Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
How does homegarden size affect input and output per unit area? a case study of the Bieha District, Southern Burkina Faso

This research studied the effects of homegarden size on inputs and outputs per unit area. The size of the garden was assumed to be an essential factor of the amount of input and output. The smaller the garden, the more intensive management should be. In Burkina Faso, the Bieha department was purposively selected. The initial Rapid Rural Appraisal was complemented by a household survey. Tools of data collection included; observation, key informant interview, and focus group discussion. For the survey, eighty households were selected based on systematic sampling. Data was collected by individual interviews at household level, and for statistical calculations, the households were subsequently categorized as small, medium and commercial based on their homegarden size. It was found that all the surveyed households managed homegardens composed of trees, crops and animals. Majority of the farmers (43%) belonged to the small category due to land constraints. Generally, the inputs and outputs increased with increasing land sizes. However inputs per unit area and outputs per unit area were higher for small homegardens than bigger ones. Fertilizer application increased with increasing size. It can be concluded that the increase in homegarden sizes results in the need for higher external inputs.
Corporate Lobbying and Financial Performance

Corporate lobbying activities are designed to influence legislators and thus to further company goals by encouraging favorable policies and/or outcomes. Using data made available by the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995, this study examines corporate lobbying activities from a financial perspective. We find that on average, lobbying is positively related to accounting and market measures of financial performance. These results are robust across a number of empirical specifications and continue to hold when we account for potential sample selection. We also report market performance evidence using a portfolio approach. We find that portfolios of firms with the highest lobbying intensities significantly outperform their benchmarks in the three years following portfolio formation.
Health status, cognitive and motor development of young children adopted from China, East Asia, and Russia across the first 6 months after adoption

We compared health status, anthropometric and psychological development of 123 children adopted before 18 months of age from China, East Asia (Vietnam, Taiwan, Thailand, South Korea, Cambodia), and Eastern Europe (mostly Russia). Data were collected close to the time of arrival, and 3 and 6 months later. Anthropometric measures included weight, height, and head circumference percentiles, and weight/height and height/age ratios (indices of acute and chronic malnutrition, respectively). We assessed cognitive (MDI) and motor (PDI) developments with the Bayley Scales of Infant Development (Bayley, 1993). At time of arrival, children presented physical, cognitive, and motor delays, as well as health problems. Growth parameters improved with time, but differently among the groups. East Asian children, in a better physical state at time of arrival, changed less than the others did across time. Children adopted from Russia globally had lower MDI than the others, while children adopted from East Asia had the highest PDI. Hierarchical linear modelling indicated that initial MDI was related to height/age ratio (index of chronic malnutrition), while its change over time was related to age at time of arrival. PDI was also related to height/age ratio, as well as to presence/absence of neurological signs at time of arrival. Infants with a higher risk index had lower MDI and PDI initial scores.
Quality of Relationships and Romantic Jealousy: Effects of Adult Attachment and Depression.

Individual differences in adult attachment have been the focus of recent research on personal relationships. Research has indicated that those with insecure attachment histories were more threatened by a partner's attraction to a rival than were persons reporting secure parental attachment. Higher levels of dispositional jealousy have also been found to be correlated with dapression. It was predicted that person and situation variables would be associated with differences in cognitive and affective responses to imagined scenarios involving a rival to a romantic relationship. Subjects (N=134) were undergraduate students who were currently involved in romantic relationships. Subjects imagined a control scene of their partner and their relationship and one of three scenes presenting varying levels of threat to the relationship by a third person. A main effect for attachment was found. Subjects, regardless of level of threat to their relationships, who described themselves as secure in attachment relationships, reported greater joy and perceived relationship security, power, and perceived attractiveness to their partners, and lower levels of jealousy and other negative affects. Situation also yielded a main effect. Jealousy, negative relationship percepions and emotions were evoked when the threat to the relationship by a rival was highest. Additional findings regarding depression, appraisal of threat, and coping suggest differences in mental health adjustment between at'achment types. (Author/LLL) *********************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. *********************************************************************** Quality of relationships and romantic jealousy: Effects of adult attachment and depression Catherine Radecki-Bush Joseph P. Bush Department of Psychology Virginia Commonwealth University
Estimating variograms of soil properties by the method‐of‐moments and maximum likelihood

Variograms of soil properties are usually obtained by estimating the variogram for distinct lag classes by the method‐of‐moments and fitting an appropriate model to the estimates. An alternative is to fit a model by maximum likelihood to data on the assumption that they are a realization of a multivariate Gaussian process. This paper compares the two using both simulation and real data.
Modulation of H Reflex in Response to Voluntary Contraction of the Homologous Muscle in the Contralateral Limb

Several studies reported that exercising one limb produces gains in motor output in the same muscle of the un-exercised, contralateral limb. This phenomenon is called cross education. There are also data to suggest that muscle and brain activation are different when muscles shorten and lengthen and that the amount of cross education may be also different according to the type of muscle contraction. This thesis is an initial effort in the form of a cross sectional study to shed light on the mechanism of cross education. This project examines the hypothesis that spinal excitability varies in the resting limb according to the type and intensity of muscle contraction in the contralateral limb. The purpose of this study was to compare spinal excitability in the right wrist flexors during and after concentric and eccentric contraction of the left wrist flexors at an intensity of 100% and 60% of the maximum. Ten healthy right-handed subjects (5 females, 5 males, mean age 21 [plus/minus] 3 years) performed left wrist flexion on a dynamometer using concentric and eccentric contractions at 20[degree]/s over a 40[degree] range of motion. Statistical analysis showed that spinal excitability decreased ~35% in the left wrist flexors during and for almost 25s after the contraction of the right wrist flexors. Against the hypothesis, there was no main effect of contraction type. During left wrist eccentric contractions at 100% of concentric MVC, right FCR H reflex was 28% less depressed than at 60% concentric MVCs (p=0.02, , F([subscript] 1,9)=8.1). During eccentric contractions at 100% and 60% of eccentric MVCs, the weaker contraction produced 24% higher depression of contralateral H reflex (p=0.101) H reflex of right wrist flexor throughout the trial was different after100% and 60% concentric MVCs (p=0.022). In summary, although longitudinal exercise studies suggested that spinal mechanisms may be involved in cross education, the present data show a long-lasting depression of spinal excitability in the contralateral limb that varies by contraction intensity but not by contraction type.
Study on Carcass Characteristics of Chicken Breeds Raised under the Intensive Condition

2 Abstract: Anka and Rugao chicken breed were reared under the same environment and management. During 12 weeks age the growth rate of Anka breed was found better than Rugao, and similarly within breeds Males were grow faster than females. The results shows that (live weight, carcass weight, dressing out percentage, semi-eviscerated weight, eviscerated weight, breast muscle weight, leg muscle weight, heart weight, liver weight and abdominal fat weight) were significantly (P 0.05) between breeds. Males compared to females shows significantly (P>0.01) higher live weight, carcass weight, semi-eviscerated weight, eviscerated weight, breast muscle weight, liver weight and abdominal fat weight within two breeds. However, Leg muscle weight, heart weight were non significantly different (P>0.05). In addition dressing out percentage was significantly (P<0.05) different between males and females in Anka breed and non significantly in Rugao breed. In Anka chicken breed abdominal fat weight was positively correlated with live weight, carcass weight, breast muscle weight, and percentage of abdominal fat weight; and it was negatively correlated with leg weight. In Rugao breed abdominal fat weight was positively correlated with live weight, carcass weight, breast muscle weight, leg muscle weight and percentage of abdominal fat. However, the percentage of abdominal fat weight was negatively correlated with live weight, carcass weight, breast muscle weight and positively with leg muscle weight and abdominal fat weight.
Dividend Policy and Product Market Competition

This paper investigates whether product market competition affects managers' decision to distribute cash to shareholders. Using a large sample of manufacturing firms, we find that firms in less competitive industries have significantly lower payout ratios than firms in more competitive markets. Further, we find that this negative relation between industry concentration levels and corporate payouts is much stronger among those firms whose overall characteristics make them (a) more likely to have high agency costs of free cash flows and (b) less likely to be the target of predation. In general, our results are consistent with the notion that the disciplinary forces of competition induce managers to payout excess cash and with the idea that corporate payouts are the "outcome" of external factors.
Intra-Examiner and Between-Day Reliability of Algometer for Pressure Pain Threshold and Pain Sensitivity in Upper Trapezius Muscle in Asymptomatic Young Adult Women

Assessment of pain sensitivity, as an important criterion, is used in diagnosis of musculoskeletal impairments, which helps determine prognosis as well as the improvement rate after treatment interventions. Regarding the costs of modalities and treatment equipment used to reduce pain, having a reliable method to determine their efficacy is essential. The aim of the present study was to evaluate intra-examiner and between-day reliability of an accessible digital algometer to assess pressure pain threshold and for pain sensitivity for the first time. A total of 15 healthy young adult women aged 18-30 participated in the study. Three points of upper Trapezius muscle in both sides were tested in 3 repetitions with 30 seconds rest interval. The tests included PPT by controlled speed of increasing pressure and Visual Analogue Scale to evaluate local pain elicited by exertion of 2.5 kg/cm2 of pressure on the marked point. Trials were conducted on two consecutive days. Intra Class Correlation, Coefficient Standard Error of Measurement, and Minimal Detected Change were calculated to analyze the reliability of the measurements. Assessments revealed high to moderate intra-examiner reliability for pressure pain threshold (ICC>0.972) and pain sensitivity (ICC>0.707) and high to moderate between-day reliability for pressure pain threshold (ICC>0.974) and pain sensitivity (ICC>0.676). Although pressure algometer has an acceptable intra-examiner and between-day reliability for estimating the pressure pain threshold and pain sensitivity, a significant decrease was revealed in the mean values of PPT and increase in PS on the second day, as compared to that on the first day, ( P <0.05) which could be related to local tissue trauma, learning effect, or central sensitization. Key words: Reliability; Intra-Examiner; Between-Day; Algometer; Pressure Pain Threshold; Pain Sensitivity; Upper Trapezius
EFFECT OF DIVIDEND POLICY ON CAPITAL BUDGETING DECISION IN MANUFACTURING COMPANIES LISTED IN NAIROBI STOCK EXCHANGE

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of dividend policy on capital budgeting decision in manufacturing companies listed in Nairobi stock exchange. Explaining why companies pay dividend and some do not pay dividends is still problematic to explain and therefore dividend decision remains controversial. The research design to be employed in this study was descriptive research design inform of a survey. The population of interest of this study comprised of 9 manufacturing companies listed at the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE, 2015). Purposive sampling was used to select five respondents in the finance department from each company, thus a sample of 45 respondents. The study collected both secondary and primary data. The study sourced secondary data from the audited financial statements at the companies and internet given all these sources has the data available for this study. A questionnaire was used to collect primary data for this study. The pilot study was conducted and this involved pretesting of the data collection instruments. Content analysis and descriptive analysis was employed. Tables and other graphical presentations as appropriate were used to present the data collected for ease of understanding and analysis. Inferential statistics regressions were done to establish effect of dividend policy on capital budgeting decision in manufacturing companies listed in Nairobi Stock Exchange. The study established that investment opportunities do affect capital budgeting decision among manufacturing companies to a great extent and that investment opportunities available to the firm constitute an important component of market value. Thus the study concludes that manufacturing companies that have high investment opportunity set have pursued a low dividend payout policy and hence adopted efficient capital decision techniques. The study revealed that firms with high financial leverage and implied financial risk tend to avoid paying high dividends. The study thus concludes that manufacturing companies with high financial leverage have been more profitable, compared to those their counterparts with a low financial leverage, since they can accommodate risk associated with the use of debt finance. The study found that profitability of a firm does affect capital budgeting decision among manufacturing companies to a great extent. The study draws conclusion that profitable firms have ensured that they maintain their current earnings as high as possible since the ratio dividend payout depends on the current earnings of the firm. The study draws further conclusions that profits making manufacturing firms have more growing opportunities since such firms end up retaining a greater portion of their earnings to finance their expansion projects as against returning these dividends to shareholders.
Linking Diatom Community Dynamics to Changes in Terrestrial Vegetation: A Palaeolimnological Case Study of Lake Kuzi, Vidzeme Heights (Central Latvia)/Diatomee- Ja Oietolmuprofiilide Dunaamika Ning Nende Omavahelised Korrelatsioonid Holotseenis Kuzi Jarve (Vidzeme Korgustikul Latis) Naitel

Diatom and pollen records from the deepest part of Lake Ķūi (Vidzeme Heights, Central Latvia) show the history of the lake and its ecosystem responses to changes in the surrounding vegetation during the Holocene. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was used to compare the timing of the changes in the diatom and pollen assemblages. We found that major changes in the diatom record were contemporaneous with those in the pollen records. At the beginning of the Early Holocene, when the lake was receiving high inputs of mineral matter, no diatoms were found. Around 11 000 cal. BP, when the upland vegetation became established, periphytic diatom taxa (mostly Fragilaria species) prevailed. The Mid-Holocene period (9000-2000 cal. BP) was characterized by Cyclotella spp. and Tabellaria flocculosa, indicating long ice-free seasons and a rather high water level. Picea was a major tree species around the lake 5300-2500 cal. BP and it facilitated acidification of the lake water via the acidification of the soil, indicated by the increase in the acidophilous diatoms Eunotia spp. and T. flocculosa. The Late Holocene (2000-0 cal. BP) is characterized by anthropogenic impacts on both the upland vegetation and lake ecosystem, depicted by the simultaneous increase in Aulacoseira spp. , herbaceous pollen such as Poaceae, Secale, and Rumex, and charcoal fragments. With pollen taxa used as predictor and diatom taxa as response variables, Redundancy Analysis (RDA) provided a statistically significant model that explains the variation in the diatom data. Our results show that the diatoms responded strongly to the catchment-driven changes around Lake Ķūi during the entire Holocene.
Transport Aircraft Conceptual Design Optimization Using Real Coded Genetic Algorithm

Due to soaring oil prices, increased air traffic and competition among air transport companies, and environmental concerns, aircraft maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) is becoming a critical aspect, of air transport industry. It is very important to estimate the MTOW of the aircraft in order to determine its performance. However, estimating the weight of an aircraft is not a simple task. The purpose of this paper is to present a simplified method to optimize the aircraft MTOW using a genetic algorithm approach. For the optimization of MTOW of transport aircraft, a MATLAB program consisting of genetic algorithm techniques with appropriate genetic algorithm parameters setting was developed. The objective function for the optimization was a minimization of MTOW. The use of genetic real coded algorithm (GA) as an optimization tool for an aircraft can help to reduce the number of qualitative decisions. Also, using GA approach, the time and the cost of conceptual design can considerably be reduced. The model is applicable to the air transport industry. The proposed model has been validated against the known configuration of an aircraft.
Influence of interface structure on the nanotribological properties of exfoliated graphene

INFLUENCE OF INTERFACE STRUCTURE ON THE NANOTRIBOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF EXFOLIATED GRAPHENE Arda Balkancı M.S. in Mechanical Engineering Advisor: Mehmet Zeyyad Baykara July 2016 On the nanoand micro-scale, conventional liquid-based lubrication cannot be utilized to minimize friction due to excessive surface tension and related effects. To overcome this limitation, solid lubricants suitable for use in nanoand microscale systems are needed. Being a two-dimensional material with outstanding mechanical properties, graphene emerges as a promising candidate for this purpose. Motivated as above, this M.S. thesis presents a comprehensive investigation of the nanotribological properties of mechanically-exfoliated graphene conducted via atomic force microscopy (AFM), whereby special emphasis is placed on the effect of interface structure. Graphene samples ranging from singleto few-layers were fabricated using the mechanical exfoliation method and transferred onto Si/SiO2 substrates. By utilizing optical microscopy and Raman spectroscopy, graphene flakes exhibiting singleand bi-layer regions were located and identified. Furthermore, using topographical maps and associated profiles obtained via AFM, 3-, 4-layer and bulk graphite regions were found. Moreover, AFM probes were calibrated both for accurate normal force readings, and for obtaining quantitative friction force data from lateral force measurements conducted via contact-mode AFM under ambient conditions. Following sample preparation, identification and probe calibration, experiments aimed at measuring the effect of applied load on friction of singleand 2-, 3-, 4-layers of graphene were performed, confirming previous results reported
Feedback from massive stars at low metallicities: MUSE observations of N44 and N180 in the Large Magellanic Cloud

We present MUSE integral field data of two HII region complexes in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), N44 and N180. Both regions consist of a main superbubble and a number of smaller, more compact HII regions that formed on the edge of the superbubble. For a total of 11 HII regions, we systematically analyse the radiative and mechanical feedback from the massive O-type stars on the surrounding gas. We exploit the integral field property of the data and the coverage of the HeII$\lambda$5412 line to identify and classify the feedback-driving massive stars, and from the estimated spectral types and luminosity classes we determine the stellar radiative output in terms of the ionising photon flux $Q_{0}$. We characterise the HII regions in terms of their sizes, morphologies, ionisation structure, luminosity and kinematics, and derive oxygen abundances via emission line ratios. We analyse the role of different stellar feedback mechanisms for each region by measuring the direct radiation pressure, the pressure of the ionised gas, and the pressure of the shock-heated winds. We find that stellar winds and ionised gas are the main drivers of HII region expansion in our sample, while the direct radiation pressure is up to three orders of magnitude lower than the other terms. We relate the total pressure to the star formation rate per unit area, $\Sigma_{SFR}$, for each region and find that stellar feedback has a negative effect on star formation, and sets an upper limit to $\Sigma_{SFR}$ as a function of increasing pressure.
Dynamics of Hilbert nonexpansive maps

In his work on the foundations of geometry, Hilbert observed that a formula which appeared in works by Beltrami, Cayley, and Klein, gives rise to a complete metric on any bounded convex domain. Some decades later, Garrett Birkhoff and Hans Samelson noted that this metric has interesting applications, when considering certain maps of convex cones that contract the metric. Such situations have since arisen in many contexts, pure and applied, and could be called nonlinear Perron-Frobenius theory. This note centers around one dynamical aspect of this theory.