Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Age‐related plumage differences of Dunlins along the East Asian‐Australasian Flyway

For some populations of Dunlins (Calidris alpina), determining the age of individuals on the nonbreeding grounds can be difficult. This difficulty arises in part because some populations undergo their primary molt during the boreal summer, leaving adult and first-year Dunlins with similar amounts of abrasion on their primaries. Ageing Dunlins is further complicated by the presence of adults with buff-fringed, inner median coverts in some populations, a feature often used to age juvenile Dunlins. We examined a number of characteristics helpful in the ageing Dunlins at nonbreeding areas along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway, including: (1) the pattern of white fringes on the inner primary coverts, (2) the color of fringes on the inner median wing coverts, (3) the color of the tip on the carpal covert, (4) the presence or absence of a dark subterminal band on tertial or tertial coverts, and (5) remnants of alternate or juvenile plumage on the belly. Our results demonstrate that the pattern of white fringes on the inner primary coverts is an important character for ageing Dunlin along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway. In addition, we found that all characteristics used for ageing fade with time, and that breeding adults along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway are more difficult to age than adults elsewhere, in part due to the presence of " adult buff" coverts (ABCs) and in part because of the early timing of primary molt. Finally, we suggest that the presence of ABCs might be useful for differentiating the two Dunlin subspecies (C. a. arcticola and C. a. pacifica) occurring in Alaska. ©2010 The Author(s). Journal compilation
Building Inter-Firm Collaboration - Evidence from Vietnamese SMEs in Tourism Sector

Inter-firm cooperation has received attention in recent year due to its benefit. However, little has been studied about the way to develop this relationship. In this paper we provide evidence on the development of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Vietnam relying on inter-firm relationship. Using a recent national survey in 2014 for tourism sector, empirical results indicate that trust in partner, along with motivation from relationship, are the main predictor of this relationship. Further, it confirms the positive influence of similarities between partners on inter-firm cooperation. Our empirical results indicate that classical determinants of inter-firm relationship including firm age, firm size, location and the ownership are also important in Vietnam. In addition to the traditional indicators we analyze the effect of government support. Direction from the government contributed significantly to the growth of Vietnamese SMEs by fostering inter-firm cooperation, but the importance of this kind of support may be diminishing as private firms do not seem to benefit from this form of support.
The Commonality of Sovereign Credit Risk: A Rating-Based Approach

There exists strong commonality in credit risk across sovereigns [Pan and Singleton (2008); Longstaff, Pan, Pedersen and Singleton (2011)]. This paper embeds this commonality into a rating-based, reduced-form model. A parsimonious version of the rating-based model can adequately capture the commonality in sovereign credit markets and jointly fit the CDS spreads of multiple countries. The model's pricing errors are comparable to those of a one-factor model with country-by-country estimation but without resorting to unreasonable parameter estimates. Portfolio analyses suggest that the estimated rating-based model is more consistent with the dynamics of CDS spreads and thus can generate reliable density forecasts for sovereign CDS portfolios.
Genotoxic effects of two different classes of insecticide in developing chick embryos

Pesticides provide considerable protection against pest population; however, rampant accumulation of these chemicals into varied habitats across the globe necessitates the need for a careful screening of each chemical due to toxic manifestations. In the current study, the genotoxic potential of two different classes of commercial insecticides – chlorpyrifos and cypermethrin combination and Spinosad, a naturalyte were compared. Rhode Island Red chick embryos were exposed to different doses of either of these insecticides individually, by in ovo treatment. Genotoxicity was then evaluated through micronucleus (MN) test and Comet assay. The combination insecticide exposure at low doses of 0.05 and 0.1 μg/egg induced DNA damage as evidenced by an increased tail moment in the Comet assay. Further, the presence of micronucleated erythrocytes and also various abnormal cells including dacryocytes, microcytes, erythroplastids, squashed/notched nuclei, and spindle-shaped erythrocytes in the blood smear consolidates indicate the presence of insecticide-induced genotoxicity. Spinosad, however, was found only mildly genotoxic but at a high dose of 1.5 mg/egg. The results indicate that usage of naturalyte insecticide may be a better option to minimize the harmful effects of chemical insecticides.
Energy dynamics of grasshopper populations in a temperate grassland community in India

Population dynamics, biomass and secondary net production of orthopterans, particularly acridids, were studied in a temperate grassland at Naukuchiatal, India, from February 1986 to January 1988. A total of 38 plant species were recorded in the grassland and mean aboveground net primary production was 6760 kJ m-2 per year. Thirteen orthopteran species occurred in the grassland. Most individuals were acridids, followed by tettigonids and gryllids; acridids were dominant both in density and biomass. The maximum population density was 5 m-2 and the maximum biomass was 275 mg m-2. Mean secondary net production was 10 kJ m-2 per year. Acridids consumed an average of 2.3% of the above-ground primary production.
Heads I win; tails you lose: asymmetry in exchange rate pass‐through into import prices

We analyse exchange rate pass‐through into import prices for a large group of 33 emerging and developed economies from 1980, quarter 1, to 2010, quarter 4. Our error correction models permit asymmetric pass‐through for currency appreciations and depreciations over three horizons of interest: on impact, in the short run and in the long run. We find that depreciations are typically passed through more strongly than appreciations in the long run, suggesting that exporters may exert a degree of long‐run pricing power. This asymmetry is stronger in economies which are more import dependent but is moderated by freedom to trade and a positive output gap. Given that this pass‐through asymmetry is welfare reducing for consumers in the destination market, a key macroeconomic implication is that import‐dependent economies, in particular, can benefit from trade liberalization.
Do Country-Level Investor Protections Impact Security-Level Contract Design? Evidence from Foreign Bond Covenants

Better legal protection of investors in a country is a central theme of international corporate governance research. However, investor protections can be derived not only from legal rights provided by countries’ laws but also from rights attached to individual securities at the issuer’s discretion. Using a cross-country sample of restrictive covenants attached to public corporate bonds, we show that countries’ legal investor protections impact security level contract design. When the legal protection of investors in a country is weak, investors are more likely to require security level protections that limit potentially opportunistic actions of managers. The findings suggest that sophisticated issuers and investors can create international contracts that adapt to weak legal institutions and therefore add to our understanding of how the overall investor protection environment is formed.
Long Memory Conditional Volatility and Assett Allocation

In this paper, we evaluate the economic benefits that arise from allowing for long memory in forecasting the covariance matrix of returns over both short and long horizons, using the asset allocation framework of Engle and Colacito (2006). In particular, we compare the statistical and economic performance of four multivariate long memory volatility models (the long memory EWMA, long memory EWMA-DCC, FIGARCH-DCC and component GARCH-DCC models) with that of two short memory models (the short memory EWMA and GARCH-DCC models). We report two main findings. First, for longer horizon forecasts, long memory models produce forecasts of the covariance matrix that are statistically more accurate and informative, and economically more useful than those produced by short memory models. Second, the two parsimonious long memory EWMA models outperform the other models – both short memory and long memory – at all forecast horizons. These results apply to both low and high dimensional covariance matrices and both low and high correlation assets, and are robust to the choice of estimation window.
Study of the Physiological Changes in Blood Chemistry, Humoral Immune Response and Performance of Quail Chicks Fed Supplemental Chromium

One hundred and fifty 2-week old Japanese quail chicks were allotted to 5 groups (30 chicks each) to investigate the effects of adding inorganic chromium (Cr) supplied from chromium chloride (CrCl , 6H O) 3 2 on some blood components, humoral immune responses and growth performance of growing quails. The dietary treatment was different dietary concentrations of Cr in the basal diet, to provide 0.0 (control), 125, 250, 375 and 500 μg / kg feed. Ten chicks per group, at 4 and 6 wk of age were injected intramuscularly with sheep red blood cells (SRBCs) to determining the primary and secondary antibody responses, respectively. Chromium supplementation significantly decreased the plasma levels of glucose, total cholesterol and total lipids, whereas total protein, globulin, AST and ALT increased. Plasma albumin concentration slightly but not significantly also increased. Dietary Cr caused a significantly increased in plasma level of Ca. , but did not affect the plasma concentrate of P. In addition, supplementation with Cr significantly improved body weight, weight gain and feed conversion ratio compared to control. However, Cr administration did not affect the relative weights of any organ studied. With respect to humoral immune responses the results indicated that total antibody and IgG titers against SRBCs were significantly higher in chicks receiving Cr at low (125 μg/kg feed) and middle (250 μg/kg feed) doses compared with those of control at secondary immune responses. The results suggest that under condition of this experiment, Cr may play a part in carbohydrate; lipid and proteins metabolism in quail chicks and can used as additives in grower quail diets without side effects on the health of the bird.
The Perceived Time Value Importance for Enrolment in Online Masters Courses: An Extension of the Technology Acceptance Model

Purpose. The main objective of this research is to obtain a better understanding of the impact of perceived time value on the intention of pursuing an online Master’s degree for its applicants. For this reason, perceived time value is added to the Technology Acceptance Model. Design/methodology/approach. Data are collected from a purposive sample of 147 individuals, who were interested to continue their higher education. Both, online and personal surveys are used to collect data. Achieved data are analysed by structural equation modelling. Findings. The results show that the perceived time value is significantly related to the ease of use and perceived utility, which in turn, show a significant effect on the attitude towards enrolment. Also the attitude towards enrolment is positively and significantly related to the Behavioural Intention towards studying an online Master (BIS). On the other hand, the perceived utility does not show a significant relationship with BIS. Research limitations/implications. This paper only examines the perceived time value before attending an online Masters. This perception may change after starting such courses. Additionally, there might be more factors influencing their intention toward a particular higher education system that is not mentioned in this article. Practical implications. This research can help the designers of these courses to understand the perception of the value of the time of the applicants before starting an online Master and thus, help them to plan their future marketing strategies more successfully. Originality/value. This article demonstrates the effect of the motivating factors of the applicants for enrolment in an online Master by analyzing the importance of managing and saving time, resulting in more free time.
Transparency and Market Fragmentation

We study insider trading disclosure in a dynamic model where a security is traded in two venues by an insider together with noise traders, and prices are set by competitive dealers in each location, under two alternative information regimes. We first posit that markets are informationally segmented, in that market makers are privy to the information gathered in their venue. In this case, fragmentation has no effect on the price discovery impact of insider trades' disclosure. We then allow market makers in a given venue to also observe the other venue's past period price as well as a noisy signal of that venue's order flow. In this case, we show that if markets are sufficiently pre-trade transparent, disclosure can impair price discovery.
CAMBRIDGE WORKING PAPERS IN ECONOMICS CAMBRIDGE-INET WORKING PAPERS Capability Accumulation and Conglomeratization in the Information Age

The past twenty years have witnessed the emergence of internet conglomerates fueled by acquisitions. We build a simple model of network formation to study this. We endow firms with scarce capabilities which drive their competitiveness across markets. Firms can merge to combine their capabilities, spin-off new firms by partitioning their capabilities, or procure unassigned capabilities. We study stable industry structures in which no such deviations are profitable. We find an upper and lower bound on the size of the largest firm, and show that as markets value more of the same capabilities abrupt increases in these bounds occur. Abstract The past twenty years have witnessed the emergence of internet conglomerates fueled by acquisitions. We build a simple model of network formation to study this. We endow ﬁrms with scarce capabilities which drive their competitiveness across markets. Firms can merge to combine their capabilities, spin-oﬀ new ﬁrms by partitioning their capabilities, or procure unassigned capabilities. We study stable industry structures in which no such deviations are proﬁtable. We ﬁnd an upper and lower bound on the size of the largest ﬁrm, and show that as markets value more of the same capabilities abrupt increases in these bounds occur. ∗ We thank Ben Golub, Sanjeev Goyal, Nicole Immorlica, Matt Jackson, Meg Meyer, Volker Nocke, Marzena Rostek, Larry Samuelson, Rakesh Vohra, and Birger Wernerfelt for helpful comments as well as audiences at Bocconi, Carnegie Mellon, Glasgow, Oxford, Kellogg, MIT, the INFORMS annual meeting, the AEA meetings, the 7th European Meeting on Networks, the 6th Network Science in Economics Conference, the Adansonia Conference and the 72nd European Meeting of the Econometric Society. J¨org Kalbfuss, Sarah Taylor and Luther Yap provided excellent research assistance. Elliott acknowledges ﬁnancial support from ERC starting grant 757229 and the JM Keynes Fellowships Fund. A previous version of this paper was circulated under the title “Firm capabilities and industry structure. ”
Exploring the Relation of CSR Activities With Operating Activities: Cost Asymmetry and Asymmetric Sales Response

We explore the relation of CSR activities with SG&amp;A cost stickiness and asymmetric sales response by using a data sample of 7.464 firm-year observations of European firms for the period 2009-2015. Our empirical findings indicate that SG&amp;A expenses exhibit cost stickiness (anti-stickiness) in the case of firms with high (low) intensity of CSR activities. Depending on a firm’s intensity on CSR activities, it seems that sales revenues exhibit asymmetric responses towards different directions on the changes of SG&amp;A expenses. The asymmetric sot behaviour of SG&amp;A expenses and the asymmetric sales response are also affected by the extent that CSR activities are anchored with investing or signalling profile. A possible explanation is that firms with high intensity of CSR activities tend to focus on improving long term growth, they adopt a prospector’s strategy and they are characterised with high intensity of intangible investments.
Phylogenetic position of the Tardigrada based on the 18S ribosomal RNA gene sequences

The phylogenetic position of the Tardigrada remains uncertain. This is due to the limited information available, and the uncertainty of whether some characters are homologous or analogous with other taxa. Based on some morphological characters, current discussion centres on whether the taxon branches from the annelid-arthropod lineage, or lies within the arthropod complex. The molecular data presented here from an analysis of the 18S rRNA gene sequences are used to test the validity of these two hypotheses. Phylogenetic inference by the maximum parsimony and distance (neighbour-joining) methods suggests that the Tardigrada is a sister group of the major protostome eucoelomate assemblage that emerged before the arthropods, annelids, molluscs, and sipunculids evolved. The tardigrade clade also appears as an independent lineage separate from the nematode clade, thus supporting the current idea that tardigrades do not have a close aschelminth relationship. The molecular data also imply that several morphological features, considered significant in determining the phylogenetic relationships of tardigrades, are not synapomorphic characters.
Cryphonectria parasitica vegetative compatibility type analysis of populations in south-western France and northern Spain.

A comprehensive study of the population biology of Cryphonectria parasitica, the causal agent of chestnut blight, is required to understand the spread of the epidemic in Europe and its natural regulation by the Cryphonectria hypovirus-1 (CHV-1). With this objective in mind, the diversity in vegetative compatibility (vc) types and mating types of C. parasitica populations was assessed in 43 chestnut sites in western France and northern Spain. Isolates were sampled in three regions along the Pyrenees mountains (Hautes Pyrenees, Pyrenees Atlantiques and Navarra) and in two regions north of the Pyrenees (Landes and Dordogne). There were 61 vc types observed in 682 isolates sampled. Ninety-five isolates (14%) could not be assigned to any one of the previously known European vc types. The finding of 47 incompatible vc types confirmed that the genetics of vegetative compatibility could not be totally accounted for by six diallelic vic genes. The two idiomorphs of the mating type gene were detected in all regions, indicating that sexual reproduction could occur within and between vc types. In all regions except Dordogne, C. parasitica populations were dominated either by the vc type EU-66 or EU-72. Neither vc type has been reported elsewhere in Europe, which suggests that two different introductions of C. parasitica have occurred in the study area. In Dordogne, populations were dominated by EU-33 and EU-2, and to a lesser extent EU-66 and EU-72. The low diversity in vc types for most of the C. parasitica populations provides good opportunities for natural regulation in forest coppices and for biocontrol with CHV-1 in orchards.
Localization of ecdysteroid receptor immunoreactivity in eyestalk and muscle tissue of the American lobster, Homarus americanus

Ecdysteroid receptor immunoreactivity (EcR) has been identified in walking leg extensor muscle and eyestalk neural tissue of the American lobster, Homarus americanus, using a monoclonal antibody to the EcR of Drosophila melanogaster. Western blots using the EcR antibody, hybridized with a 95–110 kDa protein from the lobster tissues examined. Premoult muscle and hypodermis, and eyestalk neural tissue cross-reacted with the antibody as evidenced with immunocytochemistry. Sections of eyestalk neural tissue showed cytoplasmic localization of the EcR in the neural cells associated with the X-organ/sinus gland complex. © Wiley-Liss, Inc.
The Political Economy of Populism

We synthesize the literature on the recent rise of populism. First, we discuss definitions and present descriptive evidence on the recent increase in support for populists. Second, we cover the historical evolution of populist regimes since the late nineteenth century. Third, we discuss the role of secular economic factors related to cross-border trade and automation. Fourth, we review studies on the role of the 2008–09 global financial crisis and subsequent austerity, connect them to historical work covering the Great Depression, and discuss likely mechanisms. Fifth, we discuss studies on identity politics, trust, and cultural backlash. Sixth, we discuss economic and cultural consequences of growth in immigration and the recent refugee crisis. We also discuss the gap between perceptions and reality regarding immigration. Seventh, we review studies on the impact of the internet and social media. Eighth, we discuss the literature on the implications of populism’s recent rise. We conclude outlining avenues for further research. (JEL D72, E32, G01, J15, N30, N40, Z13)
A Conditional Asset Pricing Model with the Optimal Orthogonal Portfolio

This paper develops a conditional asset pricing model with latent factors, based on the optimal orthogonal portfolio approach. We construct a factor portfolio that embodies all the latent factors important for pricing a given set of test assets. The out-of-sample performance of this portfolio is evaluated against several conventional factors, using both cross-sectional and time-series regression approaches. Our results show that our suggested factor outperforms all the predefined factors regarding the contribution in return variations as well as the pricing ability. Our suggested methodology may have important applications in risk management, portfolio selection and performance evaluation.
Isolation and characterization of a linear plasmid from Streptomyces rimosus

A linear plasmid was isolated from a strain of Streptomyces rimosus. This plasmid was separated by agarose gel electrophoresis and its size, about 43 kb, determined both by this method and by electron microscopy. The cleavage pattern of the linear plasmid with 5 restriction endonucleases is given. A protein, which is removed by proteinase K, is probably associated to this plasmid. By ethidium bromides or acridine orange treatment we obtained mutants which had lost their aerial mycelium and their linear plasmid.