Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Structure and performance of manufacturing in Mozambique

This survey was designed to research a number of basic issues, including the composition of the manufacturing sector, sources of growth, major impediments to growth, the composition of the labor force, and accessibility to finance in Mozambique. A team of World Bank staff and local consultants visited and conducted interviews with almost 150 manufacturing firms of all sizes in most parts of the country, covering a number of topics, including discussions of business start up, the collection of basic accounting data, and discussions of what business services the firms would like. The interviewers also spoke with a sample of workers from each of the firms. The survey was similar to ones conducted by the Regional Program on Enterprise Development (RPED) in seven other sub-Saharan African countries, and it is thus possible to compare some of the results in Mozambique with similar countries. Although there are severe impediments to growth, including lack of finance, a shortage of skilled labor and poor infrastructure, real growth rates in the manufacturing sector in Mozambique have averaged more than 6 percent in recent years and appear poised to increase. The business environment is often cited as a particular problem, but we find that firms are extremely confident about the future, much more so than in other African countries. Mozambican businessmen are not only confident about their own future, but also that the government will continue its reform policies and the country as a while will prosper. This paper begins by providing a description of the sample, which is then followed by a brief overview of growth and changes in the manufacturing sector since colonial times. Next what firms perceive as their major business problems is discussed. This is followed by discussions of manufacturing firms' access to finance, the labor market and infrastructure problems. Finally, a short section explores the business services firms in Mozambique need.
Defining DIOS and Constipation in Cystic Fibrosis With a Multicentre Study on the Incidence, Characteristics, and Treatment of DIOS

Objectives: Various definitions for distal intestinal obstruction syndrome (DIOS), meconium ileus equivalent, and constipation in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) are used. However, an unequivocal definition for DIOS, meconium ileus equivalent, and constipation is preferred. The aims of this study were, therefore, to seek consensus on the definitions for DIOS and constipation in patients with CF and to determine the incidence, characteristics, and treatment of DIOS in a cohort of paediatric patients with CF. Methods: During the 2005 European Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition meeting in Porto a group of paediatric gastroenterologists discussed the definition of DIOS and constipation in CF. Subsequently, all patients younger than or equal to 18 years with complete DIOS according to the definition agreed upon and diagnosed during the years 2001 to 2005 in 8 CF centres were studied. Results: Distal intestinal obstruction syndrome was defined as an acute complete or incomplete faecal obstruction in the ileocaecum, whereas constipation was defined as gradual faecal impaction of the total colon. Fifty-one episodes of DIOS in 39 patients were recorded, giving an overall incidence of 6.2 (95% confidence interval, 4.4–7.9) episodes per 1000 patient-years. Of the 39 patients with DIOS, 20% experienced a relapse, 92% were pancreatic insufficient, 44% had a history of meconium ileus at birth, and 82% had a severe genotype. Conservative treatment was effective in 49 of 51 DIOS episodes (96%). Conclusions: The European Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition CF Working Group definitions of DIOS and constipation in CF are specific and make a clear distinction between these 2 entities. The incidence of DIOS in the present study was considerably higher than reported previously.
Predicting continuance in online communities: model development and empirical test

Popular interest in online communities has grown rapidly in recent years as a result of the widespread diffusion of Web 2.0 applications. However, the full values and potential of online communities cannot be realised without users' ongoing participation. Thus, this study aims at developing and empirically testing a research model to examine users' continuance intention to participate in an online community based on an extended information systems (IS) continuance model. Specifically, entertainment value and affective commitment are included in the IS continuance model and empirically examined in the context of online communities. A total of 240 returns collected from an online survey, which was conducted among users of a website bulletin board-based community in China, were analysed using partial least squares. The results reveal that users' continuance intention to participate in an online community is determined by both satisfaction and affective commitment. Satisfaction and affective commitment are, in turn, influenced by positive disconfirmations of purposive and entertainment values. The findings of this study contribute not only to theory building in online community continuance but also inform online community moderators in their effort to develop strategies for retaining their users.
International Spillovers of Central Bank Balance Sheet Policies

We study the cross-border impact of quantitative easing (QE) in the major advanced economies, especially on emerging market economies. We first examine the cross-border financial market impact of central bank announcements of asset purchase programmes. We find marked QE announcement effects on global financial markets. Quantitative easing influenced prices of a broad range of emerging market assets, raising equity prices, lowering government and corporate bond yields and compressing CDS spreads. The evidence supports the view that QE programmes in advanced economies influenced market expectations about the strength of cross-border financial flows to emerging market economies and about accommodative monetary policy responses of emerging market central banks to concerns about these capital flows. In other words, the announcement of QE measures in one economy contributed to easier global liquidity conditions through the immediate re-pricing of assets in global financial markets. We then turn to the macroeconomic impact of US quantitative easing on emerging market and advanced economies using a global vector error-correcting model (VECM). In additional to the standard trade channels, this model takes account of financial linkages using the BIS locational bank lending statistics. The size of the estimated international spillover effects differed across regions. First, lower US treasury bond yields raised equity prices significantly in the advanced economies, but the expansionary impact on growth and inflation was only about half of that on the US economy. Second, there was little evidence that lower yields in the United States led to rapid credit growth in other advanced economies, at least in the immediate aftermath of the crisis. Third, the impact on emerging economies was in general stronger than that on the other advanced economies. In some economies such as Hong Kong and Brazil, the expansionary impact of US quantitative easing was significant and associated with rapid credit growth and strong capital inflow, currency appreciation and inflationary pressures.Full publication: Are Central Bank Balance Sheets in Asia Too Large?
Sexually transmitted infections in long distance truck drivers.

A study was undertaken in 670 long distance truck drivers to investigate prevalence of sexually transmitted infections--STI (HIV infection, syphilis, hepatitis-B infection and gonorrhoea) in Nagpur City, Central India. Standard laboratory procedures were followed for carrying out investigations i.e. ELISA for HIV infection, VDRL for syphilis, RPHA for hepatitis-B infection and gram staining for gonorrhoea. A total of 293 (43.7%) subjects had one or more sign/symptoms suggestive of STIs. The prevalence of HIV infection, syphilis, hepatitis-B infection and gonorrhoea was observed to be 15.2%, 21.9%, 5.1% and 6.7% respectively. In conclusion, this study recognized that long distance truck drivers were at high risk for getting STIs including HIV infection.
Imaging in thyroid-associated orbitopathy.

Thyroid-associated orbitopathy (TAO) is an autoimmune condition of the orbit which is closely associated with Graves' hyperthyroidism, although either condition may exist without the other. It may antedate, coincide with or follow hyperthyroidism (1±10). Assessment of the frequency of the association depends on the method used for detecting TAO; with sensitive methods subclinical TAO can be demonstrated in 70% of patients with hyperthyroidism. The clinical features of the disorder vary from a mild grittiness of the eyes to severe diplopia, loss of vision and dis®guring proptosis. The most obvious pathological change within the orbit is the enlargement of extraocular muscles (11±13). In most cases microscopy reveals that the muscle ®bres are preserved and the increase in muscle bulk re ects changes in the connective tissue: ®broblasts are very numerous, there is lymphocyte in®ltration, an excessive deposition of collagen and of glycosaminoglycans (gag) which lead to interstitial oedema (14±22). A role for cytokines in TAO (23) seems likely: it may be that the autoimmune response evokes the local production within the orbit of cytokines which cause ®broblast stimulation and hence the production of collagen and gag (24±28). The muscles most frequently affected are the medial and inferior recti. Functionally, the effect is of tightness or contraction of the muscles, and thus the patient may experience dif®culty with upward or lateral gaze. The increased bulk of the muscles and of orbital connective tissue leads to an increase in pressure within the orbit, which results in some cases in proptosis, and in other cases, where the tissues at the apex of the orbit are involved, in optic neuropathy and disc oedema. There is a natural tendency towards spontaneous improvement: the spontaneous course depicts an active phase which slowly abates, after which an inactive phase ensues (29), which may still be associated with ophthalmic abnormalities. Although sparse, there are histology data to support this idea of active and inactive disease phases (30, 31). The orbital tissues are oedematous in patients with early disease, whereas patients with longstanding TAO have ®brous tissues. On histological examination, early disease was associated with a mononuclear cell in®ltrate, while in the late stages only dense collagen scar tissue was found. In addition to macrophages and Tand B-lymphocytes, granulated mast cells may be present. Thus, there seems to be consensus that oedema with a lymphocyte in®ltrate of the orbital tissues characterizes the active stage, whereas ®brosis can be seen during all stages but is much more abundant in inactive TAO. This natural course has been the basis for the initiation of immunomodulatory therapies (32±36). They are aimed at the oedematous, lymphocyte in®ltration and the activated ®broblasts. Medical treatment will only be effective during the active phase and should not be given to patients with inactive TAO. In contrast, it is generally recommended that rehabilitative surgery should only be done on patients with inactive TAO (37, 38).
Human Resource Development Interventions and Employability Enhancement: A Perspective of the Thai Public Sector on Government Employees

The objectives of this research were to identify the expected and perceived employability of Thai government employees and to analyze the effect of human resource development interventions on employability. The primary data were mainly based on the cross-sectional data collected from a unit consisting of 127 departments and 60 organizations at the departmental level. The representation of each organization was a person whose position was director of a human resource management department. The findings showed that the highest scores on expected employability were responsibility (personal qualification), teamwork, and interpersonal skills (people-related skills). The findings also indicated the lowest score was expected and perceived employability, especially regarding fundamental and conceptual thinking skills. The findings further showed that among the HRD factors, training and organization development (OD) had positive and significant effects on employability. When including the control variables (total number of workforce, total number of contract employees, education and experience of the contract employees), it was seen that the effect of the OD was persistent while the effect of the training was greatly reduced. Surprisingly, the study found that career development (CD) had no effect on employability at all. Since there has been no research supporting the direct association between OD and employability, the effect of OD on employability theoretically contributes to the fields of human resource development and employability.
Household food insecurity and Canadian Aboriginal women's self-efficacy in food preparation.

PURPOSE Determinants of self-efficacy related to food preparation using store-bought food were examined in women belonging to the Atikamekw Nation. Also examined was whether self-efficacy was associated with household food insecurity. METHODS A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 107 women responsible for household food supplies. Two self-efficacy scores were calculated, one for healthy food preparation and one for food preparation in general. Household food insecurity was measured with an adapted version of the United States Food Security Core Module. The other variables were household composition, income sources, food supplies, tobacco use, participants' health status, and lifestyle and sociodemographic characteristics. Multiple linear regression was used to analyze associations between self-efficacy and household food insecurity in 99 participants. RESULTS Severe household food insecurity was associated with significantly lower healthy food preparation scores in Atikamekw women. Other associated variables were food supplies, marital status, alcohol consumption, weight status, and understanding of the native language. CONCLUSIONS Application of the concept of self-efficacy contributes to a better understanding of the factors influencing food preparation in Atikamekw women. In this study, self-efficacy in healthy food preparation was linked to food insecurity and obesity, particularly in the most serious cases. Efforts to improve diet will require not only behavioural interventions, but public policies.
Retraction for Baillie et al., β-Arrestin-mediated PDE4 cAMP phosphodiesterase recruitment regulates β-adrenoceptor switching from Gs to Gi

Phosphorylation of the β2 adrenoreceptor (β2AR) by cAMP-activated protein kinase A (PKA) switches its predominant coupling from stimulatory guanine nucleotide regulatory protein (Gs) to inhibitory guanine nucleotide regulatory protein (Gi). β-Arrestins recruit the cAMP-degrading PDE4 phosphodiesterases to the β2AR, thus controlling PKA activity at the membrane. Here we investigate a role for PDE4 recruitment in regulating G protein switching by the β2AR. In human embryonic kidney 293 cells overexpressing a recombinant β2AR, stimulation with isoprenaline recruits β-arrestins 1 and 2 as well as both PDE4D3 and PDE4D5 to the receptor and stimulates receptor phosphorylation by PKA. The PKA phosphorylation status of the β2AR is enhanced markedly when cells are treated with the selective PDE4-inhibitor rolipram or when they are transfected with a catalytically inactive PDE4D mutant (PDE4D5-D556A) that competitively inhibits isoprenaline-stimulated recruitment of native PDE4 to the β2AR. Rolipram and PDE4D5-D556A also enhance β2AR-mediated activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases ERK1/2. This is consistent with a switch in coupling of the receptor from Gs to Gi, because the ERK1/2 activation is sensitive to both inhibitors of PKA (H89) and Gi (pertussis toxin). In cardiac myocytes, the β2AR also switches from Gs to Gi coupling. Treating primary cardiac myocytes with isoprenaline induces recruitment of PDE4D3 and PDE4D5 to membranes and activates ERK1/2. Rolipram robustly enhances this activation in a manner sensitive to both pertussis toxin and H89. Adenovirus-mediated expression of PDE4D5-D556A also potentiates ERK1/2 activation. Thus, receptor-stimulated β-arrestin-mediated recruitment of PDE4 plays a central role in the regulation of G protein switching by the β2AR in a physiological system, the cardiac myocyte.
Prospects and Constraints of Seaweeds Farming along the West and South Coasts of Zanzibar

Seaweed farming is among the strategies adopted by the coastalcommunities in Zanzibar in an attempt to alleviate poverty. The study involvedseaweed farmers from the south coast of Unguja. Six shehia3 were purposefulselected and they included Paje, Bwejuu, Jambiani in the south and Bweleo,Dimani and Fumba for the west. Eighty seaweed farmers were randomly selectedfor interview. In addition five businessmen and some government officials who aresupposedly to be working with seaweed farmers were interviewed. Various PRAtools including structured questionnaire, check list, focus group discussion anddirect observation were used to collect the data.It was found out that majority of respondents were aged between 32-55 and 67%were married. 78% have been working as seaweed farmers for the past 6 years andmostly they produce spinosum type of seaweed. Selling of seaweeds is doneindividually and normally they sell semi-processed seaweeds. 90.2% of therespondents showed dissatisfaction with the current offered price of Tsh. 250/kgalthough 74.4% reported positive improvement in their livelihood resulting fromengaging in seaweed farming. There was a general concern that the governmenthave rendered little support to seaweed farmer especially in pricing and provisionof inputs and to a large extent the price is controlled by few private buyers. Despitethese challenges many women have opted to continue with the enterprise owing toabsence of alternative income generating activities. Key words: Seaweed farming, constraints, Zanzibar, marketing, pricing
Measuring Exchange Market Pressure and Central Bank Intervention

This study contributes to the measurement of exchange market pressure and central bank intervention policy in a system of floating currency and partly sterilized foreign exchange interventions.A model-consistent approach is used.The measures of exchange market pressure and degree of intervention in the foreign exchange market are derived in the context of an empirically oriented small open economy monetary model with rational expectations.Monetary and foreign exchange policies are explicitly defined and foreign exchange interventions are allowed to be partly sterilized.Finally, the model is applied to Finnish data in order to analyse the pressure on the markka, which was floating during the period 1992-1996, and the Bank of Finland's reaction to that pressure.In contrast to most other empirical studies using various proxy variables, actual intervention data is used. According to the estimation results, the inclusion of the monetary policy reaction function and especially the sterilization of foreign exchange intervention makes the values of the measures of exchange market pressure and intervention policy more realistic and hence easier to interpret.This means that the fact that foreign exchange interventions are at least partly sterilized in the main industrial countries should be taken into account when exchange market pressure and central bank intervention policy are measured. This has not been done in other studies using a model-consistent approach.When the Bank of Finland's reaction to exchange market pressure is analysed, the results seem to suggest that the Bank let the markka float quite freely, reduced its intervention activity gradually as exchange market pressure diminished, and considered markka appreciation more desirable than depreciation during the markka float. Key words: exchange market pressure, foreign exchange intervention, intervention policy, Finland
Liquidity Risk and Cross-Sectional Earnings-Returns Relation

Employing a broad sample of US firms over the period 1962 to 2009, we provide evidence of a liquidity risk impact on the fundamental earnings-returns relation. Specifically, we document that current liquidity risk has a positive moderating effect on the relation between current returns and next period change in earnings. Notably, this effect is distinct from (and after controlling for) the negative effect observed for illiquidity level (Kerr, Sadka and Sadka, 2012). We further show that the liquidity risk effect on the earnings-returns relation is dominant in firms that: (a) are of intermediate size; (b) are of intermediate book-to-market; and (c) are profitable.
Sleep‐disordered breathing in a general heart failure population: relationships to neurohumoral activation and subjective symptoms

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of sleep‐related breathing disorders (SDB) in a UK general heart failure (HF) population, and assess its impact on neurohumoral markers and symptoms of sleepiness and quality of life. Eighty‐four ambulatory patients (72 male, mean (SD) age 68.6 (10) yrs) attending UK HF clinics underwent an overnight recording of respiratory impedance, SaO2 and heart rate using a portable monitor (Nexan). Brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) and urinary catecholamines were measured. Subjective sleepiness and the impairment in quality of life were assessed (Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), SF‐36 Health Performance Score). SDB was classified using the Apnoea/Hypopnoea Index (AHI). The prevalence of SDB (AHI > 15 events h−1) was 24%, increasing from 15% in mild‐to‐moderate HF to 39% in severe HF. Patients with SDB had significantly higher levels of BNP and noradrenaline than those without SDB (mean (SD) BNP: 187 (119) versus 73 (98) pg mL−1, P = 0.02; noradrenaline: 309 (183) versus 225 (148) nmol/24 h, P = 0.05). There was no significant difference in reported sleepiness or in any domain of SF‐36, between groups with and without SDB (ESS: 7.8 (4.7) versus 7.5 (3.6), P = 0.87). In summary, in a general HF clinic population, the prevalence of SDB increased with the severity of HF. Patients with SDB had higher activation of a neurohumoral marker and more severe HF. Unlike obstructive sleep apnoea, SDB in HF had little discernible effect on sleepiness or quality of life as measured by standard subjective scales.