Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Microeconomic Reform and Income Distribution: The Case of Australian Ports and Rail Freight

type="main" xml:id="coep12059-abs-0001"> We analyze structural changes in the Australian ports and rail freight industries that were driven by microeconomic reform; we find such reforms may generate welfare gains with reduced inequality. We estimate the effects on household income groups of these industry changes by applying a computable general equilibrium model incorporating microsimulation behavior. The structural changes lead to a small increase in household welfare in most regions, with an overall increase of 0.18%, and a small decrease in inequality. Our analysis suggests that policy makers in Australia and other high-income nations should give serious consideration to microeconomic reform of infrastructure industries . ( JEL C68, C69, D31, L92)
Improved national calculation procedures to assess energy requirements, nitrogen and VS excretions of dairy cows in the German emission model GAS-EM

The calculation module for the assessment of feed intake and excretion rates of dairy cows in the German agricultural emission model GAS-EM is described in detail The module includes the description of methane emissions from enteric fermentation as well as the assessment of volatile solids and (renal and faecal) nitrogen excretions responsible for carbon and nitrogen species emissions from manure management Input parameters are milk yield and composition, weight and weight gain as well as feed properties The model is based on the derivation of energy requirements and the limitation on dry matter intake. The results agree well with those obtained from regression models and respective experiments The model is able to reflect national and regional peculiarities in dairy cow husbandry it is an adequate tool for the establishment of emission Inventories and for the construction of scenarios for policy advice
Biodiversity of deep-sea demersal megafauna in western and central Mediterranean basins

Abundance, biomass and diversity patterns of bathyal and abyssal Mediterranean megafauna (fishes and invertebrates) were analyzed in the western Balearic Sea, the western Ionian Sea and the eastern Ionian Sea. Sampling was conducted with a Otter-trawl Maireta System (OTMS) at depths ranging from 600 to 4000 m. A series of ecological indicators were computed: total abundance and biomass, Margalef species richness, Shannon-Wiener diversity and Pielou’s index of evenness. A multidimensional scaling was applied, indicating that the megafauna communities were grouped by depth, while geographic area had a less defined influence. Margalef richness declined with depth in all three areas, but more steeply in the western Ionian Sea. Pielou’s evenness behaved differently in the three zones, showing a V-shaped curve in the eastern Ionian while showing a decreasing pattern in the other two areas. At lower slope depths, massive presence of the fishes Alepocephalus rostratus in the western basin and Bathypterois mediterraneus in the central basin caused a sharp reduction in evenness.
GETTING THE MOST FROM THE EURO-MED AGREEMENT: A MOROCCAN PERSPECTIVE

As a moderate North African Arab state, Morocco has ratified preferential free trade agreements with both the EU and the USA. However, the potential importance of improved agro-food market access with the EU has been largely ignored in Morocco-EU Association Agreement (MEAA). Indeed, in comparison with the depth of the agro-food reforms in the Morroco-US agreement, the MEAA is largely incomplete. Accordingly, as a first objective we employ a modified computable general equilibrium (CGE) model to assess the potential for further long run trade and growth in Morocco through agro-food tariff abolition. Moreover, we investigate whether there is an economic incentive for such an EU countermovement to restore competitive parity with the US. As a further aim, we examine the trade inhibiting implications of non-tariff barrier (NTB) trade costs (e.g., red tape, licensing laws etc.), which have hitherto largely escaped reform. Thus, we estimate NTB trade cost tariff equivalents (TEs) employing a theoretically consistent gravity specification. TEs are implemented into our CGE model to measure the trade and growth impacts from NTB removal in agro-food and across all Moroccan-EU trade. Whilst agro-food liberalisation yields disappointing results for Morocco, the potential for development led policies through elimination of NTBs is highly appealing.
Changes in Mastery Goals in Urban and Rural Middle School Students.

Little is known about differences in middle school students’ motivation and the motivational climate provided across rural and urban settings. We examined change in middle school students’ personal mastery goals and perceptions of mastery goal structures in their classes. Results showed students’ personal mastery goals and perceptions of mastery goal structures increased over time. Rural students, as compared to urban students, reported a sharper increase in personal mastery goals. Seventh-grade mastery goals were not completely explained by students’ 6th-grade mastery goals or perceptions of classroom mastery goal structures; therefore, we examined contextual data from teachers, principals, and direct classroom observations. The importance of a stable and orderly environment, at both the school and classroom levels, is highlighted.
Anticancer Effects of 15 d-Prostaglandin-J 2 in Wild-Type and Doxorubicin-Resistant Ovarian Cancer Cells : Novel Actions on SIRT 1 and HDAC

15-deoxy-delta-12,14-prostaglandin-J2 (15d-PGJ2), an arachidonic metabolite and a natural PPARc agonist, is known to induce apoptosis in tumor cells. In this study, we investigated new therapeutic potentials of 15d-PGJ2 by determining its anticancer effects in wild-type and doxorubicin-resistant ovarian carcinoma cells. Despite high expression of resistanceinducing genes like MDR1, Bcl2 and Bcl-xl, 15d-PGJ2 strongly induced apoptosis in doxorubicin-resistant (A2780/AD) cells similar to the wild-type (A2780). This was found to be related to caspase-3/7and NF-kB pathways but not to its PPARc agonistic activity. 15d-PGJ2 also was able to reduce the doxorubicin resistance of A2780/AD cells at low doses as confirmed by the inhibition of gene expression of MDR1 (p-glycoprotein) and SIRT1 (a drug senescence gene). We also investigated effects of 15d-PGJ2 on cell migration and transformation using a wound-healing assay and morphological analyses, respectively. We found that 15d-PGJ2 inhibited migration most likely due to NF-kB inhibition and induced transformation of the round-shape A2780/AD cells into elongated epithelial cells due to HDAC1 inhibition. Using a 15d-PGJ2 analog, we found the mechanism of action of these new activities of 15d-PGJ2 on SIRT1 and HDAC1 gene expressions and enzyme activities. In conclusion, the present study demonstrates that 15d-PGJ2 has a high therapeutic potential to kill drug-resistant tumor cells and, the newly described inhibitory effects of this cyclo-oxygenase product on SIRT1 and HDAC will provide new opportunities for cancer therapeutics. Citation: de Jong E, Winkel P, Poelstra K, Prakash J (2011) Anticancer Effects of 15d-Prostaglandin-J2 in Wild-Type and Doxorubicin-Resistant Ovarian Cancer Cells: Novel Actions on SIRT1 and HDAC. PLoS ONE 6(9): e25192. doi:10.1371/journal.pone. 0025192 Editor: Olivier Gires, Ludwig-Maximilians University, Germany Received April 26, 2011; Accepted August 29, 2011; Published September 21, 2011 Copyright: 2011 de Jong et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. Funding: This study was supported by European Union project of Innovative Action Program Groningen, The Netherlands, and by a Vici grant from the Dutch Technical Foundation (STW). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist. * E-mail: jai.prakash@ki.se . These authors contributed equally to this work. ¤ Current address: Department of Oncology-Pathology, Cancer Centre Karolinska, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
Living with terrorism or withdrawing in terror: Perceived control and consumer avoidance

Terror attacks targeting civilians are becoming more frequent and affecting more places around the globe. Given the increasing intensity of terrorism and the threat of terrorism, consumer behavioral manifestations may occur. We conducted three studies with diverse methodologies and populations to explore how concerns with terrorism affect individuals’ behavior. Two studies were conducted in Israel, a Western country that in the last decade experienced frequent terror attacks targeted at civilians. Results show that concerns with frequent terrorism increase people’s desire for control and may lead to avoidant behaviors. The extent of the avoidance response depends on consumers’ perceptions of whether they have some control over the odds of becoming a casualty should a terror attack occur. When individuals perceive their control to be low (but not high), they exhibit more avoidant behavior, changing their preferences and consumptions. We further find that individuals’ general desire for control increases when they are primed with terrorist activities compared with general mortality.
Fatigue Analysis in Selective Laser Melting: Review and Investigation of Thin-walled Actuator Housings

The versatile applicable selective laser melting (SLM) is a promising manufacturing technology that allows 3-dimensional design freedom for complex and challenging load bearing parts. A specific application of SLM is the production of thin-walled housings for piezoceramic actuators which induce cyclic loads. Although there are investigations on the fatigue behavior of SLM-specimens, wide acceptance of SLM is limited by a lack of knowledge concerning the operating behavior of actual parts. This paper presents a review on existing studies about fatigue life analysis in SLM as well as results from uniaxial high cycle fatigue (HCF) tests of 1.4542 stainless steel as-built and machined specimens with a stress ratio of R = 0. Due to a lower surface roughness machined specimens show significantly higher fatigue strength compared to as-built ones. The obtained fatigue strength at 10 7 cycles of as-built specimens is used as input for fatigue tests of thin-walled actuator housings. Numerical simulation is used to determine the stress distribution of thin-walled as-built actuator housings under specific loads. Results indicate that the thin-walled as-built actuator housing withstand higher peak stresses compared to as-built specimens due to a high stress gradient.
Mathematical Models and Numerical Simulations for the Blood Flow in Large Vessels

We are proposing a non-Newtonian, Cross type rheological model for the blood flow, under the conditions of an unsteady flow regime connected with the rhythmic pumping of the blood by the heart. We admit the incompressibility and homogeneity of the blood while its flow is laminar and the exterior body forces are neglected. We take also into account the viscoelastic behavior of the vessel walls. The mathematical equations and the appropriate boundary conditions are considered in cylindrical (axisymmetric) coordinates. Numerical experiments in case of stenosed artery and in artery with aneurysm (using COMSOL Multiphysics 3.3) are made. The variation of the wall shear stress, which is believed to have a special importance in the rupture of aneurysms, is calculated using both a Newtonian and a non-Newtonian model.
The nested Kingman coalescent: Speed of coming down from infinity

The nested Kingman coalescent describes the ancestral tree of a population undergoing neutral evolution at the level of individuals and at the level of species, simultaneously. We study the speed at which the number of lineages descends from infinity in this hierarchical coalescent process and prove the existence of an early-time phase during which the number of lineages at time $t$ decays as $ 2\gamma/ct^2$, where $c$ is the ratio of the coalescence rates at the individual and species levels, and the constant $\gamma\approx 3.45$ is derived from a recursive distributional equation for the number of lineages contained within a species at a typical time.
The Impact of Restatements on Credit Ratings and the EnronIndustry-Peer Effect

Credit-rating agencies have been criticized for not promptly adjusting credit rates following restatement announcements of financial statements. We investigate the link between restatements and credit risk. Our results indicate that restatement magnitude, duration, and the content of the restatement announcement impact the credit-rating response. Additionally, credit rating adjustments for firms making restatements after the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 provide evidence of the legislation's effectiveness. Our results also point to an Enron industry-peer effect as credit-rating agencies appear to punish oil, gas and energy restatement firms with significantly lower credit ratings in the post-Enron era. INTRODUCTION Restating previously issued financial statements should raise significant questions about the effectiveness of the restating firm's financial reporting. Credit-rating agencies have often been criticized for not responding promptly to the implied shift in the firm's riskiness related to the restatement of financial statements, especially after the Enron crisis. Restatements have differing levels of severity and a variety of characteristics which may provide information about the riskiness of the firm following the restatement. In this study, we investigate the link between restatements and credit risk. Initially, we consider a variety of characteristics and the level of severity in restatements in order to better understand the magnitude of the impact on credit risk of such restatements. We then consider the effect of restatements on credit ratings for the oil, gas and energy (OGE) sector to investigate the presence of an Enron industry-peer effect. The Enron debacle has played a vital role in alterations made to the process of assurance regarding the usefulness of financial information provided by public companies. The result was the issuance of the Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) Act and the creation of the Public Company Auditing Oversight Board (PCAOB). One expectation of the stronger SOX law and oversight by the PCAOB is that restatements would be less common and of lower magnitude. Thus one way to consider the effectiveness of the post-Enron period and SOX regulation is to compare the characteristics of restatements pre-SOX and post-SOX. We consider the severity of restatements and various restatement characteristics in pre-SOX and post-SOX
NEW HALO STARS OF THE GALACTIC GLOBULAR CLUSTERS M3 AND M13 IN THE LAMOST DR1 CATALOG

M3 and M13 are Galactic globular clusters with previous reports of surrounding stellar halos. We present the results of a search for members and extratidal cluster halo stars within and outside of the tidal radius of these clusters in the LAMOST Data Release 1. We find seven candidate cluster members (inside the tidal radius) of both M3 and M13, respectively. In M3 we also identify eight candidate extratidal cluster halo stars at distances up to ∼9.8 times the tidal radius, and in M13 we identify 12 candidate extratidal cluster halo stars at distances up to ∼13.8 times the tidal radius. These results support previous indications that both M3 and M13 are surrounded by extended stellar halos, and we find that the GC destruction rates corresponding to the observed mass loss are generally significantly higher than theoretical studies predict.
Predictors and Outcomes of Employee Engagement: Empirical Study of Nepali Employees

Engaged employees are the most sought-after resources in organizations across the globe. Efforts have been made by academicians and management consultants to help organizations understand the dynamics of Employee Engagement. Little is known, though, about Employee Engagement and its predictors and outcomes in the context of Nepali organizations. This study examined the relationship between predictors and outcomes of Employee Engagement among employees of Nepali organizations and tested its mediating effects. The study was conducted among 158 employees working in various organizations. Correlation, multiple regression, and bootstrapping methods were used to test the hypothesized relationships. The results in general found support for all the hypothesized relationships between predictor variables, viz.: Person-Organization Fit (P-O), Perceived Organizational Support (POS), and Employee Engagement. Likewise, Employee Engagement and outcome variables: Job satisfaction, Organizational Citizenship Behavior (OCB) and Counterproductive Work Behavior (CWB) were related too. Employee Engagement fully mediated the relationship between P-O Fit and OCB, POS and OCB, and POS and CWB while partially mediated the relationship between P-O Fit and Job satisfaction, P-O Fit and CWB and POS and Job satisfaction. The findings are discussed and implications identified.
Public Support for R&D, Knowledge Sourcing and Firm Innovation: Examining a Mediated Model with Evidence from the Manufacturing Industries

The aim of this study is to examine how firms realize the benefits associated with public support for R&D programs. To do so, this research proposes and tests the hypothesis that the level of knowledge sourcing applied by a firm during the innovation process mediates the relationship between granted R&D subsidies and a firm’s innovative performance. Using a panel of Spanish manufacturing companies, the findings provide evidence to indicate that the degree of firms’ investments in intramural R&D and the levels of openness in their innovation serve as mediating mechanisms between R&D subsidies and firm innovation, as measured by patent application and new product introduction counts. The study advances the literature on innovation management and technology-policy evaluation by showing how firms use their knowledge-sourcing strategies to exploit opportunities provided by public intervention.
The Influence of C936T Gene in Wild of the Vascular Endothelial GrowthFactor and Biochemical Variants Analysis for Alpha-Fetoprotein inHepatocellular Carcinoma Patients in Egypt

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most frequent malignant tumors. It is important to detect disease and recurrence at its earlier period. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of the C936T polymorphism of the VEGF and Alfa feto-Protein (AFP) on Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) and control groups. Also, estimation of serum AFP and correlation with other parameters was studied. In this study was included 75 subjects, 25 patients with HCV, 25 patients with confirmed HCC and 25 healthy volunteers were subjected to abdominal ultrasonography, AFP and VEGF were assessed. The statistical analysis will include the Fisher exact test, T test and the multivariate regression, with significance level P<0.05 (AU). The result has showed that Serum level of AFP was significantly higher in HCC group when compared with control group and There was a nonsignificant increase in serum (AFP) level in the untreated HCV infected group compared to control group and also there was a nonsignificant increase in serum (AFP) activity in the HCC group compared to untreated HCV infected group with a (P value = 0.203). the influence of the C936T polymorphism of the VEGF distribution of the studied groups showing that Positive gene have higher incidence of HCV and HCC infection than Negative gene, when compared to control group. Sensitivity and specificity of markers in diagnosis of HCC were 52% and 40% respectively for AFP using a cutoff value of 3.39 ng/ml. VEGF may be useful marker for detection of HCC in addition to traditional markers.
Knowledge management as a platform for the strengthening of intellectual capital in private universities

In this research, knowledge management was analyzed as a platform for the strengthening of intellectual capital in private universities in the municipality of Maracaibo. The methodology implemented in this study was of a descriptive correlational type and with a non-experimental, crosssectional, descriptive and field design. The data analysis was through descriptive statistics, in which the population was made up of teachers from private universities: Jose Gregorio Hernandez, Rafael Urdaneta and Rafael Bellozo Chacín, and the sample was constituted by 30 teachers (10 from each institution). The results point, among other things, to the need to strengthen the knowledge phases (creation, capture and acquisition, development and dissemination) through the implementation of strategies and policies, aimed at managing knowledge in teachers and interns. Keyword Skills, Competencies, Creativity, Knowledge, Managerial approaches, Organizational management
The Importance of Quantifying Food Waste in Canada

Understanding food waste in Canada may offer previously unrecognized opportunities and strategies to address rising food-cost inflation, food insecurity, and negative ecological impacts and energy costs attributable to food production, distribution, and accessibility. It is significant for all agents along the food chain and policy makers to know how much food Canadians waste, as well as why and where. This paper examines food waste at both the consumer and retailer levels. We used data from reports published by Statistics Canada and the World Bank to calculate the amount of food waste from the food available for consumption from 1961 to 2009. The preliminary results of the research show that food waste increased over time in relation to the food available for consumption. The average food waste was estimated at 40 percent of food available for consumption over almost five decades. The conclusion can also be drawn that food waste is positively correlated with per capital GDP and per capita income. We present recommendations for quantifying food waste and understanding the combination of reasons and factors that drive up food waste.
Firm Efficiency Differences and Distribution in the Kenyan Manufacturing Sector

This article provides empirical evidence on technical efficiency differences and efficiency distribution for three Kenyan manufacturing subsectors, namely food, metal and textile, using an unbalanced panel data covering two periods. Econometricproductionfrontiersareestimatedforeachsubsectorineachperiod.Theconfidencepredictionsfortheseefficiencies were, however, found to be quite wide. The results indicate variation of technical efficiency estimates of the sampled firms in each period. The technical efficiency distribution for each subsector changed not only in relation to itself, but also in relation to the other subsectors across the two periods of analysis. The efficiency distribution of the firms for both food and textile (metal) subsectors improved (declined) during the study period but with the food subsector firms remaining relatively inefficient. The improvement of the technical efficiency distribution for both the textile and food subsectors is an indication of intra-plant improvementduringtheperiodofanalysis.Thedeclineofthetechnicalefficiencydistributionforthemetalsubsectorsuggeststhat the market orientation during the structural reform period did not promote firm efficiencies or the firms were slow in responding to the reforms.