Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Group Selection and Its Significance for Ecology

Selection can be said to operate at the group level and deserves to be called group selection, when it affects two or more members of a lineage group as a unit. Just above the level of the individual we can delimit various of these lineage groups: a set of sibs, parents, and their offspring, a close-knit tribe of families related by at least the degree of third cousin, and so on. If selection operates on any of the groups as a unit, the process is referred to as kin selection. At a higher level, an entire breeding population may be the unit, so that populations (i.e., demes) possessing different genotypes are diminished or extinguished differentially, in which case we speak of interdemic (or interpopulation) selection. The hierarchy of ascending levels of selection is visualized in Figure 1. The concept of group selection was introduced by Darwin in "The Origin of Species" to account for the evolution of sterile castes in social insects. The term intergroup selection, in the sense of interdemic selection defined here, was used by Sewall Wright in 1945. Essentially the same expression (Gruppenauslese), was used independently and with the same meaning by Olavi Kalela (1954, 1957), while the phrase kin selection was coined by J. Maynard Smith (1964). The classification adopted here is approximately that recommended by J. L. Brown (1966). Selection can also operate at the level of species or entire clusters of related species. The process, well known to paleontologists and biogeographers, is responsible for the familiar patterns of dynastic succession of major groups such as ammonites, sharks, graptolites, and dinosaurs through geologic time (Simpson 1953, P. J. Darlington 1971). It is even possible to conceive of the differential extinction of entire ecosystems, involving all trophic levels (Dunbar 1960). However, selection at these highest levels is not likely to be important in the evolution of altruism, for the following simple reason. In order to counteract individual
Influence of stream–floodplain biogeochemical linkages on aquatic foodweb structure along a gradient of stream size in a tropical catchment

Abstract. We measured nutrients and dissolved organic matter (DOM) in surface water and floodplain sediments to evaluate biogeochemical linkages between streams and floodplains in 3 streams of increasing size in a tropical catchment in northwestern Australia. We hypothesized that stream–floodplain biogeochemical connectivity, measured as similar DOM concentrations and spectroscopic properties of streamwater and floodplain sediment leachate, would decrease with increasing stream size. We expected decreasing connectivity to shift support of aquatic foodweb structure from mainly allochthonous C in small streams to algal C in larger streams. Streamwater and sediment leachate concentrations of NH4-N, NO3-N, soluble reactive P, and DOM varied several-fold across the 3 sites but showed no strong pattern in stream–floodplain connectivity with increasing stream size. Fluorescence index, specific ultraviolet absorbance, and &dgr;13C-dissolved organic C (DOC) for stream water and sediment leachate were most similar to each other at the mid-size Adcock River, indicating tight river–floodplain biogeochemical connectivity via input of allochthonous DOM and NH4-N to stream water. &dgr;13C and &dgr;15N signatures for key producers and consumers for all 3 streams showed that invertebrate consumers probably were supported by a range of in-stream (e.g., benthic and filamentous algae) and floodplain (allochthonous leaf litter) sources, whereas fish strongly reflected &dgr;13C-enriched sources (e.g., benthic algae). Allochthonous C was probably only a minor energy source for metazoa, but we propose that river–floodplain biogeochemical linkages may be important for other aspects of ecosystem productivity, such as input of inorganic nutrients to support in-stream primary production. Terrestrial–aquatic biogeochemical linkages may be critical but poorly quantified components of river–floodplain ecosystems.
Free radical production, catalase and superoxide dismutase activities and membrane integrity during senescence of petals of cut carnations (Dianthus caryophyllus)

There is a sudden increase in free radical levels, measured from the electron spin resonance (ESR) signal, in cut carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus L. cv. Ember) petal powders between the end of blooming and the onset of withering. There is also an increase in the microsomal generation of superoxide radicals (measured from the ESR-Tiron signal). These increases correspond to a decrease of polar lipids content, a slight increase in peroxides and to the onset of a sudden efflux of electrolytes. A correlation is established between free radical production and the loss of membrane integrity. Catalase (EC 1.11.1.6) activity increases progressively until complete withering and an hypothesis concerning the action of this enzyme is proposed. The changes in superoxide dismutase (EC 1.15.1.1) activity appear to be independent of the amplitude of the ESR-Tiron signal.
Dynamic Linkage among Pakistan, Emerging and Developed Equity Market

The study evaluates the relationship of Pakistan Stock Exchange 1 (PSX) with progressing and well-established equity markets from 1997 to 2014. The Johansen’s multivariate cointegration tests i.e. maximum eigenvalue &amp; trace statistics proposes three co-integrating vectors at 5% critical values with the progressing and well-established equity markets. Furthermore, vector correction model implies that PSX is positive and statistically robust in relation to India at lag 2, while negative and statistically significant in relation to China at lag 1 and USA at lag 2. Though, the bivariate co-integration trace and maximal eigenvalues recommends that the PSX individually have no relationship with other markets. This study further recommends that PSX is extremely unpredictable stock market in between from 44% to -24%. It might be desired by risky investors.
Distribution of Red Drum Spawning Sites Identified by a Towed Hydrophone Array

Abstract Knowledge about fish spawning habits and habitats is an essential component of fisheries management. This paper reports on a survey of potential spawning sites for red drum Sciaenops ocellatus in the nearshore western Gulf of Mexico conducted using a towed hydrophone array. Two classes of red drum sounds could be distinguished. One was a low-frequency rumble with a prominent energy peak at approximately 150 Hz. The other was a clearly distinguishable call made by individual or small groups of red drum. Calls of individual red drum were detected along most sections of all transects. There were extensive areas along each transect where no close drumming was heard and where drumming rates were primarily low (<16 calls/min). Calls were detected in both extensive clusters and isolated occurrences along the transects. The distribution of drumming fish suggests that some, if not most, spawning takes place among widely dispersed individuals as opposed to highly aggregated groups. Only 7% of the 1-min sum.
Land Cronyism and Corporate Political Cycles in China

Since 2004, China’s industrial land price has remained constant while other land prices in China have increased to about six times their 2004 levels. This paper measures the degree of industrial land subsidy to a firm using the ratio of the market value of land in the neighborhood to the price at which the firm purchased the land from the local government. Matching publicly listed firm data with over one million land transactions from 1998 through 2013 in China, we find that heavily subsidized firms exhibit starker political business cycles, that is, we find higher investment rates in the years that immediately precede expected changes in local leadership. However, these firms’ investment efficiency rates decline in those years. We interpret these findings as evidence of cronyism, i.e., listed firms return the favor of land subsidies from local leaders since increased investment before turnovers can boost local GDP and enhance a leader’s likelihood of promotion. Further investigation shows that the cronyism effect is stronger for cities with high-career-incentive leaders.
Determining Elements in Organizational Innovation: Factors and Obstacles in Spanish Companies

Organizational innovation (hereinafter OI) involves the use of new organizational mechanisms for the internal functioning of the company in areas such as the organization of the workplace or in the company’s relationships with the outside world. Data has been taken from the Technological Innovation Panel (FECYT: Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology, 2012). The variables that affect the adoption of OI in companies have been analyzed, making an estimation of a trivariate probit statistical model, to which the method of maximum likelihood was applied. The results show a relationship of dependency between the different mechanisms of innovation in organizations and the need to control this interaction. The results highlight the existence of nine components or variables that have a positive relationship with the adoption of OI, among these the acquisition of external R&D and the need for training, thus corroborating the fact that for organizations that make efforts to increase their ability to acquire new knowledge, the introduction of OI serves as a complement.
Wood and Stem Anatomy of Petiveria and Rivina (Caryophyllales); Systematic Implications

Petiveria and Rivina have been placed by various authors close to each other within Phytolaccaceae; widely separated from each other but both within Phytolaccaceae; and within a segregate family (Rivinaceae) but still within the order Caryophyllales. Wood of these monotypic genera proves to be alike in salient qualitative and even quantitative features, including presence of a second cambium, vessel morphology and pit size, nonbordered perforation plates, vasicentric axial parenchyma type, fiber-tracheids with vestigially bordered pits and starch contents, narrow multiseriate rays plus a few uniseriate rays, ray cells predominantly upright and with thin lignified walls and starch content, and presence of both large styloids and packets of coarse raphides in secondary phloem. Although further data are desirable, wood and stern data do not strongly support separation of Petiveria and Rivina from Phytolaccaceae. Quantitative wood features correspond to the short-lived perennial habit ofboth genera, and are indicative ofaxeromorphic wood pattern.
Skilled and Unskilled Labour: Are They Worth Their Weight in Growth?

Neoclassical growth models incorporating human capital typically adopt a Cobb-Douglas output function with two main features: a labour-augmenting technology term and a linear aggregation of the labour. These functional forms rely on the assumptions that (i) measured in efficiency units, different types of workers are perfect substitutes, and that (ii) technical changes are neutral with respect to their effect on the relative productivity of the factors of production. These premises contradict a vast literature showing that: (i) the elasticity of substitution between skilled and unskilled workers is much less than infinity, and that (ii) recent technical changes have been favouring skilled rather than unskilled labour. This study incorporates imperfect substitution within human capital and skill-specific technology terms to Bils and Klenow’s (2000) model. The analysis shows that altering the human capital specification leads to diverging conclusions regarding the effect of schooling on human capital and technology, with the rewards for education being intensified at the macroeconomic level.
Domestic R&D Intensity, Technology Transfer and Growth of Productivity: An Empirical Investigation of Tunisian’s Case

This paper aims to investigate the determinants of productivity growth in the Tunisian economy context over the period 1976 to 2010. Our theoretical model incorporates as key variables, domestic innovation, human capital, distance to technology frontier and external technology spillovers through import of high-tech products and foreign direct investments. Empirical results identify that the impact of domestic R&amp;D intensity on the productivity growth is negative but not significant in all alternative regressions. The effect of import of technologically advanced products is positive and more enhanced by the distance to technology frontier but the effect of foreign direct investment is significantly negative. Our findings confirm also that human capital has a positive impact on technology accumulation in Tunisia but not highly significant. Its role is rather more important in the assimilation and absorption of foreign technology.
The Nature and Dynamics of Poverty

Fofack investigates the determinants and dynamics of poverty during the five-year growth period that followed the 1994 CFA franc devaluation in Burkina Faso. Results show that the nature and dynamics of poverty determinants are influenced by the spatial location of households and that the post-devaluation growth period did not significantly alter the pattern of poverty determinants. The most significant determinants of poverty over the growth period include the burden of age dependency, human and physical assets, household amenities, and spatial location. Though consistently significant at the national level, the direction of association between these determinants and welfare depends on their nature. While the burden of age dependency is consistently negatively associated with welfare, asset ownership is positively associated. The probability of being poor declines with increasing share of household assets and increases with the burden of age dependency. There are some variations at the regional level, however, shown by the difference in the scope of significance of these determinants. While the ratio of age dependency remains the most significant determinant of rural poverty, its explanatory power decreases considerably in urban areas where its marginal effect on the probability of being poor is relatively low over the two reference periods, despite the significance of the probit coefficient and the relatively low asymptotic standard error. This paper - a product of Macroeconomics 3, Africa Technical Families - is part of a larger effort in the region to better understand the determinants of growth and poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Measuring the Impact of Insurance on Urban Recovery with Light: The 2010-2011 New Zealand Earthquakes

We measure the longer-term effect of a major earthquake on the local economy, using night-time light intensity measured from space, and investigate whether insurance claim payments for damaged residential property affected the local recovery process. We focus on the destructive Canterbury Earthquake Sequence (CES) 2010 -2011 as our case study. Uniquely for this event, more than 95% of residential housing units were covered by insurance, but insurance payments were staggered over 5 years, enabling us to identify their local impact. We find that night-time luminosity can capture the process of recovery and describe the recovery’s determinants. We also find that insurance payments contributed significantly to the process of economic recovery after the earthquake, but delayed payments were less affective and cash settlement of claims were more effective than insurance-managed repairs in contributing to local recovery.
Impact of Tax Advisors and Corrupt Tax Auditors on Taxpayer Compliance

We examine the impact on taxpayer compliance of corrupt auditors seeking bribes in the form of a percentage of taxes payable. The first experiment examines a setting where a taxpayer can choose to report higher income in the presence of a corrupt auditor to reduce the bribe on the under-reported income. The taxpayer can also under-report income since the bribe is always set up to be less than the penalty. Our experimental results show that the presence of a corrupt auditor demanding bribes at levels up to the legally sanctioned penalty for mis-reporting reduces overall taxpayer compliance. <br><br>The second experiment examines whether the involvement of a professional tax advisor increases or decreases the percentage of income reported compared to the baseline compliance in the presence of a corrupt tax auditor. If the tax advisor serves more as a gatekeeper and moral authority, the percentage of income reported by the taxpayer client could increase. However, if the tax advisor serves to provide legitimacy to the noncompliant behavior of the taxpayer, then the percentage of income reported by the taxpayer client could decrease. Our experimental results show that in the absence of corrupt auditors, tax advisors are better at improving taxpayer compliance.
Genetic diversity in the coconut lethal yellowing disease phytoplasmas of East Africa

DNA primers, based on the ribosomal sequences of lethal yellowing-type disease (LYD) phytoplasmas, were used to analyse genetic variation within the lethal yellowing-type diseases of coconut in East Africa. Samples were collected from palms in Kenya, Mozambique and high, medium and low disease incidence areas of Tanzania. The mollicute-specific primer pair P1 and P6 amplified a 1.5 kbp product from all diseased palms and no product from symptomless palms, indicating that phytoplasmas were associated with all of these diseases. However, the Rohde forward and Rohde reverse primers (a second rRNA primer pair designed to detect East African LYD-associated phytoplasmas) only amplified products from Tanzanian and Kenyan diseased palms and not from those of Mozambique. Conversely, primers Ghana 813 and AK-SR, designed for specific detection of coconut-associated phytoplasmas in West Africa, amplified products only from the Mozambique palms, indicating that the phytoplasma associated with LYD in Mozambique is more closely related to those from West Africa. This was supported by restriction enzyme digestion of PCR products. DNA sequencing of PCR products from phytoplasmas within Tanzania revealed no detectable differences in the rDNA sequences of isolates from high, medium and low incidence areas.
Sperm competition mechanisms in birds: models and data

This study presents three models to explain the mechanism of last male sperm precedence in birds. Because passive loss of sperm from the female reproductive tract occurs, all models incorporate this process. The three models are passive sperm loss alone, stratification with passive sperm loss, and displacement with passive sperm loss. With two inseminations containing the same number of sperm, the models make the following predictions. For passive sperm loss alone, (1) differential paternity is positively and linearly related to the time interval between inseminations, (2) with a slope that is equal to rate of loss of sperm from the female reproductive tract, (S) with an intercept that is the same as the differential fertilizing capacity between the semen of the two inseminations, and (4) the ratio of offspring from two inseminations remains constant over time. For stratification, (1) the relationship between differential paternity and the interval between inseminations is nonlinear and exhibits a "broken stick" pattern, with a substantial first-insemination precedence for short intervals, and (2) the proportion of offspring fathered by the first insemination increases over time. For displacement, the relationship between differential paternity and the interval between inseminations is nonlinear and also exhibits a "broken stick" pattern, but in contrast to the stratification model, sperm from the last insemination have precedence. Data from three experimental studies of the domestic fowl and one for the turkey provide the opportunity to test these models, albeit to different extents. The data from all studies are consistent with the passive sperm-loss model, except that one aspect of one data set provided ambiguous support for stratification. None of the data provided any support for the displacement model.
Valuation Implications of Market Incompleteness: A Robust Empirically Tractable Characterization of Stock Market Incompleteness

This study shows listings of new issues that occur in sequence of increasing (the INCGE path), or decreasing (the DDGE path) average quality are general equilibrium listing paths, equivalently necessary conditions for maintenance of fairest valuations within stock markets. Introduction of pragmatism of nigh impossibility of satisfaction of either of the two paths induces either of systemic undervaluation or overvaluation of new issues. Given either of undervaluations or overvaluations are robust to efficiency of aggregation of information, the extent to which stock markets are incomplete, that is, extent of deviation from general equilibrium listing paths, is shown to be a more fundamental metric for fairness of price equilibriums than market efficiency. While it might seem, on the face of it, otherwise, if investors find cash flows and present values of cash flows more desirable than positivity of sequences of stock returns, the DDGE path is shown to strictly dominate the INCGE path. The finding that pattern of return persistence and reversals is rationalized by transitions between the two paths, and the finding that each of return persistence and reversals have structure of `return momentum' lends credence to potential of the general equilibrium paths for generation of new insights.
Renal and Salivary Excretions of Plasma Purine Derivatives in Swamp Buffaloes and Zebu Cattle

This study compared the recovery rate of intrajugular-administered allantoin in the urine and saliva between swamp buffaloes and zebu cattle to examine whether it could explain the lower excretion rate of urinary purine derivatives (PD) in the buffaloes. Three male swamp buffalo yearlings, with an average body weight of 349±40.35 kg, and three Thai native cattle (154±3.26 kg) of similar age and sex were used in the study. Animals were kept in individual pens and fed at a maintenance energy level with a diet containing 65% monk bean husk (Vigna radiata) as roughage and 35% concentrates. Allantoin solution was infused into the jugular vein in four incremental rates equivalent to 0, 5, 10 and 15 mmol/d and urine was collected daily in acidified form. Daily PD excretion was linearly correlated with intrajugular allantoin infusion in both species. The relationship between daily urinary PD excretion (Y, mmol/d) and intrajugular allantoin infused (X, mmol/d) was Y = 0.75±0.318X+22.45±2.98 (r2 = 0.36, n = 12, MSE = 38.02, CV = 21.9, p<0.01) for swamp buffaloes and Y = 0.96±0.10X+15. 93±0.92 (r2 = 0.91, n = 12, MSE = 3.60, CV = 8.27, p<0.01) for zebu cattle. The salivary PD concentration was not correlated with intrajugular allantoin infusion in both species, with values for buffaloes numerically lower than those for cattle. The present study reconfirmed previous studies that buffaloes have a lower plasma PD excretion rate via the renal route and a significant proportion (22%) of the plasma PD loss is via the saliva. However, results of our present and previous studies suggest that differences in purine base (PB) metabolism between buffaloes and zebu cattle occur before the purine compounds reach the plasma pool.
Nodulation and competitiveness of gusA-marked Bradyrhizobium japonicum A1017 in soybean

Abstract Attempts to improve the symbiotic nitrogen fixation with effective (Brady) rhizobium strains do not always succeed under field conditions due to the lower nodulation competitiveness of the introduced strains than that of the indigenous rhizobia (Triplett and Sadowsky 1992). An introduced strain needs to be marked for monitoring its nodule occupancy under competitive nodulation conditions.