Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Integrating Large-Scale Online Surveys and Aggregate Data at the Constituency Level: The Estimation of Voter Transitions in the 2015 British General Elections

What have been the underlying voter shifts that led to the victory of the Conservative Party in the 2015 British general election – against all predictions by pollsters? Analyses of voter transitions based on (online) surveys and recall questions are plagued by sampling and response biases, whereas aggregate data analyses are suspect of the well-known ecological fallacy. We propose a systematic statistical combination of individual-level survey and administrative data at the constituency level to identify regional electoral shifts between the 2010 to 2015 British general elections. The large-scale individual-level data collected by the British Election Study Internet Panel (BESIP) allow us to locate more than 28,000 respondents in their constituencies. We estimate voter transitions based on a recently developed Bayesian Hierarchical Hybrid Multinomial Dirichlet (HHMD) model. We discover substantial deviances from pure surveybased estimations of transition matrices.
Impacts and Risk Management of COVID-19 Pandemic on Real Estate Supply Chain

Industry experts internationally have raised concerns regarding the significant risk posed to the real estate sector by the unprecedented global pandemic of Covid-19. The influence of Covid-19 has been swift, and with emerging wide-ranging consequences. The stay-at-home-policy has stagnated real estate and other economic activities. Many lenders, buyers and estate agents are evaluating the threats and opportunities in their operations. Developers face stoppages resulting from the impact and inherent risks of the stay-at-home policies on the built environment, and real estate chain. Return on investments initiated, but not completed due to the pandemic negative effect has resulted in a financial crisis. Similarly, there are fears that income streams, such as rental incomes, and mortgage payments, which are already being affected negatively in the short-term may worsen in the long-term due to economic recession. The purpose of the study, therefore, is to identify any COVID-19 pandemic impact, its mitigation for the tenant, and across the supply chain within the real estate sector in the United Kingdom. The study is based on a qualitative descriptive research design. The required data has been collected mainly through an extensive review of the available secondary sources. Occupiers’ Sentiment Index and past recessionary financial performance were used to provide a wide-ranging insight into crisis effects on the macroeconomy of the property market. Consequently, two procedural approaches are utilised; firstly, the economic recovery scenario V, U, W and L shapes, are analysed to determine the potential recovery pattern of supply chains across the real estate sector. Secondly, the use of a legal context to mitigate the pandemic risk across the sector. The findings reveal an emerging dynamic trend, rooted in contract clause revamping, as suggestive of a mitigation approach by the industry. The significance of the study provides a robust platform on which a long-term response to any future unprecedented pandemic within the real estate-built environment can be delivered.
UNDERPRICING AND LONG-TERM PERFORMANCE OF INITIAL PUBLIC OFFERINGS FROM CIS by Amet Seitibraimov

UNDERPRICING AND LONG-TERM PERFORMANCE OF INITIAL PUBLIC OFFERINGS FROM CIS by Amet Seitibraimov Thesis Supervisor: Professor Rostyslav Hryniv This paper estimates the degree of underpricing and underperformance for IPOs originating from Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan during the period from 1996 to 2010. It also determines the factors explaining the performance of these stocks in the one, two and three year term after the date of IPO. The paper provides the comparison in the patterns of the above-mentioned phenomena across the three countries under study as well as their comparison to the international evidence. It also provides the results for variability in the estimates of underpricing and underperformance against a set of benchmarks relevant for a diverse circle of investors.
B 100 , 094433 ( 2019 ) Magnetic ground state of the frustrated spin-12 chain compound β-TeVO 4 at high magnetic fields

M. Pregelj ,1,* A. Zorko ,1 M. Klanjšek,1 O. Zaharko,2 J. S. White ,2 O. Prokhnenko,3 M. Bartkowiak ,3 H. Nojiri,4 H. Berger,5 and D. Arčon1,6 1Jožef Stefan Institute, Jamova 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia 2Laboratory for Neutron Scattering and Imaging, Paul Scherrer Institute, CH-5232 Villigen, Switzerland 3Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie, Hahn-Meitner-Platz 1, 14109 Berlin, Germany 4Institute for Materials Research, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8577, Japan 5Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland 6Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, University of Ljubljana, Jadranska c. 19, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
A study on organizational climate as perceived by the employees of district agricultural offices in Meghalaya

The study was conducted in Meghalaya during 2017-18 by taking the convenient sample size of 80 respondents selected from four purposively selected District Agricultural Offices in the state. The stratified random sampling with equal allocation technique was used to select 20 employees from each office and the results found that majority of employees belongs to old age, 12th passed, low experienced, low salary, very low trained, medium work load, high level of information seeking behaviour, medium career opportunities, high job satisfaction and high extension service orientation groups. Majority of employees perceived organizational climate at medium level followed by high, very high and low levels and the major problems expressed by the employees were lack of manpower, delay in promotion of employees, lack of proper training to the employees, lack of infrastructure, vacancies in department and poor connectivity and communication.
Simple and Credible Value- Added Estimation Using Centralized Assignment

Many large urban school districts match students to schools using algorithms that incorporate an element of random assignment. We introduce two simple empirical strategies to harness this randomization for value-added models (VAMs) measuring the causal effects of individual schools. The first estimator controls for the probability of being offered admission to different schools, treating the take-up decision as independent of potential outcomes. Randomness in school assignments is used to test this key conditional independence assumption. The second estimator uses randomness in offers to generate instrumental variables (IVs) for school enrollment. This procedure uses a low-dimensional model of school quality mediators to solve the under-identification challenge arising from the fact that some schools are under-subscribed. Both approaches relax the assumptions of conventional value-added models while obviating the need for elaborate nonlinear estimators. In applications to data from Denver and New York City, we find that models controlling for both assignment risk and lagged achievement yield highly reliable VAM estimates. Estimates from models with fewer controls and older lagged score controls are improved markedly by IV. * Our thanks to Jimmy Chin and Raymond Han for outstanding research assistance and to MIT SEII program managers Eryn Heying and Anna Vallee for invaluable administrative support. We thank seminar participants at Berkeley for helpful input. Financial support from Arnold Ventures (formerly the Laura and John Arnold Foundation) and the National Science Foundation is gratefully acknowledged. Pathak also thanks the W.T. Grant Foundation for research support. The research described here was carried out under data use agreements between the New York City and Denver public school districts and MIT. We're grateful to these districts for sharing data. The views expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Bureau of Economic Research.
Optimizing small mammal relative abundance measures using non-invasive sampling and assessment of its contribution to occupancy modelling of small carnivores in a dry woodland savannah of South Africa

Assessing small mammals’ relative abundance is important to understand what drives their population dynamics and the impact of its fluctuations in the ecosystem. To this end, the most common sampling method is live-trapping. However, its high cost and intensive labour makes its use in largescale studies unfeasible. As an alternative, ink-tracking tunnels can monitor population abundance fluctuations and are non-invasive, inexpensive and require low effort. To evaluate ink-tracking tunnels efficiency to assess rodents’ relative abundance comparing to the live-trapping method, I implemented tunnels in a 3 x 3 y-design sampling in relation to a 7 x 7 grid of live-traps. I tested two measures of abundance: number of individual track records and proportion of tunnels with track records (track index), from which I tested a functional group division based on track size. As the automatic counting of particles showed a very low correlation to the actual number of tracks, it was immediately discarded. The group division in small rodents, medium rodents and large rodents proved to be well established, as the correlation with the live-trapping abundance index was high for medium rodents and rodents in general, and moderate for small rodents. The track index was better at capturing large fluctuations in relative abundance between sites, rather than small differences. However, this efficiency is abundance dependent, detecting better fluctuations for high abundant groups than for low abundant ones.
Agricultural Revamping via Major Capital Outlay: the Antidote to Food Insecurity Challenges in Nigeria

Food insecurity in Nigeria has necessitated this study which emphasizes agricultural revamping as the antidote to the prevailing circumstance of food crisis in the country This study draws the attention of the present administration to the urgent need for significant capital investment in agriculture as a means to proffer a permanent solution to food insecurity in Nigeria This study employs literature review approach and discovers that the factors impeding food safety in Nigeria include farmers' lack of access to the credit facility, insufficient farmlands, security threat on farmers and farmers' lack of education However, relevant econometric techniques and statistical tools are specifically applied to examine the impact of government expenditure and agricultural output on food safety using a secondary source of data spanning from 2008 -2019 From the findings of this study, agricultural output has a considerable influence on food safety, but government expenditure on agriculture is yet to gain momentum in affecting adequate food production in the country Thus, this study concludes that there is an urgent need for the government to invest significantly in agriculture which serves as an antidote to food security challenges in Nigeria
Detection of Israel variant 2 (IS/1494/06) genotype of Infectious Bronchitis Virus in a layer chicken flock

The aim of this study was to determine an infectious bronchitis (IB) infection, caused by an Israel variant 2 (IS/1494/06)-like IBV, in a layer chicken flock regularly vaccinated with vaccines containing IBV H120 and 4/91 strains. Mild respiratory symptoms, drop in egg production and soft-shelled eggs and eventually death were observed in a layer chicken flock. Clinical samples from four diseased chickens were examined for the detection and genotyping of IBV by virus isolation, a commercial real time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) and nucleotide sequencing. Both Israel variant 2 (IS-Var2) and 793/B serotypes were detected from samples by rRT-PCR, but sequencing results of a 345 bp part of S1 gene revealed that our IBV isolate, HFT-IBV, was IS/1494/06 (IS-Var2)-like with the 97.7% genetic similarity. These results suggested that immunity against vaccination with a combination of different genotypes (H120 and 4/91) could not be protective for IS-Var2 IBV field infection. In addition, identification of genotypes from the clinical samples, such as swabs and organ samples by commercial rRT-PCR assays failed to find correct IBV genotype responsible for the IB infection, whereas analysis of nucleotide sequencing of S1 gene of IBV as a gold standard test undoubtedly detected causative genotype of the infection. Also, the findings indicated that there is an urgent need for consider genotype- or protectotype-match vaccination strategies in the field to prevent vaccine- and IB-dependent economic losses of the poultry sector and logically protect chickens from IBV infection.
COMBINING ABILITY EFFECTS OF SOME NEW YELLOW MAIZE INBRED LINES.

: Fifteen newly developed yellow maize inbred lines were topcrossed to each of three inbred line testers, i.e. Gz. 658, Sd. 3118 and Sd. 3120 at Sids Agricultural Research Station during 2014 growing season. In 2015 season, resulting 45 topcrosses along with three commercial hybrids as check varieties, i.e. SC.162, SC.168 and SC.176, were evaluated in a replicated yield trail conducted at Gemmeiza and Sids. Data were recorded for days to 50% silking, plant and ear height (cm.), ear length (cm), ear diameter (cm) and grain yield adjusted to 15.5 % grain moisture. Combined analysis over the tow locations showed significant differences between the two locations for all studied traits except for grain yield. Mean squares due to crosses, lines and testers were significant for all studied traits. Mean squares due to lines x testers were significant for plant and ear height, ear diameter and grain yield. Mean squares due to lines x locations were significant for all studied traits except for ear diameter. Mean squares due to testers x locations were significant for all studied traits except for ear length. Mean squares due to lines x testers x locations interaction were highly significant for all studied traits except for ear length and ear diameter. The magnitude of δ 2 GCA (average) was larger than that of δ 2 SCA for days to 50% silking, plant height and grain yield. It was recommended that inbred lines 1 , 2 and 4 which possessed the highest GCA effects for grain yield may be considered promising lines for improving grain yield. Also, the crosses ( L7 x Gz. 658), (L8 x Gz. 658) and (L10 x Sd 3118) may be released for commercial cultivation after further testing and evaluation.
ADBI Working Paper Series MARINE TOURISM FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN COX’S BAZAR, BANGLADESH

Marine tourism can ensure social, environmental, and economic benefits through sustainable use of marine resources. The main challenges for marine tourism are preservation of the sea and marine resources through conserving the marine ecosystems and reducing marine pollution. This tourism segment has great potential in Bangladesh with the existence of the Bay of Bengal in the southern territory of the country. The present study identifies stakeholders’ perception of the development of sustainable marine tourism in the Cox’s Bazar district of Bangladesh. The study is based on a questionnaire survey using a nonprobability convenience sampling design. A total of 300 respondents were purposively selected from various groups of stakeholders to give their opinions on various aspects of social, economic, and environment dimensions of marine tourism development. Results reveal that marine tourism development can ensure various elements of social well-being, such as improving quality of life, infrastructure development, and enhancing public facilities. It also has some negative impacts, such as increasing the cost of living and intense illegal activities in the study area. The stakeholders’ view is that developing marine tourism brings economic benefits, such as providing employment opportunities, developing livelihoods, facilitating fishing activities, and enhancing economic well-being. However, marine tourism activities cause several environmental problems, including overcrowdedness, degradation, waste generation, imposing pressure on natural resources, and negative impacts on marine resources. Several measures, such as an environmental management plan, integrated management decisions for the local ecosystem and culture, the promotion of local goods, WTP mechanism implementation, infrastructure development, and enhanced facilities, can ensure sustainable marine tourism development in the study area.
Synthesis and Structural Elucidation of Novel Bisarylmethylidenes of Cyclic Enones

Abstract The first procedure for the synthesis of novel bisarylmethylidenes of cyclohex‐2‐enone structures is described at room temperature using a mild medium consisting of anhydrous zinc bromide and triethylamine. Several compounds of this class are synthesized conveniently and rapidly. Spectroscopic and X‐ray diffraction experiments confirm the proposed structures.
Gas Enhancement Techniques in Landfill Simulators

Techniques to enhance landfill gas production from landfills were tested using 16 landfill simulators. These techniques included: accelerated moisture infiltration; elevated moisture content; leachate recycle; buffer (calcium carbonate), nutrient (ammonium phosphate), and/or sewage sludge additions; and elevated refuse temperature. Each test cell contained 380 kg (836 1b) of ground municipal solid waste. All simulators were constructed in February 1980. Reloading of some of the cells with the nutrient (ammonium phosphate), buffer (sodium carbonate) or anaerobic sewage sludge took place in January 1983. The simulators were operated until January 1985. Over this operating period, various physical and chemical parameters were measured to determine gas and leachate quantity and quality. Results indicated that sewage sludge additions, buffer additions, and nutrient additions were useful enhancement techniques of gas production from municipal solid waste. Moisture infiltration and elevated moisture content have shown some beneficial effects.
Style and addressees in the selection of dialectal vs. standard phonetic forms: Sicilian rhotics

This study is about the production of singleton and geminate rhotics by young adult Sicilian speakers, whose native languages are Italian and a Sicilian dialect, during speech interactions with different interlocutors. As in many other languages, /r/ works as a sociolinguistic variable in the Sicilian area, conveying social and geographical information about the speaker. We will show that it also conveys information about the communicative and interactional dynamics with peers speaking either Italian or Sicilian dialects. We propose that in the process of selecting the relevant variants of the /r/ variable, the speakers are guided by the socio-communicative context and the phenomena of mutual convergence between interlocutors.1
PRELIMINARY, DO NOT QUOTE WITHOUT THE AUTHOR’S PERMISSION The Implications of China’s Pattern of Growth for the Rest of the World by

Detailed estimates of the pattern of growth in China—capital accumulation, labor input growth, and changes in total factor productivity by sector—are used along with a global model of production and trade for 18 regions and 24 sectors to estimate how these developments affect other countries. The results show that the annual average TFP growth in China over the period 1982-2000 harms some economies, such as Korea and Japan, by reducing the prices of some key export goods, while benefiting other economies, such as Russia and sub-Saharan Africa, by improving their terms of trade. TFP growth in China also reduces output, employment, and real wages in some manufacturing sectors in the United States, the Euro Area, and Japan. In contrast, capital accumulation in China results in only welfare gains for most countries.
Transport Regimes and Concentration Tails for Classical Diffusion in Heterogeneous Media with Sharply Contrasting Properties

In this study, we solved a problem of tracer transport in heterogeneous media with a sharp contrast in properties. Two kinds of media were considered. The first was a heterogeneous medium with a highly permeable domain in the shape of a plain‐parallel layer or a straight cylinder. A highly permeable domain in the second medium corresponded to a percolation system. Classical diffusion was considered for both kinds of media as the basic physical mechanism for tracer transport. Due to long residence times of tracer particles in the low‐permeability domain, three transport regimes (fast classical diffusion, subdiffusion, and slow classical diffusion) occurred in the first heterogeneous medium. Similarly, in the second medium the presence of sinks (dead ends of percolation clusters) led to subdiffusion at early times, changing to slow classical diffusion at large times when the system was above the percolation threshold. For both kinds of media, the change of transport regimes with time resulted in a complex multistage structure of breakthrough curves. The structure of the more distant tail segments was found to be more strongly affected by the earlier time transport regimes.
Childcare for Children under Three Years of Age from Mothers’ Point of View within the International Context

The present study brings a discussion on institutional care and education for children under three into the professional discourse. In the introduction, the authors introduce the historical context of care for children under the age of three in the Czech Republic and compare it with the situation elsewhere in the European Union. The core of the article was mothers’ viewpoint on facilities for children under three in the Czech Republic. A qualitative probe answers the question, “How do mothers perceive facilities for children under three years of age? ” In-depth interviews revealed that the mothers who were addressed have a wide range of motives for deciding to place a child under three years of age in institutional care. Ultimately, however, they seek to satisfy the needs of their child. The situation of the sample that was monitored is in many respects comparable to foreign studies, even though the Czech situation regarding these services has specific features because of its historical development. Keywords: early childhood education, day care institutions in the Czech Republic, state family policy, mothers
Aus der Medizinischen Klinik mit Schwerpunkt Psychosomatik, Campus Benjamin Franklin, der Medizinischen Fakultät Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin DISSERTATION Der Einfluss des Bindungsstils auf den Therapieerfolg bei Präadipösen und Adipösen in einem einjährigen Gewichtsreduktionsprogramm

Background & Aims: The long-term success of life-style interventions in the treatment of obesity is limited. Although psychological factors have been suggested to modify therapeutic effects, specifically the implications of attachment styles and the patient-therapist relationship have not been examined in detail yet. Methods: This study included 44 obese patients who participated in a one-year multimodal weight-reduction program. Attachment style was analyzed by the Adult Attachment Prototype Rating (AAPR) inventory and its relation to a one-year weight reduction program was studied. The patient-therapist-relationship was assessed using the Helping Alliance Questionnaire. Results: Attachment style was secure in 68% of participants and insecure (preoccupied and dismissing) in 32%. Interestingly a significantly higher weight-reduction was found in securely (SAI) compared to insecurely attached individuals (UAI; p < 0.05). This estimation correlated positively also to the quality of helping alliance (p = 0.004). Conclusions: The frequency of insecure attachment in obese individuals was comparable to that of the normal population. Our data suggest a greater weight-reduction for SAI than for UAI, and the patient-therapist relationship was rated more positively. The conclusion can be drawn that a patient’s attachment style plays a role in an interdisciplinary treatment program for obesity and has an influence on the effort to lose weight.