Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Supply competition and price behaviour in the UK electricity supply industry

This work investigates the evolution of electricity prices for domestic customers in the UK since the introduction of competition. The empirical analysis is based on a panel data set containing detailed information about electricity supply prices over the period 1999 to 2003. The analysis aims to test theoretical hypotheses about the nature of consumers’ switching and search costs. The econometric analysis of persistence and price dispersion provides only limited support for the view that the market is becoming more competitive and also indicates that there remain significant potential benefits to consumers from searching alternative suppliers.
Production and Productivity of Crustacean in Nigeria

Abstract The study examined the Productivity and Technical Efficiency (TE) of Crustacean Production in Nigeria using the stochastic frontier production function analysis. Primary data were collected using a set of structured questionnaire administered on 100 crustacean producers who were selected using a multistage sampling technique. Producers were selected from five villages in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo state, Nigeria. Results showed that Crustacean production was in the rational stage of production (stage II) as depicted by the Returns to Scale (RTS) of 0.8045. Foundation stock, feeds, labour cost, equipment cost, and other costs were efficiently allocated and used, as confirmed by each variable having estimated coefficient value of between zero and unity. The Technical Efficiencies of the producers varied between 0.45 and 0.98 with a mean of 0.70 and about 40% of the producers had TE exceeding 0.70. This study further revealed that feeds and equipment cost significantly affected TE while other socioeconomic variables such as age of producers led to decrease in TE but family size increased TE. Thus these variables are important policy variables for improving Crustacean production in Nigeria.
Method of Nitrogen Application in Summer Affects Plant Growth and Nitrogen Uptake in Autumn in Young Fuji/M.26 Apple Trees

Abstract Effects of foliar vs. soil nitrogen (N) application during the summer and the autumn were studied in young Fuji apple trees (Malus domestica Borkh) on Malling 26 (M.26) rootstock. One‐year‐old bench‐grafted trees were potted in 3.8‐liter pots in a mix of perlite, peat moss, and loam soil (1:1:1 by volume) and were treated weekly from late June to early September with 0.5% urea either by foliar or soil application or soil application of water (control). At the end of September, five trees from each treatment were harvested, and shoot and root growth and leaf N concentration were determined. In mid‐October of the same year, trees from each treatment were randomly divided into three subgroups. One group received soil application of water (control), and the other groups received either a foliar or soil application of 3% 15N‐urea. After natural leaf defoliation, trees were harvested, and total N and 15N concentration of stems (all aboveground tissue) and roots was determined. Regardless of application method, N application during the summer promoted plant growth and increased leaf N concentration. Soil N application during the summer stimulated more shoot and extension root growth than foliar N application. In contrast, the foliar N application in the summer promoted more feeder root growth than soil N application. Regardless of application method, autumn N application after terminal bud set had little effect on current‐year growth but increased total plant N concentration. In the autumn, trees that received soil N applications in the summer had more 15N uptake by leaves, while trees receiving foliar N applications in the summer had more 15N uptake by root. These results suggest that the differential influence of N application methods during the summer on growth and partitioning of trees affects tree responsiveness to autumn N applications. The use efficiency of autumn‐applied N depends on the method of N application in the summer.
An Investigation of the Association between Levels of Accounting Conservatism and Corporate Cost of Debt

This research aimed at exploring the relationship between accounting conservatism and cost of debt. Debt in this study was corporate bonds. Past researches found continues negative relationship between levels of accounting conservatism and interest rate. The aim of this research was to study if this relationship is also applied in Egypt. Using an empirical research and a sample selected from publicly-traded Egyptian firms that issued bonds, the finding was not in consistent with the literature. The research results indicated that level of accounting conservatism adopted in a firm influence the cost of debt, and that this influence is not constant all the time; different levels of conservatism affect the cost of debt by different ways. For this, accounting conservatism should be used with caution, so that the level adopted within the firm don’t exceed the accepted limit to gain the benefit. However, accounting conservatism is not always good instrument in reducing interest rate, and it should be used with care.
Evaluation of a Self-Management Course to Increase Safer Sex Behaviors

According to past research Douglas [1], the behavior of university students nationwide places them at elevated risk for contracting STDs, including HIV. High rates of binge drinking (34%) and high rates of serial monogamy coupled with low rates of reported condom usage during the last intercourse paint a picture of increased risk. Other research has found high-risk sexual behaviors in heterosexual college populations DiClemente [2]. Over 9,400 cases of HIV infection in people under the age of 29 were reported by thirty-three states in 2004 (CDC, 2005), an infection rate that has remained stable over previous years.
Path selection of a spherical capsule in a microfluidic branched channel: towards the design of an enrichment device

We computationally study the motion of an initially spherical capsule flowing through a straight channel with an orthogonal lateral branch, using a three-dimensional immersed-boundary lattice-Boltzmann method. The capsule is enclosed by a strain-hardening membrane and contains an internal fluid of the same viscosity as the fluid in which it is suspended. Our primary focus is to study the influence of the geometry of the side branch on the capsule path selection. Specifically, we consider the case where the side branch cross-section is half that of the straight channel and study various bifurcation configurations, where the branch is rectangular or square, centred or not on the straight channel axis. The capsule is initially centred on the axis of the straight channel. We impose the flow rate split ratio between the two downstream branches of the bifurcation. We summarise the results obtained for different capsule-to-channel size ratios, flow Reynolds number $Re$ (based on the parent channel size and average flow speed) and capsule mechanical deformability (as measured by the capillary number) in phase diagrams giving the critical flow rate split ratio above which the capsule flows into the side branch. A major finding is that, at equal flow rate split between the two downstream branches, the capsule will enter a branch which is narrow in the spanwise direction, but will not enter a branch which is narrow in the flow direction. For $Re\leqslant 5$ , this novel intriguing phenomenon primarily results from the background flow, which is strongly influenced by the side branch geometry. For higher values of $Re$ , the capsule relative size and deformability also play specific roles in the path selection. The capsule trajectory does not always obey the classical Fung’s bifurcation law, which stipulates that a particle (in Fung’s case, a red blood cell) enters the bifurcation branch with the highest flow rate. We also consider the same branched channels operating under constant pressure drop conditions and show that such systems are difficult to control due to the transient additional pressure drop caused by the capsule. The present results obtained for dilute systems open new perspectives on the design of microfluidic systems, with optimal channel geometries and flow conditions to enrich cell and particle suspensions.
Postcommunist Societies in Times of Transition: Perceptions of Change Among Adolescents in Central and Eastern Europe

This article examines adolescents’ perceptions of the economic changes and the justice of the new "social contract" in Eastern/Central Europe. Focusing on three countries, Hungary, Bulgaria, and the Czech Republic, it explores the social, political, and economic environments in which adolescents came of age in 1990. Surveys conducted among high school students in each country during 1995 tapped their perceptions of the economy, the local community, and their personal beliefs about the efficacy of individual initiative and hard work. Responses differed significantly based on age, gender, social class, value orientation, and country. Older adolescents and girls were more likely to observe that economic disparities were growing in their country and to be cynical about the value of hard work. Those with socialist values also discounted the value of recent changes. Adolescents in the Czech Republic were the least cynical about economic changes, whereas those in Bulgaria were the most cynical, with Hungarian youth the least optimistic about the future.
Transformational Leadership and Work Outcomes: Organizational Justice as Mediator

The study explored the relationship of transformational leadership with organizational justice and work outcomes. Specifically the study examined the potential role of procedural justice as mediator of transformational leadership and work outcomes, namely, job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and turnover intention. Sample consisted of 370 employees from 60 institutions of Islamic microfinance in Indonesia. The empirical tests indicated that transformational leadership contributed significantly to procedural justice perceptions as well as to the three work outcomes. Also, procedural justice had significant effect on all the three work outcomes. The test of mediation effect of procedural justice on transformational leadership and work outcome relationship indicated no significant mediating effect on job satisfaction and turnover intention, though it was partially significant with organizational commitment.
Tradeoffs to Thermal Acclimation: Energetics and Reproduction of a Reef Coral with Heat Tolerant Symbiodinium Type-D

The photo-physiological characteristics of thermo-tolerant Symbiodinium types have been postulated to have negative effects on the energetics of the reef corals by reducing fitness. To investigate this, two key and inextricably coupled indicators of fitness, lipids and reproduction, were monitored in colonies of the broadcast-spawning coral Acropora millepora over a two-year period that included a natural bleaching event. In the absence of bleaching ITS1-type clade D predominant colonies had 26% lower stored lipids compared to C2 colonies. At spawning time, this correlated with 28% smaller eggs in type-D colonies. This energetic disparity is expected to have reduced larval duration and settlement-competency periods in type-D compared to type-C2 colonies. More importantly, irrespective of the effect of genotype, the fitness of all corals was adversely affected by the stress of the bleaching event which reduced prespawning lipids by 60% and halved the number of eggs compared to the previous year. Our results extend work that has shown that direct temperature stress and symbiont change are likely to work in concert on corals by demonstrating that the lipids and reproduction of the reef building corals on tropical reefs are likely to be impaired by these processes as our climate warms.
Full-length Characterization of S1 Gene of Iranian QX Avian Infectious Bronchitis Virus Isolates, 2015

Background and Aims: Avian infectious bronchitis (IB) has prevalent in the most chicken farms during recent years, in spite of the IB vaccination program which has been widely performed in Iran. To better understand the molecular epidemiology of IBV in Iran, the full length sequences of S1 gene of Iranian QX IBVs were determined and phylogenetic analysis was done using some sequences of IBV. Materials and Methods: To better understand the molecular epidemiology of IBV in Iran, the full length sequences of S1 gene of Iranian QX IBVs were determined and phylogenetic analysis was done using some sequences of IBV. Results: Iranian QX IBVs were located in LX4 (Cluster 2). The nucleotides homologies were 99.52% 100% between the isolates. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that all the IBV isolates were very similar and probably had a common origin. The hyperactive variable regions of S1 were determined. Conclusions: The results from this study and other published results in the GenBank database showed that the isolates circulating in Iran in recent years were mainly LX4 (Cluster 2) genotype, which is the predominant genotype circulating in Iran in recent years (After first report of QX IBV in Iran, 2011). This finding provides important information on IBV evolution in Iran.
THE EFFECT OF PENTAKEEP®-V APPLICATION ON FLOWER TRAITS AND NECTAR PRODUCTION IN Hosta TRATT. ‘ KROSSA REGAL’

In modern horticulture the use of biostimulators for obtaining the maximum yields and qualities of the crops is favoured. Pent akeep®-V, the fertilizer containing 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) is currently recommende d. The ALA is recognized as biostimulator of different physiological processes. It increases the photosynthetic efficiency, impact on the nitrogen metabolism – increases activ ity of nitrate reductase, decreases the content of nitrates. The flowering, nectar producti on and sugar content by flower position and after foliar application of Pentakeep®-V in Hosta Tratt. ‘Krossa Regal’ were examined in 2012–2013. The plants were sprayed with wat er solutions of Pentakeep®-V in concentrations: – 0 (control – distilled water), 0. 02, 0.04, and 0.06%. Nectar was extracted from 24-hs flowers, using pipette method. Nectar am ount and concentration was strongly influenced by floral position in the raceme, and fe rtilizer application. The total amount of nectar produced per flower declined along the inflo rescence, starting from the bottom positioned. Pentakeep®-V fertilizer, depending on con centrations had a variety of effects on flower traits and nectar production. The applicatio n of 0.06% of Pentakeep®-V increased the number of flowers per inflorescence, however on ly i one year of the study. Pentakeep®-V in 0.02 and 0.04% concentrations increase d th flower size, with respect to the perianth width as well as improved nectar productio n. The 0.06% of Pentakeep®-V application suppressed both the flower size and nectar p roduction. These results might be explained by the stimulation of chlorophyll synthesis and CO2 absorption in lower dosages of ALA and reduced photosynthetic efficiency with e xc ss dosages of ALA.
Sugarbeet yield and quality when substituting compost or manure for conventional nitrogen fertilizer

To profitably produce sugarbeet (Beta vulgaris L.) by maximizing recoverable sucrose, producers must effectively manage added nitrogen (N), whether it be from inorganic sources such as urea or from often readily available and sometimes less expensive organic sources such as manure or composted manure. Our multi-site study’s objective was to determine if equivalent sugarbeet root and sucrose yields could be achieved when substituting composted dairy cattle manure or stockpiled manure for conventional N (urea) fertilizer. Treatments at Site 1 (Parma, ID), for 2 y included a control (no N applied), urea (202 kg N/ha), compost (1089 and 2175 kg total N/ha), and manure (350 and 701 kg total N/ha). Treatments at Site 2 (Kimberly, ID), were a control, urea (82 kg N/ha), compost (403 and 913 kg total N/ha), and manure (433 and 850 kg total N/ha). Compost and manure were applied, then incorporated into two silt loams, a Greenleaf (Xeric Calciargid) at Parma in fall 2002 and 2003 and a Portneuf (Durinodic Xeric Haplocalcid) at Kimberly in fall 2002. Sugarbeet was planted the following spring. Site 1’s sugarbeet sucrose yields, averaged across years and organic N source rates, were 12.24 Mg/ha for urea, 11.88 Mg/ha for compost, and 11.20 Mg/ha for manure, all statistically equivalent. Corresponding one-year sucrose yields, still equivalent, were ca. 44% less at Site 2 than 1. Doubling the organic N application rates at Site 1 increased sugarbeet root yields by 15 to 26% and sucrose yields by 12 to 21%. Applying organic amendments in place of urea affected neither root nor sucrose yields but at one location decreased sugarbeet crop quality by increasing brei nitrate and conductivity, though without hindering sucrose recovery. Sugarbeet producers can use either compost or manure to satisfy their crop’s N needs without sacrificing sucrose yield.
The Metal Content of Silicate Melts and Aqueous Fluids in Subeconomically Mo Mineralized Granites: Implications for Porphyry Mo Genesis

To better understand the factors leading to porphyry Mo mineralization, we studied melt and fluid inclusions in three subeconomically Mo mineralized granites in well-known Mo provinces: the Treasure Mountain dome in the Colorado mineral belt (USA), and the Drammen and Glitrevann granites in the Oslo rift (Norway). Melt and fluid inclusions were investigated in samples ranging from coarsely crystallized whole rocks to euhedral quartz crystals within miarolitic cavities. The major and trace element chemistry of individual inclusions was determined by laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. Melt inclusions are rhyolitic in composition and record a clear trend of increasing Mo concentrations with increasing degree of melt differentiation as monitored by Cs, extending from ~5 to 10 ppm Mo at 5 ppm Cs to ~17 to 40 ppm Mo at 100 ppm Cs. Coexisting magmatic fluids were single phase, had a salinity of 4 to 6 wt % NaCl equiv and a density of 0.6 to 0.7 g/cm3, and contained ~0.5 wt % S and up to 6 mol % CO2. Molybdenum concentrations in these fluids ranged from ~20 to ~200 ppm Mo, except for some highly evolved fluids that had lower Mo contents. Comparison of our data with published fluid and melt inclusion data from porphyry Mo deposits, porphyry Cu (Mo, Au) deposits, and barren intrusions reveals that most subduction-related magmas have lower Mo/Cs ratios than within-plate magmas, but that within these two groups there are no systematic differences between barren and productive intrusions. This suggests that the mineralization potential was not primarily controlled by the metal content of the melts and fluids, but rather by other factors such as size of the magma chamber and the efficiency of residual melt and fluid extraction from the magma chamber and their focusing into a small apophysis at its top. Based on our data, it can be calculated that at least several tens of km3 of magma were necessary to form intermediate-sized Mo deposits, and at least several hundred km3 to form giant (≥1 Mt Mo) deposits. All three granites investigated in this study would have been large enough to produce at least an intermediate-sized Mo deposit, but they nevertheless are only subeconomically mineralized. Their low productivity thus appears to be the result of poor fluid focusing. Factors promoting a high degree of fluid focusing include (1) accumulation of major volumes of fractionated, crystal-poor melts at the top of the magma chamber, (2) formation of an apophysis, and (3) development of convection cells, leading to an efficient circulation of these fractionated melts through the apophysis.
Impacts of mesoscale activity on the water masses and circulation in the Coral Sea

The climatological vision of the circulation within the Coral Sea is today well established with the westward circulation of two main jets, the North Caledonian Jet (NCJ) and the North Vanuatu Jet (NVJ) as a consequence of the separation of the South Equatorial Current (SEC) on the islands of New Caledonia, Vanuatu, and Fiji. Each jet has its own dynamic and transports different water masses across the Coral Sea. The influence of mesoscale activity on mean flow and on water mass exchanges is not yet fully explored in this region of intense activity. Our study relies on the analysis of in situ, satellite, and numerical data. Indeed, we first use in situ data from the Bifurcation cruise and from an Argo float, jointly with satellite-derived velocities, to study the eddy influence on the Coral Sea dynamics. We identify an anticyclonic eddy as participating in the transport of NVJ-like water masses into the theoretical pathway of NCJ waters. This transfer from the NVJ to the NCJ is confirmed over the long term by a Lagrangian analysis. In particular, this numerical analysis shows that anticyclonic eddies can contribute up to 70–90% of the overall eddy transfer between those seemingly independent jets. Finally, transports calculated using S-ADCP measurements (0–500 m) show an eddy-induced sensitivity that can reach up to 15 Sv, i.e., the order of the transport of the jets.
History of Picea abies in west central Sweden

Early Holocene Picea megafossils found in west central Sweden have challenged the prevailing theory based on pollen analysis that Picea migrated to Scandinavia during the second half of the Holocene. Pollen analyses is the most used method for the study of past vegetation dynamics; however, in the study of the postglacial immigration of Picea or for studies at the forest-tundra ecotone where the local pollen production is low, it is crucial to be able to separate locally produced tree pollen from pollen coming from distant forests. This thesis aims to explore methods to facilitate the separation of local pollen from background pollen and thereby enable the inference of the local establishment of Picea abies at a site, to evaluate whether the Picea megafossils can be confirmed by pollen analysis, and to investigate the pollen-vegetation relationship at the forest-tundra ecotone. Pollen analysis was carried out from mires situated near early to mid Holocene Picea megafossil sites in west central Sweden. The relationship between pollen from moss polsters and the surrounding vegetation was analysed with models for pollen dispersal and deposition. In a simulation study a landscape model for Holocene tree-line fluctuations based on palaeoecological data representing different time slices was evaluated by the comparison of numerous simulated pollen counts from different elevations with actual pollen diagrams. The results show that it is possible to confirm the megafossils with pollen analyses, provided that the pollen sampling site is within tens of meters from the megafossil site. The timing of local Picea establishment and expansion differed between nearby sites. Parameters to facilitate the understanding of pollen-vegetation relationships at the forest-tundra ecotone were established: pollen productivity estimates (PPE), relevant source area of pollen (RSAP), and background and local pollen. The PPE at the forest-tundra ecotone differed from estimates in southern Sweden, showing varied responses to climate on pollen production for assorted taxa. It was concluded that the use of multiple adjacent sites for pollen analyses, calibration of modern pollen and current vegetation, and the simulation approach are applications that facilitate the interpretation of pollen analysis in terms of local presence of trees.