Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
An Experimental Analysis of Social Spacing in Tamias Striatus

We report on a series of experiments performed on a population of free-living eastern chipmunks, Tamias striatus, inhabiting a forest in northwestern Pennsylvania. The experiments were designed to examine, via perturbations of food supply and/or population density, the relationship between home range size, food availability, and population density. When food levels were increased within an area, a simultaneous effect was noted: mean home range size decreased and population density increased through recruitment from neighboring habitats. Whether the cause of the decreased patterns of movement was the increased food supply or the elevated population density was deter- mined in subsequent experiments. When population density was held constant and food supplies were experimentally increased, there was a significant reduction in mean home range sizes when compared to the normal (control) situation. When food supplies were undisturbed, but population density was greatly reduced, there was no change in the mean home range size over that determined at higher densities. Our results suggest that, in eastern chipmunks, food supply is a primary determinant of mean home range size, whereas population density, at least at the levels we examined experimentally, has no effect on movement patterns. These results are in accord with those theories relating movement patterns to resource abundance, but are not in accord with hypotheses suggesting that home range sizes and population density are inversely associated.
A critical evaluation of different methods for the determination of areas of endemism and biotic elements: an Alpine study

Aim The main aim of this study was to compare different methods for the determination of both areas of endemism (AoEs) and biotic elements by analysing all the endemic plant species of a region, using our own data on the distribution of such taxa in the Maritime and Ligurian Alps. Our other goals were to use indicator species analysis (INDVAL) to identify and compare the species significantly associated with the AoEs detected by cluster analysis and parsimony analysis of endemicity (PAE), to compare these species with the results obtained by biotic element analysis, and to discuss the biogeographical meaning of the results obtained by all three methods.
Studies in the Warnstorf Sphagnum Herbarium. VI. The Subgenus Inophloea in the Eastern Hemisphere

The European species of course have no need of revision; they form on the contrary the basis for the study of those of any other part of the world. But those of Asia, Africa, Australia, New Zealand have been left by Warnstorf in an unsatisfactory condition: with the usual excess of superfluous or inadequately understood representatives. I went through those in the Warnstorf Herbarium in Berlin in 1934 and have studied since such material as was available, including that in the herbarium of the New York Botanical Garden. That my results are not in all respects conclusive is due especially to the limited collections from the tropics, but I hope that my notes will to some extent prove a contribution to the eventual clearing up of the species distribution.
Exploring the blurring of fashion retail and wholesale brands from industry perspectives

Abstract Purpose – This exploratory study challenges the fashion retailer/wholesale brand debate considering established definitions, structures and propositions of these brand typologies, developing new perspectives with particular emphasis on the blurring of the product range, retail fascia concepts and supply chain management. The paper argues that the fashion industry has evolved significantly since the theoretical definitions were established in the early 2000s. The paper presents the results of a series of in-depth interviews conducted with key informants from large-scale fashion retailers, manufacturers, textile researchers and funding organisations in the UK. The paper highlights the blurring of retail and wholesale brands occurring to gain direct access to the market or enter new markets and subsequently, from a manufacturing perspective, attain competitive advantage and operate vertical integration to satisfy customer demand.
Competition and Regional Coexistence

A model of the competition between two species is developed which is based on the work of Cohen (1970) and Levins and Culver (1971) and which considers the effect of competition on the colonization and extinction rates of the two species. The results are that in some cases it is possible for one species to exclude another species from a geographic region, but there is no possibility of a "priority effect" where the first species in the region can always exclude the other. Thus the equilibrium level of each species is determined by the parameters of the system and not by the initial conditions. Also, it is possible for two similar species to coexist in a region. A predator can increase the extinction rate of each species and, in some cases, permit coexistence where it would otherwise not be possible.
Factors affecting private customers in adopting mobile banking in Vietnam

Article history: Received: January 20, 2020 Received in revised format: March 25 2020 Accepted: April 20, 2020 Available online: April 22, 2020 The paper aims to identify main factors affecting customers' decision to use mobile banking in Viet Nam. The research team conducted a survey among people who have not yet used and have been using mobile banking at commercial bank branches in three regions: Northern, Middle and Southern of Viet Nam. Based on the theoretical framework from UTAUT2 model combined with Belief and Security Awareness, the authors propose a research model to identify factors affecting intention and behavior of using mobile banking, with 600 questionnaires. The result indicates that several factors were evaluated to be more important than others were. The research points out that “Facilitating condition” did not affect intention of using mobile banking, however “Security awareness” and “Trust” positively affect the customer intention. Moreover, “Security awareness”, “Hedonic motivation” and “Social Influence” are factors that have the strongest effects on intention to use mobile banking. In addition, the result also illustrates the relationship between “Culture” with “Benefit Expectancy”, “Effort Expectancy” and “Hedonic motivation”. © 2020 by the authors; licensee Growing Science, Canada
Estimation of carbon stocks in the forest plantations of Sri Lanka

Forest plantations have the ability to sequester carbon in their biomass and reduce the rate of increase of atmospheric carbon dioxide. Therefore, plantation forestry forms an important option for mitigating global warming and consequent climate change. The objective of the present study was to estimate the biomass and carbon stocks of the existing forest plantations in Sri Lanka. Height and diameter measurements of the trees at breast height from 22 monocultures and 51 mixed-cultures, established and maintained by the Forest Department, were obtained from the FORDATA data base and used to calculate the existing carbon stocks using allometric relationships. The total estimated monoculture C stock in 2008 amounted to 4.23 million metric tons in an area of 57618.8 ha. Around 89% of this total C stock in monocultures is contributed by five tree species, namely, Pinus caribaea (44%), Tectona grandis (21%), Eucalyptus grandis (11%), Eucalyptus camaldulensis (7%) and Swietenia macrophylla (6%), occupying 92% of the area. Total C stock in mixed cultures in 2008 amounted to 0.681 million tons in 5949.6 ha. Five mixed cultures, i.e. Eucalyptus robusta and E. grandis (17%), Pinus mixed (13%), E. grandis and E. microcorys (12.5%), Eucalyptus mixed (7%) and Acacia mangium and A . auriculiformis (5%), contributed to 55% of this C stock. Monocultures, which showed the highest per ha C stocks were Pinus caribaea in Badulla (205 t ha-1) and Nuwara Eliya (164 t ha-1) and Eucalyptus grandis in Ratnapura (197 t ha-1) and Nuwara Eliya (168 t ha-1). Mixed plantations of Acacia decurrens and different species of Eucalyptus grown in Nuwara Eliya showed the highest combined per ha C stocks ranging from 226 – 279 t ha-1. The maximum per ha C stock in some of the Sri Lankan forest plantations in different climatic zones were either on par or above the benchmark average C stock values specified by the IPCC for the respective climatic zones. Age distribution of the monoculture C stocks showed that the highest percentage (i.e. 39%) was in the 21-30 year plantations, followed by the 31-40 year plantations (32%). Keywords: Carbon sequestration, climate change mitigation, forest biomass, tropical forests. DOI: http://dx.doi. org/10.4038/jnsfsr.v40i1. 4166 J.Natn. Sci.Foundation Sri Lanka 2012 40 (1): 9-41
Contact with citizens and job satisfaction: expanding person-environment models of public service motivation

ABSTRACT Relational job design theory suggests that interactions with citizens is an important motivational factor for public service employees. Through the mechanisms of fit, such interactions might enhance job satisfaction derived from employees’ public service motivation. The results of a local government study (N = 917) confirm that consistent with previous research the relationship between public service motivation and job satisfaction are mediated through person-organization fit. Yet, that indirect effect is also moderated by the regularity of contact with citizens. When contact with citizens is high, the indirect effect is stronger and when contact with citizens is low, the indirect effect is weaker.
Modelling the quantitative effects of pre‐ and post‐dispersal seed predation in Pinus sylvestris L.

1 Despite three decades of intensive research on seed predation, rather little is known about how important a role it plays in plant demography. Here a balance sheet of seed predation is drawn up for Pinus sylvestris, based on mortality caused by its main seed predators. This species is of special interest because trees carry seeds throughout the year and can therefore support specialist as well as generalist seed predators. Also, its regeneration in Scotland is weak and some of its main seed predators (red squirrels, crossbills, wood ants) are themselves threatened. 2 Field data from two P. sylvestris forests were used to estimate rates of predation on seeds due to pre‐ and post‐dispersal predators, including both specialists and generalists. The rates of predation changed systematically over time and were fitted to time‐dependent functions. The resulting functions were incorporated into a model, which was solved numerically to determine the fate of a cohort of seeds. 3 On average, approximately 20% of seeds in the cohort were consumed by pre‐dispersal seed predators, approximately 25% of seeds by post‐dispersal seed predators, and approximately 55% of seeds were still alive at the end of 2 years. This reduces the seed pool for regeneration of P. sylvestris, but is unlikely to be a serious problem for regeneration. 4 Seed survival was most sensitive to the rate at which seeds became invulnerable to further seed predation, and to the rate of seed dispersal from cones on trees. Seed survival was less sensitive to seed predation. However, among seed predators, carabids feeding on loose seeds and birds eating seeds in open cones were the most important. 5 Cones open as they dry out, and the timing of seed dispersal is therefore weather‐dependent. Late opening of cones had a deleterious effect on seed survival because it led to an increase in pre‐dispersal seed predation. Thus, in a period of climate change, patterns of seed predation would be expected also to change, altering the success of regeneration.
Hardness of Densified Wood in Relation to Changed Chemical Composition

The aim of this study was to evaluate some of the properties of densified poplar and birch wood earlier subjected to partial delignification of cell walls. The effects of delignification are presented as a comparison of the content of basic structural components in wood before and after chemical modification. In birch wood, the lignin content decreased by 20%, while that of cellulose decreased by 9.7% and that of hemicellulose decreased by 64.9%. In poplar, the lignin content decreased by 34.1%, that of cellulose decreaed by 13.5%, and that of hemicellulose decreased by 58.0%. The hardness of densified birch and poplar wood, after partial reduction of chemical components, was 147 and 111 MPa, respectively, and, compared with natural (non-densified) wood, was almost 4.5 times and 7 times higher, respectively. Poplar wood was more densified (without delignification 238% and after delignification 281%). In the case of birch wood, the density levels were 176% and 188%, respectively.
A New Instrument to Measure Prison Climate: The Psychometric Quality of the Prison Climate Questionnaire

Various survey measures have been developed to assess prison climate. Because these instruments have shortcomings, the Prison Climate Questionnaire (PCQ) was developed to measure prison climate and its related domains across a broad prison population. In this article, the instrument and its psychometric qualities are presented. Results show that the PCQ’s factor structure, reliability, and validity were in all aspects satisfactory. It was concluded that the PCQ is a promising instrument that can be used to measure and monitor individuals’ perceptions on the quality of prison life.
A Multilevel investigation into the effect of cultural distance on bilateral trade: The roles of product type and uncertainty avoidance

: Previous research shows mixed findings about how cultural distance may affect bilateral trade. To reconcile the mixed findings, we examine how key moderators at both the country-pair level (product type) and the country level (uncertainty avoidance) affect the magnitude of the effect of cultural distance on bilateral trade. Using trade data on electronic products from 90 nations during 2008–2 014, we show that cultural distance in general has a negative impact on bilateral trade. However, the effect is more pronounced when the trade is on experience (versus search) products, or if the importing country is low (versus high) in uncertainty avoidance. Apart from its moderating effect, experience (versus search) product also has a negative main effect on bilateral trade, but its impact is stronger for countries low (versus high) in uncertainty avoidance.
Efeito da temperatura no crescimento micelial, produção e germinação de conídios de Colletotrichum spp. isolados de Coffea arabica L

The objective of this study was to assess the effect of temperature on micelial growth, production and conidial germination of Colletotrichum spp. isolates from branches, leaves and fruits of coffee with symptoms of blister spot and tip blight. The isolates presented differentiated behavior regarding the speed of mycelial growth, sporulation capacity and the formation of reproductive structures, showing high capacity of adaptation to different temperatures.
Distribution and population structure of the flecked box crab Hepatus pudibundus (Decapoda, Brachyura) in the western South Atlantic

Abstract The crab Hepatus pudibundus is an abundant species, part of the crustacean fauna caught as by-catch in the shrimp fishery off the Brazilian coast. This study investigated its distribution and population structure relative to measured environmental factors, sex ratio and juvenile recruitment of the species in sheltered and exposed areas in each of three bays on the northern coast of the State of São Paulo, Brazil. The crabs, along with water and sediment samples, were collected monthly from January 1998 through December 1999. A total of 8674 individuals were captured, 33.2% from Ubatumirim, 31.1% from Ubatuba and 35.7% from Mar Virado. Individuals were more numerous in the exposed areas and during the summer months. Only some of the environmental factors analysed showed any significant influence on the abundance of crabs. Of the total of crabs collected, 6239 were females (490 juveniles, 5031 adult females and 718 ovigerous females) and 2435 males (343 juveniles and 2092 adults). Females were smaller than males and more abundant in all areas. Although non-normal, the distribution of H. pudibundus can be considered stable in all three bays, as juveniles (indicating continuous recruitment) and adults of both sexes were present in most months and transects sampled.
Inequality in homeschooling during the Corona crisis in the Netherlands. First results from the LISS Panel.

The outbreak of the Corona virus has led to unprecedented measures in education. From March 16, all schools in the Netherlands are closed, and children must keep up with their schoolwork from home. Parents are expected to take a crucial role in this “homeschooling”: they are primarily responsible for ensuring that their children follow the curriculum. In this article I report the first results of a module in the LISS Panel that was designed to map how parents school their children in primary and secondary education. Data on a nationally representative sample of 1,318 children in primary and secondary education were gathered in April. The results show marked differences between social groups. Whereas all parents find it important that their children keep up with the schoolwork, children from advantaged backgrounds receive much more parental support and have more resources (e.g., own computer) to study from home. Differences in parental support are driven by the ability to help: parents with a higher education degree feels themselves much capable to help their children with schoolwork than lower educated parents. Parents also report that schools provide more extensive distant schooling for children in the academic track in secondary education (vwo) than for children in the pre-vocational track (vmbo). Finally, there is a clear gender gap: parents feel much more capable to support their daughters than their sons. These initial findings provide clear indications that the school shutdown in the Netherlands is likely to have strong effects on the inequality in educational opportunities.
Predict Students’ Academic Performance based on their Assessment Grades and Online Activity Data

The ability to predict students’ academic performance is critical for any educational institution that aims to improve their students' learning process and achievement. Although students’ performance prediction problem is studied widely, it still represents a challenge and complex issue for educational institutions due to the different features that affect students learning process and achievement in courses. Moreover, the utilization of web-based learning systems in education provides opportunities to study how students learning and what learning behavior leading them to success. The main objective of this research was to investigate the impact of assessment grades and online activity data in the Learning Management System (LMS) on students’ academic performance. Based on one of the commonly used data mining techniques for prediction, called classification. Five classification algorithms were applied that decision tree, random forest, sequential minimal optimization, multilayer perceptron, and logistic regression. Experimental results revealed that assessment grades are the most important features affecting students' academic performance. Moreover, prediction models that included assessment grades alone or in combination with activity data perform better than models based on activity data alone. Also, random forest algorithm performs well for predicting student a cademic performance, followed by decision tree.
Gastric and small intestinal traditional serrated adenomas: a detailed morphologic and immunohistochemical analysis.

BACKGROUND/AIMS Traditional serrated adenomas (TSAs), despite their low incidence in colorectum, may originate in other parts of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, including stomach and small intestine. Malignant transformation for upper GI TSAs has recently been reported in the literature. Here, we present a series of gastric and small intestinal TSAs with the aim to characterize their morphologic and immunophenotypic features as well as their neoplastic potential in a compartmental manner using digitalized images. MATERIALS AND METHODS The study comprised 12 GI polyps with TSA features-5 gastric and 7 small intestinal. The extent of the characteristic features of TSA, including eosinophilic cells, ectopic crypt foci (ECF), slit-like serration, foveolar epithelium, goblet cells, together with dysplastic-carcinomatous foci were assessed on digitalized H-E images and were used as reference for immunohistochemical analysis. RESULTS All polyps in the cohort contained eosinophilic cells as the most extensive morphologic feature followed by ECF and slit-like serration in decreasing order. Serrated dysplasia was more common in gastric polyps, which more frequently showed neoplastic progression compared with the intestinal ones. CK20 was the most widely expressed marker with a preference to eosinophilic cells while ECFs were mostly negative. Ki67 showed the opposite pattern of CK20. MUC6 and MUC2 were selectively expressed in the basal zone and goblet cells, respectively. CONCLUSION Our results showed that the presence of eosinophilic cells with pencillate nuclei commonly accompanied by ECF and slit-like serration are the defining features of gastric and small intestinal TSAs. They frequently harbor neoplastic foci, particularly in gastric location where serrated dysplasia seems to be more common.
Genotype by Environment Interaction in Nordic Dairy Cattle Studied Using Reaction Norms

Genotype by environment interaction for production and fertility was studied by use of a reaction norm model. Milk recording data, comprising 927 929 records, were analysed to predict reaction norms for young bulls of the Nordic Red dairy breeds. Random regressions were estimated for each bull, regressing phenotypic values of daughters on herd environment. The phenotypic measures were 305 days kg protein production and days open in first lactation. The herd environment was defined as the herd-year average of protein production and days open, respectively. Heritability of protein production and days open and genetic correlation between the two traits were estimated as functions of the herd environment. The results showed that the genetic parameters change over environments, which are measured on a continuous scale across countries. Grouping of observations is avoided and thereby the problem of genetic connectedness between groups or countries may be avoided. Although significant genetic variation for the slope of the reaction norm was found, there was little reranking of sires, except between extreme environments. More appropriate models and methods need to be developed for further studies of genetic variation in reaction norms.