Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Australian and U.S. News Media Portrayal of Sharks and Their Conservation

Investigation of the social framing of human–shark interactions may provide useful strategies for integrating social, biological, and ecological knowledge into national and international policy discussions about shark conservation. One way to investigate social opinion and forces related to sharks and their conservation is through the media's coverage of sharks. We conducted a content analysis of 300 shark‐related articles published in 20 major Australian and U.S. newspapers from 2000 to 2010. Shark attacks were the emphasis of over half the articles analyzed, and shark conservation was the primary topic of 11% of articles. Significantly more Australian articles than U.S. articles treated shark attacks (χ2 = 3.862; Australian 58% vs. U.S. 47%) and shark conservation issues (χ2 = 6.856; Australian 15% vs. U.S. 11%) as the primary article topic and used politicians as the primary risk messenger (i.e., primary person or authority sourced in the article) (χ2 = 7.493; Australian 8% vs. U.S. 1%). However, significantly more U.S. articles than Australian articles discussed sharks as entertainment (e.g., subjects in movies, books, and television; χ2 = 15.130; U.S. 6% vs. Australian 1%) and used scientists as the primary risk messenger (χ2 = 5.333; U.S. 25% vs. Australian 15%). Despite evidence that many shark species are at risk of extinction, we found that most media coverage emphasized the risks sharks pose to people. To the extent that media reflects social opinion, our results highlight problems for shark conservation. We suggest that conservation professionals purposefully and frequently engage with the media to highlight the rarity of shark attacks, discuss preventative measures water users can take to reduce their vulnerability to shark encounters, and discuss conservation issues related to local and threatened species of sharks. When integrated with biological and ecological data, social‐science data may help generate a more comprehensive perspective and inform conservation practice.
Network Structures and Public Goods Provision Evidence from Village Kinship Networks in the Gambia

Public goods such as water wells and roads are especially important in a developingcountry context. This paper studies how social networks can be used to mitigate the free-rider problem predicted by economic theory. I consider whether the level of connectedness of a household (network centrality) within the village aects its decision to contribute to public goods, using data from rural areas in the Gambia. As an iden
Crystal Structures of Putative Sugar Kinases from Synechococcus Elongatus PCC 7942 and Arabidopsis Thaliana

The genome of the Synechococcus elongatus strain PCC 7942 encodes a putative sugar kinase (SePSK), which shares 44.9% sequence identity with the xylulose kinase-1 (AtXK-1) from Arabidopsis thaliana. Sequence alignment suggests that both kinases belong to the ribulokinase-like carbohydrate kinases, a sub-family of FGGY family carbohydrate kinases. However, their exact physiological function and real substrates remain unknown. Here we solved the structures of SePSK and AtXK-1 in both their apo forms and in complex with nucleotide substrates. The two kinases exhibit nearly identical overall architecture, with both kinases possessing ATP hydrolysis activity in the absence of substrates. In addition, our enzymatic assays suggested that SePSK has the capability to phosphorylate D-ribulose. In order to understand the catalytic mechanism of SePSK, we solved the structure of SePSK in complex with D-ribulose and found two potential substrate binding pockets in SePSK. Using mutation and activity analysis, we further verified the key residues important for its catalytic activity. Moreover, our structural comparison with other family members suggests that there are major conformational changes in SePSK upon substrate binding, facilitating the catalytic process. Together, these results provide important information for a more detailed understanding of the cofactor and substrate binding mode as well as the catalytic mechanism of SePSK, and possible similarities with its plant homologue AtXK-1.
Effect of Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis on the Pulmonary Defense Mechanisms of Guinea Pig Lungs

Many edemagenic and consolidating inflammatory diseases, such as virus pneumonias, of the lung are complicated by bacterial infection. Previous literature has stressed that edema and consolidation may promote bacterial proliferation by interfering with phagocytosis. To test that hypothesis, lung defense mechanisms were studied in guinea pigs with tuberculin-induced hypersensitivity pneumonitis, a noninfectious edemagenic, and consolidating inflammatory disease. Pulmonary bactericidal activity and particle clearance were measured with a mixed aerosol of 32P-labeled Staphylococcus aureus and35S-labeled Proteus mirabilis. Hypersensitivity pneumonitis enhanced the bactericidal activity of the lung but had no effect on particle clearance despite the presence of consolidation and edema. These data indicate that altered host resistance to bacterial infection in acute inflammatory lung diseases can not be attributed to edema, inflammation, consolidation, changes in lung weight, etc., per se and that causes must be sought in functional changes in the bactericidal system of the lung rather than in specific histopathological changes.
Market valuations of start-up ventures around the technology bubble

This study explores whether, and how, the relevance of financial information for valuation of start-up ventures changed during the period of a technology bubble and the fluctuations that occurred in the capital market after the bubble burst. We find that since the bubble burst, there has been a learning curve and a period of market adjustment. Specifically, during the time of the bubble the market did not rely on accounting information with respect to the valuation of start-ups. After the bubble burst the market became overly conservative, relying predominantly on accepted accounting fundamentals – book value of equity and earnings. In later years, as the process stabilized, the market gradually moved away from these measures and began relying on growth in sales, which may serve as an indication of technological feasibility and the venture’s market potential. The study also explores the effect of market cycles on investor reliance on multiples. We find that, despite over/underpricing effects when using the benchmark multiples of comparable firms in valuating start-ups, these remain the accepted tool, probably due to the absence of alternative valuation methods.
Variance and Lower Partial Moment Measures of Systematic Risk: Some Analytical and Empirical Results

As a measure of systematic risk, the lower partial moment measure requires fewer restrictive assumptions than does the variance measure. However, the latter enjoys far wider usage than the former, perhaps because of its familiarity and the fact that two measures of systematic risk are equivalent when return distributions are normal. This paper shows analytically that there are systematic differences in the two risk measures when return distributions are lognormal. Results of empirical tests show that there are indeed systematic differences in measured values of the two risk measures for securities with above average and with below average systematic risk.
Galactose Fermentation and Classification of Thermophilic Lactobacilli

The ability to ferment galactose is a major characteristic which can be used to differentiate Lactobacillus helveticus (galactose positive) from Lactobacillus lactis and Lactobacillus bulgaricus (galactose negative). In milk cultures, galactose-positive strains produced d- and l-lactic acid with little galactose accumulation, whereas galactose-negative strains produced d-lactic acid, and galactose accumulated to high levels.
State Projection via AI Planning

Imagining the future helps anticipate and prepare for what is coming. This has great importance to many, if not all, human endeavors. In this paper, we develop the Planning Projector system prototype, which applies plan-recognition-as-planning technique to both explain the observations derived from analyzing relevant news and social media, and project a range of possible future state trajectories for human review. Unlike the plan recognition problem, where a set of goals, and often a plan library must be given as part of the input, the Planning Projector system takes as input the domain knowledge, a sequence of observations derived from the news, a time horizon, and the number of trajectories to produce. It then computes the set of trajectories by applying a planner capable of finding a set of high-quality plans on a transformed planning problem. The Planning Projector prototype integrates several components including: (1) knowledge engineering: the process of encoding the domain knowledge from domain experts; (2) data transformation: the problem of analyzing and transforming the raw data into a sequence of observations; (3) trajectory computation: characterizing the future state projection problem and computing a set of trajectories; (4) user interface: clustering and visualizing the trajectories. We evaluate our approach qualitatively and conclude that the Planning Projector helps users understand future possibilities so that they can make more informed decisions.
Law and Peace: Contracts and the Success of the Danish Dairy Cooperatives

We consider the successful early emergence of cooperative creameries in Denmark in the late nineteenth century within the framework of the “new institutional economics” presented by Oliver Williamson. Previous work focused on the social cohesion of the Danes, but we demonstrate that this was not sufficient for their success. The Danish legal system, which we compare to that of other countries, was also of crucial importance, along with the way in which rules were monitored and enforced. Of particular interest is the Danish cooperatives’ use of contracts, which we explore with evidence from a variety of primary and secondary sources.
Local stiffness evaluation for alive C. elegans by Environmental-SEM nanorobotic manipulation system

In this paper, the local stiffness of alive Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) is evaluated by Environmental-Scanning Electron Microscope (E-SEM) nanorobotic manipulation system. The local and surface stiffness of C. elegans is important to evaluate to inject or insert micro-nano probes for gene-deliver or electrophysiologic applications. At first, we observe their fine structures by E-SEM system directly; without any drying or dyeing processes. The viability of C. elegans inside E-SEM is determined from the motion of C. elegans before and after setting inside the E-SEM. The local stiffness of C. elegans is evaluated from the deformation area by applying the forces with nanoprobes. The nanoprobes were fabricated by Focus Ion Beam (FIB) etching at the tip of Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) cantilever. The measurement position can arbitrarily be controlled by the nanomanipulator under E-SEM observation. The local stiffness distribution of C. elegans was evaluated on its head, body (on/around alea) and tail. From the experimental results, the measured rigidity on lateral alae was higher than it around lateral alae. This local stiffness measurement information is important for nano-surgery, gene-deliver or electrophysiologic applications and novel cell diagnosis.
Fan Loyalty in Professional Sports

Using the stochastic frontier framework, estimates of relative fan loyalty in professional football for 1990 to 1997 are estimated. The traditional inefficiency score is reinterpreted as a measure of relative fan loyalty, and the results conform to anecdotal evidence as to which teams have the best fans in the National Football League. The decision of whether to relocate a professional football franchise is related to fan loyalty and other explanatory variables. It is found that a relatively low level of fan loyalty is a motivating factor in the decision to relocate a franchise to a new host city.
Random matrix improved community detection in heterogeneous networks

A new spectral method is proposed for community detection in large dense heterogeneous networks. We theoretically support and analyze an approach based on a novel “α-regularization” of the modularity matrix. We provide a consistent estimator for the choice of α inducing the most favorable community detection in worst case scenarios. We further prove that spectral clustering ought to be performed on a 1 — α regularization of the dominant eigenvectors (rather than on the eigenvectors themselves) to compensate for biases due to degree heterogeneity. Our clustering method is shown to be very promising on real world networks with competitive performances versus state-of-the-art spectral techniques developed for sparse homogeneous networks.
Can EGCG Reduce Abdominal Fat in Obese Subjects?

Objective: To evaluate metabolic effects of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) supplementation when combined with a program of regular aerobic exercise in overweight/obese post-menopausal women. Methods: Thirty-eight overweight or obese postmenopausal women exercised at moderate intensity, viz. walking three times per week for 45 min at 75% of age-predicted maximum heart rate (HR), and took a 150 mg capsule of EGCG (Teavigo®) or placebo (lactose) twice daily for 12 weeks. Blood parameters (lipids, glucose and insulin), blood pressure, heart rate, arterial function and anthropometry were assessed at 0, 6 and 12 wk. At wk 0 and 12, body composition was assessed by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and abdominal fat was assessed by DXA and computed tomography (CT). Results: Waist circumference (p < 0.01), total body fat (p < 0.02), abdominal fat (by DXA) (p < 0.01) and intra abdominal adipose tissue (by CT) (p < 0.01) were reduced in both treatment groups, with no difference between placebo and Teavigo®. Teavigo® significantly decreased resting HR (p < 0.01) and reduced plasma glucose in subjects with impaired glucose tolerance (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Moderate consumption of EGCG can improve the health status of overweight individuals undergoing regular exercise by reducing HR and plasma glucose concentrations. Loss of body fat, however, may require a higher intake of EGCG, other catechins or addition of metabolic stimulants.
Stimulation of Mammalian G-protein-responsive Adenylyl Cyclases by Carbon Dioxide

Carbon dioxide is fundamental to the physiology of all organisms. There is considerable interest in the precise molecular mechanisms that organisms use to directly sense CO2. Here we demonstrate that a mammalian recombinant G-protein-activated adenylyl cyclase and the related Rv1625c adenylyl cyclase of Mycobacterium tuberculosis are specifically stimulated by CO2. Stimulation occurred at physiological concentrations of CO2 through increased kcat. CO2 increased the affinity of enzyme for metal co-factor, but contact with metal was not necessary as CO2 interacted directly with apoenzyme. CO2 stimulated the activity of both G-protein-regulated adenylyl cyclases and Rv1625c in vivo. Activation of G-protein regulated adenylyl cyclases by CO2 gave a corresponding increase in cAMP-response element-binding protein (CREB) phosphorylation. Comparison of the responses of the G-protein regulated adenylyl cyclases and the molecularly, and biochemically distinct mammalian soluble adenylyl cyclase revealed that whereas G-protein-regulated enzymes are responsive to CO2, the soluble adenylyl cyclase is responsive to both CO2 and bicarbonate ion. We have, thus, identified a signaling enzyme by which eukaryotes can directly detect and respond to fluctuating CO2.
Hardware-in-the-loop simulation of marine electric propulsion system

The paper introduces the development procedure of rapid control prototype in marine electric propulsion system, concrete implementation in each subsystem of hull-propeller-engine model by Matlab/SIMULINK, building process of hardware-in-the-loop simulation system and procedure of developing real-time system by dSPACE. The key questions and technical essentials involved in the hardware-in-the-loop simulation of marine electric propulsion system are introduced briefly. The whole design of the systemic technical scheme, the selection and control of the controller and processor, the work principle of the hardware-in-the-loop simulation and the result of simulation are also involved.
The Stillbirth Collaborative Research Network (SCRN) Placental and Umbilical Cord Examination Protocol

The Stillbirth Collaborative Research Network (SCRN) was organized to study the scope and causes of stillbirth (SB) in the United States. The objective of this report is to describe the approach used for the placental examination performed as part of the study. The SCRN consists of a multidisciplinary team of investigators from five clinical sites, the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, and the Data Coordination and Analysis Center. The study is a population-based cohort and nested case-control study, with prospective enrollment of women with SB and live births (LB) at the time of delivery. Detailed and standardized postmortem examination was performed on SB and placental examination in both groups. A total of 663 women with SB and 1932 women with LB were enrolled into the case-control study. In the SB group, there were 707 fetuses. Of these cases, 654 (98.6%) had placental examination. Of these LB controls, 1804 (93.4%) had placental examination. This is the largest prospective study to include population-based SB and LB, using standardized postmortem and placental examination, medical record review, maternal interview, collection of samples, and a multidisciplinary team of investigators collaborating in the analyses. Thus it has the potential to provide high-level evidence regarding the contribution of placental abnormalities to stillbirth.
Improved Lane Departure Response Distortion Warning Method based on Hough Transformation and Kalman Filter

Lane departure warning is the key issues of automobile active safety problems. In this paper, an improved lane departure warning method is proposed based on Hough transformation and Kalman filter, noted as HK-LDWS. At first, the captured colour lane videos are decomposed into frames which are transformed and truncated into binary images subsequently. Secondly, Hough transformation is explored to detect lane lines in the truncated binary images, and Kalman filter is used to predict and track the detected lines. Finally, lane departure warnings are delivered out regarding as the predetermined safe distance based on the lateral distances. The actual road test results show that HK-LDWS can track lanes and make all departure warning correctly besides that it costs less than 35 milliseconds for per frame processing. HK-LDWS is an efficient solution for the lane departure warning problem.
The Marriage Model with Search Frictions

Consider a heterogeneous agent matching model in which the payoff of each matched individual is a fixed function of both partners’ types. In a 1973 article, Becker showed that assortative matching arises in a frictionless setting simply if everyone prefers higher partners. This paper shows that if finding partners requires time‐consuming search and individuals are impatient, then productive interaction matters. Matching is positively assortative—higher types match with higher sets of types—when the proportionate gains from having better partners rise in one’s type. With multiplicatively separable payoffs, these proportionate gains are constant in one’s type, and “block segregation” arises, a common finding of the literature.
Where are the Retirement Savings of Self-Employed? An Analysis of ‘Unconventional’ Retirement Accounts

Survey data show that many respondents save for retirement in unconventional retirement accounts, such as investments in real estate. In countries where retirement savings are not mandatory for self-employed, representatives of this group often report this as an argument against making retirement savings compulsory. Our study shows that self-employed retirement savings are low and below individually pre-stated saving intentions, even though this group has generally no occupational pension. We also study the relation between the importance of a broad spectrum of saving motives, such as saving for retirement, and saving behavior. We show that finding the retirement motive important does not directly translate in additional retirement savings, both for self-employed and employees. The (median) annuity stream generated by conventional and unconventional accounts from age 67 is small; most savings are residual and are not being put aside for a specific motive.
Evolutionary Dynamics of wAu-Like Wolbachia Variants in Neotropical Drosophila spp

ABSTRACT Wolbachia bacteria are common intracellular symbionts of arthropods and have been extensively studied in Drosophila. Most research focuses on two Old Word hosts, Drosophila melanogaster and Drosophila simulans, and does not take into account that some of the Wolbachia associations in these species may have evolved only after their fast global expansion and after the exposure to Wolbachia of previously isolated habitats. Here we looked at Wolbachia of Neotropical Drosophila species. Seventy-one lines of 16 Neotropical Drosophila species sampled in different regions and at different time points were analyzed. Wolbachia is absent in lines of Drosophila willistoni collected before the 1970s, but more recent samples are infected with a strain designated wWil. Wolbachia is absent in all other species of the willistoni group. Polymorphic wWil-related strains were detected in some saltans group species, with D. septentriosaltans being coinfected with at least four variants. Based on wsp and ftsZ sequence data, wWil of D. willistoni is identical to wAu, a strain isolated from D. simulans, but can be discriminated when using a polymorphic minisatellite marker. In contrast to wAu, which infects both germ line and somatic tissues of D. simulans, wWil is found exclusively in the primordial germ line cells of D. willistoni embryos. We report on a pool of closely related Wolbachia strains in Neotropical Drosophila species as a potential source for the wAu strain in D. simulans. Possible evolutionary scenarios reconstructing the infection history of wAu-like Wolbachia in Neotropical Drosophila species and the Old World species D. simulans are discussed.