Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Bivalve shell horizons in seafloor pockmarks of the last glacial‐interglacial transition: a thousand years of methane emissions in the Arctic Ocean

We studied discrete bivalve shell horizons in two gravity cores from seafloor pockmarks on the Vestnesa Ridge (∼1200 m water depth) and western Svalbard (79°00′ N, 06°55′ W) to provide insight into the temporal and spatial dynamics of seabed methane seeps. The shell beds, dominated by two genera of the family Vesicomyidae: Phreagena s.l. and Isorropodon sp. , were 20–30 cm thick and centered at 250–400 cm deep in the cores. The carbon isotope composition of inorganic (δ13C from −13.02‰ to +2.36‰) and organic (δ13C from −29.28‰ to −21.33‰) shell material and a two‐end member mixing model indicate that these taxa derived between 8% and 43% of their nutrition from chemosynthetic bacteria. In addition, negative δ13C values for planktonic foraminifera (−6.7‰ to −3.1‰), concretions identified as methane‐derived authigenic carbonates, and pyrite‐encrusted fossil worm tubes at the shell horizons indicate a sustained paleo‐methane seep environment. Combining sedimentation rates with 14C ages for bivalve material from the shell horizons, we estimate the horizons persisted for about 1000 years between approximately 17,707 and 16,680 years B.P. (corrected). The seepage event over a 1000 year time interval was most likely associated with regional stress‐related faulting and the subsequent release of overpressurized fluids.
Chemical Composition of Agropyron desertorum as Related to Grass Tetany

Grass tetany, a Mg deficiency of ruminants, accounts for significant economic losses to Western cattlemen during the spring grazing period on Agropyron desertorum. This nutritional deficiency may also occur when ruminants graze other temperate grasses, but the soil-plant-animal factors leading to the problem are not well understood. The objective of this study was to provide definitive data relating seasonal changes in the chemical composition of forage to the occurrence of grass tetany on semiarid grasslands. The field experiment was established on two calcareous soils where grass tetany had previously occurred. Agropyron desertorum forage was harvested from both sites at regular intervals during the spring tetany period in each of 5 years. The forage samples were analyzed for mineral elements, N, total water-soluble carbohydrates (TWSC), higher fatty acids (HFA), ash alkalinity, and aconitic acid. High levels of N and HFA, which are known from other studies to reduce Mg availability to the animal, coincided with the occurrence of tetany. The low Mg concentrations measured in the forage probably provided only marginal levels of available Mg to the grazing animals. A rapid increase in the ratio of N/TWSC coincided with the onset of tetany, and may be the primary factor which indirectly decreases Mg availability and precipitates the occurrence of tetany. Although the relationship of the protein/energy imbalance to grass tetany has been suggested previously, as far as the authors are aware this is the first time that N/TWSC values obtained during the growing season have been documented in conjunction with the occurrence of grass tetany.
Have Standard VARs Remained Stable Since the Crisis?

Small or medium-scale VARs are commonly used in applied macroeconomics for forecasting and evaluating the shock transmission mechanism. This requires the VAR parameters to be stable over the evaluation and forecast sample, or to explicitly consider parameter time variation. The earlier literature focused on whether there were sizable parameter changes in the early 1980s, in either the conditional mean or variance parameters, and in the subsequent period until the beginning of the new century. In this paper we conduct a similar analysis but focus on the effects of the recent crisis. Using a range of techniques, we provide substantial evidence against parameter stability. The evolution of the unemployment rate seems particularly different relative to its past behavior. We then discuss and evaluate alternative methods to handle parameter instability in a forecasting context.
Enterprise Value and Intellectual Capital: Study of BSE 500 Firms

The purpose of this paper is to estimate the intellectual capital coefficient of the firms under study and to study the relationship, if any between intellectual capital and intellectual capital and its constituents. In this empirical paper, analytical research design has been used. Pulic’s VAIC (modified) has been used to estimate the intellectual capital of BSE S&P 500 listed firms from 2007-2016. The data has been collected from CMIE and collected data has been analyzed using Pearson correlation and linear multiple regression analysis using CMIE PROWESS. Findings show that almost all firms under study have a good VAIC score means above 4 and the top VAIC scorer firms were mainly from refinery, metal, cement, steel, tobacco. Correlation analysis and Linear multiple regression analysis show that M/B ratio has a significant relationship with VACA, VAHU, Research and Development (Innovation capital) and Advertisement expenses (customer capital). Year-wise results depicts that value of adjusted R 2 is increasing, in 2007 it was just . 164 and in the year 2016 it is . 607 which infers that VAIC’s role is improving in measuring the market value of firms under study. Year wise analysis shows that adjusted R 2 is improving, so findings may serve as significant input for the firms to use intellectual capital as the main factor for improving the market value of firms. This paper will definitely contribute to the existing literature.
Controlled synthesis of europium-doped lutetium compounds: nanoflakes, nanoquadrels, and nanorods

In this contribution, we report the successful preparation of large-scale and uniform europium-doped lutetium compounds with the varied morphologies of nanoflakes, nanoquadrels and nanorods, using colloidal Lu(OH)3–Eu at different concentrations as a precursor for the hydrothermal method (170 °C and pH = 13 for 24 h). The as-made products have different crystalline structures as well as different morphologies. The as-synthesized nanoflakes have a “perfect” square shape with side lengths of 220–400 nm and thicknesses of 50 nm or below. On the basis of the observed “non-perfect” nanoflakes, we have deduced a mechanism of “side wrapping” to describe the growth of the “perfect” square nanoflakes. The as-made nanoquadrels possess a sandwich-like nanostructure and they are all composed of several square nanoflakes via face-to-face “self-reorganization”. The formation of nanorods is due to the high chemical potential resulting from the high precursor concentration. At the same time, the pH value of the precursor and the method of mixing of the lanthanide nitrate solution with the NaOH solution have a great effect on the morphology of the as-synthesized products. The shapes of the as-made products were sustained after thermal decomposition to europium-doped Lu2O3. The crystalline structure, morphology and thermal behavior of as-synthesized products were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TG) and differential scanning calorimetric analysis (DSC), respectively.
The impact of factors influencing destination quality on overall customer satisfaction

The paper deals with problems concerning tourist destination quality and the impact of individual factors on the overall satisfaction of a customer – a visitor to a destination. The methodology is based on the evaluation of individual factors that were identified on the basis of previously conducted researches and that consider all attributes of a destination which visitors are able to evaluate on the basis of their experience and consequent satisfaction. The used data were obtained by a questionnaire surveys, the evaluation is qualitative, and the ten-degree Likert scale is used. The practical part of the paper will focus on creating a multidimensional regression model for overall customer satisfaction for evaluating individual quality factors. The objective of the paper is to identify factors that influence overall customer satisfaction the most; this will be done on the basis of the statistical importance of individual regression parameters. The analysis will be conducted for the data from the regions of Lednice-Valtice Area and Znojemsko and Podyji; subsequently these two regions will be compared.
Using Newtonian Law of Universal Gravitation as Approximation in Special Relativity to Study Equivalence Principle in Schwarzschild Black Hole

A novel technique was introduced to re-investigate the “No Drama” conclusion of the Equivalence principle at the event horizon of the Schwarzschild Black Hole. It was found that the Equivalence principle has a different solution at the event horizon, on contrary to the popular belief that the gravitational effect on the observer at the horizon holds the similar properties as that to the observer travelling in the weaker gravitational field.
On backward Kolmogorov equation related to CIR process

We consider the existence of a classical smooth solution to the backward Kolmogorov equation \begin{align*} \begin{cases} \partial_t u(t,x)=Au(t,x),& x\ge0,\ t\in[0,T],\\ u(0,x)=f(x),& x\ge0, \end{cases} \end{align*} where $A$ is the generator of the CIR process, the solution to the stochastic differential equation \begin{equation*} X^x_t=x+\int_0^t\theta \bigl(\kappa-X^x_s\bigr)\,ds+\sigma\int _0^t\sqrt {X^x_s} \,dB_s, \quad x\ge0,\ t\in[0,T], \end{equation*} that is, $Af(x)=\theta(\kappa-x)f'(x)+\frac{1}{2}\sigma^2xf''(x)$, $ x\ge0$ ($\theta,\kappa,\sigma>0$). Alfonsi \cite{Alfonsi} showed that the equation has a smooth solution with partial derivatives of polynomial growth, provided that the initial function $f$ is smooth with derivatives of polynomial growth. His proof was mainly based on the analytical formula for the transition density of the CIR process in the form of a~rather complicated function series. In this paper, for a CIR process satisfying the condition $\sigma^2\le4\theta\kappa$, we present a direct proof based on the representation of a CIR process in terms of a~squared Bessel process and its additivity property.
Two-tier board system and Indonesian family owned firms performance

Article history: Received: March 13, 2018 Received in revised format: March 13, 2018 Accepted: May 22, 2018 Available online: May 22, 2018 The two-tier board system practiced in Indonesia provides greater opportunity for the majority shareholders to place representative on board which may expropriate interest of minority shareholders and increase information asymmetry. This study looks at the influence of family ownership on firm’s performance, by differentiating the influence of family ownership from family involvement in companies listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange. Family ownership is measured based on family’s equity ownership in the firm and family’s involvement. This study explores family involvement in threefold: involvement in the board of commissioners, involvement in the board of directors and involvement in both boards. Firm performance is measured based on Value Added Intellectual Coefficient (VAIC) which comprises of capital employed efficiency, human capital efficiency, and structural capital efficiency. Data was collected for a period of three years from 2007 to 2009 on 155 firms which were identified as family firms. The findings show that family ownership has a positive influence on firm performance. Family involvement, however, shows mixed results. Family involvement in the board of commissioners has a positive but insignificant influence on firm’s performance. Family involvement in the board of directors has a negative influence on firm’s performance. Family involvement in both boards has a positive influence on firm performance. The findings suggest that family involvement in both boards creates a balance between the supervisory function and the management function, thus resulting in a more effective monitoring of firm’s management. © 2018 by the authors; licensee Growing Science, Canada
Executive Summary Corporate Debt and Outsourcing in India

Vertical Integration The structure of firms’ activities, as to whether they should be undertaken internally or performed wholly or partially with the help of external firms, has been important. The issue of outsourcing has generated interest among academics and practitioners. Simultaneously, how firms’ capital structures influence behaviour is important, because the divergent goals and preferences of different providers of capital can manifest themselves in the form of differences in strategies pursued by firms.
Differences between “exploration” and “exploitation” of cross-border mergers & acquisitions and its value creation effect

This paper adopts the case study method to respectively research the value creation in the exploration and exploitation type of China’s four cross-border mergers & acquisitions, and discusses the similarities and differences between the value creation in the utilization and exploration type of mergers & acquisitions, and finds that the former type of mergers and acquisitions is suitable for a medium or higher level of integration in the aspect of the organization structure, culture, human resources and supply chain, so as to realize the value creation through the improvement of synergies and market forces; the latter type of mergers and acquisitions is suitable for higher level of integration in the aspect of the supply chain, research & development, brand and channel, so as to create value by broadening the marketing channel and enhancing innovation capability.
Downregulation of Nrf2 and HO-1 expression contributes to oxidative stress in type 2 diabetes mellitus: A study in Juana Koslay City, San Luis, Argentina

Oxidative stress is associated with diabetes mellitus, a condition characterized by increased prevalence and progression rate of cardiovascular disease. NFE2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) is a master regulator of cellular detoxification responses and redox status. The aim of this study was to examine associations between type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM), oxidative stress and the expression of NFE2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) in a population of diabetic patients living in Juana Koslay City, San Luis, Argentina. In addition, we evaluated the functional relevance of Nrf2 by measuring the HO-1 expression among persons with type 2 diabetes. We measured clinical and biochemical parameters related to lipid metabolism and oxidative stress in a population of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus patients (T2DM, n = 40) and controls (Co, n = 30). Compared to Co, T2DM patients had higher fasting serum glucose, glycated hemoglobin, triglycerides, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. T2DM individuals had also higher atherogenic index and body mass index than controls. We also founded that HO-1 mRNA in whole blood was lower in T2DM than controls, suggesting that T2DM may have an altered antioxidant response to oxidative stress. Interestingly, we found reduced Nrf2 mRNA in whole blood from T2DM compared to Co. The results from this study provide novel evidence that genes associated to antioxidant defense mechanisms are markedly reduced in patients with type 2 diabetes, and that the reduction in the expression of these genes could be associated to hyperglycemia and increased levels of MDA. Linear regression analysis revealed that there was a strong and positive correlation between the changes of Nrf2 and HO-1 expression levels.
Introducing KITT: The Reserve Bank of New Zealand new DSGE model for forecasting and policy design

The Reserve Bank of New Zealand has developed a new core macroeconomic model to replace the existing FPS (Forecasting and Policy System) model. KITT (Kiwi Inflation Targeting Technology), the new model, advances our modelling towards the frontier in terms of both theory and empirics. KITT reconfirms the Reserve Bank’s commitment to having a theoretically well-founded model at the heart of the monetary policy process. This article provides context about the reasons for the move to the new model, and an overview of the model itself. KITT builds a rich picture of the macroeconomic economy from specific assumptions about the microeconomic behaviour of households and firms that interact in several goods markets. The article illustrates the structure of the model, how this structure determines the way in which shocks or unexpected events propagate through the economy, and the role of the model in the forecast process.
Lack of Association between Polymorphisms in rs2981582, rs2420946, rs17102287, rs1219648, rs2981578, and rs17542768 Sites of FGFR2 Gene with Breast Cancer in the Population of Kazakhstan

Worldwide, breast cancer (BC) is the most common invasive cancer in women. Fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 (FGFR2) is a tyrosine kinase receptor that is a member of the family of indivi- dually distinct fibroblast growth factor receptors involved in tumorigenesis. FGFR2 gene is ampli- fied and over expressed in breast cancer (1 - 3). The aim of the study was to determine whether polymorphisms in rs2981582, rs2420946, rs17102287, rs1219648, rs2981578, and rs17542768 in FGFR2 gene are associated with breast cancer susceptibility in the population of Kazakhstan. The statistically significant associations between SNPs analyzed and breast cancer risk according χ 2 and p < 0.05 criterions were not evaluated. The information describing the association of SNPs in FGFR2 with BC risk in the world populations could not be unambiguously used for Kazakhstan population.
Synthesis Of Nickel (Ni) Doped HKUST-1 using Solvotermal Method with Addition of Acetic Acid as Modulator

Hong Kong University of Science and Technology-1 (HKUST-1) is metal organic framework (MOF) that composed from ligand BTC (1,3,5-benzene tricarboxylic) and copper ions. The method used in this study is solvotermal with variations nickel ion doping and additions acetic acid as modulator. The purpose of this study is to increase the hydrogen storage capacity. The results obtained were characterized by XRD showed that the HKUST-1 and Ni-HKUST-1 has formed, showed by peaks at 2 theta = 6.7, 9.5, 11.6, 13.4, and 19.0.
SOLUTION APPROACHES TO DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS OF MECHANICAL SYSTEM DYNAMICS: A CASE STUDY OF CAR SUSPENSION SYSTEM

Solution of a dynamic system is commonly demanding when analytical approaches are used. In order to solve numerically, describing the motion dynamics using differential equations is becoming indispensable. In this article, Newton’s second law of motion is used to derive the equation of motion the governing equation of the dynamic system. A quarter model of the suspension system of a car is used as a case and sinusoidal road profile input was considered for modeling. The state space representation was used to reduce the second order differential equation of the dynamic system of suspension model to the first order differential equation. Among the available numerical methods to solve differential equations, Euler method has been employed and the differential equation is coded MATLAB. The numerical result of the second degree of freedom, quarter suspension system demonstrated that the approach of using numerical solution to a differential equation of dynamic system is suitable to easily simulate and visualize the system performance.
High cell wall-associated proteinase activity of some Streptococcus thermophilus strains (H-strains) correlated with a high acidification rate in milk

Summary - Dairy starter strains Streptococcus thermophilus CNRZ 385 and CNRZ 703 coagulatad low heat skim milk in 3 h while the raference strain CNRZ 302 required more than 10 h. The high acidification rates of these 2 strains (H-strains) were correlated with the presence of a 10- and 7-fold increase in proteinase activity as compared to 13 other randomly chosen strains (L-strains), including the reference strain CNRZ 302. The level of proteinase activity in M17 broth was similar ta the activity of the Prt+ Lactococcus lactis ssp lactis strain CNRZ 1076. Proteinase activity of S thermophilus H-strains was found ta be cell wall-associated and was not released in the absence of CaCI2 as in the case of L lactis strains. The relevance of these proteinase activities in relation to high acid production rates was confirmed by a proteinase-negative mutant whose growth and proteinase activity were reduced to levels observed for the L-strains.
EXPLORING INTELLECTUAL CAPITAL THROUGH SOCIAL NETWORK ANALYSIS: A CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

TICHA, I. : Exploring intellectual capital through social network analysis: a conceptual framework. Acta univ. agric. et silvic. Mendel. Brun. , 2011, LIX, No. 2, pp. 361-364 The purpose of this paper is to develop a framework to assess intellectual capital. Intellectual capital is a key element in an organization's future earning potential. Theoretical and empirical studies show that it is the unique combination of the diff erent elements of intellectual capital and tangible invest- ments that determines an enterprises competitive advantage. Intellectual capital has been defi ned as the combination of an organizations human, organizational and relational resources and activities. It includes the knowledge, skills, experience and abilities of the employees, its R&D activities, orga- nizational, routines, procedures, systems, databases and its Intellectual Property Rights, as well as all the resources linked to its external relationships, such as with its customers, suppliers, R&D partners, etc. This paper focuses on the relational capital and attempts to suggest a conceptual framework to as- sess this part of intellectual capital applying social network analysis approach. The SNA approach al- lows for mapping and measuring of relationships and fl ows between, people, groups, organizations, computers, URLs, and other connected information/knowledge entities. The conceptual framework is developed for the assessment of collaborative networks in the Czech higher education sector as the representation of its relational capital. It also builds on the previous work aiming at proposal of meth- odology guiding eff orts to report intellectual capital at the Czech public universities. intellectual capital, relational capital, social network analysis, collaborative networks, higher education
Analyzing the water resources management disclosures of South African SRI-indexed companies

Water has been identified as the biggest economic and societal global risk for the next decade by the World Economic Forum’s 2015 global risk report. This risk is also pronounced in South Africa with the country facing a water crisis in terms of the scarcity and the quality of water. This necessitates an increase in the efficiency of water management and water consumption by, inter alia, companies. The disclosure of key performance indicators (KPIs) is one of the most effective means for South African companies to communicate their sustainability performance and their impacts on natural capital such as water. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the required KPIs for the reporting and management of water in SRI-indexed JSElisted companies, based on the GRI guidelines. Content analysis as research method was employed to analyze the integrated and sustainability reports of a selected group of SRI-indexed JSE-listed companies. It was found that the KPIs published by such companies lacked comparability and consistency in their disclosure. The recommendations include that companies should make use of an efficiency indicator measuring input in terms of output.