Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
An Analysis of Major Determinants of Poverty in Agriculture Sector in Pakistan

This study is an attempt to highlight the need to prioritize the agriculture sector in policies aimed at alleviating poverty. The objectives are (1) to estimate and compare the incidence of poverty across various sectors of the economy with special focus on the agricultural sector and (2) to identify the major determinants of poverty in the agriculture sector. Poverty is measured in terms of head count, poverty gap and severity of poverty indices all determined as a function of household consumption level. Households with adult equivalent consumption below a consumption level necessary to acquire basic needs are defined as poor. The estimated measures of poverty are used to compare incidence of poverty across sectors of the economy. Adult equivalent consumption is then regressed against a series of explanatory variables to identify determinants of poverty. Results from consumption model are then simulated to gauge impact of various policy scenarios on poverty levels. Data sets are from the 2001 Pakistan Integrated Household Survey and 2005 Living Standard Measurement Survey.
β‐Arrestin1‐mediated decrease in endoplasmic reticulum stress impairs intestinal stem cell proliferation following radiation

Gastrointestinal toxicity limits the clinical application of abdominal and pelvic radiotherapy and currently has no effective treatment. Intestinal leucine‐rich‐repeat‐containing GPCR 5 (Lgr5)‐positive stem cell depletion and loss of proliferative ability due to radiation may be the primary factors causing intestinal injury following radiation. Here, we report the critical role of β‐arrestin1 (βarr1) in radiation‐induced intestinal injury. Intestinal βarr1 was highly expressed in radiation enteritis and in a radiation model, βarr1 knockout (KO) or knockdown mice exhibited increased proliferation in intestinal Lgr5+ stem cell, crypt reproduction, and survival following radiation. Unexpectedly, the beneficial effects of βarr1 deficiency on intestinal stem cells in response to radiation were compromised when the endoplasmic reticulum stress‐related protein kinase RNA‐like ER kinase (PERK)/eukaryotic initiation factor‐2α (eIF2α) pathway was inhibited, and this result was further supported in vitro. Furthermore, we found that βarr1 knockdown with small interfering RNA significantly enhanced intestinal Lgr5+ stem cell proliferation after radiation via directly targeting PERK, βarr1 offers a promising target for mitigating radiation‐induced intestinal injury. —Liu, Z. , Jiang, J., He, Q. , Liu, Z. , Yang, Z. , Xu, J., Huang, Z. , Wu, B. β‐Arrestinlmediated decrease in endoplasmic reticulum stress impairs intestinal stem cell proliferation following radiation. FASEB J. 33, 10165–10176 (2019). www.fasebj. org
Experimental and Numerical Study of Methane-air Deflagrations in a Vented Enclosure

Results of a series of tests on the deflagration of methane-air mixtures in a large vented enclosure are presented. Experiments were made in FM Global’s 63.7 m 3 chamber. The chamber was 4.6 x 4.6 x 3.0 m with a vent opening on one side. Vent areas of either 2.7 or 5.4 m 2 were used. Tests were performed with ignition either at the center of the chamber or at the center of the wall opposite the vent. Methane-air mixtures with methane concentrations close to 9.5% vol. were used in the tests. Pressure data, as function of time, and flame time-of-arrival data were obtained both inside and outside the chamber near the vent. Detailed experimental data is used in the paper to test a three-dimensional gasdynamic model for the simulation of gaseous combustion in vented enclosures. The model is based on a Large Eddy Simulation (LES) solver created using the OpenFOAM CFD toolbox using sub-grid turbulence and flame wrinkling models. Results from the calculations are compared with the experimental data. The capabilities and deficiencies of the model are discussed.
Effect of water deficit at grain repining stage on rice grain quality

Rice production is usually reduced by water stress that can evenly occur during rice cycle in West Africa under bimodal rainfall pattern. In order to determine the effects of water stress on rice grain quality, experiments were conducted on upland site (on ferralsol) at the main AfricaRice research center at M’be, 30 km North of Bouake, Cote d’Ivoire. The rice varieties CG14 (Oryza glaberrima), WAB56-104 (Oryza sativa), and NERICA1 (cross WAB56-104 x CG14) were sown at 25 × 25 cm spacing during the dry season cropping period of 2000, 2001 and 2002. Irrigation line (Boon irrigation) was used to supply water until flowering stage. Water was then supply manually from the milky stage of each variety to its full ripening stage. Physical (husking yield, milling recovery, and head rice ratio), chemical (amylose and proteins contents) and cooking parameters (cooking time, volume expansion, rice flour gelatinization temperature, consistency and viscosity) of the harvested grains were determined in the laboratory. The results showed a significant difference (p < 0.05) between all the parameters in comparison with the checks samples and stressed crop. In general, NERICA 1 showed better physical and cooking quality traits than its parents. Rice samples from plots subject to lower water availability during repining stage showed higher protein content for all varieties studied. Increase in the average protein content of stressed samples were 31, 11.8 and 13.3% times, respectively for NERICA 1, CG14 and WAB56 -104, where (using the protein content of check plots as 100%) NERICA 1 showed higher husking yield, total mean milling recovery and head rice ratio for samples collected on stressed plots than the glaberrima and thesativa samples recorded on similar plots. Finding showed that cooking properties that meet West African rice consumers’ preferences for cooked rice were more improved for NERICA 1 than its parents in comparison with samples collected from stressed plots. It is concluded that moisture stress at ripening stage should be further investigated as potential indirect means of improving rice grain quality. Key words: Interspecific, grain quality, water stress, Oryza glaberrima, Oryza sativa.
Impact of Ownership Structure on Firm Performance in the MENA Region: An Empirical Study

This paper investigates the impact of ownership structures on firm financial performance in the MENA region. The sample covers nine MENA countries (Egypt, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Tunisia, UAE, Morocco, Oman and Jordan) for the year 2014. We examine the impact of ownership structures on firm performance. Performance is proxied by Tobin-Q, ROE and ROA, while ownership structure is proxied using insider ownership, governmental, and blockholders. We control for risk, size, country effect and industry type. Our results suggest that blockholders, insider ownership and governmental ownership play a crucial role in firm performance measured by Tobin-Q, ROE and ROA respectively. Our results suggest that insider ownership negatively effects firm’s return on equity, while blockholder ownership has a positive impact on a firm’s Tobin-Q. Finally we find that governmental ownership plays a positive role on a firm’s return on assets in the MENA region.
Large-Scale Measurements of Thermospheric Dynamics with a Multisite Fabry-Perot Interferometer Network: Overview of Plans and Results from Midlatitude Measurements

The North American Thermosphere Ionosphere Observing Network (NATION), comprising a new network of Fabry-Perot interferometers (FPIs), to be deployed in the Midwest of the United States of America is described. FPIs will initially be deployed to four sites to make coordinated measurements of the neutral winds and temperature in the Earth's thermosphere using measurements of the 630 nm redline emission. The observing strategy of the network will take into account local observing conditions, and common volume measurements from multiple sites will be made in order to estimate local vector wind quantities. The network described is expandable, and as additional FPI sites are installed in North America, or elsewhere, the goal of providing the upper atmospheric research community with a robust dataset of neutral winds and temperatures can be achieved.
A Multi-Period Logistic Model of Bankruptcies in the Manufacturing Industry

This paper analyses with a multi-period logistic model corporate bankruptcy in the manufacturing industry over the period 1980 to 2007. The contribution of this paper to the bankruptcy prediction literature is the concentration on one of the most important industries in the U.S.; the manufacturing industry. In addition, this research includes the effect of the Gross Domestic Product on bankruptcy filings, which turns out to be a powerful predictor. The results show that accounting variables lose predicting power when market driven variables are added. Only one accounting variable (a liquidity ratio) turns out to be statistically significant once market variables are accounted for. This study finds; liquidity of the company, excess return and volatility of the publicly traded shares and macroeconomic growth are significant in predicting bankruptcy in the whole manufacturing industry. In the analysis of the manufacturing sub-industries the excess return of company shares over the S&P500 return is a significant bankruptcy predictor in 7 of the 8 manufacturing sub-industries. GDP is significant in the industrial machinery industry and liquidity is significant in the textile and chemicals industry.
Effect of acute feedback on knee angle and moments during a horizontal land and cut maneuver

The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of acute feedback and preferred plant leg on peak knee flexion and valgus angle, ground reaction force (GRF), and abduction moment of the knee during a horizontal land and cut maneuver. Eight division II women soccer players randomly performed horizontal landing and cutting maneuvers: 3 left and 3 right cuts pre- and post-feedback. Feedback was provided according to previous research. ANOVA revealed lower knee valgus angles for the feedback and preferred plant leg conditions (p 0.05). There were no differences in GRF or knee abduction moment. Acute feedback may decrease knee valgus angle during cutting tasks, but does not appear to acutely alter other measures that are thought to decrease ACL injury risk.
In vitro and in vivo Antiviral Potential of Hot Aqueous Extract of Ocimum sanctum and Argemone mexicana Leaves

The present study was undertaken to explore the in vitro antiviral potential of hot aqueous extract (HAE) of Ocimum sanctum (OS) and Argemone mexicana (AM) leaves against Newcastle disease virus (NDV) and Infectious bursal disease virus(IBDV) in chicken embryo fibroblast (CEF) cell culture. First the nontoxic dose of HAE of OS and AM was determined in CEF. Doses of OS and AM below 20 mg/mL and 5 mg/mL respectively were found to be nontoxic to CEF in RPMI 1640 media. Anti NDV activity was determined by absence/lower cytopathic effect (CPE) in CEF and lower HA titer of cell culture supernatant. Anti IBDV activity was determined by absence/lower CPE in CEF. Besides in vivo antiviral effects of HAE of OS and AM against NDV and IBDV were evaluated in chicken model. 250 mg/kg body weight oral dose of HAE of OS and AM was found ideal and nontoxic in chickens and experimental chickens were fed this dose for 21 days for determination of in vivo antiviral effect. On 22 nd day respective groups of chickens were challenged orally with ID 50 dose of NDV and IBDV. OS and AM fed chickens challenged with either of the virus were better protected as compared to unfed controls.
An Inverse Approach to Determine the Mechanical Properties of Elastoplastic Materials Using Indentation Tests

In this work, an inverse approach based on depth-sensing instrumented indentation tests is proposed to determine the Young’s modulus, yield strength and strain hardening exponent of the materials for which the elastoplastic part of the stress-strain curve can be described using a power function. Numerical verifications performed on typical engineering metals demonstrate the effectiveness of the new method. The sensitivity of the method to data noise and some experimental uncertainties are also discussed, which may provide useful information for the application of the method in practice. Keyword: Inverse approach; mechanical properties of power law materials; indentation tests.
Can Time Buffers Lead to Delays? The Role of Operational Flexibility

In operating systems where the feasible start time of activities is uncertain, the available (actual) time buffers for conducting the activities are distinct from planned (scheduled) time buffers. We study how, and why, do these two buffers (scheduled and actual) affect operating performance? We propose a stylized model that explicitly accounts for operational flexibility to examine these questions. Additionally, we evaluate the empirical content of our model by taking its predictions to real-world data from the airline industry. Our theoretical results show, and empirical results confirm, that both scheduled and actual time buffers impact operating performance. Specifically, smaller actual time buffers and larger scheduled time buffers are associated with poorer operating performance. Moreover, both these effects are moderated by operational flexibility, i.e., the negative impact of these buffers are stronger with lower flexibility. Our empirical results also serve to illustrate that these two operational variables are not just statistically significant, but, from a practical perspective for the airline industry, explain a substantial part of delays compared to the variables identified in past literature. Overall, we highlight the importance of understanding both the direct effect of time buffers and the role of resource flexibility in managing operational performance.
Local-level immigration and life satisfaction: The EU enlargement experience in England and Wales

The 2004 European Union enlargement resulted in an unprecedented wave of 1.5 million workers relocating from Eastern Europe to the UK. We study the links between this migrant inflow and life satisfaction of native residents in England and Wales. Combining the British Household Panel Survey with the Local Authority level administrative data from the Worker Registration Scheme, we find that higher levels of local immigration were associated with a decrease in life satisfaction among older, unemployed and lower-income people, and with an increase in life satisfaction among younger, employed, higher-income and better educated people. These findings are driven by the initial ‘migration shock’ – the inflows that occurred in the first two years after the enlargement. Overall, our study highlights the importance of local-level immigration in shaping the life satisfaction of receiving populations. We also argue that our results help explain the socio-demographic patterns observed in the UK Brexit vote.
Medicinal Plants Used in the Treatment and Prevention of Malaria in Cegere Sub-County, Northern Uganda

In Uganda, malaria has been ranked as a leading cause of morbidity and mortality with Apac District having one of the highest transmission rates. The objective of this study was to assess the use of medicinal plants in preventing and treating malaria and to determine the traditional concept of malaria in Cegere Sub-County, Apac. A snowball sampling method was used to work through a network of informants. Ninety respondents, including traditional healers, were interviewed using focus group discussions and questionnaires. Twenty plant species from 15 families were used for preventing and treating malaria. Most of the plants were herbs (50%), and leaves (64%) were the most frequently used parts. Schkuhria pinnata (Lam.) Kuntze ex Thell. was the most frequently cited plant for treating malaria, mentioned by 77% of the respondents. Traditionally, malaria was known as atipa and was treated ritually. Fewer medicinal plant species were used to treat malaria in Apac compared to other parts of Uganda.
Police interviewing and psychological vulnerabilities: predicting the likelihood of a confession

This paper is concerned with examining the differences between people who confess and those who deny offences during a police interview. The main hypothesis under investigation is that psychologically vulnerable suspects are particularly likely to confess. This paper is also concerned with identifying variables that might be related to the confession process. One hundred and sixty suspects detained at two London police stations were assessed psychologically prior to being interviewed by the police. The results of this assessment, an analysis of the interview procedure and biographic details were subjected to a logistic regression analysis. There was no evidence to support our main hypothesis. However, suspects were more likely to confess if they reported having consumed an illicit (non-prescribed) drug in the previous 24-hour period, and less likely to confess when interviewed in the presence of a legal adviser or if they had experience of prison or custodial remand. In this study younger suspects were also more likely to confess. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Challenges of Effective Implementation of Micro-Insurance in India: A Case Study of Bhartiya Agro Industries Foundation (BAIF)

Almost 70 percent of India’s population is rural, majority of which lives in poverty. In order to achieve sustainable economic development, it is necessary that poor people get benefits of inclusive policies. Micro insurance is a necessary step in this direction as poor are most vulnerable to several risks. In India, insurance has got low penetration and situation is worse in case of poor section of the society. Even though insurance can provide risk coverage to vulnerable section of the society, insurance companies have failed to draw attention of target customers. Micro insurance provides a way out for this issue, but there are various hindrances to successful implementation; from supply as well as demand side. Some of the supply side issues are, lack of appropriate products, reach of organization, reluctance of personnel to work in rural area, pushing of products giving more premium rather than needed products; whereas
The genus

Abbreviations Traditionally, the Bermudian amphipod fauna has included three species of Maera. After examining collections that span more than 10 years, we retain one species, M. tinkerensis; report a second species, M. quadrimana, as a verified record for the Atlantic; and describe four new species: M. ceres, M. miranda, M. ariel and M. caliban. Discussion of M. quadrimana sensu lato, M. pacifica and M. rathbunae clarifies their taxonomic status and their relationship to the Bermudian fauna. Maera tinkerensis resides within the grossimana complex of species, and the other five species reside within the quadrimana complex. The zoogeographical implications of these morphological "complex" alignments are briefly considered. We provide data on habitat preferences and a key to the six species of Maera now recognized from Bermuda.
A new marsh plant community of Eleocharito palustris-Alismatetum lanceolati (Eleocharito palustris-Sagittarion sagittifoliae alliance) in Slovakia

Open and species-poor stands with a dominance of Alisma lanceolatum were recorded in periodically flooded habitats of the southern part of central Slovakia (Ipeľ River catchment area) during the summer of 2013. Phytosociological releves correspond to the association Eleocharito palustris-Alismatetum lanceolati (alliance Eleocharito palustris-Sagittarion sagittifoliae ), which is reported and documented here for the first time from the territory of Slovakia. It inhabits predominantly temporarily flooded depressions on agricultural land – wet arable fields and extensively used pastures. Detrended correspondence analysis showed that the variability in species composition was most significantly influenced by water depth, the presence of arable fields in the contact area and water conductivity. Special attention was paid to a detailed description of the floristic composition, habitat requirements, distribution patterns and nomenclature of the community.
Buy-Side Analysts, Sell-Side Analysts, and Investment Decisions of Money Managers

Abstract We examine the role of financial analysts in forming institutional investors' investment decisions. In our model, a fund manager invests in a stock based on the optimal weighting of reports created by a biased sell-side analyst and an unbiased buy-side analyst. The manager puts a higher weight on the buy-side analyst's report when the quality of the buyside analyst's information relative to that of the sell-side analyst increases, or when the sell-side analyst's degree of bias or uncertainty about the bias increases. Utilizing a unique dataset of U.S. equity funds, we find evidence supporting our model predictions on how fund managers weigh buy-side research relative to sell-side and independent research.
Resolvent estimates and scattering states for dissipative systems

result is Theorem 1. Let A0 and B be self-adjoint operators in H. Assume that B is non-negative, D(A0) ⊂ D(B) and (A1) ∼ (A3). Then (1) A has no real eigenvalues. (2) The wave operator W = s− lim t→∞U0(−t)V (t) exists. Moreover W is not zero as an operator in H. We shall use (1.5) to get (1.6) or (1.7) (see Section 3). Theorem 1 (2) implies that there exist scattering states of dV (t)g/dt = −iAV (t)g, g ∈ D(A) as follows: Corollary 2. Let A0 and B be self-adjoint operators in H. Assume that B is non-negative, D(A0) ⊂ D(B) and (A1) ∼ (A3). Then there exist non-trivial initial data f ∈ H and f+ ∈ H such that for any k = 0, 1, 2, · · · , and ζ0 ∈ C satisfying ζ0 > 0 lim t→∞ ‖V (t)(A− ζ0) −kf − U0(t)(A0 − ζ0)−kf+‖H = 0. The proof of Theorem 1 and Corollary 2 will be given in Section 2. Abstractly, Mochizuki’s result [17] can be explained as follows. Let A0 and B be self-adjoint operators in H. If we suppose that B is non-negative, bounded and there exist positive constants C and η such that sup 0<|Imζ|<η ‖ √ B(A0 − ζ)−1 √ B‖ C (1.8) instead of (A1), (A2) and (A3), we can prove the same conclusion as in Theorem 1 (see Lemma 2.1 of Section 2). Dissipative Scattering 195
Circulation patterns in the Gulf of Finland derived from the EOF analysis of model results

For the Gulf of Finland, we carried out the EOF (empirical orthogonal functions) analysis of hourly forecasts from the Baltic Sea operational HIROMB-SMHI model for the period 2006–2008. It is possible to distinguish two regions with a specific regime of circulation variability. The western region behaves like a wide channel. Dominant EOF modes at different sections have similar patterns and their time-dependent amplitudes are well correlated. A prevailing mode of currents (23%–42% of the variance) is barotropic (unidirectional over the whole section) and its oscillation (spectral peak at 24 h) is related to the water storage variation of the Gulf. A two-layer flow pattern (surface Ekman transport with deeper compensation flow, 19%–22%) reveals both inertial and lower frequencies. Highest outflow of surface waters occurs during north-easterly winds. The eastern wider region has more complex flow dynamics and only patterns that are nearly uniform over the whole Gulf were detected here. On the sea surface, quasi-uniform drift currents are deflected on the average by 40° to the right from the wind direction and they cover 60% of the circulation variance. Sea level variability is heavily (98%) dominated by nearly uniform changes which are caused by the water storage variations of the Gulf. Sea level gradients contain the main axis (23%) and transverse (17%) components, forced by winds of the same direction. The flows below the surface are decomposed also into the main axis (24%–40%) and transverse (13%–16%) components that are correlated with the sea level gradients according to the geostrophic relations.