Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Generalized exogenous processes in DSGE: A Bayesian approach

The Reversible Jump Markov Chain Monte Carlo (RJMCMC) method can enhance Bayesian DSGE estimation by sampling from a posterior distribution spanning potentially nonnested models with parameter spaces of different dimensionality. We use the method to jointly sample from an ARMA process of unknown order along with the associated parameters. We apply the method to the technology process in a canonical neoclassical growth model using post war US GDP data and find that the posterior decisively rejects the standard AR(1) assumption in favor of higher order processes. While the posterior contains significant uncertainty regarding the exact order, it concentrates posterior density on hump-shaped impulse responses. A negative response of hours to a positive technology shock is within the posterior credible set when noninvertible MA representations are admitted.
Growth performance and carcass traits as influenced by dietary supplementation of zinc in broiler chicken

A study was conducted to evaluate the effect of replacing inorganic zinc with organic zinc (Znmethionine) on the performance, carcass characteristics and organ weights of commercial broiler chicken for a period of 6 weeks. A total of 150 day old chicks were selected and randomly divided into five dietary groups with three replicates containing 10 chicks in each replicate. The dietary treatments includes corn-soybean based basal diet as control (T1) or the basal diet supplemented either with 40 or 80 mg of Zn/kg of feed from Zn oxide (T2 and T3) and Zn-methionine (T4 and T5), respectively. There was a significant performance difference exist among the treatment groups fed with zinc oxide and Znmethionine at different levels. The result of this experiment showed that the zinc oxide and Znmethionine had a same effect on body weight and weight gain, but zinc oxide at 40 mg/kg significantly (p<0.05) increased feed consumption and had better feed efficiency. Carcass traits were not influenced by the experimental supplements. Hence, it can be concluded that replacing 50% organic source of Zn was relatively economical and can be used without any negative effects either on performance or on the environment.
Possible Future Climate Change Impacts on the Hydrological Drought Events in the Weihe River Basin, China

Quantitative evaluation of future climate change impacts on hydrological drought characteristics is one of important measures for implementing sustainable water resources management and effective disaster mitigation in drought-prone regions under the changing environment. In this study, a modeling system for projecting the potential future climate change impacts on hydrological droughts in the Weihe River basin (WRB) in North China is presented. This system consists of a large-scale hydrological model driven by climate outputs from three climate models (CMs) for future streamflow projections, a probabilistic model for univariate drought assessment, and a copula-based bivariate model for joint drought frequency analysis under historical and future climates. With the observed historical climate data as the inputs, the Variable Infiltration Capacity hydrological model projects an overall runoff reduction in the WRB under the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change A1B scenario. The univariate drought assessment found that although fewer hydrological drought events would occur under A1B scenario, drought duration and severity tend to increase remarkably. Moreover, the bivariate drought assessment reveals that future droughts in the same return period as the baseline droughts would become more serious. With these trends in the future, the hydrological drought situation in the WRB would be further deteriorated.
Spatial interpolation of the LARS-WG stochastic weather generator in Great Britain

The paper describes a method for the spatial interpolation of the site-specific LARS-WG stochastic weather generator to produce 'realistic' daily weather data for the gaps between observed sites. One of the uses of LARS-WG has been site-scale climate change impact assessments. However, such assessments are often applied across regions and so there is a need for an interpolation method to provide input daily weather at many sites or grid-boxes where observed weather data is not available. The interpolation method devised combines the local interpolation of the weather generator parame- ters from observed sites near the unobserved location with the use of globally interpolated monthly mean statistics for a large number of sites. Thin plate smoothing splines with elevation as an indepen- dent variable were used for the global interpolation of mean monthly rainfall and temperature. The data sets used allow daily weather to be generated for any location in Great Britain and the methodol- ogy was tested at 3 locations with different local characteristics. The interpolation method showed a good performance at the 3 sites when compared to the observed data, the main differences occurring when the spline method was unable to reproduce closely the observed mean values. The limitations of the interpolation method, its applicability to other regions and its potential use in climate change and other studies are also discussed.
Adventitious root formation in branch cuttings of Taxus wallichiana Zucc.(Himalayan yew): A clonal approach to conserve the scarce resource

Himalayan yew ( Taxus wallichiana Zucc.), is an economically valuable plant and critically endangered due to overexploitation for the isolation of Taxol,an exciting anticancer drug from its bark and leaves. Since the species is unisexual and due to its long seed dormancy period and rapid loss of viability coupled with low survival percentage, its natural regeneration from seeds is very poor. As the seed raised plants add little growth, propagation by stem cuttings was tried under natural conditions and a considerable success was achieved after making use of different auxins (Indole-3- Acetic Acid-IAA, Indole Butyric Acid-IBA and Naphthalene Acetic Acid-NAA) in different concentrations. A Randomized block design (RBD) was adopted for laying the experiment of the present study. Of the ten treatments studied, IBA at 500ppm performed best of all the treatments and registered higher callusing percentage, rooting percentage, number of roots and length of roots in the juvenile shoot cuttings of the species. The results achieved through the application ofplant growth regulators (PGRs)by way of adventitious root formation (ARF) could be useful for the management of this understory coniferous tree species, whether for conservation, habitat restoration or for the production of Taxol,a promising anti-cancer agent. The technique evolved will be the most handy, quickest, inexpensive and can be applied any where in its natural habitat for the restoration and restocking of this valuable plant, which is otherwise facing the peril of extinction throughout the range of its distribution including Indian Himalayas.
Earnings Mobility of Canadian Immigrants: A Transition Matrix Approach

This Study examines the earnings mobility of Canadian immigrants using the large IMDB microdata file. We examine earnings transition matrices of immigrants over ten years after landing in Canada for three landing cohorts â€“ 1982, 1988, and 1994. Immigrants also arrive under four separate admission classes: independent economic, other economic, family class, and refugees. The study reports five major empirical findings. First, overall earnings mobility was slightly greater for male immigrant earners than for male workers as a whole in the Canadian labour market, but was considerably greater for female immigrant earners than for all female earners in Canada. But both male and female immigrants over their first decade in Canada were much more likely to experience downward earnings mobility than were all earners of the same gender in Canada. Second, across the four immigrant admission classes, independent economic immigrants have markedly the highest average probability of moving up and the lowest probability of moving down the earnings distribution. Third, overall earnings mobility is slightly higher for female than male immigrants â€“ opposite to the situation for workers as whole in Canada. Fourth, the degree of immigrant earnings mobility declines over immigrantsâ€™ first ten post-landing years in Canada as they integrate into the Canadian labour market. Fifth, overall earnings mobility across landing cohorts has shown only minor changes between the 1982 and 1994 cohorts, where the average probability of moving up has significantly increased and the average probability of moving down has significantly decreased. The early 1990s economic recession is seen to have had substantial negative or dampening effects on immigrant earnings mobility for the 1988 landing cohort.
Cellular injuries on spray‐dried Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG and its stability during food storage

Purpose – This paper aims to evaluate the cellular injuries associated with spray‐drying of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) in trehalose/monosodium glutamate (MSG) media by means of flow cytometry measurements; and also whether, and to what extent, the probiotic remain stable and viable in food formulations.Design/methodology/approach – Spray‐drying was applied in the production of trehalose‐based preparations containing LGG. To gain more insights on the cellular damages that must have occurred during drying, flow cytometric analysis was applied in combination with carboxyfluorescein diacetate (cFDA) and PI stains. Spray‐dried samples were observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The storage stability of spray‐dried LGG was monitored in food samples over a period of time.Findings – It was observed that during spray‐drying, 1.80×109 CFU/ml viable counts, which were equivalent of 68.8 per cent cells, were recovered in trehalose matrices but on incorporating 12.5 g/l MSG as a carrier component, survi.
Effects of various inductive periods and chemicals on flowering and vegetative growth of ‘Tommy Atkins’ and ‘Keitt’ mango (Mangifera indica) cultivars

Abstract The effects of potassium nitrate and paclobutrazol on flowering and vegetative growth of ‘Tommy Atkins’ and ‘Keitt’ mango (Mangifera indica) were studied for various periods in inductive and non‐inductive temperature regimes. The experiment was done at the University of Pretoria experimental farm in a temperature‐regulated cabinet on 2‐year‐old potted ‘Tommy Atkins’ and ‘Keitt’ mango cultivars. ‘Keitt’ was more sensitive towards low temperature floral induction than ‘Tommy Atkins’. For both cultivars, the trend for the interaction of duration and cultivar revealed the possible floral induction complementation effect of PBZ after the trees stayed only 15 days at the inductive temperature (10/15°C). Paclobutrazol also significantly reduced vegetative growth and number of days required for visible inflorescence emergence in both cultivars. Potassium nitrate promoted the initiation of buds for vegetative growth in non‐inductive temperature conditions and reproductive growth in inductive conditions. The minimum inductive period at 10/15°C (12 h light/12 h dark) required for “complete” floral induction and development was found to be 35 days for both cultivars. Surpassing the inductive (cold) period showed adverse effects on normal development of the reproductive parts and also delayed inflorescence emergence.
Asset Allocation With Markovian Regime Switching: Efficient Frontier and Tangent Portfolio With Regime Switching

A alocacao de portfolio e importante na gestao de riscos e realizacao de ganhos no mercado financeiro. A alocacao de ativos e uma tomada de decisao sob incerteza baseada em metodos estatisticos. Os retornos dos ativos financeiros geralmente apresentam mudanca de regime, com distribuicao dos retornos diferente nos periodos de normalidade e crise. A mudanca de regime no processo gerador dos retornos torna necessario reformular o problema de alocacao de portfolio. Este trabalho desenvolve modelos de alocacao de portfolio com mudanca de regime. Como resultado do estudo comparativo de alocacao de ativos os portfolios com mudanca de regime permitem aumentar o espaco de risco e retorno, diminuindo o risco para cada nivel de retornos da fronteira eficiente media variância, e possuem melhor relacao risco e retorno dos rendimentos no tempo.
Measuring the Role of Website Design, Assurance, Customer Service and Brand Image Towards Customer Loyalty and Intention to Adopt Internet Banking

The rapid growth in internet technology and electronic business has stimulated the banking sectors to encourage customers towards online banking (internet banking). Only in Pakistan there are 1.8 million internet banking users and millions more are expected to come online. Looking at the growth in banking technology this study explores the effect of e-service quality dimensions include: website design, Assurance, Customer Service on intention to adopt internet banking and customer loyalty. Next to this bank image is also incorporated to explore the customer loyalty. The data for this study is based on 500 internet banking users from commercial banks of Lahore, Pakistan. Researcher used the structural equation modeling to evaluate the hypothesized relationships. The results of this study revealed that the adoption of internet banking in Pakistan may be motivated by a set of specific factors (i.e., Website Design, Assurance, Customer service and Bank image). Further, these results are expected to help policy makers to understand critical factors that influence on internet banking usage. Finally limitation and future directions have been discussed.
Minimally Invasive Colorectal Surgery in the Morbidly Obese: Does High Body Mass Index Lead to Poorer Outcomes?

Background: Obesity is associated with increased surgical risk and major abdominal procedures performed in morbidly obese patients may prove challenging when compared with normal weight patients. There are limited data regarding outcomes after minimally invasive colorectal surgery in morbidly obese patients. The aim of this study was to compare the outcomes between morbidly obese and normal weight patients. Materials and Methods: Forty morbidly obese were matched to three normal weight patients (n=120), based on type of surgical approach and procedure. The patients underwent minimally invasive colorectal surgery by one of two colorectal surgeons. Patients were considered morbidly obese or normal-weight based on body mass index. Demographic data and operative outcomes were compared. Results: Mean body mass index differed significantly between the morbidly obese (median 43.9 kg/m2) and normal weight (median 22.7 kg/m2) groups, p<0.00001. Both groups were comparable in regards to age, gender, history of prior abdominal operations, and clinical diagnosis. Surgical approaches included multiport laparoscopic colectomy (47.5%), hand-assisted laparoscopic colectomy (35%), robotic-assisted laparoscopic colectomy (12.5%), and single-incision laparoscopic colectomy (5%). The most common procedures were anterior resection (42.5%) and right hemicolectomy (40%). Morbidly obese patients required a significantly longer operative time (median 199 min vs. 139 min, p=0.0004) and resulted in significantly greater blood loss (median 100 cc vs. 75 cc, p=0.004), with no higher conversion rate to open surgery (7.5% vs. 2.5%, p=0.15) compared to normal weight patients. The mean length of hospital stay, 30-day postoperative complication, readmission, and reoperation rates were comparable between groups. Conclusions: Minimally invasive surgery for the treatment of colorectal disorders in morbidly obese patients results in short-term outcomes comparable to those observed in normal weight patients. Although technically challenging, morbidly obese population may benefit from minimally invasive surgery in regard to enhanced recovery.
Photobiont composition of some taxa of the genera Micarea and Placynthiella (Lecanoromycetes, lichenized Ascomycota) from Ukraine

The photobionts of 22 specimens of Placynthiella and Micarea genera were identified. The photobionts of Pla- cynthiella dasaea (Stirt.) Khodosovtsev, P. icmalea (Ach.) Coppins & P. James, Micarea melanobola (Nyl.) Coppins and M. misella (Nyl.) Hedl. are reported for the first time. This is also the first report about Elliptochloris reniformis (Watanabe) Ettl & Gartner, E. subsphaerica (Reisigl) Ettl & Gartner, Interfilum spp. and Neocystis sp. as the photobionts of lichens. The mycobiont of some taxa of Micarea and Placynthiella can be associated with several algae at the same time. In this case, one is the primary photobiont (common for all lichen specimens of a certain lichen species) while the others are additional algae which vary depending on the substratum or the habitat. Elliptochloris and Pseudococcomyxa species are primary photobionts for the studied taxa of the genus Micarea. The species of Radiococcuus and Pseudochlorella are primary photobionts of the studied species of Placynthiella. For all investigated lichens the low selectivity level of the mycobiont is assumed. Kokkuvote: Perekondade Micarea ja Placynthiella (Lecanoromycetes, lihheniseerunud kottseened) monede taksonite fotobiondi liigiline koosseis Ukrainas Maarati lihheniseerunud seente Micarea ja Placynthiella 22 eksemplari fotobiondid. Liikide Placynthiella dasaea (Stirt.) Kho- dosovtsev, P. icmalea (Ach.) Coppins & P. James, Micarea melanobola (Nyl.) Coppins ja M. misella (Nyl.) Hedl. fotobiondid identifitseeriti esmakordselt. Samuti on see esimene teade vetikate Elliptochloris reniformis (Watanabe) Ettl & Gartner, E. subsphaerica (Reisigl) Ettl & Gartner, Interfilum spp. and Neocystis sp. esinemisest samblike fotobiondina. Perekondade Micarea ja Placynthiella moned taksonid voivad samaaegselt assotsieeruda mitme vetikaga. Sellisel juhul on uks fotobiont esmane (uhine sama liigi koigil eksemplaridel), samas kui teised on taiendavad vetikad, mis eksemplariti erinevad, soltuvalt substraadist ja kasvukohast. Elliptochloris ja Pseudococcomyxa liigid on esmased fotobiondid perekonna Micarea uuritud liikides ning Radiococcuus ja Pseudochlorella liigid - perekonna Placynthiella uuritud liikides. Koikide uuritud samblike puhul taheldati mukobiondi madalat selektiivsust.
Standard Multiple and Single Daily Dosing of Amikacin in Premature Infants

Background: Bacterial sepsis is highly prevalent among premature infants. Amikacin is an antibiotic widely recommended for the treatment of neonatal sepsis, one of the consequences of which might be nephrotoxicity. The present study aimed to compare the efficacy and nephrotoxicity of multiple daily dosing (MDD) and once-daily dosing (ODD) of amikacin in preterm infants suspected of sepsis. Methods: This triple-blind, randomized, controlled clinical trial was conducted on 40 premature infants suspected of sepsis, who were randomly divided into two groups. In addition to ampicillin, one group was administered with the standard daily dose, and the other group received an ODD of intravenous amikacin. Maximum and minimum serum levels of amikacin and urine neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) were measured in both groups. Data were extracted and analyzed based on the research hypothesis and literature review. Results: No significant differences were observed between the study groups in terms of gender, gestational age, mode of delivery, birth weight, and Apgar score. After the intervention, mean plasma creatinine reduced in both groups, while the mean reduction was significantly higher in the group administered with the ODD of amikacin (P=0.0001). However, mean changes in the urine NGAL had no significant difference between the groups (P=0.635). Minimum and maximum serum levels of amikacin in the study groups indicated a more significant reduction in mean level of the infants administered with the ODD of amikacin compared to the MDD group (P=0.0001). Conclusion: Considering the higher maximum and lower minimum levels of amikacin in the neonates receiving the daily dosage regimen, it seems that this regimen is more effective in the treatment of sepsis in preterm infants. Moreover, no significant difference was observed in the efficacy and nephrotoxicity of the daily amikacin dosing in the premature infants suspected of sepsis compared to those treated by multiple doses of amikacin. \xC2
METABOLIC SYNDROME IN A JORDANIAN COHORT: DEMOGRAPHY, COMPLICATIONS AND PREDICTORS OF CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES

Objective: To assess the demographic features of Metabolic Syndrome and the prevalence of composite cardiovascular disease (ischemic heart disease and stroke) and predictor factors in a Jordanian cohort with metabolic syndrome. Methods: We studied a Jordanian cohort who fulfilled the National Cholesterol Education Program and the Adult Treatment Panel III criteria for metabolic syndrome. This cohort was evaluated at the outpatient clinics for the five metabolic syndrome components, the presence of ischemic heart disease and/or stroke. The cohort was divided into two groups according to gender, age by decade and the presence of overt diabetes. Comparative studies among the two study groups to compare the means and assessment of the metabolic syndrome components for prediction of cardiovascular disease was carried out. Results: Three hundred and fifty eight (207 males and 151 females) patients fulfilled the Adult Treatment Panel III criteria, 226 patients were type II diabetics on treatment. Hypertriglyceridemia was the most frequent feature of metabolic syndrome encountered followed by hypertension, high fasting blood sugar, high waist circumference (>102 cm) and low high density lipoprotein in descending disorder. There was no difference between the groups with regard to waist circumference but females had the worst lipid profile compared to males. Diabetic males however were having more metabolic syndrome components and diabetics were having more cardiovascular disease than other groups. Using univariate analysis, waist circumference and fasting blood sugar were found to be strong predictors of composite cardiovascular disease and ischemic heart disease but not stroke. Conclusions: We conclude that diabetics with metabolic syndrome have the worst cardiovascular disease composite end point and females have the worse lipid profile in comparison to males. Waist circumference and fasting blood sugar are the strongest predictors of ischemic heart disease (and composite cardiovascular disease). Further larger controlled studies are needed to reveal whether there is difference in the stroke prevalence.
Genetic parameters of Holstein crossbred on commercial dairy farms in Chittagong, Bangladesh.

The study was conducted to estimate the genetic parameters of Holstein crossbred dairy cows in Chittagong, Bangladesh. Study population consisted of animals from three genetic backgrounds: i) 50% Holstein × 50% Local (H × L); ii) 50% Holstein × 50% Shahiwal (H × SL); and iii) 25% Holstein × 25% Shahiwal × 50% Local (H × SL × L). Performances of 480 animals for age at first calving (AFC), postpartum heat period (PPHP), calving interval (CI), lactation length (LL) and lactation milk yield (LMY) form 1992 to 2005 were considered for analyses. Genetic parameters were estimated based on Restricted Maximum Likelihood Procedure (REML). The mean of calving interval was 442.59±7.78, 449.86±8.64 and 457.88±8.20 days in H × L, H × SL and H × SL × L crossbreds, respectively. The mean AFC and PPHP were the lowest for H × L cross. The average LMY was 1506.75±71.37, 1351.00±79.25 and 929.10±75.23 liters for H × L, H × SL and H × SL × L crossbreds, respectively. H × L genotype found to be the most efficient among the three genotypes. The overall heritability estimates in crossbreds were 0.10, 0.07, 0.05, 0.27 and 0.30 for AFC, PPHP, CI, LL and LMY, respectively. Genetic and phenotypic correlation coefficients among traits ranged from -0.14 to 0.30 and -0.16 to 0.31 for pooled data. Moderate to high heritability estimates along with high genetic and phenotypic correlations for LL and LMY elucidate that more potential exists for selecting these two traits simultaneously.