bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The Social Marginal Cost Curve and a Corner Solution of the Second-Best Level of Public Good Provision: A Review and an Extension
Authors: Chang Ming Chung , Peng Hsiao-Ping , Ho Yan-Ching 
Published: January 2018

Summary
Assume that the private goods and the public good are weakly separable, the private goods are gross complements, and the private utility function is a homogeneous of degree one function with constant elasticity of substitution. We demonstrate that, under commodity taxation, the social marginal cost curve of public good provision is initially upward sloping and eventually becomes downward sloping. Moreover, the social marginal cost eventually falls below the private marginal cost. These unusual properties arise from a demand-shift effect: An increase in the tax rate raises the marginal willingness to pay for the public good since it pushes up the unit cost of private utility, hence making the public good more attractive than private goods. In other words, the supply of the public good creates its own demand when the funding to cover production costs is raised through distortionary commodity taxes. It follows that there may exist three solutions to the first-order condition for the second-best problem: two of them are interior solutions and one is a corner solution.
Time-Varying and Regional Dynamics in Swiss Housing Markets
Authors: Drechsel Dirk , Funk Anne Kathrin 
Published: January 2018

SummaryIn light of the strong increase of house prices in Switzerland in the 2000s and early 2010s, we analyze the effects of mortgage rate shocks, changes in housing demand & supply and business cycle conditions on house prices for the time period 1982–2013. We study intertemporal effects by employing Bayesian timevarying coefficients vector autoregressions (TVC-BVAR), regional effects by using regional BVARs and heterogeneity in housing markets by looking at housing segments. 50 % of house price variations can be explained by housing demand & supply. The response of house prices to mortgage rate shocks weakened after the 1990s real estate crisis and remained constant thereafter. However, owneroccupied apartment prices became again more sensitive to mortgage rate shocks during the recent house price boom. Regional effects are especially prevalent for regions Zurich and Geneva.
How do Overnight Stays React to Exchange Rate Changes?
Authors: Stettler Christian 
Published: January 2018

SummaryThis paper analyses the effect of a change in the real exchange rate on the number of overnight stays in Swiss hotels. It uses unique three-dimensional panel data on the monthly number of overnight stays by the visitor’s country of origin in 141 Swiss communities during the ten-year period from January 2005 to December 2014. We find low exchange rate elasticities of 0.2 for cities, but much higher elasticities of 1.4 for touristic communities. On the source market side, we find large exchange rate elasticities for German, Dutch, and Belgian visitors, while travellers from France and Italy are less price sensitive.
Career motivation of secondary students in STEM: a cross-cultural study between Korea and Indonesia
Authors: Shin Sein , Rachmatullah Arif , Roshayanti Fenny , Ha Minsu , Lee Jun-Ki 
Published: January 2018

AbstractThe purpose of this study was to understand the career motivation of secondary students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) by comparing Korean and Indonesian students. Effects of gender and educational level on students’ STEM career motivation were also examined. To test for differences, we used Rasch analysis, 3-way ANOVA, correlation analysis, and multiple group path analysis. STEM career motivation was found to be significantly affected by interactions between country, gender, and educational level. Overall, Indonesian students had more STEM career motivation than Korean students. Korean students showed larger gender differences in STEM career motivation than Indonesian students.
Some Cooperatives Produce Great Wines, but the Majority Does Not: Complementary Institutional Mechanisms to Improve the Performance of an Indispensable Organizational Form
Authors: Frick Bernd 
Published: January 2018

AbstractAlthough they have often been found to be technically inefficient, cooperatives not only have survived in the wine industry but continue to play major roles in most European countries. Because the specific advantages of their “organizational architecture” (resource pooling and decentralization) seem to outweigh the disadvantages (vaguely defined property rights and high monitoring costs), this paper discusses organizational measures to improve the performance of cooperatives by addressing three different aspects of “organizational design” (managing entry and exit, motivating members, and investing in corporate culture). (JEL Classifications: D22, D23, L14, L21, L31)
Bi-criteria minimization with MWVN–INAM type for motion planning and control of redundant robot manipulators
Authors: Guo Dongsheng , Li Kene , Liao Bolin 
Published: January 2018

SUMMARYThis study proposes and investigates a new type of bi-criteria minimization (BCM) for the motion planning and control of redundant robot manipulators to address the discontinuity problem in the infinity-norm acceleration minimization (INAM) scheme and to guarantee the final joint velocity of motion to be approximate to zero. This new type is based on the combination of minimum weighted velocity norm (MWVN) and INAM criteria, and thus is called the MWVN–INAM–BCM scheme. In formulating such a scheme, joint-angle, joint-velocity, and joint-acceleration limits are incorporated. The proposed MWVN–INAM–BCM scheme is reformulated as a quadratic programming problem solved at the joint-acceleration level. Simulation results based on the PUMA560 robot manipulator validate the efficacy and applicability of the proposed MWVN–INAM–BCM scheme in robotic redundancy resolution. In addition, the physical realizability of the proposed scheme is verified in practical application based on a six-link planar robot manipulator.
The Hidden Gaps in Rural Development: Examining Peasant–NGO Relations through a Post-earthquake Recovery Project in Sichuan, China
Authors: Liu Qing , Wang Raymond Yu , Dang Heping 
Published: January 2018

AbstractWhile much of the scholarly work on the development of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in China focuses on their relations with the state, this paper adopts an anthropological approach to explore previously understudied peasant–NGO relations through the lens of a village-level post-earthquake recovery project in Sichuan. The findings highlight three main types of gaps between the NGO and local villagers: the gaps between the villagers’ immediate needs and the NGO's long-term development plan; the gaps between the villagers’ pragmatic concerns and the “building a new socialist countryside” campaign; and the gaps between the private and collective economies. In spite of the project's unsatisfactory outcome, the NGO did not consider the project a failure. We argue that these gaps were, to a great extent, attributable to the continuing development of the institutional values of NGOs, which guide the transition of Chinese NGOs from traditional charities to modern philanthropic organizations.
Effect of Feeding Juice Extracted from Ensiled Grass after Varying Times of Fermentation on the Voluntary Food intake of Chopped Hay by Sheep
Authors: Rooke J.A. , Offer N.W. 
Published: January 2018

The voluntary intake of grass silage (VFI) is influenced by the presence of silage fermentation products. Ammonia-N concentration has been used in prediction equations for silage VFI as an indicator of the negative effects of fermentation products upon VFI but accounts for only a small proportion of the variance. The objective of this experiment was to improve understanding of the factors in silage that limit VFI by relating the time-course of the silage fermentation to the development of intake characteristics.Second cut perennial ryegrass was precision chop harvested without wilting. The grass was ensiled untreated (C) or treated (I) with 106Lactobacillus plantarum / g grass (Ecosyl, Zeneca Bio-Products) in 200 l containers (10 / treatment). Two containers / treatment were frozen immediately (0) or after 0.2, 1, 2 or 42 days fermentation to give 10 treatments. Juice was extracted using a cider press from silage immediately on thawing, bulked and then re frozen until required for feeding. For feeding, juice was thawed and maintained at 4° until fed.
The Effect of Concentrate Type and Supplementary Lactic Acid or Soya-Oil on Milk Production in Dairy Cows Offered Restricted or Extensively Fermented Grass Silages
Authors: Doherty J G , Mayne C S 
Published: January 2018

Several studies have shown increased silage dry-matter intake (SDMI) and improved milk fat concentrations in dairy cows offered restricted fermented grass silages compared to more extensively fermented silages. A recent study suggested that differences in silage intakeper serather than an alteration in rumen fermentation may be responsible for the changes in milk composition observed in the previous studies (Doherty and Mayne, 1993). The aim of the present study was to examine the effect of changes in concentrate composition on milk production parameters in dairy cows offered grass silages of contrasting fermentation type.Two direct cut grass silages were prepared using either an inoculant, containing a single strain ofLactobacillus plantarum, (Ecosyl, 3 1/t fresh weight, Zeneca Products Ltd) or a mixture of aliphatic carboxylic acids (Maxgrass, 6 1/t fresh weight, BP Chemicals Ltd). Two concentrates (high starch or high fibre) were formulated containing either: barley, 300; wheat, 355; and soyabean-meal, 270 g/kg (high starch) or unmolassed sugar-beet pulp, 555; citrus pulp, 100; and soyabean-meal, 270 g/kg (high fibre).
Feed intake and growth rate in growing and finishing steers offered a diet of silage plus concentrates with varying levels of ardacin.
Authors: Keane M.G. , Read M.P. 
Published: January 2018

Ardacin is an antibacterial glycopeptide effective against gram positive bacteria. Research elsewhere has shown that in growing calves, it increased the efficiency of microbial protein synthesis and protein flow to the duodenum. In goats it reduced methane production but did not affect the site or extent of organic matter digestion. Results on its effects on feed intake are equivocal but it has been shown to increase liveweight gain in finishing cattle. The objective of the present study was to ascertain the effects of Ardacin on feed intake and growth rate of growing and finishing steers.Two experiments were carried out simultaneously using the same feeds and Ardacin dose levels. In Experiment 1, 72 Friesian and Charolais x Friesian growing steers (8 months old and 240 kg initial weight) were blocked to 4 treatment groups, tied in individual stalls, and offered grass silage ad libitum plus 1 kg ground barley containing Ardacin per head daily.
Effect of undernutrition on corpus luteum function, jugular and ovarian venous progesterone profiles and endometrial progesterone concentration in sheep
Authors: J.A. Abecia  , S.M. Rhind  , P.J. Goddard  , S.R. McMillen  
Published: January 2018

Reduced rates of embryo survival have been shown to be associated with both low levels of food intake and high concentrations of progesterone (P4) in peripheral circulation and high levels of intake with low P4 concentrations.There is evidence that P4 is transferred from the ovarian vein to the ovarian artery and a branch of this artery supplies the oviduct and upper uterine horn. Thus, P4 profiles in the peripheral circulation may not be indicative of the pattern of P4 supply to the uterus. Since undernutrition results in a reduced LH pulse frequency, which in turn can reduce the secretion of P4, it was postulated that the effect of undernutrition on embryo survival could be mediated through changes in the profiles of LH and so of P4 secretion. It was further suggested that the effects of undernutrition on P4 profiles in the ovarian venous plasma may differ from the effects on jugular venous profiles, and that it is the latter which determines embryo survival rates.
The use of neural networks to derive prediction relationships for feed composition from near-infra-red monochromator scans
Authors: Chadoulos E A , Bishop J M , Chamberlain A T , Piotrowski C 
Published: January 2018

The derivation of predictive relationships from near-infrared scan results is generally performed using regression analysis but for this technique relationships must be a continuous function. Neural networks allow non-functional relationships to be investigated and in other fields have improved prediction quality by 10% - 25%.Neural networks are an artificial intelligence tool and can be represented as a multi-layered network of nodes connected by vectors (Figure 1), each node receiving one or more inputs which are transformed and combined and then passed on to one or more nodes in the next layer.
Use of the rumen simulation technique (rusitec) to provide micro-organisms for assessing forage rate-of-fermentationin vitro:effect of soluble carbohydrate inputs to rusitec
Authors: Barbi J H T , Owen E , Theodorou M K 
Published: January 2018

In previous experiments (Barbi, Owen & Theodorou, 1993; Barbi, Owen & Theodorou, 1994), to minimize the reliance on fistulated animals in feed evaluation, effluent fluid from thein vitrorumen simulation technique (RUSITEC - Czerkawski & Breckenridge, 1977) was used to replace strained rumen liquor as the inoculum for the Pressure Transducer Technique (PTT - Theodorou, Brooks, Dhanoa, McAllan & Gill, 1993). In Barbiet al(1993), two different dilution rates in RUSITEC were compared, whereas in Barbiet al(1994), the effect of increasing the solid food input to RUSITEC was assessed. In both experiments low microbial activity in the RUSITEC effluent fluid affected the PTT results, reducing rates and extent of fermentation profiles to below those in the rumen-liquor inoculated control cultures.In the present study, mixtures of glucose and xylose, as sources of liquid-phase nutrients, were infused, in differing quantities, into RUSITEC vessels. Also, the effect of adding or not adding a source of solid nutrient (hay) to the effluent collection vessels, was investigated. The objective, in both treatments, was to increase the cellulolytic microbial activity of RUSITEC effluent fluid.
Purine derivatives in urine and plasma of lactating cows given different levels of feed intake
Authors: Daniels Z. M. , Chen X.B. , Kyle D.J. , Sinclair K. , Ørskov E.R. 
Published: January 2018

It has been demonstrated in previous work (Chen et al 1993) that the molar ratio of purine derivatives (PD) to creatinine (C) in spot urine samples can be used as an index of microbial protein supply in sheep. This study was to examine the feasibility of using this approach in cattle.Twelve lactating beef cows were allocated into three groups and each group was fed one of the following levels of restricted feeding: (1) 13 kg fresh weight (FW)/d (high), (2) 10 kg FW/d (medium); (3) 7 kg FW/d(low), given in two equal meals. The diet was pelleted and contained (on fresh weight basis): 0.40 sodium hydroxide treated straw, 0.24 barley, 0.10 soya, 0.25 molassed sugar beet pulp and 0.01 urea. Daily urinary excretion of PD was measured for a week. Two-hourly collections of urine (regarded as ‘spot urine’) were also made over the same period for measurement of PD/C molar ratio. Plasma PD concentration was measured in three jugular blood samples taken on the last day of urine collection. Milk yield was indirectly measured by calf weights before and after suckling. The results were analysed to examine the variability of PD/C in spot samples and the relationship of the spot PD/C measurement with the daily PD output.
The effect of concentrate level on performance of dairy sheep offered grass silage ad-libitum
Authors: Ewbank C. , Minter C.M. , Wilkinson R.G. 
Published: January 2018

The response of dairy cows offered grass silage to increases in the level of concentrate supplementation is well documented. However little information exists for dairy sheep. The aim of this trial was to assess the impact of concentrate level on silage dry matter intake, milk production and quality and daily liveweight change in milking ewes.After weaning at 8 weeks, 24 mature Friesland ewes were individually penned. Ewes were offered precision chopped grass silage: (dry matter (DM) 203 g/kg; ph 3.4; ammonia nitrogen 58 g/kg total N; crude protein (CP) 164 g/kg DM; metabolisable energy (ME) 10.9 MJ/kg DM) ad-libitum and concentrate DM (CP 194) g/kg DM; ME 12.8 MJ/kg DM) at daily rates of 0; 0.7, 1.4 and 2.1 kg/day with no more than 0.6 kg per feed. Water was available ad libitum. All animals were milked twice daily through a Fullwood parlour and weighed weekly. Silage was fed daily and refusals removed twice weekly. The experiment lasted 6 weeks and was analysed as a random block design.
Organic dairy farming (ukrofs standards): milk production and stocking rates during the first year of conversion
Authors: Weller R F , Cooper A , McAllan A B 
Published: January 2018

The production of organic milk as defined by UKROFS (United Kingdom Register of Organic Food Standards) requires set production standards, the registration of approved producers and a minimum conversion period before the sale of the product. During the period when a farm is being converted to organic milk production the change from using large quantities of inorganic fertiliser to the establishment of swards containing white clover can reduce both the stocking rate and total milk output (Houghton and Poole, 1990), reducing the income from the farm.An experiment was designed to study the effects of both grazing to pre-determined sward heights and feeding a concentrate supplement on the stocking rates and milk production of a spring-calving dairy herd.
Restricted suckling of dairy cattle in the humid tropics
Authors: Margerison J. K. , Preston T. R. , Phillips C. J. C. 
Published: January 2018

Restricted suckling systems are one the most common forms of livestock production in developing countries. In these systems partial milk extraction and calf suckling are combined, resulting in a multi-commodity (milk and meat) production system. These are now being recognised as some of the most efficient and sustainable uses of the available resources in developing countries. These systems provide a more ‘natural’ method of calf rearing, thus maximising animal welfare.The aim of this experiment was designed to investigate the maternal relationship between cow and calf within a restricted suckling system and evaluate its effect on milk production and reproduction.
The effect of different genetic lifts and gains on milk production on the long term benefits of using new breeding technologies in commercial dairy herds.
Authors: Yates C. M. , Chamberlain A. T. , Rehman T. , Neal H. , Frost B. J. 
Published: January 2018

There are now a range of new breeding technologies which are actually or potentially available for use in commercial dairy cows. In order to give a socioeconomic evaluation of these new technologies the effects of the achievable genetic lift and gain must be estimated and their effect upon milk production. This paper has evaluated these effects from both artificial insemination and embryo transfer based technologies.A simulation model was constructed to estimate the consequences of adopting either A.I. or embryo based technologies on milk production. The model simulated a 100 cow herd over a period of fifteen years, to allow the delayed benefits of using such technologies to reach maturity. The initial herd structure was calculated using a range of estimates of technology success rates (probability of successfully conceiving after one service) and culling rate (14%).
The effect of plane of nutrition on the response by Trypanotolerant cattle to infection with Trypanosomiasis
Authors: Romney D L , Njie A , Holmes P , Gill M 
Published: January 2018

Tse-Tse flies inhabit over 11 million km2 of Africa and are vectors of trypanosomes which cause trypanosomiasis in domestic livestock. The disease has a negative effect on productivity and is fatal in non tolerant breeds. The effect of nutrition on response to the disease was studied.Thirty two N'Dama heifers (initial mean liveweight 113 + 17.0) were offered ad libitum andropogon hay plus 10.2 g/kg LW groundnut hay (GNH) (L) or GNH and 3.9 g/kg LW groundnut cake (GNC) (H). After 4 weeks on diet, half of each group were inoculated intradermally with trypanosomes (T. Congolense) (LI and HI). Intake was measured daily and liveweights weekly, while thrice weekly blood samples were examined for parasitaemia and packed cell volume (PCV).
Response of breeding sows to long term dietary supplementation with folic acid
Authors: Lynch P.B. , Sheehy P.J.A. 
Published: January 2018

Dietary supplementation with folic acid has been shown to improve reproductive performance in sows (Lindemann 1993). However most studies have been for one cycle only and few have examined the effect of supplementation over several parities.One hundred and thirty four crossbred sows ranging in parity from 2 to 4 were selected at farrowing and randomly allocated to two dietary treatments of low and high supplemental folic acid (0 and 10 g per tonne, Roche Products Ltd.). Treatments were applied for the following three lactations and post weaning periods, two full pregnancies and to day 30 of the pregnancy following the third lactation. The diet fed contained barley, wheat, soyabean meal and meat and bone meal with nutrient levels of 14.0 MJ DE/kg and 1.02% lysine. Sows were individually penned throughout with restricted feeding in pregnancy (2.2 kg/day increasing to 2.5 kg/day in the final month), and ad libitum in lactation (approx 5.0 kg/day) and post weaning (approx 3.4 kg/day). Blood samples for determination of plasma and red cell folate were taken from 14 sows per treatment on days 4, 50 and 110 of one cycle. These were determined by a microbiological assay (modification of methods of Scott et al 1974 and Wilson and Home 1982).
Effect of Different Lysine:Energy Ratios in the Lactation Diet on Sow Performance
Authors: Shoniwa A.C. , English P.R. , Llopart D. , McPherson O. , Roden J.A. , Edwards S.A. , Davidson F.M. , Pownall K. 
Published: January 2018

Modern sows have been selected for increased mature body size and prolifacy while measured milk yields greatly exceed previously published levels. Optimum lysine to energy ratio in the lactation diet of such sows is likely to be influenced by lactation feed intake, lactation length as well as by body fatness at parturition. In a situation where high lactation feed intakes were achieved in a short lactation by high producing sows, a diet close to current commercial recommendations was compared to one with a lower lysine to energy ratio.The study was conducted in a large commercial herd with Large White (LW) x Landrace (LR) first cross sows which had been mated to either LR or LW boars. Two lactation diets were formulated, one being close to current recommendations for modern, high producing lactating sows (Diet A) while the other had a 19 percent lower ratio of lysine to digestible energy (Diet B). The diets were based mainly on cereals (barley and wheat), both extracted and full-fat rape seed meal, soya bean meal and biscuit meal. The calculated nutrient content of the diets is presented in Table 1. A total of 85 sows were involved in the study and sows allocated to the two diets were balanced for parity and farrowing date. Feed allowances were increased gradually from a low level at day 1 after parturition which made it possible for sows to achieve an intake of 12 kg daily at Day 14 after parturition provided that a sow had previously consumed all food offered. Feeding management was good, with water being added to provide wet feed. Average temperature at sow level was 23.2°C (overall range 19 to 27°C).