Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Conspiraces and Secret Price Discounts in the Marketplace: Evidence from Field Experiments

We explore collusion by using the tools of experimental economics in a naturally occurring marketplace. We report that competitive price theory adequately organizes data in multilateral decentralized bargaining markets without conspiratorial opportunities. When conspiratorial opportunities are allowed and contract prices are perfectly observed, prices (quantities) are considerably above (below) competitive levels. When sellers receive imperfect price signals, outcomes are intermediate to those of competitive markets and collusive markets with full information. Finally, experienced buyers serve as a catalyst to thwart attempts by sellers to engage in anticompetitive pricing: in periods where experienced agents transact in the market, average transaction prices are below those realized in periods where only inexperienced agents execute trades.
Potential of White Birch (Betula papyrifera) in Labrador, Canada

Context: Sites where trees are at the extreme of their climatological limits are the best suited for building climate reconstructions. White birch ( Betula papyrifera) are often found in Canada pressing the northern extent of the boreal forest. Aims: This study tests the dendroclimatological potential of white birch near its northern range limit by comparing a master chronology from Labrador City, Newfoundland, Canada (N52.58 W66.55) with temperature and precipitation data from the region. Methods: Twenty trees were sampled twice each and crossdated to create a standard ized master chronology. Temperature and precipitation data spanning 1960 – 2008 were compared to a standardized version of the master chronology. Results: Core samples spanned 160 years (1851-2010) with a mean age of 135. Series exhibited high intercorrelation (0.425), mean sensitivity (0.374) and autocorrelation (0.808) values. The standardized chronology exhibited strong correlations with mid-summer temperature, as well as a minor relationship with moisture availability in the previ ous summer. Conclusions: The high mean sensitivity is indicative of other regional deciduous chronologies and represents heightened sensitivity to short-term climate variance. In comparison to previous dendroclimatological studies in the area, white birch appears to have a less muted climate signal, as evidenced by its strong annual growth correlations with June and July temperature. The weak association with pre cipitation is indicative of other species in Labrador. This study demonstrates that high-quality dendrochronological data can be attained from white birch trees in the Labrador region and consequently, this species should be recognized as potentially a key indicator of temperature trends in the region.
Herd Management and Breeding Practices of Sheep Owners in North Wollo Zone, Northern Ethiopia

4 Abstract: This study was aimed to generate organized information on selective breeding objectives, traits preferences and production system of native sheep types in Habru and Gubalafto districts of North Wollo Zone under smallholders' management conditions. The study was performed based on household survey. Among the livestock species, sheep accounted for the largest proportion in the study area and the average sheep flock size was 7.02 million heads in Habru and 18.08 million in Gubalafto. The primary reason of keeping sheep was for cash income in both Habru and Gubalafto. Growth rate, body size, coat color, tail type and mating ability were the most frequently reported traits in selecting breeding rams across the two districts; whereas lambing interval, mothering ability, coat color, body size and twinning rate were mentioned as traits given due emphasis in choosing future breeding ewes. The production constraints in order of importance as perceived by farmers were: feed shortage, diseases and parasite prevalence, land shortage and poor performance in Habru. Similar production constraints were recorded from Gubalafto districts, except for land shortage and genotypes which were ranked as 4 and 3 . To realize full benefits of a breeding strategy; approaches should be holistic th rd with concurrent improvement in the non-genetic factors (disease resistance and feed efficiency) as well. In order to minimize the failure of breed improvement programs it is important to involve farmers considering the existing breeding practices, management systems and trait preferences of the community and the multipurpose roles of targeted animals.
Molecular Dynamics Simulation of Low-Energy Sputtering of Molybdenum with Xenon Ions *+

A study has been initiated to investigate interactions between low-energy xenon ions and molybdenum using molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. An MD code, Simulation Kit, designed for simulation of atomic collisions in solid lattices was used in this study. The ion energies ranged from 150 to 500 eV. The ions impinged on the target normal to the (110) plane. The target consisted of 6 layers, each nominally consisting of 306 atoms. The standard ZBL potential with a screening length correction factor of 1.1 has been used in this investigation. Each simulation was terminated after 1000 fs. The sputtering yields obtained from these simulations are in reasonable agreement with existing data.
Uninformed partisans? The redistributive preferences of young Greeks

This paper adds to the literature on subjective redistributive preferences. Ιt aims at explaining the preferences of young people, a theme which has, paradoxically, been underresearched. The paper explores specific preferences over a range of redistributive policies and labour market institutions. A two-stage research strategy is employed to trace the impact of information, as well as the influence of self-interest, personal economic prospects, ideology, and political attitudes on redistributive preferences in a sample of 533 students. The provision of information – that is, lifting the porous veil of ignorance facing young persons – has virtually no effect on preferences. Two mechanisms are uncovered: an ideological-political and a political-economic one. The latter explains the intensity of redistributive preferences, but not their content and direction.
VEGETATION PRODUCTIVITY MODEL FOR GRAND TRAVERSE COUNTY, MICHIGAN 1

Methods and procedures to evaluate and predict the productivity potential of disturbed soils are of great interest to soil scientists, land planners, and environmental specialists, especially in reclamation and restoration of disturbed landscapes. This study is based upon data collected by the Natural Resource Conservation Service in Grand Traverse County, Michigan. The procedure employs Principal Component Analysis to develop a latent dimension vegetation variable from corn (Zea mays L.), silage corn (Zea mays L.), oat (Avena sativa L.), winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), grass and legume mixtures, eastern red cedar (Juniperus virginiana L.), white spruce (Picea glauca L.), red pine (Pinus resinosa Ait.), eastern white pine (Pinus strobus L.), amur maple (Acer ginnala Maxim.), green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica Marsh.), siberian peashrub (Caragana arborescens Lam.), and lilac (Syringa vulgaris L.). Soil factors examined in the study include: topographic position, % slope, % rock fragments, % clay, bulk density, hydraulic conductivity, available water holding capacity, soil reaction, % organic matter. A predictive equation for evaluating and reconstructing soil profiles in reclamation applications and in assessing other forms of soil disturbance was generated (p<0.0001), explaining 73.72% of the variance.
Identification of the Allergenic Proteins of Litchi chinensis (Litchi) pollen: Partial Characterization and Sensitivity Test

The pollen of Litchi chinensis (Litchi) is an important aeroallergen of Bangladesh. The pollen of this fruits plant was collected from full bloomed flower growing in different places of Rajshahi, Bangladesh. Pollen protein extracted and partial purified by means of long-term PBS extraction, salting out, dialysis, gel filtrations and DEAE-Cellulose chromatography which was designated by LFPP (Litchi flowers pollen protein). Gel filtration of the partial purified pollen protein gives two main peaks. The major peak gives four bands on SDS-PAGE. After gel filtration and Ion exchange chromatography, a single band in the protein profile of LFPP, (M.W. 28 kDa) was the major allergenic component of Litchi chinensis (Litchi) flower pollen. The homogeneity and the molecular weight of the protein were estimated by SDS-PAGE, and Gel filtration was 28kDa. The allergenic protein was identified by skin test and shows the pectate lyase (Pel) activity. Skin-prick tests also revealed highest degree of sensitivity to the Nawabgang sample giving positive response in 90% of the patients. Skin reactivity ranged between 1+ and 3+.
The Impact of "Hot Cognition" In Professional Performance: How Academic Communities May Exploit it

Today the business world claims for professionals able to interact in society in an emotionally intelligent way. In the last century, the Universities around the world did not address the issue in an explicit way. They form students technically competent, but not necessarily emotionally competent, limited to interact or collaborate in a professional community. This paper shows the importance of ”hot cognition”1 in the human decision-making during the knowledge creation process. We describe how the knowledge creation process is running in the academic communities during their daily activities. We also propose a prototype to register the subtle and tacit knowledge extracted during the academic communities interactions. That knowledge can improve the way to develop/update systematically the psychological abilities of students during their graduate experience.
The use of ozone for the treatment of logyard run-off

This work explored the use of ozone in the treatment of run-off from logyards in an effort to remove its toxicity to aquatic wildlife. In this survey, an EC50 range of 1.9%-26.8%, as measured by Microtox, was obtained for samples from a pair of sawmills on the British Columbia coast. Canadian law prohibits toxic discharges into fish-bearing waters; toxicity is defined as a 96-hour rainbow trout LC50 less than 100%. Ozone has been found to be an effective way of reducing the toxicity of logyard run-off. For treatment of run-off at pH 7, the reduction in the levels of COD and BOD was moderate (-35% and 25%, respectively) but reduction in the levels of toxicity and parameters associated with toxicity to aquatic organisms was significant. Acute toxicity as measured by Microtox was reduced by over 85% while D H A (a resin acid toxic to fish at low concentrations) and tannins and lignins were reduced by 100% and 90%, respectively. A decrease in the pH of the treatment from 7 to 5 was found to have a negative effect on the effectiveness of ozone in reducing the levels of the toxicity-related parameters. Although run-off samples had quite different initial COD levels (2380 mg/L-8760 mg/L), the fractional reduction of COD and toxicity-related parameters displayed good consistency when expressed in terms of ozone consumed / initial COD (0.57 mg/mg). Batch biological treatment of run-off resulted in reductions of BOD, COD, tannins and lignins, and Microtox toxicity of 98%), 80%, 90%, and 96%, respectively. The kinetics of biodegradation are similar to those for a bleached kraft mill effluent. Ozonation of logyard run-off in conjunction with biological treatment was examined. Ozone treatment of biologically-treated run-off resulted in further reductions of COD (22%) and tannins and lignins (68%); however, these were from quite reduced starting levels of 1130 mg/L
Courtesy and Idleness: Gender Differences in Team Work and Team Competition Courtesy and Idleness: Gender Differences in Team Work and Team Competition

Any opinions expressed here are those of the author(s) and not those of the institute. Research disseminated by IZA may include views on policy, but the institute itself takes no institutional policy positions. The Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA) in Bonn is a local and virtual international research center and a place of communication between science, politics and business. IZA is an independent nonprofit company supported by Deutsche Post World Net. The center is associated with the University of Bonn and offers a stimulating research environment through its research networks, research support, and visitors and doctoral programs. IZA engages in (i) original and internationally competitive research in all fields of labor economics, (ii) development of policy concepts, and (iii) dissemination of research results and concepts to the interested public. IZA Discussion Papers often represent preliminary work and are circulated to encourage discussion. Citation of such a paper should account for its provisional character. A revised version may be available directly from the author. ABSTRACT Courtesy and Idleness: Gender Differences in Team Work and Team Competition * Does gender play a role in the context of team work? Our results based on a real-effort experiment suggest that performance depends on the composition of the team. We find that female and male performance differ most in mixed teams with revenue sharing between the team members, as men put in significantly more effort than women. The data also indicate that women perform best when competing in pure female teams against male teams whereas men perform best when women are present or in a competitive environment. support by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) through SFB 649 "Economic Risk" is gratefully acknowledged.
Conversion Preliminary Safety Analysis Report for the NIST Research Reactor

The NIST Center for Neutron Research (NCNR) is a reactor-laboratory complex providing the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the nation with a world-class facility for the performance of neutron-based research. The heart of this facility is the NIST research reactor (aka NBSR); a heavy water moderated and cooled reactor operating at 20 MW. It is fueled with high-enriched uranium (HEU) fuel elements. A Global Threat Reduction Initiative (GTRI) program is underway to convert the reactor to low-enriched uranium (LEU) fuel. This program includes the qualification of the proposed fuel, uranium and molybdenum alloy foil clad in an aluminum alloy, and the development of the fabrication techniques. This report is a preliminary version of the Safety Analysis Report (SAR) that would be submitted to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for approval prior to conversion. The report follows the recommended format and content from the NRC codified in NUREG-1537, “Guidelines for Preparing and Reviewing Applications for the Licensing of Non-power Reactors,” Chapter 18, “Highly Enriched to Low-Enriched Uranium Conversions. ” The emphasis in any conversion SAR is to explain the differences between the LEU and HEU cores and to show the acceptability of the new design; there is nomore » need to repeat information regarding the current reactor that will not change upon conversion. Hence, as seen in the report, the bulk of the SAR is devoted to Chapter 4, Reactor Description, and Chapter 13, Safety Analysis. « less
Effects of long term application of inorganic and organic fertilizers on soil biological properties of rice

Long Term Fertilizer Experiments were conducted since kharif, 2000 at Regional Agricultural Research Station, Jagtial, Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agr4icultural University in rice – rice cropping system on an Inceptisol. The present study was undertaken during kharif, 2016 to estimate the soil biological properties (urease, dehydrogenase and phosphatise activity) at different growth stages of rice. In all the treatments, enzymes exhibited higher activity at flowering stage (60 DAT) and thereafter the activity was decreased towards 90 DAT. Continuous application of FYM along with balnced fertilizer application i.e. 100 % NPK recorded highest urease and dehydrogenase activity during both the stages of crop growth. Super optimal dose of NPK (150 %NPK) recorded significantly higher acid and alkaline phosphatase activity, whereas this activity was comparable with 100 % NPK + FYM treatment. Integrated nutrient management practice including FYM and recommended dose NPK showed as best treatment with respect to increase enzymatic properties.
Estimating river flow capacity in practice

Estimating water level underpins almost all river flood risk management (FRM) tasks from identifying routine channel maintenance actions to developing comprehensive sustainable FRM measures. Research over the past 50 years has seen considerable advances in estimating flow capacity; however, much of this knowledge has not been transferred into industry practice. This paper introduces the Conveyance and Afflux Estimation System (CES/AES) software, the primary output from two UK Environment Agency Research projects, which aim to bridge this gap between science and practice. The focus is the conveyance element, which provides a means for estimating flow capacity for a range of channel types, flow conditions and vegetation and substrate cover. An overview of the methodology and testing is given, together with a practical example of its use in decision making. The method is applied to 16 river sites from the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Argentina and Ecuador, exhibiting model performance for a wide range of channel and flow conditions. Simulations of depth‐averaged velocities at four sites are compared with observations, improving confidence in the underlying methods. The CES/AES toolset is also used in assessing flood risk versus ecological objectives for a small UK river, where vegetation is of significant conservation value but impacts flow capacity.
Global Teleconnections of Meridional Overturning Circulation Anomalies

There is a wide range of evidence from both models and palaeoclimatic data that indicates the possibility of abrupt changes in the oceanic meridional overturning circulation (MOC). However, much of our dynamical understanding of the MOC comes from steady-state models that rely upon the assumption of thermodynamic equilibrium and are therefore only valid on millennial time scales. Here a dynamical model for the global teleconnections of MOC anomalies on annual to multidecadal time scales is developed. It is based on a linear theory for the propagation of zonally integrated meridional transport anomalies in a reduced-gravity ocean and allows for multiple ocean basins connected by a circumpolar channel to the south. The theory demonstrates that the equator acts as a low-pass filter to MOC anomalies. As a consequence, MOC anomalies on decadal and shorter time scales are confined to the hemispheric basin in which they are generated and have little impact on the remainder of the global ocean. The linear theory is compared with the results of a global nonlinear numerical integration, which it reproduces to a good approximation.
Automatic Lung Nodule Classification in Chest Computerized Tomography Images

The aim of the present work is the development of a computer-assisted diagnosis system for lung nodule classification into benign or malignant. Lung cancer is the world’s deadliest type of cancer with a 5-year overall survival rate of only 10 to 15 %. A relatively poor early stage diagnosis is the main cause of dead when defining the odds for the success of the patient’s survival rate and the primary reason for this lies on the difficulty in the diagnosis process, where for early detecting and characterizing these pathologies, the radiologists must be capable of performing an exhaustive search throughout the scans. This procedure is very time consuming and often physically demanding, that may lead to errors. Biomedical engineers have, therefore, the objective of providing Computer-aided Diagnosis (CAD) systems in order to aid and assist radiologists in the diagnostic process. CAD systems involve computer based algorithms designed to process images using image analysis and machine learning techniques. In the present work, an automatic CAD system for lung nodule classification in CT images is presented. This system determines the malignancy of a nodule using information retrieved solely from the region around the nodules and was designed in two ways: 1) A system that provides a lung nodule classification similar to the radiologists. 2) A system that provides a lung nodule classification similar to a real biopsy, surgery exam or follow up during several years. For this purpose, some studies were performed to optimize the system, namely, an analysis of the Lung Image Database Consortium and Image Database Resource Initiative (LIDC-IDRI) database, in what concerns the agreement of the radiologists’ segmentations and intensity ranges of the images and the development of a novel lung nodule segmentation algorithm. The agreement study showed that the segmentations of radiologists differ greatly from each other, indicating a low agreement, and the range of intensities between nodules is similar. The novel lung nodule segmentation algorithm presented good results when compared with the radiologists’ segmentations. Finally, the two systems were implemented and optimized by using a set of optimal features and different classifiers. The results showed good performance for both when used for classification in similar data.
Radiographic Evaluation of Condylar Angle and Glenoid Fossa and Their Correlation with Malocclusion

Associate Professor, Dental Research Center, Dentistry Research Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Department of Oral Radiology, School of Dentistry, Tehran University of Medical Sciences. Tehran, Iran Associate Professor, Dentistry Research Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Department of Ortodontics, School of Dentistry, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Assistant Professor, Department of Endodontics, School of Dentistry, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Mazandaran, Iran
Phosphorus losses from agricultural soils: processes at the field scale; COST Action 832 Quantifying the agricultural contribution to eutrophication; selected papers from the meetings of Working Group 2

In this introductory paper, I try to summarize some major features of water flow at the field scale relevant for the subsequent discussion of P losses. After the definition of the field scale as a hydrologically arbitrary but agronomically essential scale between the plot and the hillslope scale the flow mechanisms at that scale are discussed. It is emphasized that it is crucial to understand the interplay between the spatial patterns of flow paths and the pools of mobile solutes in the soil. The differences between surface and subsurface flow are discussed as well as the main factors enhancing surface runoff. Despite the substantial differences between flow in the soil and on the soil surface I argue that it is important to treat the two processes together because they are mutually dependent and the flow path out of a field may well be a sequence of subsurface and surface flow. In the last part, the spatial and the temporal heterogeneity are discussed. The paper concludes with the proposition to compare the P-losses in different areas of Europe based on conceptual models containing the most important processes and controlling factors for different regions.