Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Inquiring into residential tourism: The Costa Blanca case

Abstract The residential tourism development model that has been established in the Alicante province (Spain) has characteristics that are closer to those of the property development industry than to the tourism sector. Many towns have reached a situation of urban collapse as a result of such town planning policies. First, I examine the main characteristics of residential tourism, which includes the problem of transient populations coupled with high loyalty towards the destination. Then, I study four localities on Alicante's coast (Denia, Altea, Santa Pola and Torrevieja) whose development model has been based on residential tourism. The local economies of all four of them are centred round the construction industry, the real estate business and commerce; and all four contain a considerable number of second homes. The hotel sector, on the contrary, has hardly been developed, leading to a mismatch between those towns' potential for tourism and the realities of dealing with residential tourism.
Relationship between anomalies of Eurasian snow and southern China rainfall in winter

Characteristics of the snow water equivalent (SWE) over high-latitude Eurasia and its relation with precipitation in China during January, February and March (JFM) are investigated. The JFM Eurasian SWE exhibited a decadal downward shift in the late 1990s, marked by a frequently positive phase in 1979–98 and a negative phase afterward. The decadal shift corresponds to anomalous northeasterly flow over southeastern China. Consequently, warm and moist airflow from tropical oceans is weakened, accompanied by reduced rainfall over southeastern China. The US National Centers for the Environmental Prediction Climate Forecast System (CFS) capture both the interannual variation and the decreasing trend of JFM Eurasian SWE reasonably well for several months in advance. The relationship between Eurasian SWE and southeastern China rainfall is also captured by the CFS in the prediction.
Showing Ideas as Causes: The Origins of the European Union

Why did Western Europe create uniquely strong international institutions in the 1950s, setting the foundations for today's quasi-federal European Union? This article contests explanations of the European Economic Community (EEC) as a straightforward response to structural interdependence, or as an institutionally “path-dependent” variation on such a response. Only leadership based on certain ideas explains why Europeans created the EEC rather than pursuing cooperation within weaker institutions or standard diplomatic instruments. In France—the only major state that insisted on the “community” framework—divided preferences and issue-linkages created “multiple equilibria” that allowed leaders to mobilize support for several European strategies. The EEC strategy was selected over viable alternatives by leaders who stood out from their party, bureaucratic, sectoral, and regional allies in holding certain ideas about Europe. This demonstration of the major, distinct impact of ideas offers concrete support to the growing theoretical literature on ideas and norms.
Portfolio Choice And Investments In Renewable Energy: Evidence From U.S. Household Surveys

Economic theory predicts that investing in renewable energy should generally have a negative effect on risk-taking in financial portfolios, which can affect the optimal design of a wide variety of financial and insurance policies. However, there is no empirical work to confirm a relationship between renewable energy investments and portfolios. Using data for 15,600 U.S. households spanning the period 2001-2012, we find that increases in renewable energy investments also increase investments in risky assets. Therefore, investing in renewable energy has a substantial impact on portfolio choice decisions.
Marketing education: A review of service quality perceptions among international students

Purpose – To discuss the requirement for a university to adopt a clearly defined marketing strategy to increase its international student population and generate additional revenue. Design/methodology/approach – Primary research was undertaken to investigate the notion that customer satisfaction influences perceived quality and in turn affects profitability. The research methodology carried out among hospitality and tourism management students at Bournemouth University combined qualitative and quantitative methods. A student focus group and staff members with specialised knowledge were interviewed using a semi‐structured approach to allow a pre‐determined core of open‐ended questions to be addressed, while enabling other related issues to be pursued. Findings – Within Bournemouth University, the reputation of the hospitality and tourism programmes and educational links are the most important considerations in student decision making, regarding their choice of programme and place of study. Research limitations/implications – It could be argued that the courses selected attract more outgoing individuals and those more prepared to adapt to change and adopt a different culture. However, the students were from a range of countries and were representative of the mix at the University. Practical implications – In an increasingly competitive market for international students, institutions need to provide an optimum service. International education marketing to international students should be managed to enhance consumer satisfaction, and raise perceived quality. Originality/value – The findings should be taken into account when programmes are revalidated to ensure that these disciplines continue to provide students with the knowledge required by a global industry.
Nigerian University Academics and Institutional repository: A case study of University of Jos, faculty of Natural Sciences lecturers

This research was designed to evaluate the Lecturers of University of Jos knowledge on Institutional Repository, awareness of existence of University of Jos Institutional Repository, willingness to submit personal research works to the Institutional Repository and challenges faced, using the lecturers of Faculty of Natural Sciences as a focal population. The entire population of 148 academic staff members in the faculty was adopted for the research. Descriptive survey was the research design used for the study. The instruments used for data collection were questionnaire and interview. Descriptive statistics such as frequency counts, percentages and cross- tabulations were used to analyze the data generated. The findings of the research revealed among others that the majority of the lecturers did not have any idea of what Open Access Institutional Repository means and also not aware of the existence of the University of Jos Institutional Repository. Nevertheless, most of the lecturers appeared undecided on willingness to submit personal research works to the university’s Institutional Repository. Hence, most of the lecturers indicated unawareness of the existence the university’s Institutional Repository as their major reason for not participating in the development of the Institutional Repository. It was therefore, recommended among others that the University’s Management through the Directorate of ICT unit in association with the University’s Library should continue to organize conferences, capacity building workshops and seminars to educate the lecturers on the relevance of Institutional Repository to the academic community. In this way, their knowledge on Open Access Institutional Repository will be enriched and they will then be willing to contribute to the development of institutional repository in the university.
The working of the Auditing Practices Committee--three case studies

Abstract This is a study of the development of three different auditing guidelines by the Auditing Practices Committee (APC) of the UK and the Irish Republic. The guidelines are those on analytical review, fraud, and general insurance business. The evidence is derived from the APC's archives and includes agendas, minutes, working papers and correspondence of working parties and of the main Committee, in addition to published sources. The evidence is used to assess the validity of the public criticisms that have been made of the APC and the possible effectiveness of the recent reforms of the system.
The Non-market Value of the Swedish Agricultural Landscape

The contingent valuation method has been used to estimate the Swedes' willingness-to-pay to preserve the agricultural landscape. They seem willing to pay about 541 SEK/person [each] year (78 ECU) or 975 SEK/hectare [each] year (140 ECU) (May 1986). The results are judged to be reliable but with a low degree of precision. It is shown that willingness to pay is significantly correlated to income, age (negatively), level of education, and to positive attitudes towards preservation of the agricultural landscape. Willingness to pay per hectare differs due to land use and regional location. Subsidies based on acreage instead of price support may be an adequate political solution. Copyright 1992 by Oxford University Press.
Attitudes towards and management of single embryo transfer among Nordic IVF doctors

Background. The objective of this study was to investigate the attitudes towards and management of single embryo transfer (SET) among Nordic in vitro fertilisation (IVF) doctors, and to present the rate of SET and multiple pregnancies in the different countries. Methods. A questionnaire was sent to all IVF doctors in the Nordic countries (n = 198, 78.5% responded). Pregnancy rates, SET and multiple births rates were extracted from registries. Main outcome measure was attitudes and management of SET. Results. Almost all doctors thought that a twin pregnancy compared unfavourably to a singleton. A twin rate >10% was acceptable for 5% of Swedish doctors. Corresponding figures for Finnish, Danish and Norwegian doctors were 21, 35 and 35%, respectively. For a woman <36 years, performing her first cycle and with two good quality embryos, almost all doctors would recommend SET. For a woman ≥36 years in a similar situation, SET would be recommended only in Sweden and Finland. The pregnancy rate per embryo transfer (ET), the SET rate 2003, the multiple birth rate, and the estimated SET rate 2004 were 33.3, 21.5, 22.7 and 25% (Denmark), 31.3, 43.4, 14 and 51% (Finland), 40.5, 10.5, 26.5 and 16% (Iceland), 30.6, 18, 25.2 and 26% (Norway), and 35.3, 55.1, 11.8 and 71% (Sweden). Conclusions. The SET and multiple birth rates reflect the attitudes of Nordic IVF doctors to SET and multiple births well. When introducing SET, the attitude of the IVF doctor seems to be important.
Surveying Diverse Stakeholder Groups

This article evaluates three commonly used shortcuts for surveying multistakeholder resource management groups. Each shortcut had a significant impact on research results when tested in a survey administered to 48 watershed partnerships in California and Washington. Surveying only the coordinator led to a picture of the partnership that was more successful, trusting, and proenvironment. Surveying only a single stakeholder category (e.g., federal and state agencies) had a similar effect. Surveying only participants (and excluding knowledgeable observers of each group) resulted in higher estimates of the amount of disagreement among the stakeholders. Studies that fail to sample broadly may lead to an inaccurate or incomplete characterization of the success and dynamics of stakeholder partnerships.
New Literacies and Emerging Technologies: Perspectives from U.S. and Chinese Middle Level Teachers

Abstract This study focuses on middle grades teachers from the United States and China, the two countries with the highest Internet use, in an attempt to understand both groups’ perspectives on integrating new literacies and technologies into their teaching. Survey and focus group results indicate that, although U.S. and Chinese teachers are operating under different educational policies in their respective countries, their experiences with school changes prompted by the integration of new technologies have similarities. One notable difference was the significantly higher value Chinese teachers assigned to creativity and innovation in contrast to U.S. teachers, which may be a result of current U.S. testing policies. Although there appears to be a gap between their aspirations and their practices, middle grades teachers from both countries report an eagerness to create educational experiences that help students become active global citizens, and they recognize the role of new literacies and technologies in achieving this goal.
A long-memory integer-valued time series model, INARFIMA, for financial application

A model to account for the long-memory property in a count data framework is proposed and applied to high-frequency stock transactions data. By combining features of the INARMA and ARFIMA models, an Integer-valued Auto Regressive Fractionally Integrated Moving Average (INARFIMA) model is proposed. The unconditional and conditional first- and second-order moments are given. The CLS, FGLS and GMM estimators are discussed. In its empirical application to two stock series for AstraZeneca and Ericsson B, we find that both series have a fractional integration property.
The impact of children on marital stability in the United Kingdom

We examine the effect of fertility on marital stability in the UK using twin births and sex composition to tackle the endogeneity of family size. For women with children younger than age 12, we find little evidence that family size affects the probability of marital dissolution. For women with children at least 12 years or older, we do find evidence of a causal effect of children, but that this effect depends on how family size is increased.
Can a Social Issue Proposition Increase Political Knowledge? Campaign Learning and the Educative Effects of Direct Democracy

Proponents of direct democracy contend that the institution increases political knowledge, but limited evidence supports this assertion over a single election. Previous studies of the relationship, however, do not account for the heterogeneous effects of each proposition and employ political knowledge scales that insufficiently rely on information directly related to political campaigns. I address these limitations by looking at the issue content of each ballot measure and using the 2006 and 2008 Cooperative Congressional Election Studies (CCES), which contain numerous voting-relevant and policy-oriented questions from which to construct an improved measurement of actual campaign learning. Although I find no effect attributable to the total number of measures on the ballot, those addressing social issues, because they are well known, highly salient, and tap into existing social cleavages, do exhibit the hypothesized effect on political knowledge. I discuss the implications of these findings in the conclusion.
Hong Kong as a Travel Destination: An Analysis of Japanese Tourists’ Satisfaction Levels, and the Likelihood of Them Recommending Hong Kong to Others

Summary The Japanese market is one of Hong Kong's major tourism markets, contributing significant numbers of inbound travelers and tourism receipts to the Hong Kong tourism industry. Nevertheless, this sector has dropped drastically since early 1997. In order to retain the potential Japanese market, and as a first step, this study examines the satisfaction levels of the Japanese tourists toward Hong Kong as a travel destination in terms of 31 travel attributes. Of these 31 travel attributes, Overall accessibility of Hong Kong' appears to be the top satisfaction attribute perceived by Japanese tourists. The 31 travel attributes are then factor analyzed into eight dimensions: ‘People’; ‘Overall Convenience’; ‘Price’; ‘Accommodation and Food’; ‘Commodities’; ‘Attractions’; ‘Culture’; and ‘Climate and Image. ’ Multiple regression analysis was applied to examine the relative impact of each of the travel dimensions in affecting Japanese tourists’ overall satisfaction with Hong Kong, as well as the their likelihood of them recommending Hong Kong to other people. Results reveal that ‘Accommodation and Food’ exert the most influential impact on both of the dependent variables.
Association of interferon‐γ +874A polymorphism with the risk of developing cervical cancer in north‐Indian population

Objective Interferon gamma (IFN‐γ) is a pro‐inflammatory cytokine playing a pivotal role in both innate and adaptive immune responses. A single nucleotide polymorphism located in the first intron of the human IFN‐γ gene can influence the secretion of cytokine. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the association of IFN‐γ T/A gene polymorphism with the risk of cervical cancer.
Does physical training reduce fatigue in sarcoidosis?

BACKGROUND Sarcoidosis patients frequently experience fatigue, exercise intolerance and muscle weakness, resulting in reduced quality of life (QOL). Scientific studies on the benefits of physical training in sarcoidosis have been scarce, so the aim of this pilot study was to examine the impact of a 13-week physical training program on fatigue, physical functions and QOL in fatigued sarcoidosis patients and/or patients with exercise intolerance. METHODS 18 sarcoidosis patients participated in a 13-week physical training program. The Fatigue Assessment Scale (FAS), World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF assessment instrument (WHOQOL-BREF),Medical Research Council (MRC) dyspnea scale, Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), six-minute walk test (6MWT), submaximal bicycle test and muscle strength of the quadriceps and elbow flexors were assessed at baseline and after the program. RESULTS FAS scores had decreased (mean difference -2.7 points, 95% CI -4.4 to -1.1) after completion of the training program, along with improvements in WHOQOLBREF psychological health domain (mean difference 0.9 points, 95% CI 0.2 to 1.7) and MRC dyspnea score (mean difference -0.4 points, 95% CI -0.8 to -0.1). 6MWD improved by 34.6 m (95% CI 20.3 to 49.0) and mean heart rate on the bicycle test improved (mean difference 8.4 beats/minute, 95% CI -13.8 to -3.0), as did quadriceps strength (mean difference 10.7 kg, 95% CI 5.5 to 15.9). CONCLUSION Fatigue reduced after a period of physical training in sarcoidosis patients. Moreover, psychological health and physical functions improved. Future studies are warranted to assess the benefits of physical training in sarcoidosis.
A monolithic isolated gate driver using an on-chip transformer and a voltage level shifter

This paper proposes a monolithic isolated gate driver design with a voltage level shifter. Incorporating voltage level converters can effectively reduce input drive voltage requirements and the overall energy needed to the power gate drivers. The on-chip transformer detailed in this study consists of a pair of on-chip inductors. Two types of the on-chip transformer structures are used: a stacked transformer (featuring higher coupling coefficient) and a tapped transformer (featuring higher voltage isolation). The on-chip transformer, full-bridge rectifier, gate driver, and voltage level converter were all produced using the TSMC 0.25-μm HV (high-voltage) CMOS process. Compared to the ündings of the previous study, simulations conducted in this study showed that the proposed monolithic isolated gate driver with a voltage level shifter required a 62% lower power input voltage and 34% less power consumption. Moreover, it could provide 12 V of output voltage and drive a load of 6000 pF with the rise and fall time less than 1 μs.
The fibronectin-binding protein of Streptococcus pyogenes, SfbI, is involved in the internalization of group A streptococci by epithelial cells

Streptococcus pyogenes organisms (group A streptococci) are considered to be highly adhesive extracellular pathogens. However, it has recently been reported that S. pyogenes has the capacity to efficiently invade eukaryotic cells. In this study, we demonstrate that the interaction of S. pyogenes fibronectin-binding protein (SfbI) with fibronectin on nonphagocytic HEp-2 cells triggers bacterial internalization. Blocking of the SfbI adhesin by either antibodies against the whole protein or antibodies against the fibronectin-binding domains of SfbI, as well as pretreatment of HEp-2 cells with purified SfbI protein, prevents both S. pyogenes attachment and internalization. Inert latex beads precoated with the purified SfbI protein are ingested by eukaryotic cells, demonstrating that SfbI is per se enough to trigger the internalization process. Experiments performed with a recombinant SfbI domain encompassing the two fibronectin-binding regions of the SfbI molecule demonstrated that these binding regions are essential and sufficient to activate uptake by HEp-2 cells. These results demonstrate that the fibronectin-binding protein SfbI is involved in both S. pyogenes' attachment to and ingestion by HEp-2 cells and contribute to elucidation of the underlying molecular events leading to eukaryotic cell invasion by S. pyogenes.
The French armament firms and the Spanish market, 1948–75

This article examines the evolution of French–Spanish military relations during the major part of General Franco's government in Spain. Special attention is given to the sales of arms and licences for manufacturing them in Spain. During the Cold War, Spain was part of the western bloc, led by the US. Nevertheless, the country's military equipment was not only supplied by US armament firms, but also by French ones, proving the limits to Americanisation in this sector. After several decades of contacts and negotiations between (mainly state-owned) French and Spanish companies, the most important results appeared at the beginning of the 1970s, being consolidated and extended during the democratic period.
Minimum wage effects on employment and wages: dif‐in‐dif estimates from eastern China

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to estimate the impact of minimum wages on employment and wages in China. Design/methodology/approach - The paper uses the difference-in-difference methodology to estimate the employment and wage impacts of the minimum wage increase in 2003 – a year when substantial minimum wage increases occurred in some provinces (treatment provinces) but not in others (comparison provinces). The analysis is restricted to the eastern region so as to make comparisons across relatively homogeneous and contiguous provinces with large numbers of women and rural migrant workers in urban areas – the target groups for minimum wages. Findings - The study finds that overall, minimum wages in China do have an adverse employment effect but the effect is statistically insignificant and quantitatively inconsequential. The adverse employment effects are generally larger in the more market-driven sectors, in the low-wage sector of retail and wholesale trade and restaurants, and for women; however even these effects are extremely small. Minimum wages also had no impact on aggregate wages. These estimates appear consistent with many of those based on this methodology which tends to find no substantial adverse employment effect from minimum wages. Practical implications - Good news: minimum wages do not seem to have any substantial adverse employment effect in China. Bad news: this could simply reflect the fact that they are not enforced. Originality/value - This is one of the few studies of effect of minimum wages in China in English, and using a difference-in-difference methodology as first employed by Card.