Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
What Influences Farmers' Choice of Indigenous Adaptation Strategies for Agrobiodiversity Loss in Northern Ghana?

Heavy dependence on the natural environment for agricultural production in northern Ghana adversely affects the availability of agrobiodiversity and in turn household livelihoods. Farmers have over the years developed strategies for adapting to reduction in agrobiodiversity but the extent of adoption varies among farmers. This study used the multinomial logit model to determine the factors influencing farmers’ choice of indigenous adaptation strategies in response to agrobiodiversity loss in northern Ghana. The analysis is based on a sample of 310 farmers drawn from 31 communities in northern Ghana. The factors that positively influence the choice include household head’s sex, farming experience, radio ownership, household size, borrowing credit and awareness of reduction in crop diversity. On the other hand, age, education, farm size, awareness of climate change, farm cash income and existence of market in community, negatively influence choice of strategies. Furthermore, farmer to farmer extension and off-farm income influence adoption either positively or negatively with respect to the adoption option in question. Thus, to encourage adaptation and conservation mechanisms, policies should strengthen farmer based organizations and promote education on the sustainable use of the natural environment. Government policies must also enhance access to offfarm income generating activities.
Real-Time Forecasts of Auction Prices

This paper investigates the informational content of aggregate prices in the fine arts auction market. A Mixed Data Sampling (MIDAS) modeling approach is proposed to forecast year-end art prices, using higher frequency variables related to the stock and bond markets and to art market sentiment. It takes about six months for art prices to incorporate information contained in the price of Sotheby's stock. Market sentiment variables such as trading volume have better explanatory power in the short-term. These findings suggest that art market participants react with a delay to information contained in stock market returns, so that information diffuses only slowly into art prices.
Switching behavior in automobile markets: A consideration-sets model

Consideration-set formation and the direct and indirect consequences of consideration-set size on switching behavior in automobile markets provide the focus for this model development and testing effort. Empirical support is provided for a model revealing that consideration sets, formed as a consequence of prior experience, product knowledge, and satisfaction, play a substantial role in a consumer’s decision to switch or repurchase the same brand acquired on the previous purchase occasion. Consideration sets are shown to affect the switching decision both directly and indirectly (by motivating retailer search activities).
Banking Regulations, Cost and Profit Efficiency: Cross-Country Evidence

This paper uses stochastic frontier analysis to provide international evidence on the impact of the regulatory and supervision framework on bank efficiency. Our dataset consists of 2,853 observations from 615 publicly quoted commercial banks operating in 74 countries during the period 2000-2004. We investigate the impact of regulations related to restrictions on bank activities and the three pillars of Basel II on cost and profit efficiency of banks, while controlling for other country-specific characteristics. Our results suggest that regulations and incentives that enhance market discipline, and higher supervisory power of the authorities, increase both cost and profit efficiency. Stricter capital requirements have a positive impact on cost efficiency but negative impact on profit efficiency. We observe the opposite effect in the case of restrictions on bank activities, with higher restrictions having a negative influence on cost efficiency but positive influence on profit efficiency.
Optimal Choice of Product Scope for Multiproduct Firms Under Monopolistic Competition

In this paper we develop a monopolistic competition model where firms exercise their market power across multiple products. Even with CES preferences, markups are endogenous. Firms choose their optimal product scope by balancing the net profits from a new variety against the costs of "cannibalizing" their own sales. With identical costs across firms, opening trade leads to fewer firms surviving in each country but more varieties produced by each of those firms. With heterogeneous costs, the number of firms surviving in equilibrium is quite insensitive to the market size. When trade is opened, more firms initially enter, but the larger market size reduces the cannibalization effect and expands the optimal scope of products. As a result, the less efficient firms exit, and the larger market is accommodated by more efficient firms that produce more varieties per firm on average.
Effect of Resistant and Digestible Starch on Intestinal Absorption of Calcium, Iron, and Zinc in Infant Pigs

The first nonmilk foods that are given to infants contain high levels of starch, a fraction of which is resistant to enzyme hydrolysis. Incomplete digestion of starch may interfere with the absorption of certain minerals. A fraction of dietary starch which is resistant to in vitro enzymatic hydrolysis has been termed resistant starch. The aim of this study was to compare the intestinal apparent absorption of calcium, phosphorus, iron, and zinc in the presence of either resistant or digestible starch. Twelve 7-10-d-old piglets were fitted with a T-tube inserted into the intestine approximately 3 m distal to the duodenum. Animals received in random order 200 mL of a test meal of cooked, cooled, high amylose corn starch (16.4% resistant starch), or cooked rice starch (digestible starch) administered by an orogastric tube. Both meals contained the same amount of calcium, phosphorus, iron, and zinc. The test meal also contained tracer amounts of 59Fe and65 Zn, as well as polyethylene glycol 3350, as a nonabsorbable marker. Intestinal apparent absorption of starch was greater after the meal with digestible starch (71.0 ± 17.0%) than after the meal with resistant starch (49.2 ± 10.3) (p < 0.001). After feeding the meals with resistant and digestible starch, mineral apparent absorption was, respectively: calcium, 40.2 ± 11.8% versus 28.1 ± 16.4% (p < 0.05); phosphorus, 73.2 ± 14.0%versus 67.8 ± 18% (NS); iron, 24.1 ± 12.2%versus 12.6 ± 10.6% (p < 0.01), and zinc, 35.0± 13.0% versus 30.6 ± 8.22% (NS). In conclusion, a meal containing 16.4% resistant starch resulted in a greater apparent absorption of calcium and iron compared with a completely digestible starch meal. If this finding holds true for the whole bowel, administration of resistant starches could have a positive effect on intestinal calcium and iron absorption.
Di ¡ erence in Ceramide Composition between ` ` Dry ' ' and ` ` Normal ' ' Skin in Patients with Atopic Dermatitis

Sir, Many patients with atopic dermatitis have widespread dry skin, which has a disturbed water barrier function (1). Stratum corneum lipids play an important role here. Recently, various authors have reported that dry skin in people with atopic dermatitis shows a marked reduction in ceramides (2, 3). We measured the ceramides in dry and normal skin of patients with atopic dermatitis and compared the results with those for normal individuals.
Technology Transfer through Backward Linkages : The Case of the Spanish Manufacturing Industry

The aim of this paper is to examine technology transfer through backward linkages between multinational enterprises and local suppliers. This issue is of great interest for several reasons. First of all, the new theory of economic growth suggests that technological innovations are becoming an increasingly important contributor to economic growth. Secondly, an obvious policy issue for governments is whether or not incentives should be offered to multinational firms in order to attract them. The econometric analysis presented here is based on a firm level database from Spain for the period 1990-2000. We use the Olley and Pakes method to estimate the total factor productivity of the firms and measure the effect of downstream FDI on local firm productivity and find positive evidence on the existence of technology transfer through backward linkages. Our results show strong evidence on technology spillovers through backward linkages, especially in the case of export-oriented affiliates and fully-owned affiliates.
The End of New Industrial Relations?

This article assesses the extent to which `new' industrial relations regimes have developed in advanced economies over the past two decades and considers the prospects of new industrial relations. A review of evidence on current diffusion of new industrial relations practices and arrangements, combined with an assessment of change scenarios, suggests that new industrial relations regimes are unlikely to become generalized in advanced economies. Instead, new industrial relations will remain one of a series of coexisting regimes shaping relations between employers and unions, its occurrence being highly contingent on a series of local factors. We may thus be witnessing the end of new industrial relations as a generalizable regime for unionized enterprises and sectors in advanced economies and as a major explanatory paradigm for comprehending the dynamics of industrial relations systems.
Multidevice Map-Constrained Fingerprint-Based Indoor Positioning Using 3-D Ray Tracing

This paper studies the use of deterministic channel modeling through 3-D ray tracing (RT) for constructing device-independent radiomaps for Wi-Fi RSSI-based fingerprinting indoor positioning, applicable to different devices. Device heterogeneity constitutes a limitation in fingerprint-based approaches and also constructing radiomaps through extensive in situ measurement campaigns is laborious and time-consuming even with a single device let alone the need for radiomaps constructed using multiple different devices. This paper tackles both challenges through the use of 3-D RT for radiomap generation in conjunction with data calibration using a small set of device-specific measurements to make the radiomap device independent. The efficiency of this approach is evaluated using simulations and measurements in terms of the time spent to generate the radiomap, the amount of device-specific data required for calibration, and in terms of the achievable positioning accuracy. Potential accuracy improvements in the RT-based indoor positioning process are further investigated, by studying the use of map constraints into the algorithm in the form of a priori probabilities. In this approach, a route probability factor (RPF), which reflects the likelihood of a user being in various locations inside the environment is used. The outcome of the evaluation process, which includes a study of different RPF distributions, indicates the validity of the approach, demonstrated by a reduction in the positioning error for various devices. The versatility of this approach is also demonstrated for different scenarios, different devices, and by considering different device-handling conditions.
Haralick features for GEI-based human gait recognition

This paper proposes a supervised feature extraction method which is able to select discriminative features for human gait recognition under the variations of clothing and carrying conditions and hence to improve the recognition performances. The proposed method is based on the use of Haralick's texture features extracted locally from three regions of Gait Energy Images. The performance has been evaluated using CASIA Gait database (dataset B). The experimental using one-against-all SVM classifier yields attractive results when compared to existing and similar techniques.
Initial Gamma Knife radiosurgery for nonfunctioning pituitary adenomas.

OBJECT Nonfunctioning pituitary adenomas (NFAs) are the most common type of pituitary adenoma and, when symptomatic, typically require surgical removal as an initial means of management. Gamma Knife radiosurgery (GKRS) is an alternative therapeutic strategy for patients whose comorbidities substantially increase the risks of resection. In this report, the authors evaluated the efficacy and safety of initial GKRS for NFAs. METHODS An international group of three academic Gamma Knife centers retrospectively reviewed outcome data in 569 patients with NFAs. RESULTS Forty-one patients (7.2%) underwent GKRS as primary management for their NFAs because of an advanced age, multiple comorbidities, or patient preference. The median age at the time of radiosurgery was 69 years. Thirty-seven percent of the patients had hypopituitarism before GKRS. Patients received a median tumor margin dose of 12 Gy (range 6.2-25.0 Gy) at a median isodose of 50%. The overall tumor control rate was 92.7%, and the actuarial tumor control rate was 94% and 85% at 5 and 10 years postradiosurgery, respectively. Three patients with tumor growth or symptom progression underwent resection at 3, 3, and 96 months after GKRS, respectively. New or worsened hypopituitarism developed in 10 patients (24%) at a median interval of 37 months after GKRS. One patient suffered new-onset cranial nerve palsy. No other radiosurgical complications were noted. Delayed hypopituitarism was observed more often in patients who had received a tumor margin dose > 18 Gy (p = 0.038) and a maximum dose > 36 Gy (p = 0.025). CONCLUSIONS In this study, GKRS resulted in long-term control of NFAs in 85% of patients at 10 years. This experience suggests that GKRS provides long-term tumor control with an acceptable risk profile. This approach may be especially valuable in older patients, those with multiple comorbidities, and those who have endocrine-inactive tumors without visual compromise due to mass effect of the adenoma.
Impact of daily temperature fluctuations on dengue virus transmission by Aedes aegypti

Most studies on the ability of insect populations to transmit pathogens consider only constant temperatures and do not account for realistic daily temperature fluctuations that can impact vector–pathogen interactions. Here, we show that diurnal temperature range (DTR) affects two important parameters underlying dengue virus (DENV) transmission by Aedes aegypti. In two independent experiments using different DENV serotypes, mosquitoes were less susceptible to virus infection and died faster under larger DTR around the same mean temperature. Large DTR (20 °C) decreased the probability of midgut infection, but not duration of the virus extrinsic incubation period (EIP), compared with moderate DTR (10 °C) or constant temperature. A thermodynamic model predicted that at mean temperatures <18 °C, DENV transmission increases as DTR increases, whereas at mean temperatures >18 °C, larger DTR reduces DENV transmission. The negative impact of DTR on Ae. aegypti survival indicates that large temperature fluctuations will reduce the probability of vector survival through EIP and expectation of infectious life. Seasonal variation in the amplitude of daily temperature fluctuations helps to explain seasonal forcing of DENV transmission at locations where average temperature does not vary seasonally and mosquito abundance is not associated with dengue incidence. Mosquitoes lived longer and were more likely to become infected under moderate temperature fluctuations, which is typical of the high DENV transmission season than under large temperature fluctuations, which is typical of the low DENV transmission season. Our findings reveal the importance of considering short-term temperature variations when studying DENV transmission dynamics.
Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension: Effects of Pulmonary Endarterectomy

Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) results from incomplete resolution of the vascular obstruction associated with pulmonary embolism (PE) (Fedullo et al., 2001; Hoeper et al., 2006). This condition is considered to develop in 1-4 % of patients who survive an acute pulmonary embolism (Becattini et al., 2006; Fedullo et al., 2001; Pengo et al., 2004). Given the worldwide incidence of acute PE, approximately 1:1000, this indicates that even in a small country like the Netherlands, CTEPH may be diagnosed in up to 600 patients yearly. Most CTEPH patients present with gradually progressive exercise intolerance, typically portrayed as exertional dyspnea, fatigue, palpitations and/or on productive cough. In further stages of disease there may be signs of right ventricular failure, chest pain on exertion and syncope. The ensuing progressive right ventricular failure leads to progressive disability and early death ( Hoeper et al., 2004) . If left untreated, CTEPH is a progressive and life-threatening disorder; survival being proportional to the degree of pulmonary hypertension at diagnosis. In CTEPH patients with a mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP) above 30 mmHg at time of diagnosis, 5-years survival is about 30%, whereas in patients with a mPAP above 50 mmHg the 5-years survival may be as low as 10% (Lewczuk et al., 2001; Riedel et al., 1982). Pulmonary endarterectomy (PEA) is the therapy of first choice for CTEPH patients with surgical accessible thrombi (Fedullo et al., 2001; Jamieson et al., 2000, 2003). PEA has been found to improve, and in many cases normalize pulmonary hemodynamics, functional status and long-term survival. PEA, however, does not come without potential risk. Reported periand direct postoperative mortality still ranges between 4.4% and 16% even in experienced centres (Archibald et al., 1999; Auger et al., 2007; Condliffe et al., 2008; Jamieson et al., 2000 ; Rubens et al., 2007). In this chapter we will discuss the pathophysiology of CTEPH. In particular, we will focus on the pathophysiology of the exercise limitation and dyspnea that is observed in these patients. Moreover, the effects of surgical treatment, that is the removal of the obstructing chronic thrombi by pulmonary endarterectomy, on cardiac function and the restoration of exercise tolerance and dyspnea will be discussed.
The XMM-LSS survey: optical assessment and properties of different X-ray selected cluster classes

Context. XMM and Chandra opened a new area for the study of clusters of galaxies not only for cluster physics, but also for the detection of faint and distant clusters that were inaccessible with previous missions. Aims. This article presents 66 spectroscopically confirmed clusters (0.05 \textless= z \textless= 1.5) within an area of 6 deg(2) enclosed in the XMM-LSS survey. Almost two thirds have been confirmed with dedicated spectroscopy only and 10% have been confirmed with dedicated spectroscopy supplemented by literature redshifts. Methods. Sub-samples, or classes, of extended-sources are defined in a two-dimensional X-ray parameter space allowing for various degrees of completeness and contamination. We describe the procedure developed to assess the reality of these cluster candidates using the CFHTLS photometric data and spectroscopic information from our own follow-up campaigns. Results. Most of these objects are low-mass clusters, hence constituting a still poorly studied population. In a second step, we quantify the correlations between the optical properties such as richness or velocity dispersion and the cluster X-ray luminosities. We examine the relation of the clusters to the cosmic web. Finally, we review peculiar compact structures in the surveyed area such as very distant clusters and fossil groups.
Overweight and obesity in students of a dental college of Karachi: lifestyle influence and measurement by an appropriate anthropometric index.

OBJECTIVE To compare body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), and body fat percentage (%BF), as index of overweight and obesity in young adults. We also intended to find an association between lifestyle behaviours and obesity. METHODS A cross-sectional study was conducted at Fatima Jinnah Dental College, Karachi, during 2007 to 2008, with 192 first year dental students, (18-21years) of high socioeconomic class. All were questioned regarding lifestyle behaviours. Overweight and obesity were estimated by measuring %BF, BMI, and WC. For %BF, skinfold thickness was measured using skinfold calipers. BMI > or = 23.0-24.9 kg/m2 was taken as overweight and > or = 25.0 kg/m2 as obese (Asians criteria proposed by Western Pacific Regional Office of World Health Organization). WC using Asian cutoff values for overweight and obesity were: males > or = 78 cm and > or = 90 cm; females > or = 72 cm and > or = 80 cm, respectively. Body fat percentage used to define overweight and obesity was: males 22.1-27.0 and > 27.1; females 27.1-32.0 and > 32.1, respectively. Pearson's correlation was done between the BMI, WC and %BF with statistical significance taken at P < 0.01. RESULTS BMI (Expressed as mean +/- SD) in males and females was 23.82 +/- 3.88 and 20.98 +/- 4.12 respectively. WC was 83.63 +/- 10.20 cm in males and 70.22 +/- 9.36 cm in females. %BF was 22.32 +/- 6.27 in males and 28.73 +/- 6.65 in females, with an overall 60.8% females and 44.4% males found to be overweight or obese. Obesity was underpredicted by BMI when compared to skinfold calipers method. The obese were seen to skip breakfast more often [odds ratio (OR): 2.39], take frequent snacks (OR: 1.58), watch television more (OR: 1.58), and were physically less active than their non-obese counterparts. CONCLUSION Body fat percentage using skinfold caliper is a reliable index of obesity. Lack of sleep and skipping of breakfast, are prominent promoters of obesity, in addition to other lifestyle behaviours.
ENHANCING KNOWLEDGE ON DEALER-SUPPLIER RELATIONSHIPS: AN ANALYSIS OF DEALER’S ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL RELATIONSHIP SATISFACTION

In today's environment, businesses have become more complex and uncertain where sustainable competitive advantages rely on the development and maintenance of relationships between buyers and supplier. Understanding the relationship in depth contributes to organizational knowledge as it facilitates the delivery of the products to the intended customers. Thus, researchers' and marketers' interests have become more focused on relationship building and development, and many marketing scholars have recognized the need for examination of the relationship aspects of buyer-supplier exchange and the components that influence relationship development and satisfaction. Despite the assumption that relationship satisfaction contributes to buyer-supplier relationship, previous researches have concentrated more on overall satisfaction of relationship and less research focus has been given to investigating the multi dimensionality of relationship satisfaction. The aim of this study is to examine the level of relationship satisfaction in supplier-dealer relationships as well as the relationships between dimensions of relationship satisfaction. Using a survey method, this study explores the level of relationship satisfaction among 126 car dealers in Malaysia as well as the influence of economic satisfaction on social satisfaction. Results show that the dealers are highly satisfied with the suppliers and both dimensions of relationship satisfaction are correlated to each other. The results provide support for the relationship between economic and social satisfaction. Theoretical and managerial implications are extracted from these findings with a view towards knowledge sharing.