Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Hassling: How States Prevent a Preventive War

Low-level military operations outside of war are pervasive in the international system. These activities have been viewed as destabilizing by both academics and policymakers, as miscalculations or missteps in conducting low-level operations can risk escalation to war. I show the opposite can be true: these operations can prevent escalation to a greater war. I examine a type of low-level con ict that I call hassling in the common framework of bargaining and war. The critical feature of hassling is that it weakens a targeted state. I nd that when a rising power rules out peaceful bargains, hassling the rising power can prevent a preventive war, with e ciency gains for those the involved states. This intuition is formalized in a dynamic model of con ict and is explored through examinations of Israel's Operation Outside the Box (2007), the United States' involvement in Iraq (1991 2003), and Russia's operations in Ukraine (beginning in 2014). ∗Thanks to Andres Gannon, Erik Gartzke, James Fearon, Saumitra Jha, Brett Benson, Brenton Kenkel, Brad Smith, Emily Ritter, Josh Clinton, Alastair Smith, Kris Ramsay, Alexandre Debs, Richard Jordan, Scott Tyson, Jon Lindsey, Thomas Scherer, Jason Lopez, and Rex Douglass for helpful comments. This research bene ted from outstanding research assistance by Robert Cramer, Ethan Sun, and John Konicki. This research is supported by O ce of Naval Research Grant N00014-14-1-0071 and the Department of Defense Minerva Research Initiative. Any opinions, ndings, conclusions, recommendations, or errors in this publication are those of the author and do not necessarily re ect the view of the O ce of Naval Research or any names mentioned above. †Assistant Professor, Vanderbilt University, peter.schram@vanderbilt.edu Heavy as they are, the costs of action must be weighed against the price of inaction. If Saddam de es the world and we fail to respond, we will face a far greater threat in the future. [M]ark my words, he will develop weapons of mass destruction. He will deploy them, and he will use them. Because we're acting today, it is less likely that we will face these dangers in the future. Bill Clinton on Operation Desert Fox, December 16, 1998
Phylogenetic Relationships of the Eocene Percomorph Fishes †Priscacara and †Mioplosus

ABSTRACT The early Eocene great lakes of the Green River system preserved a rich fauna, allowing detailed study of the paleoecology of the area. Two genera, †Priscacara and †Mioplosus, are interesting because they are among the earliest well-known representatives of Percoidei sensu lato, and so offer a chance to explore the evolution of the North American fish fauna. A phylogenetic analysis including †Priscacara, †Mioplosus, and representatives of some ‘basal’ percoid families suggests that †Priscacara is a member of Moronidae, and that †Mioplosus has affinities with Lateolabrax, Siniperca, and Lates. †Priscacara is recovered as paraphyletic relative to the rest of Moronidae, primarily on the basis of meristic characters; in the absence of more robust evidence, both †P. serrata and †P. liops are retained within †Priscacara. The phylogenetic position of †Priscacara suggests a trans-Atlantic connection, because Moronidae contain genera from eastern North America and Europe. †Mioplosus is suggestive of an Asian link to the Eocene Green River system, due to its relationship with the Western Pacific Lateolabrax, the Asian Siniperca, and the African/Asian Lates.
Delineating genetic groupings in continuously distributed species across largely homogeneous landscapes: a study of American black bears (Ursus americanus) in Ontario, Canada

There is a crucial need to understand the genetic consequences of landscape modifications on continuous populations that could become fragmented, and to evaluate the degree of differentiation of isolated populations that were historically part of the core. Using 15 microsatellite loci, we evaluated the genetic structure of American black bears (Ursus americanus Pallas, 1780) across a vast, contiguous Ontario landscape (>1 × 106 km2) that largely represents their pre-European settlement distribution. Because geographic barriers are absent, we predicted that isolation by distance would drive genetic structure. We identified three genetic clusters (Northwest, Southeast, and Bruce Peninsula) that were less differentiated than when assessed with mtDNA, suggesting the influence of male-biased dispersal on large-scale genetic differentiation. Isolation by distance (r = 0.552, P = 0.001) was supported by a weak, clinal variation between Northwest and Southeast, illustrating the challenges to delineate populations in wide-ranging taxa. The Bruce Peninsula cluster, confined to a small area under strong anthropogenic pressures, was more differentiated from neighbouring clusters (FST > 0.13, P < 0.0001), with a genetic diversity corresponding to disjunct populations of black bears. Our results could be used in landscape genetics models to project the evolution of population differentiation based on upcoming landscape modifications in northern regions of North America.
Fine structure of the antennal sensilla of the millipede Orthomorphella pekuensis (Polydesmida: Paradoxosomatidae)

The fine structural characteristics of various sensory receptors on the antenna of a millipede, Orthomorphella pekuensis, were observed with field emission scanning electron microscopy. The antenna of this millipede has eight segments, called articles. On the surface of the antenna, there are a variety of sensory receptors, including olfactory and mechanical receptors. According to their morphological and fine structural characteristics, we could identify four basic types of antennal sensillum: chaetiform sensilla (CS), trichoid sensilla (TS), basiconic sensilla (BS) and apical cone sensilla (AS). The BS are divided further into three subtypes: large basiconic sensilla (BS1) on the 5th and 6th articles; small basiconic sensilla (BS2) on the 5th article; and a distinct type of basiconic spiniform sensilla (BS3) on the 7th article. The most prominent sensilla are four large AS on the distal tip of the 8th segment. Based on our results, we conclude that the main function of the CS and TS are related to mechanical reception, and that the BS and AS are likely to function in olfactory reception of volatile odors of plants, as these sensilla have base and apex pores, respectively.
Broilers perform better on short or step-up photoperiods

Rearing broilers on 6-h photoperiods and transferring them to 23 h at 21 d has been shown to reduce mortality and the incidence of leg disorders without adversely affecting final body weight or feed conversion efficiency. However, in many countries, welfare codes for meat chickens currently stipulate a minimum photoperiod of 8 h, and are likely to specify a minimum uninterrupted dark period of 8 h in the future. This paper reports a study of the response of two genotypes of broiler females to a lighting regimen that complies with these requirements: an initial 8-h photoperiod followed by a 16-h photoperiod from 21 to 42 d. Constant 8- and 16-h photoperiods were provided as controls. The two breeds responded similarly to all lighting treatments. Constant 8-h and photostimulated birds had significantly heavier body weights, and strong tendencies towards larger feed intakes and superior feed conversion, than the 16-h controls. Lighting treatment had no significant effect on mortality or the incidence of leg problems. Ross birds had a significantly slower growth to 21 d, higher feed intake after 21 d, and inferior feed conversion efficiency throughout than Cobb birds. Ross birds had significantly lower mortality and fewer leg disorders than Cobb, due possibly to their slower initial growth.
Long-term effects of CO2 enrichment on bud phenology and shoot growth patterns of Norway spruce juvenile trees

Bud phenology and shoot elongation growth were monitored on Norway spruce ( Picea abies (L.) Karst. ) trees grown inside glass domes with adjustable windows for six years under ambient (355 µmol CO 2 ∙mol -1 ) and elevated (700 µmol CO 2 ∙mol -1 ) atmospheric CO 2 concentrations CO 2 . Each treatment consisted of two stand densities - sparse (5,000 trees∙ha -1 ) and dense (10,000 trees∙ha -1 ). The age of spruce trees was 10 years at the beginning of the experiment. Elevated CO 2 slightly accelerated the consequential bud germinating phases and it significantly induced shoot elon - gation growth, especially of sun-exposed shoots in a stand with sparse density. This accelerated growth lasted one to three weeks after full bud development in E compared to A. At the end of the growing season the total shoot length did not show any differences between the treatments. We supposed that limiting nitrogen supply to needles slowed down subsequent shoot elongation growth in E treatment. Nevertheless, faster shoot growth in elevated CO 2 conditions can enhance the carbon sink in spruce due to prolongation of the growing season.
Accelerating Super-Resolution and Visual Task Analysis in Medical Images

: Medical images are acquired at different resolutions based on clinical goals or available technology. In general, however, high-resolution images with ﬁne structural details are preferred for visual task analysis. Recognizing this signiﬁcance, several deep learning networks have been proposed to enhance medical images for reliable automated interpretation. These deep networks are often computationally complex and require a massive number of parameters, which restrict them to highly capable computing platforms with large memory banks. In this paper, we propose an efﬁcient deep learning approach, called Hydra , which simultaneously reduces computational complexity and improves performance. The Hydra consists of a trunk and several computing heads. The trunk is a super-resolution model that learns the mapping from low-resolution to high-resolution images. It has a simple architecture that is trained using multiple scales at once to minimize a proposed learning-loss function. We also propose to append multiple task-speciﬁc heads to the trained Hydra trunk for simultaneous learning of multiple visual tasks in medical images. The Hydra is evaluated on publicly available chest X-ray image collections to perform image enhancement, lung segmentation, and abnormality classiﬁcation. Our experimental results support our claims and demonstrate that the proposed approach can improve the performance of super-resolution and visual task analysis in medical images at a remarkably reduced computational cost.
Single Spin Asymmetries of Identified Hadrons in Polarized p+p at s = 62.4 and 200 GeV

Measurements of xF -dependent single spin asymmetries of identified charged hadrons, π , K , p, and p̄, from transversely polarized proton collisions at s 200 and 62.4 GeV at RHIC are presented. The energy and flavor dependent asymmetry measurements bring new insight into the fundamental mechanisms of transverse spin asymmetries and Quantum Chromodynamical description of hadronic structure.
Effects of domestication on growth physiology and endocrinology of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar)

Selection programs for fish frequently target growth rate as a breeding goal, yet surprisingly little is known about which mechanisms underlying the growth process are being targeted. The aim of this study was thus to examine whether the process of artificial selection of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) that has resulted in higher growth rate resulted in underlying changes in the growth hormone (GH)  insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) axis of endocrine growth regulation. This was tested by comparing similarly reared seventh-generation farm salmon with wild salmon from the principal founder population of the farm strain at three life stages. Not unexpectedly, the domesticated fish outgrew their wild counterparts; this was most evident in salt water, where they averaged three times the weight by the end. Pituitary GH content was positively correlated with growth rate and correspondingly was significantly higher in the faster growing domesticated fish than in the wild fish. Plasma GH levels were also signif.
DESIGN OF AN ALGORITHM FOR VEHICULAR TRAFFIC DETECTION USING COMPUTER VISION TECHNIQUES

This work presents the design of an algorithm for vehicular traffic detection using computer vision techniques. The objective is to perform the counting of the vehicles that transit on a certain route and also know the average speed with which these vehicles travel. For the development of this project it was necessary to have devices whose technical characteristics allow the fulfillment of the proposed objectives. For this it was determined to use a camera with a resolution in high definition (1280x720p) and a capture rate of 30 frames per second. Another requirement for this project is based on the compiler, which must be compatible with the OpenCV library and the base programming language (C language). Thus, a compiler such as Qt Creator is required, with which all the programming of both the algorithm and the application are developed.
Evaluation of instant light-response curves of chlorophyll fluorescence parameters obtained with a portable chlorophyll fluorometer on site in the field

Miniaturized pulse-amplitude modulated photosynthesis yield analysers are primarily designed for measuring effective quantum yield (ΔF/Fm′) of photosystem II under momentary ambient light conditions in the field. Although this provides important ecophysiological information, it is often necessary to learn more about the potential intrinsic capacities of leaves by measuring light-response curves. Thus, instruments provide light-curve programmes, where light intensities are increased in short intervals and instant light-response curves are recorded within a few minutes. This method can be criticized because photosynthesis will most likely not be in steady state. This technical report shows that with the appropriate precautions instant light curves can nevertheless provide reliable information about cardinal points of photosynthesis. First, the geometry of the light source of the instrument in relation to the quantum sensor must be considered and quantum sensor readings must be corrected. Second, the measurements of the light-response curves must be compared with readings of effective quantum yield of photosystem II under ambient light conditions where photosynthesis is in steady state. This may show that in the critical range of the light curves either both measurements perfectly coincide or are offset against each other by a constant value (examples are given here). In the first case results of light curves can be taken at face values, and in the second case a simple correction can be applied. With these precautions and careful interpretations instant light-response curves can be an enormous advantage in ecophysiological field work.
Attack-based indices, not movement patterns, reveal intraspecific variation in foraging behavior

In lizards, much of the research on foraging patterns has regarded foraging behavior as static within species and has quantified foraging based on movement patterns alone. Sole use of movement patterns has been recognized as problematic because movements are often related to activities other than foraging (e.g., reproduction). Consequently, intraspecific variation in foraging behavior and its ecological consequences (e.g., diet variation) have been dramatically under studied. In this study, we examined the foraging behavior and diet of the Florida scrub lizard (Sceloporus woodi). Our objectives were 1) to quantify the variation in foraging behavior through the activity season to document how movement and foraging varies between sexes across the breeding and post-breeding seasons, 2) to quantify the efficacy of movement patterns versus attack-based metrics in detecting variation, and 3) to quantify the dietary consequences of variation in foraging. We found no differences in movement patterns between seasons or sexes, but we did find sexual variation in attack behavior and corresponding seasonal and sexual variation in diet. Indeed, a new attack-based index, attacks while stationary (AWS), was able to show precisely how foraging patterns varied. Combining attack-based indices and lag sequential analysis provided a complete description of how prey was acquired compared with using movement patterns alone. Our results provide a cautionary note for future researchers; focusing solely on movement patterns and/or ignoring seasonal and sexual variation in foraging behavior misses ecologically relevant variation that is highly informative about the causes and consequences of changes in foraging behavior. Copyright 2011, Oxford University Press.
ITERATIVE SPARSE DECONVOLUTION USING SEISLET-DOMAIN CONSTRAINT

Bai, M. , and Wu, J., 2019. Iterative sparse deconvolution using seislet-domain constraint. Journal of Seismic Exploration, 28: 73-88. Deconvolution can help improve the resolution of seismic data. We introduce a deconvolution formulation that can arbitrarily select the resolution level of the seismic data by defining a simple squeezing factor. Considering the ill-posedness of the deconvolution problem, some proper regularizations should be added when iteratively solving the deconvolution-related inverse problem. Traditionally used Fourier-domain constraint can be effective only when the seismic data contains linear events. We propose a seislet-domain constraint to regularize the deconvolution problem to deal with the curved events in seismic data. The seislet transform compressed the seismic data along structural direction, and thus can obtain the optimal sparsity. We apply the proposed method to both synthetic and field data examples and obtain encouraging performance.
Isolation and Characterization of Polygonum equisetiforme Flavonoids and Their Acaricidal Activity against Tetranychus urticae Koch.

Acaricidal activity assessment against Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae) of different extracts of Polygonum equisetiforme (Polygonaceae) aerial parts revealed that butanol extract has the highest activity. Processing of this fraction using repeated column and thin layer chromatographic techniques resulted in the isolation of five flavonoids, which have identified NMR as; quercetin (1), avicularin (2), isoquercitrin(3), betmidin (4) and myricitrin (5). All the five isolated flavonoids showed acaricidal activity using leaf-dip technique against T. urticae Koch larvae in the following decreasing activity order; quercetin (LC50 =11.28 ppm), avicularin (46.72 ppm), isoquercitrin (63.77 ppm), myricitrin (169.66 ppm) and betmidin (188.11 ppm). While the activity against the adult females was found to be quercetin (LC50 =16.28 ppm), isoquercitrin (93.38 ppm), avicularin (98.57 ppm), betmidin (161.00 ppm) and myricitrin (206.68 ppm) after 7 days of treatment. This is the first report on isolation of the two
Field experiments in electro-culture

Four years' additional experimental work on the application of a high tension discharge to the growth of field crops is described. Ten experiments with spring-sown oats and barley, two with winter-sown wheat, one with spring-sown wheat, and four with clover-hay have now been described. The discharge was usually given at the rate of 0·5 to 1·0 milliamp. per acre from thin insulated wires stretched above the crop at a height of about 7 ft. and charged to a voltage of 40,000 to 80,000 (crest value). The discharge was usually given for 6 hours a day in two periods, 3 hours in the morning and 3 hours in the afternoon. If the two experiments with spring-sown oats described in previous papers are included and the experiment of 1919 with spring-sown wheat (which yielded only 8 bushels to the acre) is excluded a series of 18 results is available spread over a period of 6 years. Of these 18 field experiments with various crops, 14 gave positive results in favour of the electrified plots, while 4 showed negative results, i.e. decreased yields compared with the controls. Of the 14 positive results only 3 show increases of less than 10 per cent, while 9 show increases of 30 per cent, and over, some reaching 50 per cent, and over. Of the 4 negative none shows a decrease of as much as 10 per cent. Of the 12 experiments with spring-sown cereals 10 were positive and 2 negative. Of the positive results only 2 show increases of less than 10 per cent, while 6 show increases of 30 per cent, to 57 per cent. ; on the other hand both the negative results are quite small, being 6 per cent. and 9 per cent. respectively. The effect of electrification in increasing the yield of spring-grown oats and barley has thus been demonstrated. The mean increase in yield for such crops was 22 per cent. A beneficial effect of the discharge on clover-hay is probable while the effect on winter-sown wheat is still uncertain. Our knowledge of the proper conditions under which the discharge should be given is still so meagre that there is no reason to believe that the increased yields here described are the maximum obtainable as a result of electrification. The mode of action of the current in producing increased growth and yield is still obscure. In several cases the electrified field crops showed a deeper green tint than that of the controls, and work already published has shown that in the case of the coleoptile (plumule sheath) of barley minute electric currents are able to bring about an increase in the rate of growth. The effect of the discharge is of the nature of a stimulus. The additional energy available from the current is too small to have any direct effect since it is only about 1/1000th, or less, of the energy which the plant obtains from sunlight. There is no evidence that gaseous products of the discharge play any part in the stimulation of growth. The additional supply of nitrogen brought to the soil from oxides of nitrogen produced as a result of electrification must be exceedingly small.
Effects of sub-lethal doses of fenitrothion on the microscopic structure of the midgut of the desert locust, Schistocerca gregaria (Forskal, 1775; Orthoptera, Acrididae)

The effect of sublethal doses of fenitrothion on the histological structure of the midgut of Schistocerca gregaria was investigated. Sub-lethal doses of fenitrothion (0.01 g/l by contact and 0.09 g/l by ingestion) were applied using a hand sprayer on five days old imago held in cage. Sixteen days after the treatment, the insect’s digestive tracts were dissected under a binocular microscope and were immediately taken to undergo conventional histological treatments. The midgut structure shows a damage of muscle and epithelial cells layers. A significant reduction of the number of micro-organisms up to their complete disappearance was noted in the treated locusts and their descendants. Also was observed a significant reduction of intestinal lumen from 2.16mm in controls to 1.47mm in treated locusts group. In the progeny of treated locusts, this value changes from 2.18 to 1.78 and 1.31mm, respectively for the descendants treated by contact and ingestion. Fenitrothion toxicity could cause metabolic disturbances that are able to be transmitted to their descendants. These observations may explain the decline in voracity demonstrated in the latter and consequently lead to a reduction of the damage caused by locusts.
Detection of Salmonella in Gopher Tortoises (Gopherus polyphemus) During Two Relocation Efforts in Florida

Abstract Two separate populations of threatened gopher tortoises (Gopherus polyphemus) in Florida were found to carry Salmonella spp. during relocation efforts from Orange and St. Johns Counties to Walton County. The potentially zoonotic bacteria were detected using cloacal swabs for culture and PCR analysis. Although there was a difference in the amount of perceived clinical stress undergone in each group, the percentage of tortoises shedding Salmonella was not statistically significant between the cohorts (9% and 11%). All isolates underwent antibiotic sensitivity testing and were susceptible to 10 antibiotic compounds.