Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Karyotype morphology and cytogeography in Brunnera and Cynoglottis (Boraginaceae)

A comparative study of karyotype morphology and heterochromatin patterns in Brunnera andCynoglottis (Boraginaceae) was carried out with traditional methods and Giemsa C-banding. Two polymorphic species ofCynoglottis , each with two subspecies, and two of Brunnera were investigated using native population samples from the central-eastern Mediterranean and Middle East. Pollen size of these samples was measured to investigate relationships with ploidy level. C. barrelieri subsp. barrelieri and subsp. serpentinicola are characterized by 2n =18 and smaller pollen grains in contrast to C. chetikiana subsp. chetikiana and subsp.paphlagonica , which are fundamentally tetraploid with 2 n=36. The occurrence of cytotypes with 2n =12 and 2 n=24 in both subspecies of C. chetikiana, however, would suggestx =6 as the original haploid number and x=9 as a derived one. Furthermore, the finding of a hypoploid cytotype with 2 n=16 in C. barrelieri ssp. barrelieri was consistent with previous reports and suggested relationships with Anchusa. Karyoevolutionary processes possibly associated with such a wide chromosome variation in Cynoglottis are discussed. Brunnera macrophylla and B. orientalis share a complement of 2 n=12 and an apparently identical karyotype, which differs from Cynoglottis in terms of asymmetry, chromosome size and morphology. A basic C-banding style was present in Brunnera and Cynoglottis, but heterochromatin content increased from the former to the latter. The parallel increase in chromosome number, heterochromatin content and size of the pollen from Brunnera to Cynoglottis may reflect an evolutionary progression, and is consistent with the supposed ancient origin of Brunnera.
Role of NF-κB in the Apoptotic-resistant Phenotype of Keratinocytes*

Several studies point to a role for NF-κB in modulating epidermal thickness and apoptotic susceptibility of keratinocytes. When phorbol esters such as 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) are topically applied, prominent epidermal thickening occurs, and exposure to interferon (IFN)-γ promotes increased epidermal thickness producing psoriatic lesions. While keratinocytes derived from psoriatic plaque resist apoptosis, and combination of TPA and IFN-γ activates NF-κB, the molecular mechanism linking NF-κB activation and keratinocyte apoptosis resistance was unknown. Therefore, we examined the ability of IFN-γ plus TPA to influence NF-κB activity, gene expression, and response to UV light-induced apoptosis. These responses in normal keratinocytes were compared with immortalized keratinocytes (HaCaT cells). Exposure of normal keratinocytes to IFN-γ plus TPA produced a synergistic activation of NF-κB, compared with when each reagent was used individually. Normal keratinocytes when exposed to IFN-γ plus TPA acquired a resistance to UV light-induced apoptosis, which was dependent on NF-κB because expression of a dominant negative form of IκBα overcame the resistance. Compared with normal keratinocytes, HaCaT cells have a dysfunctional constitutive NF-κB signaling pathway not induced by IFN-γ and TPA, rendering HaCaT cells highly susceptible to UV-induced apoptosis. Thus, immortalized HaCaT cells have an abnormal constitutive and dysfunctional NF-κB signaling system. These results provide evidence that activation and proper regulation of NF-κB is essential for acquisition of an apoptotic-resistant phenotype for epidermal-derived keratinocytes.
Financing Labor

Financial market imperfections can have significant impact on employment decisions of firms. We illustrate the economic importance of this channel by showing that employment decisions are constrained by firms’ financial health and liquidity. Our main analysis uses a collage of three “quasi-experiments” to trace the effects of finance on employment. The results suggest that financial constraints and the availability of credit play an important role in firm-level employment decisions, as well as aggregate unemployment outcomes.
Positive anemotaxis by Varroa mites: responses to bee odour plumes and single clean‐air puffs

Abstract.The stimuli and mechanisms mediating host location and host choice by the bee mite, Varroa jacobsoni (Oudemans), are currently unknown. It is shown that Varroa can use single clean‐air puffs and bee‐odour plumes in a wind tunnel as directional cues. Varroa turned nearly straight upwind in response to single 0.1‐s puffs of clean air directed at 90° to the their anterior‐posterior axis. They turned significantly further to their left side (104°) than to their right (76°), but showed no difference in latency to initiation of the turns (means of 63.3 ms vs. 62.6 ms, respectively). They also followed bee‐odour plumes in a wind tunnel. When released in odour and control plumes mid‐way between the plume's origin and the downwind end of the tunnel, mites responding to bee‐odour walked upwind in, or along the edge of, the odour plume with 38% making contact with the odour delivery tube; mites in clean air did not walk upwind along the air stream, and none made contact with the air delivery tube. Walking speeds were not different between the bee‐odour and control groups (0.28 vs. 0.29 cm s–1); there were also no differences in the turning rates (96.85 vs. 97.16 deg s–1 and 388.08 vs. 379.18 deg cm–1, respectively). Under all conditions, mites walked in a zigzag fashion.
Extrinsic Motivation, PSM and Labour Market Characteristics: A Multilevel Model of Public Sector Preference in 26 Countries

Research findings have been contradictory with respect to the determinants of why people choose a public sector job. In this paper we use an internationally comparative design with data from 26 countries to explain public sector employment preference. The study shows that on the individual level public service motivation and extrinsic motivation both are important drivers for this preference. Intrinsic motivation, in turn, is negatively related with people's inclination to work for the public sector. Moreover, having a lower income and lower education is associated with a greater preference for public sector employment. This suggests that working for the public sector is seen as a good and safe career option. Our results furthermore show that variation in this preference can only partly be explained by country differences. Nevertheless, in countries with a career - rather than position-based system of public employment people are more likely to prefer public employment. Points for Practitioners: Attracting the best and brightest to work for the public sector requires an insight into why people prefer public over private sector employment. This paper looks at what makes people prefer public sector employment in 26 countries. Findings reveal that public service motivation (helping other people, being useful to society) and extrinsic motives (job security, a high income, opportunities for advancement) play an important role in this preference. Still, there are considerable differences between countries. In countries with a career-based system of public employment, working in the public sector is seen as more attractive.
The utility of distribution data in predicting phenology

The phenology of many species has been shown to shift under climate change. However, because species respond at different rates, ecological communities may be disrupted leading to species extinctions and loss of ecosystem services. Hence, there is a need to monitor and understand phenological change. Population data, gathered by standardised monitoring schemes, can be used to this end. However, such schemes require significant organisation and financial resources. Distribution data (georeferenced biological records with dates) are easier and cheaper to collect and may be an unexploited resource for phenology analyses. This would allow analysis of more taxa from more regions of the world. However, distribution data are potentially biased due to the unstandardised behaviour of biological recorders. Here, the ability of distribution data record dates to accurately predict phenology is investigated by using the British butterfly fauna as a model system. We used the total number of distribution records per unit time across Great Britain as a proxy for butterfly abundance. Phenology metrics of mean flight date and flight period length were then calculated from the resulting abundance–time relationships for each year in a 15‐year time series. These estimates were validated against those generated from a standardised‐effort population monitoring scheme. We analysed 1 078 328 records from 30 British butterflies and found that distribution data accurately predicted the mean flight date for 22 of the 30 species tested. Flight period length was only predicted accurately for seven of 30 species. We found a nonlinear but consistent positive relationship between the accuracy of mean flight date estimates and sample size (number of records) at both inter‐ and intraspecific scales. Our results suggest that a threshold sample size of c. 6500 distribution records (430 per year) is a pragmatic compromise between accuracy and recording effort, leading to little loss of accuracy in phenology predictions (an average decrease in accuracy of 2·9 days was observed). The results suggest that distribution data are a potentially useful resource for phenology research. This may allow practitioners to monitor particular regions and previously unstudied species relatively cheaply using existing mapping schemes.
The N-Terminal Repeat Domain of α-Synuclein Inhibits β-Sheet and Amyloid Fibril Formation†

The conversion of α-synuclein into amyloid fibrils in the substantia nigra is linked to Parkinson's disease. α-Synuclein is natively unfolded in solution, but can be induced to form either α-helical or β-sheet structure depending on its concentration and the solution conditions. The N-terminus of α-synuclein comprises seven 11-amino acid repeats (XKTKEGVXXXX) which can form an amphipathic α-helix. Why seven repeats, rather than six or eight, survived the evolutionary process is not clear. To probe this question, two sequence variants of α-synuclein, one with two fewer (del2) and one with two additional (plus2) repeats, were studied. As compared to wild-type α-synuclein, the plus2 variant disfavors the formation of β-sheet-rich oligomers, including amyloid fibrils. In contrast, the truncated variant, del2, favors β-sheet and fibril formation. We propose that the repeat number in WT α-synuclein represents an evolutionary balance between the functional conformer of α-synuclein (α-helix and/or random coil) an.
Globalisation, Co-Operation Costs and Wage Inequalities

The plummeting cost of international business travel and communication has enabled highly-skilled workers resident in developed countries to become increasingly involved in production in developing countries, where they can co-operate with less-skilled workers whose wages are lower than those of less-skilled workers in developed countries. Reduction of 'co-operation costs' thus has a double effect on wage inequalities. It narrows the gap between developed and developing countries in the wages of less-skilled workers, but in most cases widens the wage gap within developed countries between highly-skilled and less-skilled workers.
Car Ownership and the Labor Markets of Ethnic Minorites

We show how small initial wealth differences between low skilled black and white workers can generate large differences in their labor-market outcomes. This even occurs in the absence of a taste for discrimination against blacks or exogenous differences in the distance to jobs. Because of the initial wealth difference, blacks cannot afford cars while whites can. Car ownership allows whites to reach more jobs per unit of time and this gives them a better bargaining position. As a result, in equilibrium, blacks end up with both higher unemployment rates and lower wages than whites. Furthermore, it takes more time for blacks to reach their jobs even though they travel less miles. Those predictions are consistent with the data. Better access to capital markets or better public transportation will reduce the differences in labor market outcomes.
Chemical Composition, Starch Bioavailability and Indigestible fraction of Common Beans (Phaseolus Vulgaris L.)

In Mexico, consumption of beans represents 15% of the normal diet of the population in rural zones. Four common bean varieties cultivated in Mexico were studied regarding their chemical composition, starch digestibility and indigestible fraction. The protein level in the samples Huasteco, Tacana and TLP 19 was not different (α = 0.05), but Veracruz cultivar had the highest protein and ash content, and the lowest lipid level. Differences in chemical composition were determined in the cultivars studied. Total starch (TS) ranged between 33.6 and 36.7%, and the cultivars Tacana, TIP 19 and Veracruz were not different in starch content (α = 0.05). The available starch (AS) determined represented between 74 and 87% of TS, due to the resistant starch content and perhaps some complex formed between starch and protein or starch and polyphenols, by the high level of the indigestible fraction determined in the beans. The in vitro α-amylolysis rate was similar for the different varieties, except for Veracruz cultivar which presented a slightly lower hydrolysis rate. (Less)
Let Artificial Intelligence Be Your Shelf Watchdog: The Impact of AI-powered Shelf Monitoring on Product Sales

We collaborate with Danone, a leading fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) manufacturer, to study how AI-based shelf monitoring helps with manufacturers' shelf management efforts by using data from a quasi-experiment and a field experiment. We find that AI-powered shelf monitoring significantly and consistently improves product sales; that said this effect is only partially persistent in that it diminishes after monitoring is terminated. We further reveal that this positive effect can be attributed to independent retailers rather than chained retailers. Since the major difference with respect to shelf monitoring between these retailers is the degree of heterogeneity in shelf space rental contracts, this finding indicates that AI-powered monitoring is more effective than human monitoring in managing more heterogeneous shelf displays. More broadly, the finding further suggests that AI-powered monitoring is more scalable, allowing manufacturers to cope more effectively with more heterogeneous objects. Finally, the low marginal costs and great benefits that manufacturers earn from implementing AI-powered shelf monitoring suggest both its long-term applicability and its capacity to generate incremental value. Our research contributes to several literature streams as well as generates managerial insights for practitioners who consider AI-driven operating models.
Physiological responses of juvenile rainbow trout to fasting and swimming activity: Effects on body composition and condition indices

Abstract The physiological traits that allow fish to survive periods of limited food resources are poorly understood. We assessed changes in proximate body composition, relative organ mass, blood metabolites, and relative weight (Wr ) of sedentary and actively swimming (15 cm/s) juvenile rainbow trout (154–182 mm total length) over 147 d of fasting. Fasting caused measurable responses that were augmented when fish were swimming. Lipids and plasma triacylglycerides declined over time. Proteins were catabolized simultaneously with lipid reserves, but ammonia concentrations in plasma did not increase. The liver somatic index (LSI) did not change substantially over 105 d, suggesting that gluconeogenesis maintained blood glucose concentrations and hepatic glycogen reserves for a substantial period of fasting. The gut somatic index (GSI) and Wr declined linearly during fasting, but the LSI did not decline until after 105 d of fasting. Consequently, the use of different body condition indices could lead to diffe.
Measuring the Cost of Regulation: A Text-Based Approach

We derive a measure of firm-level regulatory costs from the text of corporate earnings calls. We use this measure to study the effect of regulation on companies’ operating fundamentals, growth, leverage, and equity returns. Higher regulatory costs result in slower sales growth and lower leverage; both effects are mitigated for larger firms. A one-standard deviation increase in regulatory cost, measured from the Q&A section of earnings calls, is associated with an increase in firms’ annual equity returns of close to 3%. These findings suggest that regulatory risk is a major cost to firms, but large firms manage that risk better.
Job-Skill Match in the Labor Market for Scientists and Its Aggregate Implications

This paper offers a transparent approach that demands relatively little from the data and yet produces reliable estimates of the output gain due to job-skill match in the labor market. We apply this approach to data containing information on job choices of scientists in the U.S. The results suggest that for all major skill types/industries, job-skill match creates larger value as opposed to skill mismatch. At the same time, the estimated match surplus responds differently to economic conditions across industries. This difference is useful for uncovering important industry specific traits, including an industry’s propensity toward diversification and innovation. In addition, we investigate the relationship between the output gained due to a skill match and innovation at an aggregate level. We find that an increase in a market index of output surplus generated by the skill match increases research output in the economy, as measured by total patent applications. This points to a channel through which the effects of job-skill match could show up in the form of higher productivity.
Changes in the abundance of keystone forest floor species in response to changes of forest structure

QuestionDoes the abundance of keystone forest floor species change in response to changes in the forest structure? LocationSwedenMethodsWe used data from the Swedish National Forest Inventory to investigate changes in the abundance of three common species, as well as the total abundance of all understorey vascular plants (the field layer) in forests in the boreal and temperate parts of Sweden. GLMs and GAMs were used to relate species abundance and temporal changes in abundances to forest structure and forest structural change.ResultsProductivity, measured as the site index, was the most important determinant of individual species' abundance. The volume of Picea abies, the density of tree stems and forest age were among the most important forest structural variables. We found that the dwarf shrubVaccinium myrtillus, the narrow-leaved grasses (mainly Avenella flexuosa) and the total field layer cover decreased in boreal Sweden from 1994 through 2010 and that these changes coincided with an increase in forest density and with a reduction in forest age.ConclusionsChanges in Swedish forests to higher tree layer density and younger age appear to contribute significantly to current changes in forest floor vegetation. The use of more intensive thinning practices to reduce the total density of the forest and to increase the proportion of broad-leaved tree species and Pinus sylvestris would favour the forest floor species in this study. Moreover, increasing forest age (i.e. the length of rotation periods) might favour V. myrtillus in particular, for which the time since disturbance is important for the recovery of pre-disturbance abundance. However, increased thinning intensity and forest age will reduce the potential for wood production, implying a trade-off between production of wood and maintenance of well-developed forest floor vegetation.
Social Media, Accounting Information Networks, and Market Reaction: The Effects of Firm-to-Investor, Stakeholder-to-Investor, and Investor-to-Investor Twitter Networks

The widespread adoption of social media has engendered notable changes in who is involved in the production, dissemination, and reformulation of market-relevant information. Building on this idea, this study posits that different types of accounting information networks feature different types of actors who produce and disseminate different types of information and thus have different market effects. This study specifically conceptualizes three types of Twitter-based accounting information networks – firm-to-investor networks, stakeholder-to-investor networks, and investor-to-investor networks – and tests for the direct and interactive effects these networks have on abnormal returns around SEC Form 8-K filing events. The results confirm the broad proposition that the three online information networks play distinct roles in the market for information. In an era of social media-driven “truthiness,” “clickbait,” “information silos,” “firestorms,” and “fake news,” it is important to better understand how different types of online information communities are influencing the capital markets; this study helps propel research further in this direction.
Immunocompetence and nestling survival in the house martin : the tasty chick hypothesis

In altricial birds post-fledging survival is usually positively related to nestling body mass. A large number of studies have shown that the latest hatched chick is the more likely to die, even if food is abundant. Here we suggest that ectoparasites may be a key factor in the evolution and the maintenance of the establishment of weight hierarchies within broods. We propose the hypothesis that weight hierarchies within broods may be adaptive if the chick in poor condition is the one with the least efficient immune system within a nest. In this case parasites would preferentially feed on such a tasty chick, because it would allow high reproductive rates for the parasites, without negatively affecting the survival of the other nestlings. This could prevent entire nest failure of the brood or allow the other chicks to grow more efficiently. This hypothesis was investigated in a colony of house martins Delichon urbica. We predicted that immunocompetence was positively correlated with body condition, and that nestlings dying before fledging should have lower immune responses when challenged with an antigen. T-cell immune response to an experimentally injected antigen was strongly positively related to body condition. Non-surviving chicks had low body condition and a weak immune response. The implications of these results are discussed in the context of the adaptive significance of hatching asynchrony.
Noise and Efficient Variance in the Indonesia Stock Exchange

In this study we applied the realized variance based estimator to extract the information from noise and efficient variance from the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX). The stocks in the sample are stratified by trading frequency every six months from 2000 to 2007. The standard deviation of noise variance has changed to a lower level after the first half of 2004 implying an improvement of market quality in the Indonesia Stock Exchange. Using Bandi and Russell's (2006) method, it is found that the average optimal sampling frequency to estimate the efficient realized variance is 9-minute. The relation between the standard deviation of the noise variance and the square root of the efficient realized variance is positive and significant. From the information asymmetry hypothesis, the positive and significant relationship implies that the higher uncertainty about the fundamental value of asset increases the risk of transacting with traders with superior information. Furthermore, the variance ratio of the average daily efficient realized variance to the daily open-to-close variance reveals that the private information is a significant trading component in the Indonesia Stock Exchange.