Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Why Do Large Positive Non-GAAP Earnings Adjustments Predict Abnormally High CEO Pay?

CEOs of S&P 500 firms that report high non-GAAP earnings relative to GAAP earnings receive substantial unexplained pay. Crucially, this result remains even after controlling for the level of non-GAAP and GAAP earnings. These firms are relatively poor performers (i.e., low GAAP earnings and stock returns) and have less powerful CEOs, consistent with non-GAAP earnings being used as justification when high executive pay is more likely to cause outrage. Additionally, despite the lower GAAP and return performance, these firms are more likely to beat the earnings targets specified in their compensation plans, which likely increases investors’ perceptions of core operating earnings and reduces outrage. Indeed, these firms face less dissent from shareholders and proxy advisors, and no additional media scrutiny. Our evidence suggests that the fraction of CEO pay that seems attributable to opportunistic non-GAAP reporting, while limited, is economically meaningful.
EFFECTS OF WOODLAND STRUCTURE ON BREEDING BIRD POPULATIONS IN STANDS OF COPPICED LIME (TILIA CORDATA) IN WESTERN ENGLAND OVER A 10-YEAR PERIOD

Bird populations were estimated in three adjacent stands of small-leaved lime {Tilia cordata) at Shrawley Wood, Worcestershire, between 1984 and 1993. The stands were old coppice, recent coppice cut in the late 1970s and thinned coppice that had been singled probably in the 1970s. It is thought that the stands were all previously coppiced in the 1940s. The study area presented an unusual opportunity to (1) assess effects of woodland structure on bird populations in the absence of any major differences in tree species, (2) to compare the dynamics of bird populations, and hence assess habitat preferences, within large samples of each habitat. Overall densities of birds were consistently lowest in the old coppice and generally highest in the recent coppice. The singled coppice supported the least diverse bird communities as measured by a simple diversity index and the expected numbers of species within standardized samples of individuals. Warblers (Sylviidae) were strikingly more abundant in recent coppice than other habitats, being virtually absent from the old coppice. Wrens were by far the most abundant species in the singled coppice. There was strong evidence that the old coppice was the least preferred habitat of wren and robin. The most striking change during the study was the collapse of the warbler populations in the recent coppice after some 11 to 12 years of coppice growth. This was predictable from previous studies, but the timing of the warbler decline occurred later than expected and was probably a consequence of the relatively slow canopy closure of the coppice at Shrawley Wood. Differences between stands, and changes over the 10 years within stands, were interpreted in terms of habitat structure and effects of winter weather on survival of resident species. The findings are discussed in relation to management of abandoned coppice; it is suggested that for conservation purposes thinning should be regarded as a complementary approach, alongside coppicing and non-intervention.
Effect of a multienzyme complex in wheat-soybean meal diet on digestibility of broiler chickens under different rearing conditions

This study investigated the effects of a multienzyme complex containing protease and carbohydrase enzymes on the performance and nutrient digestibility of broiler chickens under different rearing conditions from 1 to 42 d of age. Two experimental starter and finisher wheat-soybean meal based diets were used in a two-phase feeding programme, as follows: control diet (C); control diet plus 0.05% multienzyme complex of protease and carbohydrase enzymes (Vegpro) (VP). At location 1, broilers were raised in battery cages located in an experimental pen, without contact with litter. At location 2, broilers were raised in floor pens built in a commercial farm, and had contact with litter. At location 3, broilers were raised in commercial farms. In general, no differences in growth performance, feed intake or feed conversion ratio were observed in broiler chickens fed on the different diets at location 1. Only, the average daily feed intake from 22 to 42 d was significantly higher in the VP group compared with the C treatment (P<0.01). In addition, the final body weight of the VP group was numerically greater than that of the birds fed with the control diet, although the inclusion of the multienzyme complex did not cause significant effects. However, the ileal digestibilities of dry matter and crude protein were enhanced (P<0.05) by VP in the case of broilers in floor pens (+2.5% and +2.7% for DM and CP, respectively) and in the commercial farm (+4.4% and +6% for the DM and CP, respectively) at 42 d of age, as well as faecal digestibity of the VP diet in experimental pen. It seemed that the effectiveness of the multienzyme complex on digestibility was higher when conditions of hygiene were poorer and stress was frequent. Based on the results of this study it can be concluded that the multienzyme complex of protease and carbohydrase enzymes might be effective for improving nutrient digestibility in broilers fed with a wheat-soybean meal based diet under commercial farm conditions.
Prevalence and Management of Severe Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease in Xiangyang, China, From 2008 to 2013

Therapeutic strategies for severe hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) are currently either inconsequent or deficient in evidence. We retrospectively surveyed HFMD outbreaks in Xiangyang from June 2008 to December 2013. HFMD is staged from I to V according to clinical severity. Severe HFMD is defined as a case involving the central nervous system (CNS). We analyzed risk factors for fatality of severe cases and compared the efficiency and outcome of some therapies by binary logistic regression. The overall HFMD cases included 637 (1.26%) severe cases and 38 fatalities (0.075%). Analyses indicate that age (<3 years), enterovirus 71 (+), autonomic nervous system dysregulation, pulmonary edema/hemorrhage, C-reactive protein (CRP) (>40 mg/L), and cardiac troponin I (>0.04 ng/ml) are risk factors for fatality (all P < 0.05). Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) and mechanical ventilation applied only in early stage IV significantly improved HFMD progression (both P < 0.05) with odds ratios of 0.24 (95% CI: 0.10–0.57) and 0.01 (95% CI: 0.00–0.10), respectively. Neither methylprednisolone nor milrinone administered in any stage made any significant difference on mortality (all P > 0.05). Precise recognition of the severe HFMD cases in early stage IV and prompt IVIG and mechanical ventilation application may reduce mortality. Mechanical ventilation training programs and dispatch of specialists to hospitals where there is no chance of transferring critical cases to the severe HFMD designated hospitals are two key measures to reduce fatality.
Some chemical changes in the nitrogenous constituents of urine when voided on pasture

1. The chemical changes which take place in a urine patch have been studied using urine from wethers and to a small extent from cows. 2. The sizes of individual urine patches vary considerably, depending mainly on the volume of the urination. The average from wethers is about 45 sq.in. 3. The volume of urine per wether per day averages 2880 ml. with a nitrogen content of 0·92%, of which about 75% was in the form of urea; 4·1% as allantoin; 2·6% as hippuric acid; 1·5% as creatine-creatinine; and 12·4% as amino-nitrogen. 4. Improved herbage growth results in twice the area actually wetted with urine. The total area affected averaged 100 sq.in. 5. The probable area wetted with urine from cow urinations was about 650 sq.in. with a further 200 sq.in. affected indirectly. 6. With wethers the average rate of nitrogen application on a urine patch amounts to 432 lb. of nitrogen per acre. 7. The rate of hydrolysis of urea in laboratory experiments is affected by temperature and is increased by small amounts of hippuric acid but not by the other urinary constituents tried. The hydrolysis rate is greater at soil moisture content of 24% than at higher moisture levels. 8. Urea hydrolysis in soil (both in laboratory and in the field) is accompanied by pronounced increase in pH (up to pH 9·2 with urea equivalent to that applied to a urine patch). 9. The rate of nitrification is greatly affected by the pH changes. At pH values in excess of 8 nitrites accumulate and nitrate formation is retarded. 10. Heteroauxin and allantoin were both found to stimulate nitrification in laboratory experiments when used at levels found in urine. Other urinary constituents were without effect. 11. The hold up of urine on leaf surfaces of pastures was shown to amount to as much as 12·5% of the green weight of herbage. 12. Ammonia in considerable amounts may be lost to the air both from herbage and from soil. 13. Field experiments are in complete agreement with laboratory experiments and no essential difference of wether and cow urine was noticed. 14. The fate of the nitrogenous constituents is briefly considered and shown schematically.
CHANGES DURING LACTATION IN THE COMPOSITION OF THE MILK OF THE BLACK RHINOCEROS Diceros bicornis

Summary 1. Samples of milk were obtained from a lactating rhinoceros five hours, 12 hours, 28 hours, 52 hours, two weeks and four weeks after the birth of the calf. Subsequently, samples were collected at monthly intervals until the calf was removed after sixteen months. 2. The total solids, fat, protein and lactose contents of the samples were determined. The fat content of the milk was low (0.45 per cent) throughout lactation. That of lactose was lower in colostrum (4.38 per cent) than in mature mdk (6.1 to 6.9 per cent), and that of the protein decreased from 6.4 per cent in colostrum to between 1 and 1.65 per cent in the milk. 3. Variations in the contents of acid, calcium, pantothenate, riboflavin, thiamine, Vitamin b6, Vitamin b12 and biotin in the milk were measured. Those of biotin, Vitamin b12 and pantothenate showed marked fluctations from month to month. That of riboflavin remained low in the milk, having been high in colostrum. The Vitamin b6 and thiamine contents both decreased during the first few months of lactation and then increased gradually.
Expectation-Maximization Based Approach to 3D Reconstruction From Single-Waveform Multispectral Lidar Data

In this article, we present a novel Bayesian approach for estimating spectral and range profiles from single-photon Lidar waveforms associated with single surfaces in the photon-limited regime. In contrast to classical multispectral Lidar signals, we consider a single Lidar waveform per pixel, whereby a single detector is used to acquire information simultaneously at multiple wavelengths. A new observation model based on a mixture of distributions is developed. It relates the unknown parameters of interest to the observed waveforms containing information from multiple wavelengths. Adopting a Bayesian approach, several prior models are investigated and a stochastic Expectation-Maximization algorithm is proposed to estimate the spectral and depth profiles. The reconstruction performance and computational complexity of our approach are assessed, for different prior models, through a series of experiments using synthetic and real data under different observation scenarios. The results obtained demonstrate a significant speed-up (up to 100 times faster for four bands) without significant degradation of the reconstruction performance when compared to existing methods in the photon-starved regime.
The Reproductive Ecology of an Emergent Dipterocarp in a Lowland Rain Forest in Sarawak

This paper reports the first direct observation of reproductive processes of an emergent tree, Dryobalanops lanceolata (Dipterocarpaceae), and its interactions with pollinators and seed predators, using a canopy observation system built in Sarawak, Malaysia. D. lanceolata flowers were mostly pollinated by medium-sized stingless bees (Trigona spp., Apidae), and stigmas of all unbagged flowers received pollen grains. Ovaries did not develop without pollination. Abortion rate in the early stage of fruit development was 93% in fruits fertilized by natural pollinators. All the experimentally selfed ovaries were aborted at this stage. Despite the heavy abortion rate, the dry weight loss at this stage was only 17% of the total reproductive effort, because abortion occurred before active investment in fruits. Among the remaining fruits, 40% were lost to the primary seed predator, Mecysolobus crassus (Curculionidae). Such attacked fruits were also selectively aborted at the middle stage of fruit maturation. Final germinating fruits, which were 3.6% of the total number of flowers, got 47% of the total reproductive effort.
Correlation between boldness and body mass in natural populations of the poeciliid Brachyrhaphis episcopi

The boldness of individual Brachyrhaphis episcopi, collected from regions of high and low predation, was investigated using two independent assays: (1) the time to emerge from cover and (2) the propensity to leave shoal mates and investigate a novel object. A strong correlation between the two assays was revealed such that fish that emerged from shelter sooner were also more likely to approach a novel object. This is indicative of a boldness personality axis acting across both behavioural contexts. Fish from high-predation areas were bolder than those from low-predation areas and males were bolder than females. A significant correlation between body mass, standard length (LS) and boldness score was also found. In general, bold fish had a greater body mass at a given LS than shy fish. These results suggest that personality traits are strongly influenced by population-specific ecological variables and may have fitness consequences in wild populations.
Vibrio aestuarianus: a New Species from Estuarine Waters and Shellfish?

A group of phenotypically similar bacteria were isolated from estuarine waters and shellfish from the Oregon coast by procedures designed for the isolation of potentially pathogenic Vibrio species. Although these strains were typical of bacteria of the genus Vibrio, they could be distinguished from previously described species by their arginine dihydrolase activities, negative Voges-Proskauer reactions, fermentation of sucrose and lactose, and inability to grow in 0 or >5% added NaCl. The deoxyribonucleic acid base compositions of these strains ranged from 43 to 44 mol% guanine plus cytosine. There was >85% deoxyribonucleic acid relatedness among these strains (melting temperature -15°C; membrane filter competition method), whereas there was < 25% relatedness with other Vibrio species, including Vibria anguillarum, Vibrio nereis, and Vibrio splendidus, which are also arginine dihydrolase positive and have similar guanine-plus-cytosine contents. Our results indicate that the strains which we studied are distinct from previously described species of the genus Vibrio, and we propose the name Vibrio aestuarianus for these strains, indicating their estuarine origin. The type strain is strain OY-0-002 (= ATCC 35048).
Biochemical analysis of the ceftazidime-hydrolysing extended-spectrum β-lactamase CTX-M-15 and of its structurally related β-lactamase CTX-M-3

: The extended-spectrum beta-lactamase CTX-M-15 confers resistance to ceftazidime, unlike the majority of CTX-M-type enzymes. Kinetic parameters were determined from purified CTX-M-15 and CTX-M-3, which differ by the single amino acid substitution Asp-240 to Gly, according to the Ambler numbering of class A beta-lactamases. Relative molecular masses of CTX-M-15 and CTX-M-3 were approximately 29 kDa and pI values were 8.9 and 8.4, respectively. CTX-M-15 had higher affinities for beta-lactams (lower K(m) values) than those of CTX-M-3 but catalytic efficiency (k(cat)/K(m) values) was variable depending on the beta-lactam substrate. Only CTX-M-15 showed a measurable catalytic efficiency for ceftazidime. Clavulanic acid and tazobactam were good inhibitors of both enzymes. MICs of beta-lactams for Escherichia coli reference strains expressing cloned beta-lactamase genes in the same genetic background were similar except for ceftazidime. This work underlines the fact that some CTX-M enzymes may hydrolyse ceftazidime and thus confer resistance to this expanded-spectrum cephalosporin in Enterobacteriaceae.
Morphological variation of horse mackerel (Trachurus trachurus) in the Iberian and North African Atlantic: implications for stock identification

The current delimitation of the Atlanto–Iberian stock of horse mackerel, Trachurus trachurus (Linnaeus, 1758), is based on scant biological evidence. Here, the location of the southern boundary of this stock is investigated through the analysis of several morphometric and meristic characteristics. A total of 384 horse mackerel were sampled from three areas off the Portuguese, one off the Spanish (Gulf of Cadiz) and another off the Moroccan coast, and compared using multivariate techniques. Some 14 morphometric and five meristic characters were analysed using hierarchical cluster analysis, multivariate discriminant analysis and randomization tests. Morphometric characteristics showed considerably greater discriminatory power to distinguish individuals from different areas than did the meristic characters. All morphometrical analyses showed similar results: the greatest differences were found between the Gulf of Cadiz and all other groups, while fish from the Portuguese coast appeared more similar to each other than to those from Moroccan waters. Meristic characters did not allow a clear distinction between geographical areas, with the Mahalanobis distances among areas being an order of magnitude smaller than those for the analysis of the morphometrics. If these results are corroborated by further biological evidence (such as genetical or parasitological data), there is a strong argument for the southern limit of the Atlanto–Iberian stock of horse mackerel to be revised. 2000 International Council for the Exploration of the Sea
Dinâmica temporal e espacial da begomovirose causada por Tomato yellow vein streak virus em tomateiro na região de Campinas-SP

The purpose of the present work was the characterization of the temporal and spatial pattern of Tomato yellow vein streak virus (ToYVSV), transmitted by the whitefly Bemisia tabaci, in tomato crops under field and greenhouse conditions, in Sumare and Elias Fausto counties, respectively, State of Sao Paulo, Brazil. A total of 4,032 plants of cultivar Alambra, distributed in eight randomized blocks, were evaluated under field conditions. Evaluations in greenhouses were performed on 6,016 plants of cultivar Ikram. Plants were transplanted into eight greenhouses, in a staggered manner. Evaluations were based on typical symptoms induced by this begomovirus. The identification of the virus species was based on the analysis of the nucleotide sequence of part of the DNA-A (810 bp), which included the AV1 and AC3 genes. The incidence of the disease progressed very slowly under field conditions, coming from a minimum of 0.002 (proportion of symptomatic plants) to a maximum of 0.0497. In spite of this, border effect was observed, since the average of diseased plants in the peripheric blocks was 2.1 times higher than in the inner blocks. The disease progress curve was linear, indicating that newer infections were mainly due to the constant influx of viruliferous whiteflies coming from outside sources of inoculum. The percentage of diseased plants in tomatoes grown under greenhouse conditions was enormously influenced by the time of planting, varying from 4.8% to 69.3%. The spatial distribution of symptomatic tomato plants in these crops was aggregated. Apparently, this pattern was not due to secondary infections, but a result of aggregation of diseased plants near the periphery of the greenhouses. Based on these results, it is suggested that the elimination of sources of inoculum represented by old tomato crops and infected weed hosts is one of the most important practices for disease management.
The Effect of Soaking, Boiling and Fermentation with Rhizopus oligosporus on the Water Soluble Vitamin Content of Bambara Groundnut

Effect of treatment conditions (soaking, boiling and fermentation with Rhizopus oligosporus (SBF)) on the water soluble vitamins and trypsin inhibitor of bambara nut flour (Vigna subterranea (L) Verdc) was investigated. It was observed that the thiamine content decreased by 5%, riboflavin 6.2%, folacin 9.6%, niacin 10.2% and biotin 14% after 24 h of soaking at room temperature. Treatment by boiling for 45 min revealed that there was a further decrease of 52.4%, 56.2%, 35.0%, 70.0% and 48.3% in the values of thiamine , riboflavin, folacin, niacin and biotin respectively. However, fermentation with Rhizopus oligosporus for 24 h significantly reduced the thiamine content from the original value of 0.47+0.13-0.1 9+0.02 mg/100g, while riboflavin content increased significantly from 0.15+0.06-0.17+0.01 mg/100 g, folacin 0.16+0.02-0.23+0.03 mg/100 g, niacin 1.88+0.09-2.16±0.00 mg/100 g and biotin 0.10+0.02-0.16±0.05 mg/100 g (P < 0.05). Trypsin Inhibitor Activity (TIA) decreased by 22.1% after soaking for 24 h at room temperature and further decreased by 72% after boiling for 45 mins. Conversely, during fermentation period of 24 h, the TIA increased significantly from 0.71+0.62-1.33±0.59 mg/100 g protein (P < 0.05).
Test for predation effects of single versus multiple species of generalist predators: spiders and their insect prey

The prediction that single spider species (as exemplary generalist predators) limit associated prey populations to the same extent that species assemblages do was tested in a well controlled and replicated old field experiment involving the following treatments: (1) the natural spider assemblage (2) a numerically prominent web building spider, (3) a numerically prominent wandering spider, (4) a biomass prominent web‐builder, and (5) a biomass prominent wandering spider. Pest insect numbers were significantly higher in spider removal controls than in any spider treament over the four month period of the study, both in terms of total numbers and per spider effects. The individual spider species, in general, showed reduced prey limitation effects relative to that of the spider assemblage, though the magnitudes of these differences were small when compared to those exhibited between the various treatments and the spider removal control. When insect numbers were partitioned according to taxa, no treatment was found to have limited the predaceous insects nor the phytophagous hemipterans. All treatments, however, showed significant limiting effects on the phytophagous homopterans, coleopterans, and dipterans in the old field system, and other taxa were significantly reduced in at least one treatment in addition to the spider assemblage as a whole.