Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
COLLABORATION BETWEEN SCIENCE AND AGRICULTURE TEACHERS

The focus of this descriptive study was to determine the type and frequency of collaborative activities occurring between agriculture teachers and science teachers who taught in schools with agricultural education programs. Additional foci of this study included determining the extent to which science and agriculture teachers value collaborative practices, identifying factors that facilitate collaboration, and identifying barriers inhibiting collaboration. Although results indicate that most science and agriculture teachers hold positive attitudes concerning the potential for collaboration, reported collaborative activities between the groups was limited, with science teachers indicating less collaboration occurring than agriculture teachers. The large majority of science teachers indicated that they have not attended workshops demonstrating agriscience integration, and both groups identified lack of preparation time as the most significant barrier inhibiting collaboration. Moreover, both groups indicated that close proximity of facilities, teacher commitment, teacher attitude toward science and agriculture, frequent professional interaction, and administrator support facilitate collaboration.
Cross institutional cash and dividend policies: focusing on Brazilian firms

This article analyses the determinants of cash holding and dividends and the relation existing between them in the institutional framework of Brazil, an emerging market on the world scenario. It also presents specific cultural and institutional characteristics. Through the panel data methodology, we show how peculiar the behaviour of Brazilian firms is, surprisingly quite different from the traditional theories and stereotypes. It was found that they have lower cash holdings and pay higher dividends compared to the UK market. In addition, analysis of the relation between these two policies showed a positive relation, together with other closely related items such as the relevant effect of profitability and investment opportunities. All this leads us to confirm the importance of the institutional framework in the financial decisions taken in the Brazilian market.
Sustainability and nature-based mass tourism: lessons from China's approach to the Huangshan Scenic Park

With the rapid growth of tourism worldwide, the path towards sustainable mass tourism has become a critical issue for many destinations. Unlike most developed countries, China has its particular context and is testing a process of sustainable tourism development implemented through top-down institutional arrangements, using strict control systems to pursue both natural resource conservation and economic growth. Through a systematic analysis of the path towards sustainable development of a typical nature-based mass tourism destination, Huangshan Scenic Park, this research explores its successes and challenges. It finds that the Chinese government-dominated mass tourism nature-based development model has brought a dual structure with modern efficient management patterns at the core site and municipal scales, and a backward unsustainable situation at the community scale. It also reveals that this model risks running into a potential path-dependency trap, which creates barriers for an integrated resource- and community-based development. The study argues that while the government-dominated and learning-by-doing approaches toward sustainability are practical, the lack of integrated and systematic planning leading to transformation of the destination society as a whole may lead to a suboptimal situation, with problems exported out to surrounding inadequately managed villages and buffer zones. Parallels with other countries are discussed.
The allele 4 of neck region liver‐lymph node‐specific ICAM‐3‐grabbing integrin variant is associated with spontaneous clearance of hepatitis C virus and decrease of viral loads

Abstract L-SIGN is a C-type lectin expressed on liver sinusoidal endothelial cells involved in the capture of hepatitis C virus and trans-infection of adjacent hepatocyte cells. The neck region of L-SIGN is highly polymorphic, with three to nine tandem repeats of 23 residues. This polymorphism is associated with a number of infectious diseases, but has not been explored in HCV. We therefore investigated the impact of L-SIGN neck region length variation on the outcome of HCV infection. We studied 322 subjects, 150 patients with persistent HCV infection, 63 individuals with spontaneous clearance and 109 healthy controls. In healthy subjects, we found a total of nine genotypes, with the 7/7 genotype being the most frequent (33%) followed by the 7/6 (22.9%) and the 7/5 (18.3%). The frequencies of the alleles were as follows: 7-LSIGN (56.4%), 6-LSIGN (20.2%), 5-L-SIGN (18.3%) and 4-L-SIGN (5%). The frequency of the 7/4 genotype was higher in spontaneous resolvers (14.3%) as compared with the persistent group (4%) (OR = 0.25, 95% CI = 0.07–0.82, p 0.022). In addition, we found that 4-L-SIGN was associated with spontaneous resolution of HCV infection (OR = 0.30, 95%CI, 0.12–0.74, p 0.005). Interestingly, patients with 4-L-SIGN had lower viral loads when compared with carriers of the 5 (p 0.001), 6 (p 0.021) and 7-alleles (p 0.048). The results indicate that neck region polymorphism of L-SIGN can influence the outcome of HCV infection and the four-tandem repeat is associated with clearance of HCV infection.
Strengthening the Financial Reporting System: Can Audit Committees Deliver?

This paper reviews the literature on audit committees in order to evaluate the extent to which committees are effective in terms of strengthening financial reporting. The paper aims to achieve two goals: first. to provide updated information about the effectiveness of the audit committee, and second to identify research opportunities. Compared with other reviews on the matter, we cover a broader spectrum of theoretical perspectives from various fields, methods, and countries. In particular, our review investigates from a meta-perspective the results reported in studies which examine the relationship between certain audit committee characteristics and measures of audit committee effectiveness. It is hoped that this work will sensitize accounting researchers about the appropriateness of extending the boundaries of research on audit committees, from methodological, theoretical, and geographical points of view.
The Role of Family Poultry in Poverty Alleviation, Food Security and the Promotion of Gender Equality in Rural Africa

Throughout the African continent poultry keeping has been practised by village communities for many generations. These birds currently make up more than 80% of the continent's poultry flock. Rural family poultry (RFP) are a valuable asset to local populations as they contribute significantly to food security, poverty alleviation and the promotion of gender equality, especially in disadvantaged groups and less favoured areas of rural Africa. The paper stresses the need to design, implement, monitor and evaluate RFP development programmes by taking sociocultural issues into account.
Activity preferences of Asian international and domestic American university students: An alternate basis for segmentation

Though the student market constitutes a significant portion of revenues in the travel industry, it has received little attention in tourism research. The primary purpose of this paper is to offer an alternate approach to segmentation and to subdivide the student market on the basis of travel activity preferences of Asian and domestic university students. When a division based on ethnicity is adopted, the study findings suggest that the travel activity preferences of Asian and domestic college students are surprisingly similar. Subdividing this market by means of a factor-cluster segmentation methodology, however, yielded two cluster groups that were significantly differentiated by variables such as gender, age, source of income, length of stay, marital status and travel group size. The ability to segment this market in terms of descriptors other than ethnicity allows marketers to focus their efforts differently in their attempts to target these groups.
Handwriting: Current Trends in Occupational Therapy Practice

The objective of this survey was to describe assessment and treatment approaches commonly used by occupational therapists for children exhibiting handwriting and related fine motor difficulties. Secondarily, the application of weights as a treatment modality was also explored. Fifty experienced paediatric occupational therapists from Ontario (46%), Quebec (22%) and six other Canadian provinces, were surveyed by telephone. The majority of therapists indicated that they evaluated gross/fine motor and perceptual skills, motor planning, quality of movement and sensory functioning for this population, while psychosocial and environmental factors were often not formally evaluated. Evaluations most commonly utilized included the Beery, Bruininks-Oseretsky and Gardner Tests. Standardized handwriting assessments were rarely employed. All used an eclectic treatment approach with sensorimotor most frequently selected (90%). Work setting and years of experience did not influence the treatment approach favoured.
Spatial Inequalities and Expectations: The Role of Heterogeneity in Krugman's Model

Heterogeneity has often changed the results of multiplicity and stability of equilibriums. In this article, we extend a paper written by Krugman by introducing two different types of workers with different productivity. This framework enables us to understand the weight of history in spatial inequalities, which are becoming more and more apparent in the united states and in europe. Krugman results don't holds and we find that even with high interest rates, history could be reversed and expectations could lead to a different equilibriums.
Socio-Economic Status and Psychological Constructs of Heads of Farm Families in Delta State Nigeria

This study examined the empirical relationship between socio-economic status and psychological construct of heads of farm families in Delta State. Simple random sampling procedures done on multi-stage basis was used in composing the sample. The sample was made up of 510 heads of farm families drawn from Delta Ibo (174), Urhobo (147), Ijaw (87), Isoko (60), and Itsekiri (42). Questionnaire was used in data collection. Psychological constructs were measured by the use of Sigma scoring method, Data were analyzed by the use of mean, analysis of variance, multiple regression and factor analysis. The valid psychological constructs were adoption behaviour, leadership abilities, cosmopoliteness, education level, and attitude to innovation. There was a significant relationship between socio-economic status and the valid psychological constructs of the heads’ of farm families (F=333.29497; p = 0.00). The multiple regression analysis showed that 76.78 percent of socio-economic status was explained by the valid psychological constructs of heads of farm families. The psychological constructs of socio-economic status of heads of farm families in any locality should be understood by the extension agent so as to foster a good working relationship with the farmer. Key words: Socio-economic Status, Adoption, Leadership, Cosmopolitness, Education, Attitude, Innovation.
A Theoretical Framework for Monetary Analysis

Every empirical study rests on a theoretical framework, on a set of tentative hypotheses that the evidence is designed to test or to adumbrate. It may help the reader of the series of monographs on money that Anna J. Schwartz and I have been writing to set out explicitly the general theoretical framework that underlies them.1 That framework is the quantity theory of money-a theory that has taken many different forms and traces back to the very beginning of systematic thinking about economic matters. It has probably been " tested " with quantitative data more extensively than any other set of propositions in formal economics-unless it be the negatively sloping demand curve. Nonetheless, the quantity theory has been a continual bone of contention. Until the past three decades, it was generally supported by serious students of economics, those whom we would today term professional economists, and rejected by laymen. However, the success of the Keynesian revolution led to its rejection by perhaps most professional economists. Only recently has it experienced a revival so that it once again commands the adherence
The investment opportunity set: determinants, consequences and measurement

Explains the concept of the investment set (IOS: i.e. chances to invest for expansion, new products, cost reduction etc.) and its effects on firm value. Reviews previous research on the theoretical relationships between IOS and optimal contracting resulting from shareholder/debtholder conflict, agency costs and performance measurement problems; and empirical research on its links with company policy on financing, dividends and compensation. Goes on to discuss research on measuring IOS by using various proxies; and summarizes the main findings.
Feedback, Punishment and Cooperation in Public-Good Experiments

A number of studies have shown that peer punishment can sustain cooperation in public good games. This paper shows that the format used to give subjects feedback is critical for the e¢ cacy of punishment. Providing subjects with infor- mation about the earnings of their peers leads to lower contributions and earnings compared to a treatment in which subjects receive information about the contri- butions of their peers even though the feedback format does not a¤ect incentives. The data suggest that this is because the feedback format acts as a coordination device, which in? uences the contribution standards that groups establish
10Gbps decision feedback equalizer with dynamic lookahead decision loop

Decision feedback equalizer (DFE) uses a feedback path to cancel post-cursor ISI, and this feedback path will also cause the limitation of its maximum throughput rate. This paper proposes a new lookahead method to break the feedback path for multi-gigabit DFE design. After lookahead computation, each paralleled sub-circuit has the same throughput rate as original one. Therefore, the total throughput rate is proportional to the parallelization factor. The computation complexity of the proposed architecture is lower than that of multiplexer-based lookahead DFE if the tap number of the feedback filter is large. It is shown that the new method saves 10% hardware complexity for an 8 taps feedback filter DFE and 98% hardware complexity for a 12 taps feedback filter DFE in comparison to a 10Gbps multiplexer-based lookahead DFE.
The role of defensive strategies and ownership structure of target firms: Evidence from UK hostile takeover bids

The outcome of a hostile takeover bid hinges on an interplay of the defensive strategies of targets and the offensive strategies of bidders. This study examines the determinants of outcome for a sample of 205 hostile bids for UK public company targets over the period 1983-1989. the impact of a number of defensive strategies adopted by the targets, their ownership structure which could aid or hinder the deployment of those strategies, and the method of payment selected by bidders is investigated using multivariate logit methodology. the City Code on Takeovers and Mergers in the UK and its influence on the choice of defensive and offensive strategies is described. the study finds outcome in hostile bids in the UK is significantly influenced by the use of certain defensive strategies, the presence of large institutional shareholders in targets, the size of targets and the method of payment chosen by the bidder. the results of this study are useful in devising effective strategies to frustrate or prosecute hostile bids. Copyright Blackwell Publishers Ltd. 1995.
Host Preference of Cotton Fleahopper, Pseudatomoscelis seriatus (Reuter) is not Labile to Geographic Origin and Prior Experience

ABSTRACT Several phytophagous insects exhibit distinct preference for their host plants. In widely distributed generalist insects, host preference can be influenced by geographic variation in host plant distribution and abundance as well as by prior experience. We have studied host preference of the cotton fleahopper, Pseudatomoscelis seriatus (Reuter), a pest of cotton in Texas and other neighboring states, by measuring olfactory orientation to horsemint (Monardapunctata L.) and cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.). Horsemint is one of the primary, native, wild hosts of cotton fleahopper during late-spring and early summer in Texas, and it is commonly believed to be the main source of this pest in cotton. Although the abundance of horsemint, and therefore the fleahopper exposure to it, varies geographically, cotton fleahopper's preference for this native host-plant is maintained across two ecoregions in Texas, TX High Plains (Lubbock area) and Brazos Valley (College Station area). Similarly, preference for horsemint was retained regardless of prior experience with cotton throughout all the life stages of the insect. This fixed preference of cotton fleahopper to horsemint could be because of their ancestral insect-plant interaction, better fitness of cotton fleahopper on horsemint, and relatively low abundance of horsemint compared with cotton. Information gained from this study could be used to implement cultural control practices such as trap cropping, to develop attractants to monitor this pest, or both.
Prognostic importance of low body mass index in relation to cardiovascular mortality in rheumatoid arthritis.

OBJECTIVE Various etiologic mechanisms have been implicated in the observed increase in cardiovascular mortality in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Body mass index (BMI) is associated with cardiovascular mortality in the general population. This study compared the effect of BMI on cardiovascular mortality in a population-based cohort of subjects with RA with that in a cohort of individuals without RA from the same population. METHODS The RA cohort comprised all members of an incidence cohort of Rochester, Minnesota residents ages > or =18 years who were first diagnosed with RA (by the American College of Rheumatology 1987 criteria) from 1955 through 1994. An age- and sex-matched comparison cohort of subjects without RA was assembled. Both cohorts were followed up longitudinally through their complete (inpatient, outpatient) medical records beginning at age 18 years and continuing until death, migration, or January 1, 2001, and the details of weight and height changes during this period were recorded. High BMI was defined as a BMI >30 kg/m(2) and low BMI as <20 kg/m(2). Cox regression models were used to estimate the effect of BMI on cardiovascular mortality after accounting for traditional cardiac risk factors and malignancies. RESULTS RA subjects with low BMI at incidence had a significantly higher risk of cardiovascular death (hazard ratio [HR] 3.34, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 2.23-4.99) compared with non-RA subjects with normal BMI, after adjusting for age, sex, personal cardiac history, smoking status, and presence of diabetes, hypertension, and malignancies. RA subjects with normal BMI at incidence who experienced low BMI during followup also had a higher risk of cardiovascular death (HR 2.09, 95% CI 1.50-2.92) when compared with non-RA subjects who maintained normal BMI throughout followup. CONCLUSION Among patients with RA, low BMI is associated with a significantly increased risk of cardiovascular death.
The Ageing Scottish Population:Trends, Consequences, Responses

The population of Scotland is projected to decrease despite recent increases in fertility and an excess of immigrants over emigrants. The reason for the projected decline is the result of prolonged low fertility. The most immediate effect is ageing of the population. The causes and consequences of this demographic profile are discussed. To counter potential negative impacts it is recommend that the pension system be reformed, pension ages raised, healthy living and inclusion in society promoted and migration policies formed to encourage immigration of skilled people and encourage and the return of emigrants.
The B-type lamin is required for somatic repression of testis-specific gene clusters

Large clusters of coexpressed tissue-specific genes are abundant on chromosomes of diverse species. The genes coordinately misexpressed in diverse diseases are also found in similar clusters, suggesting that evolutionarily conserved mechanisms regulate expression of large multigenic regions both in normal development and in its pathological disruptions. Studies on individual loci suggest that silent clusters of coregulated genes are embedded in repressed chromatin domains, often localized to the nuclear periphery. To test this model at the genome-wide scale, we studied transcriptional regulation of large testis-specific gene clusters in somatic tissues of Drosophila. These gene clusters showed a drastic paucity of known expressed transgene insertions, indicating that they indeed are embedded in repressed chromatin. Bioinformatics analysis suggested the major role for the B-type lamin, LamDmo, in repression of large testis-specific gene clusters, showing that in somatic cells as many as three-quarters of these clusters interact with LamDmo. Ablation of LamDmo by using mutants and RNAi led to detachment of testis-specific clusters from nuclear envelope and to their selective transcriptional up-regulation in somatic cells, thus providing the first direct evidence for involvement of the B-type lamin in tissue-specific gene repression. Finally, we found that transcriptional activation of the lamina-bound testis-specific gene cluster in male germ line is coupled with its translocation away from the nuclear envelope. Our studies, which directly link nuclear architecture with coordinated regulation of tissue-specific genes, advance understanding of the mechanisms underlying both normal cell differentiation and developmental disorders caused by lesions in the B-type lamins and interacting proteins.
Political Variables in Cross‐country Growth Analysis

The recent boom in cross-country growth analysis has renewed the empirical interest in political sources of economic growth. A large number of studies have tested political variables in growth regressions and a very heterogeneous set of variables has been proposed to measure economically relevant differences in the political systems of countries. This paper distinguishes five categories of relevant political variables: democracy, government stability, political violence, policy volatility, and subjective perception of politics. For each of these categories, the specification, testing method, and results of the most relevant studies are presented and are critically discussed. The paper concludes that measures of democracy are least successful and measures of policy volatility and subjective perception of politics most successful as explanatory variables in cross-country growth regressions. Copyright 1997 by Blackwell Publishers Ltd
Does One Size Fit All? A currency union with asymmetric transmissions and a stability pact

The theory of optimal currency areas stresses that a single currency zone should have symmetry across shocks and structures. What happens if the monetary transmission mechanisms differ so that a common monetary policy has different effects in different places? Using a fully specified econometric model, we find that such asymmetries are likely to destabilise the business cycle and put countries out of phase with each other in a way that cannot be corrected by deficit-constrained national fiscal policies. Market discipline, however, could achieve this. Hence, the question is whether the markets would create sufficient discipline on their own.