Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Impervious Surface and Macroinvertebrates in the South Atlanta Metropolitan Area

Studies utilizing volunteer stream monitoring data are rare, particularly in the Atlanta metropolitan area. This study investigated how the macroinvertebrate communities of 20 different stream sites in the south metropolitan Atlanta area were affected by the imperviousness of their surrounding watersheds. These sites were in a diverse landscape which included forests, wetlands, suburban day-use parks, and parking lots. Percentage impervious surface area was measured using a geographic information system analysis. Macroinvertebrates were collected using Georgia Adopt-A-Stream’s volunteer monitoring protocols, and a water quality index (WQI) was calculated from these data. The relationship between WQI and imperviousness was curvilinear and best fit by a quadratic equation. In watersheds having more than 8% imperviousness, WQI clearly decreased.
The prevalence and genetic diversity of group A rotaviruses on pig farms in the Mekong Delta region of Vietnam

Group A rotaviruses (ARoVs) are a common cause of severe diarrhea among children worldwide and the cause of approximately 45% of pediatric hospitalizations for acute diarrhea in Vietnam. ARoVs are known to cause significant economic losses to livestock producers by reducing growth performance and production efficiencies, however little is known about the implications of asymptomatic endemic circulation of ARoV. We aimed to determine the prevalence and predominant circulating genotypes of ARoVs on pig farms in a southern province of Vietnam. We found overall animal-level and farm-level prevalence of 32.7% (239/730) and 74% (77/104), respectively, and identified six different G types and 4 P types in various combinations (G2, G3, G4, G5, G9, G11 and P[6], P[13], P[23], and P[34]). There was no significant association between ARoV infection and clinical disease in pigs, suggesting that endemic asymptomatic circulation of ARoV may complicate rotavirus disease attribution during outbreaks of diarrhea in swine. Sequence analysis of the detected ARoVs suggested homology to recent human clinical cases and extensive genetic diversity. The epidemiological relevance of these findings for veterinary practitioners and to ongoing pediatric ARoV vaccine initiatives in Vietnam merits further study. 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. * Corresponding author at: Wellcome Trust Major Overseas Programme, Oxford University Clinical Research Unit, National Hospital of Tropical Medicine, 78 Giai Phong, Dong Da, Ha Noi, Viet Nam. Tel. : +84 1284409980; fax: +84 4 35764319. E-mail addresses: jbryant@oucru.org, jebryant13@gmail.com (J.E. Bryant).
Finger Millet (Eleusine coracana L. Gaertn.) Production System: Status, Potential, Constraints and Implications for Improving Small Farmer’s Welfare

This article aims to investigate the growth in area, production and productivity, mapping of cultivation technologies, economics, potentials and constraints for area and production expansion of finger millet. The exponential growth rates, indicated that though there was deceleration both in area and production there was significant growth in productivity due to introduction of high yielding varieties. The respondents under different production system (rainfed and irrigated situation) were homogeneous with respect to the age and family size except land holding and education level. Finger millet possesses tremendous potential for product diversification and export. Mapping of cultivation technologies indicated that, farmers applied more fertilizers than recommended. Hence, there is a need to strengthen extension/outreach programmes to create awareness among farmers to use the optimum level of nutrients, which helps in reducing the cost incurred by farmers as well as subsidy burden on government. The existing procurement price for finger millet was Rs. 2100/q which failed to cover the cost of production under rainfed situation. In the total land holding, the area under finger millet accounted for major (64%) share in rainfed situation and thus the procurement price must be fixed looking into the cost of production of rainfed (Rs. 2624/q) finger millet, which helps in improving the welfare of finger millet growing small farmers.
Service offshoring and productivity in Western Europe

Using comparable data for nine Western European countries, this paper finds that service offshoring exerts positive and economically large effects on domestic productivity. A one percentage point increase in service offshoring is found to raise Total Factor Productivity by 0.5-0.6 percent. Citation: Crinò, Rosario, (2008) "Service offshoring and productivity in Western Europe. " Economics Bulletin, Vol. 6, No. 35 pp. 1-8 Submitted: August 6, 2008. Accepted: September 8, 2008. URL: http://economicsbulletin.vanderbilt. edu/2008/volume6/EB-08F10021A.pdf
Ju l 2 01 8 Dimension Theory of Linear Solenoids

We develop the dimension theory for a class of linear solenoids, which have a ”fractal” attractor. We will find the dimension of the attractor, proof formulas for the dimension of ergodic measures on this attractor and discuss the question whether there exists a measure of full dimension. MSC 2000: 37C45, 28D20, 28A80
How Offshore Outsourcing is Perceived: Why Do Some Consumers Feel More Threatened?

ABSTRACT As globalization intensifies, multinational companies are not only compelled to expand their operations, but are also facing greater pressure to enhance productivity and concomitant return on investment (ROI). One way to achieve cost efficiencies is by offshoring selected business operations to overseas firms. Such offshoring, however, has generated public concern and, in some cases, outrage. Angst against offshoring is based on many perceptions, including perceived job losses and damage to domestic industries. In the wake of this threat, multinational firms in Europe and North America confront a public relations problem in justifying their offshoring activities. Yet, no systematic study has investigated why some consumers feel threatened by offshoring while others do not. Our study addresses this concern by using Americans as a sample. We show that economic threat and consumer ethnocentrism have a negative impact on offshoring attitudes while perceived quality of services delivered by offshore firms has a positive effect. Implications are discussed.
redicting melting temperature directly from protein sequences

Proteins of both hyperthermophilic and mesophilic microorganisms generally constitute from the same 20 amino acids; however, the extent of thermal tolerance of any given protein is an inherent property of its amino acid sequence. The present study is the first to report a rapid method for predicting Tm (melting eywords: ipeptide yperthermophiles enome rediction temperature), the temperature at which 50% of the protein is unfolded, directly from protein sequences (the Tm Index program is available at http://tm.life.nthu.edu.tw/). We examined 75 complete microbial genomes using the Tm Index, and the analysis clearly differentiated hyperthermophilic from mesophilic microorganisms on this global genomic basis. These results are consistent with the previous hypothesis that hyperthermophiles express a greater number of high Tm proteins compared with mesophiles. The Tm Index will be valuable for modifying existing proteins (enzymes, protein drugs and vaccines) or havin designing novel proteins
Genotyping of cagA and the intermediate region of vacA in strains of Helicobacter pylori isolated from Colombian adult patients and associations with gastric diseases

1 Molecular Diagnosis and Bioinformatics Laboratory (LDMB Laboratorio de Diagnóstico Molecular y Bioinformática) at University of the Andes in Bogotá, Colombia 2 Max von Pettenkoffer Institute for Hygiene and Clinical Microbiology of the Department of Bacteriology at LMU München. Munich, Germany. 3 Division of Gastroenterology and Digestive Endoscopy at the Fundación de Santa Fe de Bogotá. Bogotá, Colombia.
Production and Pathogenicity of Isolates of Beet Necrotic Yellow Vein Virus with Different Numbers of RNA Components

Summary Ten Japanese field isolates of beet necrotic yellow vein virus (BNYVV) were transmitted to Tetragonia expansa by inoculation with sap from rootlets of sugar-beet seedlings, to which the virus had been transmitted by the fungus Polymyxa betae. RNA extracted from BNYVV particles obtained from the T. expansa leaves was analysed by agarose gel electrophoresis. Some isolates contained RNA-1 (7.1 kb), RNA-2 (4.8 kb), RNA-3 (1.85 kb) and RNA-4 (1.5 kb) and the others contained, in addition, RNA-5 (1.4 kb). Further isolates, derived from single lesions produced by these isolates, had a variety of RNA compositions. Some contained only RNA-1 and RNA-2. Others contained, in addition, RNA-3, RNA-4, RNA-5 or RNA-6 (1.0 kb), or combinations of two or three of these components. Such isolates generally maintained their RNA composition on further subculture, and their particles had length distributions corresponding to their RNA components. Isolates containing RNA-1 + 2 + 3 caused yellow or strongly chlorotic local lesions in T. expansa, Beta vulgaris, B. macrocarpa and Chenopodium quinoa, and caused systemic stunting and yellow mosaic in B. macrocarpa and, occasionally, in B. vulgaris. In contrast, isolates containing RNA-1 + 2 + 4 or 1 + 2 + 5 induced chlorotic lesions, those containing RNA-1 + 2 + 6 or 1 + 2 induced faint chlorotic lesions, and none of these isolates easily infected B. macrocarpa systemically. Isolates containing different combinations of RNA-3,-4 and -5 induced more severe symptoms than those containing a single RNA. Such synergistic effects occurred between RNA-3 and RNA-4 or RNA-5, or between RNA-4 and RNA-5 or RNA-6, but not between RNA-3 and RNA-6, or between RNA-5 and RNA-6. These small RNA species therefore contain the genetic determinant(s) for lesion type and for ability to infect B. vulgaris and B. macrocarpa systemically. RNA-1 and RNA-2 are viral genome components. The other RNA components have some characteristics of viral satellite nucleic acids but they may not all be dispensable if the BNYVV isolates are to survive in nature.
Variance component analysis of body mass in a wild population of deer (Odocoileus virginianus): results from two decades of research

Abstract Context. Long-term studies of large, vertebrate mammals using capture–recapture data are scarce, even though long-term ecological studies are requisite to understanding quantitative genetics and evolutionary processes that can be applied as part of management programs. Aims. Objectives were to (1) partition components of variation in body mass to understand the differential effects of environmental variation on the sexes during ontogeny, to better prescribe habitat-improvement projects, and (2) estimate repeatability to assess potential for selection on body mass. Methods. We used a 23-year dataset (1983–2005) of capture–recapture records of wild white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) to estimate components of variance and repeatability of body mass. We used an animal-model approach that employed the use of general linear mixed models and restricted maximum likelihood to adjust for the effects of age (i.e. fixed effect), and to partition the total phenotypic variance into among-individual (i.e. the deer), permanent environmental (i.e. year of birth) and temporary environmental (i.e. year of measurement and residual) effects (all modelled as random effects). Key results. We found that body mass increased with age in both sexes, repeatability of body mass was 0.595 for females and 0.716 for males, and among-individual variation was more influential on body mass than were permanent and temporary environmental effects combined. Year of birth was more important in males than females, but changed during the course of ontogeny for both sexes. Year of measurement did not influence post-rut body mass in males, but did contribute to variation in body mass of females. Conclusions. These long-term data offer insights into the sources of variation that influence body mass of deer, which can be used to understand how environmental sources of variation influence phenotypic traits, and for developing management plans and making selection decisions. Implications. Knowledge of repeatability (as an upper limit to heritability) can be used to make management decisions related to selection, culling and breeding, whereas understanding environmental effects can lead to better management recommendations (e.g. habitat-improvement projects).
1 ATP 13 A 2 ( PARK 9 ) polymorphisms influence the neurotoxic effects of manganese

Introduction: A higher prevalence of individuals affected by Parkinsonism was found in Valcamonica, Italy. This may be related to ferro-alloy smelters in the area, releasing manganese (Mn) in the air, soil and water for about a century. There exists individual susceptibility for Mn neurotoxicity. Aim: To analyse how polymorphism in genes regulating Mn metabolism and toxicity can modify neurophysiological effects of Mn exposure. Materials and Methods: Elderly (N=255) and adolescents (N=311) from Northern Italy were examined for neuromotor and olfactory functions. Exposure to Mn was assessed in blood and urine by atomic absorption spectroscopy and in soil by a portable instrument based on X-Ray fluorescence technology. Polymorphisms in the Parkinson-related gene ATPase type 13A2 (ATP13A2, also called PARK9: rs3738815, rs2076602, rs4920608, rs2871776, rs2076600), and in the secretory pathway Ca 2+ / Mn 2+ ATPase isoform 1 gene (SPCA1: rs218498, rs3773814, rs2669858) were analysed by TaqMan probes. Results: For both adolescents and elderly, negative correlations between Mn in soil and motor coordination (Rs=-0.20, p<0.001, Rs=-0.13, p=0.05 respectively) were demonstrated. Also among adolescents, negative correlations were seen between Mn in soil with odor identification (Rs=-0.17, p<0.01). No associations were seen for Mn in blood or urine. ATP13A2 polymorphisms rs4920608 and rs2871776 significantly modified the effects of Mn exposure on impaired motor coordination in elderly (p for interaction= 0.029, p= 0.041 respectively), also after adjustments for age and gender. The rs2871776 altered a binding site for transcription factor Insulinoma-associated 1. Conclusions: ATP13A2 variation may be a risk marker for neurotoxic effects of Mn in humans.
Some clinico-epidemiological and biochemical observations of parturient haemoglobinuria in Nili-Ravi buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis).

This study was executed to know the clinico-epidemiology of parturient haemoglobinuria (PHU) in buffaloes. A total of 60 buffaloes suffering from PHU were randomly selected from field cases occurring in Faisalabad, Toba Tek Singh and Jhang districts of Punjab, Pakistan. Sixty clinically healthy buffaloes of similar description from the same localities were also included in the study as control. The most prominent clinical sign was passing of red to coffee coloured urine. Milk production in affected buffaloes was significantly (P<0.001) reduced, while respiration and pulse rates were accelerated (P<0.001). Ruminal motility was significantly weak and reduced alongwith characteristic straining while defecating. The case fatality was 15%. A significantly higher occurrence of PHU was observed in the winter season (41.8%). Maximum number of affected buffaloes (25.0%) was in 4 lactation. Twenty seven (45.0%) buffaloes developed haemoglobinuria in the post calving period and majority (59.3%) of these were within 1-23 days of calving. Of the 33(55.0%) PHU affected pregnant buffaloes, 18 (54.6%) were in their third trimester. The highest cases of PHU were observed in buffaloes producing 10 or more litres of milk/day (42.5%). Recurrence of PHU was observed in 18.3% buffaloes. Berseem constituted a major component (65%) of fodders of most of the PHU affected buffaloes. Significantly lowered serum phosphorus, copper and selenium, while higher potassium, iron and molybdenum, were found in affected buffaloes as compared to healthy buffaloes. It was concluded that PHU mostly affects high yielding buffaloes in their 3-5 lactation particularly in early lactation or advanced pregnancy. Disease is strongly associated with Berseem feeding in winter season.
Trace Element Accumulation in Selected Bioindicators Exposed to Emissions along the Industrial Facilities of Danube Lowland

The scope of this study was to investigate the effects of the atmospheric emissions of two significant industrial centres of the Danube Lowland: the Schwechat and Slovnaft refineries. In this connection the environmental pollution of emission zones by heavy metals on the base of selected bioindicators (soil, lucerne, wheat, earthworms) should be evaluated. The phenomenon of the atmospheric impact of heavy metal aerosols on the food chain and substance transfer for the model studied (soil - plants - terrestrial invertebrates) was quantified by transfer (bioaccumulation) factors. Due to the orographic depression between the Eastern Alps and Western Carpathian Mountains and the characteristic atmospheric circulation with a predomint an north-west wind direction, heavy metal aerosols from closed industrial activities are expected to influence the quality of the surrounding environment. However, most of the 112 top soil samples taken from arable fields in the Schwechat District (Austria) showed natural levels of heavy metals. Heavy metal uptake by wheat via the soil was also rather low. At the Slovakian monitoring site the heavy metal bioaccumulation within the lucerne, as a consequence of availability from the soil, was slightly increased and a considerably higher transfer factor was recorded in related earthworm tissues. Cadmium content in the earthworms exceeded the recommended limit for agricultural feed.
Detection of genes providing salinity-tolerance in rice

The present study aimed to identify salinity-tolerant genes in three cultivars (BRS-7 Taim, BRS Querencia and BRS Atalanta) of Oryza sativa L. ssp. indica S. Kato and in three cultivars (BRS Bojuru, IAS 12-9 Formosa and Goyakuman) of Oryza sativa L. ssp. japonica S. Kato. Ten days after emergence seedlings were transferred to a greenhouse and placed in a 15L vessel with half strength Hoagland nutrient solution, which was changed every four days, under controlled temperature and humidity. Plants were harvested 56 days after transfer. DNA extraction was carried out by CTAB method and salinity-tolerant genes SOS and CK1 were identified by in silico research. Amplification of gene sequence was performed with in silico primers. Bands were detected by agar gel electrophoresis and visualized under ultraviolet light after staining with ethidium bromide. Gene SOS1 fragments were present in all cultivars, except in BRS Atalanta, whereas CK1 gene was present in all evaluated cultivars. Results show that salinity-tolerant genes under analysis were identified in the two sub-species.
Q-switched pulse generation from an all-f iber distributed Bragg reflector laser using graphene as saturable absorber

A Q-switched distributed Bragg reflector fiber laser using a graphene passive saturable absorber is proposed in a cavity consisting of a fiber Bragg grating and Faraday rotator mirror as end mirrors, together with a highly doped erbium-doped fiber as a gain source. The laser has a Q-switched threshold of about 28 mW and a tunable repetition rate of 10.4-18.0 kHz with varying pump power. The shortest pulse width obtained from the system is 3.7 μs, with a maximum pulse energy and peak power of 22.2 nJ and 3.4 mW, respectively.
Good Corporate Governance in Manufacturing Companies Tax Avoidance

This study aimed to examine the effect of good corporate Governance against tax avoidance peroxided by the book tax gap and corporate governance is peroxided by institutional ownership, managerial ownership, independent board, audit committee and audit quality. This study was performed on companies listed on the Stock Exchange on the observation period 2011-2014. The method used is purposive sampling and obtained a sample of 10 companies. The data used is secondary data that can be downloaded through www.idx. co.id and www.sahamok. com. The results showed that the variables of the board of managerial ownership, independent directors, audit committee, and audit quality effect on tax avoidance while institutional ownership variable has no effect on tax avoidance. It is suspected that institutional ownership as a monitoring tool in any decision taken by the manager does not support an optimal oversight of management performance related to tax evasion. DOI: 10.15408/etk.v15i2. 3541
Exploring Intra-Commonwealth Goods and Services Trade international trade Working paper

This study assembles data on bilateral goods and services trade flows for 242 countries over the period 1995–2010 and uses both descriptive statistics and sophisticated econometric techniques to understand the nature and structure of intra-Commonwealth trade, its determinants, and the trade effect of being a part of the Commonwealth. The existing econometric studies examining the trade effect of Commonwealth membership do not account for the presence of zero trade flows between bilateral trading partners, unobserved heterogeneity, endogeneity of preferential trading agreements (PTA) membership and multilateral resistance in estimation, leading to biased estimates. Our analyses are an improvement on all these fronts. The existing econometric studies only look at trade in merchandise goods, while we also include services trade in our analyses. We also assemble a much larger sample of bilateral trading partners (242 countries each) than in the existing literature. Commonwealth membership is found to increase goods exports by 14.5–33.2 per cent and services exports by 42.8 per cent in our results, ceteris paribus and on average. JEL Classification: D23, F10, F14, G2
Collective Moral Hazard, Maturity Mismatch and Systemic Bailouts

The paper elicits a mechanism by which private leverage choices exhibit strategic complementarities through the reaction of monetary policy. When everyone engages in maturity transformation, authorities haver little choice but facilitating refinancing. In turn, refusing to adopt a risky balance sheet lowers the return on equity. The key ingredient is that monetary policy is non-targeted. The ex post benefits from a monetary bailout accrue in proportion to the number amount of leverage, while the distortion costs are to a large extent fixed. This insight has important consequences. First, banks choose to correlate their risk exposures. Second, private borrowers may deliberately choose to increase their interest-rate sensitivity following bad news about future needs for liquidity. Third, optimal monetary policy is time inconsistent. Fourth, macro-prudential supervision is called for. We characterize the optimal regulation, which takes the form of a minimum liquidity requirement coupled with monitoring of the quality of liquid assets. We establish the robustness of our insights when the set of bailout instruments is endogenous and characterize the structure of optimal bailouts.