Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Comparing the Riskiness of Dependent Portfolios

Comparing the Riskiness of Dependent Portfolios by Ranadeera Gamage Madhuka Samanthi The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 2016 Under the Supervision of Professors Vytaras Brazauskas and Wei Wei A nonparametric test based on nested L-statistics and designed to compare the riskiness of portfolios was introduced by Brazauskas, Jones, Puri, and Zitikis (2007). Its asymptotic and small-sample properties were primarily explored for independent portfolios, though independence is not a required condition for the test to work. In this dissertation, we investigate how the performance of the test changes when insurance portfolios are dependent. To achieve that goal, we perform a simulation study where we consider three different risk measures: conditional tail expectation, proportional hazards transform, and mean. Further, three portfolios are generated from exponential, Pareto, and lognormal distributions, and their interdependence is modeled with the three-dimensional t and Gaussian copulas. It is found that the presence of comonotonicity makes the test very liberal for all the risk measures under consideration. For various other types of dependence, the results are mixed, i.e., they depend on the chosen risk measure, sample size, and even on the test’s significance level. We illustrate how to incorporate such findings into sensitivity analysis of the decisions. The risks we analyze represent tornado damages in different regions of the United States from 1890 to 1999. In addition,
Physiological and Technical Aspects of Cactus Pear [Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill.] Double Rellowering and Out-of-Season Winter Fruit Cropping

Abstract A commercial cactus pear plantation in Sicily, Italy was manipulated to induce late cropping. The spring flush of flowers and cladodes were removed as was the second induced bloom of flowers and cladodes. The third induced bloom was harvested for a late out-of-season crop of cactus pear (Opuntia ficus-indica Mill.). The double removal induced a third flush of flowers and cladodes during late August with a fruit production that ripened the following winter (to March). The number of flowers per fertile cladode was halved after the double removal and the length of the fruit development period increased from 100-120 days to 160-190 days for the out-of-season crop. Polyethylene covering reduced sunlight but was essential for establishing optimal temperatures for cladode photosynthetic activity and fruit growth and ripening. Out-of-season fruits were regular in size and percent flesh with only a slight reduction in total soluble solid content.
Factors affecting birth weight and performance to weaning of beef calves in the dry tropics of north Queensland

Data from 533 calves from 321 Shorthorn cows at 'Swan's Lagoon', north Queensland, were analysed by the least-squares method. Calves were sired by either Sahiwal or Brahman bulls. Birth weights, growth rates and corrected 180-day weights were comparable in Brahman and Sahiwal cross calves. Age of dam had a significant effect on performance with cows 5-8 years and 9+ years producing heavier calves than cows 3-4 years of age. Calves born early in the season were significantly superior to calves born later and males outperformed females throughout, being 8-9 per cent heavier at 180 days. Pre-calving weight of the cow was positively correlated with calf growth rate and 180 day weight. Calf gains were inversely related to cow gains from birth to weaning. Calf birth weight was significantly correlated with calf growth rate and 180-day weight.
Ultrastructural changes associated with induced systemic resistance of cucumber to disease: host response and development of Colletotrichum lagenarium in systemically protected leaves

Systemic resistance to anthracnose caused by Colletotricum lagenarium was induced in cucumber by inoculation with fungal conidia. Control and immunized leaves were examined by both light and electron microscopy before and after subsequent challenge with the fungus. Penetration through the epidermal wall was evident 36 h after challenge and was followed by hyphal proliferation and host-cell destruction in control tissues. Penetration was rarely seen in immunized tissues before 72 h, but at 24 h, invaginations of the appressorial wall were observed, as well as highly electron opaque epidermal walls beneath the appressoria. At 72 h, thin penetration pegs were seen within the dense host wall, and at 96 h, the peg was embedded within the underlying papilla and aggregates of callose-like material. Penetration through the epidermis was rare in immunized tissue, but when it was observed, development appeared to be similar to that in control leaves. Evidence is presented to show that ultra-structural changes in im.
Achene blemish syndrome: a new disease of sunflower in Israel

A new disease has affected sunflower (Helianthus annuus) achenes in Israel. Infection produces small, scattered lesions on the surface of the shell. Lesions are brown, black, or gray and some are surrounded by dark halos; they range in size from 0.5 to 2 mm and may be round, oval, elongate, or irregular. Infected crops are viewed by the industry as being of lower quality and therefore fetch a lower market price. Several fungi were isolated from infected achenes. The four steps of Koch's postulates were completed for Alternaria alternata, Cladosporium sp. , and Ulocladium atrum
High rates of nitrogen fixation of Ulex species in the understory of maritime pine stands and the potential effect of phosphorus fertilization

Nitrogen (N2) fixation by Ulex species was studied in a range of mature maritime pine (Pinus pinaster Ait.) stands as well as in a phosphorus (P) fertilization trial in a young (6-year-old) open pine stand. The biomass was estimated by allometric relationships, and the percentage of N derived from atmosphere was calculated according to the natural 15 N abundance method. Ulex stand biomass was lower in the mature pine stand than in the young open pine stand. In the latter pine stand, Ulex mean annual biomass increment ranged from 1 to 5 Mg·ha -1 ·year -1 , increasing with P fertilization dose, as did the Ulex stand biomass, ranging from 5.4 to 31.1 Mg·ha -1 after six growing seasons in the most highly fertilized treatment. For the sites where the natural 15 N abundance method was applicable, the calculated percentage of N in the Ulex europaeus L. tissues derived from atmosphere was very high (mean = 82%; range = 59%- 100%). At the other sites, the N2 fixation was probably also very important but could not be calculated with confi- dence. Here, the mean fixation rate of the former sites was used to calculate the N2 fixation flux. The estimated annual N2 fixation flux ranged from 0.5 to 5.1 kg N·ha -1 ·year -1 in the mature pine stands. In the young open pine stand, the Ulex understory fixation ranged from 8.1 to 57.4 kg N·ha -1 ·year -1 , increasing with P fertilization dose. Considering the
Maize Streak Mastrevirus in Africa: Distribution, Transmission, Epidemiology, Economic Significance and Management Strategies

ABSTRACT Maize streak mastrevirus is widespread in tropical and sub-tropical Africa. It is transmitted persistently by several species of leafhoppers, Cicadulin spp. (Homoptera: Cicadellidae). Yield loss caused by the virus ranges from 30 to 100%. Integrated pest management is the best approach to combating this disease of maize. This paper reviews the distribution, transmission, epidemiology economic significance, management strategies and future research needs of the virus.
An analysis of the epicuticular wax of Chenopodium album leaves in relation to environmental change, leaf wettability and the penetration of the herbicide bentazone

SUMMARY The fine-structure, epicuticular wax and contact angle characteristics of Chenopodium album leaf surfaces have been examined with respect to the control of this weed by the herbicide bentazone. Epicuticular wax analysis and contact angle measurements suggest a relative impermeability to bentazone (BAS 35107H), that may be enhanced by the inclusion of the oil adjuvant Actipron (BP Oil Ltd) to the formulation. Under different regimes of light, temperature and relative humidity the chemical composition of the epicuticular wax layer remained relatively constant, whereas herbicide efficacy was greatly altered. These findings are discussed in relation to the mode of action and penetration of bentazone in this species.
Scales in Geoarchaeology beyond "a site": The advance of a (Archaeo-)geomorphological perspective

The importance and discussion about scales in Geoarchaeology is as old as its subject itself. Gladfelter (1977) was one of the first, who described the Micro-, Mesoand Macroscale context of archaeological features in a given environment related to a site. More recently, Butzer (2008) continues these tripartite approach, as he defines the Microscale environment to an “On-site Geoarchaeology” with focus on sediments, synand postdepositional processes and micro-stratigraphy. The mesoscale environment deals with the context of a proven site and the macroscale is the landscape in total, where the given site is located (Butzer 2008). Where the applications of scale in Geoarchaeology always refer to a site as initial point, a great range of features beyond gets neglected. This is particulary important for Late Pleistocene Archaeology and in arid regions, where the meaning of space and information in between of archaeological records gets more and more important, as data density falls substantial. Therefore, also “non-site areas” and regions beyond a site and its site-catchment are crucial to investigate, still under a collaborated perspective of archaeology and geoscience. This is, where Archaeogeomorphology, the study of the landscape without any direct archaeological evidence, but still under an archaeological point of view respectively under the view of past human behaviour (Thornbush 2012), follows up. Archaeogeomorphology, in contrast to (most) geoarchaeological studies, is associated with the study of the landscape without any direct archaeological evidence, but still under an archaeological point of view, respectively under the view of past human behaviour. Questions about mobility and migration of hunter-gatherer during the late Pleistocene, e.g. when anatomically modern human spread out of Africa, cannot be answered without the context of the “off-site areas”. Therefore, the previous existed, site orientated scales in geoarchaeology are insufficient to these questions, as the human-landscape interactions subsists within a broader range beyond single sites.
A new species of Habralictus (Hymenoptera, Halictidae) from the Island of Grenada (Lesser Antilles) with comments on the insular species of the genus.

A new species of the genus Habralictus Moure (Apoidea, Halictidae, Caenohalictini), Habralictus insularis sp. n. , is described from the island of Grenada. A diagnosis of the genus and comments on its taxonomy and patterns of distribution are presented.
Behavioral interactions differentiate Djungarian (Phodopus campbelli) and Siberian (Phodopus sungorus) hamsters

Male–male and female–female dyads of two species of Phodopus, the Djungarian hamster, P. campbelli, and the Siberian hamster, P. sungorus, interacted daily for 10 min on each of 4 successive days. Animals were acclimatized to large habitats which contained small, defensible nest boxes. Real time behavioral records were kept of agonistic, social, and scent marking behaviors. The results indicated that there were major behavioral differences between P. campbelli and P. sungorus in their agonistic interactions with like-sexed conspecifics. Male P. campbelli were significantly more aggressive towards conspecific males than male P. sungorus, attacking (19.7 ± 2.2 vs. 9.6 ± 1.2) and biting (30.0 ± 4.6 vs. 12.7 ± 2.1) more often, and could inflict serious injury. Conversely, female P. campbelli were less aggressive than female P. sungorus towards like-sexed conspecifics, attacking (2.6 ± 0.7 vs. 7.5 ± 1.5) and biting (1.0 ± 0.4 vs. 2.4 ± 0.6) less frequently. The absolute levels of aggression were higher for mal.
Lunar periodicity in the spawning of Tilapia mariae in the Ethiop River, Nigeria

In a clear-water Nigerian stream, Tilapia mariae showed lunar periodicity in breeding activity over a 9-week study period. Most clutches were laid during the last quarter of the moon cycle. It is suggested that spawning before full moon enhances the effectiveness of the parental care by allowing a maximal amount of moonlight during the most critical phases in the development of the young and by providing a cue for the pairs to spawn at the same time.
Electrical Properties of Neurospora crassa

Glass micropipette electrodes have been employed to study the transsurface potential difference of Neurospora crassa. For mature hyphae grown in agar cultures, the internal potential is large and negative, often exceeding -200 mv. The potential is sensitive to the concentrations of extracellular potassium, sodium, hydrogen, and calcium ions, but does not vary in a manner which is readily explained by ionic diffusion potentials. With extracellular solutions containing only potassium chloride (or sulfate) and sucrose, the internal potential shifts toward zero (becomes less negative) at 45 mv per tenfold increase of potassium, over the range 0.1 to 10 mM. A similar result has been found with sodium, though the slope is only 33 mv/log unit. Calcium (1 mM) diminishes the influence of potassium and sodium by 60 to 70 per cent. As potassium or sodium is raised above 20 mM, the slope of the internal potential increases sharply to 85 to 90 mv/log unit, both in the presence and absence of calcium. With increasing hydrogen ion concentration, too, the internal potential shifts toward zero; in this case the slope is about 12 mv/pH unit at pH 9 and rises smoothly to 33 mv/pH unit at pH 3. All these phenomena are probably properties of the plasma membrane. The polysaccharide cell wall contains few fixed negative charges, has a low transverse resistance, and supports very little potential difference when separated from the plasma membrane.
Winteraceae pollen from the miocene of the southwestern cape (south africa)

Abstract Terrestrial back barrier deposits at Noordhoek on the Cape Peninsula contain microfossil assemblages of Miocene age which reveal the presence of extinct pollen taxa of considerable interest. These pollen types indicate the existence during the Tertiary of subtropical rainforest in these regions which was common to other Gondwana segments during the Cretaceous. Among these microfossils two genera of the Winteraceae were recorded which show strong affinities with the present Australasian taxa. They are designated as Drimys piperita‐type and Zygogynum queenslandianum‐type. The fossil record of this family in the southwestern Cape sheds light on the present disjunct distribution of the Winteraceae between Australasia, Madagascar and South America. The oldest record of the family in the Early Cretaceous of Israel and the Miocene occurrence of two genera in the Cape could point to a West Gondwana origin and early differentiation possibly in Africa before migration to Australia in the mid‐Cretaceous. Ea.
SEXUAL DIFFERENCE IN THE MIGRATION PATTERN OF BLUE MARLIN, MAKAIRA NIGRICANS, RELATED TO SPAWNING AND FEEDING ACTIVITIES IN THE WESTERN AND CENTRAL NORTH PACIFIC OCEAN

The reproductive condition and stomach contents of blue marlin, Makaira nigricans Lacepede, 1802 (n = 645), were quantitatively investigated in three different regions of the North Pacific Ocean between 2003 and 2009. Males strongly dominated (females:males = 34:439) in Region III (4°N-21°N, 131°E-154°W) throughout the year, and eight females (28%) had ovaries in the maturing or spawning stage. Although the sampling months were limited to September-November in Region II (18°N-32°N, 171°W-140°W), the sex ratio was more similar (females:males = 28:26) and there was no evidence of spawning. Only females (n = 100) were observed in Region I (33°N-36°N, 135°E-140°E) from July to September, the main season when blue marlin occur off the coast of Japan, and no females had ovaries in the maturing or spawning stage. Stomach-content analysis revealed that the feeding intensity of females was higher in Region I than in the other two regions. These results suggest that blue marlin prey items may be more abundant at non- spawning areas in Region I, to which female blue marlin migrate for feeding. In contrast, lower feeding intensities and evidence of spawning in Region III suggest that blue marlin prey may be scarce in spawning areas. Male blue marlin tend to remain and wait for females in spawning areas, forgoing a feeding migration.
Temperature and solar radiation effects on potential maize yield across locations.

(.) Temperature primarily affected growth duration with lower temperature increasing the length of time that the crop could intercept radiation. The solar radiation response was related to the amount of incident radiation and to the fraction of radiation intercepted by the crop. In the tropics (Katherine), high temperature decreased the duration of growth and grain yield, despite high levels of radiation. Only at locations with low temperature and consequent long growth duration, and with high radiation were maize yields simulated to be more than 1600 g m −2 (300 bushels per acre at 15.5% moisture)
Assignment1 of the ectodermal-neural cortex 1 gene (Enc1) to mouse chromosome band 13D1 by fluorescence in situ hybridization

Supported in part by grants from the National Cancer Institute (CA64898), the Nissen Family, the Preuss Foundation, and the Betz Foundation. P.J.A-B. was supported by a postdoctoral research fellowship from the Spanish Ministry of Education and Culture. We thank Lucy Avila and Norma Shipp for help with the manuscript. Current address of M.C. H. and P.J.A. -B. : Molecular Neurobiology, CNS Department, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Basel, Switzerland.
Deuterium transfer in the bioconversion of glucose to ethanol studied by specific isotope labeling at the natural abundance level

Site-specific natural isotope fractionation measured by deuterium NMR (SNIF-NMR) was used for investigating the deuterium transfers occurring in the fermentation of sugars into ethanol. In contrast to carbon-13, which is usually assumed to be randomly distributed within the glucose skeleton, very large deviations with respect to a statistical repartition are determined for deuterium. By transforming glucose samples from different origins into acetates and nitrates, the absolute values of the D/H ratios in the nonexchangeable sites were obtained. The hydroxyl sites were considered to contribute to the isotope content of the starting water medium. No direct connection is found between glucose and the methylene site which is only sensitive, with a strong discriminating effect against deuterium, to the isotope content of water. A redistribution coefficient slightly less than unity (0.96 for a concentration of sugar of 100 g L/sup -1/) is found between the isotope ratio of the end and starting water media. The site-specific natural isotope parameters of ethanol constitute a faithful and powerful probe for investigating the physiological biochemical and climatological effects which have governed the photosynthesis of sugars in natural conditions.
Sapindaceae do noroeste paulista: lista de espécies e chave de identificação baseada em caracteres vegetativos

The species identification is usually an obstacle for conservation studies and management. Sapindaceae species are particularly difficult to identify partially due to inconsistent fruit production which is an important feature in defining genera and species. Because of this difficulty of finding fertile material at particular times of the year, the main focus of this study was to identify species of Sapindaceae in northwestern Sao Paulo and to produce an identification key based on vegetative morphology such as the form and number of leaflets, the number of vascular cylinders in branches to the species of liana, the presence or absence of domatia, and type of indumentum, among others. In this study, researchers identified species of Sapindaceae present in 18 fragments of native vegetation in the region that includes the Turvo Grande, Sao Jose dos Dourados, parts of the Low Pardo, Low Tiete and Tiete-Batalha Hydric Resources Management Unit (UGHRIs). An identification key was developed based on herbarium materials and contained 23 species distributed in 11 genera.
Identification of two chromenes from Calea serrata by semiautomatic structure elucidation

The isolation and semiautomatic structure identification of the two chromenes, eupatoriochromene (1) and preconene II (2), from the aerial parts of Calea serrata is described. The structure elucidation was performed on the basis of 1D and 2D NMR methods using the recently published computer program LUCY. Neither compound has been isolated from Calea serrata previously.
X-ray Study of Chitosan l- and d-Ascorbates

Well-defined X-ray fiber patterns of l- and d-ascorbates of chitosan were obtained by immersing a tendon chitosan, prepared from a crab tendon chitin by a solid-state N-deacetylation, in respective ascorbic acid water−isopropyl alcohol solutions, and heating them at 70 °C. The crystalline unit cell of the l-ascorbate of chitosan was a monoclinic (pseudoorthorhombic) with the following dimensions: a = 1.122; b = 1.177; c (fiber axis) = 1.040 nm; and β = 90°. The presence of a P21 space group with b axis unique was suggested. The visible reflections on the fiber diagram of the chitosan d-ascorbate could be indexed in terms of a monoclinic unit cell with a = 0.962, b = 1.349, c (fiber axis) = 1.030 nm, and γ = 96.7°; no space group could be assigned, however. Although no 21 symmetry is present along the fiber axes in these crystals, the similarity of both fiber axes to that of the unreacted chitosan (1.043 nm) suggested that the extended 2-fold helical conformation of chitosan is retained in the backbone ch.
The effect that an intensive literacy program, comprehension early literacy learning (CELL) has on English language learners' reading proficiency

This research paper investigates the effectiveness of an intensive literacy program, Comprehensive Early Literacy Learning (CELL), to teach Second Language Learners to read and write in English. Since this program provides numerous opportunities to practice the English language through literacy activities, the researcher believes it is a good method to teach English in its oral and written forms. Although previous research demonstrated that CELL has had good outcomes for literacy acquisition and. enhancing reading comprehension, there is not much research that tests its effectiveness with English language learners, a group that is at risk in our public schools. The intention of the researcher is to determine whether English language learners enrolled in this Program actually improve their literacy skills faster and more solidly than other English language learners that are not involved in any literacy programs.