Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Quality and maturation of mango fruits of cv. Cogshall in relation to harvest date and carbon supply

The effects of harvest date (5 dates, between 100 and 140 days after full bloom) and carbon supply (2 leaf-to-fruit ratios, 10 and 100) on mango fruit (cv. Cogshall) quality and maturity were studied to find reliable indicators that take fruit physiological maturity into account and to establish a compromised harvest date according to the market. Fruit size and density varied with regard to the harvest date and assimilate supply. Changes in total soluble solids and titratable acidity were well correlated with concentrations of major soluble sugars and organic acids. Potassium concentration was increased according to harvest date. Metabolic changes occurred at 126–133 and 133–140 days after full bloom in fruit subjected to non-limited and stress conditions of assimilate supply, respectively. During this stage, sucrose and malic acid concentrations strongly increased, whereas those of starch and citric acid decreased according to the leaf-to-fruit ratio treatment. Synthesis of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) and malonyl ACC, and a rapid increase in the respiration rate were observed during this period. The shortage of assimilate supply delayed the onset of maturation and reduced its intensity. Storage quality of mango cv. Cogshall may be influenced by assimilate supply since the K+ to Ca2+ ratio and the pulp dry matter content, in particular, were enhanced in fruit from the 100 leaf-to-fruit ratio treatment. Results for mango cv. Cogshall suggested that total soluble solids, sucrose, and malic/citric acid ratio can be used as physiological indices for mango fruit, whereas fruit fresh mass, density, and pulp dry matter content can be useful indicators for when to harvest fruit. It appeared that 133 days after full bloom was an optimal harvest date for fruit grown under non-limited conditions of assimilate supply, for a market where the time between harvest and consumption of fruit is short.
Pyrethroid resistance and distribution of kdr allele in Culex pipiens pallens in north China

Abstract A field survey was conducted to estimate resistance of Culex pipiens pallens, to pyrethroid insecticides in north China. We collected mosquito as egg rafts from 11 areas in Beijing and Zhangjiakou, Hebei province. Resistance to conventional pesticides, Es-bioallethrin, permethrin, deltamethrin, beta-cypermethrin, were measured using larval bioassays. The mutation kdr (L1014F) was also confirmed by sequence analysis. Our results indicate that the mosquitoes in north China still have a low or a moderate degree of resistance to pyrethroids. We then used competitive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of specific allele (cPASA) assay to monitor frequencies of kdr mutation in mosquito field populations. The kdr allele was present at frequencies of 7.9 – 37.8% in the field samples. Labeled allele-specific oligonucleotide hybridization (PCR-ASO) was performed and validated with cPASA. This proves that cPASA is an efficient molecular approach for monitoring insecticide resistance. Regression analysis indicated a significant correlation between kdr allele frequencies and the levels of resistance to knockdown resistance by permethrin, Es-bioallethrin, deltamethrin, and beta-cypermethrin. The results validate the role of the PCR-based molecular assay as a diagnostic tool in monitoring resistance to pyrethroids and also to provide useful information on population genetics of mosquito resistance to pyrethroids.
Tested and Trusted: Company-Run and Trust-Run Schools in Nepal

The paper provides new evidence questioning the unconditional superiority of private schools. Exploiting the variation in the number of private and government schools located near the chosen school and using a unique data-set from Nepal, we show that private schools as a group are generally more efficient to boost SLC test scores than public schools. But private schools perform superbly (poorly) at higher (lower) school expenditure per student quartiles. Moreover, it is the not-for-profit trust-run private schools that outperform others because they invest more in learning related infrastructure, thus highlighting the benefits of social motivation for private provision of schooling.
Physiological and Behavioral Responses of Young Chicks to High Ambient Temperature

Birds reduce their food intake by the exposure to high ambient temperature (HT) which ultimately affects their productivity. However, physiological and behavioral responses of young chicks of different ages to HT have not yet been investigated. In this study, we examined the effects of HT (40°C, 4-h) in 3-, 5-, 7-, 14and 21-d old chicks. There were no significant differences in food intake between heat exposed and control chicks up to 7-d old, while clear suppressions of food intake were observed in 14and 21-d old heat exposed chicks. Body weights were not affected in all age groups; however, rectal temperature was significantly increased in almost all ages. We examined blood metabolites of 7-, 14and 21-d old chicks and found that plasma glucose concentration gradually increased in 14to 21-d old heat exposed chicks. Conversely, triacylglycerol age-dependently decreased during exposure to HT. No significant changes were detected in plasma total protein, uric acid and calcium investigated in 7-, 14and 21-d old heat exposed chicks compared to control groups. However, plasma glutamic-oxalacetic transaminase showed a significant interaction between HT and age, implying that liver and/or heart was damaged by HT with aging. These results indicate that HT (40°C; 4-h) suppresses food intake in young chicks of 14or 21-d old age which reflects in some of their plasma metabolic concentrations.
Winter feeding leads to a shifted phenology in the browntail moth Euproctis chrysorrhoea on the evergreen strawberry tree Arbutus unedo

1 The browntail moth Euproctis chrysorrhoea is a highly polyphagous univoltine forest pest. Although its young larvae usually overwinter in diapause from early autumn to the beginning of spring, winter larval feeding has been reported when this species feeds on the evergreen woody shrub strawberry tree Arbutus unedo. 2 The present study investigated life‐history traits of four populations of E. chrysorrhoea feeding on A. unedo, including phenology of the different life stages, larval feeding activity and diapause incidence. By modelling the relationship between larval size and host plant leaf persistence, elevation and mean annual temperature, we also studied larval development in ten populations of this species sampled from a range of geographical locations in Spain, from both A. unedo and deciduous hosts. 3 The results obtained revealed that on A. unedo, E. chrysorrhoea phenology has shifted: from October to March, A. unedo larvae doubled their size, whereas, on deciduous Ulmus minor and Quercus faginea, larval size did not change. General linear models demonstrated that such differences were not related to environmental variables. We also found that on A. unedo larval feeding was arrested for 2 months, with this period representing a true diapause. 4 The results obtained in the present study suggest that E. chrysorrhoea populations are phenologically adapted to their local host plants, and that the presence of foliage is a key element in the phenological shift reported on A. unedo. These results may have implications with respect to the formation of E. chrysorrhoea host races.
Regulatory and Operational Challenges of Islamic Microfinance in Nigeria

The adequacy or otherwise of the guidelines for the regulation and supervision of Non Interest Financial Institutions (NIFIs) released by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in 2011 to among other things facilitate the emergence of Islamic microfinance banks along other mainstream banks in the country has been a subject of debate among academics, bankers, finance experts and members of the public. Four years into the release of the guidelines that is expected to serve as an impetus for microfinance banks to provide Islamic microfinance products and services in the country, only one (1) bank was so far licensed by the CBN to provide Islamic microfinance services. Preliminary investigation has shown that Microfinance banks (MFBs) are still not comfortable with the guidelines, which seem to emphasise more on deposit money banks without regard for the peculiarity and modus operandi of microfinance business. This paper discusses the regulatory and operational challenges of Islamic microfinance in Nigeria. The paper, which is exploratory identifies regulatory inadequacies, manpower-related challenges, lack of commitment and challenge of its successful introduction into an existing interest-based system as the main challenges facing Islamic microfinance in the country. In view of these challenges, the paper suggests that the CBN should come up with a separate NIFI guidelines for microfinance banks. In addition, the CBN, microfinance bank operators and professional bodies should provide a lead in the areas of training and development of skilled and qualified manpower in Islamic microfinance processes and procedures. Furthermore, stakeholders, particularly academics and religious scholars should continue to mobilise well to do members of the society to establish microfinance banks that would provide non interest financial services in the country.
Awareness is Not Enough: Commitment, Adoption, and Performance Implications of Supply Chain Integration

Purpose: Given the tension between the rationale for and resistance to supply chain integration (SCI), our purpose is to provide an update on the rhetoric and reality of SCI and to test and extend theory related to adoption and efficacy of integration strategies. We examine changes in the level of integration engagement and its influence on firm performance. Design/methodology/approach: We employ a multi-method – survey and interview – replication approach to 1) gauge the extent to which companies are increasing their engagement in SCI and 2) assess integration’s influence on firm performance. Findings: Despite managerial awareness of SCI’s potential benefits, levels of integration have remained relatively unchanged over time. We find that integration is positively related to operational performance and firm performance. Integration’s primary influence is through productivity and customer service. The interviews indicate some firms are beginning to manage value co-creation initiatives across multiple tiers of the supply chain. They also reveal a major challenge to effective integration is a lack of managerial commitment. Awareness of integration’s competitive potential is insufficient to mobilize resources and mitigate resistance to collaboration. Originality/value: Multi-method, replication research is extremely rare, but it is necessary to understand collaboration dynamics. We demonstrate that integration can improve operating and firm performance. Indeed, our approach enables us to delve into the paradox between the positive performance impact and the lack of progress toward greater integration. Theoretically, we link commitment and capability. Managerially, we propose a maturity framework that managers can use to benchmark their own SCI initiative.
Impact of Public and Private Cash Transfers on Poverty and Inequality: Evidence from Vietnam

This article investigates the extent to which public and private transfers affected poverty and inequality in Vietnam in the mid‐2000s. It finds that the impact of public transfers on poverty was negligible, due to the low coverage of the poor and the relatively small amounts transferred. Moreover, the effect of the receipt of transfers on expenditures was small: recipients decreased the labour supply and only a limited amount of the extra income went to current consumption. Domestic private transfers were somewhat more successful in reducing poverty. With most public and private transfers going to non‐poor households, inequality was only marginally affected.
Mismeasuring Long Run Growth. The Bias from Spliced National Accounts

Comparisons of economic performance over space and time largely depend on how statistical evidence from national accounts and historical estimates are spliced. To allow for changes in relative prices, GDP benchmark years in national accounts are periodically replaced with new and more recent ones. Thus, a homogeneous long-run GDP series requires linking different temporal segments of national accounts. The choice of the splicing procedure may result in substantial differences in GDP levels and growth, particularly as an economy undergoes deep structural transformation. An inadequate splicing may result in a serious bias in the measurement of GDP levels and growth rates. Alternative splicing solutions are discussed in this paper for the particular case of Spain, a fast growing country in the second half of the twentieth century. It is concluded that the usual linking procedure, retropolation, has serious flows as it tends to bias GDP levels upwards and, consequently, to underestimate growth rates, especially for developing countries experiencing structural change. An alternative interpolation procedure is proposed.
First Record of the Hippolytid Shrimp Genus Lebbeus White, 1847 (Decapoda: Caridea) from Taiwan, with the Description of Three New Species

Abstract The hippolytid shrimp genus Lebbeus White, 1847 was previously unknown from Taiwan. However, recent deep-sea surveys off the island have collected numerous specimens comprising four species, three of which are new to science: L. tosaensis Hanamura and Abe, 2003, L. brevirostris n. sp. , L. formosus n. sp. , and L. unguiculatus n. sp. Lebbeus brevirostris belongs to the group bearing epipods only on the first two pereiopods and is unique in having a short spiniform rostrum. Lebbeus formosus and L. unguiculatus bear epipods on the first three pereiopods. The latter is characteristic in having the dactyli of the posterior pereiopods terminating in a single elongate unguis. Lebbeus formosus is distinct in having a combination of rostral, antennular, telson, and pereiopodal characters.
Floral Diversity of a Mangrove Forest in Cotabato City, Philippines

A variety of essential goods and services can be provided by mangrove ecosystem which has significant contribution to wellbeing and security of coastal communities. Hence, conservation measures to sustain this valuable resource should be of primary concern to all stakeholders. The present study was carried out to evaluate the floral diversity of a mangrove forest in Cotabato City. There were three sampling sites purposely selected for this study. A total of 12 sampling plots with a size of 5m x 40m each were established in the three study sites. Diversity indices were computed in each site. A total of 12 mangrove species representing 8 genus and 8 families were identified during the study period viz., Rhizophora apiculata, Rhizophora mucronata, Ceriops tagal, Lumnitzera racemose, Avicennia alba, Avicennia officinalis, Aegiceras corniculatum, Aegiceras floridum, Sonneratia alba, Sonneratia caseolaris, Xylocarpus granatum and Osbornia octodonta. Most of these species are classified as least concern. Species richness ranged from 0.77 to 1.04 while diversity index is generally low ranging from 1.19 to 2.02.
Relationship between milk production and plasma concentrations of oxidative stress markers during hot season in primiparous cows

Oxidative stress markers, ascorbic acid, and sulfhydryl (SH) residue concentration in primiparous cows' plasma and their relationship to milking performance during hot seasons were investigated. The rectal temperature of cows correlated negatively with SH residue (r = −0.38, n = 38, P < 0.05) and ascorbic acid (r = −0.34, P < 0.05) concentrations in the cows' plasma. The group with a higher concentration of ascorbic acid over the mean value produced significantly more milk (P < 0.05) than did the group with a lower ascorbic acid concentration. Although the cows' milk production showed a positive correlation with ascorbic acid concentration in plasma (r = 0.47, P < 0.05), the relation of SH residue concentration to milk yield was not constant. The plasma SH residue concentration during the hot season correlated positively with milk protein % (r = 0.38, P < 0.05), lactose % (r = 0.35, P < 0.05), and solid-non-fat (SNF) % (r = 0.47, P < 0.05), respectively, but not with fat %. On the other hand, ascorbic acid concentration in plasma showed negative correlations with milk fat % (r = −0.34, P < 0.05) and protein % (r = −0.49, P < 0.05), but correlated positively with lactose % (r = 0.52, P < 0.05). The produced amount (g/day) of milk protein (r = 0.42, P < 0.05), lactose (r = 0.61, P < 0.05), and SNF (r = 0.56, P < 0.05) showed positive correlations with ascorbic acid concentration in plasma.
Divergence of Salvelinus species from northeastern Asia based on mitochondrial DNA

Phylogenetic analysis of charrs of the genus Salvelinus was performed using PCR-RFLP analysis of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). Three fragments of mtDNA (ND1/ND2, ND5/ND6 and Cyt b/D-loop) were amplified by PCR and examined for restriction site variation using 13 restriction endonucleases. Analysis of 313 sites of over 7672 bp of charr mtDNA was conducted. Six phylogenetic lineages of the mtDNA were revealed, corresponding to six separate charr taxa: Salvelinus leucomaenis Pallas; Salvelinus levanidovi Chereshnev, Skopetz & Gudkov; Salvelinus taranetzi Kaganovsky; Salvelinus malma krascheninnikovi Taranetz; Salvelinus malma malma Walbaum and Salvelinus alpinus alpinus. The Levanidov (S. levanidovi) and white-spotted (S. leucomaenis) charrs represented the most divergent lineages. These are probably closest to a common ancestor of the genus. Salvelinus taranetzi was the next divergent lineage. Salvelinus malma krascheninnikovi was placed between S. leucomaenis and S. taranetzi. Salvelinus malma malma and S. a. alpinus were sister taxa, and were on the last branch to diverge. The divergence between S. m. malma and S. a. alpinus inferred from mtDNA nucleotide sequences was 1.1%; between S. m. malma and S. taranetzi 2.8%; between S. m. malma and S. m. krascheninnikovi 4%; between S. taranetzi, S. m. krascheninnikovi and S. a. alpinus 2.8%. Salvelinus levanidovi and S. leucomaenis were almost equally remote from the other charrs by some 9% and 7%, respectively. The extent of genetic differences between the northern S. m. malma populations and the European S. a. alpinus populations indicates that they diverged recently. The existence of many putative charr species with different divergence times in northeastern Asia suggests that this region may be one of the centres of speciation of the genus Salvelinus.
Responses of vertebrates to pastoralism, military land use and landscape position in an Australian tropical savanna

Despite the hegemony of pastoralism over most of Australia’s tropical savannas, its impacts upon biodiversity are poorly known. There is even less knowledge about the impacts of military training, a recent, but rapidly expanding, alternative land use. We compare impacts of these land uses upon mammals, birds, reptiles and frogs at a site in north-eastern Australia, with sampling from 24 quadrats stratified by four landscape positions (upper slope to riparian) and three current land-use types (pastoralism, military training and undisturbed). Prior to exclusion in 1967, the whole study area had been subjected to grazing over the course of approximately 100 years, so differences observed strictly reflect responses to changed land use (largely cessation from grazing) over the period of 32 years subsequent to the imposition of the present regime. The four classes of vertebrates showed contrasting responses. Frog distribution was unrelated to land use, but strongly associated with landscape position. Reptiles showed a very strong response to land-use type but not to landscape position. The total abundance and richness of reptiles was greater in ungrazed (i.e. military and undisturbed) than in grazed quadrats. The total abundance and species richness of birds varied strongly with landscape position but was unrelated to land use. However, many individual bird species showed significant responses to land-use type, and bird species composition was significantly related to both land-use type and landscape position. The richness of the mammal fauna was weakly related to landscape position and not related to land-use type. A few individual mammal species showed significant responses to either or both factors, but mammal species composition was significantly (albeit weakly) related only to land-use type. With due regard to some interpretative constraints in the study design, and the history of the site prior to this study, these results suggest that pastoralism leads to a substantial rearrangement of the vertebrate fauna, and particularly so for reptiles and those mammals and birds associated with the ground and understorey layers. Given the extent of pastoralism across the tropical savannas, these results suggest that this industry has contributed to major and widespread change in the savanna fauna. In contrast to pastoralism, military land use (at least at the relatively low intensity examined here) produced little change in vertebrate assemblages.
Chasing Diamonds and Crowns: Consumer Limited Attention and Seller Response

Online platforms often assign sellers summary symbols based on whether their ratings pass certain thresholds. Consumers may focus on the symbols and pay limited attention to the ratings. This bias leads to discontinuously increased demand at the thresholds. I use a theoretical model to illustrate that sellers will lower the prices before their ratings reach the thresholds and increase their prices afterward due to the positive demand shock. I collect data from Taobao to test the theoretical predictions. Using regression discontinuity, I find that on the demand side, the hourly sales increase significantly when a seller passes the threshold, even conditional on the same item. On the supply side, the prices indeed exhibit a V-shaped pattern with respect to the ratings. Furthermore, sellers preemptively increase prices shortly before reaching thresholds, supporting the theoretical predictions. This paper was accepted by Juanjuan Zhang, marketing.
Impact of Foreign Exchange Exposure and Syariah-Compliant Status on Firms' Decision to Practice Hedging

This study investigated the impact of foreign exchange (FX) exposure and Syariah-compliant status on a firm's decision to practice hedging. The study employed panel multiple logistic and panel multinomial logistic regression on 792 firm-year observations from 132 non-financial listed firms over the period of 2010 to 2015. In addition, 74 to 85 percent of firm population (for 2010 - 2015) in Bursa Malaysia, possess Syariah- compliant status. The panel multiple logistic results postulate that total FX currency exposure and the number of invoicing currencies are significant factors in determining hedging practice, with an odds ratio of 1.603 and 1.664, respectively. Meanwhile, the impact of Syariah-compliant status on hedging practice was insignificant with an odds ratio of 0.915, somewhat consistent with prediction. Using multinomial logistic regression, this study conducted a detailed examination into firms that practice hedging. FX exposure is significant in predicting hedging for firms that practice one and two hedging instruments. Surprisingly, Syariah-compliant status is found to always significantly influence firms that hedge, except those using four instruments.