Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
(Rentabilität von Firmen in der Spanischen Agrar- und Lebensmittelindustrie)

Strategic management research has demonstrated the importance of firm resources and industry structure as drivers of profitability. However, less is known about how factors related to firms ́ geographical locations affect profitability. In this article, we estimate firm-, industry-, year-, and region-specific effects on agri-food firm profitability in Spain. We apply the multilevel approach of Hierarchical Linear Modeling to a sample of 3,273 agri-food firms operating in different geographical districts during the time span 2006-2013. The results reveal the dominance of firm-specific effects which contribute up to 48.8% to variance in profitability. Moreover, firm size, growth, financial risk as well as innovation activity turn out as significant profit drivers. Although firm-effects have a stronger impact than industry affiliation and location, the results indicate that structural industry factors such as concentration and size as well as territorial factors such as regional education and unemployment influence profitability. Moreover, location in rural districts is not necessarily a handicap for firm profitability.
Nacellidae limpets of the southern end of South America: taxonomy and distribution

Taxonomically, the Mollusca of the southern end of South America are moderately well known, but the literature is scattered, there is little information on their habitats, and distributional records are scarce for the Chilean archipelago lying between Chiloé Island (42° S) and Tierra del Fuego (55° S). Although much is known about the biology and ecology of of some species of Nacellidae, the taxonomy of the group have been partially neglected, particularly in remote areas of the world such as the Chilean fjords. Therefore, this study aims to clarify the nomenclatural status, and establish the morphological characteristics and distribution of the Chilean Nacellidae. Especially, the following three objectives are pursued: (i) to clarify the correct identity of existing species; (ii) to describe of morphological details, highlighting the clear diagnostic characters of each species, and (iii) to delimitate and discuss their geographical range in Chile. The examination of the Nacellidae of the Chilean fiords has resulted in the recognition of one species of Nacella (Nacella) and seven species of Nacella (Patinigera), wherein the principal specific differences are in the shell (shape, thickness and color) and in radular teeth morphology. The genus Nacella and its subgenus Patinigera are cold-water limpets, and are exclusively inhabitants of Subantarctic and Antarctic waters. The greater part of their range being subantarctic, but extending to the Antarctic by way of the Scotia Arc, and also ranging northward up the Chilean coast to at least Valparaiso at 33° S (only N. (P.) clypeater). They apparently have their centre of distribution in the Magellanic Province of southern South America, corresponding to an area with a high degree of diversification (N. (N.) mytilina, N. (P.) chiloensis, N. (P.) deaurata, N. (P.) delicatissima, N. (P.) flammea, N. (P.) magellanica, N. (P.) venosa), wherefrom the species tends to spread eastward, with a larval transport probably assisted to a considerable extent by the prevailing West Wind Drift which strongly operates in the Subantarctic Zone.
ENHANCED TRANSDERMAL DRUG PENETRATION OF CURCUMIN VIA ETHOSOMES

The objective of the present research work is to overcome the barriers of poor oral bioavailability through transdermal drug delivery (TDD). Among the available transdermal systems, ethosomes are the promising ones with increased penetration effect due to the combination of lipid bilayer and ethanol in its structure. Curcumin has poor oral bioavailability and can be given as transdermal ethosomes to enhance bioavailability along with local action of antiinflammation. Curcumin ethosomes were prepared and optimised for lipid and ethanol concentrations based on entrapment efficiency, vesicular size and drug penetration. Drug penetration capability of the ethosomes was compared with aqueous, ethanolic and liposomal solutions. The optimised ethosomes were compared for the cumulative drug penetration (74.2±0.236%) into skin with aqueous (5.61±0.263%), ethanolic (62.31±0.263%), liposomal (59.3±0.44%) and ethosomal curcumin-β-cyclodextrin complex (78.01±0.22). It was found that the penetration was enhanced and maximum in ethosomes incorporated with curcumin-β-cyclodextrin complex because of combined effects of ethanol, lipid bilayer along with increased dissolution of curcumi n with β -cyclodextrin complex. This formulation will be suitable to treat local skin inflammations with enhanced penetration via ethosomes incorporated with curcumin-β-cyclodextrin complex.
Case study: flicker transfer coefficient and frequency components

Voltage fluctuations related to light flicker can propagate along a distribution network with their attenuation being affected by the topology of the network, the line impedances, and the characteristics of the loads and the transformers. The propagation leads to different simultaneous flicker measurements at different voltage levels. This work documents a case study in which three points in a distribution network were monitored, with the flicker level being measured simultaneously at 132KV, 30KV, and 13KV. Two types of flicker transfer coefficient are discussed, taking into account the impact of different types of loads, the spectral characteristics involved in the flicker measurements, and possible strategies for flagging dip events at the three voltage levels.
On the origins of unsteadiness and three-dimensionality in a laminar separation bubble

We analyse the three–dimensional non–parallel instability mechanisms responsible for transition to turbulence in regions of recirculating steady laminar two–dimensional incompressible separation bubble flow in a twofold manner. First, we revisit the problem of Tollmien–Schlichting (TS)–like disturbances and we demonstrate, for the first time for this type of flow, excellent agreement between the parabolized stability equation results and those of independently performed direct numerical simulations. Second, we perform a partial–derivative eigenvalue problem stability analysis by discretizing the two spatial directions on which the basic flow depends, precluding TS–like waves from entering the calculation domain. A new two–dimensional set of global amplified instability modes is thus discovered. In order to prove earlier topological conjectures about the flow structural changes occurring prior to the onset of bubble unsteadiness, we reconstruct the total flowfield by linear superposition of the steady two–dimensional basic flow and the new most–amplified global eigenmodes. In the parameter range investigated, the result is a bifurcation into a three–dimensional flowfield in which the separation line remains unaffected while the primary reattachment line becomes three dimensional, in line with the analogous result of a multitude of experimental observations.
Quantification of the Tourism Climate of Algeria Based on the Climate-Tourism-Information-Scheme

The relevance and role of aesthetic, thermal and physical facets to climatic tourism potential over Algeria at 12.00 UTC (13.00 local time) are analyzed. This role is revealed using the Climate-Tourism-Information-Scheme (CTIS) elaborated for six Algerian cities having indisputable tourism potentiality and representing different regions and climate regimes: Coastline, Highland and Sahara zone. In this paper, the relevance of the use of the 10-day time-scale resolution of the physiologically equivalent temperature (PET) derived from the body-atmosphere energy balance as well as the importance of the CTIS at this time-scale resolution is illustrated. The CTIS diagrams produced concern the period 1986–2015 and comprise detailed information on the frequencies of the occurrence of different climatological and human biometeorological parameters throughout the year, which could help tourists to plan ahead their vacations. A significant upward trend in discomfort conditions, as well as a substantial decline in human thermal comfort acceptability, are observed during the period of the study. The obtained results could help enormously in the promotion of tourism and leisure services in the country as a highly promising economic sector in the future and those who are involved, such as tour operators, by diversifying their products through the provision of alternative types of tourism offerings in line with the climate conditions.
Cross‐Country Differences in Unemployment: Fiscal Policy, Unions, and Household Preferences in General Equilibrium

We develop and parameterize an overlapping generations model that explains hours worked, education, and unemployment within one coherent framework. We extend previous work in this tradition by introducing individuals with heterogeneous ability and a unionized labour market for lower ability workers. Unemployment is due to above market-clearing wages for these workers. Our calibrated model's predictions match the facts remarkably well in a sample of continental European, Nordic and Anglo-Saxon countries. We then use the model to explain the cross-country variation in unemployment. A Shapley decomposition reveals an almost equal role for differences in fiscal policy variables and in union preferences. Both account for about half of the explained variation in unemployment rates. While it is the above market-clearing wage chosen by the unions that directly leads to unemployment, the fiscal policy variables determine most of its magnitude. As to specific fiscal variables, differences in unemployment benefit generosity play a much more important role than tax differences. Controlling for fiscal variables and union preferences, any differences in the taste for leisure of the households have no role to play in determining cross-country variation in unemployment.
DETERMINING THE FACTORS THAT AFFECT INVESTOR PARTICIPATION IN THE NAIROBI SECURITIES EXCHANGE

iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.vi DEDICATION.vii LIST OF TABLES.ix LIST OF FIGURES.xii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS.xiii CHAPTER ONE 1.0 INTRODUCTION.1 1.1 Background of the Study.1 1.2 Statement of the Problem.4 1.3 Purpose of the Study.5 1.4 Research Questions.5 1.5 Importance of the Study.5 1.6 Scope of the Study.6 1.7 Definition of Terms.7 1.8 Chapter Summary.8 CHAPTER TWO 2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW.9 2.
Leadership Competencies and Competitive Advantage "Empirical Study on Jordan Telecommunications"

This study examines the impact of leadership competencies on competitive advantage in the Jordanian telecommunications industry (JTI). The population of the study consisted of all working companies in the (JTI). A simple random sampling technique was used to select (2) working companies out of (3). The unit of analysis who surveyed for this study were the middle line departments' mangers, supervisors and team leaders, a total of 120 questionnaires were administered to respondents; statistical tools were used to test the hypothesis such as: one way ANOVA and simple regression. The Study revealed that leadership competences had a significant impact at level of (P? 0.05) on competitive advantage by the Jordanian telecommunication companies in the Jordanian market, as well an existence relationship between leadership competences and competitive advantage. Also, The study found that Leadership in the Jordanian Telecom industry is strongly aligned with the International standards and adopting the competencies which are honored by the American Management Association such as: Strategy development, communication skills, fostering innovation and creativity, developing leaders, and hiring talent. Keywords : Leadership competences, Competitive advantage, Hybrid strategy, Jordan telecommunications Industry.
Temperature affects acute mayfly responses to elevated salinity: implications for toxicity of road de-icing salts

Salinity in freshwater ecosystems has increased significantly at numerous locations throughout the world, and this increase often reflects the use or production of salts from road de-icing, mining/oil and gas drilling activities, or agricultural production. When related to de-icing salts, highest salinity often occurs in winter when water temperature is often low relative to mean annual temperature at a site. Our study examined acute (96 h) responses to elevated salinity (NaCl) concentrations at five to seven temperature treatments (5–25°C) for four mayfly species (Baetidae: Neocloeon triangulifer, Procloeon fragile; Heptageniidae: Maccaffertium modestum; Leptophlebiidae: Leptophlebia cupida) that are widely distributed across eastern North America. Based on acute LC50s at 20°C, P. fragile was most sensitive (LC50 = 767 mg l−1, 1447 µS cm−1), followed by N. triangulifer (2755 mg l−1, 5104 µS cm−1), M. modestum (2760 mg l−1, 5118 µS cm−1) and L. cupida (4588 mg l−1, 8485 µS cm−1). Acute LC50s decreased as temperature increased for all four species (n = 5–7, R2 = 0.65–0.88, p = 0.052–0.002). Thus, acute salt toxicity is strongly temperature dependent for the mayfly species we tested, which suggests that brief periods of elevated salinity during cold seasons or in colder locations may be ecologically less toxic than predicted by standard 20 or 25°C laboratory bioassays. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Salt in freshwaters: causes, ecological consequences and future prospects’.
Litter decomposition and nutrient dynamics of ten selected tree species in tropical rainforest of Ebom, southwest Cameroon

Litter decomposition processes in tropical rainforests are still poorly understood. Leaf litter decomposition and nutrient dynamics of ten contrasting tree species, Entandraphragma utile, Guibourtia tessmannii, Klainedoxa gabonensis, Musanga cecropioides, Panda oleosa, Plagiostyles africana, Pterocarpus soyauxii, Strombosia scheffleri, Vitex grandifolia and Xylopia aethiopica were studied in the tropical rainforest of Ebom, Southwest Cameroon. After 23 weeks of field incubation in litterbags, mass loss of litter samples varied from 24.08% in E. utile to 92.35% in V. grandifolia. Decomposition rate constants (k) ranged from 0.014 in M. cecropioides to 0.165 week-1 in V. grandifolia. The nutrient content in original litter samples also varied widely among species and showed low levels of Na, P and Mg, and high levels of N, Ca and K. Average nutrient releases was 89.04%, 60.80%, 46.19%, 40.99% and 24.17% of mean initial content for K, Ca, Mg, N and P, respectively. For nutrient-related litter chemistry, correlations with the mass losses at the end of litter incubation were significant (P affected by litter chemistry and specific nutrient composition in Ebom tropical rainforest of Cameroon.
Selection and genetic diversity in the major histocompatibility complex genes of wolves and dogs

Hosts and pathogens are involved in a continuous evolutionary arms race, where pathogens attack and hosts defend themselves. The main tools for winning the race are natural selection and the genetic diversity that selection acts on. However, in small populations natural selection may be ineffective. Therefore, the genes taking part in immune defense may lack adaptability to new or changing pathogens. Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) is an important genomic region that includes highly polymorphic immune defense genes. In this doctoral thesis, I studied the natural selection and genetic diversity of MHC class II genes in dogs and Finnish wolves. I also used dog MHC diversity to estimate the number of founding wolves in dog domestication. The Finnish wolf population declined rapidly in size due to excessive hunting from the late 19th century until the early 20th century. After decades of a very small population size, the population started recovering in the mid-1990s. This study shows that, despite the fluctuations in population size, the diversity of the MHC loci in the Finnish wolf has remained high and comparable to the larger neighboring Russian Karelian wolf population. Unlike the neutral genetic markers, the MHC loci of the Finnish and Russian Karelian populations have not differentiated. These results indicate similar balancing selection acting on the MHC loci of the two wolf populations. In dogs, the strength of natural selection is likely weakened by artificial selection and veterinary care. The potential phases of natural selection would be during embryogenesis and fetal development. However, no strong signs of prenatal selection were found in this study. MHC diversity was estimated to be higher in Asian dogs than in dogs from Europe. A simulation study indicated a minimum of 500 founding wolves for the modern dog population. Dog MHC diversity implies an Asian origin for domestication from a large and diverse wolf population. Both natural selection and demography have an influence on the genetic diversity of a species. In small populations, random genetic drift is enforced. However, in loci with important fitness impacts, selection may be particularly strong and outweigh drift, as demonstrated in the MHC loci of a small wolf population in this study.
Factors Associated with Exclusive Breastfeeding in Mother and Child Health Center at Tsaralalana Antananarivo

Introduction: Exclusive breastfeeding is the best way to breastfeed children under 6 months of age. However, constraints exist in his practice. The aim of this study is to identify the factors influencing the practice of exclusive breastfeeding. Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive study is carried out at the Mother and Child Health Center at Tsaralalana from 01 to 31 August 2015. It includes 104 children aged between 6 and 24 months and their parents on occasion of systematic visit. Results: Exclusive breastfeeding is practiced by 76.9% of parents. The absence of lactogenesis and working represent 80% of the reasons for refusing exclusive breastfeeding. Parents who work in the public sector (57.1%) and employees in firms (68%), have less exclusive breastfeeding compared to those who stay at home (83.7%). Households in which only one parent is a financial contributor are more likely to adopt exclusive breastfeeding (83.9% versus 66.7%, p <0.05). The practice of exclusive breastfeeding increases as the baby's rank is high, rising from 73.3% for the first children to 83% for the children of 4th rank or higher. Conclusion: Respect of exclusive breastfeeding is influenced by socio-economic factors.
Distribution pattern of aboveground biomass in natural and plantation forests of humid tropics in northeast India

Tree aboveground biomass (AGB) distribution and carbon storage in different DBH (diameter at breast height) classes were compared between natural semi-evergreen forest and sal plantation forest in the humid tropical region of northeast India. The natural forest had lower AGB (323.9 Mg ha-1) than the plantation forest (406.4 Mg ha-1). About 49% of the AGB was present in > 60 cm dbh trees in the natural forest against 24% in the plantation forest. The carbon storage was highest in 60-80 cm and 40-60 cm dbh classes in the natural forest and plantation forest, respectively. The differential AGB and carbon distribution pattern has been related to past disturbance history and age of the forests. Although both the forests had potential for carbon sequestration due to presence of large number of trees belonging to small dbh classes, the plantation forest had an edge over the natural forest because of better silvicultural practices.
Identity and Acculturation in Immigrant and Second Generation Adolescents

The experience of immigration presents developmental challenges to adolescents that can lead to negative mental health outcomes, or can result in resiliency, psychological growth and enrichment of the personality structure. This article reviews the most recent demographics and research findings of the first and second generation immigrant adolescents in the United States. It explains the psychodynamic processes of migration and acculturation, and the risk factors and protective factors that affect these adolescents. Finally, it offers some suggestions regarding treatment approaches with this population.
Influence of Irradiance and Temperature on the Virus MpoV-45T Infecting the Arctic Picophytoplankter Micromonas polaris

Arctic marine ecosystems are currently undergoing rapid changes in temperature and light availability. Picophytoplankton, such as Micromonas polaris, are predicted to benefit from such changes. However, little is known about how these environmental changes affect the viruses that exert a strong mortality pressure on these small but omnipresent algae. Here we report on one-step infection experiments, combined with measurements of host physiology and viability, with 2 strains of M. polaris and the virus MpoV-45T under 3 light intensities (5, 60 and 160 μmol quanta m−2 s−1), 2 light period regimes (16:8 and 24:0 h light:dark cycle) and 2 temperatures (3 and 7 °C). Our results show that low light intensity (16:8 h light:dark) delayed the decline in photosynthetic efficiency and cell lysis, while decreasing burst size by 46%. In contrast, continuous light (24:0 h light:dark) shortened the latent period by 5 h for all light intensities, and even increased the maximum virus production rate and burst size under low light (by 157 and 69%, respectively). Higher temperature (7 °C vs 3 °C) led to earlier cell lysis and increased burst size (by 19%), except for the low light conditions. These findings demonstrate the ecological importance of light in combination with temperature as a controlling factor for Arctic phytoplankton host and virus dynamics seasonally, even more so in the light of global warming.
Fiber Alignment and Straightening in Opening for Open-End Spinning

Sliver separation is an essential operation in open-end spinning. Ideally, the sliver should be separated down to individual fibers, each of which is transported in a fully extended configuration. In reality, however, fiber behavior is far from ideal. Because yam properties are affected by the effective fiber length, alignment of fibers in the air flow should be achieved and maintained, and the fibers must be delivered onto the spinning surface of the spinner in a parallel, well oriented condition. To obtain straight fibers in the air flow to the twisting process, the fibers must be removed in a straightened form, or straightened during removal, from the pin-clothing of the opening roller.
Gene flow mediates the role of sex chromosome meiotic drive during complex speciation

During speciation, sex chromosomes often accumulate interspecific genetic incompatibilities faster than the rest of the genome. The drive theory posits that sex chromosomes are susceptible to recurrent bouts of meiotic drive and suppression, causing the evolutionary build-up of divergent cryptic sex-linked drive systems and, incidentally, genetic incompatibilities. To assess the role of drive during speciation, we combine high-resolution genetic mapping of X-linked hybrid male sterility with population genomics analyses of divergence and recent gene flow between the fruitfly species, Drosophila mauritiana and D. simulans. Our findings reveal a high density of genetic incompatibilities and a corresponding dearth of gene flow on the X chromosome. Surprisingly, we find that, rather than contributing to interspecific divergence, a known drive element has recently migrated between species, caused a strong reduction in local divergence, and undermined the evolution of hybrid sterility. Gene flow can therefore mediate the effects of selfish genetic elements during speciation.