Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Host marking behavior in phytophagous insects and parasitoids

Oviposition behavior in phytophagous insects and entomophagous parasitoids is often modified by the presence of conspecific brood (eggs and larvae). Often, females avoid laying eggs on or in hosts bearing brood, a behavior that acts to reduce the level of competition suffered by their offspring. Avoidance of occupied hosts is typically mediated by cues and/or signals associated with brood. In this article, we review the role of Marking Pheromones (MPs) as signals of brood presence in both phytophagous and entomophagous insects. We place information about the function and evolution of MPs in the context of recent theory in the field of animal communication. We highlight the dynamics of host‐marking systems and discuss how effects of MPs vary according to factors such as female experience and egg load. We also examine variation in the form and function of MP communication across a variety of insect taxa. While studies of MP communication in phytophagous insects have focused on the underlying behavioral mechanisms and chemistry of MP communication, studies in entomophagous insects have focused on the functional aspects of MPs and their role in ‘decision‐making’ in insects. We argue that an approach that incorporates the important contributions of both of these somewhat independent, but complementary areas of research will lead to a more complete understanding of MPs in insects. Finally, we suggest that MP systems are model systems for the study of animal signaling and its evolution.
On the Geometry of the X-Ray-emitting Region in Seyfert Galaxies

For the first time, detailed radiative transfer calculations of Comptonized X-ray and γ-ray radiation in a hot pair plasma above a cold accretion disk are performed using two independent codes and methods. The simulations include both energy and pair balance as well as reprocessing of the X- and γ-rays by the cold disk. We study both plane-parallel coronae as well as active dissipation regions having shapes of hemispheres and pill boxes located on the disk surface. It is shown, contrary to earlier claims, that plane-parallel coronae in pair balance have difficulties in self-consistently reproducing the ranges of 2-20 keV spectral slopes, high-energy cutoffs, and compactnesses inferred from observations of type 1 Seyfert galaxies. Instead, the observations are consistent with the X-rays coming from a number of individual active regions located on the surface of the disk. A number of effects such as anisotropic Compton scattering, the reflection hump, feedback to the soft photon source by reprocessing, and an active region in pair equilibrium all conspire to produce the observed ranges of X-ray slopes, high-energy cutoffs, and compactnesses. The spread in spectral X-ray slopes can be caused by a spread in the properties of the active regions such as their compactnesses and their elevations above the disk surface. Simplified models invoking isotropic Comptonization in spherical clouds are no longer sufficient when interpreting the data.
Visual Memory of Meaningless Shapes in Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Objective Visual memory is an important cognitive ability, which has been studied in individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs). In such studies meaningful shapes were used more frequently. Since meaningless shapes provide a better assessment of short term visual memory, in this study we used them to evaluate visual memory in children and adolescents with ASDs compared to the normal group. Methods Four visual memory tests of Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) including Paired Associates Learning (PAL), Pattern Recognition Memory (PRM), Spatial Recognition Memory (SRM) and Delayed Matching to Sample (DMS) were administered to 15 children and adolescents with ASDs (high functioning autism and Asperger syndrome) and to 15 normal participants aged 8 to 17,with IQ of above 70. Results Individuals with ASDs performed worse than the normal group on visual memory tasks. After eliminating IQ as a covariate, no significant difference was observed between the two groups in terms of visual memory performance. Conclusion It seems that deficits on visual memory tasks in youths with ASDs could be related to their general intellectual abilities.
Systemic Pathology Expression , γ Nephritis and Intrarenal IFN-Mice Delays lprFas IL-12 Deficiency in MRL -

Autoimmune disease in MRL-Fas lpr mice is characterized by fatal nephritis, systemic pathology, and autoantibodies, mimicking human lupus. We previously reported that 1) intrarenal IL-12 elicits nephritis by fostering the accumulation of intrarenal IFN-␥-secreting T cells, and 2) MRL-Fas lpr mice deficient in the IFN-␥ receptor were spared from nephritis. Therefore, we hypothesized that eliminating IL-12 in MRL-Fas lpr mice reduces IFN-␥-secreting cells and thereby prevents systemic pathology. For this purpose, we constructed an IL-12p40-deficient MRL-Fas lpr (IL-12 ؊/؊) strain. We determined that glomerular and interstitial, but not perivascular, renal pathology were decreased in IL-12 ؊/؊ mice vs the wild-type (WT) strain (5 mo of age). Similarly, systemic pathology (lung, lacrimal and salivary glands, skin, and lymphadenopathy) was diminished. The intrarenal accumulation of T cells (CD4
HAS: Hierarchical A-Star Algorithm for Big Map Navigation in Special Areas

The problem of path-finding has to be solved in transportation, city planning, commercial computer games, navigation and many other fields. How to find the shortest path is the key point of this problem. For computer games and many other fields, since the maps are usually not very big, traditional algorithms such as Dijkstra algorithm and AStar algorithm work well. But if we want to find the shortest path of two points in a big city or even a country, the memory and CPU resources are limited and these algorithms may result in bad performance. To solve the problem of navigation in big maps, this paper introduces and analyzes the use of Hierarchical A-Star algorithm which adds the hierarchical mechanism into traditional A-Star algorithm and save the resources of CPU and memory. For a big map such as the map of a country, to find the shortest path of two points, we successively divide the map of the country into maps of states, cities, towns, and blocks. Then we implement A Star algorithm for each layer and recursively find the shortest path of these two points.
Primary health care system in transition: the patient's experience.

OBJECTIVE To find out how Estonian people evaluate the changes in primary health care (PHC), how they perceive the acceptability of the new PHC system, and to assess patients' satisfaction with their primary care doctor. DESIGN Face-to-face interviews using structured questionnaires. SETTING Estonia. STUDY PARTICIPANTS A random sample of Estonian residents aged 15-74 years (n = 997). MAIN MEASURES Acceptability of PHC system (accessibility, the patient-practitioner relations, amenities, and patient's preferences) and patients' satisfaction with primary care doctor. RESULTS Of the 997 respondents, 46% were sufficiently informed about the transition to the general practitioner (GP)-based PHC system; however, 45% of respondents had not personally experienced any changes. Of the 997 persons interviewed, 68% were registered on the patient list of a GCP, and 62% of those who had health problems preferred to consult the primary care doctor first. The waiting time for an outpatient appointment was brief (0-2 days). Of the 997 respondents, 68% were satisfied with their primary care doctor. Satisfaction was dependent on: (i) how patients evaluated the competence of the physician; (ii) comprehensibility of doctor's explanations; and (iii) comfort of the clinic. The right of patients to choose their own primary care doctor and having sufficient information about the changes in PHC system had a positive influence on the level of satisfaction. CONCLUSIONS Patients' opinions are important in the evaluation of PHC. To increase the level of satisfaction, people need to understand the nature and intent of the primary care reforms. Personal choice of primary care doctor and good patient-doctor relationships are important factors too.
Energy Consumption and Economic Growth: Empirical Evidence from Pakistan

This study investigates the relationship between energy consumption and economic growth for Pakistan based on annual data for the period of 1972-2012. The demand for energy is increasing rapidly in the globalizing world. Most of the countries are facing shortage of energy and consequently it is severely affecting the economic growth. In Pakistan, there is insufficient investment in the energy sector to the extent that majority of commercial energy infrastructure is still underdeveloped. There are many flaws in the demand side and supply side especially relating to payments. Consequently a huge amount is disbursed on account of circular debit in Pakistan. The empirical results state that the consumption of electricity is significantly stimulating economic growth among other sources of energy. The oil consumption is also affecting economic growth adversely because of its high volume of import. The variable of trade openness has also positive impact on economic growth in the period. The study has important policy implication for Pakistan’s economy that there should be shift from expensive imported fuel (oil) to indigenously available alternative fuel (gas or coal) in order to reduce import burden and consequently current account balance. The government should make short run as well as long run plans of low-priced energy generation domestically to meet the needs of high energy consumption.
Local-global principle for transvection groups

In this article we extend the validity of Suslin's Local-Global Principle for the elementary transvection subgroup of the general linear group GL n (R), the symplectic group Sp 2n (R), and the orthogonal group O 2n (R), where n > 2, to a Local-Global Principle for the elementary transvection subgroup of the automorphism group Aut(P) of either a projective module P of global rank > 0 and constant local rank > 2, or of a nonsingular symplectic or orthogonal module P of global hyperbolic rank > 0 and constant local hyperbolic rank > 2. In Suslin's results, the local and global ranks are the same, because he is concerned only with free modules. Our assumption that the global (hyperbolic) rank > 0 is used to define the elementary transvection subgroups. We show further that the elementary transvection subgroup ET(P) is normal in Aut(P), that ET(P) = T(P), where the latter denotes the full transvection subgroup of Aut(P), and that the unstable K 1 -group K 1 (Aut(P)) = Aut(P)/ET(P) = Aut(P)/T(P) is nilpotent by abelian, provided R has finite stable dimension. The last result extends previous ones of Bak and Hazrat for GL n (R), Sp 2n (R), and O 2n (R). An important application to the results in the current paper can be found in a preprint of Basu and Rao in which the last two named authors studied the decrease in the injective stabilization of classical modules over a nonsingular affine algebra over perfect C 1 -fields. We refer the reader to that article for more details.
The low-mass end of the fundamental relation for gravitationally lensed star-forming galaxies at 1 < z < 6†

We present Very Large Telescope/X-shooter spectra of 13 galaxies in the redshift range 1 ? z ? 6, which are strongly lensed by massive galaxy clusters. Spectroscopic redshifts are measured for nine galaxies, while three sources have redshifts determined from continuum breaks in their spectra. The stellar masses of the galaxies span four orders of magnitude between 107 and 1011? M? and have luminosities at 1500 angstrom rest frame between 0.004 and 9L* after correcting for the magnification. This allows us to probe a variety of galaxy types from young, low-mass starburst galaxies to massive evolved galaxies. The lensed galaxies with stellar masses less than 1010? M? have a large scatter compared to the fundamental relation between stellar mass, star formation rates and oxygen abundances. We provide a modified fit to the fundamental relation for low-mass, low-metallicity galaxies with a weaker dependence of the metallicity on either the star formation rate or stellar mass compared to low-redshift, high-mass and high-metallicity Sloan Digital Sky Survey galaxies.
Contesting citizenship: Civil society struggles over livelihood and educational access in coastal settlements of the Western Cape, South Africa

5 Acknowledgements.6 Acronyms.7 Preface.8 Part I: Theory, methodology and context.11 Ch.1: Introducing citizenship, access and civil society action.12 Ch.2: Theory and conceptual tools.28 Ch.3 History and context.67 Ch.4: Rights discourses and the civil society landscape.107 Ch.5: Researching citizenship: research questions, methods and methodology.126 Part II: Data and analysis.151 Ch.6: Overview of context and livelihoods for the three case study sites.152 Ch.7: Mediating influences on access to livelihood opportunities: the interweaving of international, national and local structures and processes.190 Ch.8: Literacy mediation, bureaucratic literacies and rural livelihoods in South Africa.207 Ch.9: Rights, entitlements and civil society participation.229 Part III: Synthesis and key findings.255 Ch.10: Key findings and conclusions.256 References.275 Appendices.308 Appendix 1: List of interviewees and informants, list of focus groups and list of public meetings and workshops attended.309 Appendix 2: Questionnaire.316
The Geography of Support for Democracy in Europe

This paper focuses on attitudes towards democracy, comparing European citizens’ reaction to the principles standing at the basis of their political system. Using data from the fourth wave of the European Values Study, the paper attempts to understand the mechanisms of support for democracy. The paper proposes an explanation of support based on resources, ideology, and communist experience. Special attention is given to the former communist countries in Central and Eastern Europe, testing the assumption that the mechanisms of support in these countries differ from those in older democracies. The variables of interest used here are the items used in EVS to measure support for democracy and for non-democratic alternatives. Previous studies used these items to construct an index of support for democracy, assuming the items measure the same underlying dimension. I test this assumption and show that the relationships between the items vary across countries and that a bi-dimensional solution is more adequate to the data. Using this solution, multilevel regression analyses show that the factors related to support for democracy vary systematically across groups of countries.
Exchange Rate and Trade Balance; J Curve Effect in Ethiopia

More recent studies have used bilateral data in testing the J curve phenomenon. However, The paper has attempted to estimate the J-curve phenomenon for Ethiopia using a yearly data ,aggregate data over the period 1974-2010 in a multilateral trade model basis. A recent technique in co integration, ARDL approach , more importantly the Hendry’s general to specific approach has been employed, which allowed for a simultaneous short-run and long-run analysis of the trade balance model. Empirical results suggest there is strong evidence for the fulfillment of the Marshall-Lerner condition, as the trade balance improves in the long run in response to a currency devaluation, while giving rise to a J-curve effect in the short run. Both Johansen’s and autoregressive distributed lag approach are respectively used. Co integration test results showing that LREERI ,LTB LRGDP and LIPI move all together in long run. Corresponding error- correction models as well as impulse response functions indicate that, following currency devaluation trade balance first deteriorates before it later improves, i.e. exhibiting the J-curve pattern. These results are relevant for policy making instruments in Ethiopia. It is likely that such policy may be able to produce the desired outcome—i.e., the trade balance could improve. The policy issue that arises from these observations is the usefulness of the real exchange rate as a tool for correcting trade imbalance. The Granger Causality test suggests that REER, LRGDP, LIPI does Granger causes trade balance. As the research works comprise two regimes, the stability analysis was checked. Key words: Trade Balance, Real Exchange Rate, Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL), Error Correction (ECM)
The puzzling case of GRB 990123: prompt emission and broad-band afterglow modeling

We report on BeppoSAX simultaneous X- andγ-ray observations of the bright γ-ray burst (GRB) 990123. We present the broad-band spectrum of the prompt emission, including optical, X- andγ-rays, confirming the suggestion that the emission mechanisms at low and high frequencies must have different physical origins. In the framework of the standard fire ball model, we discuss the X-ray afterglow observed by the Narrow Field Instruments (NFIs) on board BeppoSAX and its hard X- ray emission up to 60 keV several hours after the burst, detected for about 20 ks by the Phoswich Detection System (PDS). Considering the 2− 10 keV and optical light curves, the 0.1− 60 keV spectrum during the 20 ks in which the PDS signal was present and the 8.46 GHz upper limits, we find that the multi-wavelength observ ations cannot be readily accommodated by basic afterglow models. While the temporal and spectral behavior of the optical afterglow is possibly explained by a synchrotron cooling frequency between the optical and the X-ray energy band during the NFIs observations, in X-rays this assumption only accounts for the slope of the 2− 10 keV light curve, but not for the flatness of the 0.1− 60 keV spectrum. Including the contribution of Inverse Compton (IC) scattering, we solve the problem of the flat X-ray spectrum and justify the hard X-ra y emission; we also suggest that the lack of a significant detec tion of 15− 60 keV emission in the following 75 ks and last 70 ks spectra, should be related to poorer statistics rather than to an important suppression of IC contribution. However, considering also the radio band data, we find the 8.46 GHz upper limits violated. On the other hand, leaving unchanged the emission mechanism requires modifying the hydrodynamics by invoking an ambient medium whose density rises rapidly with radius and by having the shock losing energy. Thus we are left with an open puzzle which requires further inspection.
The Cyclicality of Fiscal Policy in the Middle East and Central Asia: Is the Current Crisis Different?

The countries of the Middle East and North Africa, and the Caucasus and Central Asia have the highest output volatility in the world. Fiscal policy is a powerful tool that can help dampen the business cycles. This paper analyzes the cyclical properties of fiscal policy in the region during the past four decades and explores whether the response during the current global economic crisis is different in 2009. Across a sample of 28 countries, we find that fiscal policy has typically amplified the business cycles and that it has been more procyclical in good times than in bad times. However, the response to the current crisis has differed from the past in that about half of the countries responded countercyclically in 2009. Going forward, the fiscal space during downturns varies widely across countries, depending on the level of debt, access to capital markets, and natural resource wealth. Not surprisingly, the oil exporters have more fiscal room than oil importers, although there are some oil importers that still have room to respond countercyclically in bad times.
LABA/LAMA combinations versus LAMA monotherapy or LABA/ICS in COPD: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) indicate that long-acting bronchodilator combinations, such as β2-agonist (LABA)/muscarinic antagonist (LAMA), have favorable efficacy compared with commonly used COPD treatments. The objective of this analysis was to compare the efficacy and safety of LABA/LAMA with LAMA or LABA/inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) in adults with stable moderate-to-very-severe COPD. Methods This systematic review and meta-analysis (PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Library and clinical trial/manufacturer databases) included RCTs comparing ≥12 weeks’ LABA/LAMA treatment with LAMA and/or LABA/ICS (approved doses only). Eligible studies were independently selected by two authors using predefined data fields; the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines were followed. Results Eighteen studies (23 trials) were eligible (N=20,185). LABA/LAMA significantly improved trough forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) from baseline to week 12 versus both LAMA and LABA/ICS (0.07 L and 0.08 L, P<0.0001), with patients more likely to achieve clinically important improvements in FEV1 of >100 mL (risk ratio [RR]: 1.33, 95% confidence interval [CI]: [1.20, 1.46] and RR: 1.44, 95% CI: [1.33, 1.56], respectively, the number needed to treat being eight and six, respectively). LABA/LAMA improved transitional dyspnea index and St George’s Respiratory Questionnaire scores at week 12 versus LAMA (both P<0.0001), but not versus LABA/ICS, and reduced rescue medication use versus both (P<0.0001 and P=0.001, respectively). LABA/LAMA significantly reduced moderate/severe exacerbation rate compared with LABA/ICS (RR 0.82, 95% CI: [0.75, 0.91]). Adverse event (AE) incidence was no different for LABA/LAMA versus LAMA treatment, but it was lower versus LABA/ICS (RR 0.94, 95% CI: [0.89, 0.99]), including a lower pneumonia risk (RR 0.59, 95% CI: [0.43, 0.81]). LABA/LAMA presented a lower risk for withdrawals due to lack of efficacy versus LAMA (RR: 0.66, 95% CI: [0.51, 0.87]) and due to AEs versus LABA/ICS (RR: 0.83, 95% CI: [0.69, 0.99]). Conclusion The greater efficacy and comparable safety profiles observed with LABA/LAMA combinations versus LAMA or LABA/ICS support their potential role as first-line treatment options in COPD. These findings are of direct relevance to clinical practice because we included all currently available LABA/LAMAs and comparators, only at doses approved for clinical use.