Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Hindgut secretions in Camponotus pennsylvanicus (De Geer) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): attractants and nitrogenous excretory materials

The anatomical source of the trail pheromone in the black carpenter ant, Camponotus pennsylvanicus , was investigated by presenting workers with crude or synthetic hindgut extracts to test for attractancy and trail-following behavior. Chemical analysis was used in conjunction with behavioral bioassays to detect and identify volatiles from the rectal sac, poison, and Dufour’s glands. The rectal material was also examined to determine levels of total nitrogen and identify metabolites in relation to other solid material present. Under laboratory conditions, foragers demonstrated a significant level of attraction to a combined Dufour’s gland, poison gland, and rectal sac extract. No response was observed to synthetic compounds (formic acid and saturated hydrocarbons) from the poison or Dufour’s gland. Two volatiles, n-undecane and n-tridecane, were identified from the Dufour’s gland. Fatty acids and esters were found to be ubiquitous in the Dufour’s and poison glands. Palmitic acid was identified in the poison gland. A compound described as a component of the trail pheromone in Camponotus atriceps (3,4-dihydro3,5-dihydroxy-6-methyl-pyran-4-one) was identified in the rectum, but was not verified behaviorally as being part of the trail pheromone for C. pennsylvanicus . Trail following was not elicited from any of the rectal sac extracts. Dry weight analysis determined that the rectal material was only 14% solid material and total nitrogen levels were estimated at 19.2 ± 2 ug/mg of ant feces. Most of the components contributing to the total nitrogen excreted were left unidentified, but ammonia (2.7 ± 1.2 ug/mg), two tryptophan intermediates (kynurenic and xanthurenic acid) and one pteridine (biopterin), were identified.
- Working version - do not quote - Technological opportunities and the impact of internal and external innovation expenditures on innovation output

This research investigates the impact of internal and external innovation expenditures on innovation output by using Spanish CIS3 data on 2282 innovative firms and applying several Knowledge Production Functions. Two main topics are dealt with. First, it is confirmed that different innovation activities lead to different types of innovation, but only when the specific technological opportunities that a firm experiences are taken into account. Second, firms make an allocation decision for spending on internal and external innovation activities. According to literature, these activities can be complementary in the way that external sources require internal knowledge for absorbing the benefits. This research shows that these complementarity effects indeed exists, but only in specific situations where the technological characteristics of the sector in which a firm operates and the objective of the innovation activities require so.
Does Supervision After Release From Prison Reduce Re-offending?

Currently, in England and Wales, adult prisoners serving a sentence of 12 months or more are supervised by the Probation Service “on licence” upon release from custody, whilst those serving a sentence of less than 12 months are not. This paper summarises work exploring the use of a Regression Discontinuity Design to assess the impact of this supervision on re-offending rates. The analysis compares the re-offending rates of offenders either side of the 12 month licence supervision threshold. It is based on offenders with one or no previous convictions and sentenced to around a year in custody.
Cardiovascular , Pulmonary and Renal Pathology Inhibition of PI 3 K by PX-866 Prevents Transforming Growth Factor-– Induced Pulmonary Fibrosis

Transforming growth factor(TGF ) is a ligand for the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). EGFR activation is associated with fibroproliferative processes in human lung disease and animal models of pulmonary fibrosis. EGFR signaling activates several intracellular signaling pathways including phosphatidylinositol 3 -kinase (PI3K). We previously showed that induction of lung-specific TGF expression in transgenic mice caused progressive pulmonary fibrosis over a 4-week period. The increase in levels of phosphorylated Akt, detected after 1 day of doxycycline-induced TGF expression, was blocked by treatment with the PI3K inhibitor, PX-866. Daily administration of PX-866 during TGF induction prevented increases in lung collagen and airway resistance as well as decreases in lung compliance. Treatment of mice with oral PX-866 4 weeks after the induction of TGF prevented additional weight loss and further increases in total collagen, and attenuated changes in pulmonary mechanics. These data show that PI3K is activated in TGF /EGFR-mediated pulmonary fibrosis and support further studies to determine the role of PI3K activation in human lung fibrotic disease, which could be amenable to targeted therapy. (Am J Pathol 2010, 176:679–686; DOI: 10.2353/ajpath.2010.090123)
An Investigation of the Effect of Voluntary Disclosure of Information on One-and Multi-dimensional Measures of Stock Liquidity in the Context of the Firms Enlisted in Tehran Stock Exchange

The knowledge of the effect of corporate disclosure quality on market variables such as stock market liquidity is very important. Discovering the influential factors on stock liquidity is of mounting importance, regarding its ever-increasing significance and its fundamental role in price discovery of assets, financial risk distribution, expected increased return and transaction costs decrease. Consequently, the present study has strived to investigate the effect of voluntary disclosure of information on stock liquidity. The sample consisted of 87 of then listed firms in Tehran Stock Exchange (TSE) during the period of 2010 to 2014. To measure liquidity, two multi-dimensional measures, namely the proportion of zero return days and the Amihud liquidity ratio, and further two one-dimensional measures, namely the mean of daily rials trading volume and the number of stock trading, have been utilized. Additionally, to evaluate voluntary disclosure of information, 60 questions were prepared and examined. Hypotheses testing has been done employing multivariate regression and analysis panel data. The results indicate a significant relationship between lateral one-dimensional liquidity measures and voluntary disclosure of information. However, the relationship between multi-dimensional liquidity measures and voluntary disclosure of information came out to be non-significant.
Stone Masonry Characterization Through Sonic Tests

This paper presents stone masonry characterization using sonic tests. These were performed on a stone masonry panel that was cut of a building wall and transported into LESE (Earthquake and Structural Engineering Laboratory) at FEUP (Faculty of Engineering of University of Porto). Sonic tests were performed both on discrete stones and on the wall panel so that the local and global behaviour could be observed. These tests took place before, during and after a compression load test. The results show both a decrease of wave velocity on the stones during and after the load test and an increase of the wave velocity for the wall.
Evaluation of perinuclear anti-neutrophilic cytoplasmic autoantibodies as an early marker of protein-losing enteropathy and protein-losing nephropathy in Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate perinuclear anti-neutrophilic cytoplasmic autoantibody (pANCA) status in Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers (SCWTs) and SCWT-Beagle crossbred dogs and to correlate pANCA status of dogs with clinicopathologic variables of protein-losing enteropathy (PLE), protein-losing nephropathy (PLN), or both. ANIMALS 13 SCWTs and 8 SCWT-Beagle crossbred dogs in a research colony and a control group comprising 7 dogs with X-linked hereditary nephropathy and 12 healthy SCWTs > 9 years old. PROCEDURES Samples were obtained from dogs in the research colony every 6 months. At each sample-collection time point, serum concentrations of albumin, globulin, creatinine, and urea nitrogen; fecal concentration of alpha-proteinase inhibitor; and urinary protein-to-creatinine ratios were determined and correlated with pANCA status. RESULTS 20 of 21 dogs in the research colony had positive results for pANCAs at a minimum of 2 time points, and 18 of 21 dogs had definitive evidence of disease. None of the control dogs had positive results for pANCAs. A positive result for pANCAs was significantly associated with hypoalbuminemia, and pANCAs preceded the onset of hypoalbuminemia on an average of 2.4 years. Sensitivity and specificity for use of pANCAs to predict development of PLE or PLN were 0.95 (95% confidence interval, 0.72 to 1.00) and 0.8 (95% confidence interval, 0.51 to 0.95), respectively. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Most dogs in this study affected with PLE, PLN, or both had positive results for pANCAs before clinicopathologic evidence of disease was detected. Thus, pANCAs may be useful as an early noninvasive test of disease in SCWTs.
The Unofficial Economy in Russia

This paper provides the various estimates of Russia’s unofficial economy during the transition period and discusses the estimation methods of the unofficial economy. It suggests that Russia’s unofficial economy, which substantially increased during the early 1990s and stands still high compared to other countries, is caused by the institutional and cultural legacy from the Soviet era and problems in the transition period such as poor quality of institutions and newly available opportunities. It emphasizes the importance of understanding the evolution of the unofficial economy over time and its heterogeneity across countries.
SCREENING OF ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY OF CINNAMON, CLOVE AND ROSEMARY ESSENTIAL OILS AGAINST COMMON FOOD BORNE PATHOGENS IN MINCED BEEF

A B S T R A C T Cinnamon, clove and rosemary essential oils were evaluated for their effects on the growth and survival of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli artificially inoculated into minced beef. Fresh minced beef samples were inoculated with (~ 106 CFU/ml) (6 log CFU/g) of S. aureus and (~ 104 CFU/ml) (4 log CFU/g) of E. coli and left for 30 minutes at room temperature (25οC) to allow attachment and absorption of bacteria. Initial counts of S. aureus and E. coli in minced beef samples immediately after innoculation were 10.86 and 7.91 log CFU/g, respectively. Essential oils of cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum), clove (Syzygium aromaticum) and rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) (%v/g) were added to the minced beef samples to achieve final concentrations of 0.5, 1 and 1.5%. Sensory (color, odor and texture) and bacteriological (S. aureus and E. coli counts) analyses were conducted after 3, 6 hrs and every day (24 hrs) during cold storage at 4°C. Initial counts in minced beef samples decreased following treatment with 1.5% of cinnamon, clove and rosemary oils for 3 hours by 5.56 log CFU/g (51.19 %), 4.01 log CFU/g (36.92 %) and 2.84 log CFU/g (26.15 %), respectively, of S. aureus and 3.58 log CFU/g (45.26 %), 2.88 log CFU/g (36.41 %) and 1.23 log CFU/g (15.55 %), respectively, for E. coli. Growth of S. aureus in minced beef samples was completely inhibited after treatment with cinnamon oil 1% after 3 days, cinnamon oil 1.5% after 2 days, clove oil 1% after 4 days and clove oil 1.5% after 3 days. As compared with several other mild preservation procedures, treatment with cinnamon, clove and rosemary essential oils is inexpensive and uncomplicated method. Results of the present study are envisaged to be useful for commercial applications of these essential oils as potential food biopreservatives and anti- E. coli and S. aureus agents in minced meat and other foods, depending upon the desired flavor of such products.
New Desmodoridae (Nematoda: Desmodoroidea): Three new species from Ceriops mangrove sediments (Kenya) and one related new species from the North Sea

Trois nouvelles especes de nematodes, Chromaspirina okemwai sp. n. , Pseudochromadora interdigitatum sp. n. et Eubostrichus africanus sp.n. , d'une mangrove a Ceriops et une nouvelle espece, Eubostrichus longosetosus sp. n. , de la Mer du Nord, sont decrites. Chromaspirina okemwai est caracterisee par quatre soies cephaliques et par des amphides unispirales; Pseudochromadora interdigitatum a des champs lateraux uniques sur lesquels les rangees transversales sont divisees en deux, trois ou quatre petits anneaux. Eubostrichus africanus presente des soies cephaliques et subcervicales courtes et cinq paires de soies robustes dans la region caudale ; Eubostrichus longosetosus a des soies cephaliques et subcervicales longues, trois paires de soies robustes sur la queue et deux soies fines a l'extremite de la queue. L'espece E. parasitiferus, correspondant a la description de Hopper & Cefalu (1973) est renommee E. hopperi sp. n. Les genres Chromaspirina et Pseudochromadora sont revises.
SIMULATING THE FORMATION OF A SIGMOIDAL FLUX ROPE IN AR10977 FROM SOHO/MDI MAGNETOGRAMS

The modeling technique of Mackay et al. is applied to simulate the coronal magnetic field of NOAA active region AR10977 over a seven day period (2007 December 2–10). The simulation is driven with a sequence of line-of-sight component magnetograms from SOHO/MDI and evolves the coronal magnetic field though a continuous series of non-linear force-free states. Upon comparison with Hinode/XRT observations, results show that the simulation reproduces many features of the active region's evolution. In particular, it describes the formation of a flux rope across the polarity inversion line during flux cancellation. The flux rope forms at the same location as an observed X-ray sigmoid. After five days of evolution, the free magnetic energy contained within the flux rope was found to be 3.9 × 1030 erg. This value is more than sufficient to account for the B1.4 GOES flare observed from the active region on 2007 December 7. At the time of the observed eruption, the flux rope was found to contain 20% of the active region flux. We conclude that the modeling technique proposed in Mackay et al.—which directly uses observed magnetograms to energize the coronal field—is a viable method to simulate the evolution of the coronal magnetic field.
Major Management and Health Problems of Calves in Smallholder Dairy Farms in Selected Areas of Dugda Bora, Arsi Negelle, Shashemene and Kofelle Woredas

A longitudinal study on calf management and health problems was conducted in 97 small holder Dairy farms found in Dugda Bora, Arsi Negelle, Shashemene and Kofele districts of Oromia region, Ethiopia, from November 2010 to April 2011. A total of 97 calves (84 local and 13 cross breed) were selected randomly and regularly monitored up to six months of age. Information on potential risk factors was collected by personal observation during the regular visit to farms and from questionnaire survey conducted during the study period. Chi-Square statistics and comparison of proportions were used to analyze the data. Out of 97 small holder dairy farms, 88 (90.7%) follow an extensive type of production system. Out of 97 calves surveyed, 59 (60.8%) were female and 38 (39.2%) were male. Calves were housed separately away from adult animals on 75 (77.3%) of the farms. 86 (88.7%) of the farms practiced a residual suckling feeding system. Based on the questionnaire survey, 26 (26.8%) external parasite infection followed by diarrhea 16 (16.5%). Routine clinical examination of calves for any health problem were also carried out indicating calf diarrhea in 18 (18.6%), tick infestation in 16 (16.5%) and mange mite infection 9 (9.3%). Among the risk factors considered for analysis, hygiene is found to be significantly associated with health problems of calves replied by the farmers (χ2=25.57.6; P<0.12) and result of routine examination (χ2= 27.642; P<0.016). Out of the 97 calves surveyed, 33 (34.0%), 55 (56.7%) and 9 (9.3%) have poor, medium and good body condition scores respectively. Out of the 21 risk factor considered, about 9 were found to be significantly associated with body condition score of calves. The calf health and management problems found in this study can be achieved through creation of awareness among farm owner and implementation of improved calf management practices.
Assessing the Effects of Foreign Financial Shocks on the Chilean Economy

This paper aims to assess the effects of foreign financial shocks on the Chilean economy, for which a model including foreign and domestic series, for both real and financial variables at quarterly frequency is estimated. Among the main results, it is found that Chilean GDP is negatively and significantly affected by shocks in the volatility of foreign stock markets, while the Chilean currency depreciates and the domestic interest rate decreases due to this type of innovations.
Gastrointestinal , Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Pathology Vitamin D Receptor Negatively Regulates Bacterial-Stimulated NF-B Activity in Intestine

From the Gastroenterology & Hepatology Division,* Department of Medicine, the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, and the James Wilmot Cancer Center, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York; the Department of Medicine, Biological Science Division, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois; and the Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chappel Hill, North Carolina
Hepatoprotective activity of Pinus roxburghii Sarg. wood oil against carbon tetrachloride and ethanol induced hepatotoxicity

The hepatoprotective activity of wood oil of Pinus roxburghii at doses of 200, 300 and 400 mg/kg body weight were studied on rat liver damage induced by CCL4 and ethanol. The substantially elevated serum enzymatic levels of SGPT, SGOT, ALP, total bilirubin, MDA and decreased level of GSH and total protein induced by hepatotoxins were significantly restored towards normalization by the wood oil at doses of 200 and 300 mg/kg. Hepatoprotective effect of oil may be due to its inhibitory effect on free radical formation as evident by recovery of GSH contents and decreased lipid peroxidation. Light microscopy of the liver tissue further confirmed the reversal of damage induced by hepatotoxins. Phytochemical analysis revealed presence of triterpenes and steroids, which have been known for their hepatoprotective activity. The results indicate that this plant possess hepatoprotective property that support the reported therapeutic use of plant in Indian system of medicine.
The Influence and Policy Signalling Role of FOMC Forecasts

Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) policymakers have published macroeconomic forecasts since 1979 and we examine the effects of FOMC inflation forecasts using a structural VAR model. First, we assess whether they influence private inflation expectations. Second, we investigate the underlying mechanism at work and whether they convey policy signals. We provide original evidence that FOMC inflation forecasts influence private ones. We also find that the influencing effect of FOMC forecasts does not come through current Fed rate changes, that FOMC forecasts affect private expectations in a different way than current policy decisions, and that FOMC forecasts are informative about future Fed rate movements.
MIOCENE SONGBIRDS AND THE COMPOSITION OF THE EUROPEAN PASSERIFORM AVIFAUNA

Abstract Songbirds (Passeriformes) occur in the fossil record of the Northern Hemisphere around the early Oligocene. It has recently been suggested that the major passeriform lineages diverged in Gondwana in the mid- to late Cretaceous and that the oscines, which include all extant European songbirds, originated on the Australian continental plate. Suboscines are assumed to have originated in western Gondwana. Although there is an abundant fossil record of songbirds in Europe, few attempts have been made to set those remains in a phylogenetic context. Our examination of fossil songbirds from three middle Miocene localities in Germany and France shows that many lack the derived morphology of the hypotarsus that characterizes extant Eupasseres (a taxon that comprises oscines and suboscines). We assume that these fossil taxa are outside the crown-group of Eupasseres, which indicates the presence of an ancient songbird avifauna in the Miocene of Europe, in addition to the few fossil Eupasseres already described in the literature.
Performance Measurement of Supply Chain

Supply chain management (SCM) is an important component of competitive strategy to enhance organizational productivity and profitability. Performance measurement have a major role in setting objective, evaluate own performance and to find actions for future. The performance measurement on supply chain is an appraisal on the performance including overall operation level, the node enterprises in the supply chain, the cooperation relationship between the node enterprises, etc. The role of these measures in development and success of an industry or organization can be seen as these measure effect strategic, planning and control of these organizations. This report present evolution of performance measures used in supply chain models and also present the process for selection of performance measurement systems for supply chain. Different types of performance measure are in use as per the supply chain performance measurement system.
The unintended effects of interactive objects and labels in the science museum

What effects do different setups of museum exhibits have on visitors' conversations and interactions? The study reported here is an investigation of the role that labels and associated materials play in visitors' conversations and interactions at a heat camera exhibit. After we introduced a label to help visitors explore the insulating properties of clothing, we found a dramatic shift in the kinds of activities and participation structures of visitors. Not only were visitors, as expected, discussing why clothing was warm, but they were doing so in a fashion more consistent with formal education than the typically more collaborative conversations seen in informal learning environments. Overall, our analyses reveal that labels and activities presented serve to frame both the activities that visitors engage in and the types of conversations that ensue and that this has deep influences on visitors' experiences at the exhibit. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Sci Ed93:161–184, 2009
Breaks in the radial oxygen abundance and corotation radius of three spiral galaxies

The correlation between the breaks in the metallicity distribution and the corotation radius of spiral galaxies has been already advocated in the past and is predicted by a chemodynamical model of our Galaxy that effectively introduces the role of spiral arms in the star formation rate. In this work, we present photometric and spectroscopic observations made with the Gemini Telescope for three of the best candidates of spiral galaxies to have the corotation inside the optical disc: IC 0167, NGC 1042 and NGC 6907. We observed the most intense and well-distributed H II regions of these galaxies, deriving reliable galactocentric distances and oxygen abundances by applying different statistical methods. From these results, we confirm the presence of variations in the gradients of metallicity of these galaxies that are possibly correlated with the corotation resonance.