Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Site latitude influences on the respiration rate, fat content and the ability of worker ants to rear larvae: A comparison of Myrmica rubra (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) populations over their European range

Myrmica rubra is a northern, temperate Palaearctic ant species with a geographical range that extends from the Atlantic coast of Europe to central Asia. In Europe, its range covers > 25° of latitude where it lives under a variety of climates that vary from extreme oceanic in the west, to continental in the east. Colonies nest in the soil and their life cycles are known to be highly dependent on ambient temperature and soil moisture. We hypothesised that the brood-rearing behaviour of populations might be focally adapted to climate and that we might detect differences when the ants were reared under \"common-garden\" conditions. Brood-rearing behaviour was compared for 38 colonies of M. rubra drawn from 13 populations representing a range of 6 latitudes: all 6 were represented in eastern Europe and 2 in western Europe. A sample of ants from each colony was used to estimate respiration rate, body mass and fat content at the start of the experiment in spring (immediately post hibernation) and at the end of the experiment (mid summer). Respiration had a linear relationship with latitude, with northern populations having greater respiration rate in spring compared to southern populations. It is suggested that this is an adaptation to different seasonality over the species' range that results in the \"more active\" northern workers rearing fewer brood to maturity more quickly than southern workers. Fat content, a measure of worker \"quality\", had a parabolic relationship with latitude with mid latitude colonies having the fattest workers. Fatter workers appeared to rear heavier brood. This probably represented a functional response to environment with populations living at \"edge of range\" sites being physiologically more stressed and performing brood-rearing tasks less well than centre of range populations. We believe that this is the first demonstration of a consistent, intra-specific trend for Variation in the social physiology of an ant species over its geographic range.
Photodynamic Therapy: A Versatile Treatment Procedure for Cancer Cure

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a clinically accepted treatment; it is a minimally invasive treatment. PDT process is toxic activity toward malignant cells. In, PDT process photosensitizer agent absorbs irradiated light and generates singlet oxygen. Singlet oxygen directly reacted with tumor cell and damages the cell membranes. PDT is a selectively treat malignant cell during early stage confirmed by clinical investigations. PDT significantly extend the lifetime of inoperable tumor affected persons. PDT has minimum toxicity, reduced systemic effects, highly reduced long-term morbidity, excellent cosmetic as well as organ function-sparing effects of PDT treatment make it a valuable therapeutic for combination treatments. In future PDT has the potential to become effective method for cancer treatment.
A RANK SIZE RULE IN A FIRM, PRODUCED FROM A HIERARCHICAL BRANCH OFFICE LOCATION MODEL

Although many studies of the rank‐size rule have examined cities, few have provided a micro‐behavioral foundation for the rule itself. Using a hierarchical branch office location model, this study confirmed that the rank‐size rule appears in the hierarchical structure of a firm calculated using the model. Results show that the power coefficient does not change through a numerical decrease in branch offices when the branch set‐up cost increases. Results also show, however, that the power coefficient becomes larger and that employment becomes more evenly distributed when the effectiveness of branch offices, in terms of the ability to compress and aggregate business information, is enhanced. Progress in information and communications technology (ICT) has enhanced the effectiveness of branch offices. Therefore, a flatter organization of firms can be expected in the future.
Effects of ocean acidification caused by rising CO2 on the early development of three mollusks

Increasing atmospheric CO2 can decrease seawater pH and carbonate ions, which may adversely affect the larval survival of calcareous animals. In this study, we simulated future atmospheric CO2 concentrations (800, 1500, 2000 and 3000 ppm) and examined the effects of ocean acidification on the early development of 3 mollusks (the abalones Haliotis diversicolor and H. discus hannai and the oyster Crassostrea angulata). We showed that fertilization rate, hatching rate, larval shell length, trochophore development, veliger survival and metamorphosis all decreased significantly at different pCO2 levels (except oyster hatching). H. discus hannai were more tolerant of high CO2 compared to H. diversicolor. At 2000 ppm CO2, 79.2% of H. discus hannai veliger larvae developed normally, but only 13.3% of H. diversicolor veliger larvae. Tolerance of C. angulata to ocean acidification was greater than the 2 abalone species; 50.5% of its D-larvae developed normally at 3000 ppm CO2. This apparent resistance of C. angulata to ocean acidification may be attributed to their adaptability to estuarine environments. Mechanisms underlying the resistance to ocean acidification of both abalones requires further investigation. Our results suggest that ocean acidification may decrease the yield of these 3 economically important shellfish if increasing CO2 is a future trend.
Firm specific determinants of under pricing ipos in Kenya

vii CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION.1 1.1 Background. 1 1.2 Statement of the problem.4 1.3 Objectives of the study.6 1.4 Importance of the study.6 CHAPTER TWO LITERATURE REVIEW. 8 2.
Background Television and Infants' Allocation of Their Attention During Toy Play.

The effect of background television on 6- and 12-month-olds' attention during 20 min of toy play was examined. During the first or second half of the session, a clip from a variety of commonly available television programs was presented. The duration and frequency of infants' looks to the toys and to the television indicated that regardless of age or program content, background television frequently got, but did not hold the infants' attention. An order effect indicated that infants looked longer at the television when it was available in the second half of the session. Examination of infants' focused attention to the toys showed a reduction in the mean length of focused episodes when the television was on. A follow-up of the infants at 24 months indicated greater resistance to distraction by the television during play. Data from the three ages showed that individual differences in the amount of viewing were moderately stable across age and across home and lab contexts.
Not only climate: interacting drivers of treeline change in Europe

Treelines have long been recognized as important ecotones and likely harbingers of climate change. However, over the last century many treelines have been affected not only by global warming, but also by the interactions of climate, forest disturbance and the consequences of abrupt demographic and economic changes. Recent research has increasingly stressed how multiple ecological, biophysical, and human factors interact to shape ecological dynamics. Here we highlight the need to consider interactions among multiple drivers to more completely understand and predict treeline dynamics in Europe.
Comparative review of imaging methods used for diagnosing renal artery stenosis

This comparative review examines the efficacy of different imaging methods to detect and quantify renal artery stenosis (RAS). Detection of RAS is important because it can lead to renovascular hypertension which is the most common form of secondary hypertension. Furthermore, it is important that a RAS is detected as early as possible as it is a potentially correctable cause of hypertension. 1 If detected at an early stage RAS can potentially be treated using a minimally invasive drug treatment regimen rather than the more invasive percutaneous transluminal renal angioplasty without or with stent placement or surgery. Currently there are a number of different types of modalities used to image the renal artery and determine whether a stenosis is present. Each of these imaging modalities has its own positive and negative aspects, which will be discussed in turn.
Staged Parameter Optimisation for a Robotic Bird Model

This paper proposes a method to estimate a nonlinear mathematical model describing the dynamic behaviour of a robotic bird. Established knowledge on aircraft modelling and aerodynamics is used to derive an appropriate model structure. A new parameter optimisation method is developed, which consists of experiment design and staged parameter optimisation using datasets from test flights. The modelling method delivers promising results for predicting pitch and yaw of a model aeroplane and can be applied to the Robird when flight data become available.
Job Search or Basic Education Participation First: Which Improves Welfare Recipients' Earnings More in the Long Term?.

Proponents of quick job entry argue that any job is better than no job and that individuals can improve their economic prospects over time by gaining skills on the job. Their argument is bolstered by findings from a random assignment (or experimental) study conducted in the 1980s by MDRC of the California Greater Avenues for Independence (GAIN) program that compared six counties in California and found the largest effects in Riverside County, where staff emphasized the importance of finding jobs quickly.1
A Short Survey on MRI Brain Detection

Automated and accurate classification of MR brain images is of importance for the analysis. Recently researchers have proposed many different and innovative methods to improve upon this technology. This review focused on discussing the strength and limitations of earlier proposed classification techniques. Besides analyzing these literature, the paper also provides a critical evaluation of the surveyed literature which reveals new hotspots of research. Keywords-magnetic resonance imaging; classification;computer-aideddiagnosis
The global welfare effects of international environmental cooperation

This study explores the global welfare effects of international environmental agreements (IEAs) that coordinate emission policies between exporter countries. We show that, when export markets are imperfectly competitive, IEAs might cause a global welfare loss even if non-signatories benefit from lower emission levels. This result is due to a loss of consumer surplus in importer countries. From a global welfare perspective, the desirability of IEAs depends on the size of the domestic market for the export good and the harmfulness of emissions.
Solución de la ecuación de onda como un problema de valores iniciales usando diferencias finitas

Recibido el 25 de junio de 2009; aceptado el 13 de abril de 2010Se presenta la solucion de la ecuaci´ on de onda como ejemplo paradigm´ ´atico de la soluci ´on de problemas de valores iniciales con condicionesde frontera usando la aproximacion de diferencias ﬁnitas. Primero se desarrolla una soluci´ on elemental y una discretizaci´ on directa a manera´de introducci´on. Posteriormente se resuelve la ecuaci on de onda como un sistema de primer orden, se estudia la hiperbolicidad del sistema´de ecuaciones resultante, se calculan los modos y velocidades caracter´isticas del sistema y se imponen condiciones de frontera en t ´erminosde las variables caracter´isticas. Se adopta el m ´etodo de l ´ineas como esquema de evoluci on. Adem´ as se hace especial´ enfasis en que los´resultados num´ericos necesitan un criterio de validez. En el caso de la aproximaci on con diferencias ﬁnitas de una ecuaci´ on diferencial´parcial se presenta la convergencia a una solucion correcta en el l´ ´imite continuo. Finalmente, se espera que este trabajo sirva de gu ´ia para lacorrecta solucion de problemas de valores iniciales con condiciones de frontera en general. ´Descriptores: M´etodos de diferencias ﬁnitas; t ´ecnicas computacionales; ecuaci on de onda. ´The solution of the wave equation is presented as the paradigm of the solution of initial value problems with boundary conditions using theﬁnite differences approximation. First, it is developed an elementary solution and a direct discretization in order to introduce the method.Second, the wave equation is solved as a system of ﬁrst order, the hyperbolicity properties of the resulting system of equations is studied,the characteristic variables and characteristic speeds of the system are calculated and boundary conditions are imposed in terms of thecharacteristic variables. In this case the method of lines is used as the evolution scheme. Special attention is devoted to the fact that numericalcalculations require a criterion to be valid. In the case of the approximation using ﬁnite differences of a partial differential equation, theconvergence to a correct solution in the continuum limit is presented as such criterion. Finally, it is expected that this manuscript serves as aguide to solve correctly other initial value problems with boundary conditions.Keywords: Finite differences method; computing techniques; wave equation.PACS: 02.60. Bf; 02.70. -c
TL glow curve and kinetic of gamma irradiated quartz collected from Rasmada mines of C.G. basin

Present paper reports the TL glow curve and kinetic parameter of Quartz. The sample of natural quartz collected from Rasmada mines of C.G. basin is irradiated with gamma source. For gamma exposure Co60 gamma source was used and the exposure of 1 hour to 4 hour was given to the sample with dose 0.5kGy to 2 kGy. TL glow for quartz crystal shows the peaks at temperature 242, 256, 250 and 2520C for doses 2kGy to 0.5 kGy respectively. The powder sample shows TL glow peak at 236, 251, 254 and 2530C respectively. The corresponding activation energy and frequency factor is calculated by peak shape method. The activation energy found to be 0.79 eV for powder and 1.26 eV for quartz crystal, frequency factor is found to be 4X108 to 3X1013sec-1. The maximum activation energy is found for quartz crystal with gamma exposure of 2kGy. The sample shows first and second order kinetics. The sample was characterized by XRD. The Induction coupled plasma activated emission spectra (ICP - AES) analysis was done to find out the percentage of elements in the quartz mineral.
Modelling the EU sugar policy - A preliminary study of policy reform scenarios

In this paper we present and model in an applied global general equilibrium framework (GTAP) the EU sugar policy, and undertake a few illustrative policy reform scenarios. Particular attention is given to the modelling of the quite complex quota regime and the calibration of the model, including the determination of the marginal cost of producing sugar beets, in the EU member countries.
An examination of forearm bone mobility in Alligator mississippiensis (Daudin, 1802) and Struthio camelus Linnaeus, 1758 reveals that Archaeopteryx and dromaeosaurs shared an adaptation for gliding and/or flapping

ABSTRACT In response to increased limb bone loads many tetrapod clades have converged upon similar adaptations to reinforce the elbow joint by reducing independent movements of the forearm bones. However prior studies have not examined how these changes occurred phylogenetically or functionally, such as during the transition from prehensile forelimbs in dinosaurs to gliding/flapping flight in bird wings. Here, a functional analysis of forearm bone mobility in extant archosaurs shows that crossing and uncrossing of the radius and ulna can be forced in alligators via a passive gliding mechanism recently described in lacertilians, while birds are adapted to inhibit this motion. A comparison of these findings with a sample of extinct quadrupedal archosaur forearms strongly suggests that, due to the highly conserved morphology of tetrapod forearms in general, the lacertilian mechanism broadly describes the plesiomorphic mechanism via which tetrapod forearm bones passively cross in response to locomotor-induced torsion. Bipedal dinosaurs retained adaptations for this passive mechanism, which indicates that they were unable to perform active long-axis rotations to align their semi-pronated, misaligned forearm joints. By contrast, analogous to birds and pterosaurs, quadrupedal dinosaurs evolved immobilizing adaptations to reduce or prohibit independent movements of the radius and ulna. Notably, the elbow joints of Archaeopteryx von Meyer, 1861 and dromaeosaurs are bird-like. This information, coupled with a lack of non-aerial adaptations for increased limb bone loads, strongly suggests that the forearms of deinonychosaurs were adapted to resist the bending and torsional stresses incurred by leading edge air streams during gliding and/or flapping.
A correlational study of social skills, problem behaviors and academic competence among first grade students

Colleen van Zelst A Correlational Study of Social Skills, Problem Behaviors and Academic Competence Among First Grade Students 2000 Dr. John Klanderman School Psychology The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between social skills functioning, problem behaviors and academic competence among elementary school children. Thirty-seven first grade students were subjects in the study. The Social Skills Rating System was used to measure each subject's social skills functioning, problem behaviors and academic competence. The Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient was calculated to determine if there was a correlation between the variables. The results of the study indicated a significant positive correlation between social skills functioning and academic competence. A significant negative correlation was found between social skills functioning and problem behaviors and also between problem behaviors and academic competence.
The Amyloid β Peptide (Aβ1-40) Is Thermodynamically Soluble at Physiological Concentrations†

Precipitation of the 39−43-residue amyloid β peptide (Aβ) is a crucial factor in Alzheimer's disease (AD). In normal as well as in AD-afflicted brain, the Aβ concentration is estimated to be a few nanomolar. Here we show that Aβ1-40 precipitates in vitro only if the dissolved concentration is >14 μM. Using fluorescence correlation spectroscopy, we further show that the precipitation is complete in 1 day, after which the size distribution of Aβ monomer/oligomers in the solution phase becomes stationary in time and independent of the starting Aβ concentration. Mass spectra confirm that both the solution phase and the coexisting precipitate contain chemically identical Aβ molecules. Incubation at 68 °C for 1 h reduces the solubility by <12%. Together, these results show that the thermodynamic saturation concentration (Csat) of Aβ1-40 in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) at pH 7.4 has a well-defined lower limit of 15.5 ± 1 μM. Divalent metal ions (believed to play a role in AD) at near-saturation concentrations.
The Welfare Effects of Pay-as-You-Go Retirement Programs: The Role of Tax and Benefit Timing

"It is well known that pay-as-you-go retirement programs reduce steady-state welfare and the capital stock in dynamically efficient overlapping generation (OLG) economies. The common two-period OLG model obscures, however, the relationship between the magnitude of these effects and the ages at which taxes are paid and benefits received. Program changes that shift taxes to older workers or benefits to younger retirees have effects similar to reductions in program size, yielding steady-state welfare gains and increases in capital accumulation while imposing transition costs on current generations. This analysis has policy implications for both tax and benefit timing". ("JEL "H55, E62) Copyright 2007 Western Economic Association International.
The effects of sol-gel silicates on hydration kinetics and microstructure of Portland cement systems

The effects of sol-gel silicates on Portland cement hydration were investigated. Silica sols were realized by tetraethylorthosilicate, triethoxymethylsilane, ethanol, water and nitric acid or ammonia. Solvent-free sols were also synthesised. The prepared sols were mixed with cement pastes at a w/c of 0.4 or 0.5 at varying doses of 0.5–10% by mass of dry cement. The solvent-free synthesised sol appeared to be a more suitable candidate. This is because observation of the hydration kinetics revealed a shortening of the dormant phase of cement hydration and exhibited a higher power output during this stage, representative of additional nucleation sites created in the system. However, the main peak power output that occurs at the end of acceleratory stage was decreased, further pronounced at higher sol dosages. This can be attributed to the ethoxy-based precursor, which produces ethanol as a by-product of hydrolysis reactions. It is therefore of great interest to investigate possible routes to optimise the sols to limit the alcohol content. SEM analyses on fractured surfaces of 28 day old pastes revealed a distinctive morphology, particularly at higher sol dosages. The development of C-S-H on portlandite was observed, which further suggests that the sol-gel silicates could be providing additional nucleation sites therefore acting as a seeding agent.
Islands of Mytilus edulis as a habitat for small intertidal animals: effect of Mytilus age structure on the species composition of the associated fauna and community organization

Community structure of the associated animals of low intertidal patches of Mytilus edulis L. with different age structure was investigated at Asamushi, northern Japan. Each patch was composed of similar components i.e. live M. edulis, byssal threads, shell fragments, sediments, algae and associated animals. The amounts of sediments, shell fragments and byssal threads were greater in the periphery (MP) and central part (MC) of adult mussel patches than in patches of young (Y) and old (0) mussels. Total organic matter within sediments increased in the following order: 0, MC, MP and Y. Algal growth was luxuriant in Y and this supported abundant amphipods. Species richness was higher in older patches and species diversity (H') and equitabihty (J') were higher in MP and MC than in Y and 0. Sediments, shell fragments and byssal threads seemed to play an important role in increasing heterogeneity of environments and thus species diversity. Similarities in species compositions among MP, MC and 0 were high, but those between Y and other patches extremely low. This fact is probably caused both by the presence of a large number of epiphytic animals in Y and the difference in the composition of creeping fauna among the patches. Based on these results, the processes controlling community organization of Mytilus islands are discussed.