Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effect of institutional deleveraging on option valuation problems

This paper studies the valuation problem of European call options when the presence of distressed selling may lead to further endogenous volatility and correlation between the stock issuer's asset value and the price of the stock underlying the option, and hence influence the option price. A change of numeraire technique, based on Girsanov Theorem, is applied to derive the analytical pricing formula for the European call option when the price of underlying stock is subject to price pressure triggered by the stock issuer's own distressed selling. Numerical experiments are also provided to study the impacts of distressed selling on the European call option prices.
Vibrio diazotrophicus sp. nov., a Marine Nitrogen-Fixing Bacterium

Facultatively anaerobic, nitrogen-fixing bacterial strains were isolated from sources as diverse as the gastrointestinal tracts of sea urchins collected in Nova Scotia, Canada, and the surfaces of reeds growing in a drainage ditch in Kent, England. These strains were placed in the genus Vibrio Pacini 1865 of the family Vibrionaceae on the basis of their morphological, physiological, and biochemical characteristics, as well as on the basis of the guanine-plus-cytosine contents of their deoxyribonucleic acids (45.9 to 47.2 mol%). They were clearly distinguished from strains of the currently recognized species in the genus Vibrio by a combination of diverse traits, including the production of nitrogenase, the inability to hydrolyze casein, deoxyribonucleic acid, gelatin, and Tween 80, the ability to ferment L-arabinose, cellobiose, salicin, and D-xylose, and the presence of an arginine dihydrolase system. Deoxyribonucleic acid homology studies supported recognition of these nitrogen-fixing strains as a new species, for which the name Vibrio diazotrophicus is proposed. Strain ATCC 33466 (= strain 1 = NS1) is the type strain.
Composition of the Leaves Essential Oil of Calotropis procera (R. Br.) from Nigeria

Abstract The leaf essential oil of Calotropis procera (R.Br.) was analysed by GC and GC-MS. The leaf oil contained phytol (33.6 %), myristic acid (31.2 %) and myristicin (19.9 %) as major constituents.
The effects of a mussel farm on benthic macrofaunal communities in Hauraki Gulf, New Zealand

Variation in species assemblages, richness, indices of diversity and dominance, and sediment grain-size characteristics beneath and proximal to a mussel farm off eastern Waiheke Island, Hauraki Gulf, New Zealand, are reported. Species richness and density were elevated beneath the farm, probably attributable to structure afforded by dropped mussel shell; the types of taxa that differed in their distributions and abundances within and outside the farm also differed spatially along three surveyed transects, and temporally; no significant difference in sediment grain size was apparent along a transect extending 20m within the farm to 110m outside of it; and the biological footprint of the farm was limited, extending no further than 20m from its northern boundary. The incidence of neither opportunistic nor sensitive taxa was clearly related to the physical location of the mussel farm when the distributions and abundances of taxa throughout the eastern Waiheke Island region were taken into consideration. The farm is recognised to have a statistically significant effect on sea-bed assemblages of species or no effect at all, with any effect being manifested in an increase in species richness, but not of species traditionally considered opportunists. We deem the most efficient tool to assess rapidly the biological footprint of this farm to be measurement of the outer limit of Perna clumping on the sea bed, rather than the distribution or abundance of any indicator taxon.
Centipedegrass—Diversity and Vulnerability

The genus Eremochloa consists of eight species of which only centipedegrass [E. ophiuroides (Munro) Hack. ] is cultivated for turf. In the USA, the genetic base for this species is narrow because most of the centipedegrass grown originates from a single accession introduced as seed from China as a result of a plant exploration trip by Frank Meyer in 1916. Introduction of centipedegrass from the area of origin, central to southern China, has been limited and sporadic. Morphological variation has been increased in this species by irradiating seed with gamma radiation and by developing a random mating population among 31 foreign introductions and 24 domestic selections. A systematic germplasm collecting expedition in the area of origin is needed for this species
Interplay between NFBP and NF‐κB modulates tat activation of the LTR

Interplay of the HIV‐1 regulatory protein, Tat, with several cellular factors plays an important role in transcriptional regulation of the viral promoter, the long terminal repeat (LTR). Special attention has been paid to NF‐κB, a family of inducible transcription factors, which interact with a specific DNA motif within the LTR. Here, we report on the physical and functional interaction of NFBP, a recently identified protein that interacts with the P65 subunit of NF‐κB, with HIV‐1 Tat. NFBP colocalizes with Tat in the nucleus and nucleoli, recognizes the amino acid residues 37 to 48 of Tat, and its interaction is modulated by RNA molecules. The interaction of NFBP with Tat modulates the synergism between Tat and P65 in activating LTR transcription. In the absence of the κB‐binding sites, NFBP augments the TAR‐dependent activation by Tat, yet it interferes with the synergistic effect of P65 and Tat on LTR transcription. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Deterministic modelling of vertical circulation in shallow lakes and reservoirs

The paper describes the development and application of a two-dimensional breadth averaged deterministic mathematical model to determine the wind induced vertical circulation and mixing in shallow lakes or impoundments. Such models are increasingly being used by water engineers and scientists so that water supply lakes and reservoirs can be managed and operated more efficiently, particularly in connection with environmental and ecological considerations. The model includes the solution of the two-dimensional form of the mass and momentum conservation equations, with particular emphasis being placed on the inclusion and representation of the bed friction, wind shear stress, and the turbulent mixing process. The pressure field was determined from the depth averaged form of the governing differential equations, with the complete set of equations being expressed in an implicit finite difference form for solution. Results from the model were compared with analytical solutions for two idealized flow fields, with good agreement being obtained between both sets of results. Simulations of wind-induced circulation were then performed for two U.K. reservoirs, with the results obtained being in keeping with the published results of other researchers.
Title: Importance of nitrogen fixation in soil crusts of southern African arid ecosystems: acetylene reduction and stable isotope studies

Abstract Cyanobacterial soil crusts may be important in arid and semi-arid ecosystems because of their ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen (N2). These crusts are very sensitive to trampling by animals, and their destruction can decrease ecosystem N inputs, affecting the productivity of the region. The objective of this study was to quantify the nitrogen-fixing activity in soil crusts during the wet season in southern African ecosystems using in situ acetylene reduction assays. The average acetylene reduction rates for each site ranged from 88 to 535 nmol m−2 h−1, were highly variable, and were lower than previously reported for other arid areas. All soil samples showed acetylene reduction activity; however, soils with crusts supported higher rates than did “non-crusty” soils under litter, moss, or sand. High values of 15N natural abundance (δ15N) indicated that processes other than N fixation were more important in the crusts than N fixation. For example, coupled nitrification/denitrification and ammonia volatilization or atmospheric deposition of 15N-enriched nitrate or ammonium may have caused shifts in δ15N within the soil crusts. The estimated annual N fixation rates ranged from 8 to 44 g N ha−1 year−1, orders of magnitude lower than values estimated in other studies. The anomalous wet conditions experienced during the year of the study may have increased the temporal availability of soil mineral N and decreased N fixation rates. However, the presence of N fixation activity in all crusts analysed and their ability to survive at high temperature and after long dry periods may provide ecosystem resilience, facilitating ecosystem recovery after severe droughts.
Developmental windows and origins of the chemical cues mediating hatching responses to injured conspecific eggs in the common frog (Rana temporaria)

In amphibians, embryonic exposure to chemical cues resulting from a predation event on conspecific eggs can influence hatching traits. However, there is no information on the precise origin of the active substances, or on the critical period of embryonic development mediating such a process. In this context, common frog (Rana temporaria L., 1758) eggs were exposed at Gosner stage 2, 16, or 20 to chemical cues simulating predation on whole eggs, jelly envelopes, or embryos. Embryonic movement rate, hatching time, and developmental stage at hatching appeared unaffected by the nature of the treatment. In contrast, the embryonic treatments strongly affected the morphology of hatchlings, with the groups exposed to crushed whole eggs and jelly envelopes showing longer (exposures at stages 16 and 20) and deeper (exposure at stage 20) tails than their unexposed counterparts. In addition, exposure at stage 20 to crushed embryos also produced hatchlings with longer tails than the controls. Thus, morphological plast.
Effect of cyprid age on the settlement of balanus amphitrite darwin in response to natural biofilms

Larval settlement of the barnacle Balanus amphitrite Darwin (Cirripedia, Balanidae) is influenced by natural biofilms. In previous work by others, discriminatory settlement of aged cyprids has been observed in response to biofilms of different age. This study extends prior work by considering the effect of the age of cyprids on the outcome of settlement assays. Settlement was investigated with 0‐day‐old (newly metamorphosed) and 5‐day‐old cyprids. Biofilms under investigation were developed in the field for periods of 5 d and 1 month, and were subsequently included in laboratory settlement assays with a choice between a filmed and an unfilmed substratum. The bioassay was modified from the conventional horizontal dish design in order to generate a low water surface‐to‐volume ratio, which served to suppress larval entrapment in an organic layer on the water surface. Irrespective of cyprid age, a clear discrimination between a filmed and an unfilmed substrata was observed, and the preference for filmed or unfilmed substratum was dependent on the age of the cyprids. Settlement of 0‐day‐old cyprids was inhibited by a biofilmed substratum whereas induction occurred with aged cyprids. This pattern of settlement was independent of biofilm age. Bacterial abundance on unfilmed substrata in treatments and controls was significantly lower than that on biofilmed surfaces, confirming that bacterial contamination did not change the qualitative option during the assay.
A biosensor to detect penicillin residues in food

Avoidance of antibiotic residues is an essential element in the production of safe meat and dairy products. Our objectives in this research were to develop an enzyme immunoassay for â -lactam penicillins, design an automated sensor to implement this assay, and evaluate the detection performance. An antibody capture with antigen competition assay was developed to run in polystyrene cuvets, with a test time of 13-15 min. A photometric sensor consisting of an optical head, electronic/fluidic board, and control computer was then designed to implement this assay. Results from manual assay tests on ampicillin in phosphate-buffered saline showed a slight reduction in optical density at 100 ng/mL and a significant reduction of 21% for 200 ng/mL. Sensor calibration tests gave similar results, indicating that the detection chemistry was successfully automated. Higher affinity or avidity antibodies are needed to detect U.S. and European Community residue limits.
Food Habits of Canvasbacks, Redheads, and Lesser Scaup in Manitoba

Canvasbacks, Redheads, and Lesser Scaup on their breeding grounds is very limited. Cottam (1939) summarized food habits of many Canvasbacks, Redheads, and Lesser Scaup taken throughout the year, but sexual, seasonal, and regional differences could not always be evaluated. Yocom (1951:172-176) and Keith (1961:34) examined a combined total of 2 Canvasbacks, 12 Redheads, and 9 Lesser Scaup collected during the summer; however, they lumped these data in with data from other species and, in doing so, obscured possible interspecific differences. Specific data on foods of adults during spring and summer are available for 6 Canvasbacks, 1 Redhead, and 51 Lesser Scaup (Pirnie 1935:308, 310; Munro 1941:134-137; Erickson 1948:282; Rogers and Korschgen 1966:259-261). Published data on juveniles are available for 9 Canvasbacks, 8 Redheads, and 32 Lesser Scaup (Cottam 1939; Munro 1941:135; Yocom 1951:174; Collias and Collias 1963:7). Cottam (1939), in his presentation of the food habits of North American diving ducks, summarized the data accumulated by the Bureau of Biological Survey over many years. Much of the published information on food habits of Canvasbacks, Redheads, and Lesser Scaup has been based wholly or partly on these data (Phillips 1911, 1925; McAtee 1917, 1939; Preble and McAtee 1923; Kubichek 1933; Gabrielson and Jewett 1940; Martin et al. 1951).
PREDICTING THE SPATIAL-DISTRIBUTION OF CLIMATE - TEMPERATURE IN GREAT-BRITAIN

1. The prediction and mapping of climate in areas between climate stations is of increasing importance in ecology. 2. Four categories of model, simple interpolation, thin plate splines, multiple linear regression and mixed spline-regression, were tested for their ability to predict the spatial distribution of temperature on the British mainland. The models were tested by external cross-verification. 3. The British distribution of mean daily temperature was predicted with the greatest accuracy by using a mixed model: a thin plate spline fitted to the surface of the country, after correction of the data by a selection from 16 independent topographical variables (such as altitude, distance from the sea, slope and topographic roughness), chosen by multiple regression from a digital terrain model (DTM) of the country. 4. The next most accurate method was a pure multiple regression model using the DTM. Both regression and thin plate spline models based on a few variables (latitude, longitude and altitude) only were comparatively unsatisfactory, but some rather simple methods of surface interpolation (such as bilinear interpolation after correction to sea level) gave moderately satisfactory results. Differences between the methods seemed to be dependent largely on their ability to model the erect of the sea on land temperatures. 5. Prediction of temperature by the best methods was greater than 95% accurate in all months of the year, as shown by the correlation between the predicted and actual values. The predicted temperatures were calculated at real altitudes, not subject to sea-level correction. 6. A minimum of just over 30 temperature recording stations would generate a satisfactory surface, provided the stations were well spaced. 7. Maps of mean daily temperature, using the best overall methods are provided; further important variables, such as continentality and length of growing season, were also mapped. Many of these are believed to be the first detailed representations at real altitude. 8. The interpolated monthly temperature surfaces are available on disk
A Reliability Theoretical Quest for Keystones

Species are not equally important for the functioning of communities. This fact is widely recognized and the term keystone species has been introduced for the most important members of communities. In a recent paper, Power et al. called for methods suitable for a priori identification of keystone species, which is an urgent problem in conservation biology. Another problem is the scarcity of their quantitative description. In this paper, we propose an index for characterizing keystone species reflecting their role in food web flow networks. We present some calculations for characterizing the role of keystones in weighted webs and discuss some problems of food web dynamics. Our keystone index refers well to keystones only if trophic interactions are of prime importance in a community. We further analyse the relationship between keystone species and the reliability of network flow. Keystones make network flow less reliable Finally, we discuss some problems of stability and reliability in ecological systems.
The Physiological, Behavioural, and Survival Consequences of Two Radio Transmitter Attachment Techniques on Migrating Adult Sockeye Salmon

Biotelemetry is widely used to study the behaviour and survival of migrating adult Pacific salmon, but little is known about if and how the tagging process and burden of the transmitter pose risks to the study animal. Minimizing the adverse impacts of tagging is important for reasons of animal welfare, but also to derive representative data from tagged individuals. In Chapter 2, I compare the short-term physiological responses of adult sockeye salmon tagged either via gastric insertion or external attachment to untagged controls and report no differences in physiology between the treatment groups. In Chapter 3, I monitored the movement and status of gastrically and externally tagged individuals and reported a significant influence of tag type on survival. These results reveal that the failure to detect immediate physiological and behavioural differences in tagged adult migrating Pacific salmon does not negate the possibility that long-term tag-specific adverse effects may occur.
Two new species of Atla (Verrucariaceae)

Abstract Two new species in the lichen genus Atla, A. alaskana and A. recondita, are described. The ITS rDNA region is used for their molecular characterization. Morphologically, Atla alaskana is characterized by its rather thick and well-developed whitish grey thallus, and the rather large perithecia having a thalline excipulum. The presence of a thalline excipulum renders it similar to Sporodictyon species; however, in A. alaskana a distinct zone around the ostiolum is without a thallus and covered only by a thick white pruina. Atla recondita has a thin olivaceous brown thallus and moderately sized, emerging perithecia. It is not possible to identify this species unequivocally as an Atla species only by morphology, and it might well be mistaken for a Polyblastia. A key to all six Atla species, including the two new species, is provided.
Geographic Elements of the Marine Flora of the North Pacific Ocean

IN attempting to estimate possible origin and spread of land floras, it seems necessary, or at least very profitable, to analyze the composition of each and every particular flora into its possible geographic elements. Such entities, delimited as exactly as possible, may then be considered as to whether each individual element may have been of more recent or of more ancient introduction and, in this way, more or less tenable hypotheses may be suggested and supported both as to possible origin and as to time, manner and direction of invasion of the areas where now it is to be found. In discussing insular land floras, particularly those of oceanic islands, it seems almost incumbent to assume continental origins, in general, with spread to, and with possibly some later differentiation on, the islands themselves. Some students estimate the latter of much more considerable importance than do others. A more recent point of considerable agreement regarding certain of the more striking endemic elements of the floras of the oceanic Pacific islands tends to assume a Tertiary Antarctic continental origin with nortlhiward migration and establishment, not only among the higher islands of both Pacific and south Atlantic but also along the high lands of at least the southern continental masses. In attempting to explain "'presence " in cases of pronounced endemism, invasion vs. local evolution must necessarily be considered, but here again the matter is relative, since invasion of the ancestors, like or unlike, must necessarily prove a factor in the discussion, and
YIELD AND NUTRITIVE VALUE OF CORN, BARLEY, WHEAT, AND FORAGE OATS AS SILAGE FOR LACTATING DAIRY COWS

Whole crops of corn, barley, wheat, and forage oats were ensiled and fed as the sole forage to 48 milking cows in two 12-wk feeding trials. In the first experiment corn (25.1% dry matter (DM)) harvested in the early dent stage, barley (34.2% DM), and forage oats (27.6% DM) harvested in the dough stage were compared. Holstein cows fed the three silages averaged 22.6, 19.7, and 18.7 kg of 4% fat-corrected milk per day and consumed 1.67, 1.82, and 1.85 kg of silage DM per 100 kg body weight, respectively. In the second experiment, cows fed wheat (35.7% DM), barley (29.8% DM), or forage oat (27.0% DM) silage harvested in the dough stage produced 21.2, 23.3, and 22.1 kg fat-corrected milk daily and consumed 1.75, 1.71, and 1.62 kg silage DM per 100 kg body weight, respectively. Corn silage DM intake was lower (P < 0.01) but more efficiently utilized for milk production (P < 0.01) than barley or forage oats, whereas wheat, barley, and forage oat silages were similar in feeding value. In experiment I, rumen acet.
Local and global multivariate analysis of geographical mitochondrial DNA variation in Leuciscus cephalus L. 1758 (Pisces: Cyprinidae) in the Balkan Peninsula

Abstract Geographical variation of cytochrome b mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) in chub ( Leuciscus cephalus L.) was analysed in 31 samples from 20 different river basins in the Balkan Peninsula and Danube catchment. Multivariate methods of ordination were used to analyse variation of the data sets. The results were interpreted in the context of the proposed ichthyogeographic districts separating the Balkan Peninsula into two main ichthyogeographic divisions (Eastern Greece/Ponto-Aegean and Western Greece/South Adriatic-Ionian). Boundary detection supported these two ichthyogeographic districts for L. cephalus , revealing a boundary that ran from north to south through the Balkan Peninsula and the middle of Greece. The results also revealed the existence of a third division in Central Greece. The results of ordination techniques on homogeneous zones and analysis of the molecular variance confirmed the results obtained in studying local variability (boundaries). They also allowed us to test the existence of possible subdivisions proposed by different authors inside the two main ichthyogeographic districts. These subdivisions were not supported. The multivariate methods used in this study allowed us to propose a coherent picture of chub ichthyogeographic districts in terms of boundary detection and maximal autocorrelation between populations and to explain the patterns of chub mtDNA variation. A complete interpretation of results concerning L. cephalus requires careful consideration of both boundary analysis and autocorrelative approach. Results from an the autocorrelative approach alone could lead to substantial misinterpretations.