Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Confirmatory Factor and Invariance Analyses of the Motivation to Control Prejudiced Reactions Scale

The present research further examines the psychometric properties of the Motivation to Control Prejudiced Reactions Scale (MCPRS). Particular attention is paid to the replicability of its factor structure and its factorial equivalence across samples of university students from Western Canada (n = 235), Eastern Canada (n = 556) and the mid-Western United States of America (n = 404). Confirmatory factor analysis and invariance analysis were carried out using the Analysis of Moment Structures (AMOS) 7.0. Results showed that while the two-factor structure of the MCPRS was replicated across samples, the original model required refinement to produce acceptable model fit (i.e., each sample had a slightly different model). Partial measurement invariance also was demonstrated for a subset of items on the MCPRS. The implications of the results, in terms of future use of the MCPRS are discussed, and limitations of the current study are outlined.
A price theory of vertical and lateral integration under two-sided productivity heterogeneity

We analyze the interplay between product market prices and firm boundary decisions. Heterogeneous supplier units are matched to form enterprises. Each enterprise can choose between two ownership structures – centralized ownership (integration) performs well in coordinating managerial actions but ignores private benefits; dispersed ownership (non-integration), on the other hand, overvalues private benefits but is conducive to poor coordination. A more productive unit on one side of the supplier market matches with a more productive unit on the other side following a positive assortative matching pattern. The equilibrium ownership structure is monotone, i.e., high productivity suppliers integrate while the low productivity ones stay separate. Price can be positively or negatively associated with the incidence of integration in the market, depending on how a price change affects the endogenously determined distribution of surplus. When a higher price induces less integration in the market, the industry supply may be backward-bending. Our model delivers new empirical and policy implications.
RELATIVE ECONOMIC EFFICIENCY OF FARMS IN RICE PRODUCTION: A PROFIT FUNCTION APPROACH IN NORTH CENTRAL NIGERIA

The study examines the relative economic efficiency of small and large rice farms in central, Nigeria. Previous studies of such were based on production functions which have been criticized due to the associated simultaneous equation bias because the input levels are endogenous. However, the profit function approach avoids these problems. Data related to input and output prices, production factors and socio-economic characteristics were collected from 143 rice farmers in Niger state, Nigeria. Analytical tools included descriptive statistics and seemingly unrelated regression (SURE). A striking result is that no female was found among the large farmers. Coefficient of seed, fertilizer, capital and sex of respondent which were not significant in OLS, were found significant in the profit function. The use of modern rice varieties significantly increases profits. Significant difference in economic efficiency between small and large farms was also discovered. To improve technical efficiency of rice farms, an accelerated program to provide modern rice varieties, fertilizer and land availability is needed. This paper provides empirical support to eliminate bias distribution of production inputs to large rice farms.
Modeling of the Master Laser Oscillator Phase Noise for the European XFEL using Fractional Order Systems

Abstract The European X-ray Free-Electron Laser will generate high energy light pulses in the femto-second range. A clock signal, which synchronizes all components, is distributed via laser pulses. The accuracy of these laser pulses is crucial to achieve precise measurements which are needed to control the Free-Electron Laser. In order to reach the maximum performance, advanced model-based control approaches are used to compensate external influences. This paper shows the modeling of the Master Laser Oscillator by fractional order systems, which improve known approaches to system modeling by providing a higher accuracy.
Covariance structure analysis of innovation and ICT use among Japanese innovative SMEs

One of the common features of innovative SMEs identified from our previous surveys and in-depth interviews is innovation capability accumulated inside the firm, which enables them to create new products which meet customer needs and to cooperate with the other firms. The factors that SMEs achieve innovation are complex, and the causal relationships between factors have not been sufficiently clarified yet. This paper attempts to clarify the innovation process using covariance structure analysis, in particular focusing on the role ICT. Seven hypotheses are demonstrated by two models. The results obtained are as follows: (i) top management's participation and employee's motivation in the innovation process promote the effect of introducing ICT; (ii) this effect of ICT use raises innovation capability; in particular ability to connect external linkages; (iii) ICT use, innovation capability and external linkages enhance innovation activity; and (iv) effect of ICT use and innovation capability promote innovation directly. Thus this paper identifies that the effect of introducing ICT promotes innovation, and it is indispensable for innovation in Japanese SMEs.
Climate change, irrigation and agricultural activities in Mexico: A Ricardian analysis with panel data

This article analyzes the potential impacts of climate change on agriculture in Mexico using a Ricardian model with panel data. The analysis uses economic data from 2,431 municipalities for the period 2003 to 2009. The study distinguishes between irrigated, rainfed and mixed farms and includes extreme weather events as an additional variable. The results indicate that irrigated farms are more vulnerable to temperature variations, while rainfed farms are more vulnerable to precipitation changes and extreme weather events. The projected impact in net revenue per hectare, considering a temperature rise of 2.5°C and a 10% reduction in precipitation, are between -18.6 and -36.4% of net revenue considering all type of farms. This climate scenario predicts average losses of net revenue ranging from, 26 to 55%; 14 to 25% and 27 to 37% for irrigated, rainfed and mixed municipalities, respectively. Key words: Climate change, agriculture, Latin America, Ricardian model, panel data.
LONGITUDINAL PENALIZED FUNCTIONAL REGRESSION

We propose a new regression model and inferential tools for the case when both the outcome and the functional exposures are observed at multiple visits. This data structure is new but increasingly present in applications where functions or images are recorded at multiple times. This raises new inferential challenges that cannot be addressed with current methods and software. Our proposed model generalizes the Generalized Linear Mixed Effects Model (GLMM) by adding functional predictors. Smoothness of the functional coefficients is ensured using roughness penalties estimated by Restricted Maximum Likelihood (REML) in a corresponding mixed effects model. This method is computationally feasible and is applicable when the functional predictors are measured densely, sparsely or with error; code implementing the proposed procedure is freely available. Methods are applied to a longitudinal diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) study relating changes in the microstructure of intracranial white matter tracts to cognitive disability in multiple sclerosis patients, but we note that the discussed data structure is increasingly common and our methods apply generally. An online appendix compares two implementations, one likelihood-based and the other Bayesian, and provides the software used in simulations.
REVISTA VERDE DE AGROECOLOGIA E DESENVOLVIMENTO SUSTENTÁVEL GRUPO VERDE DE AGRICULTURA ALTERNATIVA (GVAA)

Aiming to evaluate the agronomic characteristics of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.), curly type, was performed an experiment in the greenhouse of the experimental area of the garden, of the Department of Plant Sciences, Rural Federal University of Semi-Arid (UFERSA), state of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. It was used a complete randomized design with seven treatments and four repetitions, totaling 28 experimental units. The treatments were constituted by: T1 (no fertilizer), T2 (22,8g dry jitirana in coverage), T3 (45,6g of dry jitirana coverage) and T4 (68,4g of dry jitirana in coverage), T5 (91,2g dry jitirana in coverage), T6 (114,0g of dry jitirana in coverage) and T7 (456g of cattle manure). The harvest happened 35 days after the transplanting, it’s been evaluated the characteristics: plant high, number of leaves, the mass of the fresh and dry matter per vase. The increasing of the shoot part and the increasing of fresh matter in the leaves of the plants were statistically superior to control and the regression indicates the possibility of utilization of these doses of jitirana.
Effect of Income Inequality on Demand for Grain Import in Iran

Among the food products, grains play an important role in the consumption patterns of people, especially in the developing countries. Since Iran's main source of public dietary energy comes directly from grains, investigating and identifying the determinants of import of these products can be an important step towards food security. Most experimental studies consider import of grains as only a function of relative prices and real income, whereas, income inequality is also a variable affecting the import of grains. The present study evaluates the effect of income inequality on the import of grains in Iran's economy during the years 1969-2009. For this purpose, the relationship of grain import with gross domestic production (GDP), grain production, real exchange rate, and income inequality was evaluated for Iran by using the Vector Error Correction Model (VECM). The results indicate that the relationship between income inequality and grain import is positive and its coefficient is +0.55%. This implies that 1% increase in income inequality increases grain import by 0.55%. Also, the effect of gross domestic production on grains import is positive and the real exchange rate and grains production variables have a negative and significant effect on grains import.
Trace elemental fingerprinting of gastropod statoliths to study larval dispersal trajectories

Larval statoliths of the temperate neogastropod Concholepas concholepas (Bruguiere, 1789) appear to have great utility for reconstructing larval dispersal history. Hatch- ing marks on the statoliths seem to demarcate the natal core of recent recruits. Analysis of individual larval statoliths by laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) indicates detectable levels of multiple trace ele- ments. Differences in Ba/Ca, Zn/Ca, and Pb/Ca in the larval core of C. concholepas statoliths from 3 geographically sepa- rated sites in Chile suggest these mineralized hard parts could function as natural tags of natal origin and hence be useful in ecological studies of larval dispersal pathways.
Vegetative Growth Yield and Yield Components of Eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) as Influenced by Irrigation Intervals and Nitrogen Levels@@@تأثير فترات الريّ، ومستويات التسميد النيتروجيني على صفات النمو، والمحصول، ومكوناته في الباذنجان

Two years field experiments were conducted, during the seasons of 2005 and 2006, to study the effects of four irrigation intervals (2, 4, 6 and 8 days) and four nitrogen fertilizer rates (0, 100, 200 and 300kg N ha -1 ), and their interactions on the vegetative growth, yield and its components traits of eggplant (Black Beauty cv.). Each of the used irrigation intervals, nitrogen levels, and their interactions reflected significant differences among the mean values of all studied vegetative growth, yield and its components traits of eggplant, in both seasons. The results of the main effect of irrigation intervals reflected that applying irrigation water every two days gave the highest mean values of the most studied vegetative growth, yield and yield components traits, in the two seasons. Also, application nitrogen fertilizer at the rate of 300kg N ha -1 gave the highest mean values of the most studied vegetative growth, yield and its components traits, in the two seasons. The optimum interactive treatment was the combination between applications of irrigation every two days combined with application of nitrogen fertilizer at 300kg N ha -1 , in both seasons. Since, this combination treatment gave the highest mean values of all studied traits especially leaf area (46731.27cm 2 ), number of fruits /plant (26.24), fruits weight / plant (2.25kg) in 2005 season and 441708.94cm 2 , 55.68 and 1.986kg in 2006 for the previous traits respectively.
The Use of Tourism Demand Models in the Estimation of the Impact of Climate Change on Tourism

With the increasing interest in evaluating the consequences of climate change on tourism, part of the literature on tourism demand modelling has tried to integrate climate and weather factors into the estimation of tourism demand models. This study analyses how the effects of climate change on tourism flows have been evaluated using these models by discussing the theoretical background behind each one of the three perspectives considered in the literature: time series, choice models and aggregated models. Despite the differences in methodological considerations, results suggest a similar map on major affected destinations.
Evaluation of Dopamine Receptor Integrity after Sevofl urane Exposure in Neonatal Rat Brain Using Positron Emission Tomography

Aims: The volatile general anesthetic sevofl urane is commonly used across all ages in the clinic. Sevofl urane-induced neurotoxic effects on the developing dopaminergic system are still unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the integrity of the D2/D3 receptor in developing rat brain utilizing molecular imaging techniques.
Delineation and geographic information system (GIS) mapping of soil nutrient status of sugarcane growing tracts of Theni district, Tamil Nadu

A global positioning system (GPS) based soil survey was conducted during September 2011 in the sugarcane dominant tracts of Theni district, Tamil Nadu to map the soil fertility status using GIS software and link with different cane yield potentials. The soil samples were taken from 400 spatially distributed locations from a depth of 0 to 30 cm and analyzed for texture, pH, EC, organic carbon, available nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and micronutrients viz., Fe, Mn, Zn and Cu. The ‘Asis’ survey data regarding fertilizer management practices, adoption of new technologies, irrigation practices and other crop production techniques were also collected from the farmers. The interpolated maps for the status of macro and micronutrients show a clear deficiency of available Nitrogen in 96% of the soil samples of the cane growing areas and DTPA – extractable Zn deficiency in almost 60% of the regions surveyed. However, the available phosphorus and potassium contents were reported to be moderate to high in 90% of the samples indicating the possibility to reduce the P & K fertilizer application to sugarcane in this tract of Tamil Nadu. Majority of the soils were sandy loam to sandy clay loam in texture and reported to have low organic carbon context (<0.5%). The outcome of this study has provided an insight into the unbalanced fertilization practices adopted in some of the cane dominant tracts of this district and the need to evolve a GIS based balanced fertilization model through the conduct of field experiments with graded levels of fertilizer doses and Institute (TNAU) – Industry (RSCL) recommended packages. Key words: Geographic information system (GIS) database, sugarcane, Tamil Nadu, nutrient management.
Characterisation of a novel interaction between Influenza A Virus protein M 2 and human PP 4 R 3 α / SMEK 1 protein

5 CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 6 1.1 INFLUENZA A VIRUS 7 1.1.1 EPIDEMIOLOGY 7 1.1.2 STRUCTURE/GENOME 7 1.1. 3 LIFE CYCLE 8 1.1. 3.1 ENTRY INTO HOST CELL 8 1.1. 3.2 ACIDIFICATION IN ENDOCYTOSIS AND ENTRY INTO HOST NUCLEUS, 9 1.1. 3.3 TRANSCRIPTION AND REPLICATION 9 1.1. 3.4 EXPORT FROM THE NUCLEUS 10 1.1. 3.5 ASSEMBLY AND BUDDING 10 1.1.4 PROTON CHANNEL VIRAL PROTEIN M2 12 1.1. 5 IMMUNOLOGICAL ANTI-VIRAL RESPONSE 14 1.1. 5.1 INITIATION OF RESPONSE 14 1.1. 5.1.1 TYPE 1 INTERFERONS (IFN-1) 14 1.2. PROTEIN PHOSPHATASES 15 1.2.1 HUMAN PP4 15 1.2.1.1 THE PP4 COMPLEX 15 1.2.1.2 PP4R1 FUNCTION 19 1.2.1.4 PP4R3Α AND PP4R3Β FUNCTION 19 1.2.2 SMEK1 GENE AND PROTEIN STRUCTURE 21 1.2. 3 SMEK1 FUNCTIONS 21 1.2. 3.1 CELL CYCLE 21 1.2. 3.2 DEVELOPMENT 22 1.2. 3.3 DNA REPAIR 22 1.2. 3.4 APOPTOSIS 22 1.2. 4 OTHER PPPS 23 1.2. 4.1 PP1 23 1.2. 4.2 PP2A 23 1.2. 5 BACKGROUND TO THIS RESEARCH 23 1.2. 6 HYPOTHESIS AND AIMS 23 1.2. 6.1 HYPOTHESIS 23 1.2. 6.2 AIMS 24 CHAPTER 2: MATERIALS AND METHOD 25 2.1 YEAST TWO-HYBRID SCREENING 26 2.2 IN SILICO ANALYSIS 26 2.2.1 ALIGNMENT OF CDNA SEQUENCES 26 2.2.2 TRANSLATION OF CDNA INTO PROTEIN SEQUENCE 26 2.2. 3 PROTEIN SEQUENCE ALIGNMENTS 27
Palm Kernel Shell as Partial Replacement for Normal Weight Aggregate in Concrete

Palm Kernel Shells (PKS) are fractions of shells that result from the cracking of the nut to remove the seed for the production of palm kernel oil. They are of irregular shapes and vary in sizes from fine aggregate to coarse aggregate. The aim of this research was to determine the effect of PKS on Normal Weight Concrete (NWC) as partial replacement of normal weight aggregate (NWA). Effects of PKS on NWC considered were in terms of workability, density, compressive strength, splitting tensile strength, and the water absorption of the concrete. Batching was by volume since PKS was characterized as a light weight material, and substitutions were made at 0%, 25%, and 50%. The mix ratio adopted was 1:2:3 for cement, fine aggregate, and coarse aggregate with a constant free water to cement ratio (w/c) of 0.58. Curing method was by immersion and effect on the mechanical properties (compressive and tensile strengths) were determined at 7 and 28 days of curing. It was observed that the compressive, tensile strength, workability, and concrete density reduce as PKS content is increased in the mix. On the other hand, water absorption increases with increased in PKS content. However, results were in acceptable range for normal concrete. Keywords: Palm kernel shells, normal weight concrete, normal weight aggregate
PHENYTOIN AND THE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM

In order to evaluate the effects of phenytoin on the reproductive system of rats in detail, 60 male rats were divided equally into 6 groups: 1-5 received 10 mg/kg/day phenytoin IP for 1,2,3,4 and 5 weeks, respectively. However, group 5 did not receive any phenytoin for the last 5th week. The control group (group 6) did not receive any treatment. The results revealed that phenytoin does not have any effect on body weight, weight of testes, seminal vesicle and prostate, serum testosterone and sperm count taken from left and right vas deferenses. However, the percentage of total motile sperm and sperm with full and sluggish motility decreased and the percentage of low motile sperm increased in all experimental groups. Nevertheless, phenytoin caused atrophy and hypoplasia in seminiferous tubules and not Leydig cells. These pathological changes were dose-dependent and more pronounced in the left testis. But phenytoin caused more changes in sperm count and motility of the right testis. This phenomenon was discussed in relation to the existence of asymmetrical control by the hypothalamus, and com­ pensation of the left testis. In summary, it could be concluded that phenytoin affected the seminiferous tubules directly and decreased the total number of mo­ tile sperm. It was also discussed that these effects are not reversible after termina­ tion of injection. MJIRI, Vol. 16, No.1, 35-40, 2002.
Impact of aerosols on ice crystal size

The interactions between aerosols and ice clouds represent one of the largest uncertainties in global radiative forcing from pre-industrial time to the present. In particular, the impact of aerosols on ice crystal effective radius (Rei), which is a key parameter determining ice clouds’ net radiative effect, is highly uncertain due to limited and conflicting observational evidence. Here we investigate the effects of aerosols on Rei under different meteorological conditions using 9-year satellite observations. We find that the responses of Rei to aerosol loadings are modulated by water vapor amount in conjunction with several other meteorological parameters. While there is a significant negative correlation between Rei and aerosol loading in moist conditions, consistent with the “Twomey effect” for liquid clouds, a strong positive correlation between the two occurs in dry conditions. Simulations based on a cloud parcel model suggest that water vapor modulates the relative importance of different ice nucleation modes, leading to the opposite aerosol impacts between moist and dry conditions. When ice clouds are decomposed into those generated from deep convection and formed in situ, the water vapor modulation remains in effect for both ice cloud types, although the sensitivities of Rei to aerosols differ noticeably between them due to distinct formation mechanisms. The water vapor modulation can largely explain the difference in the responses of Rei to aerosol loadings in various seasons. A proper representation of the water vapor modulation is essential for an accurate estimate of aerosol-cloud radiative forcing produced by ice clouds.