Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Word-of-Mouth Marketing: An Integrated Model

Word-of-Mouth, i.e. informal conversations and recommendations of people about products and services, has a powerful impact on customer decision-making. This study analyzes the fundamentals of this phenomenon in order to provide a better understanding of how Word-of-Mouth works and how it can be effectively stimulated. Characteristics of both online and offline Word-of-Mouth are analyzed and integrated into a model which can serve as a planning tool for Word-of-Mouth stimulation. The motivation behind Word-of-Mouth and its triggers are also analyzed. Managerial implications are stated in the conclusion.
Uncertainty, entropy, scaling and hydrological stochastics. 1. Marginal distributional properties of hydrological processes and state scaling / Incertitude, entropie, effet d'échelle et propriétés stochastiques hydrologiques. 1. Propriétés distributionnelles marginales des processus hydrologiques et

Abstract The well-established physical and mathematical principle of maximum entropy (ME), is used to explain the distributional and autocorrelation properties of hydrological processes, including the scaling behaviour both in state and in time. In this context, maximum entropy is interpreted as maximum uncertainty. The conditions used for the maximization of entropy are as simple as possible, i.e. that hydrological processes are non-negative with specified coefficients of variation (CV) and lag one autocorrelation. In this first part of the study, the marginal distributional properties of hydrological variables and the state scaling behaviour are investigated. Application of the ME principle under these very simple conditions results in the truncated normal distribution for small values of CV and in a nonexponential type (Pareto) distribution for high values of CV. In addition, the normal and the exponential distributions appear as limiting cases of these two distributions. Testing of these theoretical results with numerous hydrological data sets on several scales validates the applicability of the ME principle, thus emphasizing the dominance of uncertainty in hydrological processes. Both theoretical and empirical results show that the state scaling is only an approximation for the high return periods, which is merely valid when processes have high variation on small time scales. In other cases the normal distributional behaviour, which does not have state scaling properties, is a more appropriate approximation. Interestingly however, as discussed in the second part of the study, the normal distribution combined with positive autocorrelation of a process, results in time scaling behaviour due to the ME principle.
Economics of Farming Systems in Uttar Pradesh

Farming systems of households in the western Uttar Pradesh have been analyzed based on the primary data collected through a sample of 197 farmers in 2004-05. The sugarcane- based farming system has been found predominant in the study area. Livestock, vegetables, cereals and sugarcane have been observed to be the main sources of farm income. The study has indicated that cross-bred breeding programme has not become popular due to low demand for milk of cross-bred cows. Credit has significant impact on farm income and credit requirement of about 86 per cent farmers is met by the institutional sources. Fragmentations and sub-divisions of landholdings, scarcity of labour, low yield of crops, less reliable markets, scarcity of owned-fund, depleting natural resources, non-availability of good quality seeds and sheds for poultry, etc. have been identified as the major constraints to promote integrated farming system in this area.
CENTRALIZATION OF DECISION MAKING AUTHORITY IN INTER-ORGANIZATIONAL NETWORKS: EVIDENCE FROM THE AUSTRIAN AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY

The aim of this study is to examine the impact of p roperty rights and transaction cost variables (i.e. , intangible knowledge assets, relationship-specific investments and environmental uncertainty) on centralization o f decision making authority in the automotive networks. The th eoretical view is based on the property rights theo ry and transaction cost theory that offer a complementary perspective to the agency-theoretical explanation. The data were collected from a field survey in the Austrian automotive networks. The findings show that central ization of decision making authority in the automotive network s is related to the automaker’s and supplier’s inta ngible knowledge assets and relationship-specific investme nts as well as environmental uncertainty.
Exploring the level of inter professional engagement within a chiropractic program

Background: Part of chiropractic education involves a requirement for clinical education. Traditionally the clinical education for chiropractors has been profession specific, with little inter professional engagement. There exists paucity in the literature on the amount of inter professional clinical engagements in chiropractic programs. Objective: To explore the perception of final year students from an American Chiropractic college regarding their level and understanding of inter professional engagement. Methods: A qualitative exploratory descriptive design was used for this research. Students were invited to participate. Semi structured focus group interviews were conducted with 15 students lasting 60 minutes. Thematic analysis of the transcribed interviews were undertaken. Results: Students expressed a strong desire for inter professional education as a component of their clinical education. Many described a low level of inter professional exposure within their clinical educational experience. Perceived obstacles to inter professional engagement were lack of knowledge about other health professions, exposure to other professions and lack of formal inter professional educational engagement. Conclusion: Despite the evidence in the literature in support of interprofessional education, in practice it was evident from this study that there is need for more work in implementation. Increased exposure within the clinical program, as well as higher levels of interprofessional engagement would further enhance the student understanding and confidence for future engagement.
Extremely long baseline interplanetary scintillation measurements of solar wind velocity

[1] We present results of observations of interplanetary scintillation (IPS) made using the telescopes of the MERLIN and EISCAT networks in which the beam separation approached 2000 km, much larger than in any previous IPS experiments. Significant correlation between the scintillation patterns was observed at time lags of up to 8 s and fast and slow streams of solar wind were very clearly resolved. One observation showed clear evidence of two discrete modes of fast solar wind, which we interpret as originating in the crown of the northern polar coronal hole and in an equatorward extension of the polar hole. We suggest that experiments of this type will provide a new and important source of information on the temporal and spatial variation of small-scale turbulence in the solar wind. The improved velocity resolution available from extremely long baseline measurements also provides new information on the development of the large-scale velocity structure of the solar wind in interplanetary space.
EFFECT OF MICRONUTRIENTS AND BIOFERTILIZER INOCULATION ON GRAIN YIELD, PROTEIN CONTENT, MICRONUTRIENTS CONTENT AND ECONOMICS OF CHICKPEA

A field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of micronutrients and biofertilizers on yield and economics of chickpea crop. The experiment was laid down in split plot design with four micronutrients alone and in combination of all, along with biofertilizers against the control. The highest grain yield (1866 kg/ha) was produced with the micronutrient treatment RDF + AM @ 1 kg/ ha (M) followed by the combination of micronutrients viz. Fe, B, Zn and M0 (M6) 1477 kg/ha. Protein content in grain was significantly higher in all the micronutrient treatments as well as biofertilizers, except treatment M2 (RDF+Fe+FeSO4) over the control. It varied from 21.87-23.46 in micronutrient treatment and 22.15-23.47 in biofertilizer treatment experiments. Micronutrients content were recorded significantly higher over the control in grain and straw. Economics of various treatments indicate the maximum net return over control with the treatment RDF+AM @ 1 kg/ha + Rhizobium + PSB (Rs 1525/ha). The maximum B:C ratio (1:56.15) ratio was recorded with RDF + Rhizobium + PSB followed by with RDF + AM + Rhizobium + PSB (1:9.90).
Glutamate transporter modulation of ambient and synaptic glutamate levels

Glutamate is the major excitatory neurotransmitter in the mammalian central nervous system. An accurate spatial and temporal glutamate concentration profile during signaling is crucial for reliable neural computation. In these studies, we investigated the roles of glutamate transporters in controlling both ambient glutamate levels and dynamic glutamate concentrations profiles during synaptic transmission. Using the Xenopus oocyte expression system, we demonstrated that glutamate transporters act as an effective sink and are capable of maintaining >200 fold glutamate concentration gradient between the bath and cell surface when expressed at levels corresponding to physiological transporter densities in the CNS. We also characterized the specificity and actions of a new arylasparate glutamate transport inhibitor at the Shaffer collateral-CA1 pyramidal cell synapse in hippocampus, and demonstrated that glial glutamate transporters tightly control synaptically released glutamate and further, through cooperation with voltage-dependent Mg2+ block, they influence the magnitude and frequency-dependence of postsynaptic NMDA receptor signaling.
An Exploratory Analysis of The Effect of Employer Branding on Attraction and Retention of Employees in The Drinks Industry in Ireland

Employer Branding is a relatively new concept that is of great interest to organisations due to the many benefits it can bestow on them when managed successfully. Due to its relatively recent conception the academic research into this topic is relatively lacking and so it is worthy of further investigation and research. It is also an area of interest to the author and his employer company. The purpose of this research was to explore the impact of employer branding on employee attraction, in terms of recruitment, and employee retention within the drinks industry in Ireland. The method of analysis used was quantitative research using separate scales for attraction and retention. The measurement of attraction was assessed using the EmpAt scale while the measure of retention was assessed using the TIS-6 scale, both of which are well established and validated scales. The purpose of this research was to explore the impact of employer branding on employee attraction, in terms of recruitment, and employee retention within the drinks industry in Ireland. The method of analysis used was quantitative research using separate scales for attraction and retention. The measurement of attraction was assessed using the EmpAt scale while the measure of retention was assessed using the TIS-6 scale, both of which are well established and validated scales.
The relationship between business model and performance of manufacturing small and medium enterprises in Malaysia

Business performance has been researched previously in relation to entrepreneurial orientation, market orientation, business strategy or strategic planning, and the characteristics of the owners/managers themselves. Recent studies initiated that the firm’s business model plays significant roles in determining the firm’s performance. However, not much has been done looking at the relationship between business model and performance of the firm, especially on manufacturing small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Malaysia. A study has been conducted on manufacturing SMEs in Malaysia using mail survey questionnaire. Preliminary analyses conducted revealed that only competencies dimension of the business model has a significant direct impact on firm performance. The findings of this study suggest that in order to increase the firm’s performance, one of the important factors to be emphasized is to have a practical business model. This research gives benefit to the SMEs, business owners, Malaysian government as well as the entire agencies and the academicians on the importance of the business model on SMEs’ performance in Malaysia. Furthermore, the findings benefit entrepreneurs as well as the decision makers, and the outcomes from this research are expected to have policy implications for the future development of entrepreneurship and SME programs for current and future entrepreneurs and also for business owner/managers in Malaysia. Key words: Business model, small and medium enterprise (SME), SME performance, Malaysia.
1 Investor Protection , Taxation , and Dividends

We find that governance and taxation affect dividends across countries. Unlike previous studies, firms in strong investor protection countries pay lower dividends than in weak investor protection countries when the classical tax system is implemented, but they buy more shares to maximise their shareholders’ after-tax returns. However, in weak protection countries, dividends are less responsive to taxes. Our results suggest that when investors are protected, they weigh the tax cost of dividends against the benefit of mitigating the agency cost, but when they are not, they accept whatever dividends they can extract, even when this entails high tax costs. JEL Classification: G18, G35, H24
An Improved Gridded Historical Daily Precipitation Analysis for Brazil

Abstract A gauge-only precipitation data quality control and analysis system has been developed for monitoring precipitation at NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center (CPC). Over the past 10 yr the system has been used to develop and deliver many different precipitation products over the United States, Mexico, and Central and South America. Here the authors describe how the system has been applied to develop improved gridded daily precipitation analyses over Brazil. Consistent with previous studies, comparisons between the the gridded analyses and station observations reveal fewer dry days, a greater number of low precipitation days, and fewer extreme precipitation events in the gridded analyses. Even though the gridded analysis system reduces the number of dry days and increases the number of wet days, there is still a good correlation between time series of the gridpoint precipitation values and observations. Retrospective analyses are important for computing basic statistics such as mean daily/monthly rainfa.
In Vitro Antibacterial Activities of Cranberry Extract against E . coli O 157 : H 7 in Urinary Tract Infected Rats

| The objective of this study was to determine the in-vitro and invivo activity of cranberry extracts against Escherichia coli O157:H7. This strain of E. coli was the most common etiologic agent of urinary tract infections isolated from patients. Filter sterilized aqueous and methanol extract of cranberry was prepared and used in the present study. The aqueous extract of cranberry produced inhibition zone ranging from (10.8 – 23.8) mm against the tested bacteria. While the methanol extract produces larger zones of inhibition (12.1 – 24.2) mm against the bacteria. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) for the methanol and aqueous extract was 0.35 and 0.625 mg/ml, respectively. In vivo study involved inducing UTI in rats and then treated with (200 mg/kg B.W) aqueous and methanol extract and compared with Gentamicin treatment at a dose of (2 mg/kg B.W) subcutaneously for 14 days. Methanol extract succeeded in treated UTI caused by Escherichia coli in the infected rats and prevented infection comparing with aqueous extract and Gentamicin. Food, water intake, body weight, pH and creatinine level returned to normal values after treatment with methanol extract of Cranberry fruit (200mg/Kg. B.W) comparing with aqueous extract of Cranberry fruit and 2mg/Kg. B.W. of Gentamicin. These parameters used in this current study as indicator for curing from infection. These findings indicated that cranberry extract was effective at all levels in inhibiting E. coli O157:H7; thus it possesses antimicrobial activity and hold great promise as an antimicrobial agent.
Maximum entropy production and earthquake dynamics

We examine the consistency of natural and model seismicity with the maximum entropy production hypothesis for open, slowly‐driven, steady‐state, dissipative systems. Assuming the commonly‐observed power‐law feedback between remote boundary stress and strain rate at steady state, several natural observations are explained by the system organizing to maximize entropy production in a near but strictly sub‐critical state. These include the low but finite seismic efficiency and stress drop, an upper magnitude cut‐off that is large but finite, and the universally‐ observed Gutenberg‐Richter b‐value of 1 in frequency‐magnitude data. In this state the model stress field organizes into coherent domains, providing a physical mechanism for retaining a finite memory of past events. This implies a finite degree of predictability, strongly limited theoretically by the proximity to criticality and practically by the difficulty of directly observing Earth's stress field at an equivalent resolution.
Anaerobic Microbial Growth from Components of Cretaceous Shales

Cretaceous rock formations have been shown to harbor extant sulfate-reducing microbial communities. At these sites, microbial activity is concentrated at rock interfaces where there is likely a diffusion of nutrients from low permeability organic rich shales to higher permeability sandstones. This study was undertaken to further characterize this process and to determine the components of shale that provide electron donors for sulfate reduction activity. To this end, samples of Cretaceous sandstones were incubated with ground shales from available depths at the Cerro Negro exploratory drilling site in northwestern New Mexico. Both sulfate consumption as an indicator of sulfate reduction and acetate production were stimulated in the sandstone-shale incubations. The greatest levels of stimulation were observed with shales originally closest to the lower sandstone-shale interface and a strong correlation was observed between shale organic carbon and microbial activity. These results suggested that the organic matter in shale was supplying the needed electron donor for the sulfate-reducing microbial community. Further evidence for this interpretation was provided when a pure culture of Acetobacterium psammolithicum , an acetogen isolated from this site, was stimulated to produce acetate by the addition of autoclaved shales. To investigate the components in shale that were responsible for stimulating microbial activity, we extracted shale organic material. Aqueous extracts and to a lesser extent neutral ether extractions stimulated activity although neither to the same extent as the shale itself. Alkaline aqueous extracts were fractionated using XAD-7 resin. Each of the fractions contributed to some degree, but the greatest stimulation in microbial activity was attributed to both the hydrophilic eluate and to the fulvic acid fraction. These data indicate that a relatively complex group of organic compounds supply electron donors to the sandstone microbial communities.
Positive but also negative effects of ethnic diversity in schools on educational performance? An empirical test using cross-national PISA data.

In this inaugural lecture, I will estimate the effects on language skills of two characteristics of school populations: average/share and diversity, both on the ethnic and the sociocultural dimension. I will use the cross-national PISA 206 data, for both 15-year-old native pupils and pupils with an immigrant background. A larger ethnic diversity of schools in secondary education hampers the educational performance of both pupils with an immigrant background and native pupils, but the negative effects are smaller in education systems with little stratification and strongest in highly stratified education systems. The sociocultural diversity of schools does not have an effect on educational performance, but these effects are positive in highly stratified educational systems and negative in hardly stratified systems. However, the average parental educational level of schools is very important for the educational performance of children, and this hardly differs between education systems. A higher share of pupils with an immigrant background in a school hampers educational performance, but if these pupils have the same regional origin (Islamic countries; non-Islamic Asian countries), a higher share of pupils with an immigrant background at that school promotes educational performance. Pupils originating from Islamic countries have substantially lower language scores than equivalent pupils with an immigrant background from other regions. This cannot be explained by the individual socioeconomic backgrounds, school characteristics, or education systems.
Wave Phenomena in High-Voltage Windings of Transformers

Determination of mechanical condition of transformer active part can be performed utilizing frequency response of the windings. Many computing models were developed to evaluate behavior of the winding in wide frequency range using di erent numerical methods. Most of them utilizes nite elements, assuming axial symmetry, if possible. In other cases we need to use a three-dimensional model, which results in a signi cant reduction in the accuracy of modeling the geometry of the system, as well as the penetration of electromagnetic eld into conductors. From a practical point of view, using computer of average performance, the windings can be modeled with at most 10 turns. From this reason mixed models are proposed, where the electric parameters of the winding are concentrated in the substitute RLC elements. Such models are known as lumped parameter models . Since the parameters of real winding are distributed, the question arises concerning the necessity of taking into account wave phenomena in them. The method allowing this is known as transmission line method . Measurements of frequency response are used in industry. There are still many problems with interpretation of test results. Computer modeling may be a helpful tool allowing to understand relation between the geometry of a winding and its frequency response. To ful ll this, models should give similar response as a real measurement. The paper describes a modi ed transmission line method used for modeling of a transformer winding's frequency response. There is described the model, its parameters, and exemplary solution compared to test data.
DOCUMENTO DE TRABAJO SIMILARITIES AND CONVERGENCE IN G-7 CYCLES

This paper examines the properties of G-7 cycles using a multicountry Bayesian panel VARmodel with time variations, unit specific dynamics and cross country interdependences. We demonstrate the presence of a significant world cycle and show that country specific indicators play a much smaller role. We detect di erences across business cycle phases but, apart from an increase in synchronicity in the late 1990s, find little evidence of major structural changes. We also find no evidence of the existence of an Euro area specific cycle or of its emergence in the 1990s.
Keep it Simple: Dynamic Bond Portfolios Under Parameter Uncertainty

We empirically investigate the importance of parameter uncertainty to bond investors. Using a Bayesian approach, we quantify the expected utility loss due to parameter uncertainty from following seemingly optimal dynamic portfolio strategies. Expected utility losses are increasing in the number of term structure factors and the complexity of the risk premium specification. Even with long data sets to estimate parameters, an investor with typical risk aversion is better off following a portfolio strategy implied by a misspecified but parsimonious model than a correctly-specified but difficult-to-estimate three-factor affine model with time-varying risk premia.