Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Genetic Distinctness of Sorex caecutiens hallamontanus (Soricomorpha: Mammalia) from Jeju Island in Korea: Cytochrome Oxidase I and Cytochrome b Sequence Analyses

To examine genetic divergences of two endemic Sorex caecutiens subspecies from Korea (S. c. hallamontanus in Korean Jeju Island and S. c. annexus in the mainland Korean Peninsula), we obtained partial cytochrome oxidase I (COI) sequences (429 bp) and complete cytochrome b sequences (1,140 bp) from the two Korean subspecies, and we compared these sequences to the corresponding sequences of S. caecutiens, obtained from GenBank. We found that Jeju S. c. hallamontanus is one of three clades within S. caecutiens, with an average Jukes-Cantor distance of 1.57% in the COI sequences and the distance of 2.07% and 11 fixed site differences in the cytochrome b sequences, indicating that Jeju S. c. hallamontanus is one endemic subspecies with concordant genetic distinctness, although further analyses with nuclear DNA sequences are necessary to confirm these findings. However, S. c. annexus from the mainland Korean Peninsula was not divergent from S. c. macropygmaeus from northeastern China and adjacent Russia, indicating that S. c. annexus from the mainland Korean Peninsula is another endemic subspecies with only morphological differences, although it is necessary to reexamine the subspecies status of S. c. annexus.
Is the Impact Really That High? The Effect of FDI in Transition

Literature is not clear on the effect of FDI on the economic performance in hosting countries. The analysed effects include productivity, propensity to export, access to financial markets, etc. Although foreign subsidiaries usually perform better than the average of the hosting economies, sometimes the selection effect is found to be considerable. In this paper we use a unique dataset based on accounting annual reports to the statistical authorities by all medium and large Polish enterprises over a period 1997-2006. We apply a propensity score matching technique to disentangle the effect of self-selection and FDI entry (treatment). We also distinguish explicitly between foreign ownership and privatisation through a foreign investor. We find strong support of the view that foreign ownership increases access to financing. Evidence suggests also that although FDI enters more frequently companies who already participate in the international trading networks, 20% of the export intensity may be consistently attributed to the treatment effect. On the other hand, we were not able to confirm large effects on efficiency, nor in the case of rentability, while the sizes of the effects are different for greenfield and private acquisitions as opposed to privatisation.
Improved salt tolerance in canola (Brasica napus) plants by overexpression of Arabidopsis Na+/H+ antiporter gene AtNHX1

A significant portion of the world’s cultivated land is affected by salinity that reduces crop productivity in these areas. Breeding for salt tolerance is one of the important strategies to overcome this problem. Recently, genetic engineering is becoming a promising approach to improving salt tolerance. In order to improve the yield performance of canola in saline soils, we transformed canola with Arabidopsis vacuolar Na + /H + antiporter gene AtNHX1 which enhances the plant capacity for reducing cytosolic Na + by transporting Na + into the vacuole. Southern analysis of putative transgenic plants indicated that only one copy of the gene integrated into the plant genome. Overexpression of the AtNHX1 gene was shown in T1 transgenic plants. Under salinity conditions, stem and root length and overall biomass of transgenic plants were significantly higher compared to those of nontransgenic plants. Moreover, salt treated transgenic plants contained high proline and K + , but less Na + compared to wild type.
The Choice of IPO versus Takeover: Empirical Evidence*

We examine factors that influence the choice between an initial public offering (IPO) and a takeover by a public acquirer. Our results show that the industry concentration, high-tech industry affiliation, current cost of debt, relative "hotness" of the IPO market, firm size, and insider ownership percentage are all positively related to the probability of an IPO. In contrast, private companies in high market-to-book industries, financial service sectors, highly leveraged industries, and deals involving greater liquidity for selling insiders show a stronger likelihood for takeovers. Our findings also indicate that a liquidity discount exists in takeovers relative to IPOs.
Trial Evaluation of Visceral Fat Characteristics by Abdominal Bioelectrical

Aim: As the abdominal bioelectrical impedance method is changed by visceral fat area by CT (VFA) and quantity, we examined whether the abdominal bioelectrical impedance per measured area (V/A) as the visceral fat characteristics index is useful for diabetes care. Methods: The subjects were 33 Japanese obese female outpatients. We investigated the correlations of V/A measured by the abdominal bioelectrical impedance method device and of VFA, for each measurement item. And we analyzed the related factors for HOMA-R as the insulin resistance index and for V/A as visceral fat characteristics index by stepwise multiple regression analysis. Results: As there is no correlation between the V/A we used and VFA, we report that the visceral fat characteristics (density) from V/A is not directly associated with VFA (area). We investigated correlations of V/A and VFA for the measured items. There were significant correlations of V/A for peakVO 2 /W, BS, IRI, HOMA-R, lean body. There were significant correlations of VFA for peakVO 2 /W, IRI and HOMA-R, BMI, waist circumference, and body weight. We analyzed the related factors for HOMA-R and for V/A by stepwise multiple regression analysis. From the results of stepwise multiple regression analysis, the final independent variables V/A and VFA were chosen for HOMA-R, and peakVO 2 /W was chosen for V/A. Conclusion: We report that the visceral fat characteristics (density) from V/A are not directly associated with VFA (area). Hence the evaluation of visceral fat characteristics by V/A is important for diabetes care and treatment of obesity.
Biochemical properties of oxidases of Yali pear

The biochemical properties of polyphenol oxidase (PPO), peroxidase (POD) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) from Yali pear were investigated. The optimum pH and temperature of three enzymes was 5.6, 4.0, 7.0 and 20, 40, 50°C, respectively. Enzyme kinetics results showed that the Michaelis constant (Km) and maximum velocity (Vmax) of PPO for catechol were 0.22 M and 1111 U/ml/min. The Km and Vmax values of POD for guaiacol were 0.14 M and 1429 U/ml/min. The Km of APX for ascorbic acid and H 2 O 2 were 0.41 and 0.083 mM, respectively, and the Vmax of APX was 455 and 208 U/ml/min for ascorbic acid and H 2 O 2 , respectively. The inhibitory effects of the four inhibitors (ascorbic acid, citric acid, L-cysteine and phytic acid) on each enzyme were different, suggesting that the composite inhibitor is more appropriate for processing of Yali pear. Keywords: Yali pear, polyphenol oxidase, peroxidase, ascorbate peroxidase, biochemical property
A formal approach for the verification of the permission-based security model of Android

This article reports on our experiences in applying formal methods to verify the security mechanisms of Android. We have developed a comprehensive formal specification of Android's permission model, which has been used to state and prove properties that establish expected behavior of the procedures that enforce the defined access control policy. We are also interested in providing guarantees concerning actual implementations of the mechanisms. Therefore we are following a verification approach that combines the use of idealized models, on which fundamental properties are formally verified, with testing of actual implementations using lightweight model-based techniques. We describe the formalized model, present security properties that have been proved using the Coq proof assistant and propose the use of a certified algorithm for performing verification activities such as monitoring of actual implementations of the platform and also as a testing oracle.
Design, Development and Implementation of Inclusive Education

In inclusive education different pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and high ability pupils, can be stimulated to learn according to their capacities and potentials. The research question concentrates on the design features of inclusive education that will optimally promote the motivation and learning processes and outcomes of all pupils, and how relevant changes can be developed and implemented in educational practice. A model of guidelines concerning ‘multilevel contextual learning theory’ was expected to aid in designing psychologically appropriate learning processes and motivating educational, organisational, and managerial characteristics and procedures for all pupils. From 2003 to 2005, a pilot in which researchers and teachers collaborated was carried out in three Dutch pre-schools. Initial findings resulted in the development of a prototype of a pedagogical-didactic kernel or competence structure and a prototype of Internet-based software. Using these results, the screening of children's entry characteristics by infant day care teachers, parents, and preschool teachers was developed and implemented in practice. Construction and use of diagnostically based instructional, playing and learning procedures were first based on the screening results. The pre-schools differed much in rates of development and implementation. It is concluded that the proposed approach to the design, development and implementation of inclusive education that was applied seems promising in realising desired progress with pupils in early educational practice. However, policy and financial support are necessary to make more progress.
A site specific fertilizer recommendation for rice grown in imperfectly drained reddish brown earth soils in low country dry zone of Sri Lanka

Imbalanced and low availability of some nutrients are the major limitations to realize the potential yield of rice in Elayapattuwa soil series that comes under Reddish Brown Earth great soil group in the Low Country Dry Zone of Sri Lanka. A site-specific nutrient recommendation based on initial soil analysis and sorption studies for K, P, S, Zn, B, Cu and Mn and a greenhouse nutrient survey with optimum treatment was formulated. This was field tested along with few other treatments with slightly different combinations of N, P, K, Mg, S, and Zn, and compared with the optimum treatment and the present Department of Agriculture (DOA) recommendation. Results showed that a considerable amount (~18%) of added P was fixed in this soil while K, S, B, Cu and Zn fixation were below 12% of added amounts. The highest dry matter yield in the greenhouse study was given by the optimum (Opt) treatment. In treatments where a nutrient was omitted from the Opt treatment, respective deficiency symptoms appeared with low biomass yields. Field experiments conducted for two consecutive seasons confirmed that nutrient rates provided by the Opt treatment computed using the site-specific approach amounting to; 175 kg N, 60 kg P, 120kg K, 25kg Mg, 50 kg S and 2 kg Zn per hectare, gave significantly higher rice yields than the other treatments including the present DOA fertilizer recommendation. However, the treatment with 175 kg N, 35 kg P, 60 kg K, 15 kg Mg, 25 kg S and 2 kg Zn, which contains lower amounts of P, K, Mg and S than the Opt treatment, gave grain yields similar to that of the Opt treatment.
LEARNERS' ATTITUDES TOWARDS ONLINE LANGUAGE LEARNING; AND CORRESPONDING SUCCESS RATES

Online teaching has long been a key area of interest recently in every field of education as well as English language teaching. Numerous hardware tools, such as, mp3 players, mobile devices, and so on; and software applications, such as, podcasts, wikis, learning management systems, and so on, have been used in distance and online instruction and they have proved to be useful in facilitating learning individually (Finger, Sun, & Jamieson-Proctor, 2010). Learning management systems (LMS) provide a virtual environment and various tools to support learning. The current institution where the researchers work deliver two 2-credit online English courses for a specific group of learners at a state university in south-eastern Turkey by using Modular Object Oriented Distance Learning Environment (MOODLE). Moodle is an open code LMS which provides teachers and course developers with numerous online tools to enhance distance learning/teaching environment. The course has both a synchronous and asynchronous instruction. Synchronous and asynchronous instructions are associated with the delivery of content in campus-based environments; however, their role differs in off the campus environments as they solve the problems of distance learners. Universities, colleges, and other education institutions are integrating online learning into every aspect of higher education. Many teachers and faculty members at higher education institutions who already run face-toface courses have a website to post lecture notes or slide presentations as well as other course material. There is no doubt that these are effective strategies to expand teaching efforts. Still, there are other educators who design and teach totally online classes. The main purpose of this paper is to evaluate learners’ attitudes towards these online language courses, and there are two objectives of this research.
“Quantidade” e “qualidade” da participação das mulheres na força de trabalho brasileira

Este texto foi a base para a intervenção na mesa redonda “As transformações na vida familiar e na inserção ocupacional feminina: avanços, desigualdades e desafios”, no Seminário Até onde caminhou a revolução de gênero no Brasil? , realizado pelo GT de Gênero da ABEP em parceria com a Fundação Carlos Chagas, em dezembro de 2015, na Fundação Carlos Chagas. Dois objetivos pautaram a apresentação, bem como essas notas. O primeiro deles é apresentar um contraponto ao argumento do colega José Eustáquio Alves segundo o qual o bônus de gênero que se esperava ainda atuar no Brasil pelas próximas décadas estaria extinto. Ao contrário, o ponto de vista defendido neste texto é que ainda haverá crescimento da participação das mulheres no mercado de trabalho brasileiro, ainda que por um curto período de tempo. O segundo objetivo é extrapolar a questão do nível das taxas de participação, discutindo as condições atuais da inserção feminina no mercado de trabalho brasileiro e os fatores que confirmam a noção de que estamos diante daquilo que a literatura denomina a revolução incompleta de gênero, que se caracteriza pelo descompasso entre as esferas pública e doméstica nos avanços das mulheres na sociedade.
Home environment as a predictor of child's language: A mediating role of family literacy activities and symbolic play

In our study, we explored the ways in which SES-related factors of family environment affect child's language across toddlerhood and early childhood. We proposed a mediational path model in which we presumed that family literacy activities and parental encouragement of symbolic play acted as mediating variables, mediating the effect of parental education, family possessions and parent-to-child speech on child's language. The sample included 99 families with children, aged from 1 to 6 years. The data were collected in the family home, mostly via direct observation and by using a semi-structured interview with parents. The findings suggest that high-SES parents and parents who used a more complex and supportive speech, more frequently involved their children in different literacy activities. The effect of the parent-to-child speech on child's language proved to be mediated by parental use of mental transformations during symbolic play with a child.
Surgical Management of Malignant Glioma Evidence Summary Report #9-8

Question What is the most appropriate surgical management at initial presentation of glioblastoma multiforme, anaplastic astrocytoma, anaplastic oligoastrocytoma, and anaplastic oligodendroglioma (i.e. supratentorial malignant glioma) in adults? Outcomes of interest were survival, prognostic factors for survival, complications of surgical interventions, functional independence, and quality of life.
Advances in Accounting, incorporating Advances in International Accounting

The United States and Fra nce are both most developed economies in the world. Their socio-economic institutions, however, are very different. These differences are indications of their dichotomous legal regimes: common law in the US versus code law in France. The political influence of these legal regimes, in turn, leads to a dichotomized classification of accounting systems: the British–American Model and the French Continental Model. This study extends these institutional effects into the field of management earnings forecast. We find that earnings forecasts by French firms are less informative than those made by US firms matched-up by industry and firm size. We also compare US and French financial analysts' revisions of their forecasts following the management forecasts. We find that revisions by French analysts are more influenced by management forecasts. Our findings are consistent with prior studies that argue that information asymmetry in code-law countries is largely resolved through private information channels, rendering less information content in management announcements and less demand and incentives for original research by financial analysts. © 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
The Role of Peers in Predicting Students' Homophobic Behavior: Effects of Peer Aggression, Prejudice, and Sexual Orientation Identity Importance

Abstract. Drawing from an ecological framework, there has been growing attention on the role of peers in accounting for adolescents' homophobic behavior. In this study, we considered whether individuals' homophobic behavior could be attributed to their peers' collective levels of aggression, sexual prejudice, and importance placed on their sexual orientation identity among 437 high school students (89% White, 61% female, mean age = 15.72 years) in 62 peer groups identified through social network analysis. Using multilevel modeling, we found that individuals in more homophobic and aggressive peer groups engaged in even more homophobic behavior than accounted for based solely on their own individual prejudice attitudes and aggressive behavior. Furthermore, individuals' sexual prejudice was a stronger predictor of their engagement in homophobic behavior for those in groups whose peers collectively placed greater importance on sexual orientation identity and were more aggressive. These findings begin to provide a fuller sense of how individual and peer attributes combine and interact in ways that account for individuals' engagement in homophobic behavior.
Bumps in river profiles: uncertainty assessment and smoothing using quantile regression techniques

Abstract. The analysis of longitudinal river profiles is an important tool for studying landscape evolution. However, characterizing river profiles based on digital elevation models (DEMs) suffers from errors and artifacts that particularly prevail along valley bottoms. The aim of this study is to characterize uncertainties that arise from the analysis of river profiles derived from different, near-globally available DEMs. We devised new algorithms – quantile carving and the CRS algorithm – that rely on quantile regression to enable hydrological correction and the uncertainty quantification of river profiles. We find that globally available DEMs commonly overestimate river elevations in steep topography. The distributions of elevation errors become increasingly wider and right skewed if adjacent hillslope gradients are steep. Our analysis indicates that the AW3D DEM has the highest precision and lowest bias for the analysis of river profiles in mountainous topography. The new 12 m resolution TanDEM-X DEM has a very low precision, most likely due to the combined effect of steep valley walls and the presence of water surfaces in valley bottoms. Compared to the conventional approaches of carving and filling, we find that our new approach is able to reduce the elevation bias and errors in longitudinal river profiles.
Impact of Interface Characteristics on the Perceived Ease of Use and Perceived Usefulness of Digital Library Adoption among Post-Graduate Students in Somalia

The Main objective of this paper was to investigate the impact of interface characteristics—terminology and screen design—on the perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness of digital libraries among post-graduate students in Somalia. Convenient sampling method was adopted for sample selection and a structured questionnaire was distributed on July, 2014. The study found out that terminology used on the digital library interface has a positive influence on its perceived ease of use. Also, screen design has much impact on the perceived ease of using digital library. Finally, a positive correlation between perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness was found. These findings imply that some factors such as exclusion of technical terms and jargons to enhance ease of use of digital libraries should be taken into consideration (when planning and building digital libraries). Keywords: Digital library, Terminology, Screen Design, Perceived ease of use, Perceived usefulness
Browsing Patterns of White-Tailed Deer Following Increased Timber Harvest and a Decline in Population Density

We examined browsing patterns of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) on a site in the central Appalachians that experienced a substantial (>50%) reduction in deer population density and an increase in the amount of timber harvest since 2001. We sampled woody browse in and immediately adjacent to 12 clearcuts ranging in age from 0–5 years postharvest in summer 2007. Clearcut-interior areas had higher woody browse abundance and browsing rates than clearcut-edge or mature forest areas. Woody browse abundance was slightly higher within individual clearcuts than in 2001 at higher population densities and lower timber harvest rates. Overall browsing rates declined from approximately 17% in 2001 to less than 5% during our study, suggesting that the combination of deer population control, and increasing the amount of timber harvest across the landscape can reduce herbivory to levels that may not impede growth and survival of forest vegetation.
Determinants Of Youth Job Satisfaction In Mauritius

This paper investigates the determinants of job satisfaction in Mauritius based on primary data which were sourced through survey among 500 youth workers across the island in 2014. The purpose of this study is to explore the association between job satisfaction and selected demographic, education and employment variables. Both qualitative and quantitative analyses were done. Results indicated significant relationships between job satisfaction and demographic variables, job variables and mismatch variables, but we find that job satisfaction among youth is explained by different set of variables respectively for males and females and for the whole sample. From the key findings and analysis from the factor analysis showed that factors affecting the respondent current job satisfaction can be grouped under three categories namely socio-economic shocks and demographic indicators, social evils and psychological well-being. Thus, these findings have implications for future research on job satisfaction among youth.