Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Measuring the performance of water service providers in urban India: implications for managing water utilities

This study assesses the efficiency of the urban water supply system in 27 selected Indian cities. It applies data envelopment analysis (DEA) as an analytical tool to measure technical efficiency. Cities are categorized into different groups according to the management structure of their water utilities. The results show that within groups, the utilities that are managed by ‘municipal corporations (MCs) and parastatals9, with a certain amount of functional autonomy, perform better in comparison to the group ‘MCs and government’ and thus, strengthen the hypothesis that functional autonomy in management leads to better performance of the water utilities. Moreover, the results also have implications for urban domestic water pricing. We find that most water utilities are operating under decreasing returns to scale (DRS), implying that water should be priced at a marginal cost of supply.
Structural and mechanical properties of glassy and glass ceramic products from tannery ash stabilization

The aim of this work is to investigate the microstructure and microhardness of glassy and glass-ceramic products synthesized through vitrfication and devitrification of chromium containing tannery ash with SiO2, Na2O and CaO glass forming oxides. Four different batch mixtures were studied with varying proportions of chromium ash and glass formers. Electron Microscopy study was performed that included Scanning Electron Microscopy with Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) to study the morphology and composition of the products in the microscale. Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and High Resolution TEM (HRTEM) observations were conducted to investigate structures up to the atomic scale and to correlate the structural properties with the stabilization process. Static microindentation was applied, using Knoop geometry, to determine the microhardness of the products while Vickers geometry was used to study crack propagation on their surfaces in order to test their potential use in various applications. Out of one, the initial vitrified products were amorphous with Eskolaite (Cr2O3) flakes dispersed inside the silicate matrix while the product with the lowest relative proportion of chromium ash was a homogenous glass. Furthermore, thermal treatment was conducted to the vitrified products and resulted to the separation of Devitrite, Combeite and Wollastonite crystalline phases from the silicate matrix depending on the initial batch composition of the glasses and the relative thermal treatment. The microhardness of the products was higher after thermal processing and it has been shown that the morphology of the separated crystal phases affected also the crack propagation.
Room-temperature single-electron charging in electrochemically synthesized semiconductor quantum dot and wire array

Cylindrical quantum dots of diameter ∼8 nm and height 3–10 nm, and wires of diameter 50 nm and height 500–1000 nm, were self-assembled by electrodepositing semiconductors in the nanometer-sized pores of anodic alumina films. Current–voltage characteristics of both wires and dots show Coulomb blockade at room temperature, while the wires also show a Coulomb staircase when exposed to infrared radiation. These results establish that electrochemical self-assembly is a viable technique for producing nanostructures that have potential uses in room-temperature single electronics.
Globalization, Foreign Direct Investment and Technology Transfers : Impacts on and Prospects for Developing Countries

1. Introduction Nagesh Kumar 2. Technology Generation and Technology Transfers in the World Economy: Recent Trends and Prospects for Developing Countries Nagesh Kumar 3. The Changing Geography of Foreign Direct Investment: Explanations and Implications John H. Dunning 4. The Internationalization of US MNEs and Its Impact on Developing Countries Robert E. Lipsey 5. German MNEs: Consequences of Eastward Drive for Developing Countries Jamuna P. Agarwal 6. Japanese Foreign Direct Investment in Asia: Its Impact on Export Expansion and Technology Acquisition of the Host Countries Shujiro Urata 7. Emerging Outward Foreign Direct Investments from Asian Developing Countries: Prospects and Implications Nagesh Kumar 8. Foreign Direct Investments and Technology Transfers in an Era of Globalization and Prospects for Developing Countries: A Policy Postscript Nagesh Kumar Bibliographies
Volatile ARMA Modelling of GARCH Squares

This paper points out that the ARMA models followed by GARCH squares are volatile and gives explicit and general forms of their dependent and volatile innovations. The volatility function of the ARMA innovations is shown to be the square of the corresponding GARCH volatility function. The prediction of GARCH squares is facilitated by the ARMA structure and predictive intervals are considered. Further, the developments suggest families of volatile ARMA processes.
Zinc and Copper Modulate Differentially the P2X4 Receptor

Abstract: The rat ATP P2X4 receptor was expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes to assess the effect of zinc and copper as possible regulators of purinergic mechanisms. ATP applied for 20 s evoked an inward cationic current with a median effective concentration (EC50) of 21.4 ± 2.8 μM and a Hill coefficient (nH) of 1.5 ± 0.1. Coapplication of ATP plus 10 μM zinc displaced leftward, in a parallel fashion, the ATP concentration‐response curve, reducing the EC50 to 8.4 ± 1.8 μM (p < 0.01) without altering the receptor nH. The zinc potentiation was fast in onset, easily reversible, and voltage‐independent and did not require metal preexposure. The zinc EC50 was 2‐5 μM, with a bell‐shaped curve. At concentrations of 100‐300 μM, zinc produced less potentiation, and at 1 mM, it inhibited 50% the ATP current. The effect of zinc was mimicked by cadmium. In contrast, copper inhibited the ATP‐evoked currents in a time‐ and concentration‐dependent fashion, reducing the maximal current (Imax) without altering the EC50. The copper‐induced inhibition was slow in onset, slowly reversible, and voltage‐independent. Whereas coapplication of 300 μM copper plus ATP reduced Imax to 36.2 ± 5%, the coapplication of, or 60‐s preexposure by, 10 μM copper reduced Imax to 79 ± 9.2% (p < 0.05) and 39.6 ± 8.7% (p < 0.01), respectively. The inhibition was noncompetitive in nature and mimicked by mercury. Cobalt, barium, and manganese did not modify significantly the ATP‐evoked current, demonstrating metal specificity. The simultaneous 1‐min preapplication of both metals revealed that the 10 μM zinc‐induced potentiation was obliterated by 10 μM copper, whereas 30 μM copper not only reduced the potentiation, but inhibited the ATP response. Following coapplication of both metals for 20 s with ATP, at least 100 μM copper was required to counteract the 10 μM zinc‐induced potentiation. The simultaneous preincubation with both metals provided evidence for a noncompetitive interaction. We hypothesize the existence of metal binding site(s), which are most likely localized in the extracellular domain of the P2X4 receptor structure. These sites are selective and accessible to extracellular metal applications and bind micromolar concentrations of metals. The present results are compatible with the working hypothesis that trace metals, such as copper and zinc, are physiological modulators of the P2X4 receptor. The modulation of brain purinergic transmission by physiologically and toxicologically relevant trace metal cations is highlighted.
Difficulties using standardized tests to identify the receptive expressive gap in bilingual children's vocabularies

Receptive standardized vocabulary scores have been found to be much higher than expressive standardized vocabulary scores in children with Spanish as L1, learning L2 (English) in school (Gibson et al., 2012). Here we present evidence suggesting the receptive-expressive gap may be harder to evaluate than previously thought. We compared the performance of 116 six-year-old Spanish–English bilingual children in the US to 30 monolingual Spanish-speaking peers in Mexico across two Spanish-language standardized picture naming tests and one standardized picture pointing test. The performance of 134 monolingual English-speaking peers was compared using similar English-language tests. Results revealed the presence and magnitude of a receptive-expressive gap was largely dependent on the tests used. These discrepant results likely exist because widely-used standardized tests do not offer comparable normed scores. We review possible test norming practices that may have contributed to these results and suggest guidelines to determine a meaningful receptive-expressive gap for bilingual children.
Asymmetry in children's salivary cortisol and alpha-amylase in the context of marital conflict: links to children's emotional security and adjustment.

Recent research supports the promise of examining interactive models of physiological processes on children's adjustment. The present study investigates interactions between children's autonomic nervous system activity and adrenocortical functioning in the context of marital discord; specifically, testing models of concurrent responses proposed by Bauer et al. ([2002] Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics 23:102-113) in the prediction of children's behavioral responses to conflict and adjustment. Asymmetry and symmetry in children's salivary alpha-amylase and cortisol were examined in 195 children (M age = 8 years) in response to viewing conflict vignettes. Results were partially consistent with an interactive model in the context of high marital discord; asymmetry among higher alpha-amylase and lower cortisol related to higher emotional insecurity and concurrent and subsequent maladjustment. In contrast, patterns of symmetrical responses were related to greater maladjustment for children exposed to lower levels of marital discord, supporting an additive model. Findings support the importance of a multisystem approach to investigating the adaptiveness of children's physiological stress responses, while also highlighting the value of considering physiological responses in the context of family risk.
A Comparison of HbA1c and Fasting Blood Sugar Tests in General Population

Objectives: Early diagnosis of diabetes is crucially important in reduction of the complications. Although HbA1c is an accurate marker for the prediction of complications, less information is available about its accuracy in diagnosis of diabetes. In this study, the association between HbA1c and FBS was assessed through a cross-sectional population-based study. Methods: A random sample of population in Kerman city was selected. The total number was 604 people. Their HbA1c and fasting blood sugar (FBS) were tested. The association between HbA1c and FBS and also their sensitivity, specificity and predictive values in detection of abnormal values of each other were determined. Results: The association of HbA1c with FBS was relatively strong particularly in diabetic subjects. Generally, FBS was a more accurate predictor for HbA1c compared with HbA1c as a predictor of FBS. Although the optimum cutoff point of HbA1c was >6.15%, its precision was comparable with the conventional cutoff point of >6%. Conclusions: In conclusion, FBS sounds more reliable to separate diabetic from non-diabetic subjects than HbA1c. In case of being interested in using HbA1c in screening, the conventional cutoff points of 6% is an acceptable threshold for discrimination of diabetics from non-diabetics.
Methotrexate Causes Oxidative Stress in Rat Kidney Tissues

Aim. Methotrexate (MTX), a folic acid antagonist, is one of the chemotherapeutic agents widely used in the treatment of some types of cancers. Nephrotoxicity is one of the complications of MTX treatment. The aim of this study was to investigate possible effects of MTX treatment on the oxidant/antioxidant status in rat kidney tissues and enzymatic mechanisms leading to nephrotoxicity. Methods. For this aim, 10 Sprague-Dawley type female rats of 4 weeks old were used in the study. The animals were divided into two groups randomly. Five of them were used as control, and the others were treated with MTX intravenously (60 mg/m2 of body surface area per week) for 7 weeks. At the end of this period, they were sacrificed, and kidney tissues were removed to be used in the analyses of malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, antioxidant potential (AOP) values, and superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, xanthine oxidase, adenosine deaminase, and 5′ nucleotidase enzyme activities. Results. There was significant increase in the MDA level in the MTX group compared with the control group (1.74 ± 0.23 nmol/mg vs. 1.04 ± 0.30 nmol/mg; p < 0.05, respectively). There were however no meaningful differences between enzyme activities and AOP values of the groups. Conclusion. It has been suggested that MTX leads to oxidative stress in rat kidney tissues, which might be one of the reasons for MTX-induced nephrotoxicity.
Good libraries are expensive libraries

Purpose – The ideas surrounding which institutional attributes make for good libraries vary radically based on patron review, professional association rankings, size of overall collections, and other measures. The purpose of this article is to provide insight into argumentation for establishing how libraries gain the compliment of “good” in an increasingly digital age.Design/methodology/approach – An analysis of the general effect digital content available on the internet has on the mind of the consumer frames the debate on how libraries can be seen as both relevant and good for their communities despite being expensive.Findings – Library leaders always need to advocate for their services and collections, but it is only through true reflective discourse with key stakeholders and governing bodies that enlightenment on the key advantages of libraries can be found.Originality/value – Library popularity and use rises and falls solely based on the conscious user evaluation of collections and services. Focusing.
Growth and Maintenance of Vero Cell Lines

Vero cells are derived from the kidney of an African green monkey, and are one of the more commonly used mammalian continuous cell lines in microbiology and molecular and cell biology research. This unit includes protocols for the growth and maintenance of Vero cell lines in a research laboratory setting. Curr. Protoc. Microbiol. 11:A.4E. 1‐A.4E. 7. © 2008 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
The costs of EU club membership: agri-food and economy-wide impact in Croatia

Over the last 25 years Croatia's transition from a war-torn region of the former Yugoslavia to a fully independent nation has left a lasting mark. In 2013 Croatia took another step toward peace and stability by becoming the 28th member of the European Union (EU). Employing a quantitative framework to examine the economic impact of Croatian accession, results show that agricultural transfer payments are a key component of the accession deal, whilst a ‘deep integration’ scenario yields significant Croatian real income gains. Finally, comparing EU market access via tariff and non-tariff shocks, in Croatian agro-food sectors the former has a greater impact on output.
How Did You Survive in the First Five Years? Secrets to Success Described by Apparel New Ventures in China

The study explored the secrets of success described by Chinese apparel new ventures. Barney's (1991) resource-based view of the firm helped the researchers understand secrets to success from the firm's internal perspective, and the social network theory informed key secrets from the external perspective (Ahuja, 2000). In-depth interviews with open-ended questions were employed with sixteen top apparel companies in China. Results revealed that having the first successful store is the symbol of success and that success is a never-ending goal. The key secrets to success were described as the founders' ability to find the niche market, their down-to-earth attitude, unique branding position and products, and, finally, external relationships. The study will help Chinese apparel new ventures in realizing the secrets of surviving the initial stage. Academic organizations and governments may want to utilize the study findings to develop more curricula and policies that may be more fruitful for small businesses' success in the long term.
Firm dynamics in the Cambodian garment industry: firm turnover, productivity growth and wage profile under trade liberalization

The international garment trade was liberalized in 2005 following the termination of the Multifibre Arrangement (MFA) and ever since then, price competition has intensified. Employing a unique firm dataset collected by the authors, this paper examines the changes in the performance of Cambodian garment firms between 2002/03 and 2008/09. During the period concerned, frequent firm turnover led to a growth of the industry's productivity, and the study found that the average total-factor productivity (TFP) of new entrants was substantially higher than that of exiting firms. Furthermore, we observed that, thanks to productivity growth, an improvement in workers’ welfare, including a rise in the relative wages of the low-skilled, was taking place. These industrial dynamics differ considerably from those indicated by the ‘race to the bottom’ argument as applied to labor-intensive industrialization in low-income countries.
Correlation Between Ultrafast Demagnetization Process and Gilbert Damping in Amorphous TbFeCo Films

Ultrafast spin dynamics in Tbx(FeCo)1-x films is studied using the time-resolved magneto-optical Kerr effect. At pump fluence of 1.0 mJ/cm2 the ultrafast demagnetization processes are accomplished by one-step and two-step decays (the first fast and second slow decays) for low and high Tb contents, respectively. For the low Tb contents (x <; 0.08), the demagnetization time is almost a constant (~ 600 fs), which is similar with the demagnetization time (τ1) of the first fast decay for the high Tb contents due to bleaching effect. However, the following slow demagnetization time (τ2) for the high Tb contents strongly depends on the Tb contents. It increases with increasing Tb contents, and reaches a maximum of 3.0 ps at x=0.21, then decreases with Tb content further increasing. The distinguished slow decay process is suggested to ascribe to the Gilbert damping factor.
Sexual Function in Young Individuals With Multiple Sclerosis: Does Disability Matter?

ABSTRACT Introduction: Studies on the prevalence of sexual dysfunction (SD) in multiple sclerosis (MS) have shown that 40% to 80% of women and 50% to 90% of men have had sexual complaints. Sexual function is often disregarded during consultation with healthcare professionals, and SD is frequently underdiagnosed. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of SD and its relationship to sociodemographic and disease-related factors, with regard to disability state, in a hospital cohort of MS patients, by using a semistructured interview. Methods: Of 130 screened outpatients, 87 met the inclusion criteria and completed the study. The mean age of the participants was 39.3 ± 8.3 years, with a disease duration of 8.3 ± 5.4 years and a mean Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score of 2.04 ± 0.19. Sexual function was evaluated by means of a semistructured interview, investigating a patient’s 3 main life areas: sociodemographic information, illness perception, and sexuality. Results: Approximately 70% of the patients complained at least 1 SD (decreased libido, erectile dysfunction, premature or retarded ejaculation, painful penetration), and 22% of them reported the disorder as frequent. The disease duration was associated with lower satisfaction in sexual function, and lack of sexual interest was the most common problem having a negative correlation with EDSS. Conclusions: Healthcare professionals involved in MS, should assess patients for SD. Further studies should be fostered to better quantify SD etiology, the degree of sexual impairment, and its impact on patients’ quality of life to “overcome” this problem.
A Comparison of Canada-U.S. Economic Growth in the Information Age, 1981-2000: The Importance of Investment in Information and Communication Technologies

Using revised Statistics Canada estimates of output and inputs, this paper examines changes in the patterns of capital formation and the sources of economic growth for the Canadian business sector over the 1995-2000 period and makes comparisons with the 1981-1995 period. The changing composition of investment and the growth of capital services across broad asset classes is explored first. Then the growth in output is decomposed into components coming from growth in labour, capital and multifactor productivity. Finally, the extent to which information and communication technologies have made a key contribution to economic growth is investigated. Comparisons are made of the performance of the Canadian and U.S. business sectors in each of these areas. The results confirm some already familiar patterns, but also some novel features, particularly for the 1995-2000 period. The data show that increases in capital and labour continue to be important contributors to output growth. The increase in the growth rate of investment during the 1995-2000 period, which has occurred across many asset classes, has led to an increased growth contribution of capital services to output growth. A considerable increase in the number of hours worked has also contributed to economic growth; the substantial growth in labour inputs has muted the capital deepening effects of the rapid increase in capital services. The third primary source of growth in output, multifactor productivity growth, was 1.0% on average during the post-1995 period in Canada and 1.3% in the U.S. This increase was considerably higher than in the 1980s and early 1990s, especially in Canada. Although the resurgence in multifactor productivity in both countries does not surpass the pre-1973 performance, it was one of the most important stylized facts of the last five years of the twentieth century.
Social enquiry and the measurement of natural phenomena: the degradation of irrigation water in the Argolid Plain, Greece

SUMMARY Attempts to formulate appropriate policies for the management of agricultural systems are constrained by the limitations of acquiring information about changes in the natural system across space and through time. The adoption of natural science techniques to measure the transformation of natural phenomena requires considerable investment in time and expertise and may not always be capable of providing information about change in a way that meets the adaptive requirements of planning and policy. A more flexible approach to data collection will require the acceptance of less precise and more general physical data as the basis for understanding changes in complex agricultural systems. This raises interesting questions about the adoption of social enquiry techniques to provide information about changing natural phenomena. The progressive deterioration of water resources, as a result of intensive agricultural activity in the Argolid Plain of Greece, will be considered and the problems of measuring the .
Are cultural heritage visitors really different from other visitors

The purpose of this study was to quantitatively identify the cultural heritage tourist to determine differences between other types of visitors and the cultural heritage tourist. Differences were measured on various dimensions of travel behavior and demographics, including activities participated in, expenditures, information sources used, and lodging preferences. Visitors to Vermont were surveyed between 1999 and 2000 to determine their visitation behavior and demographic profile. It was found that cultural heritage visitors were indeed different from other visitors on most measurements, implying that heritage planners and marketers should take these differences into consideration when planning and promoting cultural heritage tourism.