Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Transfer Efficiency and Triumph in Sports: An Experimental Study of the Italian Serie A

The analysis of the efficiency of professional football clubs in terms of on-field results has been widely debated in the sport economics literature. This paper illustrates a non-parametric analysis evaluating the efficiencies of transfers in Italian Serie A football clubs for the 2008-09 and 2017-18 seasons by constructing inputs of player transfers of football clubs and outputs in the manner of the clubs’ game success by using Data Envelopment Analysis (“DEA”), the most popular nonparametric model for estimating productive efficiency, first introduced by Farrell (1957). Our findings show that the Juventus Football Club managed to achieve efficiency on their transfer policies for these football seasons, while on the other hand transfers of Parma Football Club performed rather very inefficiently with regard to their game performance. Additionally, we conclude that teams that won the championship trophy, such as Juventus, Internazionale and AC Milan, had full efficiency in their player transfers at the beginning of the respective season.
Response to Referee Comments of Referee 1

1. The authors applied compositing analysis on a relatively short record of observational data, during which only a few El Nino events occurred. Given this relatively small sample size, it is crucial to assess the uncertainty and the robustness of the signals. For example, the temperature signals in high latitude stratosphere in Fig. 9 is less than 1K. But the temperature there can easily change by a few K from one year to another, then the seemingly El Nino signal may not be significant compared to the inter-annual variability, and could be resulted from an uneven sampling. In fact, the authors described their results as “significant” or “robust” on many occasions, but no uncertainty estimation or statistical significance analysis or any sensitivity tests are provided. Hence it is nor clear what ground those significance or robustness are based upon. The limitation of the observational data may be inevitable, and the authors did a good job to use model simulations to support their observational results. However, these simulations are run with one ensemble and for a relatively short period, and no uncertainty estimation is provided.
Measuring Negative Synergies of Urban Sprawl and Economic Crisis over Public Transport Efficiency

Sustainable urban mobility requires accessible and demand attractive public transport (PT) networks. However, urban sprawl has been the main characterizing growth pattern of European cities since 1950. In these increasingly dispersed cities, PT is facing increasing problems of efficiency to compete with cars. The sprawling cities are dominated by car use, especially in the peripheral areas. Moreover, Europe is still reeling under the financial crisis, which first hit the continent in 2007. In this context of economic crisis, the lack of financing resources and the declining demand for PT have further weakened the PT systems in European cities. This study considered the urban PT systems of six Spanish cities in order to determine their evolution over the last ten years. This evolution is examined in the backdrop of urban sprawl and economic crisis. The analysis is based on several indicators meant to measure PT demand, supply, and efficiency. The study shows how did each city react to the lack of resources and trip reduction during the economic crisis, by adopting different PT management strategies. The differences in reaction produced different results, but none of the cities could avoid the loss of PT efficiency. The results indicate that policy strategies need to include land use and transport measures to achieve more sustainable PT systems. Only integrated strategies could improve PT efficiency and quality levels and contribute toward increasing competitiveness of PT, even in adverse contexts.
1 MANIPULATING THE SHORTS

A fear of manipulative short squeezes acts as an in direct constraint on short-selling. We investigate if this fear has firm foundations, by e xamining a stock lending dataset for evidence of patterns consistent with manipulative short squeeze s. From a sample comprising nearly half a million firm days, we find only twenty examples of manipulative patterns. We observe statistically and economically significant abnormal returns around these events. These are followed by a price reversal, but short-sellers who have covered their positions do not benefit from this effect. Market data such as volatility of stock returns, trading volume, liquidity, and stock loan fees and utilization rates might be expe cted to assist in anticipating manipulative short squeezes. However, it is difficult to predict manip ulative short squeezes from this data alone.
Fourier reconstruction of marine-streamer data in four spatial coordinates

Many methods exist for interpolation of seismic data in one and two spatial dimensions, but few can interpolate properly in three or four spatial dimensions. Marine multi-streamer data typically are sampled relatively well in the midpoint and absolute offset coordinates but not in the azimuth because the crossline shot coordinate is significantly under sampled. We approach the problem of interpolation of marine-streamer data in four spatial dimensions by splitting the problem into a 1D interpolation along the densely sampled streamers and a 3D Fourier reconstruction for the remaining spatial coordinates. In Fourier reconstruction, the Fourier coefficients that synthesize the nonuniformly sampled seismic data are estimated in a least-squares inversion. The method is computationally efficient, requires no subsurface information, and can handle uniform grids with missing data as well as nonuniform grids or random sampling.The output grid of the 1D interpolation in the first step is arbitrary. When the output grid has uniform inline midpoints spacing, the 3D Fourier reconstruction in the second step is performed in the crossline midpoint, absolute offset, and azimuth coordinates. When the first step outputs to uniform absolute offset, the 3D Fourier reconstruction handles the crossline/inline midpoint and the azimuth coordinates. In both cases, the main innovation is the inclusion of the azimuthal coordinate in the Fourier reconstruction. The azimuth multiplicity must be increased for the method to be successful, which means that overlap shooting is required. We have tested the algorithm on synthetic streamer data for which the proposed method outperforms an approach where the azimuthal coordinate is ignored. Potential applications are interpolation of marine streamer data to decrease the crossline source sampling for the benefit of 3D multiple prediction and regularization to reduce sampling-related differences in processing of time-lapse data.
Effect of Mobile-Based Lending Process on Non-Performing Loans in Commercial Banks in Nakuru Town, Kenya

v LIST OF TABLES . ix LIST OF FIGURES . x LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS . xi LIST OF APPENDICES . xiii DEFINITIONS OF TERMS . xiv CHAPTER ONE:INTRODUCTION . 1 1.1 Background of the Study . 1 1.2 Statement of the Problem . 4 1.3 Objectives of the Study . 5 1.4 Research Hypotheses . 6 1.5 Justification of the Study . 7 1.6 Scope of the Study . 7 1.7Limitations of the Study. 8 CHAPTER TWO:LITERATURE REVIEW . 9 2.
Effects of starvation and re-feeding on some hematological and plasma biochemical parameters of juvenile Persian sturgeon ,Acipenser persicus Borodin, 1897

The effect of starvation and re-feeding was investigated on growth, hematology and biochemical parameters in juvenile Persian sturgeon (Acipenser persicus). Three hundred and seventyfive fish (108±0.63 g) were divided into five feeding groups. The control group (C) was fed to satiation three times a day during the experiment. The four groups were starved for 1 (W1), 2 (W2), 3 (W3), and 4 (W4) weeks respectively, and then fed to satiation during a 4 week re-feeding period.The results indicated that some parameters including final weight, specific growth rate, body weight increase, plasma enzymes (ALT, Alanine aminotransferase, AST, Aspartat aminotransferase and ALP, Alkaline phosphatase(, hematological parameters [Mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC), and mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH)]were significantly affected by feeding regimes. The plasma cortisol, hematocrit, lymphocytes, neutrophils, eosinophils, and monocytes were not affected by starvation and subsequent re-feeding. These findings showed that short term starvations had no significant negative effects on growth performance, most biochemical and hematological parameters in Persian sturgeon couldrecover when re-feeding resumed.
The Role of Systemic Inflammation in Cancer-Associated Muscle Wasting and Rationale for Exercise as a Therapeutic Intervention

Progressive skeletal muscle wasting in cancer cachexia involves a process of dysregulated protein synthesis and breakdown. This catabolism may be the result of mal‐nutrition, and an upregulation of both pro‐inflammatory cytokines and the ubiquitin proteasome pathway (UPP), which can subsequently increase myostatin and activin A release. The skeletal muscle wasting associated with cancer cachexia is clinically significant, it can contribute to treatment toxicity or the premature discontinuation of treatments resulting in increases in morbidity and mortality. Thus, there is a need for further investigation into the pathophysiology of muscle wasting in cancer cachexia to develop effective prophylactic and therapeutic interventions. Several studies have identified a central role for chronic‐systemic inflammation in initiating and perpetuating muscle wasting in patients with cancer. Interestingly, while exercise has shown efficacy in improving muscle quality, only recently have investigators begun to assess the impact that exercise has on chronic‐systemic inflammation. To put this new information into context with established paradigms, here we review several biological pathways (e.g. dysfunctional inflammatory response, hypothalamus pituitary adrenal axis, and increased myostatin/activin A activity) that may be responsible for the muscle wasting in patients with cancer. Additionally, we discuss the potential impact that exercise has on these pathways in the treatment of cancer‐related muscle wasting. Exercise is an attractive intervention for muscle wasting in this population, partially because it disrupts chronic‐systemic inflammation mediated catabolism. Most importantly, exercise is a potent stimulator of muscle synthesis, and therefore this therapy may reverse muscle damage caused by cancer cachexia.
Supernova 2002bo: inadequacy of the single parameter description

We present optical photometry and optical/near-infrared spectra of the type Ia SN 2002bo spanning epochs from -13 days before maximum B-band light to +102 days after. The pre-maximum optical coverage is particularly complete. The extinction de- duced from the observed colour evolution and from interstellar NaID absorption is quite high viz. E(B V ) = 0.43 ± 0.10. On the other hand, model matches to the observed spectra point to a lower reddening (E(B V ) � 0.30). In some respects, SN 2002bo behaves as a typical "Branch normal" type Ia supernova (SN Ia) at opti- cal and IR wavelengths. We find a B-band risetime of 17.9±0.5 days, am15(B) of 1.13±0.05, and a de-reddened MB = 19.41±0.42. However, comparison with other type Ia supernovae having similarm15(B) values indicates that in other respects SN 2002bo is unusual. While the optical spectra of SN 2002bo are very similar to those of SN 1984A (�m15(B) = 1.19), lower velocities and a generally more structured ap- pearance are found in SNe 1990N, 1994D and 1998bu. For supernovae havingm15(B) > 1.2, we confirm the variation of R(SiII) (Nugent et al. 1995) withm15(B). How- ever, for supernovae such as SN 2002bo, with lower values ofm15(B) the relation breaks down. Moreover, the evolution of R(SiII) for SN 2002bo is strikingly differ- ent from that shown by other type Ia supernovae. The velocities of SN 2002bo and 1984A derived from SII 5640u SiII 6355u and CaII H&K lines are either much higher and/or evolve differently from those seen in other normal SNe Ia events. Thus, while SN 2002bo and SN 1984A appear to be highly similar, they exhibit behaviour which is distinctly different from other SNe Ia having similarm15(B) values. We suggest that the unusually low temperature, the presence of high-velocity intermediate-mass elements and the low abundance of carbon at early times indicates that burning to Si penetrated to much higher layers than in more normal type Ia supernovae. This may be indicative of a delayed-detonation explosion.
SETTING ECO-LABEL STANDARDS IN THE FRESH ORGANIC VEGETABLE MARKET OF NORTHEAST ARKANSAS

This study uses consumer-intercept interviews at farmers markets and organic produce retail stores in northeast Arkansas to determine the variables that influence eco-label use in organic produce markets. The results indicate that females, consumers with higher annual incomes, those who believe the use of pesticides has a negative impact on health and the environment, and those who usually purchase organic produce are all more likely to use eco-labels in purchasing organic produce. The findings also suggest a direct relationship between income levels and marginal probability of eco-label use. The result of this study provides a current picture of the major determinants that influence ecolabel use among consumers, which will be valuable as the USDA proposed organic standards are implemented in the market. Organic agriculture is of growing importance to the agriculture sector of a number of countries including the USA. It has come to represent a significant portion of the US food system with estimated growth rates that exceed 20 percent annually (Markle, 1997; McEnery, 1996). The increase in growth has attracted supermarket chains, food manufacturers, natural-foods grocery stores, and mail-order and Internet retailers to enter the organicproduce market. Paralleling the growing demand is the rise in consumer concerns with food safety and standards, and the negative environmental impact of conventional agriculture, including pesticide residue, genetically modified organisms (GMOs), hormones, and antibiotics present in food (FMI/Prevention, 1994; FMI/Hartman Group, 1997). The organic-market growth has also meant the evolution of regulation of organic production and label standards to assure consumer confidence. An organic or eco-label is a label or logo on a product that gives consumers information about the environmental, agricultural, or social impacts of what they buy, which in turn can help consumers
Oxidation of various potential energy sources by the methanotrophic endosymbionts of Siboglinum poseidoni (Pogonophora)

The small pogonophore Siboglinum poseidoni, which lives in symbiosis with intracellular methanotrophic bacteria, was investigated with respect to its oxidation of higher homologues of methane. Ethane and propane were readily consumed if supplied together with methane and, at a considerably lower rate, in the absence of methane. Consumption of butane could not be detected. The addition of ethane or propane in equal amounts to methane always resulted In a decrease in methane consumption rate. Like all methanotrophic bacteria the endosymbionts of S. posejdoni are also capable of ammonia oxidation. Homogenates of bacteria-containing posterior parts of this organism incubated with ammonia or hydroxylamine oxidized these compounds to nitrite, while symbiont-free anterior parts were nearly inactive in this respect. Ammonia in high concentrations (> 0.05 %) had an inhibitory effect on methane oxidation rates of S. poseidoni. The relevance of these activities in the natural habitat of this pogonophore is discussed. Since ethane and propane are present only as constituents of gas adsorbed to sediment particles and only in low concentrations compared to methane, the in situ utilization of these compounds is unlikely. Ammonia, however, being present at concentrations about 2 orders of magnitude higher than those of methane, could well serve as an additional energy source, especially in periods of low methane supply.
Integrated early years services: a thematic literature review

This article reports on the findings of a thematic review of research literature about integrated early years services (IEYS) [1995–2012]. Four themes are discussed: broad support for IEYS; critiques of claims about IEYS; a focus on inter-professional practice; and the challenge of evaluating IEYS. The article concludes with reflections concerning how the evidence base for IEYS could be strengthened.
EXPLORING THE DESIGN SPACE OF HAND-CONTROLLED GUITAR EFFECTS FOR LIVE MUSIC

Many new interfaces for musical expression are hand or gesture controlled. For guitarists especially, this opens new ways to control sound effects while playing live. At the same time it is a challenge regarding the conception and design of such hand-controlled effects as guitarists usually use both hands for playing. In this paper we elaborate this particular design space to support future development. For this purpose we analyse four different examples of controllers that already in use and one purpose-built prototype called “UniCoMP” (Universal Control for Musical Performances). For the latter we additionally present the results of an evaluation during a live concert. Our study illustrates that hand-controlled guitar effects are a powerful alternative for traditional foot-controlled devices keeping in mind important design issues.
Tourism Destination Image

Although tourism destination image (TDI) has been extensively studied, the nature and scope of TDI remain vague. This study aims to address this conceptual problem from a modernist perspective. Forty-five representative TDI definitions are analyzed, and a new definition is proposed by adopting a “seven-step” procedure derived from definition theory in logic studies. Results show that (1) currently TDI is defined mainly as the mental/total impressions/perceptions held by tourists pertaining to a destination, (2) such definitions are quasi-theoretical in type and created by roughly following the connotative definition technique, (3) the quality of these definitions is generally low, and (4) the new definition proposed in this study better captures the essence of TDI and considerably reduces TDI’s internal and external vagueness. In defining a key tourism concept, this study has notable implications for advancing TDI research and defining tourism concepts more rigorously.
Implementation and Evaluation of a Computer­Based Nutrition Education Intervention in the Primary Schools of Lahore, Pakistan

ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT Received: Accepted: Online: May 14, 2013 Jul 08, 2013 July 11, 2013 The main objective of this study was to implement and evaluate a computer-based nutrition education intervention in the primary schools of Pakistan and to explore the acceptability of such a program in the Pakistani context. The study design was multifactorial with repeated measures of nutrition knowledge, taken at three points in time (baseline, post-intervention and follow-up) from intervention and comparison groups. Qualitative methods (focus group and observations of lessons) were also employed. Three hundred and forty four children (8-10 years old) of eleven primary schools of Lahore participated in the study. In a two week school-based nutrition education intervention, comparison group received nutrition education through worksheets, card and board games. Intervention group used computer-based tool along with work-sheets card and board games. Control group was not provided nutrition education. Nutrition knowledge was measured in each child at baseline, at the end of two-week intervention, and at three months’ follow-up with a validated nutrition knowledge questionnaire. The nutrition knowledge increased significantly in both intervention and comparison groups (P<0.001). No tangible difference was observed at post-intervention and follow-up between the two groups. The intervention effect was significantly maintained at three months' follow-up, indicating the retention of the nutrition knowledge. Long term knowledge gain and retention of knowledge is significantly higher among girls as compared to boys. Younger children (8-9 years) significantly (p=0.037) retained more nutrition knowledge at three months follow-up. Computer-based tools were found helpful in disseminating nutrition education. However, they were not the panacea. An amalgam of computer-based tools and other creative methods brings more fruitful results than using these methods in isolation. The low level of nutrition knowledge of Pakistani children urgently demands incorporation of the nutrition education in the school curriculum.
Biochemical, cytological and microbiological characteristics of the cirrhotic, malignant and 'mixed' ascites

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study is to determine the value of some biochemical, cytological and microbiological analysis of ascitic fluid and serum that, used alone or in combination, can help in differential diagnosis of ascites. METHODS: Ninety patients with ascites, hospitalized during the period between 1995 and 1998, were prospectively studied. In 56 patients liver cirrhosis, 27 patients malignant tumors, and in 7 patients liver cirrhosis plus hepatocellular carcinoma were the causes of ascites. RESULTS: The average glucose, total protein and cholesterol concentration of the ascitic fluid and serum of patients with liver cirrhosis, malignant tumors and liver cirrhosis plus hepatocellular carcinoma were retrospectively: glucose [(6.24; 6.08), (5.25; 5.99), (7.65;6.16) mmol/l], total protein [(16.71; 59.89), (36.12; 60.69), (17.08; 66.57 g/l], cholesterol [(1.16; 4.87), (2.85; 5.27), (1.41; 5.54 mmol/l], and ascitic fluid/serum ratio [(1.02; 0.27; 0.23), (0.87; 0.59; 0.54), (1.24; 0.25; 0.25)]. The mean value of serum ascites albumin gradient in these three groups of patients was respectively: [22.57, 10.97, 23.21 g/l]. The concentration of the total proteins and cholesterol were significantly higher in malignant than in cirrhotic ascitic fluid, (p<0.001). In the group of patients with malignant ascitic fluid, in 33,33% of patients we found malignant cells in ascites. Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis was detected only in a group with liver cirrhosis in case of 10 patients (17.86%) with single type of organism in all. CONCLUSION: Our study confirmed that biochemical, cytological and microbiological examinations are very helpful in differential diagnosis of ascites.
Case Studies of Applying Urban Surface Data in Evaluating Stormwater Management Issues

Pollutant load estimation is often required to evaluate stormwater management issues associated with water quality and urban development. Land use (e.g. residential, commercial) is commonly employed as a base to spatially characterize the pollutant generation from urban areas. This paper demonstrates an alternative approach of using surface type (e.g. road, roof, grassed) to define suspended solids loads in runoff from urban catchments. Three case studies are provided to illustrate the potential of using this surface based approach. The case studies analyzed are 1) a comparison of the suspended particle loads generated from residential and commercial land uses, 2) an assessment of the effect of exposed areas of bare soil on suspended particle loads generated from a residential catchment and 3) an evaluation of the effect that widespread adoption of rainwater tanks may have on the suspended particle concentration of residential urban runoff. The case studies demonstrate that the surface based approach provides a fundamental understanding of the main contributors to stormwater pollutant load generated from urban catchments. This level of understanding can not be gained by the more generic and lumped approach of using land use to define the hydrological and pollutant generation impacts of urban catchments. The surface based approach is also GIS compatible as briefly discussed in this paper.