Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Economic efficiency measures and its determinants for irrigated wheat farms in Tunisia: a DEA approach

francaisL'objectif de cet article est double. Dans un premier temps, les scores d'efficacite technique, allocative et economique d'un echantillon de 170 exploitations cerealieres de la region de Chebika (Centre de la Tunisie) ont ete estimes moyennant l'approche « Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) ». Dans un deuxieme temps, les scores d'efficacite obtenus ont ete regresses sur des variables explicatives par le biais d'un modele Tobit afin d'identifier ses determinants. Les resultats du modele DEA indiquent que les moyennes de l'efficacite technique, allocative et economique, sous rendements d'echelle constant (CRS), sont 70.7%, 85.1% et 59.7%, respectivement. Ces resultats montrent l'existence d'un manque a gagner sous forme de reduction du cout de production des exploitations de l'ordre de 39.3% en eliminant les differentes formes d'inefficacite. Les niveaux de l'inefficacite technique pure, d'echelle et allocative representent respectivement 32,3 %, 34,1% et 33,6 % du potentiel de reduction du cout. Les resultats empiriques du modele Tobit montrent un effet positif du choix varietal, du nombre de sources d'irrigation, d'appartenance au Groupement de Developpement agricole, de l'irrigation d'appoint et de la taille de l'exploitation sur l'efficacite economique. Ceci suggere l'existence d'un potentiel d'amelioration de l'efficacite moyennant l'intensification des services de vulgarisation, la lutte contre le morcellement et le renforcement des groupements de developpement agricole. EnglishThe objectives of this study are twofold. Firstly, we aim to measure the technical, scale and economic efficiencies for a sample of 170 cereal farmers in Chebika region (Central Tunisia) using Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) method. Secondly, computed efficiency scores are regressed on explanatory variables using a Tobit model, in order to identify its determinants. Results of the DEA model show that average technical, allocative and economic efficiencies under constant returns to scale (CRS) are 70.7%, 85.1% and 59.7%, respectively. By operating at full economic efficiency levels, the sampled farms would be able to reduce their costs of wheat production with around 39.3%. Pure technical efficiency, scale and allocative efficiency levels account respectively for 32.3 %, 34.1% and 33.6 % of the total cost reductions. Results of the Tobit regression indicate the positive effect, on economic efficiency, of variety choices, source of irrigation, membership in water users association, irrigation management and farm size. This suggests that there is potential to improve production efficiency through developing and implementing targeted programs for inefficient farmers, intensification of specific and targeted extension services, and encouragement of farmers' membership to association.
Do influential contacts help in receiving fair treatment from public officials?

Using data provided by the International Social Survey Programme (ISSP) module Role of Government IV, we empirically investigate the micro-foundations of citizens' perceptions of public officials' fairness. Our results support the idea that (perceived) fairness of public officials is associated with a number of citizens' characteristics. In greater detail, we find evidence that receiving fair treatment from public officials is positively and significantly correlated to having connections with influential people.
Modernization routes and relations between political and administrative spheres in Switzerland

On the basis of three case studies, the authors attempt to identify changes in relationships between politicians and senior civil servants. Reforms inspired by ‘New Public Management’ (NPM) have been implemented with the aim of creating a clearer separation between strategic activities entrusted to politicians, and the operational or managerial tasks generally under the remit of senior civil servants. By analysing the reforms implemented in three Swiss cantons, the article tests the hypothesis of strategic contingency of political-administrative relations, in particular in view of the different modernization routes selected in each of the three cantons. Obtained using both quantitative and qualitative survey techniques, the empirical results allow us to cast strong doubt on the emergence of greater distance between politicians and the civil service. While our results indicate elements of strategic contingency, no empirical factor allows us to identify greater separation between political and administrative spheres as a result of the reforms. In contrast, politicians and senior civil servants still freely admit their very high level of interdependence in designing, deciding and implementing public policies. Other explanations must therefore be put forward to explain this lack of distinction in the results, in particular institutional aspects. Points for practitioners This article shows that senior civil servants must be regarded as key players in the definition and implementation of public policies. Admittedly, administrative reform strategies influence relations between political and administrative spheres and contribute towards the development of new dynamics. However, the results of the research presented in this article clearly show that, from a public management point of view, it is hardly reasonable to attempt at all costs to separate these two spheres which are in fact complementary.
Natural distribution of 5 bacteria associated with periodontal disease.

The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence and distribution of 5 bacterial pathogens in subgingival plaque, their relationship with each other and probing depth. Plaque was collected from 6905 sites in 938 subjects. A bacterial concentration fluorescence immunoassay and bacterial specific monoclonal antibodies were used to determine the presence and level of P. gingivalis (Pg), A. actinomycetemcomitans (Aa), P. intermedia (Pi), E. corrodens (Ec) and F. nucleatum (Fn) in each plaque sample. The prevalence in subjects was lowest for Pg (32%) and highest for Ec (49%). The site-based frequency distribution of these bacterial species ranged from 10.3% for Pg to 18.7% for Ec. Pi and Ec were the bacterial combination most often found together in a subject (27.2%). While 64.0% of the sites were without any of the 5 bacterial species evaluated, 20.2% had only 1 of the 5 bacterial species evaluated. The remaining 15.8% of sites had at least 2 bacteria species present. There was a general linear association of the detection level of bacterial species and probing depth. The odds ratios were 3.9 (Pg), 3.0 (Aa), 4.0 (Pi), 2.7 (Ec) and 2.8 (Fn) of finding high levels of these bacterial pathogens at > 5 mm probing depth (p < or = 0.01). Mean probing depth at molar sites without a specific bacteria was greater (p < or = 0.01) in subjects with a specific bacterium compared to molar sites in subjects without the bacteria. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Job Matching and the Theory of Turnover

A long-run equilibrium theory of turnover is presented and is shown to explain the important regularities that have been observed by empirical investigators. A worker's productivity in a particular job is not known ex ante and becomes known more precisely as the worker's job tenure increases. Turnover is generated by the existence of a nondegenerate distribution of the worker's productivity across different. The nondegeneracy is caused by the assumed variation in the quality of the worker-employer match.
Vaccination against bovine brucellosis.

Four experiments are summarized. Initially an attempt was made to modify strain 19 calfhood vaccination so as to eliminate the persistent serological reactions which interfere with eradication programmes. Later the project broadened into a search for an effective method of vaccination that could be applied when required, to all ages of cattle, thus allowing calfhood vaccination to be safely stopped. In the first experiment, reducing the age at vaccination with strain 19 to 1 month practically eliminated the serological response to vaccination, but the resulting immunity was not satisfactory. However, vaccination at 1 month followed by a booster consisting of a reduced dose of strain 19, given conjunctivally 1 year later, stimulated an immunity at least equal to that given by conventional calfhood vaccination. The vaccination of pregnant cows with either of 2 reduced dose levels of strain 19 gave better immunity than calfhood vaccination with the full dose. Uterine strain 19 infections were unacceptably frequent in cows given 6 X 10(9) c.f. u. of strain 19 in early pregnancy, but no such infections were found in 9 cows given 3 X 10(8) c.f. u. Vaccinal antibody titres declined rapidly in the latter group. Vaccination of mature, non-pregnant heifers with 3 X 10(8) c.f. u. of strain 19 produced immunity at least as good as that produced by calfhood vaccination, with a serological response greatly reduced in the majority of cattle. However, a small proportion of vaccination cattle developed high titres persisting for at least 7 months. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Stock Market Development and Economic Growth

Problem statement: This study investigated the causal relationship bet ween stock market development and economic growth for France for the period 1965-2007 using a Vector Error Correction Model (VECM). Questions were raised whether stock market development causes economic growth or reversely taking into account th e negative effect of interest rate. Stock market development is estimated by the general stock marke t index. The objective of this study was to examine the causal relationships between these vari ables using Granger causality tests based on a Vector Error Correction Model (VECM). Approach: To achieve this objective unit root tests were carried out for all time series data in their level s and their first differences. Johansen co-integrat ion analysis was applied to examine whether the variabl es are co-integrated of the same order taking into account the maximum eigenvalues and trace statistic s tests. A vector error correction model was selected to investigate the long-run relationship b etween stock market development and economic growth. Finally, Granger causality test was applied in order to find the direction of causality between the examined variables of the estimated mod el. Results: A short-run increase economic growth of per 1% leaded to an increase of stock mar ket index per 0.24% in France, while an increase of interest rate per 1% leaded to a decrea se of stock market index per 0.64% in France. The estimated coefficient of error correction term found statistically significant with a negative sign, which confirmed that there was not any proble m in the long-run equilibrium between the examined variables. The results of Granger causalit y tests indicated that economic growth causes stock market development in France. Conclusion: Therefore, it can be inferred that economic growth has a positive effect on stock market develo pment, while interest rate has a negative effect on stock market development in France.
Why do they go? Empirical evidence of employees' motives for seeking or accepting relocation

This study addresses one of the shortcomings apparent in previous research on expatriate job-transfers, namely the lack of exploratory, empirical groundwork into the motives of expatriates to seek or accept international assignments. The relocatee population of a large German MNC was surveyed for their motives to seek or accept their transfer, using an open-response format. Responses were content analysed in order to arrive at an empirically grounded set of motives. The findings provide a very detailed picture of employees' motives to seek or accept international assignments and thus an important interim result that, when used as input in subsequent investigations, promises highly relevant results due to established content validity.
Influence of aggregate structure on suspension yield stress: A numerical study

This study theoretically examined the effect of aggregate structure on the suspension yield stress. The aggregation process of colloidal particles was simulated using the discrete element model (DEM) combined with the well-known DLVO theory. The predicted aggregate structural characteristics, namely the coordination number, and inter-particle forces were then used in a modified version of the Flatt and Brown mechanistic model [J. Am. Ceram. Soc. 89 (2006) 1244-1256] to calculate the corresponding suspension yield stress. The effect of key parameters such as solid volume fraction, suspension pH and ionic strength on the aggregate structure and hence the yield stress of the suspension was investigated. The results showed that the yield stress increased significantly under conditions that were favourable for formation of complex net-like aggregate structures, such as high solid volume fractions, pH values near the iso-electric point, and high ionic strengths. The suspension yield stress exhibited a power law dependency on the solid volume fraction. The interconnected network structure developed at high solid volume fractions was found to be the major contributing factor to the observed high suspension yield stress. A decrease in the number of bonds and the mechanical bonding strength of the aggregate structure was found to be responsible for the smaller suspension yield stress as the particle-particle repulsion becomes significant. Satisfactory agreement was obtained between simulation results and the published experimental data.
Auditors' Assessment and Incorporation of Expectation Precision in Evidential Analytical Procedures

This paper reports on an experiment that investigates auditors' abilities to assess expectation precision and incorporate their assessments into judgments related to substantive analytical procedures, as required by professional standards. Auditors appear sensitive to both account predictability and level of information detail in assessing expectation precision overall; however, their assessments do not reflect differences in level of detail when the account is less predictable. This finding supports regulators' and prior researchers' calls for additional guidance to assist auditors in forming expectations that consider the nature of the account. We also find that auditors judge the level of assurance from analytical procedures consistent with their precision assessments. However, in contrast to guidance specified in professional standards, we find that auditors do not always incorporate their precision assessments into judgments about the range of possible differences between expected and recorded amount.
Spatial equity and transportation hazard along cross‐border trade corridors: The case of Ambos Nogales

Abstract Using a spatial perspective, this article explores the equity dimension of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in Nogales, Sonora and Nogales, Arizona, two of the U.S.‐Mexico border communities most impacted by trade after the implementation of the agreement in 1994. Ambos Nogales (Both Nogales) is a major hub within the cross‐border transportation corridor connecting northwestern Mexico with the United States and Canada and both cities are subject to intense trade‐related traffic, including the movement of hazardous materials and toxic waste generated by export‐oriented industries in Mexico. As a first step in this analysis, we classify and map residential areas in Ambos Nogales applying an index of socio‐environmental vulnerability. We then define the boundaries of existing hazard zones and their overlay with these areas in both cities. Finally, we contrast residential areas within the hazard zones with those outside to probe for patterns of social inequity both locally and across the border.
CLINICAL VALUE OF NITROBLUE TETRAZOLIUM TEST (NBT) IN THE DIAGNOSIS OF CANINE INFLAMMATORY PROCESSES

SUMMARY The purpose of the present study is to determine the clinical value of nitroblue tetrazolium reduction test (NBT) to diagnose inflammatory processes in dogs, and compare to white blood cell count (WBC) and concentration of plasma fibrinogen. To this end, we determined the percentage of NBT reducing neutrophils, concentration of plasma fibrinogen and WBC of 242 dogs, including both healthy dogs and animals with inflammation processes, with or without liver disease, azotemia or hypogammaglobulinemias. The NBT reduction test confirmed 30.43% of inflammatory diseases in dogs. The combined use of NBT reduction test, plasma fibrinogen and WBC was more efficient and identified 84.35% of inflammatory processes. Hypogammaglobulinemia and liver disease did not alter the ability of neutrophils to reduce NBT in dogs with inflammatory diseases, but results suggest that azotemia may affect the ability of neutrophils to reduce NBT. It can be concluded that NBT reduction test has low sensitivity for the diagnosis of inflammatory diseases in dogs, but it is useful in cases where the fibrinogen and WBC are not able to detect inflammation.
IPO market timing: evidence from the operating performance of REITs

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to consider the operating performance of real estate investment trust initial public offerings (REIT IPOs) as a measure to find additional evidence of market timing in this sector. Design/methodology/approach - A sample of REIT IPOs is analyzed to determine the relationship between IPO clustering and several measures of REIT operating performance. Findings - The results suggest that timing the market by marginal firms in the REIT sector would be difficult, due to the transparent nature of REITs, leading to lower level of informational asymmetry between REIT managers and investors. Consistent with results found for non-REIT firms in industry clusters, no evidence was found of a significant difference between the operating performance of REITs which are part of an IPO cluster and those that went public outside of the identified cluster periods. Practical implications - This study shows that REIT market is efficient and would not allow REIT managers to time the market. Originality/value - Using stringent measures of identifying REIT IPO clusters and operating performance as a measure to gauge market timing, this study differs from previous studies and provides additional and robust evidence of transparent nature of REITs that leads to reduced information asymmetry between managers and investors. This result supports the theory that REITs are more transparent and thus less likely to be over-invested during IPO cluster periods.
Postexercise muscle cooling enhances gene expression of PGC-1α.

PURPOSE This study aimed to investigate the influence of localized muscle cooling on postexercise vascular, metabolic, and mitochondrial-related gene expression. METHODS Nine physically active males performed 30 min of continuous running at 70% of their maximal aerobic velocity, followed by intermittent running to exhaustion at 100% maximal aerobic velocity. After exercise, subjects immersed one leg in a cold water bath (10°C, COLD) to the level of their gluteal fold for 15 min. The contralateral leg remained outside the water bath and served as control (CON). Core body temperature was monitored throughout the experiment, whereas muscle biopsies and muscle temperature (Tm) measurements were obtained from the vastus lateralis before exercise (PRE), immediately postexercise (POST-EX, Tm only), immediately after cooling, and 3 h postexercise (POST-3H). RESULTS Exercise significantly increased core body temperature (PRE, 37.1°C ± 0.4°C vs POST-EX, 39.3°C ± 0.5°C, P < 0.001) and Tm in both CON (PRE, 33.9°C ± 0.7°C vs POST-EX, 39.1°C ± 0.5°C) and COLD legs (PRE, 34.2°C ± 0.9°C vs POST-EX, 39.4°C ± 0.3°C), respectively (P < 0.001). After cooling, Tm was significantly lower in COLD (28.9°C ± 2.3°C vs 37.0°C ± 0.8°C, P < 0.001) whereas PGC-1α messenger RNA expression was significantly higher in COLD at POST-3H (P = 0.014). Significant time effects were evident for changes in vascular endothelial growth factor (P = 0.038) and neuronal nitric oxide synthase (P = 0.019) expression. However, no significant condition effects between COLD and CON were evident for changes in both vascular endothelial growth factor and neuronal nitric oxide synthase expressions. CONCLUSIONS These data indicate that an acute postexercise cooling intervention enhances the gene expression of PGC-1α and may therefore provide a valuable strategy to enhance exercise-induced mitochondrial biogenesis.
A deeper look at asymmetries in UK consumers’ expenditure: the nonparametric analysis of 100 disaggregates

The literature on testing for the presence of cyclical asymmetry in UK consumers’ expenditure is extended via the application of nonparametric tests to data subject to a higher degree of disaggregation than considered in previous studies. The results obtained at an intermediate level of disaggregation depict a positive relationship between the durability of goods and the degree of asymmetry they exhibit. At high levels of disaggregation to specific expenditure categories, it is found that the aggregate and intermediate evidence of deepness asymmetry is driven by a relatively small number of expenditures, with almost no evidence of deepness asymmetry in non-durable categories of expenditure. Prominent among the durable and semi-durable good expenditure categories exhibiting significant positive deepness asymmetry are expenditures relating to housing fittings and communication, consistent with a degree of ‘lumpiness’ in expenditure which may be associated with the impact of credit rationing or threshold effects.
Multi‐asset portfolio optimization with transaction cost

The inclusion of transaction costs in the optimal portfolio selection and consumption rule problem is accomplished via the use of perturbation analyses. The portfolio under consideration consists of more than one risky asset, which makes numerical methods impractical. The objective is to establish both the transaction and the no‐transaction regions that characterize the optimal investment strategy. The optimal transaction boundaries for two and three risky assets portfolios are solved explicitly. A procedure for solving the N risky assets portfolio is described. The formulation used also reduces the restriction on the functional form of the utility preference.
The Impact of Performance Plan Adoption on Value Added and Earnings

Theoretical arguments have indicated that long‐term accounting‐based performance plans motivate executives to improve long‐run firm performance (Smith and Watts, 1982; Larcker, 1983). Following conflicting empirical evidence related to the stock market reaction associated with the adoption of accounting‐based long‐run performance plans, this study seeks to gain further insight into the effect of such plans on accounting income‐based and value added‐based measures of productivity and return. The results indicate that firms adopting accounting‐based performance plans do not experience any greater gains in accounting return or productivity measures than do a set of control firms. Thus, such plans may not have the intended effect. Because performance plans are a popular method of executive incentive compensation, further research on the impact of these plans is indicated.