Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Resolving natal tags using otolith geochemistry in an estuarine fish, rainbow smelt Osmerus mordax

Dispersal and connectivity are central to stability and persistence in natural populations. The use of otolith composition as geo-referenced tags may provide unparalleled resolution of spatial movements in marine and anadromous fish, although these geochemical signatures remain largely undescribed and the factors influencing otolith composition poorly understood. We examined spatial variation in the otolith geochemistry of juvenile rainbow smelt Osmerus mordax using laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) and isotope ratio monitoring mass spec- trometry to evaluate its potential as a natural tag to resolve fine-scale geographic patterns and dis- persal of estuarine early life history stages. Otolith element ratios (Mg:Ca, Mn:Ca, Sr:Ca, Ba:Ca) and isotope ratios (δ 13 C, δ 18 O, 87:86 Sr) varied significantly among locations (n = 9) and provided 83% cross- validated accuracy using a quadratic discriminant function analysis. Assignments based only on the 3 isotope variables resulted in the highest rates of correct assignment (87%), largely driven by a sig- nificant increase (~11%) in correct assignments at nearby locations (<20 km distant). Five of the 7 elements examined were significantly correlated with each other, consistent with a common response to estuarine differences. We also observed a significant effect of habitat on assignment success, in that sites with partially restricted marine access (i.e. sand bars) assigned correctly at significantly higher rates. This study demonstrates that geochemical otolith signatures are intimately linked to estuarine structure, which in turn directly influences assignment power. It also demonstrates that assignment over fine spatial scales (<20 km) can be maximized by the examination of isotope signa- tures and sampling of specific habitat types.
Disequilibrium in the Australian wine industry: A product diversity approach

Stocks of Australian wine, at an industry level, have considerably exceeded sales for many years. However, all varieties and regions are not the culprits of this 'oversupply'. The mismatching of supply and demand can be attributed to a lack of adequate market information, particularly at the export level. Sub-optimal levels of product diversity in international markets can act as a barrier to entry for new wine exporters, despite that market remaining a promising prospect from a purely volume perspective. This paper focuses on product diversity. An empirical model for studying the US wine market is proposed and the implications of the analysis are explored.
Bacteriological assessment of the quality of Brassica oleracea var. capitata grown in the Accra Metropolis, Ghana

Bacterial and other microbial contamination of fresh vegetables from the farm or garden to the market and to the final consumer remain a problem worldwide. This study was designed to evaluate the various possible bacterial species responsible for the contamination of Brassica oleracea var. capitata (cabbage) in the Korle-Bu vegetable garden and Agbogbloshie market in the Accra Metropolis, Ghana. Sixty (60) cabbage samples were collected and investigated bacteriologically using standard Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations (UN) total aerobic plate count methods.Cabbage samples from the vegetable garden were found to be more contaminated than the market with a total mean colony count of 2.43×106 CFU/g and 1.53×106 CFU/g respectively. Staphylococcus aureus was the most predominant bacteria isolated with a high percentage occurrence of 51% followed by Escherichia coli (28%), Bacillus sp. (12%), Streptococcus sp. (5%), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (4%). From the study, bacterial contamination of cabbage grown at the Korle-Bu vegetable garden and the Agbogbloshie market were all above the recommended standard levels especially E. coli which should be less than 10 bacteria per gram. Therefore it is recommended that these vegetables be thoroughly washed with safe water or saline solutions before processing and consumption especially where they are not going to be heated or cooked before consumption. Key words: Vegetables, Cabbage, Staphylococcus, Escherichia.
Effect of feeding rapeseed meal on the nucleic acids concentrations in liver of Japanese quail

A detailed study was undertaken in order to determine the safe dose of mustard seed meal in the diet for Japanese quails which can be used at the production level without having deleterious effects on the Nucleic acid concentration of liver. They were fed different levels of mustard seed meal in isocaloric and isonitrogenous diets. The results of feeding of these diets for 30 days show that there is a graphical increase and decrease in concentration of DNA and RNA which can correlate with the growth of this organ. Therefore increasing the protein/DNA ratio is an established indication of the cell size of liver. In fact the birds on the experimental rations were either comparable or heavier than the control except 5% group.
The Parents' Values of Early Childhood Education and Care in Russia: Toward the Construction of Evaluation Tools

This article describes the development of tools for parental evaluation of the quality of services in municipal kindergartens. The parents’ point of view is required as part of a complex evaluation of the quality of educational services in order to make an evidence-based educational policy. We emphasize the importance of a preschool educational institution and its complex role in the implementation of the principles of the welfare state: it has not only an educational, but also a social function, providing governmental support to families with children. This statement is discussed in the literature review which emphasizes the importance of full day educational services. These services allow parents of preschool children to exercise their right to work, as well as perform the socializing role of a kindergarten. Qualitative methodology was used in the research. The empirical base of the study is 30 in-depth interviews with mothers as more involved part of parents. The results show that parents understand the service provided by a kindergarten as a complex, aimed primarily at daytime children’s education and development in a specifically organized educational space, performed by professional educators. The greatest parental value is children’s opportunity to "learn how to communicate", to resolve conflicts and to find compromises, and to relate their behavior with group-mates and peers. The second most important value of education in a kindergarten is the development of life skills, surviving with routines, as well as the associated skill initiative. At the same time, the main professional competence of the educator is seen in their ability to create a positive emotional climate, an atmosphere of openness for the realization of a child’s individuality and to create a space for comfortable communication with parents
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE AND CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY SECTION 2 THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CSR MEANING AND CSR PRACTICES : THE CASE OF SMES

The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between the meaning attached to CSR as a concept and the legal, economic and ethical CSR activities of SMEs in Zimbabwe. For a long time researchers have concentrated on studying the impact of CSR practices on the operations of SMEs and yet very little regard has been given to investigating the relationship between CSR meaning and CSR activities in SMEs.The study made use of questionnaires to collect data from a sample of 201 SMEs residing in the region of Harare. The correlation method was adopted in order to examine the relationship between CSR meaning and CSR activities of SMEs in Zimbabwe. The results of the study revealed that the meaning of CSR is related to the major CSR activities undertaken by SMEs in Zimbabwe. This means SMEs that indulge in donating money and goods to need people will define CSR as donations in cash or kind. Therefore the meaning attached to CSR must be related to the legal, economic and ethical CSR activities of SMEs in Zimbabwe. For this reason there is no standard meaning for CSR.
Effect of combined AM fungal inoculation on the growth response and N, P and K uptake in important tree species

The influence of single and combined Am fungal inoculation and without inoculation was studied on three hard wood trees namely; Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam. , Eugenia bracteata (Willd) Roxb. ex DC, Lagerstroemia lanceolata Wall. ex C.B. Clarke. It was observed that single inoculation neither influenced nor showed higher growth response. But the combined inoculation of AM fungi G.bagyarajii and G.geosporum significantly has improved the plant growth and biomass yield and N, P, K and Zn uptake in all the bioinoculated plants over the control/noninoculated plants. The importance of mycorrhizal inoculation for tree seedlings before, they transplantation to agro forestry programmes has been discussed.
Effects of Pre and Probiotic on Growth Performance and Haematological Parameters in Pigs

The present study investigates the effects of dietary supplementation with feed supplements (prebiotics and probiotics) on pig performance, the feed conversion ratio and some haematological parameters. The research was conducted on hybrid pigs [(Yorkshire A— Landrace) A— Duroc] in a farm from SAƒlaj County, Romania. Pigs of 11 weeks (n = 200) were divided into 4 equal groups: a group fed with the probiotic, a prebiotic-fed group, a control group and a synbiotic (pre- and probiotic) treated group. The control group was fed with a feed without the specified additives. Probiotic treated group was fed the same feedstuff but containing the additive Beta PlusÂ® Ultra (Biochem)( 5.12x1012 CFU / kg - Bacillus subtilis DSM 5750, 5.12x1012UFC / kg - Bacillus licheniformis (DSM 5749 ) and 921 g of betaine), in an amount of 1 kg / tonne of feed. Â Prebiotic group had added to the feed an extract derived from the cell wall of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (TechnoMosÂ® - Biochem) in a dose of 250 g / ton of feed. The weight of 25 pigs in each compartment was recorded 9 times (over 85 days). Animal health was evaluated via clinical, haematological, and parasitological examinations. 5 rectal swabs were collected on day 11 and day 77 and faeces samples were taken in day 77 from each investigated group. Growth rate, feed consumption and some haematological parameters were measured. The body weight, average total weight gain and feed conversion rate increase by the dietary inclusion of the both pre and probiotic (pEƒ0.05). In the compartment treated with prebiotic the weight of the pigs has increased by 1030 g/day compared with 982 g/day value recorded in the control group. The average feed consumption was 3.21 kg/day in the control group while the group treated with prebiotic was only 2.99 kg/day. Feed conversion rate for all treated groups were lower than the one of control. Haematological parameters varied in physiological limits of species. Conclusion: These products show promising effects as an alternative for antibiotics in order to eliminate the use of these drugs as growth-promoting additives.
High speed stereo visualization of hair-skin dynamics

Philips has a huge electric shaving market and in order to compete at the fore fronts, the shave needs to be as close as possible without compromising on the comfort of the customer. Hair and skin manipulation (HSM) are vital factors that prepare the skin and hair for a smooth and efficient shave. While several efforts have been laid down in quantifying the 'closeness' in shave or to find the exact length of the beard before and after shaving, the most popular and confident approach has been a simple user perception. In order to obtain a more confident number it is required to build an optical setup which can both qualitatively visualize and quantitatively derive 3D data to assess the HSM process. Thus the work described in this project is towards the design and construction of an opto-mechanical setup that can simulate the shaving process and simultaneously capture high-speed videos of the HSM process happening on the beard. Stereo imaging with two high speed cameras was chosen as the working principle of the setup such that it is suitable to extract 3D data from the hairs. Semi automatic software helps in manually detecting the coordinates of the hairs and through it, its length and its angles with respect to skin. The entire setup is calibrated with a dummy hair-skin phantom and an error analysis is done to determine the accuracy of the set up. In house manipulation concepts were put together as six module geometries each with varying parameters of interest. These modules were mounted on to the 3D setup and similar to shaving speed strokes were made on three regions of interest - cheek, neck and chin. A total of 40 single hairs were targeted (two strokes each) and experiments were done in unmanipulated state and in manipulated state by the modules to see the exact influence of the modules. The results show the best geometry of the module has 76% hair manipulation efficiency with an average hair lift of 108mum. While cheek is the best place for manipulation, chin is the toughest place as it is hard to follow contour in that region. It is found that the module does not have uniform contact with the skin and this affects the results as the hairs need to be attacked at their root level. Taking into consideration, only the most efficiently manipulated hairs the average hair lift is found to be 105mum and the average remaining stubble (virtual) would be -36mum. This project lays the foundation for accurately measuring the 3D data of a hair while manipulating hair and skin with close to shaving speed strokes. The setup can be adapted to several shaving systems to study their manipulation features. The project also provides us with knowledge on the current HSM module design and its possible extension in the future.
How to increase the yield of transbronchial needle aspiration (TBNA)

Transbronchial needle aspiration (TBNA) is a relatively sensitive, accurate, and safe technique in the diagnosis and staging of lung cancer. There are many factors influencing the yield of TBNA, such as location and the size of the mediastinal lymphadenopathy (MLN), types of the needle used and the experience of the bronchoscopist. Furthermore, knowledge of anatomy, guidance, availability of rapid on-site evaluation (ROSE) and the number of aspirates, preparation of specimen and interpretations of the cytology and histology of specimens all play important roles. Especially, whether an endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) is required for TBNA in the diagnosis of mediastinal masses is currently a disputed subject.
Reduction of distributed payload bridge crane oscillations

The large amplitude oscillation of crane payloads is detrimental to safe and efficient operation. With certain payloads, the problem is complicated when a double-pendulum effect is created. However, most crane control research to date has focused on single-mode dynamics. For example, several researchers have shown that signal-mode oscillations can be greatly reduced by properly shaping the inputs to the crane motors. This paper builds on those previous developments to create a method for suppressing double-pendulum oscillations of a distributed payload. Theoretical models are initially used to develop and evaluate an input-shaping control algorithm. Then, experiments performed on a portable bridge and a 10-ton industrial bridge crane are used to verify the practical effectiveness of the method.
A NEW APPROACH ON DEVELOPING A PARAMETRIC FINITE ELEMENT ANALISYS MODEL FOR SIMULATION OF ELECTRODISCHARGE MACHINING PROCESS ASSISTED BY ULTRASONICS

In recent years, many of the researches in the field of the electrodischarge-aided environment improvement technology have been published, and it is expected that such a tendency will be continued for a considerable length of time in the future. It has conventionally been believed that the understanding of the uses of discharge phenomena has mostly been due to experimental discovery, but a new modern approach can be promoted, using the accumulation of knowledge by the study of the process. This study deals with a new concept on modeling and virtual simulation of the EDM+US process.
ASSESSING THE STRATEGY OF FIRMS THAT COMPETE GLOBALLY IN ALLIANCES IN THE COSMETICS INDUSTRY: THE CASE OF L’ORÉAL IN LATIN AMERICA

The cosmetics industry, especially in Latin America, was hardly affected by the recent global recession. As consumer goods that do not require significant investments and offer well-being to their users, cosmetics tend to remain on consumers’ shopping lists, even during recessions. However, the increasingly competitive global scenario drives firms to sustain their efficiency by way of strategic alliances, so as to better meet their customers’ requirements. Even leading multinationals, such as L’Oréal, face challenges to maintain their competitiveness and have to reassess regularly their strategies. This article presents the results of research that sought to assess the adequateness of the strategy of L’Oréal Latin America, considering the opportunities and threats of the cosmetics industry, of the firm’s alliances and given the global competitive strategy of the L’Oréal Group. The results confirmed what had been verified in other sectors: global alliances create more opportunities than threats, and, in many cases, global relational opportunities, i.e. pertinent to global alliances, mitigate global non-relational threats. Latin America is a potential market for the strategic objective of L’Oréal to conquer one billion consumers and its transnational strategy ensures coherence of its products launched in this geographic region with its targeted consumer requirements. Its strategic alliances contribute to responding better to market demands and ensure a better exposure of the products launched. The study thus adds value to research on strategic management from a global relational perspective, by complementing findings of similar investigations into other sectors. From a business administration viewpoint, the case of L’Oréal offers insights on how strategic alliances can help sustain competitive advantage in firms that compete globally.
RESOURCE SIGNIFICANCE OF MEDICINAL PLANT POPULATIONS AS A RESULT OF THEIR LIFE STRATEGY EXHIBITION

The resource significance of the plant populations in the context of the life strategy performance is considered. In our opinion, the state of resources of plant populations depends on their life strategy and various limiting factors. It is noted that the state and dynamics of raw resources of species with different life strategies largely depends on duration of achieving and retention of resource significance by the plant populations. The factors, which influence essentially on the state of resources of plant species with similar life strategies, were determined.
The Role of Banks in Dividend Policy

We document a significant inverse relationship between a firm’sdividend payouts and reliance on bank loan financing. Banks limitdividend payouts to shareholders in order to protect the integrity oftheir senior claims on the firm’s assets. Moreover, dividendpayouts decline in the presence of monitoring by relationship banks,which acts as an effective governance mechanism, thereby reducing thegains from pre-committing to costly dividend payouts. Bank monitoringand corporate governance (insider stake and institutional blockholdings) are complementary mechanisms to resolve firm agency problems,both reducing the firm’s reliance on dividend policy.
Cognitive Performance in Non-Psychotic Non-Suicidal Unipolar Depressed
 Patients

Background: Cognitive impairment is central in depression and executive dysfunctions in patients with depression are frequent. However, little attention has been paid to the specificities of executive changes in patients with unipolar depression, though these modifications may have serious implications for psychosocial functions and treatment of these patients.Goals: To compare neuropsychological performance, regarding executive functions, of two adult groups: non-psychotic non-suicide attempters with unipolar depression and healthy individuals.Methods: This is a cross-sectional study with data collected in an outpatient clinic of mental health service of a general hospital. Wecompared a group of non-psychotic non-suicidal unipolar depressed patients to a group of individuals without depression. Depressed subjects were controlled for prior suicidal attempts, and their neuropsychological profile was assessed using a range of measures of attention, verbal fluency, memory, psychomotor speed, and executive functioning (planning, decision making, set shifting, response inhibition, and inhibitory control). Results: The group with depression (n=23) was significantly outperformed by the group of healthy individuals (n=23) in all measures. Also, differences in the executive functions of planning, decision making, set shifting, and inhibitory control were confirmed. We were unable to identify differences between non-suicidal individuals with depression and individuals without depression in terms of response inhibition, as has been the case in previous studies with samples with suicidal unipolar depressive patients.Discussion: These results reinforce the hypothesis that there are specific alterations in patients with depression and highlight the need to develop specific cognitive rehabilitation programs for this population.
Application of Linear Finite Elements to Finite Strain Using Corotation

Corotation methods have had great success in extending off-the-shelf element kernels to handle seamlessly large-deflection, large-rotation response with the limitation that strains must remain moderate. Element-independent methods promote element reuse by separating necessary operations that filter out rigid rotation and enforce element self-equilibrium from other, elementspecific tasks. The current paper presents a method that preserves element independence while at the same time removing the limitation of moderate strains, based on polar decomposition of the deformation state at the element centroid. The paper will begin with a short review of the foundations of corotation, followed by a detailed derivation of the new method, with close attention to preserving element independence. The efficacy of the method will be demonstrated with several cases of hyperelastic response with huge strains. A comparison will be made between elements with linear strain-displacement kernels and Green’s strain, with almost identical results.