Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Food Web Structure and Phosphorus Cycling in Lakes

Abstract We assessed the effects of trophic structure on phosphorus (P) recycling by fishes, Chaoborus, and zooplankton in lakes with different food web configurations. Fishes in a piscivoredominated system recycled little P compared to that regenerated by zooplankton and Chaoborus. In a plan ktivore-dominated lake, excretion by fishes (especially young of year) dominated P recycling to algae; Chaoborus and zooplankton recycling was decreased due to intense predation by fishes. The sum of P incorporated into primary production and lost to sedimentation in the piscivore-dominated lake was only 77% of that in the planktivore-dominated lake, Our analyses suggest that the 30% greater primary production in the planktivore-dominated system may be accounted for by the greater than 40% increase in estimated P recycling that was directly due to differences in food web structure, Diel vertical migrations by Chaoborus concentrated P excretion in the epilimnion during night hours. In the plan ktivore-dominated system.
Leadership in the Hotel Industry: Evidence from Canada

This research explored the relationships between demographic factors of gender, age, education and tenure on leadership competencies of Canadian hotel general managers and the impact of leadership competencies on hotel performance. This timely study captures general managers during times of extreme environmental challenges and used the New Zealand Institute of Management Capability Index to capture leadership competencies. A regression was used to analyze the relationship between demographics and leadership competencies and also between leadership competencies and hotel performance as measured by revenue per available room (RevPAR). Findings indicated that there was a weak relationship between tenure and People Leadership, one of the three leadership competencies. Visionary and Strategic Leadership had a statistically significant positive impact on RevPAR. This confirms leadership research in the field demonstrating that aspects of transformational leadership lead to improved organizational performance.
Note on Seasonal-Changes in Population-Density of Feral Pigs in 3 Tropical Habitats

Indices of population density of feral pigs were estimated in each of three tropical habitats in two seasons. The seasons were late dry and mid-wet, and the habitats were open floodplain, paperbark swamp and Eucalyptus woodland. Density indices were obtained by aerial survey. There were significant differences in density indices between seasons within habitats, with observed densities ranging from zero in the woodland in the dry season to 10.9 pigs km-2 in paperbark swamps in the dry season. The pigs appeared to move between open floodplain and paperbark swamp mainly in response to seasonal flooding.
Anomaly Investing: Out-of-Sample Performance and Intertemporal Considerations

I first show that the naive equal-weighted 1/N investing in the set of 34 stock market anomalies is a robust implementation for out-of-sample diversification. Two types of popular portfolio optimization methods, including Sharpe-Ratio-optimizing with weight constraints and Dimension-Reduction with machine learning techniques, do not achieve robustly higher out-of-sample performance. Further to explore the gains and risks in investing stock market anomalies, I take this equal-weighted anomaly portfolio to an intertemporal CAPM framework with stochastic volatility to understand the investment considerations of a specific anomaly investor. Based on my estimation, only the correlation-induced volatility news carries a significant risk premium, which highlights the economic importance of the comovement in anomaly asset prices.
المضاربة والقمار في الأسواق المالية المعاصرة: تحليل اقتصادي وشرعي (Speculation and Gambling in Financial Markets: Economic and Legal Analysis)

<b>Arabic Abstract:</b>يواجه المتعاملون في الأسواق المالية عدم التأكد، أو الخطر، أو الغرر في تعاملاتهم، والناتجة عن عدم توفر المعلومات لجميع المتعاملين بالتساوي، وهذا ينطبق على معاملات القمار، والمشتقات المالية، والمضاربة، حيث إنها جميعا تتضمن اتخاذ قرار حر اختياري، بأخذ المخاطرة. ولكن القمار محرم، والمضاربة تتوفر فيها جميع شروط وأركان البيع، ولها فوائد اقتصادية. فهل تنطبق على المضاربة علة وحكمة تحريم القمار فتأخذ حكمه؟ أم يمكن تخريج حكمها على أساس المصلحة؟ للإجابة على تلك التساؤلات، يناقش هذا البحث طبيعة عدم التأكد في المعاملات المالية، والنظريات التي تفسر سلوك المضاربة في الأسواق المالية، والعلاقة بين القمار والمضاربة في الأدبيات الغربية. ثم يناقش الضوابط الشرعية للقمار، والرهان، والميسر، المجمع على تحريمهم، إضافة إلى مناقشة المضاربة في الأسواق المالية المعاصرة على ضوء تلك الضوابط <b>English Abstract:</b> Participants in financial markets face intrinsic uncertainty caused by absence of (common knowledge). This is common in gambling, derivatives and speculative transactions, as they include the idea of voluntary, and deliberate risk taking, this is why some economists classified speculation as gambling. Since gambling is forbidden in Islam, to what extent the rationale behind the prohibition of gambling can be applied to speculation, bearing in mind that all the conditions of a permitted sale are satisfied in speculative transactions, and that it has valuable economic functions? This article will address these questions.
The impact of anaerobic extracellular polymers on the metabolism of granular anaerobic sludge

Abstract Earlier work has suggested that the addition of extracellular polymers to the seed sludge of an upflow sludge blanket reactor may inhibit its performance during the initial start‐up phase. Measurements of the specific methanogenic activity using sucrose and acetate/formate substrates, with and without the addition of polymers, showed that there were no inhibitory effects. However, in the absence of a carbonaceous substrate, polymer addition did inhibit the endogenous production of biogas.
Gagea bohemica (Liliaceae), a highly variable monotypic species within Gagea sect. Didymobulbos

Abstract Gagea bohemica s.l. (Liliaceae) consists of two morphologically extreme forms (saxatilis and bohemica) which depending on the varying opinions of the authors are considered as separate species, subspecies or as a single variable species. In this study, morphological (form and length of perianth segments, pilosity of pedicles and peduncles) and molecular data (cpDNA trnL–trnF IGS) of 55 samples corresponding to 43 populations from Western Europe to the Mediterranean area and eastern Caucasus were investigated. G. bohemica (Zauschn.) Schult. & Schult. f. represents a highly variable monotypic species from both morphological and karyological (2n = 24, 36, 48, 60, 72) aspects. Based on the molecular and morphological data presented here, a differentiation between specific and infraspecific taxa is not possible. We hypothesize that the morphological variability of this species is largely influenced by different site conditions and ploidy level.
Sorghum and Salinity

Photosynthetic activity decreases when plants are grown under saline conditions leading to reduced growth and productivity. Leaf growth, gas exchange, and chlorophyll fluorescence of two sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] varieties, Serena and Seredo, were measured in response to increasing NaCl concentration. Sorghum plants were grown in sand culture under controlled greenhouse conditions. The NaCl concentrations in complete nutrient solution were 0 (control), 50, 100, 150, 200, and 250 mM. Salinity significantly (P ≤ 0.01) reduced leaf area by about 86% for both varieties of sorghum. Chlorophyll a and b, net CO 2 assimilation, stomatal conductance, and transpiration rate decreased significantly (P ≤ 0.01) with the increase in salinity, and these decreases were similar for the two sorghum varieties. Salt induced decreases for these physiological traits ranged from 75 to 94%. Photochemical efficiency of PSII (F v /F m ) and photochemical quenching coefficient (qP) decreased by about 9 and 10%, respectively, for both varieties, and electron transport rate (ETR) decreased by 20 and 25% for Serena and Seredo. In contrast, non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) significantly (P ≤ 0.01) increased by 44 and 50% for Serena and Seredo. The results indicate that salinity affected photosynthesis per unit leaf area indirectly through stomatal closure, and to a smaller extent through direct interference with the photosynthetic apparatus. In addition, salinity decreases whole plant photosynthesis by restricting leaf area expansion. This effect starts from low levels of salinity, in contrast to that of net photosynthesis per unit leaf area, which occurs at higher levels of NaCI concentration.
Do Realised Betas Exhibit Up/Down Market Tendencies?

In this paper we employ the LSTAR (logistic smooth transition autoregressive) model to investigate potential nonlinearities, cyclical behavior, causality and duration dependence in the realized monthly betas of thirty-nine U.S. industry portfolios. Tests reject linearity for all but eight industries. The estimated nonlinear models suggest that industry betas are characterized by asymmetric cycles, with the speed of transition between the bull and bear market regimes being relatively slow for seven industries. We find duration dependence in industry betas since the probability of transition between regimes does depend on how long the market has been in an up or a down state.
Impacts of a Soda Ash Facility on Onondaga Lake and the Seneca River, NY

ABSTRACT A synthesis of the impacts of the operation (1884–1986) of a soda ash (Na2CO3) manufacturing facility on Onondaga Lake, NY, its tributaries, and adjoining portions of the river that receives the lake's outflow is presented, based on long-term programs of monitoring, process studies, and mathematical modeling. The lake was used as a source of cooling water and for the disposal of ionic (Cl− Na+, and Ca2+) waste, related solids and spent cooling water. At peak production the facility discharged ~1.3 × 106 metric tons of ionic waste to the lake annually. The soda ash facility had a profound impact on these ecosystems, by severely altering their structure and function. Portions of the two largest tributaries to the lake have been degraded from solids deposition associated with solution mining for NaCl (process reactant) and precipitation of Ca2+ waste (as CaCO3). The cooling water operation recycled phosphorus enriched hypolimnetic waters to the epilimnion. Ionic waste impacts on the lake and river included: (1) high salinity (S~3%o), (2) plunging inflows made dense by high S, that altered fundamental features of the lake's stratification regime and exacerbated the problem of severe dissolved oxygen (DO) depletion, (3) S-based density stratification and severe DO depletion over a 14 km reach of the river downstream of the lake, and (4) high levels of CaCO3 precipitation that reduced clarity, increased net sedimentation in pelagic areas, altered the character of near-shore sediments, and reduced alkalinity and pH. These impacts on the lake's chemistry and physical properties had profound effects on biological communities, including: (1) altered composition, (2) reduced richness and diversity, (3) limited macrophyte occurrence, (4) enhanced phytoplankton production, and (5) limited effectiveness of zooplankton grazing, thereby preventing intervals of high clarity. Closure of the facility resulted in dramatic improvements in water quality and ecological characteristics of these systems. Further improvement is expected as residual ionic waste loads decrease.
Phenols in the plant and in man. The potential for possible nutritional enhancement of the diet by modifying the phenols content or profile

There is growing recognition that many phenolic secondary metabolites present in foodstuffs may possibly exert beneficial effects on human health. This may to some degree be mediated via antioxidant actions, but a range of more specific pharmacological effects have also been proposed. Given this background, there may be favourable consequences for the general health of Western populations as a result of optimising the phenolic content of the diet. This paper reviews what is known of the function of phenolics both in the plant and in man. It also describes current understanding of the biosynthesis of phenolics in plants, with emphasis on where potential controlling steps may exist. Finally, advances in identification and isolation of the genes coding for phenolic biosynthetic enzymes or regulatory proteins are also summarised. Taken together, this information provides a basis for attempts to modify and optimise the phenolic content of food crops, using either conventional plant breeding along with manipulation of agronomic practices, or else the more targeted approaches of modern molecular biology. © 2000 Society of Chemical Industry
Root biomass dynamics in a semi-natural grassland exposed to elevated atmospheric CO2 for five years

The effects of elevated atmospheric CO2 on root dynamics were studied in a semi-natural grassland in central Sweden during five consecutive summer seasons. Open-top chambers were used for ambient and elevated (+350 μmol mol−1) concentrations of CO2, and chamberless rings were used for control. Root dynamics were observed in situ with minirhizotrons during the five summers and root biomass production was measured with root in growth cores during the last two years, from which total root biomass was estimated for each of the five years. The elevated CO2 treatment showed both a greater increase in root numbers during the early summer and a greater decline in root numbers during autumn and winter than the ambient CO2 treatment. Mean root production under elevated CO2 was 50% greater than ambient CO2 during the five years, and the difference increased from +25% in the first year to +80% in the last two years. Conversely, during the same period, the elevated to ambient CO2 difference in shoot biomass decreased from +50% to +5%. This resulted in a dramatic change in root to shoot ratios in elevated CO2 compared with the ambient treatment, which increased from −15% in 1996 to +70% in 2000. Similar differences were seen between elevated CO2 and the chamberless grown control plants, where root to shoot ratios increased steadily from −47% in 1996 to +27% in 2000. Less dynamically, the root to shoot ratios of ambient CO2 grown plants compared with the chamberless control plants were consistently −29%±6% during the experimental period. In conclusion, during the 5 years this grassland was studied, there was a clear shift in plant biomass partitioning from above to below ground for plants exposed to elevated CO2.
X Ledodendron vanhoeffeni (syn.: Rhododendron vanhoeffeni) refound in Greenland

Rhododendron vanhoeffeni is refound in Greenland. Notes on history, distribution, ecology, morphology, and fertility are given. Its hybrid origin is established and consequently a new combination, X Ledodendron vanhoeffeni (Ledum palustre ssp. decumbens × Rhododendron lapponicum), is made.
Galtonian Regression of Intergenerational Income Linkages: Biased Procedures, a New Estimator and Mean-Square Error Comparisons

Because the permanent incomes of parents and children are typically unobserved, the estimation of the intergenerational correlation via the use of proxy variables entails an errors-in-variables bias. By solving a system of moment equations for income observed at a given year, and a T-period average of this variable, we derive an analytical form for the signal to total variance ratio. In turn, we propose a simple estimator of the intergenerational elasticity via division of the OLS estimator of this quantity. Estimates of the intergenerational elasticity derived from a PSID sample range between 0.34 and 0.69. The averaging estimator provides intermediary values between OLS and the proposed estimator. Persistence is higher for family income measures than labor market outcomes. Estimates generally increase for moving average specifications in comparison to the assumption that measurement errors are uncorrelated. The three estimators are further examined in the light of their mean-square errors (square bias plus variance).
Relationship Between Soil Nitrogen and Floristic Variation in Late Snow Areas of the Koscinsko Alpine Region [Australia].

We studied soil and vegetation patterns of two late snow areas in the Kosciusko alpine region of New South Wales, Australia. Marked floristic differences were found between the lower, central and upper regions of each area. The distributions of six selected species, and the spatial variation in total vegetation cover, were related to the spatial variation in total and exchangeable soil nitrogen concentrations. To test whether variations in soil nitrogen were controlling the spatial separation of late snow area plant species six selected species were subsequently grown at 12-15°C, over a range of increasing nitrogen concentrations. Five of the six selected species (Luzula oldfieldii subsp. dura, Epilobium tasmanicum, Plantago glacialis, Luzula acutifolia subsp. nana and Ranunculus niphophilus) showed similar responses to increasing nitrogen levels, both in terms of relative dry weight production and shoot nitrogen concentrations. Only in one species (Colobanthus nivicola) did responses suggest that it may have been more suited to growth on nitrogen-deficient soils. We concluded, however, that variations in nitrogen availability alone are not responsible for the floristic variation in late snow areas. Possible factors responsible for the variation in floristic composition of the late snow areas are discussed.
The Role of Values for Social Cohesion: Theoretical Explication and Empirical Exploration

Shared values are deemed necessary as a solid foundation for social cohesion by commentators and observers in many countries. However, when examining what kind of values this is based on, answers often come down to platitudes and national clichés. This discussion paper offers some clarification through both a theoretical explication and an empirical exploration concerning the general role of values for social cohesion. <br><br>Values are notions about desirable, trans-situational end-states and behaviors. They fall into two categories, individual and societal values. We provide a critical discussion of the most prominent conceptualizations and their operationalization in the social sciences. <br><br>Values affect social cohesion in three possible pathways: First, when they are shared; second, when they promote behavior per se conducive to social cohesion and third, through their effect on policy choice and institutional design. We review evidence provided by the research literature for each of these pathways. <br><br>We further explore the third pathway by deriving from the research literature the conjecture that a cultural value emphasis on egalitarianism makes a universalistic scope of welfare institutions more likely, which in turn increases social and political trust. We first examine this conjecture with a series of regression models, and then run a mediation analysis. The results show that <br><br>(1.) egalitarian values are moderately strongly and positively linked to universalistic welfare institutions, but that <br><br>(2.) welfare institutions mediate the association of egalitarian values with social trust only to a small extent and that <br><br>(3.) more universalistic welfare institutions counteract a negative association between egalitarian values and institutional trust.
Regiões genômicas associadas a características de desempenho e carcaça no cromossomo 5 de linhagens Brasileiras de galinha

O objetivo deste trabalho foi caracterizar genotipicamente, e construir o mapa de ligacao e mapear locos associados a caracteristicas quantitativas (QTL) de desempenho e carcaca no cromossomo 5 de linhagens brasileiras galinhas. Utilizou-se uma populacao F2 CTCT, resultante do acasalamento entre machos da linhagem de postura CC e femeas da linhagem de corte TT. Um total de 356 animais foi genotipado com 11 marcadores microssatelites. A caracterizacao genotipica foi realizada pela estimacao dos seguintes parâmetros genotipicos: conteudo de informacao polimorfica (0,45-0,69), heterozigosidades observada (0,48-1,00) e esperada (0,48-0,74), e numero de alelos por loco (3-5). Empregou-se o mapeamento por intervalo combinado a modelagem fenotipica por modelo misto, no mapeamento de QTL. O comprimento do mapa de ligacao foi de 174,7 cM. Nao foram constatadas inversoes entre o mapa obtido, o mapa consenso e o genoma. Foram mapeados nove QTL, dos quais sete foram sugestivos ("log of odds", LOD 3,0). Seis destes QTL sao ineditos: conversao alimentar e eficiencia alimentar dos 35 aos 41 dias de idade (significativo), pesos de cabeca e figado, e triglicerideos e triglicerideos+colesterol. A populacao CTCT apresenta variabilidade genotipica, o mapa de ligacao e similar ao mapa consenso e ao genoma, e novos QTL foram mapeados.
Assaying Mitochondrial COI Sequences and Their Molecular Studies in Hexapoda, PART I: From 2000 to 2009

Since 2000, a large number of molecular studies have been conducted in Hexapoda with generating large amount of mitochondrial sequences. In this study, to review mitochondrial COI sequences and their molecular studies reported in Hexapoda from 2000 to 2009, 488 molecular studies conducted based on 58,323 COI sequences were categorized according to 26 orders and the positions of COI sequences (5', 3', and entire regions). The numbers of molecular studies in which the three regions utilized varied largely among the 26 orders; however, seven orders showed preferred positions of COI sequences in the researches: Diptera and Orthoptera revealed the largest number of studies in the 5' region; while, Coleoptera, Phthiraptera, Odonata, Phasmatodea, and Psocoptera, showed the largest number of studies in the 3' region. From comparing 84 molecular studies published before 2000, we observed the possibilities that molecular studies in Coleoptera, Diptera, Phthiraptera, and Phasmatodea from 2000 to 2009 had been followed classical studies using the positions of COI sequences well-known until 1999. This study provides useful information to understand the overall trends in COI sequence usages as well as molecular studies conducted from 2000 to 2009 in Hexapoda.
The Evolutionary Snowdrift Game with Punishment in a Spatial-Structured Two-Population Arrangement

In this article, we propose a Snowdrift Game with costly punishment in a spatial-structured two-population arrangement. In order to generate the results, we use the Agent Based Simulation (ABS) model. The numerical simulations as well as the dynamics observed in the ABS are analyzed and discussed. In contrast to a single structured population, the P strategy survives only in one of the cases analyzed. The competitive dynamics and the evolutionary equilibrium of the game arranged in two spatial-structured populations differs from the standard behavior detected in the literature. Thus, we can observe: (i) entire populations of C and D; (ii) the coexistence of C and P in the same population for the case in which the cost for the benefit of cooperating is low.
Lessons from More than a Decade-Long History of Sanction in France

In this paper, we examine the main characteristics and evolution along time of the sanctions pronounced by the French Financial Market Authority (AMF) since its creation. We consider an original exhaustive sample of 308 decisions, published on the AMF website over the period 2004-2016. Most of the sanctions resulted in a guilty verdict (90%), mostly associated with financial fines (94%) and/or with disciplinary sanctions (30%), after long procedures (2.7 years on average, followed potentially by appeals). Half of them were first published anonymized. The most frequently sanctioned market participants are listed companies, followed by asset managers or asset management companies. The sample under review was enlarged from 2012 onwards with a new kind of procedure, the settlements (32 from 2012 to 2016). The latter do not imply guilt recognition from part of the offender. Such procedures are by law quicker, target less severe regulatory breaches mostly done by asset management firms, and consequently result in less severe sanctions.