Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Climate Change and the Revealed Comparative Advantage of Water

The consequence of climate change on the comparative advantages of nations is not obvious. Water-scarce countries are already specialized in products that are not water intensive and many waterabundant countries have the technology and/or the size to mitigate climate change. The current article confirms this assertion, the effect of climate change on trade flows is small in general, however this global picture hides dramatic changes at the local level (e.g. banana in Hawaii). We also find that the geography of comparative advantages can be affected in some continents, such as in Latin America (e.g. Colombia on coffee). All these results are obtained with a methodology consisting in building an indicator of the water capability to export at the finest spatial scale. JEL: F14; Q54.
Entrepeneur’s Performance and Related Factors (Case Study of SMES in Medan City)

DOI: 10.21276/sjebm.2017. 4.9. 7 Abstract: The purpose of this study is to determine the relationship or influence between the motivation of trying with the entrepeneur's performance in small industries in Medan City, to know the relationship between, knowledge of entrepreneurship with the entrepeneur's performance in small industries in Medan City, to know the relationship between business independence with the entrepreneurial performance of small industries in Medan City, to know the relationship between business motivation and business independence together with the entrepeneur's performance in small industry in Medan City. Sources of data in this study are the primary data obtained by sending 45 questionnaires to small industry SMEs in the city of Medan. From the result of the research, there is a positive correlation between: 1) Motivation of effort with Performance of Entrepreneur, 2) Knowledge of Entrepreneur with Performance of Entrepreneur, 3) Independence Entrepreneur with Performance Entrepreneur have no positive influence, 4) Together there is positive relation between Entrepreneur Motivation, Business Knowledge, Business Independence with Performance of Entrepreneur.
5.1 A statistical-dynamical model for quantifying regional storm climates

While earthquakes and tropical hurricanes often receive considerably more media attention, mid-latitude winter storms are the cause of a considerable amount of damage. Indeed, some of the costliest events in modern history (in terms of insured losses) have been associated with frontalwave cyclones over northwestern Europe. Costly winter storms have also occurred in North America, the infamous “Storm of the Century” (March 1993) being just one example. The winds associated with winter storms over Europe can be particularly severe. The intensity of these storms and the destruction they bring make them particularly important to those insurers and re-insurers whose portfolios include those regions affected. Over just the last 15 years, the nine most damaging storms have resulted in over $28 billion (USD) of insured losses. Two storms that occurred in late December 1999 (Lothar and Martin) caused insured losses of nearly $8 billion. Concern for the potential economic cost from these storms to the European Community has provided justification for increasing research and field studies in hopes of improving the ability to forecast these extreme events (e.g., Joly, et. al, 1997; Goyette, et. al, 2000). The insurance industry is not only interested in the intensity of such storms, but also in the frequency with which they occur. Since robust and dependable observations extend back just over 50 years, it can be a challenge to estimate with what frequency damaging winds will occur for longer “return periods” of 100 or 500 years. The risk of enormous insured losses provides the motivation to characterize the regional extreme wind climate over Europe as realistically as possible. Traditional actuarial methods usually require large, accurate historical data sets that are nonexistent for weather-related catastrophes. In response, computer-based natural catastrophe (CAT) models began to be developed in the late 1980s. The first CAT model using a natural hazard basis estimated insured losses resulting from hurricanes making landfall on the US coast. It was not until after Hurricane Andrew in 1992 that they began to become widely used. A regional "storm-climate" model has been developed as an integration of the NCAR-NCEP Global Reanalysis Model (GRM) data set and the 5th generation NCAR Penn State University mesoscale model (MM5). In its statisticaldynamical (or Monte Carlo based ensemble) implementation, this model produces realistic return-period profiles when compared with other extreme event metrics. Once we understand the nature of extreme wind events, we can apply structural engineering models to estimate monetary losses associated with such events for all regions affected. This process can be applied to historical storms for verification purposes, for real-time losses, and to profile the financial vulnerability to potential future extreme windstorms. These economic vulnerability profiles provide another constraint
Neuropsychological outcome at adolescence of very preterm birth and its relation to brain structure

Neuropsychological outcome at 14 to 15 years of age of a cohort of 75 participants (39 male, 36 female) born at <33 weeks’gestation was investigated. Research was conducted parallel to a recent MRI study by Stewart and colleagues which reported that 55% of this cohort had evidence of brain abnormality. One aim of the study was to compare neuropsychological function in those very preterm children with and without MRI abnormality. Compared to a control sample of term adolescents, very preterm participants had impairment only on a measure of word production. On measures of attention, memory, perceptual skill, and visuomotor and executive function, the adolescents born very preterm performed in the normal range, whether or not they had evidence of MRI abnormality. Our findings are encouraging as the neuropsychological consequences of damage to the very preterm brain, still evident on MRI at 14 to 15 years of age, appear to be minor.
American foulbrood and its causative agent, Paenibacillus larvae, in New Zealand’s registered hives and apiaries

Though the honey bee (Apis mellifera) is exposed to an extensive diversity of parasites and pathogens from multiple kingdoms, few are as devastating as American foulbrood. American foulbrood is a highly contagious bacterial disease, of which the causative agent (bacterium Paenibacillus larvae) infects honey bee brood through the ingestion of its spores, ultimately leading to the death of the infected larva and the collapse of the infected hive. Paenibacillus larvae’s genotypes (ERIC I-IV) exhibit differing ‘killing time’ of infected larvae, resulting in different larval and colony level virulence of the disease within hives. American foulbrood is found in New Zealand’s registered hives, and poses a threat to the country’s apiculture industry. The first objective of this thesis was to perform a genetic analysis on New Zealand’s P. larvae field strains using the well-established methodology of rep-PCR with MBO REP1 primers. A total of 172 bacteria isolates were gathered from registered hives from 2011 to 2014 and examined. The MBO REP1 primer identifies the ‘beta’ genetic subgroups of P. larvae. By identifying beta subgroups, the ERIC genotypes that are present in New Zealand can also be concluded. The genetic analysis of P. larvae using rep-PCR is a first for New Zealand, and appears to be a first for Australasia. The second objective of this thesis was to conduct a temporal and geographical statistical analysis on American foulbrood infection rate trends in New Zealand’s national and regional, divided into seven regions, registered hives and apiaries from 1994 to 2013. The genetic analysis of P. larvae detected three ‘beta’ genotypic subgroups: B, b, and Б. From these findings it was concluded that ERIC I and ERIC II are present in New Zealand. Previous to my findings, subgroup B and Б and ERIC II genotype had not been recorded outside of Europe. The statistical analysis reported that American foulbrood infection rates were significantly decreasing nationally. Results also reported that four of the seven regions’ infection rates were significantly decreasing, whilst three regions were significantly increasing. Conclusions on the subgroups and genotypes present in New Zealand gives the first insight to the virulence and occurrence of P. larvae strains. Additionally, the use of rep-PCR for the genetic analysis of P. larvae enables this thesis to contribute to the increasing knowledge on American foulbrood. By examining the temporal and geographic dynamics of American foulbrood, the results allow for the evaluation of current management strategies and the most recent understanding on the national and regional infection rates of the disease.
Participatory research methods applicable in geographic studies

The aim of this article is to present methods of participatory research and PGIS participative mapping and their applicability to geographic studies. Participatory research has emerged as a reaction to the traditional pyramidal research approaches. 2014's Future Earth Agenda indicates that there are issues regarding a) the need for the co-creation of knowledge and integration of academic and non-academic knowledge and b) development of collaborative research with different stakeholders in order to address current global environmental challenges in a sustainable manner. After a theoretical introduction, the author presents the applicability of focus groups interviews and PGIS participative mapping in a trans-disciplinary project concerning the Lower Danube Floodplain evolution. The PGIS research field is a domain, which links GIS with the critical geography thinking being based on the implementation of participatory research methods. The current international policy of Future Earth is raising awareness about the importance of participative research methods and the article presents two practical applications of such methods.
Effect of plant, fungal and animal diets on mosquito development

Mosquitoes spend their larval life in impermanent, often small and shallow freshwater pools. The food consumed during this period has been shown to affect larval development and future life history (Nayar & Sauerman, 1970; Scriber & Slansky, 1981). Such studies need to be extended to include other species and feeding types (Simpson & Raubenheimer, 1995). In the field it is difficult to separate the various nutritional components and study their individual significance as dietary requirements (Slansky & Scriber, 1985). In our experiments we therefore studied separately three different diets — plant, fungal and animal — and determined the effects on developmental potential, larval survival and adult performance. The exceptional ability of Ae. aegypti in coping with nutritionally unpromising food sources is shown.
Issue Information

Adeeb H. Rahman,* Yonit Lavin, Soma Kobayashi, Andrew Leader, and Miriam Merad Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai, New York 10029 Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai, The Precision Immunology Institute, New York 10029 Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai, Human Immune Monitoring Center, New York 10029 Department of Oncological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai, New York 10029
Virulence and polymorphic DNA relationships of Puccinia striiformis f.sp. hordei to other rusts.

The relationships of Puccinia striiformis f. sp. hordei (stripe rust of barley) to P. striiformis f. sp. tritici (stripe rust of wheat) and P. striiformis f. sp. poae (stripe rust of bluegrass) in North America were determined by virulence and random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analyses. Their relationships to P. hordei (leaf rust of barley), P. recondita f. sp. tritici (leaf rust of wheat), and P. graminis f. sp. tritici (stem rust of wheat) were determined by RAPD assay. All isolates of P. striiformis f. sp. hordei were virulent on some cultivars of wheat, and some isolates of P.striiformis f. sp. tritici were virulent on some cultivars of barley. Isolates of P. striiformis f. sp. hordei and P. striiformis f. sp. tritici did not infect bluegrass, and isolates of P. striiformis f. sp. poae did not infect barley and wheat cultivars. Of 31 barley genotypes tested, 9 were susceptible and 8 were resistant to all isolates of P. striiformis f. sp. hordei. The remaining 14 genotypes showed differential reactions. Fourteen races (pathotypes) of P. striiformis f. sp. hordei were identified using eleven selected barley genotypes based on avirulence/virulence patterns. A system for naming and designating races of P. striiformis f. sp. hordei was presented to distinguish races of P.striiformis f. sp. hordei from races of P. striiformis f. sp. tritici. RAPD analyses separated the isolates of P. striiformis f. sp. hordei, P. striiformis f. sp. tritici, and P. striiformis f. sp. poae. P. striiformis f. sp. hordei and P. striiformis f. sp. tritici were more closely related to each other than they were to P. striiformis f. sp. poae. Based on molecular variation, none of the three formae speciales of P. striiformis were more closely related to P. hordei, P. recondita f. sp. tritici, or P. graminis f. sp. tritici.
New Afrotropical and Oriental species of Micrepimera Matile (Diptera: Keroplatidae)

Two new species of Robsonomyiini (Diptera: Keroplatidae: Macrocerinae), Micrepimera berentiana sp. n. and M. pandastica sp. n. , are described from southern Madagascar and northern Vietnam, respectively. This is the first record of this tribe in the Afrotropical region and from mainland Asia. Both the new species differ from M. punctipennis Matile (described from Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean) mainly in wing coloration, structure of antennae, and details of the male terminalia.
Gait

Background: Pain is common in children with cerebral palsy (CP) and research has shown that pain in childhood negatively influences individuals’ participation in later years. This emphasises that educators and clinicians working with children need to know how to manage the children’s pain to ensure participation in classroom activities. The goal of pain management is to facilitate children’s participation. Aim: This study investigated how educators and clinicians in South African school settings respond to children’s need for pain management in an attempt to enable the children to be active participants in school activities, despite their pain. Method: The study followed a qualitative design according to Hsieh and Shannon, and in total 38 educators or clinicians participated in five different focus groups. The educators and clinicians worked in government schools in the Gauteng province (Johannesburg and Pretoria). Results: Two strategies of management emerged, i.e., accommodation and treatment. There was a risk of neglecting older children when available resources were provided to the youngest in first hand. Access to services was a challenge, and highlighted in the focus groups. Treatment related to hip dislocation was frequently mentioned in the focus groups. Conclusion: This study stresses that it is important to train educators and clinicians in pain management and to implement structured models for pain management to ensure that best practices are adhered to for children with CP who suffer from chronic pain. Difficulties in pain management were also observed, mostly because the level of hip dislocations.
Control of foodborne pathogens by bacteriocin-like substances from Lactobacillus spp. in combination with high pressure processing

Isolates from fermented foods were screened for antimicrobial activity against gram negative bacteria. The most active isolate was identified as a Lactobacillus curvatus by biochemical analysis and ribotyping, and the isolate was designated as OSY-HJC6. Lactobacillus curvatus OSY-HJC6 was further tested for production of antimicrobial activity extracellularly and intracellularly. A bactericidal antimicrobial activity of Lb. curvatus OSY-HJC6 was detected on MRS agar medium. A reduction of >8 log10 cfu/ml occurred in Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis and Escherichia coli O157:H7 in the presence of Lb. curvatus culture supernatant (1:1, v/v). Gram positive bacteria were not sensitive to the culture supernatant. Intracellular antimicrobial activity was tested in the strain’s cell free extract (CFE) and a broad inhibitory spectrum against gram positive and gram negative bacteria was detected. Culture supernatant and CFE retained the antimicrobial activity after heating at 60-100°C for 10-20 min but not after treating with a
Childhood medulloblastoma in northwest England 1954 to 1997: incidence and survival

The incidence, survival patterns, and presenting symptoms of children with medulloblastoma were studied. Data were ascertained from the Manchester Tumour Registry which is population‐based and has collected data on all childhood malignancies in northwest England since 1954. Incidence rates standardized to the European standard population were calculated and Poisson regression models were used to examine temporal changes in the incidence rates during the period 1954 to 1997. Kaplan‐Meier survival curves were derived and used to study changes in survival patterns. World‐standardized incidence rates were 5.5 per million child years in males and 3.4 per million child years in females. Incidence rates increased from the 1950s to the 1980s but have declined recently. The 5‐year survival rate has improved from 29 to 58% with similar rates for males and females. The 1‐year survival rate has also improved, but females had worse survival at this point (58%) than males (75%). The type of symptom or sign at presentation is strongly affected by age, with 10 of the 22 recorded symptoms or signs showing significant age differences. The older the child is, the more likely is the presentation to show pressure features of headache, vomiting, and ophthalmic signs. Younger children present with non‐specific features such as lethargy, behavioural disturbance, or increasing head size. Ataxia is seen in about 75% of children across the age range.
Divergence, dispersal and recombination in Lepiota cristata from China

The basidiomycete Lepiota cristata (Agaricales) is among the most widely distributed saprophytic Mushrooms in the Northern Hemisphere. It's commonly found on humus-rich soil in a variety of terrestrial habitats, from roadsides to forest floors. In this study, we analyzed 47 isolates of the L. cristata species complex from China using DNA sequences from three loci (the internal transcribed spacer region or ITS, the inter-genic spacer or IGS, and the mitochondrial small ribosomal subunit RNA gene or mtSSU rRNA). Our analyses identified abundant sequence variation and potentially divergent lineages within L. cristata for each of the three loci. Interestingly, there were significant differences among the three gene genealogies and our linkage disequilibrium analyses identified unambiguous evidence of recombination, hybridization and/or incomplete lineage sorting. Furthermore, several sequence types were shared among isolates from diverse geographic locations for each of the three analyzed loci. Our population genetic analyses indicated limited evidence for genetic differentiation among geographic populations, suggesting that long-distance gene flow might be common among geographic populations of this species in China. We discuss the implications Of Our results with regard to the Population biology and taxonomy of this widely distributed but under-studied species.
Neuromuscular activation and motor‐unit firing characteristics in cerebral palsy

Muscle strength, neuromuscular activation, and motor‐unit firing characteristics (firing rate, recruitment, and short‐term synchronization) were assessed during voluntary contractions of the medial gastrocnemius (GAS) and tibialis anterior (TA) muscles of 10 participants with spastic diplegic or hemiplegic cerebral palsy (CP). The participants (six females, four males; age range 6 to 37y) walked with equinus gait at Gross Motor Function Classification System levels II to III. These were compared with 10 age‐matched controls (five females; age range 7 to 35y). Neuromuscular activation was estimated by the ratio of surface electromyogram amplitude to M‐wave amplitude elicited by supramaximal electrical nerve stimulation. Participants with CP produced significantly less torque (normalized by leg length) compared with controls (TA: mean 2.3, SD 1.6 vs mean 8.9, SD 3.4N m/m; GAS mean 13.7, SD 7.1 vs mean 28.6, SD 5.1Nm/m, p<0.001). Neuromuscular activation during maximum voluntary contraction was significantly reduced in the participants with CP compared with controls (mean 2.4, SD 1.5 vs mean 9.7, SD 2.7Nm/m for TA; mean 1.04, SD 0.41 vs mean 3.1, SD 1.2Nm/m for GAS, p<0.001). When compared at the same submaximal level of neuromuscular activation, motor‐unit recruitment and firing rates were not different between the groups, although short‐term synchronization in TA was reduced in the participants with CP. These data indicate that weakness, known to be an important component of the motor deficit in CP, has a strong central component. Although the relation between recruitment and firing rate remained substantially intact at the low and moderate force contractions tested, results suggest that the participants with CP were unable to recruit higher threshold motor units or to drive lower threshold motor units to higher firing rates.
Isolation and Characterization of Bacteriophages That Inhibit Strains of Pediococcus Damnosus, Lactobacillus Brevis, and Lactobacillus paraplantarum That Cause Beer Spoilage

The aim of this study was to isolate and characterize bacteriophages against Pediococcus and Lactobacillus strains that cause spoilage in brewing processes. A number of beer-spoilage bacteria were isolated from breweries and characterized by 16S rRNA typing. Five distinct P. damnosus phages and four Lactobacillus phages, which lysed both L. brevis and L. paraplantarum, were isolated from municipal sewage and farmyard slurries. A rapid DNA isolation method was used to isolate DNA of sufficient purity for restriction endonuclease digestion from de Man, Rogosa, and Sharpe (MRS) broth. Phages were analyzed using restriction digest and transmission electron microscopy and shown to be in the family Siphoviridae, with genomes ranging in size from 40 to 50 kb. All phages were characterized and shown to be distinct. This study identifies five novel phages against P. damnosus. Phages for this species are very rare in the scientific literature. Four novel phages against L. brevis and L. paraplantarum are also identified. These phages may have an application in the biocontrol of beer-spoilage bacteria.