Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Modeling the demography and population dynamics of a subtropical seabird, and the influence of environmental factors

ABSTRACT The use of long-term ecological datasets to explore the importance of the effects of environmental variability on higher predator populations has been focused mainly on high-latitude areas. We modeled the population dynamics of the Westland Petrel (Procellaria westlandica), which spends its time mostly in subtropical waters during both breeding and the interbreeding migration across the Pacific Ocean. We found that the population has slowly increased since the early 1970s, a result of high adult survival, high fecundity (0.6 of all eggs laid survived to fledge) and moderate mean age at first return to the colony (7.7 yr; a recruitment age typical for this genus), strong recruitment rate of juveniles, and negligible emigration. The modeled population trends were supported by similar rates of increase in nest occupancy since 2001 and nest density since 2007. Annual adult survival for breeders was the same for both sexes (0.954, 95% CI: 0.918–0.975) and constant across years. However, nonbreeders had lower survival rates than breeders, and, among nonbreeders, males tended to survive better (0.926, 95% CI: 0.917–0.934) than females (0.917, 95% CI: 0.900–0.931). Breeders transitioned to the nonbreeding state at a rate of 0.232 and nonbreeders to the breeding state at a rate of 0.295. Sea-surface temperature anomalies had a negative effect on adult survival during the breeding period and a positive effect on survival outside the breeding season. Local marine productivity as measured by fishery catches was strongly correlated with adult survival: Years with a greater fish catch were also years of higher adult survival. Despite many threats operating throughout the breeding and foraging range of Westland Petrels, it appears that marine environmental change is a strongly influential factor for the species, with uncertainty in population growth due to predicted increases in sea-surface temperature in the future.
Uterine Capacity and Ovulation Rate in Mice Selected 21 Generations on Alternative Criteria to Increase Litter Size

After 21 generations of selection for alternative criteria to change litter size in mice, responses in uterine capacity and ovulation rate were evaluated. Females from Generations 22 and 23 were sampled from 12 lines, representing three replicates of four selection criteria: LS = direct selection on litter size; M = selection on an index of ovulation rate and the proportion of ova shed that resulted in fully formed offspring; UT = selection on uterine capacity measured as litter size from females unilaterally ovariectomized at 4 wk of age; and LC = unselected control. All females in the present evaluation ( a total of 1,932) were unilaterally ovariectomized (either left or right ovary excised) at 4 wk, mated a t 9 wk, and killed a t d 17 of gestation. The number of corpora lutea and number of fetuses were counted to measure ovulation rate and uterine capacity, respectively. Selection in IX, LS, and UT increased ( P < .01) ovulation rate from unilaterally ovariectomized females but by a greater amount ( P < .01) in IX and LS than in UT. Selection also increased ( P < . O l ) uterine capacity of IX, LS, and UT (average response relative to LC = 1.76 pups); response was at least as great in LS and IX as in UT. Direct selection in UT was successful at improving uterine capacity but was no more effective than IX or LS selection. Cases in which ovulation rate limited expression of uterine capacity in UT may have shifted some selection emphasis to ovulation rate and reduced response in uterine capacity.
Dynamics of the direct intrusion of Gulf Stream ring water onto the Mid‐Atlantic Bight shelf

Onshore intrusions of offshore waters onto the Mid‐Atlantic Bight shelf can greatly affect shelf circulation, biogeochemistry, and fisheries. Previous studies have concentrated on onshore intrusions of slope water. Here we present a direct intrusion of Gulf Stream warm‐core ring water onto the shelf representing a previously unknown exchange process at the shelfbreak. Impingement of warm‐core rings at the shelfbreak generates along‐isobath intrusions that grow like Pinocchio's nose, extending hundreds of kilometers to the southwest. By combining satellite and Ocean Observatory Initiative Pioneer Array data and idealized numerical simulations, we discover that the intrusion results from topographically induced vorticity variation of the ring water, rather than from entrainment of the shelfbreak frontal jet. This intrusion of the Gulf Stream ring water has important biogeochemical implications and could facilitate migration of marine species across the shelfbreak barrier and transport low‐nutrient surface Gulf Stream ring water to the otherwise productive shelfbreak region.
Inverse analysis of coupled carbon–nitrogen cycles against multiple datasets at ambient and elevated CO2

Aims Carbon (C) sequestration in terrestrial ecosystems is strongly regulated by nitrogen (N) processes. However, key parameters that determine the degree of N regulation on terrestrial C sequestration have not been well quantified. Methods Here, we used a bayesian probabilistic inversion approach to estimate 14 target parameters related to ecosystem C and N interactions from 19 datasets obtained from Duke Forests under ambient and elevated carbon dioxide (Co2). Important Findings our results indicated that 8 of the 14 target parameters, such as C:N ratios in most ecosystem compartments, plant N uptake and external N input, were well constrained by available datasets whereas the others, such as N allocation coefficients, N loss and the initial value of mineral N pool were poorly constrained. our analysis showed that elevated Co2 led to the increases in C:N ratios in foliage, fine roots and litter. moreover, elevated Co2 stimulated plant N uptake and increased ecosystem N capital in Duke Forests by 25.2 and 8.5%, respectively. In addition, elevated Co2 resulted in the decrease of C exit rates (i.e. increases in C residence times) in foliage, woody biomass, structural litter and passive soil organic matter, but the increase of C exit rate in fine roots. our results demonstrated that Co2 enrichment substantially altered key parameters in determining terrestrial C and N interactions, which have profound implications for model improvement and predictions of future C sequestration in terrestrial ecosystems in response to global change.
Efficiency of Stability-Oriented Institutions: The European Case

Stability-oriented European institutions correspond to the general prescriptions of the ‘new macroeconomics consensus’. This contribution provides an assessment of the pros and cons of these institutions in terms of macro stabilisation and exchange-rate swings drawing on different scenarios. We argue that the institutions which have been associated with the Euro – limits on public deficits and a conservative central bank – have somewhat jeopardized the efficiency of this new exchange-rate regime. Adaptation of institutions is thus needed: either cooperation or coordination may enhance European welfare.
Investigating the importance of linguistic complexity features across different datasets related to language learning

We present the results of our investigations aiming at identifying the most informative linguistic complexity features for classifying language learning levels in three different datasets. The datasets vary across two dimensions: the size of the instances (texts vs. sentences) and the language learning skill they involve (reading comprehension texts vs. texts written by learners themselves). We present a subset of the most predictive features for each dataset, taking into consideration significant differences in their per-class mean values and show that these subsets lead not only to simpler models, but also to an improved classification performance. Furthermore, we pinpoint fourteen central features that are good predictors regardless of the size of the linguistic unit analyzed or the skills involved, which include both morpho-syntactic and lexical dimensions.
A new geomagnetic polarity time scale for the Late Cretaceous and Cenozoic

We have constructed a magnetic polarity time scale for the Late Cretaceous and Cenozoic based on an analysis of marine magnetic profiles from the world's ocean basins. This is the first time, since Heirtzler et al. (1968) published their time scale, that the relative widths of the magnetic polarity intervals for the entire Late Cretaceous and Cenozoic have been systematically determined from magnetic profiles. A composite geomagnetic polarity sequence was derived based primarily on data from the South Atlantic. Anomaly spacings in the South Atlantic were constrained by a combination of finite rotation poles and averages of stacked profiles. Fine-scale information was derived from magnetic profiles on faster spreading ridges in the Pacific and Indian Oceans and inserted into the South Ariantic sequence. Based on the assumption that spreading rates in the South Atlantic were smoothly varying but not necessarily constant, a time scale was generated by using a spline function to fit a set of nine age calibration points
Is negative turgor fallacious

In early studies, negative turgor pressure was obtained by indirect methods and was mainly related to inaccurate measurements of osmotic and/or water potential. The uncertainties in the measurements made any discussion of the underlying reasons and phenomena premature and risky, perhaps even useless. Yet, the idea of relating negative turgor to the strength of small-sized cells with thick walls, to resist collapse when subjected to water deficit, seemed attractive. Negative turgor pressures are difficult to detect in higher plants, but they are theoretically possible. Regarding their origin, a hypothesis is discussed here, that the negative turgor detected in leaves might indicate a reversal of the water flow that has occurred in roots, under conditions of severe and prolonged drought.
A 2MW direct drive wind turbine; vector control and direct torque control techniques comparison

This paper presents a comparative study on the most popular control strategies used to control high power, Direct Drive Wind Turbines. The studied wind turbine is equipped with a supervision scheme in order to fulfil Grid connection requirements (GCR). For the generator-side converter, performances of the Field Oriented Control (FOC) and Direct Torque Control (DTC) are compared. Concerning the grid-side converter, Voltage Oriented Control (VOC) and Direct Power Control (DPC) are examined. The comparison is based on various criteria mainly, steady-state and transient performances. In addition, performances are evaluated in terms of low voltage ride through capabilities (LVRT), power limitation and reactive power control. It has been shown that best power quality features are given by vector control techniques. On the other hand, direct control offers the better dynamic response and power cross-coupling is substantially lower. Furthermore, during fault, the wind turbine does not trip for both techniques. However, vector control is better since it gives low power oscillations
Evolution of electroluminescence from multiple Si-implanted silicon nitride films with thermal annealing

Influence of thermal annealing on electroluminescence (EL) from multiple-Si-implanted silicon nitride films has been investigated. A reduced injection current and an enhanced EL intensity have been obtained simultaneously by increasing the annealing temperature, which results in a higher EL quantum efficiency. In addition, four emission bands are identified, and their peak energies, intensities, and full widths at half maxima are found to change with annealing temperature. A model is proposed to illustrate the carrier transport, the mechanisms of the four emission bands, and the evolution of the EL bands with annealing as well. The two major bands and the minor ultraviolet band are explained in terms of the recombination of the injected electrons in either the silicon dangling-bond (≡Si0) states or the nitride conduction band with the injected holes in either the band tail states above the nitride valence band or the valence band itself, while the minor near infrared band is attributed to the Si nanocryst.
Inverse Littlewood-Offord theorems and the condition number of random discrete matrices

Consider a random sum η1v1 + · · · + ηnvn, where η1, . , ηn are independently and identically distributed (i.i.d.) random signs and v1, . , vn are integers. The Littlewood-Offord problem asks to maximize concentration probabilities such as P(η1v1+· · ·+ηnvn = 0) subject to various hypotheses on v1, . , vn. In this paper we develop an inverse Littlewood-Offord theory (somewhat in the spirit of Freiman’s inverse theory in additive combinatorics), which starts with the hypothesis that a concentration probability is large, and concludes that almost all of the v1, . , vn are efficiently contained in a generalized arithmetic progression. As an application we give a new bound on the magnitude of the least singular value of a random Bernoulli matrix, which in turn provides upper tail estimates on the condition number.
The Potential Allelopathic Effects of Varthemia Iphionoides and the Identification of Phenolic Allelochemicals

The allelopathic effects of aqueous extracts from Varthemia iphionoides (Compositae) leaves were tested on germination and early seedling growth of wheat (Triticum durum Desf.), barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.), lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.), tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.), and pepper (Capsicum annuum L.). The experiments were conducted in petri dishes and treatments were arranged in a completely randomized design with eight replications. V. iphionoides aqueous extract was applied in 1.25, 2.5, 5.0 and 10% concentrations and water was used as a control. Germination was observed daily and, after 7 days, radicals length and seedlings dry weight were recorded. Total germination percentage, germination rate, seedling vigor index, and seedling dry weights were significantly inhibited by V. iphionoides aqueous extracts. The germination percentage of chickpea seeds was almost unaffected by the treatment. The extract enhanced germination and seedling dry weights in chickpea at the lowest extract concentration. Tomato and wheat were the most sensitive to V. iphionoides extract followed by pepper and barley. On the other hand, chickpea and lentil were less affected. Using LC-ESI-MS/MS analysis, ten phenolic compounds were identified in V. iphionoides leaves. The results of the current study suggested that V. iphionoides aqueous extract possesses allelopathic properties and extract activities are species-specific and concentration-dependent.
AT 2 receptor-mediated vasodilation in the heart : effect of myocardial infarction

[PDF] [Full Text] [Abstract] , February 21, 2003; 92 (3): 322-329. Circ. Res. C. Zhang, T. W. Hein, W. Wang and L. Kuo Microvascular Function Divergent Roles of Angiotensin II AT1 and AT2 Receptors in Modulating Coronary [PDF] [Full Text] [Abstract] , July 1, 2006; 86 (3): 747-803. Physiol Rev M. Paul, A. Poyan Mehr and R. Kreutz Physiology of Local Renin-Angiotensin Systems [PDF] [Full Text] [Abstract] , November 1, 2006; 291 (5): H2082-H2089. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol Verdouw and D. J. Duncker D. Merkus, D. B. Haitsma, O. Sorop, F. Boomsma, V. J. de Beer, J. M. J. Lamers, P. D. after myocardial infarction Coronary vasoconstrictor influence of angiotensin II is reduced in remodeled myocardium
Global Predictions of Memory in Alzheimer’s Disease: Evidence for Preserved Metamemory Monitoring

Previous researchers have argued that there is a metamemory monitoring deficit in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) because patients tend to overestimate their recall performance on a word list. We propose that these previous results are a misleading by-product of the methodologies used, rather than evidence of an underlying metamemory deficit. In two experiments, AD patients and older adult controls made predictions of performance both before and after encoding a to-be-remembered list. Metamemory function was measured by observing the shift in predictions made with, and without, an opportunity to monitor the list. Experiment 1 found that although there were differences between the groups’ accuracy for their prestudy predictions of recall, both groups were equally accurate after encoding. Experiment 2 explored this using four lists that varied in item difficulty and semantic relatedness. This experiment replicated the findings of Experiment 1, and it was also found that the AD group became more accurate at predicting their performance with more exposure to study-test trials. These studies suggest that metamemory monitoring is intact in AD, because AD patients utilize information gained during processing the to-be-remembered items to revise their predictions of subsequent performance.
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Title Genomics of Aerobic Cellulose Utilization Systems in Actinobacteria Permalink

11 Cellulose degrading enzymes have important functions in the biotechnology industry, 12 including the production of biofuels from lignocellulosic biomass. Anaerobes including 13 Clostridium species organize cellulases and other glycosyl hydrolases into large 14 complexes known as cellulosomes. In contrast, aerobic actinobacteria utilize systems 15 comprised of independently acting enzymes, often with carbohydrate binding domains. 16 Numerous actinobacterial genomes have become available through the Genomic 17 Encyclopedia of Bacteria and Archaea (GEBA) project. We identified putative cellulose18 degrading enzymes belonging to families GH5, GH6, GH8, GH9, GH12, GH48, and 19 GH51 in the genomes of eleven members of the actinobacteria. The eleven organisms 20 were tested in several assays for cellulose degradation, and eight of the organisms 21 showed evidence of cellulase activity. The three with the highest cellulase activity were 22 Actinosynnema mirum, Cellulomonas flavigena, and Xylanimonas cellulosilytica. 23 Cellobiose is known to induce cellulolytic enzymes in the model organism Thermobifida 24 fusca, but only Nocardiopsis dassonvillei showed higher cellulolytic activity in the 25 presence of cellobiose. In T. fusca, cellulases and a putative cellobiose ABC transporter 26 are regulated by the transcriptional regulator CelR. Nine organisms appear to use the 27 CelR site or a closely related binding site to regulate an ABC transporter. In some, CelR 28 also regulates cellulases, while cellulases are controlled by different regulatory sites in 29 three organisms. Mining of genome data for cellulose degradative enzymes followed by 30 experimental verification successfully identified several actinobacteria species which 31 were not previously known to degrade cellulose as cellulolytic organisms. 32
Determination of abundance and distribution of an intertidal barnacle: settlement or post-settlement mortality?

The honeycomb barnacle Chamaesipho tasmanica Foster and Anderson has great variation in abundance and distribution in intertidal areas at Cape Banks, New South Wales. This study was initiated to explain these observed patterns by investigating the relative effects of settlement and post-settlement mortality on populations of C. tasmanica. The relative importance of stages of the life history in determining the demography of adult populations was interpreted by simultaneous studies of adults and of juveniles from July 1989 to July 1994. It was found that settlement was integral to the demography of these barnacles; the alternative model that post-settlement mortality determined the distributions and abundance of juveniles and adults was discounted by experimental tests. Spatial patterns of post-settlement mortality of juveniles did not match spatial patterns of adult mortality. Conversely, despite great post-settlement mortality of juveniles, especially when the limpet Cellana tramoserica was present, spatial patterns of juveniles were retained by adults. Although there were isolated incidences of intense mortality by the whelk Morula marginalba, larval processes primarily determined the numbers of C. tasmanica at Cape Banks. Moreover, recruitment each year was not sufficient to maintain populations of adult barnacles; hence, numbers at Cape Banks were observed to decrease from 1989 to 1993 at all sites and heights studied. This study therefore emphasized the importance of the juvenile stage in maintaining populations of C. tasmanica.
An OpenNMT Model to Arabic Broken Plurals

Arabic Broken Plurals show an interesting phenomenon in Arabic morphology as they are formed by shifting the consonants of the syllables into different syllable patterns, and subsequently, the pattern of the word changes. The present paper, therefore, attempts to look at Arabic broken plurals from the perspective of neural networks by implementing an OpenNMT experiment to better understand and interpret the behavior of these plurals, especially when it comes to L2 acquisition. The results show that the model is successful in predicting the Arabic template. However, it fails to predict certain consonants such as the emphatics and the gutturals. This reinforces the fact that these consonants or sounds are the most difficult for L2 learners to acquire.
Positivity of vector bundles and Hodge theory

Differential geometry, especially the use of curvature, plays a central role in modern Hodge theory. The vector bundles that occur in the theory (Hodge bundles) have metrics given by the polarizations of the Hodge structures, and the sign and singularity properties of the resulting curvatures have far reaching implications in the geometry of families of algebraic varieties. A special property of the curvatures is that they are [Formula: see text] order invariants expressed in terms of the norms of algebro-geometric bundle mappings. This partly expository paper will explain some of the positivity and singularity properties of the curvature invariants that arise in the Hodge theory with special emphasis on the norm property.
Evaluating the Policy Approach towards the Undeclared Economy in FYR Macedonia

This paper evaluates how the undeclared economy is being tackled in FYR Macedonia. Reporting the findings on the extent and nature of the undeclared economy in this country, FYR Macedonia is shown to have the largest undeclared economy of all European countries and such work is prevalent across all sectors and business types. Examining how the undeclared economy is being tackled, it is revealed that there is a need not only to move away from the current fragmented approach by establishing a single agency or committee to better coordinate the fight against undeclared work in FYR Macedonia but also for a shift away from the current focus upon deterrents and for more attention to be paid to a wider range of measures that enable undeclared work to move into the declared economy. Unless such an approach is pursued then it is likely to remain difficult to make further headway in tackling undeclared work.