Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Modelling change in color and firmness of baby banana (Musa acuminata AA) in modified atmosphere packaging

To determine the change in the ripening stage and quality through associated variables such as firmness and peel color is a useful tool for predicting the behavior and involvement of the product stored at different changing conditions. The change in O2 and CO2 concentration, pulp firmness and peel color were measured in a test of modified atmosphere packaging for baby banana to develop a mathematical model to represent the change in firmness and color as a function of temperature, mixture of gas and time. The fruits were packaged at three temperatures (11, 13 and 17°C) and a range of combinations of steady state concentrations of modified atmospheres (5.3 to 15.7 kPa O2 and 0 to 11.0 kPa for CO2), local atmospheric pressure of 74.9 kPa (0.74 atm) and 80 % relative humidity constant in polyethylene bags (HDPE) micro-perforated for a period of 30 days. The model considers the product respiration rate by an Michaelis-Menten equation of noncompetitive inhibition, and takes into account the transfer of gases through packaging film and through micro-perforations of this; the change of firmness is considered through a first-order model, and depending on the concentration of both O2 and CO2 by Michaelis-Menten equations; color change (in Hunter Lab coordinates) was considered separately for each color coordinate, representing the coordinate L* using an increase-logistic model, a* by a zero-order model and b* by first-order model, all temperaturedependent by Arrhenius functions. The predictive capability of the developed model is appropriate, explaining 97.0% of the modified atmosphere effect on the loss of firmness, 90.6% of the change in the coordinate L*, 88.9% of the change in a* and 96.7 % of the change in b*.
Analysis of farm to retail maize marketing margins in Zambia

The Zambian government like most African governments continue to intervene in food markets. One such intervention mechanism used in Zambia is the Food Reserve Agency which provides marketing opportunities to farmers but at the same time protects farmers against the exploitative behaviour of private traders. These private traders are believed to extract monopoly rents from their position between scattered and ill-informed producers, on one hand, and captive consumers, on the other hand. Marketing margin analysis has usually been used to examine the behaviour and competitiveness of markets and the share of a retail commodity price accruing to farmers. Most studies that have used marketing margins analysis have typically considered margins to vary either spatially or temporally. There has been little attempt to understand how or why marketing margins may vary across households holding both space and time constant, even though inter-household variability has been observed in most rural maize marketing areas. This study, therefore, determines the relative importance of spatial factors, temporal factors, and household-specific factors in the maize prices received by farmers in Zambia and in the associated farm-to-retail marketing margin under the assembly trader channel. Understanding where most of the variation in marketing margins and farm prices comes from is an important question that has great policy implications. The study findings reveal that the mean farm-to-retail marketing margin was ZMK195.70 per kg of maize, compared to a mean retail price of ZMK1018.44 per kg. On average, the farmgate price was 80 percent of the price obtaining at the retail centres. However, there are wide
Perfect for the Job? Overqualification of Immigrants and their Descendants in the Norwegian Labor Market

Compared to the majority population, studies have shown that non-western immigrants are more likely to work in jobs for which they are overqualified. These findings are based on coarse measures of jobs, and an important question is how sensitive these findings are to the definition of jobs. By using detailed information from Norwegian register data 2014, we provide a methodological innovation in comparing individuals working in the same occupation, industry, sector, firm, and municipality. In this way, we measure the degree of overqualification among workers within more than 653,000 jobs. We differentiate between immigrants and their descendants originating from Western Europe, the New EU countries, other Western countries, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), Africa and Asia (except MENA countries), and South and Central America, and compare their outcomes with the majority population holding the same jobs. We find that immigrants from all country of origin groups are more likely to be overqualified compared to the majority population and to descendants of immigrants. However, the prevalence of overqualification decreases with time since immigration.
Prevalence of overweight and obesity among students in private and public secondary schools in a peri-urban Nigerian town

Aims: To investigate the prevalence of overweight and obesity among secondary school students in Ekpoma.Study design: Cross sectional studyPlace and duration of the study: Private and public secondary schools in Ekpoma Edo state; from May to October,2011.Methodology: This is a school based analytical cross-sectional study of a sample of 417 students drawn from 4secondary schools in Ekpoma using the multistage sampling technique. Semi-structured interviewer-administeredquestionnaires were used to obtain qualitative information from the respondents; the weight of each respondent wasmeasured using a bathroom scale and the Body Mass Index (BMI) calculated and classified based on the AmericanMedical Association classification. The results obtained for students in private schools where then compared withthose of their peers in public secondary schools.Results: The prevalence of overweight and obesity was found to be 8.6% and 1% respectively; the mean BMI was19.6±2.6. More (67.5%) of those found to be overweight and obese were students in private schools (95% CI = 1.03-4.39 OR=2.11; ? 2= 4.85). Similarly, 11.59% and 1.45% of students in private schools were overweight and obeserespectively compared to 5.71% and 0.95% for those in public schools. Majority (68%) of respondents had poorknowledge of the risk factors for and problems associated with being overweight or obese. Students in the uppersocial class are more likely to be overweight/obese compared to their peers in the lower social class((X 2HM = 10.35;P <.01; common odds ratio = 3)CONCLUSION: Over nutrition and under nutrition are both occurring in adolescents in a predominantly ruralsetting which suggests that Policy makers and health professionals need to implement strategies that will preventover nutrition side by side current efforts to curb under- nutrition. Reactivation of the school health program inNigeria is considered a helpful initial step.
A Framework for IT Evaluation Research

“IT evaluation” research is concerned with the impact of information technology in organizations. IT evaluation research requires consideration of various aspects related to the nature of evaluation as well as to information technology. This paper examines these aspects and proposes a framework for classifying research in this area. A preliminary attempt has been made in this paper to categorize research that evaluates the impact of organizational IT. The categorization indicates gaps in research and suggests that different approaches need to be employed to understand the value that is derived from IT.
Working Paper Series in Finance 00-06 HOT AND COLD IPO MARKETS

The market for unseasoned equity has the unusual and distinguishing feature of periods of concentrated activity in terms of both volume and underpricing. This paper formally documents the existence of such periods using a regime-switching model that dates transitions between hot and cold states. A number of hot periods are identified over a 20-year period using a variety of IPO activity measures that capture different aspects of new issue volume, proceeds and underpricing. The study documents a leading relationship between underpricing and IPO volume of up to six months. This relationship supports the contention that the decision to issue is a function of current underpricing. We hypothesise reasons for this result and find supportive evidence through a VAR analysis that reveals the influence of stock market and business conditions. The results have implications for the information signal contained in current market conditions and the role of issuers, underwriters and investors. Acknowledgments We thank Liliana Gonzalez, Vince Hooper, Mohammad Tahir, two anonymous referees and the editor for their helpful comments on earlier versions of the paper.
The scincid lizard Lioscincus tillieri (Reptilia: Scincidae) from New Caledonia in the southwest Pacific: new information on the species’ biology, distribution and morphology

Lioscincus tillieri was originally described in 1991 from a single juvenile specimen. Field observations on the species at several localities and the acquisition of a further fifteen specimens collected between 1995 and 1998 have provided new data on its biology, distribution, and morphology. Most notably L. tillieri is now known to have a live-bearing mode of reproduction, only the second occurrence of viviparity in the endemic New Caledonian skink fauna.
Monophyly of Archaeplastida supergroup and relationships among its lineages in the light of phylogenetic and phylogenomic studies. Are we close to a consensus

One of the key evolutionary events on the scale of the biosphere was an endosymbiosis between a heterotrophic eukaryote and a cyanobacterium, resulting in a primary plastid. Such an organelle is characteristic of three eukaryotic lineages, glaucophytes, red algae and green plants. The three groups are usually united under the common name Archaeplastida or Plantae in modern taxonomic classifications, which indicates they are considered monophyletic. The methods generally used to verify this monophyly are phylogenetic analyses. In this article we review up-to-date results of such analyses and discussed their inconsistencies. Although phylogenies of plastid genes suggest a single primary endosymbiosis, which is assumed to mean a common origin of the Archaeplastida, different phylogenetic trees based on nuclear markers show monophyly, paraphyly, polyphyly or unresolved topologies of Archaeplastida hosts. The difficulties in reconstructing host cell relationships could result from stochastic and systematic biases in data sets, including different substitution rates and patterns, gene paralogy and horizontal/endosymbiotic gene transfer into eukaryotic lineages, which attract Archaeplastida in phylogenetic trees. Based on results to date, it is neither possible to confirm nor refute alternative evolutionary scenarios to a single primary endosymbiosis. Nevertheless, if trees supporting monophyly are considered, relationships inferred among Archaeplastida lineages can be discussed. Phylogenetic analyses based on nuclear genes clearly show the earlier divergence of glaucophytes from red algae and green plants. Plastid genes suggest a more complicated history, but at least some studies are congruent with this concept. Additional research involving more representatives of glaucophytes and many understudied lineages of Eukaryota can improve inferring phylogenetic relationships related to the Archaeplastida. In addition, alternative approaches not directly dependent on phylogenetic methods should be developed.
The Role of Fire in Great Lakes Alvar Landscapes

The role of fire in alvar landscapes in the Great Lakes region of the United States and Canada was examined through the notes of the original land surveyors, through field work which looked for burn evidence, and through a comparison of alvars on two sets of aerial photographs taken 40 to 45 years apart. The results show that alvars existed in all regions of the Great Lakes prior to settlement of the area by European immigrants. Also, fire can create alvars and has done so in the last 150 years. Some alvar community types correlate strongly with past burning while others correlate with no burning. Some community types show noticeable change in a 40 year period while others show little or none. Although the presence of burn evidence is common, fire is shown to be infrequent in alvar landscapes, with some communities experiencing fire return intervals of at least 200–500 years. In these communities, fire is not the primary factor maintaining the open condition. The history of Great Lakes alvars is shown to be diverse and complex. Controlled burning is not recommended for all sites or all alvar community types.
BEYOND-AID SCENARIOS AND SUSTAINABILITY: STRATEGIC IMPLICATIONS FOR NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS (NGOS)

Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs) face a future scenario where they can no longer rely on a system of international concessional aid as reference point for their role, work and continuity. This paper first examines the reasons behind the beyond aid scenarios for NGOs. The urgent and practical reason why NGOs must consider life in a beyondaid scenario results from the decreasing volume and redistribution of aid finance. This paper then suggests some alternatives for NGOs to be sustainable in beyond aid scenarios. This paper thus concludes suggesting that NGOs should demonstrate their worth to government, business and the public on their own terms and reconsider themselves as social actors: not in terms of ends, but in terms of means.
Tectonic inheritance and continental rift architecture: Numerical and analogue models of the East African Rift system

The western branch of the East African Rift is composed of an arcuate succession of elongate asymmetric basins, which differ in terms of interaction geometry, fault architecture and kinematics, and patterns of uplift/subsidence and erosion/sedimentation. The basins are located within Proterozoic mobile belts at the edge of the strong Tanzanian craton; surface geology suggests that the geometry of these weak zones is an important parameter in controlling rift development and architecture, although other processes have been proposed. In this study, we use lithosphere‐scale numerical models and crustal‐scale analogue experiments to shed light on the relations between preexisting structures and rift architecture. Results illustrate that on a regional scale, rift localization within the mobile belts at the curved craton's western border results in an arcuate rift system, which implies that under a constant extensional stress field, part of the western branch experienced orthogonal extension and part oblique extension. Largest depocenters are predicted to form mostly orthogonal to the extension direction, and smaller depocenters will form along the oblique parts of the rift. The varying extension direction along the rift zone furthermore results in lengthwise varying rift asymmetry, segmentation characteristics, and border fault architecture (trend, length, and kinematics). Analogue models predict that discrete upper crustal fabrics may influence the location of accommodation zones and control the architecture of extension‐related faults at a local scale. Models support that fabric reactivation is responsible for the oblique‐slip kinematics on faults and for the development of Z‐shaped or arcuate normal faults typically documented in nature.
Impact of covered warrants expirations on underlying shares in Taiwan

We examine the Taiwanese market for covered warrants, and the impact of the expiration of a covered warrant on the returns, and trading volume of the underlying stock. This paper seeks to address the impact of warrant expiration on the underlying shares. It proposes several sample groups in which such impact may emerge different outcome. Overall, the hypotheses of there are significant price effect and abnormal trading volume around the warrant expirations cannot be rejected. The hypotheses of different price effect and trading volume in sub groups also have been confirmed. This study makes extensive of data from Taiwanese market and several sample groups; the empirical analysis can also serve as a means to improve academic knowledge of impact derivative expiration event on the underlying shares. We conclude that the feature of the sample set does generate different results and we also provider alternative explanations to the empirical outcome.
DIETARY MANIPULATION TO INCREASE THE CONCENTRATION OF N-3 FATTY ACIDS IN MILK FAT

Linseed is an excellent source of PUFA, especially linolenic acid (18:3n-3), but it is not commonly used in dairy diet in Hungary. Aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the supplemented whole linseed on fatty acid profile of milk fat, with particular reference to health promoting components (α-linolenic acid). A total of thirty multiparous Holstein cows were used in two dairy farms to determine the effect of feeding whole linseed rich in linolenic (C18:3) fatty acids on fatty acid composition of milk fat. The experiment was conducted on two large-scale dairy farms located in HajdúBihar County (referred to as farm “A” and “B”). Fifteen multiparous Holstein-Friesian (165 average days in milk) on farm A and fifteen multiparous Holstein-Friesian (200 average days in milk) on farm B were randomly allocated to treatment groups to investigate the effect of whole linseed supplementation on the composition of fatty acids of milk fat. The group on farm A and B fed TMR based maize silage without whole linseed during the control-period. In the experimental-period the cows received the same TMR on both farms, but it was supplemented with 2.60% DM of whole linseed on farm A, and 2.16% DM of whole linseed on farm B. The experimental period was four weeks in both farms. The supplementation of whole linseed had no effect (P > 0.05) on the short chain saturated fatty acid (SFA), and most of the medium chain saturated fatty acid. During the trial the oleic acid (18:1c) content in milk fat significantly increased (21.33% at the start, 24.71% after 2 weeks and 22.51% after 4 weeks on farm B, respectively). The proportion of α-linolenic acid (18:3n-3) increased (P > 0.05) during the experimental period compared to the control period (0.23% at the start, 0.58% after 2 weeks and 0.59% after 4 weeks on farm B). The concentration of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (eicosapentaenoic acid and docosapentaenoic acid) significantly increased in milk fat after 4 weeks on both farms. The n-6/n-3 ratio narrowed from 13.52:1 to 3.83:1 and 3.69:1 on farm B, respectively, but this result was not significant. This study concluded that dietary supplementation of whole linseed decreased the proportion of some SFA and increased the proportion of some MUFA and PUFA.
Aging of marine organic matter during cross‐shelf lateral transport in the Benguela upwelling system revealed by compound‐specific radiocarbon dating

Organic matter accumulation and burial on the Namibian shelf and upper slope are spatially heterogeneous and strongly controlled by lateral transport in subsurface nepheloid layers. Much of the material deposited in depo‐centers on the slope ultimately derives from the shelf. Supply of organic matter from the shelf involves selective transport of organic matter. We studied these selective transport processes by analyzing the radiocarbon content of co‐occurring sediment fractions. Here we present radiocarbon data for total organic carbon as well as three tracers of surface ocean productivity (phytoplankton‐derived alkenones, membrane lipids of pelagic crenarchaeota (crenarchaeol), and calcareous microfossils of planktic foraminifera) in core‐top and near‐surface sediment samples. The samples were collected on the Namibian margin along a shelf‐slope transect (85 to 1040 m) at 24°S and from the upper slope depo‐center at 25.5°S. In core‐top sediments, alkenone ages gradually increased from modern to 3490 radiocarbon years with distance from shore and with water depth. Crenarchaeol, while younger than alkenones, also increased in age with distance offshore. It was concluded that the observed ages were a consequence of cross‐shelf transport and associated aging of organic matter. Radiocarbon ages of preserved lipid biomarkers in sediments thus at least partially depend on the relative amount of laterally supplied, pre‐aged material present in a sample, highlighting the importance of nepheloid transport for the sedimentation of organic matter over the Namibian margin.
Do City Managers Improve Government Performance

Why do some local governments perform better than others that are socioeconomically, culturally, and geographically close? This paper examines variation in local government performance across 209 Catalan municipalities with over 5,000 inhabitants. We test whether the municipality’s administrative structure affects local government performance. In particular, we explore the effects of replacing a traditional public administration structure (i.e., headed by bureaucrats) with a new public management model (i.e., headed by city managers) in two dimensions: first, transparency and accountability; and, second, financial performance. Results indicate that, ceteris paribus, municipalities with a city manager are more transparent, responsive and open to citizens, but do not perform better in financial indicators. Financial performance seems to be more driven by political factors: Right-wing governments are associated with higher debt levels but a faster ability to reduce debt; and, conversely, coalition governments are less indebted than single-party governments but are slower in debt reduction. Eliska Drapalova Hertie School of Governance Organisation, Management and Leadership Cluster drapalova@hertie-school.org Victor Lapuente The Quality of Government Institute Department of Political Science University of Gothenburg victor.lapuente@pol.gu. se
The Myth of Monopoly: A New View of Industrial Structure in Russia

Discussions of economic reform in the Russian Federation are colored by the conventional view of Russian industrial structure. This view, held both in Russia and in the west, is that Russian industry is characterized by very large enterprises operating in highly concentrated industries. In this paper, we challenge the conventional wisdom. We estimate Russian industrial concentration by examining the 1989 Soviet Census of Industry, and by comparing the Russian industrial structure to that in the United States and other countries. We find that very large firms are more prevalent in the United States than in Russia. Our analysis suggests that planners economized on the costs of central economic coordination, not by building unusually large enterprises, but by not building very small enterprises. Because innovation was centrally directed, small firms did not play the role they play in a market economy, and thus industry evolved under a completely different process of economic selection. Our most important finding is that there is little aggregate or industry concentration at the national level in Russia. Monopolies and oligopolies actually account for a very small share of national employment and production. Our analysis suggests instead that the barriers to competition in Russia arise as the result of product markets that are highly segmented. In large part, this segmentation can be viewed as a legacy of the system of central planning. Nevertheless, some features of the transition environment continue to undermine the efficient distribution of goods, reinforcing these barriers. Based on our finding, we conclude that the traditional policy remedies appropriate for problems of concentration, such as anti-trust policy and import competition, may be ill-advised or inadequate for addressing problems of imperfect competition in the economy. We argue instead that improving the distribution system and facilitating the entry of new firms are the most critical elements of competition policy in Russia. JEL Classification Number: L11, P21, P31.