Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Migratory New World Blackbirds (Icterids) Are More Neophobic than Closely Related Resident Icterids

Environments undergo short-term and long-term changes due to natural or human-induced events. Animals differ in their ability to cope with such changes which can be related to their ecology. Changes in the environment often elicit avoidance reactions (neophobia) which protect animals from dangerous situations but can also inhibit exploration and familiarization with novel situations and thus, learning about new resources. Studies investigating the relationship between a species’ ecology and its neophobia have so far been restricted to comparing only a few species and mainly in captivity. The current study investigated neophobia reactions to experimentally-induced changes in the natural environment of six closely-related blackbird species (Icteridae), including two species represented by two distinct populations. For analyses, neophobic reactions (difference in number of birds feeding and time spent feeding with and without novel objects) were related to several measures of ecological plasticity and the migratory strategy (resident or migratory) of the population. Phylogenetic relationships were incorporated into the analysis. The degree of neophobia was related to migratory strategy with migrants expressing much higher neophobia (fewer birds feeding and for a shorter time with objects present) than residents. Furthermore, neophobia showed a relationship to diet breadth with fewer individuals of diet generalists than specialists returning when objects were present supporting the dangerous niche hypothesis. Residents may have evolved lower neophobia as costs of missing out on opportunities may be higher for residents than migrants as the former are restricted to a smaller area. Lower neophobia allows them approaching changes in the environment (e.g. novel objects) quickly, thereby securing access to resources. Additionally, residents have a greater familiarity with similar situations in the area than migrants and the latter may, therefore, initially stay behind resident species.
Comment on "Surface-impedance approach solves problems with the thermal Casimir force between real metals" (4 pages)

In a recent paper Geyer, Klimchitskaya, and Mostepanenko [Phys. Rev. A 67, 062102 (2003)] proposed the final solution of the problem of temperature correction to the Casimir force between real metals. The basic idea was that one cannot use the dielectric permittivity in the frequency region where a real current may arise leading to Joule heating of the metal. Instead, the surface impedance approach is proposed as a solution of all contradictions. The purpose of this comment is to show that (i) the main idea contradicts to the fluctuation dissipation theorem, (ii) the proposed method to calculate the force gives the wrong value of the temperature correction since the contribution of low frequency fluctuations is calculated with the impedance which is not applicable at low frequencie
Philippines equity report: Investment case for financing equitable progress towards MDGs 4 and 5 in the Asia-Pacific region

Executive Summary This report presents a comprehensive analysis of inequities in child mortality and intervention coverage in the Philippines. A lack of maternal, newborn and child health (MNCH) equity analysis in recent years has led to a substantive gap in the literature. Responding to this, we use the best available country data and the most advanced methods to investigate the levels and distribution of, and the trends in, both MNCH mortality and intervention coverage. The findings shed light on inequities between rural and urban populations, and between different ethnic groups, development regions and wealth quintiles. Analyses of mortality over time allow the backtrack of mortality progress, enabling the evaluation of past policies’ influences on reducing health inequity and of the appropriateness of current and potential future policy. Hence, this Equity Report aims to constitute a milestone for MNCH equity analyses in the Philippines…
The impact of balanced scorecards in a public sector environment

Purpose – Many papers discuss the use of the balanced scorecard yet few provide empirical evidence within a longitudinal context. Still fewer studies present balanced scorecard evidence from within public services. This study seeks to consider the impact of implementing and using the balanced scorecard within a public service city council environment.Design/methodology/approach – The paper reviews the recent literature within the area of public sector performance measurement. A longitudinal case study approach is adopted using interview and documentation analysis to consider the impact of balanced scorecards in a public sector organisation. The impact of balanced scorecards was evaluated at three levels: strategic planning, team management, and individual staff performance.Findings – The empirical evidence suggests that the use of scorecards within the case organisation enables employees to clearly appreciate their role, and focus on delivery of performance‐related measures which support organisational st.
A Framework for Declarative Update Specifications in Logic Programs

Recently, several approaches for updating knowledge bases represented as logic programs have been proposed. In this paper, we present a generic framework for declarative specifications of update policies, which is built upon such approaches. It extends the LUPS language for update specifications and incorporates the notion of events into the framework. An update policy allows an agent to flexibly react upon new information, arriving as an event, and perform suitable changes of its knowledge base. The framework compiles update policies to logic programs by means of generic translations, and can be instantiated in terms of different concrete update approaches. It thus provides a flexible tool for designing adaptive reasoning agents.
A feasibility assessment of using ultrasonic sensor position feedback for a ball-and-beam apparatus

The process of testing and implementing ultrasonic transducers for ball position feedback on a ball-and-beam apparatus is described. Various ball-and-beam configurations are described as well as the specific configuration used in this work. Details include choices in sensors, hardware, construction, and controller design. The weight symmetry constraint necessitates using two sensors. Information is provided as to how the two sensors are used without creating interference. Measured initial condition and disturbance responses are presented. The conclusions indicate that acoustic sensors can complete a successful ball-and-beam system.
Carbon Cycling and Organic Radiocarbon Reservoir Effect in a Meromictic Crater Lake (Lac Pavin, Puy-de-Dôme, France)

Lac Pavin is a meromictic maar lake for which the interpretation of sediment radiocarbon dates is complicated by the existence of a largely undefined reservoir effect resulting from degradation of carbon stored in the bottom layer of the water column. A data set of the contemporary 14C distribution of dissolved and particulate organic pools in the water column is presented to address this issue. Dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) and organic carbon (DOC), plankton, suspended particulate organic carbon (POCsusp), sinking POC (POCsink), and bottom sediment organic carbon (SOC) were analyzed. Present-day Δ14C values of DIC were measured ranging from −750′ in the monimolimnion to atmospheric values in lake surface waters and in spring inlet waters. A range of Δ14C values between −200 and −300′ was observed for superficial POCsusp, POCsink, SOC, and DOC. This relatively uniform 14C offset of the exported organic production from the surface waters to the bottom represents a contemporary reservoir effect of ∼2500 yr. Laminated buried sediment samples and terrestrial vegetal macro-remains were used to evaluate temporal reservoir effect variations since the formation of the crater lake (7 ka cal BP). Buried sediment layers presented a similar offset or showed larger differences between Δ14C values of bulk sediment and terrestrial plant remains (–400 to −500′). Furthermore, an almost 0-yr reservoir effect was inferred from the sediment layers deposited just above the volcanic bedrock at the early flooding of the crater, and increasing slightly within the first centuries of the lake's history. A second objective was to tentatively model a defined scenario of the cycling of carbon in the lake capable of predicting a modern reservoir effect. Alternative scenarios were then tested for which a larger contribution of deeper DIC would provide a model compatible with larger past reservoir effects. It is concluded that using Δ14C SOC variation in laminated lake sediments as a proxy of paleolimnological conditions may be valuable provided that more data on the dynamics of the 14C composition of plankton and more detailed sampling of laminated sediment layers are available.
Heinz Capitalism: How Many Varieties Are There? An Empirical Reexamination of Coordination Mechanisms in Advanced Market Economies

This paper assesses the empirical foundations of the Varieties of Capitalism (VOC) literature. Using data for 18 OECD countries from 1975-2000, it tests a set of hypotheses concerning the relationship among labor, product and capital market institutions. We present two main findings. First, the typology of institutional combinations identified by VOC has limited empirical validity. While we do find a stable core of countries that approximates the set of liberal market economies described by Hall and Soskice, we find no consistent distinction between coordinated and Mediterranean market economies. Second, individual institutions have moved in different directions over time, some towards market and others towards non-market coordination. Our findings should caution researchers against adopting the VOC distinction between liberal and coordinated market economies at face value.
Choosing an Exchange Rate Regime

Choosing an exchange rate regime is one of the most important decisions in macroeconomic policymaking. Some countries may peg their currency to gain credibility and control domestic inflation, while others may be more prone to float due to the larger incidence of real shocks. In spite of the abundant literature on the determinants of the exchange rate regime choice, the empirical literature has been unable to produce robust results on how countries select their exchange rate arrangements. Some argue that the problems of the empirical literature may rely on: (a) the failure of traditional measures of exchange rate regimes in capturing information of the regime in force (deeds) rather than the announced regime that is self-reported by countries (words). (b) The modeling of the dependent variable: whether the issue is to model the adoption of pegs (vis-a-vis floating) or choose within a wider array of regimes. (c) The use of a comprehensive set of determinants of exchange rate regime choice that takes into account factors associated to theories of choice determination (optimum currency area theory, financial approach, among others). This paper attempts to address the issues mentioned above using a sample of 110 countries with annual information over the period 1975-2005 using de facto exchange rate regime classifications and a comprehensive set of explanatory variables. We find the following stylized facts. First, factors associated with the optimum currency area approach are good predictors of adopting pegs: countries that are smaller in size and with stronger trade linkages are more likely to peg their currencies. Second, factors related to the financial approach are consistent with the impossible trinity: countries with higher openness and higher financial development are more likely to adopt floating regimes. Finally, we find that countries with high inflation and larger external and fiscal imbalances are more prone to adopt pegs.
Are Agricultural Experiment Station Faculty Salaries Competitively or Monopsonistically Determined?

We examine the determinants of agricultural experiment station faculty salaries and find that productivity pays—as manifest by grantsmanship, publications, and the elicitation of competing offers—with no residual evidence of a negative seniority-salary relationship that could signal university monopsony power. This contrasts with findings in the previous literature on faculty salaries. Moreover, national market salary benchmarks, which may proxy for imperfectly observable productivity, correlate almost one-for-one with individual faculty salaries, with individual deviations from peers’ salaries proving essentially random. This evidence is much more consistent with the hypothesis that experiment station faculty salaries are determined in a competitive labor market than with the prevailing wisdom that they are set monopsonistically.
Explicit Hermite-type Eigenvectors of the Discrete Fourier Transform

The search for a canonical set of eigenvectors of the discrete Fourier transform has been ongoing for more than three decades. The goal is to find an orthogonal basis of eigenvectors which would approximate Hermite functions---the eigenfunctions of the continuous Fourier transform. This eigenbasis should also have some degree of analytical tractability and should allow for efficient numerical computations. In this paper we provide a solution to these problems. First, we construct an explicit basis of (nonorthogonal) eigenvectors of the discrete Fourier transform, thus extending the results of [F. N. Kong, IEEE Trans. Circuits Syst. II. Express Briefs, 55 (2008), pp. 56--60]. Applying the Gram--Schmidt orthogonalization procedure we obtain an orthogonal eigenbasis of the discrete Fourier transform. We prove that the first eight eigenvectors converge to the corresponding Hermite functions, and we conjecture that this convergence result remains true for all eigenvectors.
Enhancing focused crawling with genetic algorithms

Web crawlers are one of the most crucial components in search engines and their optimization would have a great effect on improving the searching efficiency. In this paper, we introduce an intelligent crawler called Gcrawler that uses a genetic algorithm for improving its crawling performance. Gcrawler estimates the best path for crawling on one hand and expands its initial keywords by using a genetic algorithm during the crawling on the other hand. This is the first crawler that acts intelligently without any relevance feedback or training. All the processes are online and there is no need for direct interaction with the users.
Cube diagrams and 3-dimensional Reidemeister-like moves for knots

In this paper we introduce a representation of knots and links called a cube diagram. We show that a property of a cube diagram is a link invariant if and only if the property is invariant under two types of cube diagram operations. A knot homology is constructed from cube diagrams and shown to be equivalent to knot Floer homology.
Hepatocyte Produced Matrix Metalloproteinases Are Regulated by CD147 in Liver Fibrogenesis

Background The classical paradigm of liver injury asserts that hepatic stellate cells (HSC) produce, remodel and turnover the abnormal extracellular matrix (ECM) of fibrosis via matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). In extrahepatic tissues MMP production is regulated by a number of mechanisms including expression of the glycoprotein CD147. Previously, we have shown that CD147 is expressed on hepatocytes but not within the fibrotic septa in cirrhosis [1]. Therefore, we investigated if hepatocytes produce MMPs, regulated by CD147, which are capable of remodelling fibrotic ECM independent of the HSC. Methods Non-diseased, fibrotic and cirrhotic livers were examined for MMP activity and markers of fibrosis in humans and mice. CD147 expression and MMP activity were co-localised by in-situ zymography. The role of CD147 was studied in-vitro with siRNA to CD147 in hepatocytes and in-vivo in mice with CCl4 induced liver injury using ãCD147 antibody intervention. Results In liver fibrosis in both human and mouse tissue MMP expression and activity (MMP-2, -9, -13 and -14) increased with progressive injury and localised to hepatocytes. Additionally, as expected, MMPs were abundantly expressed by activated HSC. Further, with progressive fibrosis there was expression of CD147, which localised to hepatocytes but not to HSC. Functionally significant in-vitro regulation of hepatocyte MMP production by CD147 was demonstrated using siRNA to CD147 that decreased hepatocyte MMP-2 and -9 expression/activity. Further, in-vivo α-CD147 antibody intervention decreased liver MMP-2, -9, -13, -14, TGF-β and α-SMA expression in CCl4 treated mice compared to controls. Conclusion We have shown that hepatocytes produce active MMPs and that the glycoprotein CD147 regulates hepatocyte MMP expression. Targeting CD147 regulates hepatocyte MMP production both in-vitro and in-vivo, with the net result being reduced fibrotic matrix turnover in-vivo. Therefore, CD147 regulation of hepatocyte MMP is a novel pathway that could be targeted by future anti-fibrogenic agents.
Moving Object Detection for Moving Cameras on Superpixel Level

In this paper, we will present a novel algorithm for detecting moving objects from relatively dynamic background in particular video sequences. To achieve our goal, we introduced a new conception called "feature super pixel". As is well known, by tracking feature points we can easily tell whether a feature point belongs to moving object or not. However, it's more difficult to obtain an optimal pixel-wise foreground and background labeling. Considering the assumption that pixels in the same super pixel belong to the same object, this paper designed a method to describe and match super pixels, which has been proved to be efficient in experiments.
DAS28 score vs. ultrasound examination for assessment of rheumatoid arthritis disease activity: comparison and discussion of pros and cons

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic systemic connective tissue disease which is characterized by symetrical multiple joints involvement and extra-articular symptoms. Current EULAR diagnostic criteria for RA include disease activity parameters, such as erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP), which are used to calculate disease activity scores, including DAS and DAS28. Recently attempts have been made to assess disease activity using imaging diagnostic modalities, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and ultrasonography (US). Due to significant progress in therapy effectiveness and early RA diagnosis possibility, imaging modalities become increasingly meaningful and many clinical trials confirm their usefulness. However, there are no consistent criteria for objective assessment of therapy effectiveness based on US. Moreover, it is not US availability that limits its common use, but rather significant variability between operators. This is why US remains only an additional tool to assess therapy efficacy with regard to DAS/DAS28 index.
Acquired parietal intradiploic encephalocele . Case report and review of the literature

Very few cases of intradiploic encephalocele in adulthood have been reported in the literature. In our paper we describe a case of parietal intradiploic encephalocele, which presents with simple partial seizures. Preoperative imaging (CT and MRI) showed brain herniation within the intradiploic space. Diagnosis was confirmed at surgery. Postoperatively the patient recovered from his presenting symptoms.
VirtGL - a lean approach to accelerated 3D graphics virtualization

Accelerated 3D graphics hardware will typically come with a set of drivers for the Windows operating systems and after some delay drivers are reengineered by the Linux developer community for the respective graphics hardware. The complexity of current graphics hardware and the lack of hardware documentation makes the driver development difficult. Providing native state-of-the-art 3D-graphics support for non-standard OS environments is a herculean task. The virtualization technology available in high-end PCs now allows reducing the effort to offer accelerated 3D-graphics to guest operating systems in a virtualized environment. The idea is to virtualize the interface to the OpenGL library instead of offering a virtual graphics adapter with its hardware-level programming interface. The advantages of this approach is reduced implementation complexity, a fast implementation track and hardware independence from the perspective of the guest operating system and its OpenGL applications.
Exemplary practitioner research in management : ten studies from Southern Cross University's DBA program

Document Type Book Publication details Miller P & Sankaran, G (eds) 2007, Exemplary practitioner research in management : ten studies from Southern Cross University's DBA program, Southern Cross University Press, Lismore, NSW. ISBN: 9781875855674 Uploaded with permission from the author Abstract These studies cover a range of research methodologies, from quantitative to grounded theory and action research, and are set in diverse fields and industries, therefore they can serve as models in a variety of contexts. Each study is accompanied by the researcher’s retrospective and supervisor’s comments to enhance understanding of the strengths, challenges and limitations involved in empirical research. Southern Cross University’s DBA program is one of the largest and most successful in the Asia-Pacific region, widely acknowledged for the rigour and quality of its research and for its relevance to modern business practice in a globally competitive environment. Exemplary Practitioner Research in Management reflects this excellence and will appeal to practitioners and researchers in the Asia-Pacific region seeking to improve business and professional practice.  Download PDF
Creating Culturally Relevant Teachers: Influences from a Mayan Primary School in Belize

The globalization of society increased the need for teacher education programs to develop teacher candidates who were able to provide instruction and assessment utilizing comprehensive problem solving techniques that were respectful of the diverse culture and experiences of the students and families that they served. With the goal of increasing global competence through international field experience, one school of education partnered with a university in Belize to provide pre-service teachers an opportunity to participate in Mayan primary school classrooms. Faculty believed that participant reflection of the experience through the lens of “cultural consciousness” could reveal attitudes and values that impacted their practice with diverse students.
Hybrid Input‐Output Life Cycle Assessment of First‐ and Second‐Generation Ethanol Production Technologies in Brazil

A hybrid approach combining life cycle assessment and input‐output analysis was used to demonstrate the economic and environmental benefits of current and future improvements in agricultural and industrial technologies for ethanol production in Brazilian biorefineries. In this article, three main scenarios were evaluated: first‐generation ethanol production with the average current technology; the improved current technology; and the integration of improved first‐ and second‐generation ethanol production. For the improved first‐generation scenario, a US$1 million increase in ethanol demand can give rise to US$2.5 million of total economic activity in the Brazilian economy when direct and indirect purchases of inputs are considered. This value is slightly higher than the economic activity (US$1.8 million) for an energy equivalent amount of gasoline. The integration of first‐ and second‐generation technologies significantly reduces the total greenhouse gas emissions of ethanol production: 14.6 versus 86.4 grams of carbon dioxide equivalent per megajoule (g CO2‐eq/MJ) for gasoline. Moreover, emissions of ethanol can be negative (–10.5 g CO2‐eq/MJ) when the system boundary is expanded to account for surplus bioelectricity by displacement of natural gas thermal electricity generation considering electricity produced in first‐generation optimized biorefineries.