Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Farmers’ Satisfaction and Intention to Continue as Members of Agricultural Marketing Co-operatives: A Test of the Neoclassical and Transaction Costs Theories

Agricultural marketing co-operatives are one among a myriad of options that farmers have to market their products, making survival of the co-operative formula to depend on its capability to compete for the farmers’ satisfaction and membership. This research uses Neoclassical Theory and Transaction Costs Theory to propose a number of antecedents of the farmers’ satisfaction with the co-operative and their intention to remain members in the long term. With data obtained from a sample of 320 producers of fruits and vegetables, members of agricultural marketing cooperatives operating in the fresh fruit and vegetable chain, the results obtained show that 1) the liquidation price is more important to predict the farmers’ satisfaction with the co-operatives than their intention to remain members; 2) transaction costs are important to explain satisfaction and to a larger degree the intention to continue the relationship with the co-operatives; and 3) that liquidation price is more effective upon satisfaction and continuity if transaction costs are lower.
Magnetic resonance chondro‐crassometry (MR CCM): A method for accurate determination of articular cartilace thickness?

A method for the assessment of articular cartilage thickness based on MRI is presented and tts accuracy and reproducibil‐tty tested. Six specimens of human patellae were imaged, using a fat‐supressed FLASH 3D sequence, and sectioned with a high‐precision band saw. The reglonal dlstribution of articular cartilage thickness was determined from the MR images and from the anatomical sections (intervals of 0.5 mm). Wtth image analysis 50–90% of the image points were found to lie within exactly the same thickness interval in corresponding patterns, and tess than 17% deviated more than 0.5 mm. More than 85% of ali pixels were reproducible wtth MRI after new positioning of the Joint No influence of the read‐out direction and no important differences between areas of thin and thick cartilage could be detected. The authors conclude that MR chondro‐crassometry can provide accurate and reproducible Information on cartilage thickness.
Short-term active distribution network operation with convex formulations of power flow

To face the massive integration of Distributed Renewable Energy Sources (DRES), Distribution System Operators (DSO) need to evolve, especially in the operational planning of their networks. In this context, this paper presents a formulation for the Active Distribution Network (ADN) operational planning (OP) problem employing a Second Order Cone (SOC) relaxation of the Optimal Power Flow (OPF). For the first time, exact models of flexibilities such as On-Load Tap Changers and Reconfiguration are directly incorporated into the relaxed operational planning problem. The short-term economic aspects of flexibility operation are also incorporated in the model, and these flexibilities are progressively exploited in different test cases with an objective to minimize operational costs. The developed method is tested on a modified test network, and the results show a high reduction in these costs.
Financial Statement Analysis: An International Perspective

PART 1: THE ACCOUNTING AND BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT. 1. Financial Reporting and Regulation. 2. Accounting and Accountants. PART 2: BASIC FINANCIAL STATEMENTS. 3. Measurement Concepts and the Balance Sheet Equation. 4. Accruals Accounting. 5. Fixed Assets and Depreciation. 6. Refining the Database and Making Distributions. 7. Making Financial Statements. PART 3: INTRODUCTION TO FINANCIAL STATEMENT ANALYSIS. 8. A Framework for Interpretation. 9. Financial Statement Analysis I. 10. Cash Flow Statements. PART 4: THE ACCOUNTS OF MULTINATIONAL COMPANIES. 11. The Annual Report. 12. Group Accounts. 13. Foreign Operations. 14. Issues in Financial Reporting by Multinationals. 15. International Taxation. 16. Auditing and Corporate Governance. PART 5: ADVANCED FINANCIAL STATEMENT ANALYSIS. 17. Financial Statement Analysis II. 18. Accounting Values.
Electricity Restructuring and Regulation in the Provinces: Ontario and Beyond

Competitive electricity markets are artificial markets with extensive rules for all participants arising from the complex interconnections of the electricity network. Governments or regulatory agencies oversee the market design process and the operation and maintenance of the market, so market design is necessarily a political process. The conceptual design of the market must recognise the political forces that will operate on the market design process so that the political process will not thwart the intended outcome of the market as it has in some jurisdictions including Ontario. The limited ability of consumers to understand changes in the electricity sector in the short run poses a real constraint on what can be achieved politically. Letting the market set the price means that governments cannot ensure any particular future price level and both theory and experience tell us that prices may increase after restructuring (California, Ontario, Alberta). This makes it difficult to sell restructuring to consumers who will be interested in the price they pay and not much interested in abstractions like efficiency. Another challenge for electricity restructuring is that the starting points differ from one jurisdiction to another and the starting points matter. The problems are different if you begin with a crown monopoly than if you have investor-owned utilities; if expected prices are higher than recent prices rather than lower; if governments have been deeply involved in the electricity sector rather than distant from it; if the public has experience with stable electricity prices rather than fluctuating prices. Finally, the situation in neighbouring jurisdictions matters as well. Restructuring in a low-price jurisdiction surrounded by high prices will increase the prospect of price increases at home, while a high-price island is more likely to see its prices decline. If workable competition will be difficult to achieve at home, strong interties to neighbouring jurisdictions can improve competitive performance if the market is appropriately designed. Air pollution, like electricity, moves across borders, so one must assess and evaluate the pollution implications of competition and make any appropriate adjustments to the market design.
A gene encoding a putative membrane protein homologous to the major facilitator superfamily of transporters maps upstream of the beta-glycosidase gene in the archaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus

We have identified a gene encoding a putative membrane protein homologous to the major facilitator superfamily, mapping upstream of the lacS gene in Sulfolobus solfataricus. Permeases from this family mediate secondary transport and are widely distributed among eubacteria and eukaryotes; the finding of an archaeal member suggests that this mechanism of transport evolved before the divergence of the three living domains. We also report a transcriptional mapping of the gene cluster.
Avoiding stick-slip in position and force control through feedback

The avoidance of stick-slip motion at low velocities through feedback control is discussed. Simplified single-joint robot models are derived for position and force control. It is shown that both models can be represented by the same differential equation. Most prior work in control used friction models which depend only on the current value of velocity. This type of analysis indicates that stick-slip can be avoided only through velocity feedback. The tribology literature, however, indicates that friction also depends on the past history of motion. To include this dependence, a state variable friction model is used in conjunction with the position and force control models. Analysis reveals the existence of a second regime of stable, low-velocity motion associated with position feedback gains above a critical value. This is an important result because the accuracy of position data is typically much better than that of velocity data at these speeds. <<ETX>>
The decision to innovate; Literature and propositions

This study investigate what makes individuals (entrepreneurs, employees in organisations) decide to proceed with innovative ideas. This is an important topic as practitioners in organisations (managers, entrepreneurs) and policy makers face the challenge of realising continuous innovation. Three main arguments are proposed to be directly associated with the decision to innovate: perceived pay-off, situation control and intrinsic motivation. The three main arguments provide a basis for a cumulative, three-componential theory of an individuals decision to proceed with innovative ideas.
Regulation of Transcription by Hypoxia Requires a Multiprotein Complex That Includes Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, an Adjacent Transcription Factor, and p300/CREB Binding Protein

ABSTRACT Molecular adaptation to hypoxia depends on the binding of hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) to cognate response elements in oxygen-regulated genes. In addition, adjacent sequences are required for hypoxia-inducible transcription. To investigate the mechanism of interaction between these cis-acting sequences, the multiprotein complex binding to the lactate dehydrogenase A (LDH-A) promoter was characterized. The involvement of HIF-1, CREB-1/ATF-1, and p300/CREB binding protein (CBP) was demonstrated by techniques documenting in vitro binding, in combination with transient transfections that test the in vivo functional importance of each protein. In both the LDH-A promoter and the erythropoietin 3′ enhancer, formation of multiprotein complexes was analyzed by using biotinylated probes encompassing functionally critical cis-acting sequences. Strong binding of p300/CBP required interactions with multiple DNA binding proteins. Thus, the necessity of transcription factor binding sites adjacent to a HIF-1 site for hypoxically inducible transcription may be due to the requirement of p300 to interact with multiple transcription factors for high-affinity binding and activation of transcription. Since it has been found to interact with a wide range of transcription factors, p300 is likely to play a similar role in other genes, mediating interactions between DNA binding proteins, thereby activating stimulus-specific and tissue-specific gene transcription.
Nomenclature of the amphibole supergroup

A new classification and nomenclature scheme for the amphibole-supergroup minerals is described, based on the general formula AB 2 C 5 T 8 O 22 W 2 , where A = □, Na, K, Ca, Pb, Li; B = Na, Ca, Mn 2+ , Fe 2+ , Mg, Li; C = Mg, Fe 2+ , Mn 2+ , Al, Fe 3+ , Mn 3+ , Ti 4+ , Li; T = Si, Al, Ti 4+ , Be; W = (OH), F, Cl, O 2− . Distinct arrangements of formal charges at the sites (or groups of sites) in the amphibole structure warrant distinct root names , and are, by implication, distinct species; for a specific root name, different homovalent cations (e.g., Mg vs. Fe 2+ ) or anions (e.g., OH vs. F) are indicated by prefixes (e.g., ferro-, fluoro-). The classification is based on the A, B, and C groups of cations and the W group of anions, as these groups show the maximum compositional variability in the amphibole structure. The amphibole supergroup is divided into two groups according to the dominant W species: W (OH,F,Cl)-dominant amphiboles and W O-dominant amphiboles (oxo-amphiboles). Amphiboles with (OH, F, Cl) dominant at W are divided into eight subgroups according to the dominant charge-arrangements and type of B-group cations: magnesium-iron-manganese amphiboles, calcium amphiboles, sodium-calcium amphiboles, sodium amphiboles, lithium amphiboles, sodium-(magnesium-iron-manganese) amphiboles, lithium-(magnesium-iron-manganese) amphiboles and lithium-calcium amphiboles. Within each of these subgroups, the A- and C-group cations are used to assign specific names to specific compositional ranges and root compositions. Root names are assigned to distinct arrangements of formal charges at the sites, and prefixes are assigned to describe homovalent variation in the dominant ion of the root composition. For amphiboles with O dominant at W, distinct root-compositions are currently known for four (calcium and sodium) amphiboles, and homovalent variation in the dominant cation is handled as for the W (OH,F,Cl)-dominant amphiboles. With this classification, we attempt to recognize the concerns of each constituent community interested in amphiboles and incorporate these into this classification scheme. Where such concerns conflict, we have attempted to act in accord with the more important concerns of each community.
Genome-Wide Analysis of Facial Regionalization in Zebrafish

Patterning of the facial skeleton involves the precise deployment of thousands of genes in distinct regions of the pharyngeal arches. Despite the significance for craniofacial development, how genetic programs drive this regionalization remains incompletely understood. Here we use combinatorial labeling of zebrafish cranial neural crest-derived cells (CNCCs) to define global gene expression along the dorsoventral axis of the developing arches. Intersection of region-specific transcriptomes with expression changes in response to signaling perturbations demonstrates complex roles for Endothelin1 (Edn1) signaling in the intermediate joint-forming region yet a surprisingly minor role in ventral-most regions. Analysis of co-variance across multiple sequencing experiments further reveals clusters of coregulated genes, with in situ hybridization confirming the domain-specific expression of novel genes. We then performed mutational analysis of a number of these genes, which uncovered antagonistic functions of two new Edn1 targets, follistatin a (fsta) and emx2, in regulating cartilaginous joints in the hyoid arch. Our unbiased discovery and functional analysis of genes with regional expression in zebrafish arch CNCCs reveals complex regulation by Ednl and points to novel candidates for craniofacial disorders. Summary Statement Using zebrafish to purify distinct groups of embryonic cells, Askary et al. have created a detailed map of how thousands of genes are deployed to shape the developing face.
Detection of pathogenic Yersinia enterocolitica by polymerase chain reaction and digoxigenin-labeled polynucleotide probes

Yersinia enterocolitica is widespread in nature, but only a few bioserotypes are involved in human infections. Pigs are considered to be the major reservoirs of pathogenic strains. It is essential to have an accurate and rapid method for the detection of pathogenic yersiniae. To achieve this objective, 19-base synthetic oligonucleotide primers were used in a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to detect the ail gene (which is conserved only in pathogenic strains) in strains of Y. enterocolitica and related species originating from pigs or pork products. Digoxigenin-labeled probes derived from the ail, inv, and yst genes were also evaluated on these strains. The PCR amplified a 273-bp fragment of the ail gene involved in eukaryotic cell invasion and serum resistance. The PCR detected template DNA only in strains of Y. enterocolitica traditionally classified as human pathogens but not in biotype 1A strains and related species. Other members of the family Enterobacteriaceae were also negative for the target gene. The digoxigenin-labeled ail probe gave identical results to the PCR. By use of this nonisotopic method, inv-homologous DNA was detected only among yersiniae, except for Y. ruckeri. Although all pathogenic serotypes of Y. enterocolitica were positive for the heat-stable enterotoxin yst gene, two strains of biotype 1A, one Y. intermedia strain, and six other species of the Enterobacteriaceae were also positive. Our results support the notion that pigs constitute an important reservoir of pathogenic Y. enterocolitica and that the inv-homologous sequence is Yersinia specific.
How are Short-Sales Different from 'Regular' Trades?

We examine the differences between short sales and "regular" trades with regard to the nature of their information content. First, we find that short-sales impound private information that is significantly longer-lived than that in regular trades, and accordingly find that short-sales play an important stabilizing role by providing short-term intraday liquidity during periods of buying pressure. Second, we find that the information advantage of short-sellers originates from skilled analysis of publicly available data rather than corporate "insider" type information. In this context, while short-sellers are strong in relation to individual firm-specific information, they react to public information rather than exploit insider knowledge, and their informational advantage over regular trades increases with estimation horizon for both market-wide and security-specific information. And, they are not using "insider" firm-specific information around negative earnings announcements but analyzing public information on the day of the announcement to derive their "private" information advantage, and furthermore, are also aggressively supplying liquidity around positive earnings announcements.
A microbiological evaluation of warm air hand driers with respect to hand hygiene and the washroom environment

A finger rinse technique for counting micro‐organisms on hands showed no significant difference in the level of recovered micro‐organisms following hand drying using either warm air or paper towels. Contact plate results appeared to reflect the degree of dampness of hands after drying rather than the actual numbers of micro‐organisms on the hands. In laboratory tests, a reduction in airborne count of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus of between 40 and 75% was achieved from 600 readings comparing inlets and outlets of warm air hand driers. In washroom trials, the number of airborne micro‐organisms was reduced by between 30 and 75%. Air emitted from the outlet of the driers contained significantly fewer micro‐organisms than air entering the driers. Drying of hands with hand driers was no more likely to generate airborne micro‐organisms than drying with paper towels. Levels of micro‐organisms on external surfaces of hand driers were not significantly different to those on other washroom surfaces. This work shows that warm air hand driers, of the type used in this study, are a hygienic method of drying hands and therefore appropriate for use in both the healthcare and food industry.
Laser-Guided Repair of Complex Bile Duct Strictures

Background: The repair of bile duct strictures (BDS) requires identification of healthy bile duct proximal to the stenosis. Identification may be difficult in complex bile duct injuries after cholecystectomy or partial liver resection. Aim: We describe a technique to identify the prestenotic bile duct using the sentinel light of a laser fiber passed through the catheter after percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (PTD). Methods: Seven patients were seen with hepatic duct or segmental BDS after (extended) right hemihepatectomy (4), cholecystectomy (2) or previous hepaticojejunostomy (1). All patients underwent preoperative PTD for imaging of stricture site and drainage. During operation for repair, a laser fiber (0.2–0.6 mm) connected to a (low-power) red light-emitting diode laser was passed through the PTD catheter into the proximal end of the stricture. Results: In 6 patients, the prestenotic bile duct was identified and exposed with the aid of the sentinel light of the laser fiber. Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy was carried out in all patients. Postoperative cholangiographies showed complete restoration of biliary continuity. In one patient, positioning of the laser fiber failed because of angulation of the PTD catheter. Conclusion: Laser-guided identification of prestenotic bile duct facilitates exposure of the stricture site without unnecessary and usually difficult dissection in complex postoperative BDS.
Towards a dual-function MIMO radar-communication system

Recently, dual-function radar-communication systems in which the radar platform and resources are used for communication signal embedding have emerged as means to alleviate spectrum congestion and ease competition over frequency bandwidth. In this paper, we introduce a new technique for information embedding specific to multiple-input multiple output (MIMO) radar. We exploit the fact that in a MIMO radar system, the receiver needs to know the association of the transmit waveforms to the transmit antennas. However, this association can change over different pulse repetition periods without impacting the radar functionality. We show that by shuffling the waveforms across the transmit antennas over constant pulse repetition periods, a data rate of megabits per second can be achieved for a moderate number of transmit antennas. The probability of error is analyzed and the bounds on the symbol error rate are derived. Simulation examples are provided for performance evaluation and to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed information embedding technique.
On Stability Preservation under Sampling and Approximation of Feedbacks for Retarded Systems

It is standard worldwide, in both industrial and academic activities, to design in continuous time a stabilizing state feedback for a nonlinear system and then implement it by digital devices using sampling and zero-order holding. It is well known, from practice, that stability is rather preserved if sampling is performed at suitable high frequency. This fact has been proved in the literature, also from a theoretical point of view, for delay-free nonlinear systems. An analogous result has not been proved, from the theoretical point of view, for nonlinear retarded systems. Moreover, in the case of retarded systems, implementation by means of digital devices often requires some further approximation due to nonavailability in the buffer of the value of the system variables at some past times. In order to cope with this problem, we make use here of the well-known approximation scheme based on first order splines. We introduce the standard hypothesis that there exists a stabilizing continuous-time state feedba.
The Cost of Being Good

This paper examines the performance of U.S. equities through the use of socially responsible investment screens. We extend the socially responsible investing literature by examining a broader study of social screens. We examine the returns and risk-adjusted returns to investing in socially responsible investment portfolios using twenty social screens from KLD. The approach introduces a simple model of asset returns based on a utility function that incorporates social goals. We also extend the socially responsible investment (SRI) research by examining the persistence in performance of SRI screens using Jensen's alpha and conditional alphas. We find that there is no cost to being good by investing according to SRI screens. Investors are no worse off investing in accordance with their social beliefs.