Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Along-shore larval dispersal kernels in a numerical ocean model of the central Chilean coast

Dispersal kernels provide a useful way to quantify the average spatial distribution of propagules originating from a given point in space. Consequently, dispersal kernels have been used in analytical and numerical studies of short- and long-distance dispersal of marine invertebrates and fish with pelagic larval stages. In most cases, the shape of dispersal kernels is pre-determined and parameterised with knowledge of larval duration or mean current velocities homogeneously across space. Here, the characteristics of planktonic larval dispersal for near-shore species in a realistic coastal ocean flow are investigated through the use of a numerical ocean model of a section of the central Chilean coast. The 3-dimensional primitive equation model was forced by 4 yr of observed winds from Las Cruces. Planktonic larval dispersal was simulated by advecting passive drifters using the evolving model velocity field. No a priori assumptions were made about diffusion-advection sta- tistics. Drifters were released daily from regularly spaced locations along the coast and were consid- ered to have settled if found within 1 km of the coast 30 d after release. Observed dispersal kernels were then calculated for each release location, and their variability in space and time was examined. This variability was found to be substantial over spatial scales less than a typical larval-advection scale, and, as a result, a spatially and temporally averaged dispersal kernel was inadequate as a global model of settlement. Large along-shore variation in the shape of dispersal kernels led to sig- nificant variation in the spatial pattern of connectivity among local sites, with some acting as net sources and some as net sinks within scales of 10s of kilometres. These results are linked to the along- shore and seasonal variability in ocean circulation, in particular close to shore. Both local and global dispersal kernels were found to be non-Gaussian, with their distribution related to that of the ocean velocity field. It is concluded that, in realistic flows with complicated coastal geometry, considerable departure from the expected Gaussian dispersal kernels based on homogeneous flow conditions can lead to complex spatial patterns of connectivity and successful settlement along a relatively simple but real coastline.
bayesclust: An R Package for Testing and Searching for Significant Clusters

The detection and determination of clusters has been of special interest among researchers from different fields for a long time. In particular, assessing whether the clusters are significant is a question that has been asked by a number of experimenters. In Fuentes and Casella (2009), the authors put forth a new methodology for analyzing clusters. It tests the hypothesis H0 : ? = 1 versus H1 : ? = k in a Bayesian setting, where ? denotes the number of clusters in a population. The bayesclust package implements this approach in R. Here we give an overview of the algorithm and a detailed description of the functions available in the package. The routines in bayesclust allow the user to test for the existence of clusters, and then pick out optimal partitionings of the data. We demonstrate the testing procedure with simulated datasets.
Invasive alien weeds as bio-resource: A review

Invasive alien weeds are non-native organisms that cause potential harm to the environment, economics and human health. Its ability to outcompete native species for space, water, nutrients, and other essential resources, adaptability to a variety of environmental conditions, absence of natural predators and parasites and prolific seed producing characteristics, once established it is very difficult to control or eliminate. Eradication through utilization is the present concept of management of invasive alien weeds. Eichhornia crassipes (Mart.) Solms, Salvinia molesta D.S. Mitchell, Parthenium hysterophorus L. , Mikania micrantha Kunth, Chromolaena odorata (L.), Mimosa invisa Mart. Ex Colla and Lantana camara L. are the major invasive alien weeds of Kerala. The literature about the bio-utilization of these major invasive alien weeds is reviewed in this paper.
Survey of selected chemical and microbiological characteristics of (plain or sweetened) natural yoghurts from the Italian market

Selected chemical and microbiological characteristics of plain (n = 11) or sweetened (n = 11) natural stirred yoghurts collected in the Italian market were evaluated. A strong imbalance (1:103 to 1:105) between viable cell counts of Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus (LB) and Streptococcus thermophilus (ST) was observed in five sweetened samples. Unlike the plain sam- ples, lactic acid content was higher than that of residual galactose, suggesting the possible involve- ment of either galactose or added sugar in microbial catabolism. Nevertheless, isotope ratio mass spectrometry of lactic acid and sugars isolated from two sweetened samples resulted in a similar 13 C/ 12 C ratio for lactic acid and lactose, thus suggesting the catabolism of this disaccharide only. A significantly (P < 0.001) lower level of galactose characterised sweetened yoghurts with respect to plain ones. This feature was not related to significant production of exopolysaccharides by yoghurt bacteria since these compounds were not detected in any of the analysed sweetened samples. Pectin or starch were detected in three sweetened yoghurts despite the fact that addition of thickener to the milk base is not permitted by Italian regulation. Levels of furosine ranged from 44 to 208 mg·100 g -1 protein, suggesting that milk for yoghurt manufacturing is sometimes over-heated. In this regard, evaluation of heat damage could be an additional parameter to characterise yoghurt quality. Sweetened yoghurt / thickener / heat damage / isotope ratio mass spectrometry
Seeing is learning: Vision care for rural and migrant children in China

Uncorrected vision is prevalent among rural children and those who migrate from rural areas to urban areas with their parents in China, of which more than 20 per cent are nearsighted. Since 2012 the Rural Education Action Program (REAP) has carried out the largest empirical vision care project ever conducted in China. More than 20,000 children in different parts of China have been screened and about 5,000 pairs of eyeglasses have been dispensed to those who are nearsighted. REAP has been able to create a comprehensive picture of vision care for rural and migrant children in China. The successfully implemented project so far has provided valuable lessons for treating vision problems. First, wearing eyeglasses can remarkably improve children's educational performance and self-confidence. Second, in contrast to widespread opinion in rural China, eyeglasses are by no means harmful to children's eyesight. Third, and in contrast to another myth, specific 'eye exercises' used as a traditional alternative to eyeglasses cannot slow the onset or progression of myopia. Finally, teacher incentives to encourage children to wear eyeglasses will improve rates of eyeglasses usage, help to overcome vision problems and thus lower educational barriers. Based on these findings, researchers of the project are currently working with local governments in rural China to incorporate vision care into the healthcare agenda.
The Allatoregulatory Neuropeptides and their Genes in the fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Allatotropin (AT) is a 13-residue amidated neuropeptide, first isolated from pharate adult heads of the tobacco hornworm, Manduca sexta (Manse-AT), which strongly stimulates the biosynthesis of juvenile hormones (JH) in the corpora allata (CA) of adult moths. InSpodoptera frugiperda, a cDNA that encodes 134 amino acids, including an AT peptide, has been cloned. The S. frugiperda allatotropin mature peptide (Spofr-AT) [GFKNVEMMTARGFa] is identical to that isolated from M. sexta. The basic organization of the Spofr-AT precursor is similar to that of Agrius convolvuli, M. sexta, Pseudaletia unipuncta, andBombyx mori with 83–93% amino acid sequence identity. The Spofr-AT gene is expressed in at least three mRNA isoforms with 134, 171 and 200 amino acids, differing from each other by alternative splicing. All allatostatins (AS) have an inhibitory action on the JH biosynthesis in the CA. A cDNA that encodes 125 amino acid residues including one copy of the Manse-AS peptide has been cloned from S. frugiperda (Spofr-AS; QVRFRQCYFNPISCF). The basic organization of the Spofr-AS precursor is similar to that of P. unipuncta with 85% amino acid sequence identity. Using one step RT-PCR for semi-quantification of the gene expression, we showed that the three mRNAs of the Spofr-AT gene and the Spofr-AS gene are expressed in brains of last instar larvae, prepupae, pupae, and adults of both sexes of S. frugiperda with variable intensity.  2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
Real Options, Intangible Resources and Performance of Franchise Networks

This study investigates the performance of franchise networks through the lens of the resource-based and real options theory. First, according to the resource-based view, we argue that the intangible resources of the franchisor (system-specific know-how and brand name) and the intangible outlet-specific resources of the franchisees (exploration and exploitation capabilities) positively impact the performance of the franchise system. Second, on the basis of the real option perspective, we show that the franchisor’s use of an explicit call option in the franchise contract—as a clause that gives him or her the right to acquire franchise units—increases the franchisor’s managerial flexibility and incentives for intangible investments and hence improves the performance of the franchise network. We test the hypotheses with cross-sectional data from the franchise sector in Germany. The data provide somesupportofthehypotheses.Ourstudycontributestothefranchiseandinterorganizational network literature as no prior study has applied the real option perspective to franchising. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Assessing performance drivers in cross-border M&A: insights from the pharmaceutical and biotech industries

This research is an investigation on the deal-specific factors impacting long-term performance of cross-border M&A and on the nature of such relations. The analysis is conducted on a sample of 187 cross-border deals completed within the pharmaceutical and biotech industries by Western European bidders between 2000 and 2009. Findings suggest that post-deal variation in gross profit improves when bidders diversify in other businesses, when assets are purchased instead of equity, and when stock is used as deal currency. Furthermore, the method of payment is found to moderate the effects geographical distance has on deal outcomes.
Decision problems with quantum black boxes

We examine how to distinguish between unitary operators, when the exact form of the possible operators is not known. Instead we are supplied with ‘programs’ in the form of unitary transforms, which can be used as references for identifying the unknown unitary transform. All unitary transforms should be used as few times as possible. This situation is analogous to programmable state discrimination. One difference, however, is that the quantum state to which we apply the unitary transforms may be entangled, leading to a richer variety of possible strategies. By suitable selection of an input state and generalized measurement of the output state, both unambiguous and minimum-error discrimination can be achieved. Pairwise comparison of operators, comparing each transform to be identified with a program transform, is often a useful strategy. There are, however, situations in which more complicated strategies perform better. This is the case especially when the number of allowed applications of program operations is different from the number of the transforms to be identified.
Short term hydrothermal coordination problem considering environmental concerns

Solving the Short Term Hydrothermal Coordination Problem considers the resolution of both the Unit Commitment and the Economic Dispatch for thermal and hydraulic units. This problem is solved for several time horizons between a day and a week with a one-hour step. The traditional short-term scheduling problem of hydrothermal units, minimizing fuel cost during a time, does not include concerns due to emission pollution coming from the operation of thermal plants. In this work, environmental constraints are considered. Focusing on avoiding postdispatch corrections, the transmission network is modeled with a high level of detail considering an AC power ow. These facts lead to a very complex optimization problem which is solved by using a novel decomposition approach based on Generalized Benders Decomposition and traditional, well-known optimization techniques. The approach presented in this work allows the decomposition of the whole problem in a quadratic mixed integer master problem, and in a separable non-linear subproblem. The former de nes the state and the active power dispatched by each unit whereas the latter determines the reactive power to meet the electrical constraints through a modi ed AC optimal power ow. Di erent variations of the developed methodology were evaluated in order to consider environmental constraints. These approaches were applied to a 9-bus test case and to a 87-bus real system.
Occurrence of thrips in lisianthus cultivation at different protected cropconditions

Damages caused by thrips (Thysanoptera) are a constant concern in greenhouse. In lisianthus, Eustomagrandiflorum (Raf.) Shinners (Gentianaceae), it may cause direct and indirect damage. Thrips can affect flowers aesthetics through feeding on their petals. This study aimed at to recording the thrips species associ­ated with lisianthus under protected cultivation, assessing differences in species composition among lisianthus cultivars and among different growing conditions. The experiment was conducted in commercial greenhouses in the “Floricultura Florist” company, municipality of DoisIrmaos, RS state. The experiment was conducted from January to February 2013, comparing four cultivars with different colors (Marina, Orange Flash, Tu 668 and Ace White) and two greenhouses with structural differences. Each flower bed (25mx1m) containing one cultivar (treatment) was divided into 5 plots in which 10 plants were randomly selected and evaluated from the opening of the first floral bud until the cut of the flowers. The most common thrips species were Frankliniellaschultzei and F. occidentalis . The different growing conditions influenced the amount and composition of thrips species collected. There was variation in the average number of thrips gathered from cultivated varieties. This paper presents the first record of thrips species on E. grandiflorum in greenhouse of Brazil.
Innovation Diffusion and Adoption of Wilmar ’ s Geographic Information Systems ( GIS ) in Wilmar ' s Intra-Organiz ation

This paper is drawn upon a research about “Innovati n Diffusion and Adoption of Geographic Information System (GIS) Wilmar in Wilmar's intra-organization. ” This research focuses on the communication process as an effort to diffuse information system innovation. Another objective of this research is to collect information about how the us rs adopt the innovation after it is being diffused by the developer and the innovator of GIS Wilmar. The innovation of Geographic Information System was suggested by a manager who is also a geographical-oil palm plantat ion practitioner.
Isolated intestinal manifestation of graft-versus-host disease following renal transplantation

Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is a potentially lethal complication commonly occurring after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and non-irradiated blood cell transfusion in patients with underlying immunodeficiency. In solid organ transplantation GVHD however is a rarity. There have been four cases of GVHD after renal transplantation, most of them with fulminant systemic clinical manifestation and mostly associated with blood transfusions. We report the first case of a four HLA-antigen mismatched kidney transplant patient who presented with diarrhea due to intestine-only manifestation of GVHD and was treated successfully with quadruple immunosuppression.
Septorhinoplasty with and without Nasal Packing:A Comparative Study from North of Iran

Septorhinoplasty are the most common nose surgical procedures widely used the world over. The main aim of this study was comparing the results of septorhinoplasty with and without nasal packing. This case control interventional study was conducted on patients who underwent septorhinoplasty in an ENT university hospital in north of Iran. Two separate groups, with or without nasal tampon (each group consisted of 35 patients) were includedin the study. Open surgical approach for repairment was executed for all and nasal packing (ie. tetracycline impregnated mesh, that was removed after 48 hours) for 35 patients inserted postoperatively.Patients were studied in three time periodsfor pain (using Visual Analogue Scale) and other postoperative signs and symptoms and convenience and overall satisfaction. No significant difference for postoperative bleeding, ecchymosis, hematoma and rhinorrhea was founded between the groups (pEÂ0.05), but there was a significant difference in short-term outcomes in terms of convenience (p=0.006), edema two days after surgery (p= 0.001), right side and left side edema (p=0.002). The overall satisfaction was significantly higher in patients without nasal packing (p= 0.002). In assessment of the pain rate one week after surgery, there was no significant difference in various age and sex groups (pEÂ0.05). Based on our 8indings routine nasal packing is not working well in septo-rhinoplasty cases and it is recommended to be avoided in these patients.
BRITISH POLITICS TODAY: MORAL GROUNDS AS REFLECTED IN CONCEPTUAL METAPHOR

An axial type electronic component inserting apparatus inserts into specified holes of a board an axial type electronic component having a pair of lead wires. The apparatus includes chucks constructed so that the chucks can move forward and backward while grasping end portions of the axial type electronic component, a component carrying device which is provided with the chucks arranged at regular intervals in a circular form, a component supplying device which is provided with a cutter for cutting the tape connecting the assembly of axial type electronic components and operates to supply each axial type electronic component to each chuck located in the component supplying position, a component transferring device which receives each axial type electronic component from each chuck located in the component transferring position and transfers the axial type electronic component to a component inserting position, and a component inserting device inserts both the ends of the lead wires into the specified holes of the board, and bends the lead wires underneath the board so as to fix the axial type electronic component to the board.
A Climatology of Clouds in Marine Cold Air Outbreaks in Both Hemispheres

AbstractA climatology of clouds within marine cold air outbreaks, primarily using long-term satellite observations, is presented. Cloud properties between cold air outbreaks in different regions in both hemispheres are compared. In all regions marine cold air outbreak clouds tend to be low level with high cloud fraction and low-to-moderate optical thickness. Stronger cold air outbreaks have clouds that are optically thicker, but not geometrically thicker, than those in weaker cold air outbreaks. There is some evidence that clouds deepen and break up over the course of a cold air outbreak event. The top-of-the-atmosphere longwave cloud radiative effect in cold air outbreaks is small because the clouds have low tops. However, their surface longwave cloud radiative effect is considerably larger. The rarity of cold air outbreaks in summer limits their shortwave cloud radiative effect. They do not contribute substantially to global shortwave cloud radiative effect and are, therefore, unlikely to be a major sou.
The potential of transgenic legumes in integrated bruchid management: assessing the impact on bruchid parasitoids

Leguminous seeds are an important staple food and source of nutrition in many countries. Bruchid beetles (Coleoptera: Bruchidae) are responsible for the greatest post-harvest losses to stored legumes. A powerful strategy to control bruchid infestations is the combination of plant resistance factors and biological control provided by parasitoids. Potent resistance factors are α-amylase inhibitors (αAI) which inhibit the starch metabolism in sensitive insects. Genetic engineering has been used to transfer αAI-1 from the common bean ( Phaseolus vulgaris ) to other leguminous plants which are subsequently protected from the attack by several bruchid species. However, there are concerns regarding the effects that the expressed insecticidal protein might have on non-target organisms. Here, we present an approach to assess the impact of αAI-1 genetically modified legumes on bruchid parasitoids. Keywords : Risk assessment, Genetically modified plants, Non-target organisms; α-amylase inhibitor; αAI-1
PA ijpam . eu ON 3-DIMENSIONAL ψ-RECURRENT ( LCS ) n-MANIFOLDS

The object of this paper is to study 3-dimensional ψ-recurrent (LCS)n-manifold and prove that it is a manifold of constant curvature and finally we prove that a 3-dimensional (LCS)n-manifold is locally ψ-concircularly symmetric if and only if the scalar curvature r is constant. AMS Subject Classification: 53C10, 53C15, 53C25
Dietary Chromium-methionine Chelate Supplementation and Animal Performance

Chromium has emerged as an essential trace mineral in nutrition. However, it readily causes toxicity because of slightly excessive dose and/or form of chromium supplement. Therefore, developing a noble form of chromium supplement which is capable of not only an increased availability but also a reduced toxicity has been a critical issue in chromium nutrition. Chromium-methionine chelate has been, so far, one of the latest developments in its kind. Although not much information is available for the chromium-methionine chelate, especially in view of animal performances upon dietary supplementation, several studies indicated chromium methionine chelate could be effective to improve meat quality by increasing muscle mass but decreasing body fat. Highly-graded beef was produced by dietary chromium methionine supplementation during fattening stage of Korean native steers. Body muscle was increased in replace of decreasing body fat in both pig and rat that were dietary supplemented with chromium methionine chelate. However, a pig farm study did not show any significant improvement of body gain upon supplementation of chromium methionine. Immune responses of pig and rat were not always dependent upon chromium form but were varied by species. These results suggest there could be a different mode of responses due to species as well as onset time of dietary supplementation of chromium methionine. It is still early to conclude the bio-efficacy of chromium methionine chelate presumably due to its recent appearance into the field. But the chelate is certainly worth more application to animal since it certainly reduced the application level of dietary chromium.