Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Evidence for a differential sea level rise between hemispheres over the twentieth century

Tide gauge records are the primary source of sea level information over multidecadal to century timescales. A critical issue in using this type of data to determine global climate‐related contributions to sea level change concerns the vertical motion of the land upon which the gauges are grounded. Here we use observations from the Global Positioning System for the correction of this vertical land motion. As a result, the spatial coherence in the rates of sea level change during the twentieth century is highlighted at the local and the regional scales, ultimately revealing a clearly distinct behavior between the Northern and the Southern Hemispheres with values of 2.0 mm/yr and 1.1 mm/yr, respectively. Our findings challenge the widely accepted value of global sea level rise for the twentieth century.
Asymptotic analysis of European and American options with jumps in the underlying

In a jump-diffusion model for a single-asset market, we present an asymptotic analysis of European and American call options where the volatility is small compared with the drift terms. We precisely derive in the limit where volatility is negligible, relative to drifts, asymptotic expansion formulas for European, American and perpetual American call prices. As in the Black-Scholes model, we find that at leading order, the American call behaves in the same manner as a perpetual call option, except in a boundary layer about the option's expiry date. The derived expansion formulas contribute to the option pricing theory and provide a powerful tool to approximate call prices with a good accuracy, which allows to avoid the use of any numerical method.
The interactive effect of knowledge management with organizational citizenship behavior on knowledge management performance in Taiwan semiconductor industries

This study aims to study the relation between knowledge management and knowledge management performance, in Taiwan semiconductor industry, as well as organizational citizenship behavior being the moderator in the relation. Questionnaires were distributed to R&D personnel of public-listed companies in Taiwan semiconductor industry, and total 470 effective samples were retrieved. For data analysis, the stepwise linear regression analysis was applied to examine the relation among variables as well as the moderating effect. The findings show that in Taiwan semiconductor industry, (1) the higher level of knowledge management is practiced, the more effect on knowledge management performance is received; (2) the higher level of organizational citizenship behavior exists, the more influence on knowledge management performance is believed. We also observed presence of organizational citizenship behavior resulting in positive moderating effect in the relation between knowledge management and knowledge capacity performance, but negative moderating effect in the relation between knowledge management and knowledge flow performance.
Characterization of microsatellite loci in the lichen fungus Lobaria pulmonaria (Lobariaceae)1

Premise of the study: Microsatellite loci were developed for the threatened haploid lichen fungus Lobaria pulmonaria to increase the resolution to identify clonal individuals, and to study its population subdivision. Methods and Results: We developed 14 microsatellite markers from 454 DNA sequencing data of L. pulmonaria and tested for cross-amplification with L. immixta and L. macaronesica. The number of alleles per locus ranged from two to 23. Nei's unbiased gene diversity, averaged over loci, ranged from 0.434 to 0.517 in the three studied populations. Conclusions: The new markers will increase the genetic resolution in studies that aim at disentangling clones in L. pulmonaria and may be useful for closely related species within Lobaria sect. Lobaria.
The mechanisms of value co-creation

Facilitated by a wide array of technological advancements, interaction between customers and companies is taking new forms and shapes that go beyond traditional exchange. Companies are no longer perceived as sole goods providers, nor customers regarded merely as sources of money. Thus, both companies and customers are initiating new ways to support each others' value creation, that is, new value co-creation mechanisms are developed. This evolution has provided companies with a strategic impetus to reconsider their customers' roles in current business practices – a central characteristic of the contemporary discussion on value co-creation. However, not all companies necessarily benefit from value co-creation, which makes it even more important for them to carefully assess the opportunities that it entails. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to examine the strategic implications of the mechanisms of value co-creation. This is achieved through investigating the possibilities of different value co-creation mechanisms from the perspectives of economic, functional, emotional, and symbolic customer value propositions.
Exploring the ICT and Rural Poverty Reduction Link: Community Telecenters and Rural Livelihoods in Wu'an, China

Applying the ‘Rural Livelihoods’ framework of analysis, this study explores the link between information and communication technologies (ICTs) and rural poverty reduction by analyzing the role of community telecenters in enhancing the livelihood strategies of rural poor households. The ‘Rural Livelihoods’ framework argues that interventions that play a role in facilitating an increase in the poor's livelihood assets and resources and facilitate diversified livelihoods have a potential for reducing poverty. Using telecenters set up by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the China Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST) in selected rural villages in Wu'an, China as case studies, the paper explores the direct and indirect role that telecenters play in facilitating the poor's access to more livelihood resources and assets and in influencing the adoption of diverse livelihood strategies. Findings show that while the intensity of the changes experienced cannot support the claims about the transformative role of telecenters on the rural poor, these have some positive implications on certain aspects of rural poverty. These implications extend not only to economic aspects (such as better earnings or production), but to human (such as e‐literacy and new farming techniques) and social (such as creation of venues for community integration and knowledge sharing) dimensions. The paper gives emphasis on specific conditions and factors that motivate rural communities to use telecenter facilities and obtain useful information, and those that facilitate the translation of information into the construction of diversified livelihood strategies.
Broiler carcass quality using head-only electrical stunning in a waterbath

1. The objective was to assess carcass quality of broilers when they were stunned by immersing their heads in a waterbath with an electric current flowing from one side of it to the other, while a second small current passed through the body to the waterbath to prevent involuntary wing flapping. 2. The prevalence of wing, shoulder and breast fillet haemorrhages and of broken bones in the pectoral region was not greater than that resulting from the normal stunning practice in that plant (63 mA, 610 Hz pDC). 3. These results imply that carcass damage using this technique will be significantly lower than that which will result from the application of higher stunning currents required by the new EU slaughter poultry slaughter regulations.
The Impact of Earnings Announcement Surprise on Stock Prices

The 2008 financial crisis and recent volatility in global markets have provided important motivations to better understand the functioning of equity markets, since stock market crashes can trigger severe recessions through wealth and balance-sheet effects. Against efficient market theory, the literature has found much evidence that stock price movements seem unrelated to expected future movements in corporate fundamentals. This thesis investigates the impact of earnings announcement surprise on stock prices and contributes to the existing literature by examining the impact’s dependency on various factors (the P/E ratio, the output gap, whether the forecast error is positive or negative, and the distribution of forecasts). The thesis measures earnings surprise with Bloomberg quarterly forecasts for three companies (Hewlett Packard, IBM, and Walt Disney) from 1984 to 2015. Regression results indicate that positive surprise tends to raise stock prices around announcement days, with the exception of IBM. Other factors affect each company with different significances and magnitudes. Positive surprise has a smaller impact than negative surprise under a lower P/E ratio or a decreasing output gap. When the standard deviation of forecasts is high, investors may respond more or less to earnings surprise.
FOREIGN PORTFOLIO INVESTMENT INFLOWS TO THE UNITED STATES: THE IMPACT OF INVESTOR RISK AVERSION AND US STOCK MARKET PERFORMANCE

This paper examines the relationship of net foreign portfolio investment inflows, namely corporate bonds and stocks, to two pull factors; investor risk aversion and the US stock market. Using a vector autoregressive model, we find that positive shocks to the stock market elicit an insignificant response to the net corporate bond inflow and a significant short term positive response to the net corporate stock inflow. The net corporate stock inflow does not respond to risk aversion, while bond inflows do exhibit a significant midterm response to an increase in risk aversion. Consistent with previous empirical findings, the results show that internal country-specific factors may influence foreign portfolio inflows.
Corporate strategy development via numerical situation analysis

Purpose – Using the numerical situation analysis (NSA) technique in the development of corporate strategy provides senior managers with a suitable methodology for the creation of alternative strategic options. Subsequently, it may be used to evaluate those options for possible selection and implementation by the company concerned. In addition, the technique provides a graphic temporal point description of an organisation's strategic situation. Consequently, the aim of this paper is to outline the technique of NSA via a hypothetical example and thereby illustrate its use in practice. Design/methodology/approach – By using a paradigm approach, the paper indicates the correct application of the NSA technique as a means of defining and evaluating alternative strategic options within a manufacturing company. As proposed, the methodology also permits several graphic illustrations of the strategic situation to be drawn, along with a scheme for monitoring the effectiveness of an adopted strategy. Findings – The e.
Strategic Planning in the University

Strategic planning is a means of establishing major directions for the university, college/school or department. Through strategic planning, resources are concentrated in a limited number of major directions in order to maximize benefits to stakeholders—those we exist to serve and who are affected by the choices we make. In higher education, those stakeholders include students, employers of graduates, funding agencies, and society, as well as internal stakeholders such as faculty and staff. Strategic planning is a structured approach to anticipating the future and "exploiting the inevitable. " The strategic plan should chart the broad course for the entire institution for the next five years. It is a process for ensuring that the budget dollars follow the plan rather than vice versa. Strategic planning is not just a plan for growth and expansion. A strategic plan can and often does guide retrenchment and reallocation.
Analysis in Cos-1 cells of processing and polyadenylation signals by using derivatives of the herpes simplex virus type 1 thymidine kinase gene

Bal31 nuclease was used to resect the herpes simplex virus type 1 thymidine kinase (tk) gene from its 3' end, and a plasmid, pTK206, was isolated that lacked the processing and polyadenylation signals normally found at the 3' end of the gene. The wild-type gene, pTK2, and pTK206 were each transferred to pSV010, a plasmid containing the simian virus 40 (SV40) origin of DNA replication, allowing replication and analysis of the patterns of transcription in Cos-1 cells. Fragments of DNA containing processing and polyadenylation signals from SV40 and polyoma virus were inserted into the 3' end of the resected tk gene, pTK206. We found that tk gene expression requires a processing and polyadenylation signal, that signals from SV40 and polyoma virus could substitute for the herpes simplex virus tk signal, and that considerable differences in the levels of tk mRNA were present in Cos-1 cells transfected by these gene constructs. In addition, tk gene expression was restored to a low level after the insertion of an 88-base-pair fragment from the middle of the SV40 early region. Processing and polyadenylation do not occur in the vicinity of this fragment in SV40, even though it contains the hexanucleotide 5'-AAUAAA-3'.
Distorted Born Diffraction Tomography: limits and applications to inverse the ultrasonic field scattered by an non-circular infinite elastic tube

This study focuses on the application of ultra sonic diffrac tion tomography to noncircular 2D-cylindri - cal ob jects im mersed in an in fi nite fluid. The dis torted Born it er a tive method used to solve the in verse scat ter ing prob lem be longs to the class of al ge braic re con struc tion al go rithms. This method was de vel - oped to in crease the or der of ap pli ca tion of the Born ap prox i ma tion (in the case of weakly-con trasted me dia) to higher or ders. This yields quan ti ta tive in for ma tion about the scat terer, such as the speed of sound and the at ten u a tion. Quan ti ta tive ul tra sonic im ag ing tech niques of this kind are of great po ten tial value in fields such as med i cine, un der wa ter acous tics and non de struc tive test ing.
The evolution of human mating: Trade-offs and strategic pluralism

During human evolutionary history, there were “trade-offs” between expending time and energy on child-rearing and mating, so both men and women evolved conditional mating strategies guided by cues signaling the circumstances. Many short-term matings might be successful for some men; others might try to find and keep a single mate, investing their effort in rearing her offspring. Recent evidence suggests that men with features signaling genetic benefits to offspring should be preferred by women as short-term mates, but there are trade-offs between a mate's genetic fitness and his willingness to help in child-rearing. It is these circumstances and the cues that signal them that underlie the variation in short- and long-term mating strategies between and within the sexes.
Poor attention rather than hyperactivity/impulsivity predicts academic achievement in very preterm and full-term adolescents

Background Very preterm (VP) children are at particular risk for attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) of the inattentive subtype. It is unknown whether the neurodevelopmental pathways to academic underachievement are the same as in the general population. This study investigated whether middle childhood attention or hyperactivity/impulsivity problems are better predictors of VP adolescents' academic achievement. Method In a geographically defined prospective whole-population sample of VP (<32 weeks gestation) and/or very low birth weight (<1500 g birth weight) (VLBW/VP; n = 281) and full-term control children (n = 286) in South Germany, ADHD subtypes were assessed at 6 years 3 months and 8 years 5 months using multiple data sources. Academic achievement was assessed at 13 years of age. Results Compared with full-term controls, VLBW/VP children were at higher risk for ADHD inattentive subtype [6 years 3 months: odds ratio (OR) 2.8, p < 0.001; 8 years 5 months: OR 1.7, p = 0.020] but not for ADHD hyperactive-impulsive subtype (6 years 3 months: OR 1.4, p = 0.396; 8 years 5 months: OR 0.9, p = 0.820). Childhood attention measures predicted academic achievement in VLBW/VP and also full-term adolescents, whereas hyperactive/impulsive behaviour did not. Conclusions Attention is an important prerequisite for learning and predicts long-term academic underachievement. As ADHD inattentive subtype and cognitive impairments are frequent in VLBW/VP children, their study may help to identify the neurofunctional pathways from early brain development and dysfunction to attention problems and academic underachievement.
Nitrogen metabolism in the sheep; protein digestion in the rumen.

Gaddum, J. H. (1955). Polypeptidea which Stimulate Plain Mu8cle, p. 130. Edinburgh and London: E. and S. Livingstone Ltd. Gon9alves, J. M. , Molinari, R. & Deutsch, H. S. (1956). Arch. Biochem. Biophy8. 60, 171. Helmer, M. 0. (1950). Proc. Soc. exp. Biol., N.Y. , 74, 642. Hirs, C. H. W. , Moore, S. & Stein, W. H. (1953). J. biol. Chem. 200, 493. Holton, P. (1948). Brit. J. Pharmacol. 3, 358. Prado, E. S. , Beraldo, W. T. & Rocha e Silva, M. (1950). Arch. Biochem. 27,410. Rocha e Silva, M. (1951). Bradicinina. Thesis. Sao Paulo. Rocha e Silva, M. , Beraldo, W. T. & Rosenfeld, G. (1949). Amer. J. Physiol. 156, 261. Troll, W. & Cannan, R. K. (1953). J. biol. Chem. 200, 803. van Dyke, H. B. (1955). In Polypeptide8 which Stimulate Plain Muscle, p. 12. Edinburgh and London: E. and S. Livingstone Ltd. Vogt, W. (1955). Naturwi&senschaften, 22, 607.
The strategies of supply chain risk management – a synthesis and classification

ABSTRACT This paper conducts an in-depth systematic literature review of 86 peer-reviewed academic journal articles on supply chain risk management (SCRM) strategies from 2000 to mid-2015. The findings indicate a variety of dispersed supply chain risk (SCR) mitigating strategies and suggest a more homogeneous use of terminology. Moreover, the analysis also reveals insufficient evidence for the effect of SCRM on performance. The current study groups and synthesises the various SCRM strategies into proactive and reactive approaches for the ante and the post disruption state and classifies them according to the different supply chain types. Altogether the findings provide essential practical and theoretical contributions to strategic responses to adverse incidents by creating a unique conceptual framework of SCRM strategies and providing direction towards promising areas of research.
Regulation of thickness of actomyosin cortex in well-spread cells by contractility and spread area

The contractile cortical actomyosin cytoskeleton (or cortex) in interphase cells confers rigidity to cells, but also lead to shape dynamics. Regulation of its thickness, although well studied in rounded cells, is less explored in well-spread cells. In this paper, we quantify the variations in thickness and study the contribution of actin polymerization, myosin II activity and spread area of cells. We report an increase in cortex thickness and its variations on disrupting actin network by actin depolymerizing agents or reducing contractility by inhibiting motor activity of myosin II. On spread area reduction by substrate micropatterning, we find reduced cell volume and increased mean & variability of thickness. To validate, we follow cells through de-adhesion with EDTA. The thickness of cortex increases (and oscillates) while the volume of cells reduces with 5-15 mins timescales. Moreover, total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) imaging reveals stress fibre dissolution and events of their buckling along with a growing population of micron-sized mobile filaments. We believe that the cytoskeleton responds to the loss of adhesion by contracting and fragmenting, hence leading to cortex thickening. Limiting volume reduction does not suppress cortex thickening on de-adhesion, suggesting that decreased traction stress may be primarily responsible for the cortex thickening.
Decomposition-Based Synthesis in Implementation of Digital Filters for Wavelet Transform Application Targeted FPGA Devices

Nowadays programmable technology provides possibility to implement digital filters with use of specialized embedded DSP blocks. On the first place, however, this technology gives the designer the possibility to increase efficiency of designed system by exploitation of parallelisms of implemented algorithms. Moreover, it is possible to apply special techniques, such as distributed arithmetic (DA). Since in this approach general purpose multipliers are replaced by combinational LUT blocks, it is possible to construct digital filters of very high performance. However LUT blocks can be of considerable size thus advanced synthesis methods have to be used to map them efficiently into FPGA resources. In this paper an application of the functional decomposition based synthesis in implementation of digital filters for wavelet transform has been investigated. The paper presents many examples confirming that decomposition allows reducing logic cell utilisation of filter implementation based on distributed arithmetic concept with no performance degradation and even increasing it.
The Goals and Assumptions of Conflict Management in Organizations

This chapter examines how different goals and assumptions about conflict in organizations shape perspectives on managing conflict and resolving disputes. Four frames of reference are described: the neoliberal egoist perspective emphasizing the operation of the free market as the ideal method of resolving conflict; the critical perspective emphasizing broad societal divisions between labor and capital as the source of conflict; the unitarist perspective viewing conflict as primarily a function of interpersonal differences and organizational dysfunction, which can be remedied by improved managerial practice; and the pluralist perspective emphasizing the mixture of common and competing interests in the employment relationship, which requires institutional interventions to remedy the inequality of bargaining power that produces conflict. The pluralist perspective may best balance the often competing goals of efficiency, equity, and voice. It is described further in this chapter together with its implications for the design of dispute resolution procedures and conflict management systems.
An Adenovirus-Vectored Nasal Vaccine Confers Rapid and Sustained Protection against Anthrax in a Single-Dose Regimen

ABSTRACT Bacillus anthracis is the causative agent of anthrax, and its spores have been developed into lethal bioweapons. To mitigate an onslaught from airborne anthrax spores that are maliciously disseminated, it is of paramount importance to develop a rapid-response anthrax vaccine that can be mass administered by nonmedical personnel during a crisis. We report here that intranasal instillation of a nonreplicating adenovirus vector encoding B. anthracis protective antigen could confer rapid and sustained protection against inhalation anthrax in mice in a single-dose regimen in the presence of preexisting adenovirus immunity. The potency of the vaccine was greatly enhanced when codons of the antigen gene were optimized to match the tRNA pool found in human cells. In addition, an adenovirus vector encoding lethal factor can confer partial protection against inhalation anthrax and might be coadministered with a protective antigen-based vaccine.
4,4′-(Cyclohexane-1,1-diyl)diphenol methanol solvate

The title compound, crystallized as a methanol solvate, C18H20O2·CH3OH, is an intermediate in the synthesis of the antilipidemic agent clinofibrate. Molecules are packed together with the methanol solvent molecule via two O—H⋯O hydrogen bonds. The third O—H⋯O hydrogen bond is between neighboring 4,4′-(cyclohexane-1,1-diyl)diphenol molecules. The dihedral angle between two benzene rings planes is 81.69 (6).