Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Multiple Compensation Consultants and CEO Pay

The study examines the practice of employing multiple compensation consultants. Data for a sample of UK companies over the period 2003-2006 are analyzed using a variety of econometric methods. We find that CEOs receive higher equity-based pay when firms employ more than one compensation consultant. Further, an increase in the number of compensation consultants is associated with an increase in CEO pay, whereas no decline in CEO pay takes place when firms reduce the number of pay consultants. We also observe that the market shares of compensation consultant are positively related to CEO compensation. The finding is consistent with the conjecture that compensation consultants act to survive competition from other consultants
The Evolution of Resistance to Pesticides

A retrospective search for the causes of the pesticide dilemma inescap­ ably leads to the question of resistance; had it not been for the phenomenal development of resistant populations, insect control could doubtless have been accomplished with fewer applications at far lower dosages. Against the walnut aphid in California, parathion was originally recommended at a dos­ age of 0.25 lb per tOo gal of water. Seven years later the required dosage was 1-H2 Ib per tOO gal (173). In northern Nigeria, treatments of the river Ni­ ger with DDT for control of Simulium damnosum had to be increased from 0.033 ppm in 1961 to 0.077 ppm in 1968 (195). In Armenia, one applica­ tion of BHC at 30 kg/ha was sufficient to control Phytonomus variabilis on alfalfa in 1949. By 1961 six times as much BHC was needed for adequate control (115). Entomological literature abounds with similar examples aptly illustrating the considerable genetic plasticity of insect populations. However, the problem is not simply that a higher dose is needed to bring about the desired effect. Because of their generally wide spectrum of toxicity, insecticides also suppress predatory and parasitic species. Since these are de­ pendent on host density, their capability for developing resistance is severely hindered and often annulled by the abrupt reduction in host density following the application of an insecticide. Of more than 225 species of arthropods in which resistant strains have been documented (20, 43), only four are natural enemies of pests. Suppression of natural enemies contributes further to the unleashing of resistant pest populations. This necessitates even more frequent applications of insecticides, often of greater variety, since a number of pest species, including some formerly secondary pests, may now be involved. In extreme but not unusual cases, insecticides must be applied at weekly inter­ vals or more frequently, to afford protection. In Central America, as many as 30 applications on cotton during the 6-month growing season are common
Carbon‐based secondary and structural compounds in Mediterranean shrubs growing near a natural CO2 spring

We studied carbon‐based secondary and structural compounds (CBSSCs) in Myrtus communis, Erica arborea, and Juniperus communis co‐occurring in a natural CO2 spring site and in a nearby control site in a Mediterranean environment. Leaf concentrations of phenolics and CBSSCs, such as lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose, total nonstructural carbohydrates (TNCs), and lipids were measured monthly (phenolics) and every two months (the other compounds) throughout a year. There was a slight seasonal trend towards maximum concentrations of most of these CBSSCs during autumn–winter and minimum values during the spring season, particularly in Myrtus communis. For most of the CBSSCs and species, there were no consistent or significant patterns in response to the elevated [CO2] (c. 700 μmol mol−1) of the spring site. These results were not due to a dilution effect by increased structural or nonstructural carbon. Therefore, in contrast to many experimental studies of CO2 enrichment, mainly conducted for short periods, there were no greater concentrations of phenolics, and, as in many of these studies, there were neither greater concentrations of the other CBSSCs. These results do not agree with the predictions of the carbon source‐sink hypotheses. Possible causes of this disagreement are discussed. These causes include the complex heterogeneous environmental conditions and the variability of resource availabilities in the field, photosynthetic down‐regulation, and/or the homeostatic and evolutionary nature of organisms. These results suggest evolutionary adaptive responses to changes in CO2. They also suggest caution in attributing increased CBSSC concentrations to elevated [CO2] at long‐term scale in natural conditions, and therefore in their implications for plant–herbivore interactions and for decomposition.
THE SYSTEM OF THE ORCHIDALES

After an enumeration of the most characteristic features of the Orchidales, the affinities between this order and other monocotyledonous groups are discussed. The Orchidales must be placed in the system immediately after the Commelinales, chiefly on account of their androecial morphology. For reasons explained in the present paper the Orchidales are subdivided into three families, viz. the Apostasiaceae, Cypripediaceae and Orchidaceae. The principal differences between these families are shown in the form of tables. In the Orchidaceae two subfamilies are recognised and amply circumscribed, viz., the Orchidoideae and the Epidendroideae, the latter again being subdivided into the two contribes Neottianthae and Epidendranthae. The androecial morphology is discussed in detail in connection with atavistically developed stamens, with the presence of staminodes (or supernumerary stamens) and with the floral morphology of certain taxa. The auricles are not regarded as staminodes because they persist in flowers with supernumerary (atavistically re-appeared) stamens and also because they lack vascular bundles. The gynostemial wings in some Australian genera (Diuris, Prasophyllum, and other ones) are considered to be of androecial derivation The less conspicuously winged but vascularised margins of the gynostemium of many Epidendroideae likewise represent androecial elements incorporated in the column. The suggestion, made by E. Nelson, that the lip is the phylogenetic derivative (the homologue) of the ‘missing’ stamens A2, a3 and A3 (which implies that the median petal has disappeared), is rejected, primarily because Nelson's arguments are based on the morphology of the labellum in the highly specialised genus Ophrys. The floral morphology of Neuwiedia and of some species of Herminium, on the contrary, is indicative of the petaloid nature of the lip which, accordingly, represents the median petal. The vascular anatomy of the orchid flower does not provide arguments in favour of the suggestion made by Lindley (later taken up by Darwin) that the ‘missing’ stamens A2 and A3 are incorporated in the gynostemium. The orchidalean ovary appears to be compounded of six parts, viz. three broad hyposepalous zones alternating with as many hypopetalous elements bearing the (double) laminal placentae on their inner face. This is considered to be a convergence towards the condition prevailing in Rhoeadales (Brassicales) (genus Eschscholzia etc.). In the Orchidoideae the stigma is locally differentiated into viscid discs which are situated distally of the lateral stigmatic lobes, and the median stigmatic lobe is functional in several genera, but in the Epidendroideae the median stigmatic lobe is apically transformed into a mucilaginous substance or a viscid disc, or it is completely replaced by a viscidium. In Stereosandra the viscidial element is a derivative of the anther.
Lichen chronosequences (postfire and postharvest) in lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) forests of northern interior British Columbia

Lichen community development was examined in a postfire chronosequence from lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta Dougl. ex Loud var. latifolia Engelm.) forests in the Omineca region of north-central British Columbia and in stands originating from logging in the early 1980s. Fire-origin stands showed dense regeneration of pine and widespread growth of acrocarpous mosses such as Polytrichum spp. As canopy thinning progressed, Cladonia spp. lichens initiated development at the forest floor surface. By 50100 years after stand origin, Cladina mitis and Cladina rangiferina dominated at the forest floor surface, remaining at high cover values well into the second century of stand development. Late seral stages of stand development (approximately 150+ years) showed increasing basal area and canopy cover of lodgepole pine, with feathermoss mats (e.g., Pleurozium schreberi) replacing terrestrial lichens at the forest floor surface. Stand ordinations confirmed these groupings of species. Stand structural factors that cor.
Effects of different manure levels on fish growth, mortality and yield in a horizontally-integrated fish-cum-poultry farming system in Nigeria.

Optimum manure rate in horizontally-integrated fish ponds, using poultry droppings, was evaluated in two agricultural zones of Imo state of Nigeria between July 1994 and January 1995. It was aimed at resolving the problem of frequent cases of excessive algal blooms, oxygen depletion and stress-related mortalities in fish ponds. Results indicate that poultry droppings, applied at the rate of 5000 kg ha−1 per year gave the best yield (23.5 M.t ha−1 for Heterobranchus bidorsalis Geofrey St Hillaire, 1809; and 11.2 tons ha−1 for Oreochromis niloticus Linnaeus, 1758), higher fish recovery and optimum tolerance levels of the physico-chemical parameters of water for fish growth. The estimated costs of production at this level of fertilization were 2 734 000.00 per hectare (equivalent to US$33 351.5), with the highest net revenue of 1 555 000.00 (US$18 963), and a cost: benefit ratio of 1: 2.3. This implies that for every 1.00 (US$0.01) invested in the production system at this rate of pond fertilization, the highest net profit of 1.30 (US$0.02) accrued to the farmer compared with any other manure load of the pond.
SHIFTS IN ARBUSCULAR MYCORRHIZAL COMMUNITIES ALONG AN ANTHROPOGENIC NITROGEN DEPOSITION GRADIENT

We evaluated arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) species diversity and abundance in nine locations along an anthropogenic nitrogen deposition gradient in coastal sage scrub (CSS) vegetation in southern California. The primary pollutants were nitrogen oxides derived from vehicular emissions. Extractable soil N on the gradient ranged from 5 to 87 μg/g during the summer months. For comparative purposes, we also assessed AM communities in nitrogen-fertilized (60 kg N·ha−1·yr−1) and unfertilized plots. Nitrogen enrichment induced a shift in AM community composition. In particular, an increasing input of nitrogen was associated with the displacement of the larger-spored species of Scutellospora and Gigaspora (due to a failure to sporulate) with a concomitant proliferation of small-spored Glomus species (e.g., Glomus aggregatum, Glomus leptotichum). A subsequent reduction in species richness and diversity (as measured by Shannon–Wiener index) accompanied eutrophication. Nitrogen enrichment also significantly reduced spo.
Systematic sequencing of the 283 kb 210°-232° region of the Bacillus subtilis genome containing the skin element and many sporulation genes

As part of the Bacillus subtilis genome sequencing project, we have determined a 283 kb contiguous sequence from 210° to 232° of the B. subtilis genome. This region contains the 48 kb skin element which is excised during sporulation by a site-specific recombinase. In this region, 310 complete ORFs and one tRNA gene were identified: 66 ORFs have been sequenced and characterized previously by other workers, e.g. acc, ans, bfm, blt, bmr, comE, comG, dnaK, rpoD and sin operons; cwIA, gpr and lysA genes; many sporulation genes and operons, spoOA, spoIIA, spoIIM, spoIIP, spoIIIA, spoIIIC, spoIVB, spoIVCA, spoIVCB and spoVA, etc. The products of 84 ORFs were found to display significant similarity to proteins with known function in data banks, e.g., proteins involved in nucleotide metabolism, lipid biosynthesis, amino acid transport (ABC transporter), phosphate-specific transport, the glycine cleavage system, the two-component regulatory system, cell wall autolysis, ferric uptake and sporulation. However, the functions of more than half of the ORFs (52%, 160 ORFs) are still unknown. In the skin element containing 60 ORFs, 32 ORFs (53%) encode proteins which have significant homology to gene products of the B. subtilis temperate phage o105 and/or the defective phage PBSX.
Exigência de lisina digestível para frangos de corte machos de 1 a 42 dias de idade

This study was carried out with the objective of estimating the nutritional requirements of digestible lysine for broiler from 1 to 42 days old. A total of 1,950 male Cobb chicks were used (750, 600 and 600 in pre-initial, initial and growing phase, respectively) with initial weight of 45.1 ± 0.6, 160.5 ± 2.4 g and 746.3 ± 10.7 g, respectively. The birds were distributed in a completely randomized design, using six treatments and five repetitions, with 25, 20, and 20 chicks per experimental unit in the pre-initial, initial and growing phases, respectively. The treatments consisted of a lysine-deficient basal diet that was supplement with L-lysine.HCl in order to contain six digestible lysine levels (1.10, 1.16, 1.22, 1.28, 1.34 and 1.40%; 0.92, 0.98, 1.04, 1.10, 1.16 and 1.22% and 0.815, 0.875, 0.935, 0.995, 1.055 and 1.115%, for the pre-initial, initial and growing phases, respectively). The characteristics evaluated were: feed intake, weight gain and feed conversion, weight and carcass yield and prime cuts, relative and absolute weight of edible viscera and abdominal fat. In all phases, there was a linear effect of digestible lysine levels on feed intake and quadratic effect on weight gain feed conversion. There was no effect of the digestible lysine levels on the absolute weights of carcass, heart, and abdominal fat, carcass yields, breast, thigh and drumsticks, and on the relative weights of the heart, liver, gizzard and abdominal fat. However, there was a quadratic effect on the absolute weights of the breast, drumstick, thigh and liver. Digestible lysine levels recommended for male broilers are 1.286; 1,057 and 0,998% in the pre-initial, initial and growing phases, respectively.
Sintomas visuais de deficiência de macronutrientes e boro em maracujazeiro-doce

The experiment was carried out in a greenhouse aiming to characterize visual symptoms of macronutrients and B deficiency in leaves and fruits of sweet passion fruit plants cultivated in box with sand and irrigated with nutrient solutions. It was used eight treatments in a complete randomized block design, as follow (complete nutrient solution, -N, -P, -K, -Ca,-Mg, -S and -B), with four replicates. Symptoms of deficiency were observed between 85 and 240 days after the application of the treatments, - N: uniform chlorosis and premature fall of leaves and yellowish green color fruits and translucent aspect; - P: old leaves with dark green color and, later, white spots on the surface of the leaves; - K: chlorosis and subsequent necrosis of the basal portion of the central rib of old leaves that progressed to the borders, and fall of the leaves and fruits wrinkling of the epicarp with consequent wilting of the fruit; -Ca: deformation and necrosis of the borders of new leaves and fruits cracks in the epicarp and in the mesocarp and apical rot of the fruits; - Mg: old leaves with internerval chlorosis; - S: chlorosis of new leaves with small colorless spots and; - B: new leaves with coriaceous aspect and undulation in the boards and fruits with brown bands of cork on the peel.
The Prurigo Strophulus in Brazzaville: Demonstration of Vectors and Study of Some Associated Bioecological Parameters

Strophulus prurigo, chronic skin disease widespread in Africa in general and the Congo - Brazzaville in particular is studied here in a neighborhood of the city of Brazzaville located near a watercourse. Studies conducted at 100m and 500m from the river show a frequency of infestation which is highest near water. Two arthropods are reported to cause infections in prurigo strophulus: dipteran Simulidae, Simulium albivirgulatum and an Ixodidae mite, Ixodus ricinus L. The notion of a genetic transmission of this disease is hypothetical. Suspicion of a hereditary origin of this infection is not confirmed here. Field of patients with prurigo does not seem to be atopic. The study of daily activity rhythms of Simulium albivirgulatum shows that this insect is well suited to urban areas with peaks of both diurnal and crepuscular activity, providing important human parasite pressure. The dermatological consequences are all the more important that individuals are less covered mainly in the limbs according to their clothing habits. In addition, our results indicate a predominance of women in the prevalence of this infection, regardless of the age groups considered.
Effect of Cotesia rubecula (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) on Survival of Larval Cohorts of Pieris rapae (Lepidoptera: Pieridae) on Collards: Evaluation of an Introduced Biological Control Agent

ABSTRACT Survival of artificial cohorts of larvae of the imported cabbageworm, Pieris rapae (L.), was assessed in a collard (Brassica oleracea L., var. acephala) patch on an organic vegetable farm in western Massachusetts. We recorded a significant drop in survival of larvae between the 4th and 5th instar due to parasitism by the parasitoid Cotesia rubecula (Marshall), which was introduced to New England from China in 1988. This was a large change from the survivorship pattern of P. rapae observed in the same area in 1985–1986, in which there was a significant drop in survival between 5th instars and pupae due to Cotesia glomerata (L.), the dominant parasitoid of P. rapae in New England at the time. In our study, parasitism by C. rubecula averaged 62.4 ± 8.6%, while no parasitism by C. glomerata was observed. The introduction of C. rubecula is now very likely to be benefitting organic vegetable producers in western Massachusetts, killing more larvae and at an earlier life stage than the previous parasitoid, reducing the potential for damage to cole crops.
Effects of Pre‐ and Postharvest Chitosan Treatments to Control Storage Grey Mold of Table Grapes

ABSTRACT: The effectiveness of pre- and postharvest treatments with chitosan (0.1, 0.5, and 1.0%) to control Botrytis cinerea on table grapes was investigated. In postharvest treatments, small bunches dipped in chitosan solutions and inoculated with the pathogen showed a reduction of incidence, severity, and nesting of grey mold, in comparison with the control. Single berries artificially wounded, treated with the polymer, and inoculated with B. cinerea showed a reduced percentage of infected berries and lesion dia. Higher chitosan concentrations demonstrated greater decay reduction. All preharvest treatments significantly reduced the incidence of grey mold, as compared to the control. Table grapes treated with 1.0% chitosan showed a significant increase of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) activity. Consequently, besides a direct activity against B. cinerea, chitosan produces other effects contributing to reduce decay.
A Potential α-Helix Motif in the Amino Terminus of LANA Encoded by Kaposi's Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus Is Critical for Nuclear Accumulation of HIF-1α in Normoxia

ABSTRACT Hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) is a ubiquitously expressed transcriptional regulator involved in induction of numerous genes associated with angiogenesis and tumor growth. Kaposi's sarcoma, associated with increased angiogenesis, is a highly vascularized, endothelial cell-derived tumor. Previously, we have shown that the latency-associated nuclear antigen (LANA) encoded by Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) targets the HIF-1α suppressors von Hippel-Lindau protein and p53 for degradation via its suppressor of cytokine signaling-box motif, which recruits the EC5S ubiquitin complex. Here we further show that HIF-1α was aberrantly accumulated in KSHV latently infected primary effusion lymphoma (PEL) cells, as well as HEK293 cells infected with KSHV, and also show that a potential α-helical amino-terminal domain of LANA was important for HIF-1α nuclear accumulation in normoxic conditions. Moreover, we have now determined that this association was dependent on the residues 46 to 89 of LANA and the oxygen-dependent degradation domain of HIF-1α. Introduction of specific small interfering RNA against LANA into PEL cells also resulted in a diminished nuclear accumulation of HIF-1α. Therefore, these data show that LANA can function not only as an inhibitor of HIF-1α suppressor proteins but can also induce nuclear accumulation of HIF-1α during KSHV latent infection.
Woolly apple aphid (Eriosoma lanigerum Hausm., Hom., Aphidae) parasitism by Aphelinus mali Hal. (Hym., Aphelinidae) in relation to host stage and host colony size, shape and location

The host specific (solitary) endoparasitoid, Aphelinus mali, will parasitize all stages of woolly apple aphid but apparently prefers third stage nymphs and older hosts. Female parasitoids are generally larger than males, emerge from larger mummies and take about 1/2 day longer to complete development. The sex ratio is strongly male biased when only small hosts are available for parasitization, and strongly female biased when only large hosts are available. Pre‐adult mortality decreases with increasing mummy size suggesting higher mortality for males than females which may explain, in part, the slightly female biased sex ratio in the field. Rates of parasitism are inversely proportional to host colony size because woolly aphids in the centers of large colonies are relatively more protected from parasitoid attack than aphids on colony margins due to the dense crowding of aphids and the white, waxy secretion that covers colonies. In very small woolly aphid colonies (surface area < 37 mm2) few, if any, individuals are protected from A. mali. Rates of parasitism are greater in long, narrow colonies than in round colonies of the same size because a higher proportion of woolly aphids are located on the colony margins where parasitoids concentrate their attacks. The likelihood of successful biological control is discussed in relation to the observed patterns of parasitism.
Pop Music Transformer: Beat-based Modeling and Generation of Expressive Pop Piano Compositions

A great number of deep learning based models have been recently proposed for automatic music composition. Among these models, the Transformer stands out as a prominent approach for generating expressive classical piano performance with a coherent structure of up to one minute. The model is powerful in that it learns abstractions of data on its own, without much human-imposed domain knowledge or constraints. In contrast with this general approach, this paper shows that Transformers can do even better for music modeling, when we improve the way a musical score is converted into the data fed to a Transformer model. In particular, we seek to impose a metrical structure in the input data, so that Transformers can be more easily aware of the beat-bar-phrase hierarchical structure in music. The new data representation maintains the flexibility of local tempo changes, and provides hurdles to control the rhythmic and harmonic structure of music. With this approach, we build a Pop Music Transformer that composes Pop piano music with better rhythmic structure than existing Transformer models.