Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
POLYPHENOLIC COMPOUNDS AND BIOELEMENTS IN FRUITS OF EASTERN TEABERRY (GAULTHERIA PROCUMBENS L.) HARVESTED IN DIFFERENT FRUIT MATURITY PHASES

Eastern teaberry (Gaultheria procumbens L.) is known for its high content of essential oils in leaves and fruits, which are used in the pharmaceutical, food and cosmetics industries. Recently, teaberries have been attracting more interest owing to their content of polyphenolic compounds. The purpose of our study has been to determine the content of polyphenolic compounds (anthocyanins and total phenols) as well as their antioxidative activity and the concentration of several bioelements (Ca, Mg, Fe and Zn) in extracts from fruits of Eastern teaberry harvested in three different fruit maturity stages. The content of polyphenolic compounds depended on the harvest date. The highest level of these compounds was found in extracts from teaberries collected in the full maturity phase. All teaberry extracts, independently of the harvest date, demonstrated high antioxidative activity. Among the bioelements determined, teaberry extracts contained more calcium than magnesium and more iron than zinc. The content of such bioelements as Mg, Fe and Zn (in contrast to Ca) found in teaberry extracts did not depend on the harvest date.
Why Do Rates of Convergence Differ? A Meta-Regression Analysis

There have been many tests of the convergence hypothesis yielding many different estimates of B (the speed of convergence). Narrative reviews of the convergence literature hint at possible reasons for the study-to-study variation in the value of B, but such reviews are selective and informal. In contrast, meta-regression analysis provides a more formal and objective review of the literature. It is shown that study design and methodology are important determinants of the reported convergence rate, especially in cross-national studies. There is also evidence of general misspecification in the literature.
Why Do Large Firms Go for Islamic Loans?

This paper examines motivations for large firms to choose an Islamic loan over a conventional loan. This investigation helps understanding the causes of the expansion of Islamic finance activities. We employ a dataset of Islamic and conventional syndicated loans from countries from the Middle East and from Southeast Asia for the period 2001-2009, testing determinants for the choice of an Islamic loan at the facility, firm, and country level. We find that loan characteristics do not influence the choice of an Islamic loan, suggesting that borrowers asking for an Islamic loan are not rationed in terms of maturity and amount. The quality of the borrower does not lead to influence the choice of an Islamic loan, meaning that Islamic loans are not associated with a different default risk than conventional loans. We identify three country-level determinants as potential driving forces expanding the preference for Islamic loans. The strongest determinant is religiosity, i.e. the share of Muslim population in a country, but the quality of institutions and level of financial development also play substantial roles.
Lottery-Based Reward Schemes Improve Worker Motivation and Productivity

The purpose of this research was to investigate the effectiveness of a probabilistic reward scheme to motivate workers and increase their performance. Across three experiments comprising both physical and cognitive tasks, we compared two novel probabilistic with two traditional non-probabilistic reward schemes. In our flagship “single lottery” probabilistic scheme, worker performance was associated with the accumulation of lottery tickets in the worker’s own personal lottery with a moderate jackpot on offer. It was possible for the worker to accumulate all tickets and thus guarantee the jackpot. We found that the single lottery scheme increased motivation and performance relative to a non-probabilistic piece-rate scheme with the same expected value. We argue that the probabilistic scheme benefited from greater excitement, over-optimism, and the goal gradient effect. In light of perceptions of (un)fairness associated with probabilistic reward schemes, we discuss what labor contexts are appropriate for the introduction of a probabilistic reward scheme.
Prey spectrum and predator–prey size relationships of the solitary wasp, Trachypus denticollis, in central Chile (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae)

Neotropical solitary bee‐hunting wasps of the genus Trachypus (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae) are ecologically and behaviourally little known. Here, we report information on prey types used by the digger wasp Trachypus denticollis Spinola in central Chile. Female wasps hunted at least 12 species of prey in five families, with Halictidae the most commonly represented. Brood cells are filled with one to eight prey. Cells with greater numbers of prey contained fewer species than expected, suggesting a temporal constancy in individual prey use. A positive linear relationship exists between the number of prey stored in a cell and their total biomass. Larger females tended to collect larger bees than did smaller females; however, because wasp and prey size distributions did not overlap, small wasps may be not constrained to a narrower prey spectrum compared to large ones. We conclude that prey size is an important factor determining prey use in T. denticollis, and these findings match that observed for species of the sister beewolf genus Philanthus and other philanthine wasps.
Healthy Life Expectancy in China: Modeling and Implications for Public and Private Insurance

Already home to 23% of the global elderly population, China will experience further demographic change in the coming decades. To address the consequences of population ageing, the Chinese government is implementing major social insurance reforms and promotes the development of private insurance markets. We aim to inform these initiatives by developing a new method to project healthy life expectancy in different regions. Healthy life expectancy is an important population health measure which is increasingly used in the actuarial literature. Our new approach relies on publicly available data from the Global Burden of Disease Study for life expectancy and healthy life expectancy for 139 countries. We use the model to estimate healthy life expectancy at birth in 2015 for 31 province-level regions in China for both males and females. We discuss the implications of our results for planned increases in the retirement age in China and for long-term care insurance pricing.
RESPONSE OF THE APPLE MAGGOT, RHAGOLETIS POMONELLA, AND THE CHERRY FRUIT FLY, R. FAUSTA (DIPTERA: TEPHRITIDAE), TO PROTEIN HYDROLYSATE BAIT SPRAYS

Abstract None of five mixtures of protein hydrolysate and azinphosmethyl which were applied as foliar sprays (1.0, 2.0, 5.0% yeast hydrolysate, 2.0% corn hydrolysate, and 2.0% soy hydrolysate) killed significantly more apple maggot flies, Rhagoletis pomonella, or black cherry fruit flies, R. fausta, than a spray of azinphosmethyl alone which was used as a control. This suggests that hydrolysate bait sprays would be no more effective than a toxicant alone in controlling these flies.
A survey of root knot and clover cyst nematodes in dry hill country

Abstract Clover cyst nematode (Heterodera trifolii Goffart) and root knot nematode (Meloidogyne spp.) were extensively distributed in summer-dry hill country in the North Island. Clover cyst nematode was found over most of the corresponding South Island hill country regions sampled. The implication for white clover breeding programmes is discussed.
Sources, Sinks, and Habitat Selection: A Landscape Perspective on Population Dynamics

In the model described, we attempt to link breeding-site selection to population dynamics for situations in which there is more than one distinct type of habitat. The distribution of individuals between habitat types depends on the selective abilities of the species. This distribution, in turn, influences the population dynamics of the species as a whole. We show that the consequences of habitat selection on population dynamics for an ideal free distribution of individuals across habitats is predictably different from what would be predicted if habitat selection were preemptive, that is, if individuals, upon selecting a site, prevented others from sharing the site. If preemptive selection is ideal, average reproductive success declines with increasing density because each individual selects the best site available from those sites not yet occupied. The model allows us to compare the relative contribution of different types of habitats to a species' growth rate and population size. Furthermore, we can also predict how the loss of habitat of a particular type may affect a population. This should make the model useful for environmental management problems as well as for describing the present distribution of a species across a spatially heterogeneous landscape.
Phosphoinositide 3‐kinaseγ (PI3Kγ) controls L‐type calcium current (ICa,L) through its positive modulation of type‐3 phosphodiesterase (PDE3)

The modulation of L‐type calcium current (ICa,L) is mainly due to mediators acting through activation of G protein‐coupled receptors (GPCR) and different protein kinases; among them, phosphoinositide 3‐kinaseγ (PI3Kγ) has been recently discovered to play an important role in the regulation of cardiac contractility and β‐adrenergic signal transduction. Recent reports have demonstrated that, in the heart, different subtypes of β‐adrenergic receptors are coupled to both Gi and/or Gs proteins. While β1‐adrenergic receptors (β1‐AR) couple only to Gs and evoke a strong ICa,L, β2‐adrenergic receptors (β2‐AR) can activate both Gs and Gi proteins and trigger only a limited ICa,L. Here we demonstrate that (i) PI3Kγ−/− ventricular myocytes are characterized by an higher basal ICa,L density, even if the responsiveness of adenylyl cyclase to Forskolin is comparable to that observed in PI3Kγ+/+ cardiomyocytes; (ii) both in basal conditions and after β‐AR stimulation, the activity of phosphodiesterase (PDE) type 3 depends on PI3Kγ; (iii) in PI3Kγ−/− cardiac myocytes, specific stimulation of β2‐AR is followed by a increase in ICa,L stronger than in wild‐type controls. Taken together, our results suggest that the higher values of ICa,L observed both in basal conditions and after β‐AR stimulation in PI3Kγ−/− ventricular myocytes are mainly due to a positive modulation of PDE3 activity exerted by PI3Kγ. As observed in PI3Kγ−/− neonatal cardiomyocytes, cells lacking PI3Kγ are more sensitive to stimulation of β2‐adrenergic receptors. J. Cell. Physiol. 206: 329–336, 2006. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
PENSION FUND RESTORATION POLICY IN GENERAL EQUILIBRIUM

When the financial positions of pension funds worsen, regulations prescribe that pension funds reduce the gap between their assets (invested contributions) and their liabilities (accumulated pension promises). This paper quantifies the business cycle effects and distributional implications of various types of restoration policies. We extend a canonical New-Keynesian model with a tractable demographic structure and, as a novelty, a flexible pension fund framework. Fund participants accumulate inflation-indexed or non-indexed benefits and funding adequacy is restored by revaluing previously accumulated pension wealth (Defined Contribution (DC)) or changing the pension fund contribution rate on labor income (Defined Benefit (DB)). Economies with DC pension funds respond similarly to adverse capital quality shocks as economies without pension funds. DB pension funds, however, distort labor supply decisions and exacerbate economic fluctuations. While DB pension funds achieve intergenerational risk-sharing, welfare analyses indicate that the negative effects of the induced distortions are sizeable.
Dispersal Characteristics of Juvenile Bobcats in South-Central Indiana

Abstract Bobcat (Lynx rufus) populations in the Midwestern United States experienced historic declines due to habitat loss and exploitation but have rebounded in recent decades. We investigated natal dispersal of juvenile bobcats from a population in south-central Indiana, USA, from 1999 to 2006. We radiocollared 16 juvenile bobcats (11 M, 5 F) and monitored them for 237–1,014 days (x¯ = 506). One female (20%) and 11 males (100%) dispersed from natal home ranges that averaged 14.6 km2 in size. Most juveniles (70%) initiated dispersal from mid-February through March, late in their first year. Only 5 bobcats (42%) ultimately established a final home range 63 ± 35 km2 in size 13–92 km (x¯ = 44) from their natal range 140 ± 45 days after initiating dispersal. Survival did not differ (P = 0.93) between dispersing (S = 0.73) and philopatric (S = 0.75) individuals, although 4 bobcats (3 M, 1 F) were killed in collisions with vehicles. We found dispersal of bobcats in fragmented landscapes is prolonged and often unsuccessful; the ability of dispersers to locate suitable vacant habitat patches may be vital to the continued growth of bobcat populations recolonizing the agricultural Midwest.
The Semi-Parametric Examination of Industry Risk: The Australian Evidence

This paper examines the time variation form of the systematic risk measurement, betas, of Australian industry sectors. By using a semi-parametric approach, the variation of the systematic risk measurement, beta, is a combination of one stable parametric component and one varying non-parametric component. Two categories of industries are identified. The Energy, Material, Mining, Industrial, and Property Trust Industries have a generally increasing beta for most of the sample period, while the Consumer Discretionary, Financials Excluding Property Trust, IT and Telecommunications have a decreasing beta for the same period. The betas of Health and Utility industry are more stable than others. The variation of industry risk is linked with the market condition as well as the change of interest rates.
The Effects of State and Local Economic Incentives on Business Start-Ups in the U.S.: County-Level Evidence

Even as economic incentives are increasingly used by policymakers to spur state and local economic development, their use is controversial among the public and academics. We examine whether state and local incentives lead to higher rates of business start-ups in metropolitan counties. Existing research indicates that start-ups are important for supporting (net) job creation, long-term growth, innovation, and development. We find that incentives have a statistically significant, negative relationship with start-up rates in total and for some industries including export-based and others that often receive incentives. Our findings support critics who contend that incentives crowd out other economic activity, potentially reducing long-term growth. We also find that greater inter-sectoral job mobility is positively linked to total start-ups, consistent with claims of those who advocate for policies that enhance labor market flexibility via reducing barriers to movement of resources.
Guidelines for the uniform characterisation of the actinosporean stages of parasites of the phylum Myxozoa

It is vitally important that good quality descriptions of actinosporean stages of myxosporeans are produced since these may prove to have a very important role in the taxonomy and classification of the combined rnyxozoan taxon. Guidelines are therefore presented for the preparation of accurate descriptions of actinosporean stages, and the terminology to be employed in such descriptions is outlined and defined. Actinospore and myxospore should be promoted as terms for the myxosporean and actinosporean spore stages in the myxozoan life cycle.
Medical Tourists’ Behavioral Intention in Relation to Motivational Factors and Perceived Image of the Service Providers

Medical tourism, where patients travel away from home to seek medical treatments, has grown rapidly over the past decade. Its rapid growth has attracted the attention of both the public and private sectors- the government and hospitals. The growth of medical tourism has led to the rising number of countries getting involved in this promising industry, which has become more competitive than ever. Hence, identifying the motivational factors is critically needed to understand and attract prospective international patients. Previous literature on tourism has indicated that motivational factors can influence the way how a tourist perceives the image of a service firm in the host country. This study aims to examine the relationships between motivational factors and hospital image, and to what extent hospital image is associated with medical tourists’ behavioral intention. Data were collected and analyzed using structural equation modeling based on a sample size of 322 respondents. Results of this study show that the motivational factors are significantly related to hospital image, which in turn, positively related to medical tourists’ behavioral intention. Implications of the findings on policy making and marketing strategy development in the medical tourism industry are discussed.
Renewal Based Volatility Estimation

This paper develops the idea of renewal time sampling, a novel sampling scheme constructed from stopping times of semimartingales. Based on this new sampling scheme we propose a class of volatility estimators named renewal based volatility estimators. In this paper we show that: (1) The spot variance of a continuous martingale can be expressed in terms of the conditional intensity or conditional duration density of renewal sampling times; (2) In an infill asymptotics setting, renewal based volatility estimators are consistent and jump-robust estimators of the integrated variance of a general semimartingale; (3) Renewal time sampling and range-based sampling have a higher sampling efficiency than equidistant return-based sampling.
HRM Practices and Work Outcomes: The Role of Basic Need Satisfaction

Integrating soft HRM and self-determination theory, we propose a model in which the presence of five HRM practices and the degree to which an employees’ talents, interests, and expectations are taken into account within these practices influence work outcomes through basic need satisfaction. Data gathered from 5749 Belgian employees showed that different HRM practices satisfy the three basic needs for autonomy, relatedness, and competence and that the degree to which the individual is taken into account generally has an additional positive effect. Moreover, basic need satisfaction positively influences affective organizational commitment and work engagement, and subsequently lowers turnover intention. These findings indicate that (1) basic need satisfaction is an important, but neglected, mediating variable in the HRM-performance relationship and that (2) bearing in mind individual talents, interests, and expectations of employees within HRM practices may matter equally or more than their mere presence.
Recent Immigrants as Labor Market Arbitrageurs: Evidence from the Minimum Wage

This paper investigates the local labor supply effects of changes to the minimum wage by examining the response of low-skilled immigrants' location decisions. Canonical models emphasize the importance of labor mobility when evaluating the employment effects of the minimum wage; yet few studies address this outcome directly. Low-skilled immigrant populations shift toward labor markets with stagnant minimum wages, and this result is robust to a number of alternative interpretations. This mobility provides behavior-based evidence in favor of a non-trivial disemployment effect of the minimum wage. Further, it reduces the estimated demand elasticity using teens; employment losses among native teens are substantially larger in states that have historically attracted few immigrant residents.
Craving for Money? Empirical Evidence from the Laboratory and the Field

In a series of controlled laboratory experiments, we provide evidence for "Craving by Design" (CbD) hypothesis, where people knowingly expose themselves to negative tail risk due to craving for monetary gains. We then document the "cheap call selling anomaly:" selling calls priced below $1 has consistently delivered negative long-term returns and negative skew—a puzzle when viewed from the prevailing body of knowledge but a matter of course under CbD hypothesis. These findings bring novel insights into the topic of limited self-control, the issue of problem gambling in recreational gamblers, and the motivations underlying investor decisions.
Country Risk, Corporate Strategy and Profitability: A System GMM Estimation for Multinational Banks in Sub Saharan Africa

Over the past 2 decades, foreign investment flows in Africa have steadily increased due to; high growth in GDP, economic liberalization, improved business climate (political and socioeconomic), the fast growth and continuous shifts in customer needs, improved general infrastructure development, technological advancement and the formation of free trade zones. However, political instability, government interference through deregulation, corruption, sharp practices, stiff competition, inadequate demand, cultural barriers and failing public infrastructures are factors to worry about. The dynamic environment in the region provides both opportunities and threats for businesses. This research examines the effect of country risk as a whole, and corporate strategy (diversification, debt and equity financing) on performance of multinational banks within sub Saharan Africa. To accomplish this, a panel dataset (2007-2017) on best performing multinational banks in the region is used. Accounting for the dynamic nature and persistent country risk, corporate strategy and bank profitability, a two-step system GMM estimator is used in the analysis. <br><br>Results indicate country risk negatively and significantly affecting multinational bank performance. Corporate strategies: diversification and equity financing indicate a positive and significant effect on multinational banks’ profitability in terms of return on assets. The effect however, is higher for diversification than equity financing. Debt financing indicates a negative and significant effect on profitability of these banks. Also, the study finds no performance difference between the local indigenous, and overseas multinational banks. The resultant Arellano-Bond AR(1&amp;2) test for zero autocorrelation, the Hansen test of overidentifying restrictions and the difference-in-Hansen test for the validity of the additional moment restriction necessary for system GMM; all, suggest that the underlying assumptions under the two-step system GMM estimator, are not violated since their p-values are very high. The implication of these tests is that the results obtained are robust, efficient and reliable.
Habitat‐related microgeographic body size variation in two Mediterranean populations of red fox (Vulpes vulpes)

The habitat-related microgeographical body size variations in red foxes Vulpes vulpes living in two separated areas of Mediterranean Spain, the Central Ebro Valley (CEV) and Doaana National Park (DNP) are analysed. In both areas, samples taken from good and bad fox-habitats were compared regarding body weight and head and body length. In the Ebro Valley, foxes collected in the good habitat were heavier (14%, P < 0.001 for males; 9%, P < 0.01 for females) and larger (4%, P < 0.01 for males; 1%, P < 0.05 for females) than those collected in the bad habitat. In Doaana, males from the good habitat were 19% heavier (P < 0.01) and 3% longer (P < 0.05) than those from the poorer one. The average weight and size of DNP vixens did not show significant differences, although both are higher in the good habitat. It is shown that body size of adult foxes can vary, linked to habitat change even across short geographic distances. Some tentative explanations for these results are discussed.