Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
What shapes Eurasian lynx distribution in human dominated landscapes: selecting prey or avoiding people?

In the multi-use landscape of southern Norway, the distribution of lynx is likely to be determined both by the abundance of their favoured prey the roe deer and the risk associated with the presence of humans because most lynx mortalities are caused by humans (recreational harvest, poaching, vehicle collisions). We described the distribution of the reproductive portion of the lynx population based on snow-track observations of females with dependent kittens collected over 10 yr (19972006) in southern Norway. We used the ecological-niche factor analysis to examine how lynx distribution was influenced by roe deer, human activity, habitat type, environmental productivity and elevation. Our first prediction that lynx should be found in areas of relatively high roe deer abundance was supported. However, our second prediction that lynx should avoid human activity was rejected, and lynx instead occupied areas more disturbed in average than those available (with the exception of the most densely occupied areas). Lynx, however, avoided the most disturbed areas and our third prediction of a trade-off between abundance of prey and avoidance of human activity was supported. On the one hand, roe deer in the most disturbed areas benefit to a large extent from current human land use practices, potentially allowing them to escape predation from lynx. On the other hand, the situation is not so favourable for the predators who are restricted in competition refuges with medium to low prey densities. The consequence is that lynx conservation will have to be achieved in a human modifed environment where the potential for a range of conflicts and high human-caused mortality will remain a constant threat.
A New Polyploid Species of Mimosa (Leguminosae, Mimosoideae) from the Highlands of Southern Brazil

Abstract Mimosa tucumensis (Leguminosae), a new species from M. sect. Mimosa ser. Mimosa subser. Mimosa is described and illustrated. This taxon is found in southern Brazil (Paraná State), in “campos de altitude,” an environment different from the typical habitat of other entities in this subseries. Mimosa tucumensis is morphologically close to M. debilis, M. velloziana, and M. sensibilis, but differs from these principally by the presence of humifuse stems with adventitious roots, considerably longer petioles and peduncles, and foliar venation. In addition, cytological characterization of this new taxon is provided and discussed in relation to the nearest species. This taxon appears to be narrowly restricted to grasslands on a handful of closely adjacent peaks in the Paraná State adding to the notable endemism of this area. On the basis of morphological, cytological, and geographical data, some evolutionary considerations are inferred.
Hybrid 3D Models: When Geomatics Innovations Meet Extensive Built Heritage Complexes

This article proposes the use of a multiscale and multisensor approach to collect and model three-dimensional (3D) data concerning wide and complex areas to obtain a variety of metric information in the same 3D archive, which is based on a single coordinate system. The employment of these 3D georeferenced products is multifaceted and the fusion or integration among different sensors’ data, scales, and resolutions is promising, and it could be useful in the generation of a model that could be defined as a hybrid. The correct geometry, accuracy, radiometry, and weight of the data models are hereby evaluated when comparing integrated processes and results from Terrestrial Laser Scanner (TLS), Mobile Mapping System (MMS), Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), and terrestrial photogrammetry, while using Total Station (TS) and Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) for topographic surveys. The entire analysis underlines the potentiality of the integration and fusion of different solutions and it is a crucial part of the ‘Torino 1911’ project whose main purpose is mapping and virtually reconstructing the 1911 Great Exhibition settled in the Valentino Park in Turin (Italy).
Aggregation of Information and Beliefs: Asset Pricing Lessons from Prediction Markets

In a binary prediction market in which risk-neutral traders have heterogeneous prior beliefs and are allowed to invest a limited amount of money, the static rational expectations equilibrium price is demonstrated to underreact to information. This effect is consistent with a favorite-longshot bias, and is more pronounced when prior beliefs are more heterogeneous. Relaxing the assumptions of risk neutrality and bounded budget, underreaction to information also holds in a more general asset market with heterogeneous priors, provided traders have decreasing absolute risk aversion. In a dynamic asset market, the underreaction of the first period price is followed by momentum.
Analysis of vocal implicit bias in SCOTUS decisions through predictive modelling

Several existing pen and paper tests to measure implicit bias have been found to have discrepancies. This could be largely due to the fact that the subjects are aware of the implicit bias tests and they consciously choose to change their answers. Hence, we’ve leveraged machine learning techniques to detect bias in the judicial context by examining the oral arguments. The adverse implications due to the presence of implicit bias in judiciary decisions could have far-reaching consequences. This study aims to check if the vocal intonations of the Justices and lawyers at the Supreme Court of the United States could act as an indicator for predicting the case outcome.
Akodon cursor (Rodentia: Cricetidae)

Abstract: Akodon cursor (Winge, 1887) is a Sigmodontinae rodent commonly called the cursorial akodont. This small cursorial mouse has homogenous dorsal pelage that can range from dark to golden brown and it is 1 of 41 species in the genus Akodon. It is endemic to Brazil, South America, and is found in the Atlantic Forest, being the most abundant sigmodontine rodent of this large area. Deforestation within the range of A. cursor may not affect this species, because it is tolerant of human disturbance. Currently the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources regards it as a species of “Least Concern. ”
Egg production, egg weight and egg mass repeatability, and genetic gain from use of multiple time-spaced records in Black Harco and Lohman Brown layers

Daily egg production records of two strains of layer type chicken, each stratified by bodyweight into Heavy (>1.65kg) and Light (<1.65kg) weight classes, were taken daily over 10 weeks, and used to derive estimates of Repeatability of egg number, egg weight, egg length, and egg mass. Egg number and egg length exhibited higher repeatability in Light Harco (0.74 and 0.29 respectively) than Heavy Harco (0.19 and 0.22 respectively) birds. Conversely, repeatability of egg weight was higher in Heavy Harco (0.46) than Light Harco (0.32). Repeatability of egg mass was 0.12 for Light Harco birds, and 0.17 for Heavy Harco. Heavy Lohman birds exhibited moderate repeatability of egg weight (0.50), in contrast to lower repeatability of the same trait in Light Lohman (0.36). The genetic gain which is achievable from use of 9-10 time-spaced records (GGA9-10R) rather than use of a single record for determining performance was highest for egg mass (2.19) and lowest for egg number (1.14) in Light Harco birds. For Heavy Harco birds, genetic gain from use of 9-10 records was highest for egg mass (1.94) and lowest for egg weight (1.39). Across traits measured in Lohman, GGA9-10R was highest for egg mass (2.57 and 2.15 for Heavy and Light groups respectively) which had lowest repeatability of all traits examined. Lowest GGA9-10R was observed for egg weight in Heavy Lohman (1.34) and egg breadth in Light Lohman (1.31). Superior Repeatability of traits in Light relative to Heavy birds may reflect biological inefficiency of the latter. Low repeatability estimates recorded for most traits suggests that use of multiple records and elimination of non-genetic factors influencing egg production and quality will improve the precision with which inherent ability is determined, and thereby increase speed and efficiency of selection, for improved egg production and quality.
Temporal variation in the movement of the spiny lobster Jasus edwardsii

Of 32 large spiny lobsters tracked with acoustic tags for 14–355 days in north-east New Zealand, 25 moved detectable distances (>0.1 km) from their tag site while being monitored. Individual lobsters moved up to 12.3 km over a 12-month period but the furthest distance from a tagging site was only 3.1 km. Maximum movement rates of 0.029 km day–1 to 1 km day–1 were recorded, but periods of elevated movement activity were interspersed with extended periods of little or no movement. Females were more active toward the end of the egg-bearing season around September and October. Males displayed two peaks in activity over the year, one in summer near the start of the new moult cycle, and another in winter following the mating season. The onset of elevated movement activity was often accompanied by a shift in the depth distribution of tagged lobsters, with 12 moving out to offshore sandflats and small, isolated, patch reefs. The results indicate that adult J. edwardsii have high site fidelity, spending extended periods in relatively small areas of inshore reef. However, lobsters leave their coastal reef sites during offshore movements that appear to be related to the moulting, reproductive and feeding cycles.
High Gain Transformer-Less Double-Duty-Triple-Mode DC/DC Converter for DC Microgrid

High-gain DC/DC converters with high efficiency are needed in dc microgrid owed to the low voltage of power sources, e.g., photovoltaic-cell and fuel-cell. This paper proposed a new high-gain double-duty-triple-mode (DDTM) converter for dc-microgrid applications. The proposed DDTM converter operates in three modes to achieve higher voltage gain without utilizing transformer, coupled inductor, voltage multiplier, and multiple voltage lifting techniques, e.g., triple, quadruple voltage lift. The modes of operation of the converter are controlled through three switches with two distinct duty ratios (double duty) to achieve wide range duty ratio. The operating principle, voltage gain analysis, and efficiency analysis of the proposed converter are discussed in detail and to show its benefits comparison is provided with the existing high-gain converters. The boundary operating condition for continuous conduction mode (CCM) and discontinuous conduction mode (DCM) is presented. The prototype of the proposed converters with 500-W power is implemented in the laboratory and experimentally investigated, which validate the performance and feasibility of the proposed converter. Due to double duty control, the proposed converter can be controlled in different ways and the thorough discussion on controlling of the converter is provided as a future scope.
Mortality of lambs in free‐ranging domestic sheep (Ovis aries) in northern Norway

Domestic lamb mortality on an open forested and alpine summer range in the municipality of Malselv in northern Norway was investigated. Two hundred and fifty-three lambs in four of the area's six flocks were randomly fitted with mortality transmitters and monitored throughout the summer grazing season from June to September. Total losses in the six flocks were 183 (22.9%) lambs and 20 (4.2%) ewes. The carcasses of 69 lambs, 36 of which had radio-collars, and six ewes were recovered. Of the collared lambs, eight (22%) died as a result of disease and 27 (75%) were killed by predators. Implicated predators included red fox Vulpes vulpes, lynx Lynx lynx, golden eagle Aquila chrysaetos and wolverine Gulo gulo. Diseased animals included those diagnosed with pasteurellosis, disrupted intestinal functions and advanced coccidiosis. The remains of one lamb were too decomposed for necropsy, though there was no evidence that it had been attacked by a predator. Factors associated with losses were identified using logistic regression. Age of lamb at time of release on the summer range and age of dam were statistically associated with lamb losses (P<0.05). Mortality was higher among older lambs and those of year-old ewes. Parameters commonly associated with lamb size and growth were not statistically associated with mortality. The negative association between lamb mortality and age of dam may be related to the quality of maternal care provided by ewes of different ages, particularly vigilance in the habitat of predators. Similarly, the positive association between mortality and age of lamb may be related to changing lamb behaviour, specifically increased distance from ewe, as lambs grow older and more independent. Predators, when present, are a major cause of mortality in free-ranging lambs, as in most wild ungulates.
Falling from grace: HPRT is not suitable as an endogenous control for cancer-related studies

ABSTRACT HPRT is a housekeeping enzyme involved in recycling guanine and inosine in the purine salvage pathway. As a housekeeping gene, HPRT has been widely used as an endogenous control for molecular studies evaluating changes in gene expression. Yet, recent evidence has shown that HPRT exhibits high variability within malignant samples. We designed this study to determine whether this observed upregulation is consistently found, therefore rendering hprt an unsuitable normalization control in cancer. Utilizing protein and RNA-seq expression, we found that malignant and normal patient samples vary significantly both within the same tissue type and across organ sites. Upon staining for HPRT via immunohistochemistry, we found that expression is highly variable in malignant samples (Lung; 89.2–111.8, Breast; 66.7–98.3, Colon; 85.3–129.7, Prostate; 90.8–155.4, Pancreas; 74.1–132.1). Similarly, we observed high variability across cell lines via western blotting (p < 0.0001) which was further confirmed using RNA sequencing. Comparing normal and malignant patient samples, we observed consistent upregulation of HPRT expression within malignant samples relative to normal samples (p = 0.0001). These data indicate that HPRT is unsuitable as an endogenous control for cancer-related studies because its expression is highly variable and exceeds that of an appropriate control; therefore, we recommend its discontinued use as a normalization gene.
The theory of planned behavior and knowledge sharing

Purpose The theory of planned behavior (TPB) is the most frequently used model in knowledge sharing. However, the empirical results are inconclusive on whether TPB can provide reasonable prediction of knowledge sharing behavior (KSB). This study aims to examine TPB in knowledge sharing and identify potential moderators of relationships among constructs in TPB. Design/methodology/approach This study conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of 26 studies examining TPB in knowledge sharing. A meta-analytical structural equation model (MASEM) was used to test original and modified TPB models and examine potential moderators. Findings The results show that attitude has the strongest relationship with intention, followed by perceived behavior control and then subjective norms. Intention shows the strongest association with KSB, followed by perceived behavior control. The moderator roles of culture, economic wealth and information technology support are found in the model. Originality/value This study is the first attempt to provide a systematic review and MASEM in TPB in knowledge sharing.
Seasonal succession and composition of the zooplankton community along an eutrophication and salinity gradient exemplified by Danish waters

The seasonal distribution of the major components of the zooplankton community, protozooplankton, copepods and cladocerans, along a eutrophication gradient were examined in order to establish if eutrophication through increases in phytoplankton biomass and productivity has an impact on biomass and composition of the zooplankton community. Data on salinity, temperature, inorganic nutrients, chlorophyll a, phytoplankton biomass and production, protozooplankton and mesozoo-plankton biomass were collected during routine sampling at seven stations representing a eutrophication gradient from open to estuarine waters. Mesozooplankton biomass varied seasonally in all areas with a unimodal pattern characterized by a peak between mid-spring and mid-summer. Total mesozooplankton biomass as well as copepod and cladoceran biomass, decreased with DIN concentration. Salinity and the type of ecoystem (well-mixed shallow estuaries versus stratified open waters) were the major factors controlling the biomass proportion of copepod species. Annual production of the total copepod community as well as the total grazing impact of copepods on primary production was higher in open waters than in estuarine waters. In estuarine type ecosystems, phytoplankton production is underexploited by copepod grazing whereas in the open type ecosystems, the phytoplankton production alone could not satisfy the carbon demand of copepods stressing the potential importance of protozoans in the copepod diet.
Comparison of Patients from Nigeria and U.S.A. Highlights Modifiable Risk Factors for Sickle Cell Complications

This is the pre-peer reviewed version of the following article: Titilola S. Akingbola, Bamidele O. Tayo, Babatunde Salako, Jennifer E. Layden, Lewis L. Hsu, Richard S. Cooper, Victor R. Gordeuk, and Santosh L. Saraf, Comparison of Patients from Nigeria and U.S.A. Highlights Modifiable Risk Factors for Sickle Cell Complications. Hemaglobin 2014, Vol. 38, No. 4 , Pages 236-243. (doi:10.3109/03630269.2014.927363), which has been published in final form at, http://informahealthcare.com/
Processing of locust bean fruits: Challenges and prospects

Locust bean fruit is normally processed into food condiment, which is popularly taken in the western part of Africa and it is used as a spice that gives an African meal a pleasant flavor. Processing of Locust beans is faced with various difficulties that affect both the small and the large scale production. This paper reviews the traditional methods of production of fermented locust beans, the problems associated with it and the possible ways of overcoming these problems in order to bring this health friendly seed into the limelight of large scale production. The processing of locust bean fruits to food condiment involves depodding, cleaning, boiling, dehulling, washing, re-cooking and fermentation. Some constraints are identified in the production and consumption of the condiment such as low production due to rudiment equipment, high wood consumption and poor production practices. Key words: Locust bean, processing, technology.
Composition of the Leaf Oil of Eryngium foetidum L. from Cuba

Abstract Water-distilled volatiles from the leaves of Eryngium foetidum L. of Cuban origin were analyzed by a combination of GC and GC/MS. Forty-six components were identified, of which the major ones were found to be 2,4,5-trimethylbenzaldehyde (20.53%), hexadecanoic acid (12.05%) and carotol (9.94%).
Comparative study of oral methotrexate and narrow band ultraviolet-B in chronic plaque psoriasis: a study from urban Karnataka

<p class="abstract"><strong>Background:</strong> Treatment of psoriasis continues to be a challenge. It is often frustrating experience for dermatologists. Methotrexate or PUVA or NBUVB when used properly, can produce good to excellent clinical benefit with minimal side effects. The objective of the study was to compare the efficacy and safety of oral methotrexate and NBUVB in the treatment of chronic plaque psoriasis. </p><p class="abstract"><strong>Methods:</strong> 100 patients of chronic plaque psoriasis attending the skin department of Navodaya Medical College and Hospital, Raichur from November 2012 to April 2014 were included in the study. Group A exhibited to Oral methotrexate and group B to NBUVB. Outcome was measured in terms of PASI 75 (it means 75% reduction in original PASI). Data was analysed using SPSS 19.0 version. <strong></strong></p><p class="abstract"><strong>Results:</strong> In Group A mean age was 33.68 years and in Group B mean age 33.7 years. The difference in mean PASI at baseline, at 4 and 8 weeks using oral methotrexate as well as NBUVB was found to be highly significant (<0.001). PASI score was less in-group using methotrexate at 4 and 8 weeks interval (<0.05). Mean time taken for PASI 75 in the baseline PASI score in Group A was 9.62±1.3 weeks whereas in Group B it was 11.3±0.7 weeks. Side effects were higher in group B (60%) compared to group A (36%). </p><p class="abstract"><strong>Conclusions:</strong> Improvement in the PASI score was best with methotrexate than NBUVB. The side effects observed in a methotrexate were minimal compared to NBUVB. </p>
DISPERSAL OF NORMAL AND IRRADIATED LABORATORY STRAINS AND WILD STRAINS OF THE OLIVE FLY DACUS OLEAE IN AN OLIVE GROVE

Studies on the dispersal rates of normal and σ‐irradiated laboratory‐reared, and wild Dacus oleae (Gmelin) were carried out in an olive grove using protein‐baited McPhail traps. No differences were found in the dispersal rates of normal and irradiated laboratory‐cultured flies, or between males and females. The mean distance travelled by the surviving flies up to 2 weeks after release was 180–190 m, and by that time only ca. 13% of the flies remained alive in the grove. No laboratory‐reared flies were trapped outside the olive grove. The limited amount of data, obtained with wild flies, suggested that they may disperse over greater distances than laboratory‐reared flies.
Effects of Land-Cover Transformation and Climate Change on the Distribution of Two Microendemic Lizards, Genus Uma, of Northern Mexico

Abstract Two species of the Fringe-Toed Lizard, Uma exsul and Uma paraphygas, are restricted to small areas of sand dunes in the Chihuahuan Desert, where land cover transformation has increased dramatically in recent years and future climatic changes are expected to be severe. The current geographic distribution of each species was estimated by ecological niche modeling using the Genetic Algorithm for Rule-set Prediction (GARP). A recent land-use map was used to determine areas where habitat has been transformed by human activities, and niche models were projected under two simulated climatic scenarios and for two periods of time (2020 and 2050) to estimate their future potential distributions. Results indicate a high degree of anthropogenic habitat transformation within the distribution of U. exsul, and an important reduction of its distribution by 2050. For U. paraphygas land cover transformation is less severe, but a complete collapse of its current distributions is expected in the future because of climate change. Despite the uncertainty involved, the general trends seem highly feasible and immediate conservation actions are recommended.
Correlates of Caesarean Section Deliveries: Evidence from Indonesia

The data for this study comes from the seventh round of the IDHS conducted in 2012 by Statistics Indonesia (Badan Pusat Statistik – BPS) in collaboration with the National Population and Family Planning Board (BKKBN) and the Indonesia Ministry of Health (MoH). This study is a further analysis of a publicly available de-identified secondary data. We download the dataset from the DHS program website after obtaining permission. Hence, we deem that a further ethical review is unnecessary.