Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Suppression of the near-infrared OH night sky lines with fibre Bragg gratings - first results

The background noise between 1 and 1.8 ? mu m in ground-based instruments is dominated by atmospheric emission from hydroxyl molecules. We have built and commissioned a new instrument, the Gemini Near-infrared OH Suppression Integral Field Unit (IFU) System (GNOSIS), which suppresses 103 OH doublets between 1.47 and 1.7? mu m by a factor of 1000 with a resolving power of 10? 000. We present the first results from the commissioning of GNOSIS using the IRIS2 spectrograph at the Anglo-Australian Telescope. We present measurements of sensitivity, background and throughput. The combined throughput of the GNOSIS fore-optics, grating unit and relay optics is 36? per cent, but this could be improved to 46? per cent with a more optimal design. We measure strong suppression of the OH lines, confirming that OH suppression with fibre Bragg gratings will be a powerful technology for low-resolution spectroscopy. The integrated OH suppressed background between 1.5 and 1.7 mu m is reduced by a factor of 9 compared to a control spectrum using the same system without suppression. The potential of low-resolution OH-suppressed spectroscopy is illustrated with example observations of Seyfert galaxies and a low-mass star. The GNOSIS background is dominated by detector dark current below 1.67 mu m and by thermal emission above 1.67 mu m. After subtracting these, we detect an unidentified residual interline component of 860 +/- 210 photons s-1 m-2? arcsec-2? mu m-1, comparable to previous measurements. This component is equally bright in the suppressed and control spectra. We have investigated the possible source of the interline component, but were unable to discriminate between a possible instrumental artefact and intrinsic atmospheric emission. Resolving the source of this emission is crucial for the design of fully optimized OH suppression spectrographs. The next-generation OH suppression spectrograph will be focused on resolving the source of the interline component, taking advantage of better optimization for a fibre Bragg grating feed incorporating refinements of design based on our findings from GNOSIS. We quantify the necessary improvements for an optimal OH suppressing fibre spectrograph design.
Up-estuary dispersal of young-of-the-year bay anchovy Anchoa mitchilli in the Chesapeake Bay: inferences from microprobe analysis of strontium in otoliths

Young-of-the-year (YOY) bay anchovy Anchoa mitchilli occur in higher proportion rel- ative to larvae in the upper Chesapeake Bay. This has led to the hypothesis that up-bay dispersal favors recruitment. Here we test whether recruitment of bay anchovy to different parts of the Chesa- peake Bay results from differential dispersal rates. Electron microprobe analysis of otolith strontium was used to hind-cast patterns and rates of movement across salinity zones. Individual chronologies of strontium were constructed for 55 bay anchovy aged 43 to 103 d collected at 5 Chesapeake Bay mainstem sites representing upper, middle, and lower regions of the bay during September 1998. Most YOY anchovy were estimated to have originated in the lower bay. Those collected at 5 and 11 psu sites exhibited the highest past dispersal rates, all in an up-estuary direction. No significant net dispersal up- or down-estuary occurred for recruits captured at the polyhaline (♢18 psu) site. Ini- tiation of ingress to lower salinity waters (<15 psu) was estimated to occur near metamorphosis, dur- ing the early juvenile stage, at sizes ♢ 25 mm standard length (SL) and ages ♢ 50 d after hatch. Esti- mated maximum upstream dispersal rate (over-the-ground speed) during the first 50 to 100 d of life exceeded 50 mm s -1 .
Malaysian Contract Farmers' Attitude towards Sustainable Agriculture

This study attempts to discover the attitude of contract farmers towards sustainable agriculture. A total of 326 contract farmers from four selected states in Malaysia were randomly selected as the respondents for this study. The findings reveal that the contract farmers surveyed have a favourable attitude towards contract farming. Inferential statistics unveiled that two demographic factors, namely zone and race, show significant differences in terms of attitude towards sustainable agriculture, while age was found to be negatively correlated with it. It is recommended that more courses and seminars should be conducted to further promote favourable attitudes towards sustainable development among contract farmers, and that access to financial support and knowledge of sustainable agriculture should be increased. In addition, to add our understanding on farmers’ attitudes towards sustainable agriculture, more research should be conducted in this area.
An Analysis of Market-Based and Statutory Limited Liability in Second Price Auctions

In auctions where bidders are uncertain of their value and are fully liable for their bids, there exists the potential for losses if bids exceed realized values. Theoretically, bids will be higher if bidders are able to mitigate this downside loss through some form of limited liability. To determine the impact of differing forms of limited liability, this paper theoretically and experimentally examines a second price auction with uncertain private values in three environments: market-based limited liability, statutory limited liability, and full liability. Market-based limited liability is induced through inter-bidder resale following the auction. Statutory limited liability is created through a default penalty option in the event that a bidder would make a loss. Bids are theoretically shown to be higher under resale and the penalty default environments than under full liability. The experimental results confirm more aggressive bidding for resale and the low penalty default treatments, but not by as much as theory predicts. Notably, under the high default penalty bidders are not bidding significantly more than under full liability, despite the theoretical prediction that they should.
The Effect of Mandatory CSR Disclosure on Information Asymmetry: Evidence from a Quasi-Natural Experiment in China

Using a quasi-natural experiment that mandates a subset of listed firms to issue corporate social responsibility (CSR) reports, this paper examines the effect of mandatory CSR disclosure on market information asymmetry in China, where we estimate information asymmetry using high frequency trade and quote data. We find that contrary to the criticism that mandatory CSR disclosure lacks credibility and relevance in emerging markets, mandatory CSR reporting firms experience a decrease in information asymmetry subsequent to the mandate. We also find that consistent with the assertion that CSR disclosure is informative about firms’ political and social prospects, the decrease in information asymmetry is more pronounced for firms with lower government ownership, weaker political connections, and smaller corporate donation. In addition, we find that analyst following increases subsequent to the mandatory CSR reporting and firms with less analyst coverage experience a greater decrease in information asymmetry subsequent to the CSR mandate.
Tissue Distribution and Multiplicity of Enzymes That Generate and Scavenge Reactive Oxygen Species in Japanese Monkey

Abstract Five enzymes involved in the generation and scavenging of reactive oxygen species, i.e., NADH/NADPH oxidase, xanthine oxidase (XOD), superoxide dismutase (SOD), ascorbate peroxidase, and catalase were assayed in various tissues of the Japanese monkey. Their activities were largely different between tissues. Generally, small intestine, kidney, and cerebellum contained larger amounts of these enzymes than other tissues. Multiplicities of these enzymes were analyzed by staining of their enzymatic activities after electrophoresis. The number of isozymes was 2 in the case of NADPH oxidase and catalase, and 3 in the case of XOD, SOD, and ascorbate peroxidase. The expression of these isozymes differed between tissues, suggesting the occurrence of tissue-specific systems to generate and scavenge reactive oxygen species in the Japanese monkey.
Do Insider Trading Laws Matter? Some Preliminary Comparative Evidence

Despite the longstanding insider trading debate, there is little empirical research on insider trading laws, especially in a comparative context. The article attempts to fill that gap. I find that countries with more prohibitive insider trading laws have more diffuse equity ownership, more accurate stock prices, and more liquid stock markets. These findings are generally robust to controlling for measures of disclosure and enforceability and suggest that formal insider trading laws (especially their deterrent components) matter to stock market development. The article suggests further avenues of empirical research on the specific mechanisms through which insider trading laws might matter and the political economy of their adoption.
Differences in the Taste-active Compounds between Hanwoo Longissimus and Semitendinosus Muscles and Its Comparision with Angus Longissimus Beef Muscle

【Taste-active compounds (e.g., amino acids and nucleotides) play an important role in contribution to the gustatoty sensation of food. The current study aimed to examine the differences in taste-active compounds between different beef muscles, breeds and aging periods. We have chosen the longissimus dorsi and semitendinosus muscles of Hanwoo breed and longissimus dorsi muscle of Angus breed for the investigation of the aforementioned compounds. Hanwoo muscles were aged for 7 or 28 d, and Angus samples were aged for 28 d at $4^{\circ}C$ . Results revealed that 8 out of the 18 detected free amino acids (FAA) showed significant (p】
China Peril or China Mania ? Entrepreneurs' “host” country perceptions, social interactions, and internationalization

This paper examines how entrepreneurs' perceptions of a foreign country prior to internationalization are affected by social interactions with peers and other actors during initial approaches of that country and what consequences do these evolving perceptions have upon internationalization decision and later developments. Specifically, we follow a social-cognitive perspective at the intersection between international entrepreneurship (study of how cross-border opportunities are identiﬁed and exploited by entrepreneurs); cognitive (how entrepreneurial perceptions and motivations are formed at home and in host countries) and socialization (the process through which individuals learn the values, norms, beliefs and behaviors of societies, organizations or groups) literatures. This perspective is employed in an exploratory qualitative study of nascent international entrepreneurs in China. Our findings show processes of cognitive reinforcement and cognitive dissonance leading to various internationalization decisions. Propositions are made and discussed along with implications for research and practice.
Landscape and Vegetation Effects on Avian Reproduction on Bottomland Forest Restorations

Abstract Forest restoration has been undertaken on >200,000 ha of agricultural land in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley, USA, during the past few decades. Decisions on where and how to restore bottomland forests are complex and dependent upon landowner objectives, but for conservation of silvicolous (forest-dwelling) birds, ecologists have espoused restoration through planting a diverse mix of densely spaced seedlings that includes fast-growing species. Application of this planting strategy on agricultural tracts that are adjacent to extant forest or within landscapes that are predominately forested has been advocated to increase forest area and enhance forested landscapes, thereby benefiting area-sensitive, silvicolous birds. We measured support for these hypothesized benefits through assessments of densities of breeding birds and reproductive success of 9 species on 36 bottomland forest restoration sites. Densities of thamnic (shrub–scrub dwelling) and silvicolous birds, such as yellow-breasted chat (Icteria virens), indigo bunting (Passerina cyanea), and white-eyed vireo (Vireo griseus) were positively associated with 1) taller trees, 2) greater stem densities, and 3) a greater proportion of forest within the landscape, whereas densities of birds associated with grasslands, such as dickcissel (Spiza americana) and red-winged blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus), were negatively associated with these variables. Vegetation structure, habitat edge, and temporal effects had greater influence on nest success than did landscape effects. Taller trees, increased density of woody stems, greater vegetation density, and more forest within the landscape were often associated with greater nest success. Nest success of grassland birds was positively related to distance from forest edge but, for thamnic birds, success was greater near edges. Moreover, nest success and estimated fecundity of thamnic species suggested their populations are self-sustaining on forest restoration sites, whereas these sites are likely population sinks for grassland and open-woodland species. We recommend restoration strategies that promote rapid development of dense forest stands within largely forested landscapes to recruit breeding populations of thamnic and silvicolous birds that have reproductive success sufficient to sustain their populations.
The bounded approximation property for weakly uniformly continuous type holomorphic mappings

When U is a balanced open subset of a reflexive Banach space E with P( n E) = Pw( n E) for every positive integer n, we show that the predual of the space of weakly uni- formly continuous holomorphic mappings on U, Gwu(U), has the bounded approximation property if and only if E has the bounded approximation property if and only if P( n E) has the bounded approximation property for every positive integer n. An analogous result is established for the predual of the space of holomorphic mappings of bounded type also.
A numerical method for the fractional Fitzhugh–Nagumo monodomain model

A fractional FitzHugh–Nagumo monodomain model with zero Dirichlet boundary conditions is presented, generalising the standard monodomain model that describes the propagation of the electrical potential in heterogeneous cardiac tissue. The model consists of a coupled fractional Riesz space nonlinear reaction-diffusion model and a system of ordinary differential equations, describing the ionic fluxes as a function of the membrane potential. We solve this model by decoupling the space-fractional partial differential equation and the system of ordinary differential equations at each time step. Thus, this means treating the fractional Riesz space nonlinear reaction-diffusion model as if the nonlinear source term is only locally Lipschitz. The fractional Riesz space nonlinear reaction-diffusion model is solved using an implicit numerical method with the shifted Grunwald–Letnikov approximation, and the stability and convergence are discussed in detail in the context of the local Lipschitz property. Some numerical examples are given to show the consistency of our computational approach.
Genetic diversity of mitochondrial DNA from Litopenaeus vannamei broodstock used in northwestern Mexico

Shrimp cultivation in Mexico is based on the whiteleg shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei, with a production of about 100,320 t in 2012. Postlarvae are produced in hatcheries, where the selection process is geared towards producing lineages with better productive parameters and resistance to some diseases; however, the crossing of related organisms may reduce genetic variability, resulting in inbreeding depression. In this study we analyzed the sequences of the mitochondrial DNA control region of 425 shrimp from five hatcheries and of 29 wild whiteleg shrimp. The results suggest the presence of two dominant haplotypes in a monophyletic group of organisms used as broodstock and in wild whiteleg shrimp; this finding suggests a common origin. Low levels of genetic variability in some hatcheries highlight the importance of monitoring genetic diversity and supervising breeding programs to prevent loss of haplotypes. El cultivo de camaron en Mexico se basa en el camaron blanco, Litopenaeus vannamei, con una produccion de aproximadamente 100,320 t en 2012. El suministro de postlarvas proviene de laboratorios de produccion cuyo proceso de seleccion esta dirigido a producir linajes con parametros mas productivos y resistencia a ciertas enfermedades; sin embargo, la cruza de organismos emparentados puede reducir la variabilidad genetica, dando como resultado una depresion endogamica. En este estudio se analizaron las secuencias de la region control del ADN mitocondrial de 425 camarones procedentes de cinco laboratorios de produccion de postlarvas y 29 camarones silvestres. Los resultados evidencian la presencia de dos haplotipos dominantes en un grupo monofiletico de los organismos utilizados como reproductores y en los organismos silvestres; este hallazgo sugiere la hipotesis de un origen comun. Debido a los bajos valores de variabilidad genetica en algunos laboratorios, se resalta la importancia de vigilar la diversidad genetica y supervisar los programas de reproduccion para evitar la perdida continua de haplotipos.
Hydroxycarbamide plus Aspirin vs Aspirin Alone in Patients with Essential Thrombocythaemia Aged 40-59 Years Without High-Risk Features

Purpose Cytoreductive therapy is bene ﬁ cial in patients with essential thrombocythemia (ET) at high risk of thrombosis. However, its value in those lacking high-risk features remains unknown. This open-label, randomized trial compared hydroxycarbamide plus aspirin with aspirin alone in patients with ET age 40 to 59 years and without high-risk factors or extreme thrombocytosis. Patients and Methods Patients were age 40 to 59 years and lacked a history of ischemia, thrombosis, embolism, hemorrhage, extreme thrombocytosis (platelet count $ 1,500 3 10 9 /L), hypertension, or diabetes requiring therapy. In all, 382 patients were randomly assigned 1:1 to hydroxycarbamide plus aspirin or aspirin alone. The composite primary end point was time to arterial or venous thrombosis, serious hemorrhage, or death from vascular causes. Secondary end points were time to ﬁ rst arterial or venous thrombosis, ﬁ rst serious hemorrhage, death, incidence of transformation, and patient-reported quality of life. After a follow-up of 73 and a of 2,373 patient-years, there was no signi ﬁ cant difference between the arms in the likelihood of patients reaching the primary end point (hazard ratio, 0.98; 95% CI, 0.42 to 2.25; P = 1.0). The incidence of signi ﬁ cant vascular events was low, at 0.93 per 100 patient-years (95% CI, 0.61 to 1.41). There were also no differences in overall survival; in the composite end point of transformation to myelo ﬁ brosis, acute myeloid leukemia, or myelodysplasia; in adverse events; or in patient-reported quality of life. platelet
Effects of temperature on both drying kinetics and color of Italian tomato

This study evaluated the influence of temperature on drying kinetics and color of Italian tomato of sliced and cut into quarters using different dehydration strategies based on laboratory-convective dried and convective oven drier. The mathematical modeling of drying curves and the effective diffusivity were evaluated. It was verified that tomatoes dried in the laboratory-scale drier presented lower drying time. In addition, the drying time of sliced tomatoes were lower than the cut ones. The proposed drying model presented a satisfactory fitting of the experimental data, showing that the use of global kinetic models presents an alternative to predict the drying profiles at different temperature. It was verified that Deff for tomatoes dried in convective laboratory-scale drier were higher than for oven convective drier, in both cuts. The drying time has strong influence in darkening of the sample and it was verified a tendency in increase the red saturation index with the temperature. The best product quality was obtained using convective laboratory-scale drier at lower drying times. The tomato cut in four parts showed characteristics of final product similar to those sliced tomatoes. However, the slices tomato dried at temperature of 60 °C showed less drying time.
Enhancing efficiency of SMES in Latvia

Efficient management and competitiveness of the company has become a decisive growth factor in ensuring sustainable development of SMEs. In order to identify the factors ensuring competitiveness, the authors have studied the factors characterizing and influencing the company's efficiency. As a result, the authors studied by means of a monographic or descriptive method the theoretical base for management efficiency, analysed the trends of the SME sector in Latvia and analysed the application of the principles of the theory of constraints to ensure the efficiency of Latvian SMEs. This research aims to provide companies an insight into the theoretical and real factors of the theory of constraints. As a result of the study, the authors conclude that by exploring the factors of the theory of constraints, companies can manage this process and maybe use it as one of the tools for ensuring competitiveness.
Evolution from Oceanic Subduction to Continental Collision: a Case Study from the Northern Tibetan Plateau Based on Geochemical and Geochronological Data

Two apparently distinct, sub-parallel, paleo-subduction zones can be recognized along the northern margin of the Tibetan Plateau: the North Qilian Suture Zone (oceanic-type) with ophiolitic melanges and high-pressure eclogites and blueschists in the north, and the North Qaidam Belt (continental-type) in the south, an ultrahighpressure (UHP) metamorphic terrane comprising pelitic and granitic gneisses, eclogites and garnet peridotites. Eclogites from both belts have protoliths broadly similar to mid-ocean ridge basalts (MORB) or oceanic island basalts (OIB) in composition with overlapping metamorphic ages (480–440Ma, with weighted mean ages of 464 6Ma for North Qilian and 457 7Ma for North Qaidam), determined by zircon U–Pb sensitive high-resolution ion microprobe dating. Coesite-bearing zircon grains in pelitic gneisses from the North Qaidam UHP Belt yield a peak metamorphic age of 423 6Ma, 40Myr younger than the age of eclogite formation, and a retrograde age of 403 9Ma. These data, combined with regional relationships, allow us to infer that these two parallel belts may represent an evolutionary sequence from oceanic subduction to continental collision, and continental underthrusting, to final exhumation. The Qilian–Qaidam Craton was probably a fragment of the Rodinia supercontinent with a passive margin and extended oceanic lithosphere in the north, which was subducted beneath the North China Craton to depths >100 km at c. 423Ma and exhumed at c. 403Ma (zircon rim ages in pelitic gneiss).
Hardness Values for Thermally Treated Black Ash

The objective of this study was to analyze the effect of a thermal treatment on the hardness of a Boreal hardwood species. As an undervalued and underutilized tree in Canada, black ash ( Fraxinus nigra Marsh.) was selected as one that could potentially benefit from this process. The wood was processed runs in a new high-temperature kiln system being developed in northwestern Ontario, Canada, by Superior Thermowood®. During the processing, the wood deepened in color from a light brown to a darker brown, similar to that of walnut wood. Defect-free samples of Thermowood black ash were collected from two high-temperature runs (200°C wood temperature) and tested for hardness. Using the Janka ball hardness test, thermally modified black ash displayed average hardness values at 8% MC (5700 N), 43% greater than the controls and in the same range as published for untreated wood (5400 - 6000 N). With an improvement in the black ash aesthetic appearance combined with the slight increase in hardness, this species is well suited to be utilized in high-value markets, including flooring and fine furniture.