Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Agri-food chain relationships in Europe – empirical evidence and implications for sector competitiveness

The roles of business relationships in selected European agri-food chains are analysed. Using survey data from 1,442 farmers, food processors and retailers in two commodity sectors (meat and cereals) and across six different EU countries, we test the empirical relevance of several theory-based determinants influencing the choice of relationship type and the sustainability of inter-enterprise relationships. This is undertaken for the overall dataset and separately for different chain stages (farmer-processor versus the processor-retailer relationships), commodities and individual countries. Overall, we find that sector and enterprise-specific determinants seem to influence the choice of a certain relationship type while chain-internal, dyadic factors affect the sustainability of relationships. A logistic regression analysis reveals that the preference for a relationship type, while being highly chain-specific, depends on the long-term orientation and the strive for independence of an enterprise and the product-quality requirements within a corresponding market. As for the sustainability of the analysed relationships, structural equation modelling results suggest that its most important determinant is effective communication, with its two components, adequate communication frequency and high information quality, being equally important. The existence of personal bonds and an equal power distribution between buyers and suppliers are the second most important determinants, followed by the negative impact of key staff leaving. The analysis also reveals that the relative importance of these determinants differs significantly across the two considered chain stages and between the countries investigated. Agribusiness managers, seeking to improve their supplier or buyer relationships, need to consider the crucial role of effective communication and the positive contribution that the existence of personal bonds can make to the development and maintenance of sustainable interactions.
Risk weights, lending, and financial stability: Limits to model-based capital regulation

Model-based capital regulation is considered to be one of the key innovations of Basel II. The objective of this innovation was to make capital charges more sensitive to risk. Using data from the German credit register, and employing a difference-indifference identification strategy, we empirically investigate how the introduction of this regulation affected the quantity and the composition of bank lending. We find that credit supplied by banks that introduced the model-based approach exhibits a higher sensitivity to model-based PDs as compared with credit supplied by banks that remained under the traditional approach. Interestingly, however, we find that risk models used for regulatory purposes tend to underpredict actual default rates. There is no such prediction error in PDs for loans under the traditional approach.
Crustal fissuring and its relationship to magmatic and hydrothermal processes on the East Pacific Rise crest (9°12′ to 54′N)

The deep-towed Argo I optical/acoustical vehicle and a geographic information system (GIS) have been used to establish the abundance, widths, and spatial distribution of fissures, as well as the relative age distribution of lavas along the narrow (<500 m wide) axial zone of the East Pacific Rise (EPR) from 9o12 ' to 9o54'N. On a second-order scale (-78 km long), wider but less numerous fissures are found in the northern portion of the survey area; this changes to narrower, more abundant fissures in the south. A profile of the cumulative width added by fissures to the axial zone exhibits minima in three areas along strike (near 9o49 ', 9o35 ', and 9o15'N), where the most recent eruptions have occurred above sites of magmatic injection from the upper mantle, filling and covering older fissures. On a fourth-order scale (5-15 km long) the mean density of fissuring on a given segment is greater where relative axial lava age is greater. Fissure density also correlates with hydrothermal vent abundance and type. Increased cracking toward segment tips is observed at the second-order scale, whereas fourth-order segments tend to be more cracked in the middle. Cracking on a fourth-order scale may be driven by the propagation of dikes, rather than by the far-field plate stresses. The above relations constrain the model of Haymon et al. ( 1991) in which individual fourth-order segments are in different phases of a volcanic-hydrothermal-tectonic cycle.
Sovereign Credit Ratings and Macroeconomic Variables: An Empirical Analysis on Dynamic Linkages in Malaysia Using Bound Test Approach

: The paper investigates the long- and short-run relationship between sovereign credit ratings and macroeconomic variables in Malaysia by employing quarterly data from 1991 to 2004. A robust and recent time series technique known as the Unrestricted Error Correction Model Bound Test was used which is applicable irrespective of whether the regressors are I(0) or I(1). The results show that in the long run, debt to GDP, debt service to reserve and US Treasury Bill rate (3 months) appear to have a significant impact on Malaysia s sovereign credit ratings. The findings of the study show that Malaysia s long-term ability to pay its debt contains information for the prediction of the credit ratings.
KFLOW Results of Airloads on HART-II Rotor Blades with Prescribed Blade Deformation

A three-dimensional compressible Navier-Stokes solver, KFLOW, using overlapped grids has recently been developed to simulate unsteady flow phenomena over helicopter rotor blades. The blade-vortex interaction is predicted for a descending flight using measured blade deformation data. The effects of computational grid resolution and azimuth angle increments on airloads were examined, and computed airloads and vortex trajectories were compared with HART-II wind tunnel data. The current method predicts the BVI phenomena of blade airloads reasonably well. It is found from the present study that a peculiar distribution of vorticity of tip vortices in an approximate azimuth angle range of 90 to 180 degrees can be explained by physics of the shear-layer interaction as well as the dissipation of numerical schemes.
The pattern of social fluidity within the British class structure: a topological model

It has previously been shown that, across three British birth cohorts, relative rates of intergenerational social class mobility have remained at an essentially constant level among men and also among women who have worked only full time. We establish the pattern of this prevailing level of social fluidity and its sources and determine whether it also persists over time, and we bring out its implications for inequalities in relative mobility chances. We develop a parsimonious model for the log‐odds‐ratios which express the associations between individuals’ class origins and destinations. This model is derived from a topological model that comprises three kinds of readily interpretable binary characteristics and eight effects in all, each of which does, or does not, apply to particular cells of the mobility table, i.e. effects of class hierarchy, class inheritance and status affinity. Results show that the pattern as well as the level of social fluidity are essentially unchanged across the cohorts, that gender differences in this prevailing pattern are limited and that marked differences in the degree of inequality in relative mobility chances arise with long‐range transitions where inheritance effects are reinforced by hierarchy effects that are not offset by status affinity effects.
The relationship between adult attachment and personality : including normal personality and personality disorder

Despite the growing popularity of attachment theory, there has been little research examining how attachment fits with the more established construct of personality. A n understanding of the relationship between attachment and personality is important, both for guiding future theory and research, and for providing insight into the etiology and treatment o f interpersonal difficulties. This present study is a comprehensive examination of the relationship between adult attachment and a broad range of personality dimensions, including both normal personality and the extremes of personality characterized by personality disorder. A total of 213 adult volunteers from the community, aged 16-79 years (mean age = 31.4, SD =12.5) completed three self-report questionnaires: the Relationship Scales Questionnaire (RSQ) a dimensional assessment of attachment styles; the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire Revised (EPQ-R), assessing normal personality dimensions; and the Dimensional Assessment of Personality Pathology Differential Questionnaire ( D A P P D Q ) , assessing dimensions of personality disorder. Principal components analysis indicated that attachment, normal personality, and personality disorder share two underlying factors in common, one representing Emotional Distress, and one representing Intimacy Issues. These factors correspond to the dimensions o f Anxiety and Avoidance theorized to underlie attachment. Regression analyses revealed that personality shares a moderate to modest proportion of variance with attachment, and that each attachment style is related to a unique pattern of personality and personality disorder dimensions. These patterns of predictor variables provide profiles pf each attachment style that are theoretically supportable. Finally, a set of multiple
A design pattern for responsible information systems education

This paper explores the idea of responsible systems design. To do so, it examines a case study - the accreditation of Information Systems (IS) courses by the professional body. A professionally accredited educational program, like any other non-trivial design product, represents the balancing of competing influences, ideas and stakeholders. The case is particularly relevant because there have been significant changes in the context of Australian IS education recently that have made more complex the task of designing educational systems in a responsible manner. A general approach to addressing this complexity is articulated here as a design pattern to guide IS educational design. The pattern identifies the influences on design, the processes and products of design and the feedback mechanism required to demonstrate that stakeholder requirements are satisfied. Design tensions and principles arising from the model are discussed and future work identified
BIMBINGAN KESULITAN BELAJAR BERBASIS SELF REGULATED LEARNING DALAM

Self-regulated Learning as a Learning Guidance Model to Improve Learning Achievement. 7KLV VWXG\ DLPV DW GHYHORSLQJ D JXLGDQFH PRGHO WR GHDO ZLWK VWXGHQWV¶ OHDUQLQJ SUREOHPV DQG H[DPLQLQJ the effectiveness of its implementation. The development of self-regulated learning as the learning model involved senior high school students, advisory teachers, subject-matter teachers, and the headmaster. This learning model is geared toward encouraging the students to utilize self-regulated learning. This PRGHO DSSHDUHG WR EH DEOH WR LPSURYH WKH VWXGHQWV¶ OHDUQLQJ DFKLHYHPHQW
Effect of Partial Replacement of Fishmeal with Duck Weed (Lemna minor) Feed On the Growth Performance of Cyprinus carpio Fry

The acceptable nutritional value of Lemna as an ingredient in diets for Cyprinus carpio (L.) fry was experimented under aquarium culture system for 120 days. For that purpose fry of approximately equal weight were distributed in groups of 15 to each four aquaria at 0%, 15%, 30% and 45% inclusion levels of Lemna. The fry were fed at 5% body weight twice daily morning and evening. The three inclusion levels of duckweed supported the growth of Cyprinus carpio fry but growth performance, weight gain growth rate was favoured by low inclusion of duckweed meal. Highest bodyweight gain % was recorded on the group of fish bed diet (0% inclusion of duckweed) which was not significantly different (P<0.05) from (15% level inclusion of duckweed). The study clearly showed that fry fed diet 15% duckweed dietary inclusion perform best result and fishmeal was non replaceable but can be supplemented with duckweed up to an optimum level to produce cost effective feed.
Towards a benchmark for land surface models

This paper addresses the question of how well we should expect a land surface model to perform. A statistically‐based artificial neural network is used as a de facto land surface model and its results used to benchmark the performance of a traditional physically‐based land surface model. This provides us with a measure of land surface model performance relative to the information contained in the meteorological forcing about the surface fluxes. Further, it is a benchmark that is independent of the measure of model performance. The technique is used to benchmark three models at three observational sites, with results showing that for the most part, the models under‐utilise the information available to them. This suggests that there are considerable opportunities for model improvement.
FORMULATION AND EVALUATION OF NANOSTRUCTURED LIPID CARRIER (NLC) OF LORNOXICAM

Objective: Lornoxicam (chlortenoxicam) is a strong analgesic and anti-inflammatory NSAID of the oxicam class with better tolerability profile. It has been shown to be effective in the management of post-operative pain and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Lornoxicam loaded nanostructured lipid carrier was prepared with the aim of minimizing the side effects of oral lornoxicam and to improve patient compliance which can give better therapeutic effects. Methods: Nanostructured lipid carrier was prepared by hot homogenization method using Compritol ATO 888 (medium chain triglyceride) and Polaxomer. Drug to polymer ratio was chosen at eight levels. Results: Characterization of nanostructured lipid carrier was performed by measuring particle size, zeta potential, drug entrapment efficiency and in vitro drug release. Spherical uniform particles (size below 500 nm) with polydispersity in the index range of 0.134 to 1.02 and negative zeta potential -25.2 mV were obtained. Drug entrapment efficiency was found to be in the range of about 79.5 % to 89.06 %. Cumulative percent drug release for all formulations after 24hrs was found to be 54.04% to 90.67%. Formulation LF5 containing 1% lipid was found to be the best formulation. Carbopol gel was prepared from optimized NLC formulation and was characterized for appearance, pH, viscosity and in vitro release studies. Carrageenan induced paw edema anti inflammation activity was performed and after 6 hours the % swelling inhibition was found to be 48.77%. Conclusion: The results indicate that Lornoxicam loaded nanostructured lipid carrier could be utilized as a potential drug delivery system for topical applications.
Preservice Secondary Science Teachers' Conceptions of the Nature of Science: By Investigating Their Concept Maps and Final Reflection Paper.

This paper reports on the analysis of concept maps of the nature of science constructed by preservice secondary science teachers during a semester-long reflective process. During the 16-week fall semester of 1996, 17 students were enrolled in a 5-credit course. After analyzing all students' concept maps, students were classified as either good mappers or poor mappers. Two students were selected to investigate conceptual development and change from their initial concept maps to their final reflection paper. These case studies reveal some issues that need to be sorted out, including: (1) students did not revise their concept maps over the semester; (2) the issue of the value of science remained unsettled; (3) students focus more on the instability of scientific knowledge rather than on its stability; and (4) few students integrate the scientific assumptions discussed in class into their concept maps or papers. These findings have the potential to inform understanding of how to prepare science teachers. Contains 19 references. (DDR) ******************************************************************************** * Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made * * from the original document. * ********************************************************************************
Additionality of Public R&D Grants in a Transition Economy

This paper examines the input and output additionality of public R&D subsidies in Western and Eastern Germany. We estimate the impact of public R&D grants on firms' R&D and innovation input. Based on the results of this first step we compare the impact of publicly funded private R&D on innovation output with the output effect of R&D funded out of firms' own pockets. We employ microeconometric evaluation methods using firm-level data derived from the Mannheim Innovation Panel. Our results point towards a large degree of additionality in public R&D grants with regard to innovation input measured as R&D expenditures and innovation expenditures, as well as with regard to innovation output measured by patent applications. Input additionality has been more pronounced in Eastern Germany during the transition period than in Western Germany. However, R&D productivity is still larger for the established Western German innovation system than for Eastern Germany. Hence, a regional redistribution of public R&D subsidies might improve the overall innovation output of the German economy. Copyright (c) The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, 2006.
A neighbor Search Code for Galaxies - Preliminary Results

We present preliminary results of applying a neighbour search code to a large sample of galaxies drawn from the Sloan Digitial Sky Survey (SDSS). We draw our sample of target galaxies from the spectroscopic catalogue of the SDSS, which has redshift measurements for all its $\sim8\times10^5$ galaxies. We count the neighbours from the photometric catalogue of the SDSS, which is a flux-limited catalogue that has a photometric redshift estimation for all its $\sim2\times10^8$ galaxies. The code counts the number (N) of galaxies within a given 3D-distance from the target galaxy, using a database manager and a simple decision tree. The 3D-distance is composed of a 2D projected distance on the sky and a radial component, which is the difference between the spectroscopic target redshift and the photometric redshift of the "neighbour" galaxies. As we keep the search volume constant throughout the sample, N is a proxy for the number density of galaxies around the target galaxies. We also present an analysis of the preliminary results, showing the relation between N, the inferred morphology and the dominant activity type of the target galaxies, as well as the relation between N and the star formation history of the target galaxies.
Success in international decentralised urban energy initiatives: a matter of understanding?

Many towns and cities worldwide have begun implementing decentralised urban energy systems. Aiming to reduce their carbon emissions, many utilise not only technological innovation but also innovative policy and financial and social–economic approaches. Following interviews with stakeholders, four international cases, all of which were defined by stakeholders in different ways as “successful”, provide insights into the instigating driving forces contributing to success. Understanding of “success” varied between projects and between stakeholders, depending significantly on individual attitudes to sustainability, financial feasibility, technical performance and social acceptance, suggesting that a realistic definition of success involves not just a project's financial feasibility and energy savings, but that enhancing high-potential partnerships and transparency, and acceptance and understanding of the proposed project are also critical, as are interest from the media and outside organisations. The success of a project therefore cannot be measured simply via its outcomes – process factors and the context in which they unfold are also crucial.
Adaptive Multi-copy Layout Algorithm Based on Mass Storage System

Large-scale storage systems face significant challenges in reliability and adaptability, thus it needs reliable, adaptive and effective data layout algorithms. Existing studies only partially meet these goals. This paper first puts forward a reliable copy data layout algorithm (RCDL) and an effective adaptive data layout algorithm (ADL), and on this basis, by combining the two algorithms, this paper proposes a multi-copy adaptive data layout algorithm MCADL, which can achieve better reliability, adaptability and effectiveness. The RCDL distributes the same copies to different storage devices to avoid the same replica on adjacent storage devices, thus obtaining higher redundancy and fault tolerance. The ADL algorithm combines the clustering algorithm with the consistent hash method, and introduces a small amount of virtual storage devices, greatly reducing the consumption of storage space. Data are distributed fairly according to the weights of the storage devices, so it is adaptive to system expansion and reduction. In order to utilize the respective advantages of RCDL and ADL, MCADL divides data into hot and cold data according to the data access frequency. RCDL layout is used for hot data and ADL layout is used for cold data. Theoretical and experimental results show that MCADL can obtain higher redundancy and fault tolerance and can fairly distribute data and add and remove adaptive storage devices according to the weights of storage devices, migrate optimal data amount when the scale of the storage system changes, and can quickly locate data, consuming less storage space.
Are All Legal Probabilities Created Equal

Imagine you are offered to play a game at the casino for a cost of one dollar. According to the rules of the game you must first throw a die and then flip a coin. If you guessed both events correctly, you win ten dollars. Like a good rational player you turn to calculate the odds of winning the game, and multiply the probability of the die landing on your guess (1/6) by the probability of guessing the coin toss correctly (1/2). You then reach the conclusion that there is a one in twelve chance to win the game. Turning to cost benefit analysis you realize that the expected benefit from the game (1/12*$10) is smaller than its cost ($1), and therefore decline the offer to play.
Foreign Direct Investment and Manufacturing Growth: The Malaysian Experience

This paper examines the short and long run dynamics of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) over the manufacturing growth in a developing country – Malaysia for the period of 1970-2003. Due to the small sample size, we used a fairly new cointegration method known as "bounds test" and the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) approach to estimate the short and long run production elasticity of FDI. Estimated FDI elasticity in the short and long run were found to be statistically significant. In the long run, a 1% increase in FDI contributes to 0.115% increase in manufacturing value added output in Malaysia. The model extracts the influence of FDI and technological progress towards manufacturing output. As a consequence of the results, strategies to enhance the competitiveness of Malaysian manufacturing sectors in the world of intense competition for FDI especially among the Asian economies like China and other ASEAN members is further recommended.
Title Bootstrap variance estimation for Nadaraya quantile estimator

Under a suitable choice of bandwidth, Nadaraya’s estimator of the pth quantile yields smaller mean squared error than the unsmoothed pth sample quantile. We investigate the problem of bootstrap estimation of the variance of the Nadaraya quantile estimator and show that the error of the variance estimator can be reduced by smoothing the bootstrap. A novel approach, which calibrates the order p of the bootstrapped Nadaraya quantile estimates, is shown to reduce the error further. A simulation study is reported on the empirical performance of the proposed modified bootstrap variance estimators.