Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Economic Activity and the Association of Spending Rate and Spending Rate Volatility on Borrowing Cost

ECONOMIC ACTIVITY AND THE ASSOCIATION OF SPENDING RATE AND SPENDING RATE VOLATILITY ON BORROWING COST Anna W. Hickey Achieving minimum borrowing cost for municipal bonds is an ongoing concern. Apostolou, Apostolou, and Dorminey (2014) demonstrated that a fund accounting measure, spending rate magnitude (i.e., the absolute value of general fund revenues minus general fund expenditures) proxied for management’s ability to balance revenues and expenditures. Their findings indicated that achieving balance at spending rate equilibrium (i.e., where general fund revenues equal general fund expenditures) was associated with minimum borrowing cost, and that the magnitude of departure from spending rate equilibrium was associated with higher borrowing cost. Little is known regarding the information content of spending rate in the years during and after the financial crisis that started in 2007. Given the crash of the housing bubble and severe reductions to property tax revenues, municipalities experienced a prolonged recovery that was characterized by a change to borrowing patterns and deficit spending. In this study, I extended from Apostolou et al. (2014) and examined whether the information content of spending rate was conditional to levels of economic activity. I accomplished this by using state leading indexes compiled by the Federal Reserve Bank to proxy for local economic activity. Based on a sample of 1,970 general obligations bonds that were issued by U. S. counties between 1995 through 2014, I tested three conditional hypotheses for significant interaction between economic activity and spending rate magnitude. Results indicated that the association between spending rate magnitude and borrowing cost was positively moderated by economic activity. Positive moderation was also significant for spending rate surpluses (i.e., where general fund revenues exceed general fund expenditures). These results suggest that departures from spending rate equilibrium are more severely assessed on borrowing cost when economic activity is positive, and less severely assessed on borrowing cost when economic activity is negative. Overall, my findings provide preliminary evidence that managerial competence over the balance of revenues and expenditures is evaluated more severely when economic conditions are good not when they are bad.
Characterisation of Newly Polar Psychrotrophic Streptomycetes Isolates from Polar Soils with Cold Adapted Bioremediation Potential

Novel polar streptomycetes coded 4 Alga, P2C4 and MIUG 12P, isolated from soil and vegetation samples prelevated from East Antarctica, were genetically and biochemically characterized in order to set up the phylogeny and to identify the capability to grow at lower temperature and to generate amylase and protease cold-active. The 16S rRNA gene sequence of isolate coded 4 Alga was 100% identical to sequences of Streptomyces sp. isolates from Norway and from Solomon Islands, which also were the closest relatives of P2C4 (99.53%) and MIUG 12P (99.53%) isolates. The data emphasised the skills of the strains Streptomyces 4 Alga, Streptomyces P2C4 and Streptomyces MIUG 12P to biosynthesis cold-adapted amylases and proteases suitable in bioconversion processes at low temperature. These results are quit valuable, because only few streptomycetes, particularly psychrotolerant ones, have so far been explored for their enzymatic potential in cold conditions.
Bilingual Education Around the World: Practices and Perspectives at an Indonesian School

Immersion programs are growing in popularity for their potential to promote second language development along with academic content instruction. While bilingual education can offer many benefits, it also comes with many challenges for effective implementation often resulting in students who lack high proficiency and communicative competence in one of the school languages. This research employed a case-study approach to explore issues of bilingual education in immersion model classrooms at an Indonesian school. Specifically, this study examined the instructional practices of teachers who are delivering academic content in English with a focus on language use, methods, and balancing content and language instruction. This research also explored the perspectives of the teachers to gain insight into their challenges and preparedness to teach in immersion settings. Findings suggest that despite concerted efforts to provide a robust English language environment, immersion teachers struggle with a number of issues related to teacher beliefs, English proficiency, classroom methods, and an understanding of how to integrate language and content. Implications for teachers and the school leadership relative to program design and delivery are shared.
C-Reactive Protein Mediates Protection from Lipopolysaccharide Through Interactions With FcγR1

C-reactive protein (CRP) is a component of the acute phase response to infection, inflammation, and trauma. A major activity of acute phase proteins is to limit the inflammatory response. It has been demonstrated that CRP protects mice from lethal doses of LPS. In the mouse, CRP binds to the regulatory receptor, FcγRIIb, and to the γ-chain-associated receptor, FcγRI. The goal ofthis study was to determine whether FcγRs are necessary for the protective effect of CRP. The ability of CRP to protect mice from a lethal dose of LPS was confirmed using injections of 500 and 250 μg of CRP at 0 and 12 h. CRP treatment of FcγRIIb-deficient mice increased mortality after LPS challenge and increased serum levels of TNF and IL-12 in response to LPS. CRP did not protect FcR γ-chain-deficient mice from LPS-induced mortality. Treatment of normal mice, but not γ-chain-deficient mice, with CRP increased IL-10 levels following LPS injection. In vitro, in the presence of LPS, CRP enhanced IL-10 synthesis and inhibited IL-12 synthesis by bone marrow macrophages from normal, but not γ-chain-deficient mice. The protective effect of CRP appears to be mediated by binding to FcγRI and FcγRII resulting in enhanced secretion of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 and the down-regulation of IL-12. These results suggest that CRP can alter the cytokine profile of mouse macrophages by acting through FcγR leading to a down-regulation of the inflammatory response.
8-12 AYLIK YAŞLARDA BESİYE ALINAN ESMER, SİYAH ALACA VE SARI ALACA TOSUNLARIN BESİ PERFORMANSI, KESİM VE KARKAS ÖZELLİKLERİ / FATTENING PERFORMANCE AND CARCASS CHARACTERISTICS OF BROWN SWISS, HOLSTEIN AND SIMMENTAL YOUNG BULLS SUBJECTED TO FATTENING AT 8.

OZET : Erzurum ili sartlarinda yetistirilen Esmer, Siyah Alaca ve Sari Alaca tosunlarin erken yaslardaki besi, kesim ve karkas ozellikleri bu calismada karsilastirmali olarak incelenmistir. Beside gunluk agirlik artisi yukaridaki siraya gore 0.941 ±0.04, 0.909 ±0.08 ve 0.951 ±0.04 kg olmustur. Yemden yararlanma ise ayni siraya gore 6.390 ±0.28, 6.739 ±0.62 ve 6.273 ±0.24 kg olarak tespit edilmistir. Kesim randimaninda, Musculus Longissimus Dorsi (MLD) kesit alaninda, 100 kg karkas icin MLD kesit alaninda ve Bonfile agirliginda genotip gruplari arasinda onemli farkliliklar bulunmustur (P<0 05). Esmer irk diger iki irktan daha dusuk karkas ngiriiii'na sahip olmustur. Siyah-Alacalar bas ve dil agirliginda Sari-Alacalar deri agirliginda daha. yuksek ortalamalar gostermistir (P<0.05). FATTENING PERFORMANCE AND CARCASS CHARACTERISTICS OF BROWN SWISS, HOLSTEIN AND SIMMENTAL YOUNG BULLS SUBJECTED TO FATTENING AT 8. AND 12. MONTH AGE SUMMARY : In this siudy, the fattening performance and carcass characteristics of the Brown Swiss, Holstein and Simrnental young bulls raised in the conditions of Erzurum were researehed comparatively. The daily weight gainsfor each group were found as 0.941 ± 0.04 kg, 0.909 ± 0.08 kg and 0.951 ± 0.04 kg respectively and thefeed efficiency values were found as 6.390 ±0.28 kg, 6.739 ±0.62 kg and 6.273 ± 0.24 kg respectively. Dressing percentage, MLD areas, MLD areas corresponding to 100 kg chilled carcass weights and steak weights of the genotype groups were found to be statisticaly significant (P < 0.05). Carcass weight of the Brown Swiss were found to be lower than ihat of other breeds. Head and tongue weight mean values of Holsteins and skin weigh mean values of Simmentals werefound (o be Hgher than that of other breeds (P<0.05
Parental Age Effects and the Evolution of Senescence

Most theory on the evolution of senescence implicitly assumes that all offspring are of equal quality. However, in addition to age-related declines in survival and fecundity (classically defined senescence), many organisms exhibit age-related declines in offspring quality, a phenomenon known as a parental age effect. Theoretical work suggests that parental age effects may alter age trajectories of selection and therefore shape the evolution of senescence; however, to date, these analyses have been limited to idealized life cycles and models of maternal care in human populations. To gain a broader understanding of how parental age effects may shape age trajectories of selection, we extend the classic age-structured population projection model to also account for parental age structure and apply this model to empirical data from an aquatic plant known to exhibit parental age effects (the duckweed Lemna minor), as well as a diverse set of simulated life cycles. Our results suggest that parental age effects alter predictions from classic theory on the evolution of senescence. Age-related declines in offspring quality reduce the relative value of late-life reproduction, leading to steeper age-related declines in the force of natural selection than would otherwise be expected and potentially favoring the evolution of more rapid rates of senescence.
An Efficient In vitro Propagation of Zanthoxylum piperitum DC.

A protocol is described for rapid multiplication of Zanthoxylum piperitum DC. (Rutaceae), an important aromatic and medicinal plant, through shoot-tip explant cultures. Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with various concentrations of N-6-benzyladenine (BA), N-6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) and thidiazuron (TDZ), in single or in combination with acid (NAA), was used to determine the rate of shoot proliferation. N-6-benzyladenine (BA) used at 0.5mg/l, was the most effective in initiating multiple shoot proliferation at the rate of 23 microshoots per shoot-tip explants after 40 days of culture. Shoot multiplication increased 1.2-fold in each successive subculture. Induction of rooting (98%) was achieved by transferring the shoots to the same basal medium containing 2 mg/l indole-3-butyric acid (IBA). Plantlets went through a hardening phase in a controlled growth chamber, prior to in vivo transfer. These results represented that possible application for the mass production of plantlets through in vitro culture system of Zanthoxylum piperitum DC.
The Impact of Experiential Learning in Literacy and Teacher Efficacy: A Study of SA Reads

This study examines the impact of an experiential learning course work component on teacher candidates’ perception of literacy knowledge, their perspective of a community-based literacy partnership, and their self-reported sense of general and personal teaching efficacy. Initial findings reveal there is growth in all areas of perception of literacy knowledge, with knowing how to assist a struggling reader with fluency and vocabulary skills being the greatest areas of gain. Findings indicate there is minimal change in the participants’ perspectives of the community-based literacy partnership. Finally, participants gained in the areas of general and teaching efficacy. Extant literature will be reviewed and implications for future practice will be explored.
Seasonal patterns of capture of Helicoverpa zea (Boddie) and Heliothis phloxiphaga (Grote and Robinson) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in pheromone traps in Washington State

In each of the 6 years of this study in south central Washington state, male corn earworm moths, Helicoverpa zea (Boddie), first appeared in pheromone traps in late May to mid June, and thereafter were present nearly continuously until mid to late October. Maximum numbers of male corn earworm moths captured in pheromone traps occurred in August and early September. Male Heliothis phloxiphaga (Grote and Robinson) moths first appeared in traps baited with corn earworm pheromone and conspecific pheromone in April, and were generally present throughout the season until mid to late September. In some years, two peaks of trap capture of H. phloxiphaga males was suggestive of two generations per season, with one flight in April and May and the other in July and August. Although both species were caught primarily in traps baited with their appropriate conspecific pheromone, smaller numbers of both species were captured in traps baited with the heterospecific pheromone. Heliothis phloxiphaga captured in corn earworm pheromone traps can be misidentified as corn earworm, resulting in false positives for corn earworm in commercial sweet corn or overestimates of corn earworm populations.
Complicated dynamics of tumor-immune system interaction model with distributed time delay

In this paper, we propose a distributed delay model to investigate the dynamics of the interactions between tumor and immune system. And we choose a special form of delay kernel which combines two delay kernels: a monotonic delay kernel representing a fading memory and a nonmonotonic delay kernel describing a peaking memory. Then, we discuss the effect of such delay kernel on system dynamics. The results show that the introduction of nonmonotonic delay kernel does not change the stability of tumor-free equilibrium, but it can induce stability switches of tumor-presence equilibrium and cause a rich pattern of dynamical behaviors including stabilization. Moreover, our numerical simulation results reveal that the nonmonotonic delay kernel has more complicated effects on the stability compared with the monotonic delay kernel.
The Retrieval of Asymmetric Tropical Cyclone Structures Using Doppler Radar Simulations and Observations with the Extended GBVTD Technique

Abstract The ground-based velocity track display (GBVTD) technique is extended to two Doppler radars to retrieve the structure of a tropical cyclone’s (TC’s) circulation. With this extension, it is found that the asymmetric part of the TC radial wind component can be derived up to its angular wavenumber-1 structure, and the accuracy of the retrieved TC tangential wind component can be further improved. Although two radar systems are used, a comparison with the traditional dual-Doppler synthesis indicates that this extended GBVTD (EGBVTD) approach is able to estimate more of the TC circulation when there are missing data. Previous research along with this study reveals that the existence of strong asymmetric radial flows can degrade the quality of the GBVTD-derived wind fields. When a TC is observed by one radar, it is suggested that the GBVTD method be applied to TCs over a flat surface (e.g., the ocean) where the assumption of relatively smaller asymmetric radial winds than asymmetric tangential winds is.
Effects of dietary mannan oligosaccharide (MOS) supplementation in relation to intestinal integrity, microbiota, health and production of cultured fish species

A series of investigations v^ere conducted in order to evaluate the effect of MOS supplementation in finfish aquaculture. Fish with great potential in aquaculture industry were tested with regards to effect of dietary MOS supplementation on intestinal histology and microbiology as well as overall animal health and production. Two levels of MOS supplementation were applied 0.2% and 0.4%. Experimental fish were Atlantic salmon (Salmon salar), rainbow trout {Oncorhynchys mykiss), sole (Solea senegalensis) and gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata). The results from the sea bream studies revealed that MOS supplementation may have a beneficial effect on grovrth performance of fish greater than 100 g. Additionally, there is a systemic improvement of the intestinal histology for all species investigated, especially when using 0.4% of MOS supplementation level. Both light and electron microscopy revealed increased intestinal surface and improved intestinal integrity of MOS fed fish. MOS alters the intestinal microbiota, in the case of gilthead sea bream modulation was evident even when fish were fed 0.2% dietary MOS for as little as 2 weeks. Blood immime parameters were also affected by the MOS inclusion and total leukocytes counts were increased and leukocytes relative abundance was also changed. MOS induced intestinal microbial modulation was more evident in fish are reared in outdoor conditions. Feed utilization and digestibility were improved with the addition of 0.4% MOS supplementation in the Atlantic salmon. The sole experiment revealed that MOS could reduce fish mortalities induced by pasteurelliosis. These investigations, suggest a potential role for application of MOS in aquaculture. Future research should be conducted in order to evaluate other parameters that MOS may influence-and-ascertain optimum dosage for each fish species and developmental stage. List of contents ABSTRACT , 3 List of contents. 4 List of tables 6 List of figures 8 List of abbreviations 11 Acknowledgments 13 Author's Declaration 14 Conferences attended and work presented: 15 Workshop: 16 Publications: ; 16 Chapter
The Results of a Hepatitis Training Provided for Nursing Students

Aims: The aim is to determine the effect of the hepatitis education provided for nursing students. Methods: The population (n=278) and sample (n=200) of this quasi-experimental study consisted of nursing students. Data were obtained through the “Personal Information Form” and “Hepatitis Knowledge Level Assessment Form” prepared by the researchers. The efficiency of this training was evaluated using the tests that were conducted prior to and posttraining. The analyzing of data was used mean and percentage calculations, The Kruskal-Wallis H, Mann-Whitney U and the Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. Results: It was gathered that there was a statistically significant difference among the total mean pre- and post-test scores in the hepatitis training, and between age, sex, class during the training, status of injection with hepatitis vaccine and the total mean pre-test and post-test scores (p 0.05). Conclusion: It was determined hepatitis education raised the nursing students’ levels of knowledge and awareness regarding hepatitis. Improving the knowledge levels is not adequate for behavioural change as the rate of vaccinated students is low. Therefore, vaccination campaigns should be organized further in school and country health policies concerning on this matter should be improved accordingly.
Genetic analysis for estimates components of genetic variance in Indian mustard (Brassica juncea (L.) Czern & Coss)

Highly significant differences were recorded among the treatments for all the characters. Analysis of variance further indicated highly significant differences among the parents, F1s and parent vs F1s for all the characters. The estimates of all genetic components were found highly significant for Days to flowering, Days to maturity, plant height, length of main raceme, number of siliquae per plant, number of secondary branches per plant, oil content, test weight and seed yield per plant. The estimates of mean degree of dominance were more than unity for length of main raceme, number of secondary branches per plant oil content, test weight and seed yield per. The proportion of genes with positive and negative effects were near or equal to theoretical value for all the nine characters.
Evaluation of water use efficient groundnut germplasm and identification of elite genotypes for Southern Karnataka

One hundred water use efficient accessions of groundnut were evaluated for genetic parameters, viz., variability, heritability and genetic advance. The estimates of PCV and GCV were high for number of mature pods per plant, pod yield per plant, kernel yield per plant, haulm yield per plant and oil yield per plant. High heritability coupled with high genetic advance was noticed for 100 – kernel weight, haulm yield per plant, chlorophyll content, pod yield per plant and plant height. This indicates that these traits are mainly governed by additive gene action and responsive to selection. Therefore, it would be rewarding to lay due emphasis on the selection of these characters for rapid improvement in pod yield.Based on the mean performance of the genotypes, CTMG-1, JAL-16, JAL-17, TIR-12, and K-134 could be chosen as parents in drought resistance breeding programme or can be directly released as varieties after their stabilisation for scarce rainfall areas as they exhibited superiority for most of the characters.
Integration of pheromones and the entomopathogenic fungus for the management of the banana weevil

Candidate strains of the fungus Beauveria bassiana have been identified for use in the integrated pest management of the banana weevil (Cosmopolites sordidus). However, the important limiting factor has been the lack of an economic and effective delivery system to maximize field effects. Catches in pheromone traps are low and, currently, costs of using B. bassiana are high. The two methods of pheromone trapping and application of fungus, may be integrated to provide a cost effective strategy for the control of the pest. We conducted studies to determine the potential for the pheromone-baited traps to aggregate the banana weevil around the trap mat and to determine the effect of different delivery systems of B. bassiana using pheromones. Our data show that twice as many weevils were captured in pseudostem traps at the base of the trap mat (pheromone-baited mat) than at mats < 5 m from the trap mat, and four times as many than at mats > 5 m away. The results suggest that many weevils are attracted to pheromone lures but fail to enter the traps, resulting in weevil aggregation in the vicinity of pheromone traps. We observed that infected weevils can transmit the fungal pathogen to healthy individuals. A high percentage of weevils died due to B. bassiana infection in plots where B. bassiana was applied on the trap mat and four adjacent mats (14.2%) than in plots where the pathogen was applied in the pheromone trap (4.1%) or around the pheromone trap (7.2%). An on-station study to determine the effect of integrating pheromones and B. bassiana on weevil population size and weevil damage is being conducted.
A numerical strategy for finite element modeling of frictionless asymmetric vocal fold collision

Analysis of voice pathologies may require vocal fold models that include relevant features such as vocal fold asymmetric collision. The present study numerically addresses the problem of frictionless asymmetric collision in a self‐sustained three‐dimensional continuum model of the vocal folds. Theoretical background and numerical analysis of the finite‐element position‐based contact model are presented, along with validation. A novel contact detection mechanism capable to detect collision in asymmetric oscillations is developed. The effect of inexact contact constraint enforcement on vocal fold dynamics is examined by different variational methods for inequality constrained minimization problems, namely, the Lagrange multiplier method and the penalty method. In contrast to the penalty solution, which is related to classical spring‐like contact forces, numerical examples show that the parameter‐independent Lagrange multiplier solution is more robust and accurate in the estimation of dynamical and mechanical features at vocal fold contact. Furthermore, special attention is paid to the temporal integration schemes in relation to the contact problem, the results suggesting an advantage of highly diffusive schemes. Finally, vocal fold contact enforcement is shown to affect asymmetric oscillations. The present model may be adapted to existing vocal fold models, which may contribute to a better understanding of the effect of the nonlinear contact phenomenon on phonation. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.