Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Job Content and Training Needs of Agricultural Extension Agents in South-Central Botswana 1

A descriptive survey type of study was conducted in the south-central agricultural regions of Botswana in order to assess the training needs of extension agents. A semi-structured Job analysis interview schedule and a job inventory questionnaire were adapted from Pearn and Kandola (1988) and used in a two-stage study to collect data from 141 extension agents in 15 agricultural districts. The specific objectives of the study were to: (1) identify the job operations and tasks of the job of extension agents; (2) determine the skill requirements of the job; (3) assess the level of mastery of the job skills by the agents and identify their training needs. According to the results, the job of extension agents comprised eight operations and 22 tasks, and 25 skill requirements. Level of skill mastery rating by the agents showed a deficiency in 56% of the job skills therefore, indicating a training need in 14 subject areas. The study recommended regular training program review; thorough needs assessment by the Ministry of Agriculture and related training institutions involving all stakeholders to ensure relevant in-service training for extension agents.
An Exploratory View Of Emerging Relationship Between Corporate Social And Financial Performance In Canada

This study uses primary research methods to determine whether a corporate social performance (CSP)–corporate financial performance (CFP) relationship exists within the Canadian context through examination of publicly-traded Canadian-based companies.The empirical findings demonstrate a positive CSR–CFP relationship, typically with CFP preceding CSP (although this does not preclude a relationship in the other direction) when using accounting-based measures of financial performance and as applied to the Top 1000 firms in Canada as ranked by profitability. This positive relationship was not confirmed when compared to the Top 500 companies ranked by profitability (i.e., with the "bottom 500" removed). In addition, the positive relationship did not occur with respect to market-based measures of financial performance (i.e., share performance). In addition, the study noted two possible issues that may have influenced the findings although the extent of such influences (if they exist) is not known. The first of these relates to a predilection amongst the CSR-rankings towards firms with high profitability. Almost all of the top-ranked CSR leaders are from the Top 500 firms in Canada as ranked by profitability and nearly three-quarters are from the Top 100. The second issue is the potential bias of the CSR-ranking methods themselves. This may have resulted in the inclusion of some firms with more questionable reputations in the rankings as well as the lack of continuity from year to year of CSR-leaders amongst the three rankings examined.This exploratory study sets the stage for more detailed analyses within a Canadian context in the future.
Risk Capacity over the Life Cycle: The Role of Human Capital, High Priority Goals, and Discretionary Wealth

From the perspective of wealth management, life cycle theoretical models suggest that the total portfolio, including human capital, should play an influential role in determining the composition of financial assets. In fact, by incorporating human capital into portfolio choice optimization, investors become wealthier, holding a respectable amount of safe assets. Young investors should be invested in stocks, and the risky asset share is expected to decline as individuals convert their human wealth into financial capital. Unfortunately, these academic recommendations and popular wisdom are inconsistent with the empirical observations on portfolio choice at an international level. In this article, stylized facts on income and saving patterns over the life cycle are presented, providing evidence that human wealth should be hump-shaped; younger workers, who do not have substantial wealth, have to implement a hierarchy of saving goals. Discretionary wealth to invest aggressively in the stock markets is present only during the years of middle-aged prosperity. The glide path used by the actual target-date funds in retirement plans needs to be reconsidered.
Using Artificial Neural Networks to Pick Stocks

Can an artificial neural network (ANN) with automatic learning discriminate between stocks that provide positive returns and those that provide negative returns? The ANN employs a particular pattern-recognition algorithm to learn the relationships between a company's stock return one year forward and the most recent four years offinancial data for the company and its industry, as well as data for seven macroeconomic variables.
Germ cell tumors of the ovary: A clinicopathologic study of 121 cases from Nepal

Background: Although many reports have been published about germ cell tumors of the ovary in developed countries, there has been no such documentation from Nepal. The retrospective study presented here reports the clinicopathologic profile of germ cell tumors of the ovary studied at B. P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, Nepal.
The Embodied Self in Parkinson's Disease: Feasibility of a Single Tango Intervention for Assessing Changes in Psychological Health Outcomes and Aesthetic Experience

Background: Dance is an embodied activity with benefits for mobility, balance, and quality of life (QoL) of persons affected by Parkinson's Disease (PD). It is enjoyable and likely to support adherence to movement prescriptions. The objective of this study was to assess the feasibility of measuring changes in psychological outcomes, specifically well-being, body self-efficacy, outcome expectations, and experienced beauty after a single Argentine Tango intervention in a workshop format. To anchor experienced beauty in a theory, the article introduces a model of embodied aesthetics featuring active art-making as a central aspect of healing in arts-based interventions. Methods: In a single-group pre–post design, we tested the feasibility of measuring psychological changes of 34 PD patients from Southern Germany after an introductory workshop in Argentine Tango. They participated in a 90 min Tango for PD intervention and completed the Heidelberg State Inventory (HSI-24; (Koch et al., 2007)), the Body Self-Efficacy Scale (BSE; (Fuchs and Koch, 2014)) with a sub-dimension on aesthetic experience, and the Credibility-Expectancy Questionnaire (CEQ; (Devilly and Borkovec, 2000)) before and after the intervention. A subgroup completed the therapeutic factors of arts therapies-scale, a new measure to elaborate on the aesthetic experience. We analyzed pre–post-differences with a t-test for paired samples. Results and Discussion: The study supports the feasibility of measuring health-related psychological changes from a single Argentine Tango intervention for PD patients, as well as acceptance and appropriateness of the intervention for the patient group. After the tango intervention, well-being, body self-efficacy, and outcome expectancies increased. Participants also experienced an increase in beauty of their movements and other aesthetic aspects. We suspect that, in addition to the functional and psychological factors identified so far, the aesthetic experience in dance may be an important therapeutic factor mediating several outcomes of dance and other arts-based interventions. A controlled study for evidence-based testing of targeted variables can now follow to examine the new hypotheses.
Synaptic inputs to retinal ganglion cells that set the circadian clock

Melanopsin‐containing retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) project to the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN) and mediate photoentrainment of the circadian system. Melanopsin is a novel retinal‐based photopigment that renders these cells intrinsically photosensitive (ip). Although genetic ablation of melanopsin abolishes the intrinsic light response, it has a surprisingly minor effect on circadian photoentrainment. This and other non‐visual responses to light are lost only when the melanopsin deficiency is coupled with mutations that disable classical rod and cone photoreceptors, suggesting that melanopsin‐containing RGCs also receive rod‐ and cone‐driven synaptic inputs. Using whole‐cell patch‐clamp recording, we demonstrate that light triggers synaptic currents in ipRGCs via activation of ionotropic glutamate and γ‐aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors. Miniature postsynaptic currents (mPSCs) were clearly observed in ipRGCs, although they were less robust and were seen less frequently than those seen in non‐ip cells. Pharmacological treatments revealed that the majority of ipRGCs receive excitatory glutamatergic inputs that were blocked by DNQX and/or kynurenic acid, as well as inhibitory GABAergic inputs that were blocked by bicuculline. Other ipRGCs received either glutamatergic or GABAergic inputs nearly exclusively. Although strychnine (Strych)‐sensitive mPSCs were evident on many non‐ipRGCs, indicating the presence of glycinergic inputs, we saw no evidence of Strych‐sensitive events in ipRGCs. Based on these results, it is clear that SCN‐projecting RGCs can respond to light both via an intrinsic melanopsin‐based signaling cascade and via a synaptic pathway driven by classical rod and/or cone photoreceptors. It remains to be determined how the ipRGCs integrate these temporally distinct inputs to generate the signals that mediate circadian photoentrainment and other non‐visual responses to light.
Reelin Induces Erk1/2 Signaling in Cortical Neurons Through a Non-canonical Pathway*

Background: Reelin controls many aspects of brain development and function. Results: Purified Reelin activates Erk1/2 signaling and gene expression, but previously identified receptors and adaptor molecules are not required for these activities. Conclusion: Activation of Erk1/2 signaling by Reelin occurs through a novel signaling mechanism. Significance: Reelin induces Erk/1/2 signaling and thus promotes events that are required for neuronal maturation. Reelin is an extracellular protein that controls many aspects of pre- and postnatal brain development and function. The molecular mechanisms that mediate postnatal activities of Reelin are not well understood. Here, we first set out to express and purify the full length Reelin protein and a biologically active central fragment. Second, we investigated in detail the signal transduction mechanisms elicited by these purified Reelin proteins in cortical neurons. Unexpectedly, we discovered that the full-length Reelin moiety, but not the central fragment, is capable of activating Erk1/2 signaling, leading to increased p90RSK phosphorylation and the induction of immediate-early gene expression. Remarkably, Erk1/2 activation is not mediated by the canonical signal transduction pathway, involving ApoER2/VLDLR and Dab1, that mediates other functions of Reelin in early brain development. The activation of Erk1/2 signaling likely contributes to the modulation of neuronal maturation and synaptic plasticity by Reelin in the postnatal and adult brain.
AUDIT FEES AND AUDITOR SIZE - FURTHER EVIDENCE

During the past decade, the structure of the market for public accounting services-particularly audit services-has received scrutiny from regulators, practitioners, and researchers. A major focus has been on supplier (audit firm) size, and especially on the large shares of markets held by a subset of firms called the Big Eight. ' One hypothesis is that the Big Eight function as a cartel and charge higher than competitively warranted fees. This hypothesis was tested by Simunic [1980], who concluded that the Big Eight as a group tended to charge lower fees than non-Big Eight firms. His conjecture was that his results were consistent with scale economies enjoyed by the larger CPA firms. He did observe, however, that one of his Big Eight firms seemed to "charge higher fees," which might reflect the higher quality of the audit services supplied by that firm.2
Structure and chemical organization of the accessory olfactory bulb in the goat

The structure and chemical composition of the accessory olfactory bulb (AOB) were examined in male and female goats. Sections were subjected to either Nissl staining, Klüver‐Barrera staining, lectin histochemistry, or immunohistochemistry for nitric oxide synthase (NOS), neuropeptide Y (NPY), tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), dopamine β‐hydroxylase (DBH), and glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD). The goat AOB was divided into four layers: the vomeronasal nerve layer (VNL), glomerular layer (GL), mitral/tufted (M/T) cell layer (MTL), and granule cell layer (GRL). Quantitative and morphometric analyses indicated that a single AOB contained 5,000–8,000 putative M/T cells with no sex differences, whereas the AOB was slightly larger in males. Of the 21 lectins examined, 7 specifically bound to the VNL and GL, and 1 bound not only to the VNL, but also to the MTL and GRL. In either of these cases, no heterogeneity of lectin staining was observed in the rostrocaudal direction. NOS‐, TH‐, DBH‐, and GAD‐immunoreactivity (ir) were observed in the MTL and GRL, whereas NPY‐ir was present only in the GRL. In the GL, periglomerular cells with GAD‐ir were found in abundance, and a subset of periglomerular cells containing TH‐ir was also found. Double‐labeling immunohistochemistry revealed that virtually all periglomerular cells containing TH‐ir were colocalized with GAD‐ir. Anat Rec, 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Social responsibility disclosure in corporate annual reports: evidence from the Gulf Cooperation Council countries

The objectives of this study are two-fold: 1) to evaluate social responsibility disclosure in the annual reports of manufacturing companies listed in the financial markets of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC); 2) to examine the impact of a number of company variables on the extent of disclosure of this information. To achieve these objectives, a disclosure index was developed and applied to the annual reports of 60 manufacturing companies listed in the financial markets of the six countries included in the GCC. The results indicate that, on average, a company disclosed about 26% of the 45 items included in the index with only eight companies receiving disclosure scores of 40% or more. The results of regression analysis revealed that the size of the company and the auditing firm (international or local) are major variables in explaining variation in the extent of social responsibility disclosure between the sample companies.
Flatness-Based Tracking Control for Parabolic Distributed-Parameter Systems with Boundary Input (Flachheitsbasierte Folgeregelung für parabolische verteilt-parametrische Systeme mit Randeingriff)

Summary The contribution considers the tracking control problem for nonlinear parabolic distributed-parameter systems with boundary input. It is shown that the combination of so-called formal power series and suitable summation methods provides an integrated approach to the flatness-based feedforward and feedback tracking control design with observer. The performance of the proposed control scheme is evaluated by considering various diffusion-convection-reaction models for tubular or fixed-bed reactors.
Price Movements and Price Discovery in Futures and Cash Markets

R ISK transfer and price discovery are two of the major contributions of futures markets to the organization of economic activity (Working (1962), Evans (1978, p. 80), and Silber (1981)). Risk transfer refers to hedgers using futures contracts to shift price risk to others. Price discovery refers to the use of futures prices for pricing cash market transactions (Working (1948), Wiese (1978, p. 87), and Lake (1978, p. 161)). The significance of both contributions depends upon a close relationship between the prices of futures contracts and cash commodities. This paper examines the characteristics of price movements in cash (or spot) markets and futures markets for storable commodities. Section II presents an analytical model of simultaneous price dynamics which suggests that, over short intervals of time, the correlation of price changes is a function of the elasticity of arbitrage between the physical commodity and its counterpart futures contract. Greater elasticity fosters more highly correlated price changes, and thereby facilitates the risk transfer function. The elasticity of supply of arbitrage services is constrained by, among other things, storage and transaction costs. Thus, futures contracts will not, in general, provide perfect risk transfer facilities over short time horizons. The essence of the price discovery function of futures markets hinges on whether new information is reflected first in changed futures prices or in changed cash prices (Hoffman (1932, pp. 258259)). The model in section II provides a framework for analyzing whether one market is dominant in terms of information flows and price discovery. In section III we develop a model based on section II which is appropriate for estimating the lead-lag relationship between cash prices and futures prices. Section IV presents empirical estimates of the parameters of the model for seven different storable commodities: wheat, corn, oats, frozen orange juice concentrates, copper, gold, and silver. The cost of arbitrage between cash and futures differs across these commodities. For this reason we are not surprised to find inter-commodity differences in the correlation of short-run price changes and in the substitutability of futures contracts for cash market positions. With respect to the price discovery function of futures markets, we find that while futures markets dominate cash markets, cash prices do not merely echo futures prices; there are reverse information flows from cash markets to futures markets as well.
Choice of auditors and earnings management during the Asian financial crisis

Purpose – This study sets out to examine the effect of the choice of auditors in constraining earnings management within a rule‐based reporting framework during the Asian financial crisis.Design/methodology/approach – Using the iterative seemingly unrelated regression methodology, 383 firm‐observations of service‐oriented listed companies in Singapore are analysed.Findings – The results show that service‐oriented companies engage in income decreasing earnings management during the crisis period. More importantly, the results indicate that only the Big‐6 firms are able to significantly constrain the earnings management of managers of such companies.Practical implications – The ability of Big‐6 firms to constrain earnings management is perceived to add credibility to the quality of reported earnings, and hence contributes to the competitive advantage of the Big‐6 firms in the market for auditing services.Originality/value – The evidence contributes to the literature on corporate governance and the competiti.
Induced Civic Pride and Integration

Does a nation’s contingent value of hosting a mega event depend on past experience with implied benefits? Applying data from ex-ante and ex-post queries, we use the FIFA World Cup 2006 to address this question. The ex-post increase in valuation is shown to be owing to citizens requiring an involving experience. We also use the first mega-event hosted by reunified Germany to investigate how the integration of the two parts of Germany progressed after 18 years of reunification. We find that civic pride induced by collective experience can considerably accelerate the convergence of East Germans’ preferences towards those of West Germans.
Intentionality and Institutional Work: Emergency Physicians as Institutional Guardians

We extend existing explanations of institutional work by exploring the puzzle of the effort that actors direct at maintaining institutions. Focusing on institutional guardians as actors entrusted to maintain an institution’s values, we explore when and how institutional guardians engage in maintenance work and the microprocesses by which the intentionality of this maintenance work varies over time. We address our research questions through a three-year qualitative study of physicians in the emergency department of a public hospital in Australia. We find that the intentionality of an institutional guardian’s maintenance work shifts from low to medium to high intentionality over time through processual mechanisms linked to cognitive appraisals and affective responses to problems that put the institutional value at risk.
The Effect of Exchange Rates on Firm Exports: The Role of Imported Intermediate Inputs

In this paper we investigate the effect of exchange rate changes on the exports of UK manufacturing firms, but draw on the macro literature to consider the effects exchange rates have on imported intermediate inputs. Real exchange rate appreciations make the foreign export price of goods and services produced by domestic firms more expensive, but also make imported inputs cheaper. Our results provide support for this view; we find a significant negative effect from a measure of the export destination weighted real effective exchange rate and an offsetting effect from the imported intermediate input weighted exchange rate on export sales.
Impact of the SEC's Public Fee Disclosure Requirement on Subsequent Period Fees and Implications for Market Efficiency

This study investigates the impact of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's (SEC) mandated public disclosure of audit fees on subsequent period audit pricing. Our theoretical model predicts that the initial public disclosure of fees will lead to greater precision and reduced dispersion (less variance) in subsequent period fees. Using the new fee disclosures in the first two disclosure years (2000 and 2001), we find significantly smaller variances in audit fees as predicted for 2001 relative to 2000. In addition, we document that those clients that were “overcharged” (“undercharged”) in 2000 have significantly lower (higher) fees in 2001. However, there is greater downward fee adjustment than upward adjustment that suggests that clients have bargaining power over auditors. We also document that subsequent period fees appear to have completed the adjustment process by the second post‐disclosure year (2002) with subsequent fees adjusting on average around 0.31 percent for each one percent of fee surp.
Políticas de gestão de pessoas, valores pessoais e justiça organizacional

O objetivo deste estudo e investigar a relacao entre a variavel "percepcao de politicas de gestao de pessoas" e as variaveis valores pessoais, percepcao de justica organizacional, alem da variavel funcional "tipo de organizacao" (publica ou privada). Para tanto, realizaram-se analises de regressao, tendo como variavel dependente a percepcao das politicas de gestao de pessoas e como variaveis preditoras os valores pessoais, a percepcao de justica organizacional e o "tipo de organizacao". Os resultados mostraram que, de fato, dependendo dos valores pessoais dos colaboradores, da percepcao de justica organizacional e do tipo de organizacao em que trabalham, certas politicas de gestao de pessoas sao mais percebidas e, possivelmente, devem ser mais adequadas e eficazes no alcance dos objetivos organizacionais, bem como na promocao de um maior bem-estar dos colaboradores. Por conseguinte, entende-se como relevante a consideracao de tais questoes quando do desenvolvimento de politicas de gestao de pessoas nas organizacoes.
From state to private ownership: performance of small listed Tunisian firms

In this work, we address the financial and operating performance of a sample of seven Tunisian firms which capital was open to the private sector. As many countries, developed or in development, Tunisia initiates privatisation programme from 1987 to 2009. The results indicate that profitability and capital investment spending ratios decline significantly, but efficiency ratios increase. Furthermore, theses enterprises knew an increase in their debt levels. For the dividend payout, the effect is not determiner.