Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Capital Budgeting Methods Used in Some European Countries and in the United States

This paper provides a comprehensive overview of capital budgeting methods preferred by corporate managers in some European countries and in the United States. On the basis of international research findings and our empirical survey, three important observations can be made: (1) a considerable amount of European and US corporations calculate the indicator of the payback period; (2) the net present value and the internal rate of return are the two most frequently used discounted cash-flow methods; (3) companies in France and Hungary used the profitability index more often than companies in other surveyed countries.
Systems Title Field study of the impact of a desktop task / ambient conditioning system in office buildings Permalink

A field study was carried out to assess the impact of installing a desktop task/ambient conditioning (TAC) system at 42 selected workstations within three San Francisco office buildings occupied by a large financial institution. In this study, field measurements, including subjective surveys and physical monitoring, were performed both before and after the TAC system installation to evaluate the impact of the TAC system on occupant satisfaction and thermal comfort, as well as the thermal environments within the office buildings. For comparative purposes within each building, a control group, consisting of workers who did not receive a desktop TAC unit, was studied concurrently. During the follow-up field tests, performed three months after the TAC system installation, measurements were repeated under three different room temperature setpoint conditions (normal, set-up, and set-down) to investigate the ability of the occupants to use the desktop TAC units to control their local environment in response to a wider range of ambient temperatures. Survey results show that among the six building assessment categories investigated, installation of the desktop TAC system provided the largest increases in overall occupant satisfaction for thermal quality, acoustical quality, and air quality. In terms of specific environmental factors, increased occupant satisfaction levels among the TAC group were strongly significant in comparison to changes within the control group for both temperature and temperature control. A large majority of the workers in the control group indicated a preference for higher air movement at operative temperatures of 73°F (23°C) and above. The percentage preferring higher air movement within the TAC group was significantly lower. Workers in the TAC group had the ability to use their TAC units to adjust the air movement in their workstations in response to changes in the ambient temperature. Over the range of operative temperatures covered by this field study, movement preference and thermal sensation votes by wor in the control group indicated that they were more than twi as sensitive to changes in temperature as those in the T group.
Variation in reproductive and developmental parameters of Callosobruchus maculatus (F) reared on ten Botswana cowpea landraces

A study was conducted on ten Botswana cowpea landraces to evaluate their resistance to the cowpea weevil (Callosobruchus maculatus (F) (Coleoptera: Bruchidae). The variations in reproductive and developmental parameters were used to evaluate the landraces for resistance against C. maculatus under laboratory conditions. The landraces B339, B383, B013-F and B261-B had significant lower percentage adult emergence and oviposition than the landraces B001-B, B055, B109-C and B154. The landraces B339, B383, B013-F and B261-B also significantly prolonged developmental period of beetles. The reduction in oviposition, beetle emergence and prolonged developmental period by these landraces indicate inherent level of resistance against C. maculatus.
Population Viability Analysis and Genetic Diversity of the Endangered Red Deer Cervus elaphus Population from Mesola, Italy

The Mesola red deer Cervus elaphus in the Po delta are the only native red deer population on the Italian mainland and have been the focus of conservationists and wildlife biologists for some time. In our study, we present a genetic analysis of 25 Mesola red deer on the basis of 20 polymorphic microsatellite loci, aiming at estimating the population's genetic diversity and at providing information for a future genetic screening. In addition, we carried out a population viability analysis (PVA) with demographic and life-history data available from a long-term population survey, simulating different management scenarios. Genetic diversity was very low compared to the rest of Europe (observed and expected heterozygosity 0.50 and 0.61, respectively), and an overall excess of homozygosity was indicative of inbreeding. Calculations of the probability of identity and genotype mismatch frequencies suggested that between five and seven highly informative loci were sufficient to resolve individuals with reasonable certainty. The PVA yielded a generally poor outlook, but at the same time, it showed that management measures already taken significantly increased population viability. A sensitivity analysis revealed that inbreeding depression and possible catastrophes had a huge impact on the population's prospects. However, the establishment of two subpopulations and successful attempts at reducing the consequences of catastrophic events were able to significantly mitigate the harmful effects of both inbreeding and environmental stochasticity. These results, in particular the splitting of the population, may be of general interest to conservationists dealing with unique threatened populations.
The English Patient: English grammar and teaching in the twentieth century

In the first half of the twentieth century, English grammar disappeared from the curriculum of most schools in England, but since the 1960s it has gradually been reconceptualised, under the influence of linguistics, and now once again has a central place in the official curriculum. Our aim is not only to document these changes, but also to explain them. We suggest that the decline of grammar in schools was linked to a similar gap in English universities, where there was virtually no serious research or teaching on English grammar. Conversely, the upsurge of academic research since the 1960s has provided a healthy foundation for school-level work and has prevented a simple return to old-fashioned grammar-teaching now that grammar is once again fashionable. We argue that linguists should be more aware of the links between their research and the school curriculum.
Guidelines on the management of irritable bowel syndrome

These guidelines constitute an update of the previous “Recommendations on the management of irritable bowel syndrome” issued in 2008. They have been developed by a Task Force organized by the Governing Board of the Polish Society of Gastroenterology. They discuss, with particular emphasis on new scientific data covering papers published since 2008, the aetiology, epidemiology, clinical presentation, diagnostic principles and criteria for the diagnosis, and recommendations for the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The English-language acronym for the syndrome (IBS) has become popular in medical and popular scientific language. It is also widely recognized by patients who identify with this diagnosis. Therefore, in the discussed guidelines, this is what we will use.
Effect of floor type on the growth performance and health status of growing-finishing pigs

Using a factorial design: two full floor types, concrete vs. concrete waterproofed with resin (resin floor) and two slat types, concrete vs. metal, were used to house 72 pigs in four rooms (18 pigs/room). During the experimental period which lasted from 22.9 kg to 112.7 kg live weight the four groups of pigs received the same feed. Growth, water consumption and health status of the pigs as well as subjective odour level inside the rooms were studied. The resin floor with metal slats tended (P<0.1) to improve feed conversion efficiency and positively affected (P<0.03) pig health. In the room with the resin floor and metal slats odour level was significantly lower than in the other three rooms. The potential predictive function for the relationship between average daily water consumption (WC, in L) and feed average daily intake (FADI, in kg) is WC = 2.692 x FADI sup(1.265). Odour level increased with pig live weight. The use of resin as an impermeable floor material is promising for housing growing, finishing pigs.
Chemical and volatile composition of three italian sweet white Passito wines

Aims: This study was designed to gain knowledge of three Controlled Denomination of Origin (DOC) Italian sweet white Passito wines (Caluso Passito DOC, Cinque Terre Sciacchetra DOC and Passito di Pantelleria DOC) produced in several areas of Italy from grapes dried with different systems and vinification techniques. Methods and results: Physico-chemical and chromatic characteristics, sodium, potassium, gluconic acid, glucono- γ-lactone, acetaldehyde, sorbitol, laccase, organic acids and semi-quantitative free volatile profile were determined on these wines. Caluso Passito DOC wines presented higher contents of organic acids (above all, malic acid), main metabolites from noble Botrytis cinerea (laccase, glycerol, gluconic acid and benzaldehyde) and low contents of total polyphenols. Among the volatile components, normal fatty acid ethyl esters (ethyl hexanoate and ethyl octanoate), branched-chain esters (ethyl 2-methylpropanoate, ethyl 2-methylbutyrate, ethyl 3-methylbutyrate) and benzaldeyde characterized this Passito wine. Cinque Terre Sciacchetra DOC wines showed the lowest total acidity with a lower amount of malic acid and a higher content of polyphenols. This wine was characterized by some predominant acetates (isoamyl acetate), alcohols, benzaldehyde and an isoprenoid, s-damascenone. Passito di Pantelleria DOC wines presented higher amounts of ashes resulting in higher pH values compared to the other two Passito typologies. Due to its production from aromatic grapes, it showed several varietal components such as terpenes, while ethyl esters/acetates and alcohols were less represented. Conclusion: This survey provides information allowing the characterisation of three Passito dessert wines at high commercial value. Significance and impact of the study: This study provides oenological information to be utilised to protect and valorise the Controlled Denomination of Origin sweet wine production and contributes to the preservation of traditional and terroir productions and their commercialization.
The Link between Public Support and Private R&D Effort: What is the Optimal Subsidy?

The effectiveness of R&D subsidies can vary substantially depending on their characteristics. Specifically, the amount and intensity of such subsidies are crucial issues in the design of public schemes supporting private R&D. Public agencies determine the intensities of R&D subsidies for firms in line with their eligibility criteria, although assessing the effects of R&D projects accurately is far from straightforward. The main aim of this paper is to examine whether there is an optimal intensity for R&D subsidies through an analysis of their impact on private R&D effort. We examine the decisions of a public agency to grant subsidies taking into account not only the characteristics of the firms but also, as few previous studies have done to date, those of the R&D projects. In determining the optimal subsidy we use both parametric and nonparametric techniques. The results show a non-linear relationship between the percentage of subsidy received and the firms’ R&D effort. These results have implications for technology policy, particularly for the design of R&D subsidies that ensure enhanced effectiveness.
Occurrence of antibiotic resistance and integronase genes in Taihu Lake

Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), a potential threat to the health of humans and animals, have been widely detected in various environments. However, not much information about ARGs in freshwater lakes have been recorded. In this study, we investigated the occurrence of 17 kinds of ARGs and three types of integronase genes in Taihu Lake (China), an important drinking water source for local residents. Fecal coliforms were also isolated from the water and sediments for antimicrobial susceptibility tests and related ARGs detection. Results showed that tetracycline resistance gene tetC, sulfanilamide resistance genes sul1 and sul2, and class 1 integronase gene int1 were present in all water and sediment samples. TetG was present in all water samples but was mainly distributed in sediment samples from the northern region of Taihu Lake. β-Lactam resistance gene blaOXA-1 was present in all water samples but was absent in the sediment samples. TetM and tetO were found present in water and sediment samples from the western area of the lake. Remarkably, 95% of isolated fecal coliforms were resistant to trimethoprim and multi-drug resistant isolates were also observed. Sul1 and tetC genes were found to be carried by isolates resistant to corresponding antibiotics. This study provided baseline information about the occurrence of ARGs and integronase genes in Taihu Lake and the results may extend our knowledge about antibiotic resistance of microbial communities in the lake.
Credit Spreads and Business Cycle Fluctuations

This paper examines the evidence on the relationship between credit spreads and economic activity. Using an extensive data set of prices of outstanding corporate bonds trading in the secondary market, we construct a credit spread index that is--compared with the standard default-risk indicators--a considerably more powerful predictor of economic activity. Using an empirical framework, we decompose our index into a predictable component that captures the available firm-specific information on expected defaults and a residual component--the excess bond premium. Our results indicate that the predictive content of credit spreads is due primarily to movements in the excess bond premium. Innovations in the excess bond premium that are orthogonal to the current state of the economy are shown to lead to significant declines in economic activity and equity prices. We also show that during the 2007-09 financial crisis, a deterioration in the creditworthiness of broker-dealers--key financial intermediaries in the corporate cash market--led to an increase in the excess bond premium. These find- ings support the notion that a rise in the excess bond premium represents a reduction in the effective risk-bearing capacity of the financial sector and, as a result, a contraction in the supply of credit with significant adverse consequences for the macroeconomy.
Determinants of Labor Market Outcomes of Disabled Men Before and after the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990

The study compares the labor market experience of men with disabilities before and after the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. The handful of studies that have focused on the wage impact of disabilities have either not fully incorporated the probability of employment into the analysis or have not correctly decomposed the wage differences in light of selectivity corrections. After estimating a two-stage model of the probability of employment followed by a wage equation for men with and without disabilities, I use Newman and Oaxaca? s (2004) method to correctly decompose the distributions. In addition, I also perform a similar analysis to explain the differentials in employment rates between the non-disabled and disabled. The analyses are performed for samples before and after the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. The results from studies of the Survey of Income Program Participation (SIPP) of 1984, 1990, 1996 and 2001 indicate that the employment and wage gaps between the disabled and the non-disabled have risen sharply over time, both before and after the passage of the ADA. Most of the rise prior to the ADA was attributable to arise in differences that cannot be explained with measurable factors. Nearly all of the rise in the gaps in the 1990s, however, is attributable to factors that can be measured. The unexplained differential has held relatively constant during that period.
Self-adjustment of a nonlinear lasing mode to a pumped area in a two-dimensional microcavity [Invited]

We numerically performed wave dynamical simulations based on the Maxwell–Bloch (MB) model for a quadrupole-deformed microcavity laser with spatially selective pumping. We demonstrate the appearance of an asymmetric lasing mode whose spatial pattern violates both the x- and y-axes mirror symmetries of the cavity. Dynamical simulations revealed that a lasing mode consisting of a clockwise or counterclockwise rotating-wave component is a stable stationary solution of the MB model. From the results of a passive-cavity mode analysis, we interpret these asymmetric rotating-wave lasing modes by the locking of four nearly degenerate passive-cavity modes. For comparison, we carried out simulations for a uniform pumping case and found a different locking rule for the nearly degenerate modes. Our results demonstrate a nonlinear dynamical mechanism for the formation of a lasing mode that adjusts its pattern to a pumped area.
Promoting and Protecting Values through Leadership Agency : Experiences from Disaggregation and Autonomisation of Municipal Waste Management

Disaggregation and autonomisation of public service procurement have been at the cutting edge for the last two to three decades, not least due to the importance that reform programmes inspired by New Public Management (NPM) have acquired. This development has led to widespread corporatisation and increasing emphasis on leadership and managerial freedom. In this article, we explore the role of leadership in the transformation of municipal waste management in a Norwegian municipality from an entity tightly integrated in the hierarchical system of local government to a separate, private law corporation, though still under the full ownership of the municipality. The trajectory has been influenced by developments in international waste markets and by changes in EU and national law, and it includes conspicuous technological innovations, some developed locally and others adopted from the wider waste management industry. What appears especially interesting in the case we have studied is the relatively successful and rapid transition from an identity as a municipal organisation to that of a new corporate organisation. Our focus on the “how” and “why” issues of this transition favours a design based on a single case study. When approaching the “how” issues we draw on an analytical framework laid down by Ibarra et al. (2010). However, when it comes to the important “why” issues, we find Selznick’s notion of institutional leadership (1957/1984) remains beneficial.
Transport of Pollutants by the Sea Breeze in São Paulo under the South Atlantic High

The land-sea breeze circulation is important for the Metropolitan Region of São Paulo (MRSP), influencing predominant wind direction during the night and day, and so, the transport of pollution in the local scale. In the summer of 2014, there were 43 exceedances of the state air quality by ozone, when the South Atlantic Subtropical High strengthened over southeast Brazil. We aimed to study how the land-sea breeze circulation influenced the transport of the pollutants CO, NO, NO2 and O3 in the study area using the WRF/Chem model in the period 28/01-01/02/2014. Two scenarios were considered: CTRL – vehicular emissions based on current emission inventories and SENS – removing 75% of emissions in the MRSP. Results were analysed through maps with the spatial distribution of pollutants in the domain and showed the importance of the land-sea breeze circulation for the transport of pollution. Analysis of the divergence field proved useful for identifying the sea breeze front. Higher O3 concentrations were simulated in the prefrontal convergence line, due to stagnation and accumulation of pollutants brought by the passage of the sea breeze over polluted areas, resulting in the transport of ozone and other pollutants to distant areas northwest during the afternoon and evening. There was also transport of pollutants to the south in the early morning caused by the land breeze. Upward air motion due to the convergence in the prefrontal region caused vertical transport of ozone during the afternoon.
ASSESSING OTTER PRESENCE IN DAMS: A METHODOLOGICAL PROPOSAL

Standard otter survey methodology proposed by the IUCN Otter Specialist Group enables comparisons in present/absence data in different countries or in different regions. However, otter presence and distribution assessment in dry areas, such as the Mediterranean region, which are characterized by highly marked seasonal climate with intermittent water flow coupled with different types of habitats or systems such as dams, may gain from adjustment to the methodology. Pressure for dam building still occurs in these regions and the need for studies on ecological communities and species protection is increasing. Dams are very different from usual otter riverine habitat and we need to understand their influence on otter populations. Variation of dam location, reservoir characteristics and season will all influence spraint detectability. Environmental Impact Assessment Studies and ecological studies are frequently limited by both budget and time requiring field researchers to apply more efficient methodologies. Based on experience from studies conducted in Portugal we propose adjustments to the standard survey methodology (using spraints) surveying otter presence in dams to be applied specifically to Mediterranean-type ecosystems. We define aspects to be considered regarding survey season, survey length and width, number and location of survey sites, among others. This paper will allow researchers to plan more effective field surveys based on standard otter survey methodology for the purpose of dam surveys, be that to detect otter presence/absence, a more in-depth comparative studies of otter presence, or simply improving the collecting of fresh spraints for molecular spraint analysis.
Effect of different chemical compounds concentration in aqueous solution on UHF RFID readability

Radio frequency identification (RFID) technology could deserve an important role in food products automatic identification. The massive introduction of RFID tracking in food factories has been limited as technical challenges have to be overcome. Tag reading performances are affected by many factors, as product composition, packaging materials and some peculiarities of the production environment, which dramatically reduce RF identification reliability. This paper analyses the effect on RFID tag readability when in proximity of aqueous solutions of different chemical compounds chosen among molecules which are frequently contained in food or beverage (citric acid, sodium chloride, sucrose). The effect of the concentration was evaluated measuring, in standardized conditions, the minimum power (Pmin) to be delivered to different commercial UHF passive tags for their activation and effective identification by a RFID UHF (Ultra High Frequency) test bench system.