Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Body size is negatively correlated with trophic position among cyprinids

Body size has many ecological and evolutionary implications that extend across multiple levels of organization. Body size is often positively correlated with species traits such as metabolism, prey size and trophic position (TP) due to physiological and mechanical constraints. We used stable isotope analysis to quantify TP among minnows across multiple assemblages that differed in their species composition, diversity and food web structure. Body size significantly predicted TP across different lineages and assemblages, and indicated a significant negative relationship. The observed negative relationship between body size and TP is contrary to conventional knowledge, and is likely to have arisen owing to highly clade-specific patterns, such that clades consist of either large benthic species or small pelagic species. Cyprinids probably subvert the physiological and mechanical constraints that generally produce a positive relationship between body size and TP using anatomical modifications and by consuming small-bodied prey, respectively. The need for herbivorous cyprinids to digest cellulose-rich foods probably selected for larger bodies to accommodate longer intestinal tracts and thereby to facilitate digestion of nutrient-poor resources, such as algae. Therefore, body size and TP are likely to have coevolved in cyprinids in association with specialization along the benthic to pelagic resource axis.
What have been the impacts of World Bank Community-Driven Development Programs? CDD impact evaluation review and operational and research implications

Governments and the World Bank have very few tools to reach large numbers of the poor directly, particularly in the context of weak or fragile states, in post conflict and post disaster environments, or in areas with poor track records of service delivery within the bureaucracy. Community driven development (CDD) potentially constitutes an important approach in the repertoire of development interventions because it is designed to place less stress on government line agencies by optimizing the use of community actors, yet at the same time reach very large numbers of poor people. Determining whether this approach is worth supporting requires rigorous evaluation to assess CDD's effectiveness in various settings. And if it does work, how can we strengthen its ability to deliver results as a second generation of CDD programs begins to emerge? This study aims to explore these issues. The study's objectives are to (a) summarize and analyze impact evaluation results of World Bank CDD programs over the past 25 years, and (b) describe critical operational and research implications of these findings. This study aims to generate knowledge in answering key development impact questions for CDD programs and by doing so, to improve the quality of operations using evidence? based approaches. This study differs from earlier reports in several important respects. First, the study team has updated the data sets, focusing especially but not exclusively on the latest generation of CDD impact evaluations from 2003 onwards. Several of the evaluations were completed in the last five years and thus were not covered in earlier summary reports. Second, whereas some recent reports (such as Mansuri and Rao, forthcoming) cover a very broad range of topics under the heading of 'participatory development approaches' including elections, decentralization, and school? based management it is worth fractionating out and understanding more about a specific approach to participation from within the overall participatory approach universe, that is World Bank? supported CDD programs. This study thus focuses much more narrowly on this specific subset of CDD and its impact evaluation findings. Third, as mentioned above, this paper attempts to focus more than past studies on contextual factors and the operational implications of the findings.
Stretchable electroadhesion for soft robots

With the ongoing rise of soft robots there emerges a need for new technologies that can cope with hyper-flexibility and stretchability. In this paper, we describe a new method for enabling controllable adhesion, namely electroadhesion, for use in soft robots. We present a method to manufacture stretchable electroadhesive pads and characterize their performance when stretching the pad more than double its original length. Our results suggest that the normal detachment force per area slightly decreases with the stretching, while the shear detachment force per area increases with the stretch ratio. These results imply that stretchable electroadhesive pads have higher adaptivity than non-stretchable pads because their mechanical stiffness and adhesive forces can be controlled through stretching.
Perceptions of College Financial Aid among California Latino Youth. Policy Brief.

1. Delivery of Translated Financial Aid Information is not Sufficient The Spanish-language translation of financial aid information for Latino communities should not presume knowledge of U.S. financial aid concepts such as government guaranteed loans, grants and scholarships. Thus, basic college financial aid literacy in English and Spanish should be the base point of any college financial aid educational efforts. 2. Misperceptions About the Affordability of College Need to be Addressed
The 1000 Brightest HIPASS Galaxies: H I Properties

We present the HIPASS Bright Galaxy Catalog (BGC), which contains the 1000 H I brightest galaxies in the southern sky as obtained from the H I Parkes All-Sky Survey (HIPASS). The selection of the brightest sources is based on their H I peak flux density (Speak ≳ 116 mJy) as measured from the spatially integrated HIPASS spectrum. The derived H I masses range from ∼107 to 4 × 1010 M⊙. While the BGC (z < 0.03) is complete in Speak, only a subset of ∼500 sources can be considered complete in integrated H I flux density (F ≳ 25 Jy km s-1). The HIPASS BGC contains a total of 158 new redshifts. These belong to 91 new sources for which no optical or infrared counterparts have previously been cataloged, an additional 51 galaxies for which no redshifts were previously known, and 16 galaxies for which the cataloged optical velocities disagree. Of the 91 newly cataloged BGC sources, only four are definite H I clouds: while three are likely Magellanic debris with velocities around 400 km s-1, one is a tidal cloud associated with the NGC 2442 galaxy group. The remaining 87 new BGC sources, the majority of which lie in the zone of avoidance, appear to be galaxies. We identified optical counterparts to all but one of the 30 new galaxies at Galactic latitudes |b| > 10°. Therefore, the BGC yields no evidence for a population of "free-floating" intergalactic H I clouds without associated optical counterparts. HIPASS provides a clear view of the local large-scale structure. The dominant features in the sky distribution of the BGC are the Supergalactic Plane and the Local Void. In addition, one can clearly see the Centaurus Wall, which connects via the Hydra and Antlia Clusters to the Puppis Filament. Some previously hardly noticable galaxy groups stand out quite distinctly in the H I sky distribution. Several new structures, including some not behind the Milky Way, are seen for the first time.
Optimal insurance contract design : effects of mortality

Some recent literature on optimal pension/life insurance design studies whether contracts with guarantees can be preferred by a utility-maximizing policyholder. In the absence of mortality risk, the main result in the literature (e.g. Døskeland and Nordahl (2008)) is that expected utility theory (EUT) fails to interpret demand for any forms of guarantees, while cumulative prospect theory (CPT) is able to support the demand for guarantees. In the present paper, we incorporate mortality in life/pension insurance contracts and investigate the effects on EUTand CPT-investors. Our results show that an EUT investor might prefer products with guarantees. For CPT we propose two possibilities to include mortality in the analysis and examine their influence in a simulation based approach.
The Pupillary Orienting Response Predicts Adaptive Behavioral Adjustment after Errors

Reaction time (RT) is commonly observed to slow down after an error. This post-error slowing (PES) has been thought to arise from the strategic adoption of a more cautious response mode following deployment of cognitive control. Recently, an alternative account has suggested that PES results from interference due to an error-evoked orienting response. We investigated whether error-related orienting may in fact be a pre-cursor to adaptive post-error behavioral adjustment when the orienting response resolves before subsequent trial onset. We measured pupil dilation, a prototypical measure of autonomic orienting, during performance of a choice RT task with long inter-stimulus intervals, and found that the trial-by-trial magnitude of the error-evoked pupil response positively predicted both PES magnitude and the likelihood that the following response would be correct. These combined findings suggest that the magnitude of the error-related orienting response predicts an adaptive change of response strategy following errors, and thereby promote a reconciliation of the orienting and adaptive control accounts of PES.
LDPC FEC Code Extension for Unequal Error Protection in DVB-T2 System: Design and Evaluation

The Digital Video Broadcasting organisation has recently introduced the second generation of terrestrial broadcast transmission standards, DVB-T2. The newly introduced tools ensure significant gain in performance of DVB-T2 compared to the first generation variant of the standard. One of these tools is the new physical layer concatenated forward error correction code. The inner among the concatenated codes is the Low-Density Parity Check code. The paper proposes a method to extend this code so varying coding strength inside one physical layer pipe of DVB-T2 is enabled in a backward compatible way. As consequence, unequal error protection transmission scheme at a physical layer of DVB-T2 can be efficiently deployed. The paper provides a step-by-step description of the design procedure of the extension. Moreover, the modification to the processing chain and the framing structure of DVB-T2, that ensures backward compatibility to the legacy system, is provided. The proposed method is evaluated under AWGN channel and TU6 channel. Experiments performed on four different video sequences show significant improvements in quality of experience when the proposed extension is used to achieve UEP transmission.
Global commodity price peaks and governmental interventions: The case of the wheat-to-bread supply chain in Serbia – Did consumers really benefit?

We analyze how the governmental market interventions, during the commodity price peaks 2007/2008 and 2010/2011, have affected the transmission of price changes along the wheat-to-bread supply chain in Serbia. We aim to investigate if consumers benefitted from the wheat and flour export restrictions or if other members along the supply chain were able to gain advantage. Our analysis of price dynamics between wheat and flour prices within a Markov Switching Vector Error Correction Model suggests that the millers increased their margin and thus profits in the aftermath of the food crisis. The simulation of bread production costs makes evident that bakeries and even more retailers profited substantially from the crisis policy. Compared with laissez-faire policy case, the significant wheat, flour and bread price increase was dampened by the governmental market interventions only at the beginning of the crisis. Additional market interventions, mainly wheat purchases, caused significant price increase on the domestic market which pushed consumers into unfavorable position. Consumers’ expenditure for food was increasing followed by the increased governmental expenditures for market interventions. Overall market situation, characterized by ad-hoc policy interventions and uncertainty, was leading to the net welfare loss for the whole Serbian economy.
The Soil Reference Shrinkage Curve

A recently proposed model showed how a clay shrinkage curve is transformed to the soil shrinkage curve at the soil clay content higher than a critical one. The objective of the present work was to generalize this model to the soil clay content lower a critical one. I investigated (i) the reference shrinkage curve, that is, one without cracks; (ii) the superficial layer of aggregates, with changed pore structure compared with the intraaggregate matrix; and (iii) soils with sufficiently low clay content where there are large pores inside the intraaggregate clay (so-called lacunar pores). The methodology is based on detail accounting for different contributions to the soil volume and water content during shrinkage. The key point is the calculation of the lacunar pore volume variance at shrinkage. The reference shrinkage curve is determined by eight physical soil parameters: (1) oven-dried specific volume; (2) maximum swelling water content; (3) mean solid den- sity; (4) soil clay content; (5) oven-dried structural porosity; (6) the ratio of aggregate solid mass to solid mass of intraag- gregate matrix; (7) the lacunar factor that characterizes the rate of the lacunar pore volume change with water content; and (8) oven-dried lacunar pore volume. The model was validated using available data. The model predicted value of the slope of the reference shrinkage curve in the basic shrinkage area is equal to unity minus the lacunar factor value, and is be- tween unity and zero in the agreement with observations.
Variations on the bilingual advantage? Links of Chinese and English proficiency to Chinese American children's self-regulation

The present study examined whether bilingualism-related advantages in self-regulation could be observed: (a) among Chinese American immigrant children with varying levels of Chinese and English proficiencies, and (b) across different domains of self-regulation in laboratory, home, and classroom contexts. A socioeconomically diverse sample of first- and second-generation Chinese American immigrant children between ages 7 and 10 (n = 223) was administered assessments of Chinese and English language proficiencies and a multi-method, multi-informant battery of self-regulation measures. Multiple regression analyses suggested that controlling for covariates (child age, gender, and SES), children's bilingualism-related advantages were limited to higher performance only on computerized tasks of cognitive flexibility, and only among children with higher degrees of fluency in both Chinese and English. By contrast, proficiencies in one language (either Chinese or English) were uniquely and positively associated with other domains of self-regulation, including parent and teacher-reported effortful control. These results suggest that the bilingual advantage for self-regulation may be observed as a continuous variable among immigrant children with varying levels of bilingual fluency; however, this advantage may not extend across all domains and contexts of self-regulation.
Survey Research in Corporate Finance: Bridging the Gap between Theory and Practice

As there is no current book that deals extensively or exclusively with survey research in corporate finance Survey Research in Corporate Finance is the only one of its kind. For even while there are numerous books on survey methodology, none focus on this methodology as specifically applied to corporate finance. In the book, Baker, Singleton, and Velt do nothing less than provide an overview of survey methodology useful to financial researchers, synthesize the major streams or clusters of survey research in corporate finance, and offer a valuable resource and guide for those interested in conducting survey research in finance. Thus this volume will be an essential reference for practitioners, academics, and graduate students-who all must know the methodology of finance survey research. In addition to methodology, the book identifies areas that will be best served by survey-based research. Researchers will have a wealth of information regarding past surveys and will be aware of suitable candidates for future surveys. Several chapters are devoted to synthesizing survey results on major issues in finance. These will help decision makers in finance and in non-finance firms to acquire knowledge learned from years of communications between academics and practitioners. Available in OSO: http://www.oxfordscholarship. com/oso/public/content/economicsfinance/9780195340372/toc.html
Fluorophore Labeled Kinase Detects Ligands That Bind within the MAPK Insert of p38α Kinase

The vast majority of small molecules known to modulate kinase activity, target the highly conserved ATP-pocket. Consequently, such ligands are often less specific and in case of inhibitors, this leads to the inhibition of multiple kinases. Thus, selective modulation of kinase function remains a major hurdle. One of the next great challenges in kinase research is the identification of ligands which bind to less conserved sites and target the non-catalytic functions of protein kinases. However, approaches that allow for the unambiguous identification of molecules that bind to these less conserved sites are few in number. We have previously reported the use of fluorescent labels in kinases (FLiK) to develop direct kinase binding assays that exclusively detect ligands which stabilize inactive (DFG-out) kinase conformations. Here, we present the successful application of the FLiK approach to develop a high-throughput binding assay capable of directly monitoring ligand binding to a remote site within the MAPK insert of p38α mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK). Guided by the crystal structure of an initially identified hit molecule in complex with p38α, we developed a tight binding ligand which may serve as an ideal starting point for further investigations of the biological function of the MAPK insert in regulating the p38α signaling pathway.
Labour markets for irrigated agriculture in central Ethiopia: Wage premiums and segmentation

Labour market segmentation in developing countries has been considered in a growing literature, some of which suggests an informal sector wage premium. However, such studies have mainly focused on urban labour markets and have not discriminated between the informally self-employed and wage workers. This paper examines segmentation in rural markets for agricultural wage workers in Ethiopia, controlling for location, farming systems and observed worker characteristics. Applying an endogenous switching model with simultaneous estimation of wage equations it establishes an informal sector wage premium, self-selection into the informal sector and sectorally-distinct wage determination mechanisms.
Ozone response to emission changes: a modeling study during the MCMA-2006/MILAGRO Campaign

Abstract. The sensitivity of ozone production to precursor emissions was investigated under five different meteorological conditions in the Mexico City Metropolitan Area (MCMA) during the MCMA-2006/MILAGRO field campaign using the gridded photochemical model CAMx driven by observation-nudged WRF meteorology. Precursor emissions were constrained by the comprehensive data from the field campaign and the routine ambient air quality monitoring network. Simulated plume mixing and transport were examined by comparing with measurements from the G-1 aircraft during the campaign. The observed concentrations of ozone precursors and ozone were reasonably well reproduced by the model. The effects of reducing precursor emissions on urban ozone production were performed for three representative emission control scenarios. A 50% reduction in VOC emissions led to 7 to 22 ppb decrease in daily maximum ozone concentrations, while a 50% reduction in NOx emissions leads to 4 to 21 ppb increase, and 50% reductions in both NOx and VOC emission decrease the daily maximum ozone concentrations up to 10 ppb. These results along with a chemical indicator analysis using the chemical production ratios of H2O2 to HNO3 demonstrate that the MCMA urban core region is VOC-limited for all meteorological episodes, which is consistent with the results from MCMA-2003 field campaign; however the degree of the VOC-sensitivity is higher during MCMA-2006 due to lower VOCs, lower VOC reactivity and moderately higher NOx emissions. Ozone formation in the surrounding mountain/rural area is mostly NOx-limited, but can be VOC-limited, and the range of the NOx-limited or VOC-limited areas depends on meteorology.
Distinguishing Motivational Traits between Person-Organization Fit and Person-Job Fit: Testing the Moderating Effects of Extrinsic Rewards in Enhancing Public Employee Job Satisfaction

ABSTRACT This research suggests dissimilar motivational traits of person-organization fit and person-job fit and their different interactive relations with the external regulation of work motivation in affecting public employee satisfaction. Conducting a hierarchical regression analysis, the study jointly tested the direct and interaction effects of perceived person-organization fit, person-job fit, and extrinsic rewards on job satisfaction. Findings demonstrated a crowding-out effect of extrinsic reward perceptions on the positive relationship between person-organization fit and job satisfaction. However, the moderation of extrinsic rewards did not appear to alter the influence of person-job fit on job satisfaction. Implications are further discussed.
Ion permeation through light-activated channels in rhabdomeric photoreceptors. Role of divalent cations

The receptor potential of rhabdomeric photoreceptors is mediated primarily by a Na influx, but other ions must also permeate through light-dependent channels to account for some properties of the photoresponse. We examined ion conduction in macroscopic and single- channel light-induced currents of Lima and Pecten photoreceptors. In the absence of Na, a fivefold change in extracellular K shifted the reversal voltage of the photocurrent (Vrev) by approximately 27 mV. Because the dependency of Vrev on [K]o was sub-Nernstian, and Vrev in each condition was more positive than Ek, some other ion(s) with a positive equilibrium potential must be implicated, in addition to K. We assessed the participation of calcium, an important candidate because of its involvement in light adaptation. Three strategies were adopted to minimize the impairments to cytosolic Ca homeostasis and loss of responsiveness that normally result from the required ionic manipulations: (a) Internal dialysis with Na-free solutions, to prevent reverse operation of the Na/Ca exchanger. (b) Rapid solution changes, temporally limiting exposure to potentially detrimental ionic conditions. (c) Single-channel recording, exposing only the cell- attached patch of membrane to the test solutions. An inward whole-cell photocurrent could be measured with Ca as the only extracellular charge carrier. Decreasing the [Ca]o to 0.5 mM reduced the response by 43% and displaced the reversal potential by -4.3 mV; the shift was larger (delta Vrev = -44 mV) when intracellular permeant cations were also removed. In all cases, however, the current carried by Ca was < 5% of that measured with normal [Na]o. Unitary light-activated currents were reduced in a similar way when the pipette contained only divalent cations, indicating a substantial selectivity for Na over Ca. The fall kinetics of the photoresponse was slower when external Ca was replaced by Ba, or when the membrane was depolarized; however, dialysis with 10 mM BAPTA failed to antagonize this effect, suggesting that mechanisms other than the Ca influx participate in the modulation of the time course of the photocurrent.