Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Dynamic pricing in a trade‐in program with replacement and new customers

Trade‐in programs have been widely adopted to enhance repeat purchase from replacement customers. Considering that a market consists of replacement and new segments, we study the joint and dynamic decisions on the selling price of new product (hereafter, “selling price”) and the trade‐in price involved in the program. By adopting a vertical product differentiation choice model, we investigate two scenarios in this paper. In the base model, the manufacturer has sufficiently large production capacity to fulfill the customer demand. We characterize the structural properties of the joint pricing decisions and compare them with the optimal pricing policy under regular selling. We further propose a semi‐dynamic trade‐in program, under which the new product is sold at a fixed price and the trade‐in price can be adjusted dynamically. Numerical experiments are conducted to evaluate the performance of the dynamic and semi‐dynamic trade‐in programs. In an extended model, we consider the scenario in which the manufacturer stocks a batch of new products in the beginning of the selling horizon and the inventory cannot be replenished. Following a revenue management framework, we characterize the structural properties with respect to time period and inventory level of new products.
Standardizing Limits for Cost of Production in Commercial Egg Operation

A study was undertaken in Chakwal during 2000-2001 while collecting data from 109 flocks to predict standard limits for various cost components in commercial egg production enterprise. Net profit per bird was taken as response variable and the cost components one by one were standardized using quadratic functions. Maximum critical limit for total predicted cost of production per bird, cost of: feed, labor, day-old chick, building and equipment, immunization, medication, transportation, miscellaneous items, bedding and electricity was Rs. 343.41, Rs. 22.97, Rs. 21.63, Rs. 17.39, Rs. 9.08, Rs. 7.80, Rs. 3.32, Rs. 3.30, Rs. 2.05, Rs. 2.03, respectively. The critical maximum limits were the indicators suggesting that any increase beyond those limits would render the enterprise uneconomical. The information provided may serve a useful purpose for the commercial layer farms in improving net profit from commercial layers in Chakwal.
Current–voltage characteristics and thermal studies of polypyrrole-octacyanotungstate composite

ABSTRACT Composites of conducting polymers with transition metal complexes (TMCs) present a fascinating combination of properties for targeted applications. This paper reports the synthesis of PPy/Octacyanotungstate composite by oxidative chemical polymerisation method. XRD and FTIR analysis confirmed the synthesis of composite and have been found to exhibit enhanced thermal stability over that of pure polypyrrole (PPy). From I-V characteristics using different models of conduction, PPy follows SCLC (space charge limited conduction) at lower voltages and as voltage increases it starts to follow Ohmic behaviour. In composite, however, the behaviour is Ohmic at lower voltages and as voltage increases exponential rise of current takes place which is consistent with Richardson Schottky or Poole Frankel model.
Biogeographic regions and β-diversity of woody dryland legumes in the Baja California peninsula

Abstract We analysed the floristic turnover, or β-diversity patterns, of woody legumes in Baja California, the 1300 km long peninsula in NW Mexico. From the specimen labels of nine herbaria, we digitized 4205 records from 78 species and projected them onto a grid of 205 cartographic cells (20′ longitude × 15′ latitude). We found that the E–W turnover from the Pacific coast to the Sea of Cortés was high (ca. 60% change from one cell to the next) and that it was significantly associated with topographic variation across the peninsula. An analysis of between-site similarities showed that floristic regions in the peninsula have well defined boundaries, and that floristic similarities tend to extend for long distances along the coastal corridor of the Sea of Cortés. Finally, a numerical classification of Baja California based on the floristic attributes of the cells separated the peninsula into five well defined regions that coincide very closely with regionalizations, previously proposed by various authors using descriptive methods, and with the areas of endemism described for the peninsula in a previous paper. We conclude that the ecological regions of woody legumes in the peninsula clearly reflect the two main environmental forces that act on it, namely, the 1300 km long temperate–tropical climatic gradient and the dramatic E–W gradient running from the Pacific Ocean ca. 100 km across the mountain range into the Sea of Cortés. Nomenclature: Wiggins (1980), Hickman (1993), Skinner and Pavlik (1994), and International Legume Database & Information Service, www.ildis. org/legumes.html.
Equine marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells: isolation, differentiation and culture optimization

Summary Most studies regarding the marrow-derived equine mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have mainly focused on the cell transplantation without considering the capacity of differentiation and in vitro requirements of the cells. These concerns were investigated in the present study. Equine MSCs were isolated from the sternal marrow aspirates and expanded through two successive subcultures. Passage-2 equine MSC cultures were then treated with appropriate supplements in order to examine the cell osteogenic, chondrogenic and adipogenic differentiation potential. Furthermore, the culture of the cells was investigated in terms of the optimal concentration of fetal bovine serum (FBS) and the initial cell-seeding density. Additionally, a growth curve was plotted for the cells to study their growth characteristics. According to our findings, equine MSCs were easily generated specialized bone, cartilage and adipose cell lineages as confirmed by specific staining and RT-PCR analysis. Moreover, the cells exhibited rapid expansion when being cultivated in the medium with 15% FBS at 100 cells/cm 2 . Growth curves indicated that these cells rapidly entered the log phase after a brief lag (adaptation) period. In summary, marrow-derived equine MSCs possess tripotent differentiation capacity and rapid growth rate in the appropriate culture conditions.
Optimization of sub-merged culture conditions for biomass production in Pleurotus florida (mont.) Singer, a Nigerian edible fungus

Submerged culture conditions such as physical factors, chemical compounds and inoculum sizes were optimized for biomass production in Pleurotus florida, a Nigerian edible mushroom. This fungus produced the greatest biomass at pH of 6.5 and 30°C. Among the monosaccharides, glucose stimulated the best biomass production (186.7 mg/30 cm3) followed in order by fructose mannose, and sorbose (P  0.05). In the series of complex sugars and sugar alcohols, mannitol supported the highest biomass yield with mycelial dry weight of 130.0 mg/30 cm3, followed closely by dextrin with 123.3 mg/30cm3 while the least value was obtained with arabitol. Tryptophan and alanine enhanced moderate vegetative growth with values, which are not statistically different from each other (P  0.05). Leucine was found to be the least amino acid for biomass production in this fungus while yeast extract was the best complex nitrogen sources. The maximum biomass yield (330.0 mg/100 cm3) was obtained when 7.0 cm3 of P. florida inoculum was inoculated into a submerged medium while the least biomass was obtained with 0.5 cm3 of the inoculum
Structure and Mechanism of Metallocarboxypeptidases

Metallocarboxpeptidases cleave C-terminal residues from peptide substrates and participate in a wide range of physiological processes, but they also contribute to human pathology. On the basis of structural information, we can distinguish between two groups of such metallopeptidases: cowrins and funnelins. Cowrins comprise protozoan, prokaryotic, and mammalian enzymes related to both neurolysin and angiotensin-converting enzyme and their catalytic domains contain 500–700 residues. They are ellipsoidal and traversed horizontally by a long, deep, narrow active-site cleft, in which the C-terminal residues are cut from oligopeptides and unstructured protein tails. The consensus cowrin structure contains a common core of 17 helices and a three-stranded β-sheet, which participates in substrate binding. This protease family is characterized by a set of spatially conserved amino acids involved in catalysis, HEXXH+EXXS/G+H+Y/R+Y. Funnelins comprise structural relatives of the archetypal bovine carboxypeptidase A1 and feature mammalian, insect and bacterial proteins with strict carboxypeptidase activity. Their ∼ 300-residue catalytic domains evince a consensus central eight-stranded β-sheet flanked on either side by a total of eight helices. They also contain a characteristic set of conserved residues, HXXE+R+NR+H+Y+E, and their active-site clefts are rather shallow and lie at the bottom of a funnel-like cavity. Therefore, these enzymes act on a large variety of well-folded proteins. In both cowrins and funnelins, substrate hydrolysis follows a common general base/acid mechanism. A metal-bound solvent molecule ultimately performs the attack on the scissile peptide bond with the assistance of a strictly conserved glutamate residue.
SUBFOSSIL OSTRACODS (CRUSTACEA: OSTRACODA) IN DEEP BOTTOM SEDIMENTS OF THE WDZYDZE LAKE SYSTEM (NORTHERN POLAND)

Summary. Distribution of ostracods in short sediment cores from the profundal-sublittoral zones of various basins of Wdzydze lakes (N Poland), differing in trophic conditions, indicates three major assemblage types. In slightly eutrophic basins ostracod assemblages were dominated by Candona neglecta accompanied by Cytherissa lacustris, indicative of low trophy conditions. Increasing abundance of Candona candida, other candonids and nektobenthic eurytopic species, and gradual decline of C. lacustris corresponded with eutrophic conditions prevailing in most of the deepest basins. Finally, highly eutrophic basins were characterised by increasing abundance of nektobenthic species, decrease of. C. candida and complete disappearance of typically profundal, poly-oxyphilic species.
Developing biodiverse plantings suitable for changing climatic conditions 1: Underpinning scientific methods

Summary Governments across Australia have long been investing in revegetation in an effort to restore biodiversity and, more recently, mitigate climate change. However, no readily available methods have been described to assist project leaders identify species and provenance material likely to be sustainable under the changing climatic conditions of coming decades. Focussing particularly on trees, as trees are important for biosequestration as well as for providing habitat for other native species, Paper 1 of this two part series briefly reviews species distribution models and growth simulation models that could provide the scientific underpinning to improve and refine selection processes. While these previous scientific studies provide useful insights into how trees may respond to climate change, it is concluded that a readily accessible and easy-to-use approach is required to consider the potential adaptability of the many trees, shrubs and ground cover species that may be needed for biodiverse plantings. In Part 2 of this paper, the Atlas of Living Australia is used to provide preliminary information to assist species selection by assessing the climatic range of individual species based on their current distributions and, where available, cultivated locations. While using the Atlas can assist current selections, ways are outlined in Part 2 in which more reliable selections for changing climatic conditions could be made, building on the methods described here.
Assessment of the mitochondrial origin of honey bees from Argentina

Summary The molecular diversity of the honey bee Apis mellifera in the province of Buenos Aires (Argentina) has been analysed through the study of the mitochondrial DNA. The mitochondrial haplotype corresponding to the intergenic region tRNAleu-COII has been determined in samples from 300 colonies from 150 apiaries distributed in 71 localities of the province of Buenos Aires. Eight different haplotypes have been found, four of the African, three of the West European and one of the East European evolutionary lineages. The frequency of these haplotypes corroborates that the European yellow honey bee Apis mellifera ligustica is predominant in the Buenos Aires province whereas the black European bee A. m. mellifera is rare. The presence of the African haplotypes A1 and A4 common in Africanized honey bees, confirms a border of the africanization process located around the 30°-35° SL parallels. The other two African haplotypes (A8 and A11) are indicative of an Iberian or North African origin of some colonies. The influence of the transhumance and beekeeping practices is discussed in relation to the genetic variability detected.
Study of in vitro selection and plant regeneration of Indica rice tolerant to iron

Iron tolerant callus lines of Indica rice Vars. Khandagiri and Jagannath has been achieved on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 1.0 mg/l Kinetin, 3.0 mg/l 2,4-D, 12 mM Fe. Somatic embryos derived from both tolerant non-tolerant calluses are germinated on MS medium supplemented with 1.0 mg/l 6-benzylaminopurine (BA), 0.25 mg/l 1-napthalen-eacetic acid (NAA) and 12 mM Fe within four weeks of subculture. The growth parameters like fresh and dry weight of callus, growth tolerance index, enzyme activity (Catalase and Peroxidase) and biochemical markers were used as indicators of iron tolerance. Measurements as early as two weeks after the beginning of the treatments did not yield consistent results. However, the growth tolerance index in the four weeks after the beginning of treatments yielded significant differences among non-tolerant and tolerant calluses. The enzyme activity is enhanced in the tolerant calluses than non-tolerant one. The in vitro raised plantlets derived from tolerant callus lines are grown in vitro in the presence of BA, NAA and 12 mM iron. The tolerant plantlets are established in the pots with iron-rich soil. This study will help to develop iron tolerant rice plants for breeding program.
Combining ability analysis on ornamental characters of chrysanthemum.

The combining ability and genetic parameters were estimated for 7 ornamental characters in F1 progenies of 12 cross combinations of chrysanthemum(Dendranthema × grandiflorum)hybridized by using a 3 × 4 incomplete diallel cross design(NC II)with three cut-chrysanthemum cultivars as female parents and four potted chrysanthemum cultivars as male parents. The results showed that:(1)Flower diameter,ray floret number and ray floret length were controlled mainly by additive gene action,while plant height and leaf length were controlled principally by non-additive gene action. In addition,leaf width and ray floret width might be controlled both by additive and non-additive gene action. (2)‘Zaoyihong’ had a positive general combining ability(GCA)effect for the 7 ornamental characters involved herein, and‘Hereby’could be used as an important parent in hybridization breeding program aiming for preferable double flowers. The three cross combinations,i.e‘. Hereby’×‘Yumantang’,‘Qingxinhong’×‘Zaoyihong’ and‘Hongqueshe’×‘03-11-2’,performed quite well special combining ability(SCA)regarding mostof the 7 ornamental characters. (3)Variance of population combining ability and its contribution to hybrid progenies suggested that there was a maternal heredity effect for all the ornamental characters studied except ray floret width. The heritability in broad sense(h2B)of the 7 characters ranged from 59.56%(ray floret width)to 80.40%(ray floret number). The heritability in narrow sense(h2N)were lower than 50% except ray floret number amounting to 80.40%. These indicating that ray floret number belonged to high heritability characters and selection pressure should be increased for this character in earlier selection.
Slow growth conservation and molecular characterization of Deutzia scabra Thunb.

Possibility of long-term storage in vitro of Deutzia scabra Thunb. shoots and their genetic stability were evaluated. The effect of mannitol concentrations (20 and 40 g/L), presence and absence of activated charcoal (AC) and temperature (24 or 4°C) in MS medium were studied in respect to survival percentage, number, length, leaves number of axillary shoots and RAPD‐based DNA fingerprints. The data revealed that the highest survival (%) was produced on medium without mannitol (irrespective of AC). The highest numbers of shoots were recorded on control medium and medium containing 20 g/L mannitol without AC after 3 months. The longest shootlets was recorded on medium without mannitol and with AC after 12 months. Shoots were recovery after different conservation periods; all treatments during the different conservation periods were live except shoots were incubated at 4°C after 12 months irrespective of AC and after 9 months without AC were dead. Preliminary RAPD analysis found no differences between plants stored for 12 months and the mother plants were conserved on medium without mannitol (irrespective of AC), while the differences preserved on mannitol treatments were found.
Pedigree analysis of Santa Inês sheep and inbreeding effects on performance traits

Population parameters such as effective population size and coefficients of inbreeding are important information of a population but have rarely been studied in Santa Ines sheep. Therefore, this study aimed to estimate population parameters in a Santa Ines sheep flock and the inbreeding effect on performance traits. A dataset with 11,564 animals, born from 2003 to 2011, was recorded for weights at birth (BW1), 60 (BW60), 180 (BW180) and 270 (BW270) days of age, daily weight gain from birth to 60 d (DWG1), 60 to 180 d (DWG2), and 60 to 270 d (DWG3). Percentages of animals with known pedigrees decreased over generations, from 70 % in the first generation to less than 5 % in the third. The effective population size decreased from 665 in 2004 to 45 in 2010. The effective number founders and ancestors were 285 and 273, respectively. Furthermore, the average relatedness coefficient was 0.47 %. The highest frequency of inbred animals was concentrated between 0 and 10 % of the inbreeding coefficient and only 263 animals showed F>10 %. The inbreeding coefficient had its lowest value in 2004 (0.19 %) and a highest value in 2008 (2.86 %). Significant inbreeding effect was found for BW1 (0.0054 ± 0.0015), DWG2 (-0.9837 ± 0.3025), and DWG3 (-0.5628 ± 0.2377), while the analysis of breeding values indicated significant inbreeding depression for all traits, except DWG1. Results suggested that inbreeding had a negative effect on growth traits. To avoid losses in these traits it is necessary to mate non-related sires and dams.
Prey and Habitat Influences the Movement of Clapper Rails in Northern Gulf Coast Estuaries

Abstract. Loss and modification of tidal marsh habitat has contributed to the decline of marsh bird species. For many marsh birds that inhabit tidal ecosystems, little information exists on habitat use, particularly in relation to movement and response to prey availability. In this study, radio-telemetry was used to investigate home range size, movement patterns and response of Clapper Rails (Rallus longirostris) to prey availability within tidal marshes in coastal Mississippi. Mean fixed kernel 95% home range for breeding Clapper Rails was 1.37 ha ± SE 0.27 (N = 10 birds) with a 50% core use area 0.32 ha ± SE 0.07 (N = 10 birds), which are estimates similar to those obtained throughout this species' range. The extent of Clapper Rail movements during the incubation period was negatively correlated with density of fiddler crab burrows within 50 m of nest sites. Clapper Rails' use of marsh edge decreased relative to tidal height. Use of this habitat type may have been further restricted during the first few weeks of the parental-care period when adults were caring for recently fledged young. Collectively these results illustrate the importance of edge and interior marsh habitats and may provide an explanation for the variation in Clapper Rail densities found within and between tidal marsh systems.
Youth voice on climate change: using factor analysis to understand the intersection of science, politics, and emotion

Abstract A complex issue at the intersection of science, emotion, and politics, climate change is on the minds of young people across the globe, as evidenced through worldwide climate strikes. This manuscript presents an analysis of letters written by 350 young people across the US during the 2016 Presidential election season. These letters, submitted through a digital platform called “Letters to the Next President,” demanded public attention to climate change. Using mixed-methods, we identified in these letters three distinct discourses, or ways of discussing climate change: a solution-oriented discourse, a climate politics discourse, and a discourse of doom. These discourses give insight into the types of knowledge and emotions that intersect for youth about climate change, while also demonstrating the politicization of climate change for some youth in the US. We offer research and pedagogical implications, noting the need for educators to consider the politicized contexts that shape climate change learning.
Direct enzyme immunoassay in microtitration plate and test strip format for the detection of saxitoxin in shellfish

Saxitoxin was coupled to horseradish peroxidase via a novel adaptation of the periodate reaction. Based on polyclonal antibodies against saxitoxin, this conjugate was used for the development of two formats of direct enzyme immunoassay (EIA)–a microtitration enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and a test strip EIA. The detection of saxitoxin without instrumentation by visual evaluation of the test strip EIA is described. The detection limits for saxitoxin were 7 pg/ml (0·35 pg/assay) in the ELISA and 200 pg/ml in the test strip EIA using visual evaluation. Employing a simple procedure of sample preparation, both ELISA and test strip EIA were applied to the analysis of shellfish. The detection limits for saxitoxin in shellfish tissue of the ELISA and the test strip assay were 3 and 4 ng/g, respectively.
Edible insects unlikely to contribute to transmission of coronavirus SARS-CoV-2

In the context of food safety, edible insects are evaluated for biological hazards such as microbial pathogens according to regulations currently in place. When the European Food Safety Authority evaluated the hazards of edible insects as a potential source of pathogenic viruses for humans and livestock, the novel zoonotic coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 had not yet emerged but other pathogenic coronaviruses such as SARS (SARS-CoV) and MERS (MERS-CoV) were known. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, animal sources of protein for human consumption are being evaluated for the risks of being a transmission vector of coronaviruses, like SARS-CoV-2. Insects lack a receptor that can bind SARS-CoV-2, thus preventing the virus from replicating in insects, unlike some vertebrate livestock species and companion animals. Despite extensive monitoring, coronaviruses have never been recorded in insect microbiomes. Contamination of insects produced for food or feed may occur during the production process, resulting from rearing substrate or from insect farmers. However, the currently permitted rearing substrates do not include animal products and the farming process is highly automated, thus limiting interactions between farmers and insects. If contamination would still occur, the fact that the insects in production are not hosts to SARS-CoV-2 precludes virus replication and the further processing of the insects will destroy the contamination. We conclude that the hazard of edible insects being a transmission vector of SARS-CoV-2 is extremely low.