Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Historical changes in caribou distribution and land cover in and around Prince Albert National Park: land management implications.

In central Saskatchewan, boreal woodland caribou population declines have been documented in the 1940s and again in the 1980s. Although both declines led to a ban in sport hunting, a recovery was only seen in the 1950s and was attributed to wolf control and hunting closure. Recent studies suggest that this time, the population may not be increasing. In order to contribute to the conservation efforts, historical changes in caribou distribution and land cover types in the Prince Albert Greater Ecosystem (PAGE), Saskatchewan, were documented for the period of 1960s to the present. To examine changes in caribou distribution, survey observations, incidental sightings and telemetry data were collated. To quantify landscape changes, land cover maps were created for 1966 and 2006 using current and historic forest resources inventories, fire, logging, and roads data. Results indicate that woodland caribou are still found throughout the study area although their distribution has changed and their use of the National Park is greatly limited. Results of transition prob¬abilities and landscape composition analyses on the 1966 and 2006 land cover maps revealed an aging landscape for both the National Park and provincial crown land portions of the PAGE. In addition, increased logging and the development of extensive road and trail networks on provincial crown land produced significant landscape fragmentation for woodland caribou and reduced functional attributes of habitat patches. Understanding historical landscape changes will assist with ongoing provincial and federal recovery efforts for boreal caribou, forest management planning activities, and landscape restoration efforts within and beyond the Park boundaries.
On the Selection of Growth-Curve Models for Forecasting the Diffusion of IT Technologies

Several growth-curve forecasting models arc compared with respect to empirical data sets from IT industry of Korea and atte mpt is made to suggest a case-wise guiding principle in terms of technology (service) type and data length . It turns out, as expected, no si ngle model consistently outp erforms others across all data sets. In stead, for a given data ty pe, we can determine which models shou ld be recommended and which should be avoided. A good practice then is to evaluate two or three preferred models in terms of multiple performance measures and make a final decision based on the results. The practical usefu ln ess of th e select ion guideline is co n tinned by pract iti oners of some principal IT firms in Korea.
Forecasting Hydrological Disaster Using Environmental Thermographic Modeling

The concept of thermographic model is new to environmental studies. Its mode of operation is fairly synonymous to the operational technique of the regular thermography machine. The location of the study area is between latitudes 8°24′N and 9°20′N of the equator and between longitudes 7°30′E and 8°48′E of the Greenwich Meridian. The subsoil for the soil samples was identified within the particles range 63 ± 3% sand, 28 ± 5% clay, 6 ± 2% silt, 0.9 ± 0.3% organic carbon, and 1 ± 0.2% organic matter. Field work was carried out and the measurements obtained were validated using satellite data. At shallow ground depth, the thermal diffusivity is not proportional to either the increase or the decrease in the ground temperatures. Features of the temperature anomaly showed strange shifts per month within 2012. The environmental thermographic model (ETM) can be adopted by meteorological ground stations to investigate the net radiation over the land. The ability of the ETM could be extended to monitoring ground anomalies like fractures of basic rocks amongst others.
The Role of Trade in Structural Transformation

Low agriculture productivity is considered a key obstacle to economic development for many countries. International trade in agricultural goods can help overcome this barrier and facilitate structural transformation because it allows countries to import part of their food needs. This article quantifies the role of trade in this context through the examples of South Korea during the last 50 years and Great Britain in the 19th century. To do the analysis, I calibrate and simulate a two-sector, neoclassical growth model to match the data and perform the policy experiments. I find that agricultural imports played a crucial role in the early transformation of Great Britain, while, in South Korea, trade also had a positive impact on its structural transformation but it could have played a much larger role if the country had not introduced agricultural protection policies.
Interdisciplinary Practices in Primary Education in Quebec: Results from Ten Years of Research

The authors present a typology of the interdisciplinary representations and practices of primary teachers in Quebec based on the results of research carried out over the last ten years. The poles of two crossed continua illustrate four principal tendencies. These tendencies show representations and practices that are far from the idealized conception of reciprocity among scholarly disciplines promoting the establishment of effective complementary methods and con- structive linkages.
The Forecasting Power of Medium-Term Futures Contracts

This study investigates whether weekly futures prices, covering the time period 1996-2013, are unbiased predictors of future spot price in the Nordic power market. The results give no clear evidence of bias in the futures prices, except for during the winter period from 2003-2009. In this period the futures prices overshoot the spot price, resulting in a positive risk premium. We find a significant premium during winter and fall when analyzing the whole sample. There is no evidence of a premium during summer. Dividing the sample into two sub periods, 1996-2005 and 2006-2013, we find the highest and most significant risk premium during winter in the first sub period. In the latter period, there is less evidence of a significant risk premium.
A mesocosm tool to optically study phytoplankton dynamics

The accuracy of remote sensing algorithms for phytoplankton biomass and physiology is difficult to test under natural conditions due to rapid changes in physical and biological forcings and the practical inability to manipulate nutrient conditions and phytoplankton composition in the sea. Therefore, an indoor mesocosm was designed to examine the optical properties of phytoplankton under controlled and manipulated conditions of irradiance, temperature, turbulence, and nutrient availability. Equipped with hyperspectral radiometers and bottom irradiance meters, it is shown that under semi‐natural environmental conditions biogeochemically relevant species as Emiliania huxleyi and Phaeocystis globosa can be grown with good precision (± 20%) between duplicate mesocosms and between duplicate sensors (<5% deviation). The accuracy of chlorophyll estimates by absorption, using an Integrating Cavity Absorption Meter, and fluorescence using water‐leaving radiance was 74% to 80%, respectively, as it was negatively influenced by changes in phytoplankton physiology. Biomass detection was limitedto 1 to 2 µg chlorophyll/L with an apparent linearity to 50 µg chlorophyll/L. Estimates of the quantum efficiency of fluorescence (φ ≈ 0.01) were comparable to real‐world estimates derived from satellite observations. It is concluded that the mesocosms adequately simulate natural conditions with sufficient accuracy and precision and that they offer an important tool in validating assumptions and hypotheses underlying remote sensing algorithms and models.
The Promoting Force of Technology for Service Innovation in High-Tech Industries

This article focuses on the interaction between the development of technology and service innovation. It goes “back to the basics” by analyzing the first theoretical contributions to the service innovation literature from the late 1980s. These contributions were heavily technologically oriented: they aimed at bringing the results of technological innovation to the realm of services. More specifically, we focus on the model of “reverse innovation cycle” on one hand, and on the first innovation-specific categorization of services on the other. The latter introduced the division into supplier-dominated, production-intensive/scaleintensive, and science-based services. Our purpose is to examine in which ways these theoretical approaches could promote our understanding about the new phenomena of technology-service interaction in innovation. In the second part of the article, we apply these approaches in five case studies that originate from different service industries and that differ in size and technologies. The findings of the analysis demonstrate that the applicability of the approaches to the case studies depends on several factors including the kind of technology involved in the innovation activities, the stage of development of this technology, and the type of service. The advance of technology is based on making it fit in so that you don't really even notice it, so it's part of everyday life.
Price volatility perceptions and management strategies in European food supply chains

4 Introduction 4 Previous research 5 Methods 6 Exploration through in-depth interviews 6 Participants 7 Interview procedure 10 Analysis 13 Themes in price volatility perceptions 13 Themes in price volatility management strategies 13 Results 14 Price volatility perceptions 14 Magnitude of price change 14 Duration of price change 15 Other features of price changes 15 Price volatility management strategies 18 Survival strategies 18 Adaptive strategies 18 Control strategies 18 Hedging strategies 19 Conclusions and implications 24 Acknowledgements 24 References 25
Experimental Method for Kinetic Studies of Gas-Solid Reactions: Oxidation of Carbonaceous Matter

A methodology comprising careful consideration of sample preparation, reactor design, experimental procedures, and data evaluation routines for precise analysis of the kinetics of gas␣solid reactions, specifically the oxidation of carbonaceous materials, has been developed and validated. The wellcontrolled solvent-free deposition of the carbonaceous material onto cordierite monolith substrates ensures experimental stud- ies in the absence of diffusion limitations, temperature gradients, and hot zones. These critical aspects are supported also by theoretical considerations. Temperature-programmed oxida- tion and isothermal oxygen step-response experiments in a continuous gas-flow reactor using a homogeneous synthetic carbon- black material demonstrate excellent reproducibility, and the conversion profiles agree well with previously reported data. An independent set of global kinetic parameters was estimated for each 5% subconversion interval using linear regression such that the conversion dependence of each parameter could be analyzed separately and compared to previously published data. The results show that the evolution of reactive carbons cannot be described with a single global reaction order. This is supported by intermittent ex situ measurements of the specific surface area of the carbon-black material during the course of isothermal oxidation, which reveals a developing microporous structure at high conversions. Physically the changes in carbon reaction order are interpreted as changes in fraction of accessible reactive carbon atoms during progressing oxidation. Moreover, at high conversions, the carbon reaction order approaches 0.7 implying not only that the evolution of the concentration of reactive carbon atoms is proportional to the external surface area of shrinking spheres but also that these spheres have approximately the same size.
Gender And Public Spending On Education In Pakistan: A Case Study Of Disaggregated Benefit Incidence

To what extent has government education spending in Pakistan been effective in reducing gender gaps in enrollments? To answer this question, this article reviews the benefit incidence of government education spending. It finds that government subsidies directed towards primary education are pro poor in all four provinces of Pakistan. Moreover, females has disadvantage in access to primary education. However, government subsidies directed towards higher education poorly targeted and poorest income group receives less than the riches income group and indeed favor those who are better off. Similarly, the gender disparity in access to public subsidy is higher at tertiary level and lowest at primary level, which also reflects poor targeting. Improving targeting to the poor as well as better female participation involves not simply rearranging the public subsidies, but also addressing the constraints that prevent the poor and females from accessing these services.
Evaluation of the Nutritional Status of Two Edible Mushroom Species in Ekiti State, Nigeria

Studies on the nutritional composition of two edible mushroom species namely Pleurotus sajo-caju Fr. and Lentinus squarosulus Mont. in Ekiti State, Nigeria were carried out. Standard analytical methods were used to obtain the proximate and mineral composition of the mushrooms. Results of proximate analysis showed that P. sajo-caju contained 6.61% of moisture, 1.11% of fat, 4.17% of ash, 26.25% of protein, 0.17% of crude fiber and 61.70% of carbohydrate while L. squarrosulus contained 9.77% of moisture, 2.41% of fat, 4.30% of ash, 16.67% of protein, 0.26% of crude fiber and 66.61% of carbohydrate. The percentage of fat and crude fiber was generally low. Results of mineral analysis revealed high concentrations of potassium (577.42mg/100g in P. sajo-caju and 789.67mg/100g in L. squarrosulus ) and calcium (165.15mg/100g in P-sajo-caju and 285.15mg/100g in L. squarosulus ). Other minerals were present in appreciable amounts, the least being manganese (1.26mg/100g) in P. sajo-caju and copper (0.90mg/100g) in L. squarrosulus. However, lead and nickel were below detection limits in the two mushroom species. These results show that these mushrooms are good sources of proximate components and minerals needed for maintenance of good health. Keywords : proximate composition, mineral composition, mushroom, Ekiti state.
Does Milk Matter? Genetic Adaptation to Environment: The Effect of Lactase Persistence on Cultural Change

Considering diet as often a product of adaptation to geographic environment, this paper suggests that not only amount of food (food abundance) is important, but what kind of foods people eat may also affect social change. One of the reasons for variation in diet is food intolerances as a result of adaptation to the environment. This paper investigates one case – lactase persistence. This trait is associated with different genotypes of LCT gene. Lactase persistence is mostly spread among northern Europeans, and is also found among some African and Asian nomadic populations. Such unique trait is usually explained in the gene-culture coevolution framework: selective pressure for it had to be followed by expansion of dairying and herding. Empirical analysis based on 78 populations reveals strong and positive association between share of lactase persistent population and distribution of emancipative values. The suggested causal mechanism is change in demographic trends: the effect of lactase persistence on the emancipative values is mediated through historically lower fertility and lower child mortality rates. Demographic transition results in higher value of human life, formation of human capital, economic development and finally cultural change.
Cameroon's Environmental Impact Assessment Decree and Public Participation in Concession-Based Forestry: An Exploratory Assessment of Eight Forest-Dependent Communities

This paper examines the degree to which public participation in concession-based forestry decision-making - as outlined by the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Decree (No. 2005/0577/PM)-is taking place in eight forest-dependent communities of Cameroon. Of the total respondents that took part in the survey, only 39 per cent stated that they were involved in decisions concerning concession-based forestry. Furthermore, there seems to be a generally negative perception on the part of local communities towards the government’s implementation of public participation legislation in concession-based forestry decision-making. Obstacles to public decision-making process are identified and recommendations are proffered for more effective public participation.
Willmore-Helfrich L^{2}-flow of curves with natural boundary conditions

We consider regular open curves in R^n with fixed boundary points and moving according to the L^{2}-gradient flow for a generalisation of the Helfrich functional. Natural boundary conditions are imposed along the evolution. More precisely, at the boundary the curvature vector is equal to the normal projection of a fixed given vector. A long-time existence result together with subconvergence to critical points is proven.
COST-COST ANALYSIS OF ANTI-DIABETIC THERAPY IN A TERTIARY HEALTHCARE INSTITUTION, NORTH-EASTERN NIGERIA

Objective: To conduct cost-cost analysis of anti-diabetic therapy in a Tertiary Healthcare Institution, North-Eastern Nigeria in 2010. Methods: A cross-sectional study of 1,200 systematic randomly sampled subjects (Sampling Interval =1) and their prescriptions, and retrospective review of their case-notes was conducted. A Standardized data collection form was designed and used to collect data generated from prescriptions and case notes. Cost-Cost Analysis was conducted by World Health Organization Defined Daily Dose Method. Results: One Thousand Two Hundred and Forty Two (78.6%) out of 1580 anti-diabetic drugs prescriptions were in branded names while 338 (21.4%) were in generic. The mean cost per DDD of generic and branded metformin (1.5mg daily) were respectively 15.0 ± 0.15 and 30.0 ± 1.9 while those of chlopropamide (250mg daily) were 7.50 ± 0.1 and 30.0 ± 2.5 and for glibenclamide (5mg daily) were 5.0 ± 0.2 and 12.50 ±2.8 respectively. All, 1580 (100%) prescribed branded and generic equivalent anti-diabetic drugs were available, none were out of stock. Subjects were able to afford more prescribed generic anti-diabetic drugs, 329 (97.3%) out of 338 times compared with 802 (64.6%) out of 1242 times for branded. The difference was statistically significant. Conclusion: Branded products were more frequently prescribed than generic equivalent products for all anti-diabetic drugs used. Generic products were lower cost options to branded equivalents for all anti-diabetic drugs analyzed. Generic and branded anti-diabetic drugs were largely available but the Generics were more affordable than branded equivalents.
Correlation and Genetic Variation of Thirty Four Different Genotypes of Moringa (Moringa oleifera, Lam.) in Tamil Nadu Condition, India

Moringa oleifera Lam. (synonym: M. ptreygosperma Gaertn.), an economically important multipurpose tree indigenous to northwest India, is the most widely cultivated, applied, and well-known one of all 13 species in the monogeneric family Moringaceae (Olson, 2002). Popularly known as ‘‘Drumstick’’ tree, horseradish tree, or Ben tree, M. oleifera is a deciduous to evergreen shrub or small tree with a height of 5 to 10 m (Morton, 1991). Its seedlings are fast growing with early sexual maturity and a height up to 4.5 m in 9 months and flowering in half a year (Von Maydell, 1986). M. oleifera used to distribute wildly in the forests of Western Himalaya, and then throughout India by cultivation (Selvam, 2005). Featured by richness in proteins, minerals, and vitamins, the leaves of M. oleifera are used as a highly nutrient vegetable and as cattle fodder (Mughal et al., 1999).
Incentives for being in business group: by yield spread and bond rating changes

Incentives for being in business group: by yield spread and bond rating changes Sangeun Ha Department of Business Administration The Graduate School Seoul National University This paper measures hidden benefit that firms take by being in included in the business group and observe market’s perception of it. Hidden benefit is measured by the difference between real yield spread and predicted yield spread of each bond issued by firms in large business groups. Perception of a market is assessed by the market reaction to bond rating change events. This paper finds that there exists hidden benefit which cannot be detected by explicit factors of bonds, firms and market among firms in large business groups. The market perceives the fact and reacts accordingly, as it shows significantly negative reaction after downgrades of bond ratings for bonds issued by firms without hidden benefit but not for those by firms with it.
Laccase production by Galerina sp. and its application in dye decolorization

The laccase producing fungus HC1 was isolated from a sample collected in the Bolivian Amazon region. Analysis of 5.8S and 28S rDNA, and internal transcribed spacer 1 and 2 sequences revealed that isolate HC1 belongs to genus Galerina. High production of laccase was achieved in basal salt medium supplemented with 30 g L-1 glucose, 10 g L-1 yeast extract and 0.01 g L-1 copper sulphate. The enzyme production was further improved by addition of 2,5-xylidine, α-benzoin oxime and p-coumaric acid, but strongly repressed by sinapyl alcohol, 3-(dimethylamino)benzoic acid, hydroquinone, 1-naphthale-neacetic acid, 2,6-dichlorophenol and 3-methyl-2-benzothiazolinone hydrazone. Cultivation under optimum conditions in the presence of 2 mmol L-1 2,5-xylidine and 0.01 g L-1 copper sulphate, resulted in the enzyme yield of over 26 000 U L-1. Galerina sp. HC1 could also produce laccase in media composed of orange peels both in submerged- and solid-state fermentations. The laccase (0.5 U ml-1) from Galerina sp. was able to decolorize over 60% of 35 μmol L-1 Congo red in 2 h in the presence of 2,2-Azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt as mediator, and 65% of 30 µmol L-1 Coomassie Brilliant Blue G-250 in 5 min using syringaldehyde as mediator. The laccase was immobilized on cross-linked chitosan and used efficiently to decolorize the dyes. Key words: Oxidase, inducer, immobilized enzyme, enzyme production, solid-state cultivation.
Microbially Induced Calcite Precipitation

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Tilburg University Formation of Rationally Heterogeneous Expectations

This paper models expectation formation by taking into account that agents produce heterogeneous expectations due to model uncertainty, informational frictions and different capacities for processing information. We show that there are two general classes of steady states within this framework: those where strictly dominated forecasting rules vanish, and intrinsic heterogeneous steady states where a positive proportion of agents use a more costly perfect foresight. This demonstrates that intrinsic heterogeneity can also arise in a model where the forecasting rules are not equally costly, and do not exhibit identical performance in the long run. JEL Classification: C62; D83; D84; E30