Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A synthesis of the effects of exchange rate uncertainty on international trade via Meta-Regression analysis

The main focus of this paper is to survey the literature that investigates the effects of exchange rate uncertainty on international trade. Specifically, we carry out meta-regression analysis to 42 studies with 810 estimates. We show that the empirical studies on the focal link exhibit a substantial publication selection and a significant genuine exchange rate volatility effect on trade flows after correction of publication bias. Moreover, we find that most of the variables that may help explain the heterogeneity of results (such as the country sample, the choice of modeling strategies and potential political measures, etc) are significant. These results appear robust among the different methods used and the dummies for the type of research outlet and the publication year included in our estimates.
Dinoflagellate bloom formation in natural assemblages with diatoms: nutrient competition and growth strategies in Baltic spring phytoplankton

In temperate coastal waters, the spring bloom, which commonly dominates the seasonal productivity cycle, is typically composed of cold-water diatoms. In the Baltic Sea, dinoflagellates are a regular component of the spring phytoplankton assemblage, and recent evidence suggests that their proportion might be increasing relative to diatoms. A concomitant decrease in terrestrial Si dis- charges and an increase in other nutrients have been considered as a possible cause of such devel- opment, as they might lead to a deteriorating competitive position of co-occurring diatoms. Using mesocosms, we studied the effects of variable nutrient additions and nutrient supply ratios on species composition and dominance patterns of natural spring phytoplankton communities from the coastal northern Baltic Sea. The experiments were repeated in 3 consecutive years to investigate to what extent variability of initial community composition and relative abundance of co-occurring species affect bloom development and species dominance. The results showed that bloom formation and dominance of the dinoflagellate Woloszynskia halophila primarily depended on the size of the inocu- lum's population and the relative abundance of co-occurring diatoms. Variations in dissolved inor- ganic silicon:(nitrate + phosphate) (DSi:(N+P)) ratios did not have major effects on phytoplankton development and composition. Additions of N and P, as well as increased irradiance, generally stim- ulated the growth of diatoms, but could not alter the outcome of competition between diatoms and dinoflagellates when the latter were initially dominant. Our results emphasize the importance of effi- cient recruitment strategies and initial conditions for dinoflagellate bloom formation. This implies dinoflagellate bloom sensitivity to hydrographic conditions and thus to projected climatic change, as well as different roles for diatoms and dinoflagellates along the coastal/offshore gradient.
I can resist anything except temptation : self-regulatory fatigue and ethical spending

Within western societies the act of consumption is not merely concerned with satisfying basic human needs. Rather, consumption has become a source of leisure and self expression for the masses (Belk, 1988). This has meant that humankind’s wants have tended to outstrip the world’s finite resources available, leading to environmental damage, questionable farming practice and the widespread abuse of human labour. In response to these issues the phenomena of ethical consumption was born. Ethical consumption attempts to limit the environmental, human and animal costs of our spending via the favouring of products that are deemed to be for the betterment of wider society. At face value ethical consumption has been hugely successful in terms of market share, with sales of products stressing their ethical credentials having grown rapidly in recent years (Cooperative Bank 2011). However, despite this success, ethically branded products still represent a minority of purchases (Thøgersen, 2006). Psychological research exploring the reasons why consumers purchase ethically is dominated by papers focusing upon consumers’ attitudes, values and intentions (Andorfer & Liebe, 2012, Milfont & Duckitt, 2004). However, consumers’ attitudes do not always mirror actual spending (Auger, Burke, Devinney & Louviere., 2003; Auger & Devinney, 2007). Whilst one third of consumers describe themselves as being ethical spenders, only 1-3% of products purchased are Fair Trade certified (Cowe & Williams, 2000). The divergence between attitude and behaviour has been referred to as the ‘ethical purchasing gap’ (Andorfer & Liebe, 2012, Clayton & Brook, 2005). One factor that may be partially responsible for the divergence between purchase intention and actual behaviours is self-regulatory fatigue (ego depletion).
MAPPING THE FUNDAMENTAL NICHE: PHYSIOLOGY, CLIMATE, AND THE DISTRIBUTION OF A NOCTURNAL LIZARD

The fundamental niche can be viewed as the set of conditions and resources that allow a given organism to survive and reproduce in the absence of biotic interactions. Quantitative descriptions of the environmental variables with which organisms are asso- ciated are becoming common with the advent of geographic information systems (GIS). Although such descriptive approaches to the niche are useful for interpolating species distributions, they implicitly incorporate biotic interactions and therefore do not represent the fundamental niche. A mechanistic understanding of the fundamental niche, when com- bined with GIS data, can provide us with greater insight into the causes of distribution and abundance, a solid foundation for exploring the role of biotic interactions, and greater confidence in extrapolating to novel circumstances such as climate change and species introductions. We apply such a mechanistic approach to study the climatic component of the fundamental niche of a nocturnal lizard, Heteronotia binoei, across an entire continent. We combine physiological measurements of this species (thermal requirements for egg development, thermal preferences and tolerances, metabolic and evaporative water loss rates), and high-resolution climatic data for the Australian continent (air temperature, cloud cover, wind speed, humidity, and radiation), with biophysical models to calculate the cli- matic component of the fundamental niche of this lizard and map it onto the Australian landscape at high resolution. We also use this approach to predict the effects of a mild global warming on the degree-days in the soil for egg development and the potential for aboveground activity of the study organism.
Cadmium effects in Nitzschia Palea frustule proteins

Diatoms are unicellular eukaryotic photosynthetic organisms whose relevance as biomonitor species have long been established, either by ecological indexes, or by tolerance and other toxicity tests, based on ecological properties. The silicified cell wall of diatoms (frustule), is the most visible and distinguished characteristic of these organisms, providing species identification, and indication of environmental stressors, due to the induction of abnormal frustule formation. These teratologies are the consequence of perturbation in the biosilicification process, and can occur either by artificial growth, heavy metal contamination, or pesticides. Amongst the frustule abnormality inductors, metals such as cadmium are the most relevant class due to both anthropogenic and natural occurrence in nature and by the high toxicity relative to the small amounts present in the habitat. Although the process of frustule formation is not completely understood, in the last years it has been published data that show the existence of proteins in the frustules, some of them contributing to the biosilicification. The study of alterations induced by cadmium to the quantity, variety, and ratio of proteins present in frustules were the objectives of this work, along with cadmium quantification in the frustule fractions. Results showed that Cd increased frustule protein content. About 80% of the peptides increased their expression in the presence of Cd . Cadmium was mostly retained extracellularly, and 85% was bound to frustulines. Frustulins were found to be extremely important to the cell defense against cadmium stress, providing two putative novel mechanisms of cadmium tolerance: strengthening of frustules, and protection against Cd, through extracellular metal chelation. These results show that frustulines can play a leading role in the tolerance of diatoms to metals.
On-Line New Event Detection Using Minimal New Sets

On-line New Event Detection can be used to monitor multiple news streams and determine when a new newsworthy event that might warrant further attention occurs, thus helping the user not to miss important information while helping him sift through the vast amount of information available. In this thesis we explore a novel approach for On-line New Event Detection based on computing minimal new sets of small sizes from new stream documents with regard to previously seen documents. We present an algorithm that outputs sets of words likely to be indicative of new events which users easily can browse through and detail several different approaches to select the sets most likely to be informative of new events. In addition we examine the practicality of our approaches and compare them to the most prominent current techniques.
Long-offset-aided Full-waveform Inversion

When using FWI, the common scheme was to use data sets which have relatively large offsets up to 8 km or more and frequencies as low as 2.8 Hz considering surface seismic acquisition. In terms of the marine environment, Wide Azimuth towed streamer (WAZ) or Ocean Bottom Cable (OBC) data collection provide the above mentioned specifications. Recent advances in acquiring data such as the dual coil system offer significant improvements in characteristics over WAZ and OBC such as better illumination, noise attenuation, lower frequencies, and longer offsets which allow the FWI to more accurately determine the velocity field. The data set that we input to FWI is a result of dual-coil acquisition where the maximum offset is up to 14000 m with full azimuth distribution. Our results demonstrate that FWI can be used for velocity update with the long offsets and low frequencies provided by the dual coil seismic acquisition. In particular, the shallow section of the model can be significantly enhanced by using FWI which can result in an improved overall depth image. Finally, we show the reverse time migration depth image improvements by using the FWI developed velocity field versus that one from the ray-based methodology.
ReVISItInG MARy DALy: HeR VIeWS On THE TRInITy, MARIOLOGy AnD THE FALL AS PoSt-CHRIStIAn MytHS

According to Daly, the church doctrines on the Triune God, Christology, Mariology and the Fall are all myths, originated from, and as a result of, patriarchy. Daly deals with many topics from a woman’s viewpoint such as deity, evil, Christology, morality and the church. Daly contends throughout her works that women’s power has been stolen from them through the ingrained structures of patriarchy and that women have to reclaim what is theirs. Daly believes that this means the castration of patriarchal language and images that are part of the structures of a sexist world. She sees patriarchy as a world religion and believes that all religions are subjects of patriarchy − living off female energy. Without any doubt, historically women were marginalised: not only in society but also within the church. However with this said, this article will contend that Daly has succumbed to her anger and rage against the patriarchal structures that oppressed her – and other women – placing the blame squarely on God. Daly rejected God as divine omnipotent, divine immutable and divine providence and objected to the fact that God is viewed as being changeless. The wrong ideas of God’s existence were a result of androcentric theological teachings and doctrines, and she turned away from the Christian faith altogether.
Towards describing co-design by the integration of Engineering Design and Technology and Innovation Management literature

The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the available literature concerning the understanding and improvement of co-design processes. The most pertinent aspects of such processes are presented through an interdisciplinary analysis incorporating contributions from literature in the fields of Engineering Design (ED) and Technology and Innovation Management (TIM). Interactions between design and third parties in a range of co-design situations are examined via a targeted literature review, and a map is developed containing a network of keywords. As a result of this review, key aspects from the literature are summarised and connected through an initial framework characterising, the what, when, who, how and why of co-design. The research motivation arises from the Danish Industry Complex Cleantech Solutions initiative and its need for a conceptual background that integrates the multiple perspectives addressing co-design.
The Effectiveness of Implementing Total Quality Management in Software Development

The following paper examines the effectiveness of total quality management regarding the software development process. Sufficient discussion focuses on the real-world issues as well as the methodological concepts of software development that affect quality. While a significant portion is dedicated to the examination of scholarly articles and publications on the subject matter, this paper includes problem statements and presents several alternatives, solutions, and approaches for effective quality management. The conclusion consolidates the research and recommendations discussed throughout the paper.
Identification of Bovine Lymphocyte Antigen DRB3.2 Alleles in Iranian Golpayegani Cattle by DNA Test

The bovine lymphocyte antigen (BoLA)-DRB3 gene encodes cell surface glycoproteins that initiate immune responses by presenting processed antigenic peptides to CD4 T helper cells. DRB3 is the most polymorphic bovine MHC class II gene which encodes the peptide-binding groove. Since different alleles favour the binding of different peptides, DRB3 has been extensively evaluated as a candidate marker for associations with various bovine diseases and immunological traits. For that reason, the genetic diversity of the bovine class II DRB3 locus was investigated by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism method (PCR-RFLP). This study describes genetic variability in the BoLA-DRB3 in Iranian Golpayegani Cattle. Iranian Golpayegani Cows (n = 50) were genotyped for bovine lymphocyte antigen (BoLA)-DRB3.2 allele by polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism method. Bovine DNA was isolated from aliquots of whole blood. A two-step polymerase chain reaction followed by digestion with restriction endonucleases RsaI, HaeIII and BstYI was conducted on the DNA from Iranian Golpayegani Cattle. In the Iranian Golpayegani herd studied, we identified 19 alleles.DRB3.2×16 had the highest allelic frequency (14%), followed by DRB3.2×7 (11%). Six alleles (DRB3.2×25, ×24, ×22, ×20, ×15, ×3) had frequencies = 2%. Although additional studies are required to confirm the present findings, our results indicate that exon 2 of the BoLA-DRB3 gene is highly polymorphic in Iranian Golpayegani Cattle. (Asian-Aust. J. Anim. Sci. 2005. Vol 18, No. 12 : 1691-1695)
GRB 020410: A Gamma-Ray Burst Afterglow Discovered by Its Supernova Light

We present the discovery and monitoring of the optical transient (OT) associated with GRB 020410. The fading OT was found by Hubble Space Telescope (HST) observations taken 28 and 65 days after burst at a position consistent with the X-ray afterglow, making this the first time that the optical afterglow of a gamma-ray burst (GRB) has been discovered by an orbiting observatory. Subsequent reexamination of early ground-based observations revealed that a faint OT was present 6 hr after burst, confirming the source association with GRB 020410. A deep nondetection after one week requires that the OT rebrightened between day 7 and day 28, and further late-time HST data taken approximately 100 days after burst imply that it is very red (Fν ∝ ν-2.7). We compare both the flux and color of the excess with supernova models and show that the data are best explained by the presence of a Type Ib/c supernova at a redshift z ≈ 0.5, which occurred roughly coincident with the day of the GRB.
Epidemiological analysis of important factors for natural cycles of poor responder women

Since the first tube baby was born in 1978, in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment offered high pregnancy rates due to improvements in oocyte punction and culture techniques, sperm preparation and oocyte retrieval methods and production of new recombinant stimulating hormones of the ovarian production. However, different disadvantages such as ovarian hyperstimulation, multiple pregnancies, premature birth, expensive and not without risk stimulating protocols, are often involved in IVF cycles. Our purpose was to assess the efficacy of IVF in natural cycles, as an alternative treatment in women with a poor ovarian response in gonadotropin stimulation and to explore the relationship
A FMCW radar as electronic travel aid for visually impaired subjects

 In this paper the design and test of a frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) radar to be used as electronic travel aid for visually impaired subjects are presented. The sensor is based on the Infineon BGT24MTR11 integrated circuit, whose output frequency has been controlled by the Analog Devices AD4158 integrated circuit. A transmitting and a receiving serial array of patch antennas have been designed and realized. The designed sensor uncertainty has been experimentally investigated, finding a worst case value close to the theoretical resolution of 0.6 m calculated from the FMCW signal band.
A breeding colony of Wedge-rumped Storm-Petrel, Oceanodroma tethys kelsalli (Lowe 1925), on Santa Island-Peru

The important breeding areas of Wedge-rumped storm petrel were unkwnown until recently. This species breeding in the central cost of Peru: Ferrol, Chao and Corcovado islands. We reported Santa island as a breeding area of this seabird. We located a total of 407 active nests, including 92 (22%) with eggs and 7 (8%) with chicks. Most breeding birds were found in an area near to the guard house in the east of the island,in the south and southwest of the island, where guano birds and large numbers of ticks were registered, we found few storm petrel nests. The south and southwest of the island has a high humidity and several of the dry-stone walls were covered with moss and algae. In those walls no storm petrel nests were found. It is possible other breeding sites exist on the Peruvian coast. Surveys of nesting areas in coastal Peru will provide much-needed information on Wedge-rumped storm-petrel status.
A measurement framework for knowledge-based economy (KBE)efficiency in ASEAN: a data envelopment (DEA) window approach

The objective of this paper is to assess the relative efficiencies of ASEAN-5 countries in their development of knowledge-based economies (KBEs) during the period 2005-2010. The KBE concept was first used by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) describing it as an economy which is directly based on the production, distribution and use of knowledge and information. Subsequently, the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum (APEC) and the World Bank Institute (WBI), along with the OECD, extended the concept and developed frameworks to compare the status of the knowledge base of different economies. These frameworks identify four core dimensions: knowledge acquisition, production, distribution and utilization, and use many structural and qualitative variables in their analysis. But none of the current methodologies explicitly divide the KBE indicators under these four core dimensions or measure the efficiency with which knowledge inputs are transformed to knowledge outputs. This paper attempts to fill the gap in existing literature by building a policy-focused KBE framework, selecting appropriate indicators from the existing OECD and WBI KBE frameworks and assessing the relative input-output efficiencies of the ASEAN-5 countries in the development of their KBEs over time. For this purpose we use the linear programming application of Data Envelopment (DEA) Window Analysis. The DEA/Window scores allow the comparison of the relative performance of each country regarding each dimension of KBE. The importance of this study, however, is not so much the immediate result which highlights comparative efficiencies, but rather that DEA/Window is a workable model which can take the study of KBE further in investigating the contributory factors of KBE.
Bleeding Detection in Wireless Capsule Endoscope Based on Color Feature Vector

Wireless capsule endoscopy (WCE) is an electronic revolutionary technique with no pain, easy to use and provides the capability of inspecting the whole small intestine which traditional ways do not. However, WCE produces so many pictures of a patient that it burdens on the work of doctors detecting diseases. To solve this problem, a highly promising automatic method based on the color feature of CIELAB and CMYK color space is proposed. The first step is image preprocessing, which extracts the region of interest from the image. Then, according to the characteristics of the CIELAB color space, color balance based on gray world assumption is executed and the images’ local contrast is improved. The second step is to generate a binary vector. The third step, we use a support vector machine (SVM) as a classifier to identify images and use RBF kernel function to check the feature vector’s performance. Experimental work shows that the proposed approach improves precision.
Are warbles and bots related to reproductive status in West Greenland caribou

In March-April 2008-09, using CARMA protocols, 81 cows and 16 calves were collected in West Greenland from two caribou populations; Akia-Maniitsoq (AM) and Kangerlussuaq-Sisimiut (KS). In both populations, warble larvae numbers were highest in calves and higher in non-pregnant than pregnant cows. Nose bots showed no relationship with pregnancy or lactation; KS calves had higher nose bot loads than cows, a pattern not observed in AM. Pregnant cows had more rump fat than non-pregnant cows. KS cows lacking rump fat entirely had the highest warble burdens. We observed lactating pregnant cows with moderate larval burdens. Projected energy cost of the heaviest observed combined larvae burdens was equivalent to 2-5 days basal metabolic rate (BMR) for a cow, and 7-12 days BMR for a calf. Foregone fattening in adult cows with average burdens was 0.2 to 0.5 kg, but almost doubled with the heaviest infestations to 0.4 and 0.8 kg. Average burdens in calves resulted in forgone fattening of about 0.5 kg, with peak costs equivalent to 0.7 and 1.1 kg fat for AM and KS calves respectively. Although modest, these projected energy costs of hosting larvae for cows support the negative relationship between rump fat and larvae burden. For calves, hosting high burdens of warble larvae could affect winter survival, specifically those weaned normally in October or in early winter. Harmful effects of oestrid larvae burdens may remain subtle but clearly cumulative in relation to seasonal forage availability and incidence of other parasites.