nexus+, identifying synergies and trade-offs. This process made possible an integrated assessment among the conditioning risk factors, impacts and interactions among proposed adaptation options.
PENDAYAGUNAAN ZAKAT, INFAQ, DAN SHADAQAH BAZNAS GRESIK DALAM PEMBERDAYAAN EKONOMI MASYARAKAT DESA BABAKSARI MELALUI PROGRAM GRESIK

ABSTRAKPenelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui pendayagunaan dana ZIS dalam pemberdayaan ekonomi masyarakat Desa Babaksari Kecamatan Dukun melalui program Gresik Berdaya dengan memberikan bantuan ternak bergulir yang dilakukan oleh BAZNAS Kabupaten Gresik. Metodologi penelitian yang digunakan adalah pendekatan kualitatif, dengan strategi studi kasus. Pengumpulan data yang dilakukan dengan wawancara sepuluh mustahiq penerima bantuan ternak bergulir, dua perangkat desa, dan tiga pihak dari BAZNAS Kabupaten Gresik. Data yang digunakan yaitu data primer dan data sekunder. Adapun pengumpulan data dilakukan dengan teknik observasi, wawancara, dan dokumentasi. Teknik analisis yang digunakan adalah analisis deskriptif. Berdasarkan hasil penelitian diperoleh bahwa pendayagunaan dana ZIS oleh BAZNAS Kabupaten Gresik dalam hal ini Program Gresik Berdaya di Desa Babaksari Kecamatan Dukun disalurkan dalam rangka memberdayakan masyarakat dan pendampingan untuk meningkatkan ekonomi dan pengetahuan. Ternak bergulir merupakan model pendayagunaan zakat produktif oleh Program Gresik Berdaya dalam meningkatkan pendapatan mustahiq yang menurut peneliti sudah optimal. Hal tersebut dibuktikan dengan telah meningkatnya pendapatan serta kesejahteraan penerima bantuan ternak bergulir yang telah berhasil bergulir tiap tahunnya.Kata Kunci: Mustahiq, pemberdayaan ZIS, Pendayagunaan. ABSTRACTThis study aims to determine the efficient use of ZIS funds in the economic empowerment of the Babaksari Village community, Dukun District through the Gresik Berdaya program by providing revolving livestock assistance carried out by BAZNAS Gresik Regency. The research methodology used is a qualitative approach, with a case study strategy. Data collection was carried out by interviewing ten mustahiq recipients of revolving livestock assistance, two village officials, and three parties from BAZNAS, Gresik Regency. The data used are primary data and secondary data. The data collection was done by using observation, interview, and documentation techniques. The analysis technique used is descriptive analysis. Based on the research results, it was found that the utilization of ZIS funds by BAZNAS Gresik Regency, in this case, the Gresik Berdaya Program in Babaksari Village, Dukun District, was channeled to empower the community and provide assistance to improve the economy and knowledge. Rolling livestock is a model for the utilization of productive zakat by the Gresik Berdaya Program in increasing mustahiq's income, which according to researchers is optimal. This is evidenced by the increasing income and welfare of the recipients of revolving livestock assistance which have been successful in rolling every year.Keywords: Mustahiq, ZIS Empowerment, Utilization
A Novel Boost-Buck Converter Architecture for Improving Transient Response and Output-Voltage Ripple

Buck-boost converters are widely used in the development of DC-DC converters. Several techniques and algorithms have been introduced to improve the transient response of buck-boost converters. However, due to the opposite trends of the output current change and the output voltage change, undershoot or overshoot in the output voltage still seems to be inevitable. In order to overcome this problem, a novel boost-buck converter architecture is proposed to build a fast transient response DC-DC converter. The converter consists of a cascaded configuration of the boost and buck stages. The boost stage converts the input voltage to the shared capacitor voltage and the buck stage supplies energy to the load by converting the shared capacitor voltage to the output voltage. By harnessing the energy stored in the shared capacitor, the transient response of the boost buck converter can be improved to 2 Âµs in a step-up load current change of 1 A with an output-voltage ripple of 15 mV.
Frame Processing for Gesture Recognition Using CNN

Augmented reality requires integration of real-world objects, gestures and actions with the virtual objects. Effective and realistic integration requires solving the complex task of recognition, classification, tracking of objects, gestures and actions, where gesture recognition and action mapping is an active problem in the field of augmented reality, seeking attention for optimized latency, power and throughput. This paper introduces the technique of frame processing with active tile identification to optimize the latency of Convolution neural network in the light of action mapping in augmented reality. The effectiveness of the technique being introduced is evaluated by applying it to the Bharatanatyam Mudra classification and measuring the obtained latency, power and throughput and comparing the obtained results with that of the traditional Convolution neural network. The comparison shows the technique to be effective in terms of the latency, with the best effectiveness factor of 2.30 and least being 1.25.