Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Factors influencing the selection of communal roost sites by the Black Vulture Coragyps atratus (Aves: Cathartidae) in an urban area in Central Amazon

Increasing populations of the Black Vulture, Coragyps atratus (Bechstein, 1793) and the capacity this bird has to live near humans has resulted in vulture-human conflicts. These conflicts increase the need for the effective management of vultures. Improved understanding of communal roosting dynamics is a key aspect of vulture biology that provides information for effective management that can mitigate conflicts. Here we investigated factors influenc- ing roosting site selection by Black Vultures in Manaus. We monitored 40 native vegetation remnants (VR), visiting each VR twice (two independent observers) between 5:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. once every two-three months from June to November 2011. Using maximum-likelihood analysis and information-theoretic multimodel inference, we investigated the effects of VR covariates (size, shape, and location relative to feeding sites, to thermal power plants, and to other VRs) on VR occupancy by roosting Black Vultures. Distance to feeding sites (mainly garbage-dumping sites) was identified as the most important covariate (model-averaged = -0.62, SE = 0.26) and the other variables had no significant effects. Our results indicate that Black Vultures adjusted to the nearest possible roost to the food source to reduce the cost of movement. This suggests that reducing Black Vulture access to food through simple waste management and sanitation policies, including public education, may help reduce vulture-human conflicts in Manaus.
The Hydroelectricity Consumption and Economic Growth Nexus: A Long Time Span Analysis

The objective of this article is analyze the nexus between hydroelectricity consumption and economic growth in seven Latin America countries in the period from 1966 to 2015, using an auto-regressive distributive lag (ARDL) with methodology. The results suggest the existence of feedback hypothesis in short-run, where the hydroelectricity consumption and economic growth are interrelated.
ON THE PROS AND CONS OF EMPLOYEE STOCK OPTIONS: WHAT ARE THE ALTERNATIVES?

Despite theoretical validity, there is mixed empirical evidence on whether employee stock options align the interests of management and shareholders by turning managers into owners. Yet, recent accounting scandals, excessive payouts, and the public’s call for a proper recognition of stock option grants have produced considerable debate in boardrooms and the financial press about the desirability of using stock options. This paper provides an overview of the empirical research in the field and discusses the advantages and disadvantages of using stock options as part of an employee’s compensation package. In light of the recent accounting scandals, regulatory bodies have been hard pressed to change the accounting treatment and recognition of stock options. As a result, practitioners and academics are increasingly on the lookout for alternative forms of compensation tools. To aid in the ongoing discussion, we propose a number of alternative compensation tools that help alleviate some of the problems inherent in stock options, while still rewarding a manager for his performance and aligning management and shareholder incentives. While there is no clear-cut answer as to what compensation tool is best, our study should provide corporate managers with the necessary insights that are needed to choose the method that most closely meets their objectives. In addition, our study aims to open the door for further academic discussion that is required to address a number of questions that remain unanswered in this area.
Career education in high schools: focusingn "Guidance in Ways of Being and Ways of Living"

The enhancement of career education in high schools, especially in those with general education curriculums, which account for more than 70% of the total, is becoming a pressing issue. With regard to “career guidance,” which has undergone a great many changes in response to social demands and which in recent years has been expected to play a core role in career education, after discussing the functions peculiar to Japan, this paper looks back over developments up to the 1980s, dividing them into “pre-war” and “post-war” periods, as well as discussing the various theories that influenced career guidance at the time. Furthermore, with regard to the reality of “guidance in ways of being and ways of living,” which emerged in the 1990s as a new concept in career guidance and is linked to career education, this paper discusses such guidance from the perspectives of the background to its promotion, its fundamental nature, its pros and cons, and related issues, and presents recommendations for career guidance—and, by extension, career education—in high schools in the future.
Parasite Users? The Volunteer Mapping of Cycling Infrastructures

This chapter aims at understanding the place of users in the online discussions between Openstreetmap contributors who map cycling infrastructures. Drawing on an analysis of the mailing list of the French forum of Openstreetmap, we show that contributors deal with different kinds of users' instantiations. We describe how these contributors try to avoid any attachement to one or another category of users, which would threaten their ideal of "universality".
Plastic Concrete Transportation Techniques on Construction Sites: A Comparative Productivity Study

Target outputs on construction operations are of paramount importance to productivity studies in the built environment. The objective of this study therefore was to determine the target outputs of various methods of placing plastic concrete on construction sites as information for benchmarking concreting productivity in the Nigeria built environment. Using Lagos state as the study area, concreting operations were examined in 64 building construction sites spanning large-sized, medium-sized and small-sized construction companies with 8,34 and 22 projects respectively. Using stratified random sampling, 25 of the 64 sites were selected for investigation and were made up of 5, 10, 10 sites for the respective large, medium and small-sized construction firms. The study was limited to bungalows and single storey residential, commercial and office building sites managed by construction companies registered with the Federal or Lagos State Ministry of Works only. A total of 167 daily concrete pours was observed on the 25 construction sites at an average of 6 days per site. Data collected included placing method, location/type of concrete pours, quantity of concrete placed, overall pour time, number of operatives engaged, and actual duration of concreting, distance to pour location, weather and delay time. The results showed that the four main concrete placing techniques used in Lagos State were cranes, dumpers, wheelbarrows, and head pans. The mean overall concreting productivity of cranes was 11.24 m 3 /hr compared to 8.53 m 3 /hr by dumpers, 6.69 m 3 /hr by wheelbarrows and 3.21 m 3 /hr by head pans. The labour productivity for concreting by cranes was 4.09 whr/m 3 as against 5.13 whr/m 3 for dumpers, 9.74 whr/m 3 for wheelbarrows and 12.11 whr/m 3 for head pans. The productivities were in the ratio of 4:3:2:1 for cranes, dumpers, wheelbarrows, and head pans respectively. The results have significant bearing for contractor’s method statement and tend to guide construction clients in adjudicating tenders for selecting the contractor who can best manage the technical risk associated with the construction project. Keywords: Plastic concrete, transportation techniques, construction sites, productivity.
Should We Regulate Digital Platforms? A New Framework for Evaluating Policy Options

The economic and societal impact of digital platforms raises a number of questions for policymakers, including whether existing regulatory approaches and instruments are sufficient to promote and safeguard public interests. This article develops a practical framework that provides structure and guidance to policymakers who design policies for the digital economy. The framework differs from other approaches in taking the digital business models of platforms as the starting point for the analysis. The framework consists of three pillars, namely determining a platform’s characteristics, relating these to public interests, and formulating policy options. The framework then invokes a return-path analysis for assessing how the interventions affect the business model, whether it has the desired effect on public interests, and ensuring it has no undesired side-effects on public interests. The framework puts forward two key messages for current discussions on digital platforms. First, one should look at the underlying characteristics of platforms rather than trying to understand digital platforms as a single category. Second, policymakers should explore existing rules and policy options, as they seem fit to deal with several characteristics of digital platforms in a time frame that matches the rapid development of platform technologies and business models.
Competitiveness of Textile and Apparel Industry of Bangladesh with China in In- ternational Trade

This paper used the Balassa Revealed Comparative Advantage (RCA) Index and the Spearman’s Rank Correlation Coefficient (rs) to analyze the situation of competition and complementariness in the textile and apparel (T&A) industry between Bangladesh and China in international trade. Data of eleven key products of the industry in 2000-2009 was analyzed. The study explored that in six of those eleven products competition exists and in five remaining products complementariness exists between Bangladesh and China in global market. Consequently, several solutions were proposed to help improve the competitiveness of Bangladeshi T&A industry.
Diabetes and pre-diabetes in adult Nigerians: Prevalence, and correlations of blood glucose concentrations with measures of obesity

The quantification of the number of people with diabetes is an important factor that allows for effective planning and distribution of scarce resources for the management of diabetes. This study therefore investigated the prevalence of diabetes and impaired fasting glucose in a convenient population of adults in Umudike, a semi-urban town in South-East Nigeria. The relationship between measures of obesity and blood glucose concentration was also evaluated. Standard protocols were followed for all measurements, determinations and definitions. The results show that the prevalence of diabetes in the studied population is 3.0% (3.6% for females and 2.3% for males). Impaired fasting glucose was found in 1.1% of the population (females 1.6%; males 0.6%), such that 4.1% of the population had dysglycemia. Diabetic females had significantly (P < 0.02) higher body mass index (BMI), fat mass, waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) and waist-to-hip ratio (WHpR) compared to non-diabetic female subjects. For the males, mean BMI and fat mass were statistically similar between the groups whereas WHtR and WHpR were significantly (P < 0.01) higher in diabetics. The assessed measures of obesity (except for BMI in males) were weakly but significantly (r < 0.5, P < 0.05) correlated with blood glucose concentration in all subjects. The results are discussed and their public health significance highlighted. Key words: Diabetes, dysglycemia, impaired fasting glucose, obesity, pre-diabetes.
Vortex Power Spring Water: Physical-Chemical Qualities of this Water compared to Mountain and Melt Water from Bulgaria, Russia and Glacier Rosenlaui from Swiss Alps

In this research by using IR, NES, and DNES methods were investigated various samples of water from Bulgarian water springs: the melt water from Glacier Rosenlaui, Swiss Alps, as well as the human blood serum of people with excellent health and cancer patients between 50 and 70 years old. Other experiments were performed on a Vortex Power Spring device (Vortex Power Company) for improvement of quality of tap water by saturation with oxygen. As an estimation factor in NES and DNES was measured the values ​​of the average energy of hydrogen bonds (∆E H . O ) among H 2 O molecules in water samples, as well as a local extremum in the DNES-spectra of various samples of water and the human blood serum at E = -0.1387 eV and λ = 8.95 μm. For a group of people in critical condition of life and patients with malignant tumors the greatest values ​​of local extremums in IR-, DNES-spectra were shifted to lower energies relative to the control healthy group. Further we applied this method for calculation of percent distribution of H 2 O molecules in all studied water samples according to energies of hydrogen bonds ranged from (-0.08 to -0.1387 eV). In frames of the research was carried out the computer calculation of elemental polyhedral nanoclusters with a formula (Н 2 О) n , where n = 3–20. Based on this data some important physical characteristics of water were obtained, e.g. the average energy of hydrogen bonding between Н 2 О molecules in the process of cluster formation was measured by the DNES method compiles -0.1067 ± 0.0011 eV. It was shown that mountain water is among the most important factors for human longevity and human health. The variety of ions (K + , Na + , Ca 2+ , Mg 2+ , Mn 2+ , Fe 2+ , Fe 3+ , Zn 2+ , SO 4 2- , Cl - , HCO 3 - , CO 3 2- ), chemical-physical parameters (pH, electroconductivity) and the decreased content of deuterium in studied water samples renders beneficial effects of this type of water on human health. Also our research has confirmed the efficiency of water treatment with the Vortex Power Spring apparatus for increasing the levels of oxygenation. Water subjected to the water treatment with the Vortex Power Spring apparatus has a higher permanent oxygen levels (1.26±0.13 mg О 2 /dm 3 ) relative to the control (0.9±0.09 mg О 2 /dm 3 ). Keywords : deuterium, longevity, mountain water, IR, NES, DNES, Glacier Rosenlaui, Vortex Power Spring.
CHANGE OF COMPOSITION AND DIVERSITY OF SPECIES AND GRASSLAND MANAGEMENT BETWEEN DIFFERENT GRAZING INTENSITY IN PANNONIAN DRY AND WET GRASSLANDS

Investigations were carried out in wet and dry pa sture. Coenological recordings were taken in three zones. The first zone (“A”) located 0-50 m ne ar the stable, second zone (“B”) located 50-150 m from the stable, while the third zone (“C”) located farther than 150 m. We have carried out analyses o f ecological and environmental factors and life form types. Based on our results for both dry and wet grasslands, quadrates of “A” zone were well isolate d from the rest of the zones. Overgrazing, which involves considerable trampling, vanishes differenc es among vegetations, thereby promotes weed and disturbance tolerant rich vegetation. The lowest sp ecies number and diversity could be found here. Due to the nitrogen enrichment due to the constant presenc of livestock, drier and less heat demanding habit at developed in the “A” zones, according to the enviro nmental indicators. Because of the change in management, conservation and diversity values of “C ” zone increased, however, according to nature protection values it underperformed compared to “B” zone. According to the sample area, wet grasslands from the sandy areas of Kiskunság, preserve nature protection values and grass composition better moving away from stables, due to less grazing press u . Drier backgrounds tolerate stronger grazing pressure.
Viruses in marine animals: Discovery, detection, and characterizarion

Diseases in marine animals are emerging at an increasing rate. Disease forecasting enabled by virus surveillance presents a proactive solution for managing emerging diseases. Broad viral surveys aid in disease forecasting by providing baseline data on viral diversity associated with various hosts, including many that are not associated with disease. However, these viruses can become pathogens due to expansion in host or geographic range, as well as when changing conditions shift the balance between commensal viruses and the host immune system. Therefore, it is extremely valuable to identify and characterize viruses present in many different hosts in a variety of environments, regardless of whether the hosts are symptomatic or not. The lack of a universal gene shared by all viruses makes virus surveillance difficult, because no single assay exists that can detect the enormous diversity of viruses. Viral metagenomics circumvents this issue by purifying viral particles directly from host tissues and sequencing the nucleic acids, allowing for virus identification. However, virus identification is only the first step, which should ideally be followed by complete sequencing of the viral genome to identify genes of interest and develop assays to reveal viral prevalence, tropism, ecology, and pathogenicity. This dissertation focuses on the discovery of novel viruses in marine animals, characterization of complete viral genomes, and the development of subsequent diagnostic assays for further analysis of virus ecology. First, viral metagenomics was used to explore the viruses present in the healthy Weddell seal (Leptonychotes weddellii) population in Antarctica, which led to the discovery of highly prevalent small, circular single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) viruses. The lack of knowledge regarding the viruses of Antarctic wildlife warrants this study to determine baseline viral communities in healthy animals that can be used to survey changes over time. From the healthy Weddell seals, viral metagenomics led to the discovery of 152 novel anellovirus genomes, encompassing two anellovirus species. Characterizing these viruses is important for understanding the prevalence and diversity of ssDNA viruses, which have only recently been described in marine animals. Furthermore, since emerging diseases can be caused by changing conditions affecting host susceptibility to a virus that was previously not related to disease (opportunistic pathogen), having baseline data allows for quick identification of the pathogen. In addition to determining baseline data, viral metagenomics can explore the role of viruses in disease. A novel virus, Asterias forbesi-associated circular virus (AfaCV), was discovered in the Atlantic sea star Asterias forbesi displaying symptoms of sea star wasting …
Effects on fluid balance, digestion and exercise response in Standardbred horses fed silage, haylage and hay

The objectives were to investigate the effects on fluid balance, digestion and exercise response in Standardbred horses in race training when feeding silage, haylage or hay-only diets. In experiment (exp) 1, five Standardbred geldings were fed forage-only diets: hay (82% dry matter, DM) and silage (45% DM) for 23 days in a crossover design. Total collection of faeces and urine was performed. In exp 2, six Standardbred geldings were fed forage-based diets: haylage (68% DM) and silage (41% DM) for 17 days in a crossover design. On day 17, an incremental interval exercise test was performed on an oval racetrack. In exp 1, horses drank more on the hay than on the silage diet, but total water intake (drinking þ water in feed) was higher and resting values of total plasma protein (TPP) was lower on the silage diet. Total water output per day did not differ and therefore the estimated evaporation was larger on the silage than the hay diet. The apparent digestibility was higher on the silage than the hay diet. In exp 2, heart and respiratory rate, TPP and lactate and blood pH did not differ between the haylage and silage diets during and after the exercise test. In conclusion, feeding silage did not affect faecal water content, but apparent digestibility and estimated evaporative fluid loss were higher on the silage diet compared with the hay diet. The silage did not adversely affect the response to intensive exercise compared with haylage. However, the estimated higher evaporative fluid loss on the silage diet compared with the hay diet might cause an unnecessary challenge during more prolonged exercise.
Comparison of incident air kerma (ki) of common digital and analog radiology procedures in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province

Abstract Introduction: Although in many developed countries, Analog radiography (AR) is replaced with digital radiography (DR) but AR is still widely used in many countries included Iran. Therefore, dosimetrically assessment of delivered dose is very important to avoid unnecessary patient dose. Materials and Methods: In this study, all imaging centers in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad were selected. The initial information included the mean kVp and mAs used by the personnel to perform each radiological procedure were gathered through a questionnaire. Barracuda dosimeter was then used to measure Incident air kerma (ki). Data obtained from digital radiography (DR) and analogue radiography (AR) were then analyzed and compared to each other. Results: The mean incident air kerma (ki) for five radiological procedures (chest AP&Lat, Skull AP&Lat, Lumbar spine AP&Lat, Thoracic spine AP&Lat and Pelvis) in digital devices were 0.38&1.34, 2.1&1.94, 4.99&7.83, 4.18& 6.41 and 4.33 mGy and those for analogue devices were 0.7&1.28, 3.05&3.02, 7.25&9.9, 7.125&8.36 and 5.36 mGy, respectively. Discussion and Conclusion: The use of low kVp or high mAs is one of the reasons to increase the incident air kerma (ki) in analogue methods comparing to digital methods in all procedures except the chest (in Lateral view). Also the results, surprisingly, showed that in some of the analogue methods incident air kerma (ki) was less than digital methods which is most probably because of the auto-exposure conditions.
Personality and Adult Perceptions of Childhood Dreams.

This study used adult recall of childhood dreams to test Cann anC Donderi's (1986) findings that Jungian intuitives recall more archetypal dreams than do sensate subjects, and that introverts recall more everyday dreams than extraverts. It was hypothesized that since dreams recalled from childhood are relatively high in archetypal content, there should be differences between the perceptions of childhood dreams by adult intuitives and sensate subjects, but no differences between introvert and extravert subjects. Participants were 67 volunteer final-year early childhood teacher-training students, each of whom completed the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator as a personality measure, and a Childhood Dream Questionnaire (CDQ). All subjects but one were female. Scores on the Intuition-Sensation and Introversion-Extraversion dimensions were correlated with CDQ item scores. In accord with the hypotheses, significant correlations were found with respect to Intuition-Sensation scores, and none for the Introversion-Extaversjon dimension. (RH) *********************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. */:*********************************************************************