Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Export contracts for non-traditional products: Chayote from Costa Rica

This paper focuses on the determinants of market and contract choice for non-traditional crops and the possibilities for involving local producers in global agro-food chains through delivery relationships with packers and brokers. Main attention is given to the importance of quality for entering the export market and the impact of contractual arrangements on loyal behaviour. Core stipulations in the contract regarding the frequency of delivery and the provision of technical assistance are mediating factors between quality and loyalty. The study among traditional and recently established producers of chayote in Costa Rica confirms the importance of production scale and experience for engagement in exports. The export share is positively related to quality performance but inversely related to delivery frequency and sales at the local market. Apparently, traditional producers rely on market diversification to maintain a certain bargaining power vis-a-vis traders and processors. Verbal contractual arrangements are mainly offered to newly established but less-experienced farmers living in settlements that try to reduce risk and demonstrate a high commitment. These farmers cultivate on better soils and have more family labour available. Further quality improvement requires technical assistance and a high frequency of delivery. Supplier arrangements that guarantee timely collection, input support and flexible credit services are therefore of critical importance. Additional support from packers and exporters could enable farmers to improve product quality and is likely to be rewarded. with a high degree of loyalty.
Up‐regulation of glutamate concentration in the putamen and in the prefrontal cortex of asymptomatic SIVmac251‐infected macaques without major brain involvement

We quantified putamen and prefrontal cortex metabolites in macaques with simian immunodeficiency virus infection and searched for virological and histological correlates. Fourteen asymptomatic macaques infected since 8–78 months (median: 38) were compared with eight uninfected ones. Absolute concentrations of acetate, alanine, aspartate, choline, creatine, GABA, glutamate, glutamine, lactate, myo‐inositol, N‐acetylaspartate, taurine and valine were determined by ex vivo proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Glutamate concentration in the CSF was determined by HPLC. Gliosis was assessed by glial fibrillary acidic protein and CD68 immunohistochemistry. Glutamate concentration was slightly increased in the prefrontal cortex (19%, p = 0.0152, t‐test) and putamen (13%, p = 0.0354, t‐test) of the infected macaques, and was unaffected in the CSF. Myo‐inositol concentration was increased in the prefrontal cortex only (27%, p = 0.0136). The concentrations of glutamate and myo‐inositol in the prefrontal cortex were higher in the animals with marked or intense microgliosis (p = 0.0114). The other studied metabolites, including N‐acetylaspartate, were not altered. Glutamate concentration may thus increase in the cerebral parenchyma in asymptomatic animals, but is not accompanied by a detectable decrease in N‐acetylaspartate concentration (neuronal dysfunction). Thus, there are probably compensatory mechanisms that may limit glutamate increase and/or counterbalance its effects.
Macroeconomic Shocks in Euroland vs the UK: Supply, Demand, or Nominal?

The article uses a structural vector autoregressive (SVAR) model under some well agreed-on long-run neutrality assumption to identify relative supply, relative demand, and relative nominal shocks in Euroland vs. the UK. The empirical results indicate that most of the variation in relative output is caused by supply shocks while the shocks driving the real ECU exchange rate are mainly non-monetary demand shocks in nature. Therefore, the loss of the exchange rate as a shock absorber will not be great for the UK.
Weakly Supervised Learning with Deep Convolutional Neural Networks for Semantic Segmentation: Understanding Semantic Layout of Images with Minimum Human Supervision

Semantic segmentation is a popular visual recognition task whose goal is to estimate pixel-level object class labels in images. This problem has been recently handled by deep convolutional neural networks (DCNNs), and the state-of-theart techniques achieve impressive records on public benchmark data sets. However, learning DCNNs demand a large number of annotated training data while segmentation annotations in existing data sets are significantly limited in terms of both quantity and diversity due to the heavy annotation cost. Weakly supervised approaches tackle this issue by leveraging weak annotations such as image-level labels and bounding boxes, which are either readily available in existing large-scale data sets for image classification and object detection or easily obtained thanks to their low annotation costs. The main challenge in weakly supervised semantic segmentation then is the incomplete annotations that miss accurate object boundary information required to learn segmentation. This article provides a comprehensive overview of weakly supervised approaches for semantic segmentation. Specifically, we describe how the approaches overcome the limitations and discuss research directions worthy of investigation to improve performance.
A comparative debate on the various anti-vascular endothelial growth factor drugs: Pegaptanib sodium (Macugen), ranibizumab (Lucentis) and bevacizumab (Avastin)

Wet age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy are pathological consequences of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) release as a reaction to deficiency of oxygen and nutrients in the macular cells. Conventional treatment modalities have been constrained by limited success. Convincing evidence exists that targeting VEGF signaling is a significant approach for the therapy of these ocular angiogenesis-dependent disorders. We have come a long way since the approval of the first angiogenesis inhibitors in medicine. The clinical use of these drugs has provided enormous tempo to clinical and pharmacological research. It has also significantly altered patient outcome and expectations. In the following brief, we will discuss the development and emergence of these drugs as well as the anticipated future course based on evidence.
The Arrival Rate of Initial Public Offers in the UK

The Initial Public Offer (IPO) is an important event in the development of a firm yet there is little evidence regarding why firms choose certain times to come to the market. This paper extends the available evidence, concentrating on UK data and addressing a number of econometric problems with earlier papers. These advances include acknowledging the non-negative integer characteristics of count data, compensating for non-stationarity in the data, and explicitly testing for causality. The paper examines the incentives to conduct an IPO and the results suggest that both the value and number of IPOs are positively and significantly associated with the level of the stock market, with the introduction of the USM, and, in the case of the number of IPOs, positively and significantly associated with a business cycle indicator. Tests of causality suggest that the stock index predicts both the value and number of IPOs.
Impact of morbid obesity in surgical management of endometrial cancer: surgical morbidity, clinical and pathological aspects.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effect of body mass index (BMI) on clinical, surgical, pathologic features, and surgical morbidity in the management of patients with endometrial cancer. MATERIALS & METHODS All endometrial cancer patients who were surgically treated in our institution between January 1, 2003 and January 1, 2006 were eligible for the study. Forty-two out of 60 patients were included in the analysis from our cancer database. The patients were divided into three groups: BMI < 30, BMI 30-40, BMI > 40. Statistical analysis was performed by SPSS for Windows (version 11; SPSS, Inc., Chicago, IL). RESULTS Lymphadenectomy as part of surgical staging was performed in 90.5% of all patients. Although patients with a BMI > 40 were less likely to have positive lymph vascular space invasion (LVSI) (p = 0.042), chance of deep myometrial invasion and positive lymph nodes (18%) were the same as for patients with a BMI < 30. Patients with a BMI > 40 had statistically longer operating times when compared to patients with a BMI < 40 (p = 0.039). Wound separation rate was statistically higher in the morbidly obese patients (p = 0.01). Average number of lymph nodes removed, hospital days, intraoperative and overall postoperative complication rates did not differ among the three groups (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS This study confirms that comprehensive surgical staging can be performed adequately and safely in obese and morbidly obese endometrial cancer patients with no difference in length of hospital stay, intraoperative or postoperative complications. As a result adjuvant treatment of morbidly obese patients can be planned accordingly preventing under or over treatment.
Ultrasound-Guided Alcohol Injection for Morton’s Neuroma

Background: Ultrasonography-guided alcohol injection (USGAI) of Morton’s neuroma represents an alternative to operative treatment. Nonetheless, the literature only reports few small studies evaluating the effectiveness of the treatment. The aim of the present retrospective study was to assess the effectiveness of USGAI to treat Morton’s neuroma in 508 patients at 2 medical centers. Methods: Between January 2001 and January 2012, 508 patients with 540 Morton’s neuroma had USGAI for Morton’s neuroma. Only second and third web-space neuromas were included in this study. Results: A mean number of 3.0 (range, 1 to 4) injections were performed for each neuroma. Mean local inflammatory reaction was 0.7 (range, 0 to 2). There were no other local or systemic complications. The overall mean pre-USGAI VAS score was 8.7 (range, 6 to 10), while the post-USGAI VAS score at 1 year was 3.6 (range, 0 to 9). The delta VAS between the pre- and post-USGAI was statistically significant (P < .0001). At 1-year follow-up 74.5% of patients were satisfied with the procedure. Conclusion: USGAI produced encouraging results in over 500 patients affected by Morton’s neuroma. The procedure proved to be safe in all patients. Level of Evidence: Level IV, retrospective case series.
The Polish Wage Inequality Explosion

This paper presents and analyses the sharp increase in hourly wage inequality after 1998 in Poland. The increase was similar in magnitude to the much-studied increase in British wage inequality during the 1980s. Using data from the Polish Labour Force Survey, we find this increase to be associated with rising wage differentials and within-group variances at both the upper and lower ends of the wage distribution. These increases are associated with differences in wage-setting patterns between the public and private sector as well in the rapid increase in the demand for educated labour. One important difference between the sectors is the lack of an impact of local labour market conditions, or wage curve, clearly evident in private sector wages, on public sector wages.
PRE-SEASON RUN SIZE FORECASTS FOR FRASER RIVER SOCKEYE (ONCORHYNCHUS NERKA) AND PINK (O. GORBUSCHA) SALMON IN 2015

Forecasts are presented as cumulative probabilities (10%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 90%) to capture inter-annual random (stochastic) uncertainty in Fraser Sockeye and Pink returns. A stock’s forecast probability distribution represents largely the range of survival it has exhibited historically (although other factors such as observation error also influence the distribution). Forecast values at the lower p-levels represent lower stock survival and, conversely, values at the higher p-levels represent higher stock survival. The 50% (median) probability level (p-level) is the mid-point of the forecast distribution, indicating a one in two chance that returns will be at or below this value (or conversely a one in two chance returns will be above this value), assuming that stock survival is similar to past observations. Since not all stocks will exhibit similar survival, current methods used to estimate the total Fraser Sockeye Salmon return forecast distribution, which sums the individual stock return forecasts for each p-level, overestimate the range of potential total returns. It is therefore more appropriate to reference individual stock’s return forecasts versus the total Fraser Sockeye forecast. Alternative forecasts, generated from different model forms (e.g. Ricker, Power, Larkin, etc.), are also presented for each stock to capture the structural uncertainty in the forecasts. The 2015 Fraser Sockeye forecast is dominated by the following stocks: Chilko: 35%; Harrison: 21%; and Late Shuswap 7% (Table 1A). The Summer Run timing group contributes the most to the total return forecast at 69%, followed by the Late Run (18%), the Early Summer Run (12%), with the Early Stuart Run contributing the smallest percentage (<1%) to the total return forecast in 2015.
Time Series Properties of the German Monthly Production Index

The production index is an important indicator for assessing the cyclical state of the economy. Unfortunately, the monthly time series is contaminated by many noisy components like seasonal variations, calendar and vacation effects. Only part of those nuisance components are explicitly considered in the seasonal adjustment procedures used by statistical agencies. In this paper, we propose a more flexible specification for the seasonal and working day effects and introduce an indicator for the summer vacations effect. We allow for time-varying parameters and show that the resulting Unobserved Components Model delivers more reliable results for the adjusted series.
Networked predictive control of constrained nonlinear systems: Recursive feasibility and Input-to-State Stability analysis

The present paper is concerned with the robust state feedback stabilization of uncertain discrete-time constrained nonlinear systems in which the loop is closed through a packet-based communication network. In order to cope with model uncertainty, time-varying transmission delays and packet dropouts which typically affect networked control systems, a robust control policy, which combines model predictive control with a network delay compensation strategy, is proposed. The contribution of the paper is twofold. First, the issue of guaranteeing the recursive feasibility of the optimization problem associated to the receding horizon control law has been addressed, such that the invariance of the feasible region under the networked closed-loop dynamics can be guaranteed. Secondly, the Input-to-Stability property of the networked closed-loop system with respect to bounded perturbations has been analyzed.
Diffusion and prediction of Leishmaniasis in a large metropolitan area in Brazil with a Bayesian space–time model

We present results from an analysis of human visceral Leishmaniasis cases based on public health records of Belo Horizonte, Brazil, from 1994 to 1997. The main emphasis in this study is on the development of a spatial statistical model to map and project the rates of visceral Leishmaniasis in Belo Horizonte. The model allows for space–time interaction and it is based on a hierarchical Bayesian approach. We assume that the underlying rates evolve in time according to a polynomial trend specific to each small area in the region. The parameters of these polynomials receive a spatial distribution in the form of an autonormal distribution. While the raw rates are extremely noisy and inadequate to support decisions, the resulting smoothed rates estimates are considerably less affected by small area issues and provide very clear directions to implement public health actions. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
On the Contract Curve: A Test of Alternative Models of Collective Bargaining

The traditional model of collective bargaining confines unions to settlements constrained by the employer's labor demand curve, but an alternative model places wage-employment outcomes on a contract curve that extends beyond the labor demand curve. This paper derives a multidimensional (hedonic) contract-curve model in which employment-security provisions are used to maintain efficient bargains outside the employer's demand curve and distinguishes empirically between the contract-curve and demand-constraint models using data for public school teachers in New York State. Estimates clearly support the contract-curve model over the demand-constraint model by linking the gap between compensation and the value of the marginal product to the strength of employment-security provisions.
Community Attitudes to People with Disability: Scoping Project

The Australian Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA) commissioned the Social Policy Research Centre (SPRC) to conduct a scoping project investigating current research on community attitudes towards people with disability. It was an initial step towards building an evidence base on Australian community attitudes to people with disability, on the impact of these attitudes on outcomes for people with disability and on effective policies for improving community attitudes towards them.The project had two parts: An investigation of research into community attitudes towards disability, comprising a literature review and a search of data sources for relevant indicators of community attitudes and their impact on outcomes for people with disability.An investigation of policies, programs and initiatives for changing community attitudes, involving a literature review of the available research on effective policy options.The findings of both parts were presented to FaHCSIA in two earlier reports. This final report combines the findings and draws together the implications for policies to improve community attitudes towards people with disability.
Understanding Black-White Wage Differentials, 1960-1990

Understanding Black-White Wage Differentials, 1960-1990 Author(s): James J. Heckman, Thomas M. Lyons, Petra E. Todd Source: The American Economic Review, Vol. 90, No. 2, Papers and Proceedings of the One Hundred Twelfth Annual Meeting of the American Economic Association, (May, 2000), pp. 344 -349 Published by: American Economic Association Stable URL: http://www.jstor. org/stable/117248 Accessed: 16/08/2008 00:56
Exploring the Impact of Inadequate Funding for English Language Learners in Colorado School Districts

This study investigates the relationship between the academic achievement of all students and inadequate funding for English language learners in Colorado school districts. Several stochastic frontier analysis models were used in lieu of traditional production functions in order to achieve clearer estimates. The analyses detected only a few effects. Results suggest limited funding eventually has a small impact over time (i.e., districts with greater shortfalls will see declining achievement over time). These results may add insight to “the achievement gap”—in the face of inadequate resources for ELL students, school districts may be shortchanging other various targeted populations by using federal dollars to supplant state obligations and state dollars.
Adeno-Associated Virus RNAs Appear in a Temporal Order and Their Splicing Is Stimulated during Coinfection with Adenovirus

ABSTRACT We have used a quantitative RNase protection assay to characterize the relative accumulation and abundance of individual adeno-associated virus type 2 (AAV) RNAs throughout the course of AAV-adenovirus coinfections and preinfections. We have demonstrated that there is a previously unrecognized temporal order to the appearance of AAV RNAs. First, unspliced P5-generated transcripts, which encode Rep78, were detectable prior to the significant accumulation of other AAV RNAs. Ultimately, as previously demonstrated, P19-generated products accumulated to levels greater than those generated from P5, and P40-generated transcripts predominated in the total RNA pool. Second, the percentage of each class of AAV RNA that was spliced increased during infection, and the degree of this increase was different for the P5/P19 products than for those generated by P40. At late times postcoinfection, approximately 90% of P40 products, but only approximately 50% of RNAs generated by P5 and P19, were seen to be spliced; thus, the AAV intron was removed to different final levels from these different RNA species. We have shown that each of the AAV RNAs is quite stable; the majority of each RNA species persisted 6 h after treatment with actinomycin D. Quantification of the accumulation of individual AAV RNAs, over intervals during which degradation was negligible, allowed us to infer that at late times during infection the relative strength of P5, P19, and P40 was approximately 1:3:18, respectively, consistent with the steady-state accumulated levels of the RNAs generated by each promoter. All AAV RNAs exited to the cytoplasm with similar efficiencies in the presence or absence of adenovirus; however, adenovirus coinfection appeared to stimulate total splicing of AAV RNAs and the relative use of the downstream intron acceptor. Our results confirm and extend previous observations concerning the appearance and processing of AAV-generated RNAs.
An economic analysis of groundnut (Arachis hypogea) production in Hong Local Government Area of Adamawa State, Nigeria

The study was to analyze the economics of groundnut production in Hong Local Government Area of Adamawa state, Nigeria. Data were collected from 100 respondents using simple random sampling technique. However, both descriptive (frequency, percentage and mean) and inferential statistics was used for analyzing the data generated from the study. Gross margin analysis was used to estimate cost and returns from groundnut production for the study. The findings revealed that male farmers dominated groundnuts farming in the study area which constituted 57% of the respondents and the study further revealed that they had acquired one form of formal education or the other. The result also shows that Groundnut production was profitable in the study area as demonstrated by the results which gave total revenue (TR), Gross margin (GM) and Net farm income (NFI) per hectare as N90, 843.75, N31, 363.75 and N29, 003.75 respectively. The study therefore recommends that for profit maximization, farmers should procure their inputs requirement from a competitive market and should make use of the available organic manure to minimize cost of production where available. Government and private sector should strengthening their partnership and finance researches that will lead to excellent and effective processing and storage of the product as well as organizing outgrowers to same as source of certified seeds for multiplication and dissemination to farmers.