Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Spatial Polarization of Woodfuel Supply and Demand in Senegal

Historically, technological innovation has spurred the widespread use of fossil fuels, hydroelectricity, and nuclear power in the world's industrial economies. In the developing world, however, traditional biomass fuels, especially woodfuels (firewood and charcoal), continue to be an important energy resource for a large share of the population. These fuels often constitute the primary source of energy consumed by most households, and play a significant role in meeting many commercial and artisanal energy needs as well. Globally, woodfuels account for about 53 percent of the world's total roundwood production, i.e., all rough wood destined for industrial and energy uses combined. The figures are 78 percent and 15 percent for the developing and industrial countries, respectively, and 87 percent for sub-Saharan Africa (World Resources Institute 2000, 256-57). This study assesses the situation in the Republic of Senegal, a small West African nation highly dependent, particularly in the household sector, on woodfuel energy Geographically, an intriguing aspect of the situation in Senegal is the marked change over time in the spatial patterns of woodfuel supply and demand. Analysis of the foci of production and consumption indicates a polarized pattern in which the former is increasingly concentrated in remote sections of southeastern Senegal and the latter in the heavily urbanized Atlantic coastal region. The discussion focuses on the environmental, economic, social, and political consequences of the spatial polarization of supply and demand of this important energy resource.
QTc Interval Prolongation Is Independently Associated With Severe Hypoglycemic Attacks in Type 1 Diabetes From the EURODIAB IDDM Complications Study

OBJECTIVE Our aim was to assess whether severe hypoglycemic attacks were cross-sectionally associated with abnormalities of the QTc interval in type 1 diabetic patients. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS The study included 3,248 type 1 diabetic patients from the EURODIAB IDDM Complications Study. Severe hypoglycemia was defined as an attack serious enough to require the help of another person. A corrected QTc interval (QTc) >0.44 s was considered abnormally prolonged. RESULTS Nineteen percent of patients declared one to two attacks, and 13.2% of patients had three or more attacks. Prevalence of QTc prolongation was greater in patients who experienced three or more hypoglycemic attacks. Logistic regression analysis showed that the frequency of severe hypoglycemia was independently associated with QTc prolongation, even after adjustment for diabetes complications, including autonomic neuropathy (odds ratio 1.27, 95% CI 1.02–1.58). CONCLUSIONS We have provided evidence that severe hypoglycemic attacks are independently associated with a prolonged QTc interval in type 1 diabetic patients from the EURODIAB IDDM Complications Study.
NOT ON MY WATCH: A QUALITATIVE STUDY OF THE ROLE OF LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT IN TERRORISM PREVENTION

A decade after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, there continues to be a lack of relevant, validated, and easy to use metrics with which to measure local law enforcement’s terrorism prevention efforts. Measuring progress in this area is essential, primarily to ensure that everything possible is being done to prevent future attacks, but also to ensure the proper stewardship of public funds. This qualitative, single case study utilized complexity theory and the Guidelines for Homeland Security (Office of Domestic Preparedness, 2003) as frameworks for examining the perceptions of local law enforcement officers regarding their and their agency’s roles in terrorism prevention. Collected data supported the use of the Guidelines as a framework for measuring terrorism prevention. Officers perceived each of the five of the categories identified in the Guidelines, collaboration, information sharing, threat recognition, risk management, and intervention, as important to terrorism prevention. Only limited support was found for the use of complexity theory as a framework; however, it is possible that not enough time has passed for complex organizational and cultural changes to have taken place.
Innovation and the economic long wave

The discussion in this paper addresses issues that should become part of the current politically popular debate about reindustrializing America. Why is there a perceived need to reindustrialize? Why are innovation and productivity‐faltering? I believe it is because old technologies are now being pushed beyond their level of maximum contribution, and because the radically new technologies of the future have not yet found their proper places in the fabric of society.
A new approach for peri‐operative analgesia of cleft palate repair in infants: the bilateral suprazygomatic maxillary nerve block

Background: Congenital cleft palate (CP) is a common and painful surgical procedure in infants. CP repair is associated with the risk of postoperative airway obstruction, which may be increased with administration of opioids, often needed for analgesia. No described regional anesthesia technique can provide adequate pain control following CP repair in infants. The primary aim of this prospective and descriptive study was to observe the effectiveness of bilateral maxillary nerve blocks (BMB) using a suprazygomatic approach on pain relief and consumption of rescue analgesics following CP repair in infants. Analgesic consumption was compared to retrospective data. Complications related to this new technique in infants were also reviewed.
Musings on integrated management systems

Because of the avalanche of management system standards for business functions ranging from quality and environment to corporate social responsibility, integration of management systems that these standards describe has become a popular topic of research and practice. This paper provides a summary of the most important issues regarding integrated management systems (IMS), including the main problem, the reasons behind it, the differing routes toward a solution, and the meaning of the solution itself. The overwhelming need for a solution points in the direction of a methodology for the integration of internal management systems, not an integrated standard. This paper illustrates one such methodology, and applies it to provide a foundation for and guide the construction of an IMS. Finally, it is argued that the future of IMS rests with the extension of its minimalistic requirements towards a set of comprehensive criteria able to steer the delivery of excellence to all stakeholders.
A Theory on the Discontinuity in Earnings Distributions

This paper presents a model of financial reporting in which investors infer both pre-managed earnings and the precision of earnings from reported earnings. Over-reporting earnings has two opposing pricing effects: investors infer higher pre-managed earnings from an inflated positive earnings surprise (i.e., positive effect); however, investors also infer a lower earnings precision at the same time, leading to a lower pricing weight placed on the higher surprise (i.e., negative effect). For firms with (relatively) strongly positively autocorrelated earnings, in equilibrium, the trade-off between the two opposing effects creates a pooled report right above the prior mean of the earnings distribution and a no-reporting "hole" right below the prior mean (i.e., an earnings discontinuity consistent with empirical findings). Further, the model predicts cross-sectional variation in the earnings discontinuity phenomenon yet to be explored. In particular, the model shows and predicts: (1) no earnings discontinuity exists for firms with negatively or (relatively) weakly positively autocorrelated earnings, and (2) the earnings discontinuity is more pronounced for firms with more positively autocorrelated earnings.
Information Quality, Learning, and Stock Market Returns

Abstract This paper studies how the precision of noisy public information that investors receive about the expected aggregate dividend growth rate affects stock market returns. I show that less precise information can increase the risk premium and stock return volatility. The numerical results from my calibrated model also show that noisy information can significantly increase the risk premium and stock return volatility. My finding implies that the presence of noisy information may help explain the large average risk premium and return volatility in the U.S. financial market. In addition, my finding suggests it is optimal for firms to disclose to investors more precise information to reduce the cost of equity capital.
Application of Hyperspectral Imaging in Food Safety Inspection and Control: A Review

Food safety is a great public concern, and outbreaks of food-borne illnesses can lead to disturbance to the society. Consequently, fast and nondestructive methods are required for sensing the safety situation of produce. As an emerging technology, hyperspectral imaging has been successfully employed in food safety inspection and control. After presenting the fundamentals of hyperspectral imaging, this paper provides a comprehensive review on its application in determination of physical, chemical, and biological contamination on food products. Additionally, other studies, including detecting meat and meat bone in feedstuffs as well as organic residue on food processing equipment, are also reported due to their close relationship with food safety control. With these applications, it can be demonstrated that miscellaneous hyperspectral imaging techniques including near-infrared hyperspectral imaging, fluorescence hyperspectral imaging, and Raman hyperspectral imaging or their combinations are powerful tools for food safety surveillance. Moreover, it is envisaged that hyperspectral imaging can be considered as an alternative technique for conventional methods in realizing inspection automation, leading to the elimination of the occurrence of food safety problems at the utmost.
Day- and night-time blood pressure elevation in children with higher grades of renal scarring.

OBJECTIVE We used 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure measurement (ABPM) to screen for early changes in children with renal scarring compared with healthy controls, and we investigated correlations between the extent of renal damage and blood pressure (BP). Study design Untreated patients (n = 61) with renal scars associated with recurrent urinary tract infection and vesico-ureteric reflux were investigated and compared with 904 healthy controls. RESULTS A significant positive correlation between the extent of renal scarring and systolic and diastolic BP standard deviation score (SDS) was found by using ABPM. Mean systolic day-time BP SDS in ABPM was significantly elevated in girls with renal scars compared with healthy controls, but failed to be significant in boys. Mean systolic and diastolic night-time BP SDS were significantly elevated in patients. Compatible with these results, diastolic dipping was significantly lower in patients compared with controls. CONCLUSIONS The increase in BP obtained by ABPM is positively correlated with the degree of scarring in our group of patients. Elevated night-time BP might be the most sensitive indicator of BP elevation in these children.
Estimating Expected Return

If we want to estimate expected return on individual securities or on a portfolio, we need theory. Estimates based on past data are inaccurate, partly because of the many ways in which people can "mine" past data. "Explaining average return" is like explaining variance but does little to help us estimate expected return. Theory can help, though, by telling us how factors are priced and why factors and securities are mispriced.
Impact of Corporate Social Responsibility on Profitability of Nigeria Banks

Bank expects to be involve and promote sustainable development through corporate social responsibility through which the organisation will behave ethically, contribute positively to the welfare of stakeholders, and improve the quality of life of the local community and society at large. This study is an empirical investigation of corporate social responsibility and profitability of Nigerian banks. To achieve the objectives of this study, data were collected from annual reports of sampled six banks, for the period of 10 years (2003–2012). Simple regression analysis was employed as a statistical technique to analyse data collected using STATA 11. The regression results revealed that there is a significant relationship between expenditure on corporate social responsibility and profitability of Nigerian Banks. The study concludes that Nigerian banks recognized the importance of corporate social responsibility for sustainable development and they are performing their obligation to the society. But little amount were spent on social responsibility, if compared with profit generated by the banks. The study recommends that government need to enact a law that will fix minimum percentage out of profit of organisation that will be spent on corporate social responsibility.
A Model of Private Bank-Note Issue

A random-matching model (of money) is formulated in which there is complete public knowledge of the trading histories of a subset of the population, called the banking sector, and no public knowledge of the trading histories of the complement of that subset, called the non bank sector. Each person, whether a banker or a non banker, is assumed to have the technological capability to create indivisible, distinct, and durable objects called notes. If outside money is indivisible and sufficiently scarce, then an optimal mechanism is shown to have note issue and note redemption (destruction) by members of the banking sector. (Copyright: Elsevier)
HOURLY SHARE PRICE RESPONSE TO THE RELEASE OF PRELIMINARY ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORTS: SOME UK EVIDENCE☆☆☆

This paper examines the response of hourly share prices to the release of preliminary annual financial reports in the UK. The paper also examines the interaction effects of the joint announcement of annual earnings and dividend information. The results of the study indicate that significant price response to the release of annual reports occur in the hour in which the report is released. The results of the study do not support interaction effects between preliminary annual earnings and dividend information.
Do social networks bridge political divides? The analysis of VKontakte social network communication in Ukraine

New electronic forms of political communication have become increasingly popular in countries with weak democratic institutions. The effectiveness of these new forms of association in altering political behavior, however, remains uncertain even in developed democratic regimes. This paper investigates connections between regional variation in electoral behavior and regional distribution of electronic social networks in the case of Ukraine's polarized and institutionally unstable democracy. Our analysis of online networks shows that, somewhat contrary to conventional wisdom, electronic communication does not bridge political divides. This finding casts doubt on the effectiveness of online forms of political communication as a source of behavioral change.
Resource productivity and efficiency among cassava farmers in Rivers State, Nigeria.

In this study, resource productivity and efficiency of cassava farmers in Rivers State were determined. Cross- sectional data generated from 200 cassava farmers randomly selected from ten out of the fifteen upland Local Government Areas were used. Multiple regression analysis was used in analyzing the data. Results of data analysis showed that farmland and capital inputs were more productive. The results further showed that the farmers allocatively inefficient in the use resource inputs. It is therefore recommended that policies and programmes geared towards making more lands available be put in place. Credit facilities should also be extended to these cassava farmers to enable them purchase improved planting materials and hire more farm hands. Key words: Resource efficiency,productivity,cassava,farmers
Integrating Sustainability and Green Building into the Appraisal Process

Sustainability's key concepts and impacts on real estate valuation have been largely sidestepped to date. Sustainability and green building require the appraiser to recognize the influence of a new market force (sustainability) and understand a new set of property characteristics (green features). These elements are market-specific and change rapidly. This article discusses sustainability and its relevance in real estate valuation. In addition, green building criteria are offered so that green features can be analyzed. The concept of sustainability and the relative "greenness" of a property are then brought together into a three-step Sustainability Valuation Model that can be used to guide the appraiser in valuing real property—green and brown—now and as market conditions with respect to sustainability change.
An empirical analysis of career choice factors that influence first‐year Accounting students at the University of Pretoria: A cross‐racial study

This cross‐cultural study examined the career choices of Asian, black and white students at the University of Pretoria to identify the factors motivating Accountancy students to become chartered accountants (CAs), as only 2.5 per cent (609) of 24 308 registered CAs in South Africa in 2005 were black, and only 6 per cent (1573) were Indian. Understanding the attitudes and the perceptions of CA first‐year students (identifying key career choice factors) can help course administrators/curriculum designers (the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA) and the Public Accountants and Auditors’ Board (PAAB)) to align marketing and recruiting strategies with specific personal occupational preferences of different racial groups enrolled for local CA courses. Factors such as decision time‐frame of career choice, socio‐economic background, students’ perceptions of the benefits/constraints of the CA profession, and other jobrelated factors, were analysed. Students attributed their career choice to their school Accounting performance. Most chose this career in Grades 8 to 11. All three groups like the availability of employment as a CA. Constraints were the cost of qualifying (according to black students), and the difficulty of qualifying (Asian and white students).
Drawing women into prenatal care.

Participation in prenatal care services in the United States is low relative to that in many other developed countries, and rates of use are declining among some high risk groups. In 1986, 18 percent of all U.S. infants were born to women who delayed care until the second trimester of pregnancy; four percent, to women who initiated care in the third trimester; and about two percent, to women who obtained no prenatal care at all. Among the major barriers to prenatal care are inadequate insurance coverage, limitations in the Medicaid program, inadequate capacity in the maternity care system, lack of coordination between health and social services for low-income women and inhospitable conditions at some sites where prenatal care is delivered. The personal beliefs, knowledge, attitudes, fears and lifestyles of some pregnant women also constitute obstacles to care. For example, having an unwanted pregnancy, attaching little value to prenatal care and having a tenuous connection to the health care system in general are important predictors of insufficient care. Encouraging universal participation in prenatal care will require a major overhaul of the maternity care system. However, while consensus for fundamental reform builds, several immediate steps should be taken--such as reducing financial barriers to care; expanding the capacity of the maternity care system; improving the policies and practices that shape prenatal services at the site where they are delivered; and increasing public information.
Simulation Evidence on Long Memory and Regime Switching in the Second Moment for Modelling of Financial Returns

It is well-known that long memory and regime switching in the first moment of a stochastic process are easily confused. But the relation between long memory in the second moment and regime switching in the second moment is less well understood. We perform a simulation study in which we assess the possibility to distinguish the two properties in the case that data with long memory in the second moment is generated as a FIGARCH(0,d,0)-process, and when regime switching is modelled by HMM with switching variance. Those model specifications are common in the modelling of financial returns, and conform to several well-known stylised facts of financial data. The simulation study lends evidence to the risk of confusing long memory and regime switching in the case studied.
Correction of thiazide-induced hypomagnesemia by potassium-magnesium citrate from review of prior trials.

PURPOSE To ascertain whether hypomagnesemia develops during short-term thiazide treatment in normal subjects and if it can be corrected by potassium-magnesium citrate (Relyte) supplementation. METHODS Serum magnesium data were retrieved from 242 normal subjects from prior 4 trials. After 1-3 weeks of treatment with hydrochlorothiazide 50 mg/day, subjects received supplementation with Relyte or a related compound while continuing on thiazide for 3 weeks. RESULTS Hypomagnesemia (< or =1.8 mg/dl) was disclosed in 19.4% of 242 subjects on thiazide alone. In such patients, Relyte treatment significantly increased serum magnesium concentration to the normal range, whereas supplementation with potassium citrate or potassium chloride did not. In the Relyte group comprised of 131 subjects, the frequency of hypomagnesemia decreased from 22.9% on thiazide alone to 4.6% after 4 weeks of Relyte supplementation. In contrast, the frequency of hypomagnesemia displayed a non-significant increase from 15.7% on thiazide alone to 20-24% on potassium citrate or potassium chloride. CONCLUSION Mild hypomagnesemia develops in about one fifth of normal subjects during short-term thiazide treatment. Relyte can readily correct it.
Chronic Kidney Disease: A Public Health Problem That Needs a Public Health Action Plan

For a health problem or condition to be considered a public health issue, four criteria must be met: 1) the health condition must place a large burden on society, a burden that is getting larger despite existing control efforts; 2) the burden must be distributed unfairly (i.e., certain segments of the population are unequally affected); 3) there must be evidence that upstream preventive strategies could substantially reduce the burden of the condition; and 4) such preventive strategies are not yet in place. Chronic kidney disease meets these criteria for a public health issue. Therefore, as a complement to clinical approaches to controlling it, a broad and coordinated public health approach will be necessary to meet the burgeoning health, economic, and societal challenges of chronic kidney disease.