cometadata/datacite-rtg-text-other-reclassification-records huggingface dataset:
Enhancing Efficiency	and Connectivity:  A  Supply  Chain Analysis of the Dhaka Elevated Expressway in Bangladesh
Creators: name: Md. Ahmed Daiyan
name: Abdur Rahman Fahim
name: Zil Jawsan
name: Farhan Shahriar Fahim
name: Imrul Islam Saurov
Publisher: name: BIHRM Supply Chain
Year: 2023

description: "Once the project is implemented in 2026, trafficcongestion in the Abdullahpur-Ashulia-Bypail-Chandra corridor, which connects Dhaka city to 30 districts, will be greatly reduced," said Shahabuddin Khan,project director of the Dhaka Elevated Expressway Expansion Project (DAEEP).
 
With this ambitious infrastructure initiative, the Dhaka Elevated Expressway is set to revolutionize the transportation landscape of Bangladesh's capital city, addressing the mounting challenges posed by urban congestion. This research paper aims to provide a comprehensive supplychain analysis of the Dhaka Elevated Expressway, examining its potential to enhance efficiency, connectivity, and economic growthwithin the region.
The Role of Parents in Introducing Children to Financial Services: Evidence from Ghana-YouthSave
Creators: name: Wu, Shiyou
name: Chowa, Gina
name: Despard, Mathieu R.
Publisher: name: Springer Nature
Year: 2017

description: Financial capability—financial k nowledge,
skills, and access to financial services—may help smooth
transitions to adulthood for youth and is affected by socialization
experiences with parents and other family members.
Among a sample of youth and their parents enrolled in the
YouthSave experiment in Ghana (n = 4,065), this study
examined whether physical access to financial services and/
or visiting banks with parents or other family members
was associated with youth’s perceptions and understanding
of financial institutions. We found a statistically significant
association between visiting the bank with a parent
or other family member and youth’s attitudes (β = 1.45,
p < 0.001) and understanding of financial services (β = 2.96,
p < 0.001), controlling for other factors like household
income and assets. Conversely, physical access (distance,
travel time) was not associated with financial services attitudes
or understanding. Parents may play an important role
in introducing their children to financial s ervices. P ractitioners
and policy makers should consider ways to include
parents in efforts to promote fi nancial capability among
youth.
Prevalence and Predictors of Food Insecurity among People Living with HIV Enrolled in Antiretroviral Therapy and Livelihood Programs in Two Rural Zambian Hospitals
Creators: name: Nyirenda, Victor
name: Masa, Rainier
name: Chowa, Gina
Publisher: name: Taylor & Francis
Year: 2017

description: The objective of this study was to examine the prevalence and predictors of food insecurity among people living with HIV (PLHIV) in two rural communities in Zambia. A cross-sectional sample of 101 PLHIV was surveyed using the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale. In multivariable linear regression models, income, household possessions, and perceived coping strategies were significantly associated with decreased food insecurity. Debt and perceived mental distress were significantly associated with increased food insecurity. Programs that tackle economic disadvantage and its adverse effect on stress may be an appropriate strategy to improve food security of PLHIV in low-resource communities.
Welfare analysis of economic agents in distribution before and after FTA; imported grape, orange
Creators: name: Park, Hanul
name: Park, Hanul
Publisher: name: Unknown
Year: 2014
Subjects: subject: International Relations/Trade
subject: effect of tariff reduction
subject: Equilibrium Displacement Model (EDM)
subject: social welfare analysis

description: This study examined and compared the effect of tariff reduction under Free Trade Agreements(FTAs) on the surplus of producers, consumers, and distributors, and on the change in price and marketing margin in a distribution channel, using an Equilibrium Displacement Model(EDM). As a result, consumer’s surplus is increased in imported grape and orange markets when the surplus is measured on a total volume basis, but consumer’s surplus is decreased in the imported grape market when the surplus is measured on a per unit basis. Also, an increase in marketing margins lead to increase price at retail level, although the import price is decreased by tariff reduction under FTA, which implies that tariff reduction or elimination does not leads to decrease price at retail level due to an increase in marketing margins. This suggests that most economic benefits from tariff reduction associated with imported agricultural products concentrated to marketing margins, and that establishing an efficient distribution system will be necessary in order to equally distribute the benefits of tariff reduction over various economic agents in a society.
Shortcut to Adiabatic Passage in a Waveguide Coupler with Allen-Eberly scheme
Creators: name: Paul, Koushik
name: Sarma, Amarendra K.
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2015
Subjects: subject: Quantum Physics (quant-ph)
subject: Atomic Physics (physics.atom-ph)
subject: Optics (physics.optics)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: We propose a directional coupler exploiting the framework of adiabatic passage for two level atomic systems with configuration dependent Allen-Eberly scheme. Recently developed shortcut to adiabatic passage method (STA), which uses transitionless quantum driving algorithm, is applied to the coupler. The study shows that it is possible to reduce the device length significantly using STA, keeping the efficiency of power transfer100%.Shortcut approach shows much superiority in terms of robustness and fidelity in power switching compared to the adiabatic one.
CORPORATE PERFORMANCE AND ENVIRONMENTAL ACCOUNTING DISCLOSURE OF LISTED OIL AND GAS FIRMS SOUTHEAST NIGERIA
Creators: name: Nwachukwu, Basilia Chiamaka (Ph.D)
name: Ugwueze, Catherine Amaka (Ph.D)
Publisher: name: SADI Journals
Year: 2023
Subjects: Accounting
Corporate
Disclosure
Environmental
Performance

description: The study evaluated corporate performance and environmental accounting disclosure of listed Oil and Gas firms in southeast Nigeria. The specific objectives of the study are to; ascertain the relationship between return on asset and waste management cost and determined the relationship between profit for the year and waste management cost of listed Oil and Gas firms. An adopted ex-post facto research design was adopted for the study. A secondary source of data was employed. Data was obtained from annual reports and accounts of oil and gas firms in southeast, Nigeria. The data was analyzed using the panel data regression technique. The result revealed that Return on the asset has a positive and significant relationship with the environmental accounting disclosure of listed Oil and Gas firms in Nigeria (r-value 0.6489). While Profit for the year has a positive and significant relationship with the waste management cost of listed Oil and Gas firms in Nigeria (r-value 0.7576). The study concludes that there is a positive and significant relationship between corporate performance and environmental accounting disclosure of listed Oil and Gas firms in Nigeria. We recommended that Government should make Environmental Reporting in annual reports compulsory since most organizations hardly report their environmental activities in their report.
Barriers and facilitators of antiretroviral therapy adherence in rural Eastern province, Zambia: the role of household economic status
Creators: name: Masa, Rainier
name: Chowa, Gina
name: Nyirenda, Victor
Publisher: name: National Inquiry Services Center (NISC)
Year: 2017

description: In Zambia, more people living with HIV now have access to lifesaving antiretroviral therapy than ever before. However, progress in HIV treatment and care has not always resulted in lower mortality. Adherence remains a critical barrier to treatment success. The objective of this study was to examine the barriers and facilitators of antiretroviral therapy adherence, particularly the role of household economic status. The study included a cross-sectional sample of 101 people living with HIV (PLHIV) in two rural communities in eastern Zambia. Adherence was measured using patient self-assessment and pharmacy information. Household economic status included components such as occupation, income, assets, food security, and debt. Multivariable logistic regression was conducted to examine the associations between household economic factors and adherence. Our findings suggest that the role of economic status on adherence appears to be a function of the economic component. Debt and non-farming-related occupation were consistently associated with non-adherence. The association between assets and adherence depends on the type of asset. Owning more transportation-related assets was consistently associated with non-adherence, whereas owning more livestock was associated with self-reported adherence. Additionally, living in a community with fewer economic opportunities was associated with non-adherence. The associations between place of residence and pharmacy refill adherence and between transportation assets and self-reported adherence were statistically significant. Improving adherence requires a multifaceted strategy that addresses the role of economic status as a potential barrier and facilitator. Programmes that provide economic opportunities and life-skills training may help PLHIV to overcome economic, social, and psychological barriers.
Gabor orthonormal bases generated by the unit cubes
Creators: name: Gabardo, Jean-Pierre
name: Lai, Chun-Kit
name: Wang, Yang
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2014
Subjects: subject: Functional Analysis (math.FA)
subject: FOS: Mathematics

description: We consider the problem in determining the countable sets $Λ$ in the time-frequency plane such that the Gabor system generated by the time-frequency shifts of the window $χ_{[0,1]^d}$ associated with $Λ$ forms a Gabor orthonormal basis for $ L^2({\Bbb R}^d)$. We show that, if this is the case, the translates by elements $Λ$ of the unit cube in ${\Bbb R}^{2d}$ must tile the time-frequency space ${\Bbb R}^{2d}$. By studying the possible structure of such tiling sets, we completely classify all such admissible sets $Λ$ of time-frequency shifts when $d=1,2$. Moreover, an inductive procedure for constructing such sets $Λ$ in dimension $d\ge 3$ is also given. An interesting and surprising consequence of our results is the existence, for $d\geq 2$, of discrete sets $Λ$ with ${\mathcal G}(χ_{[0,1]^d},Λ)$ forming a Gabor orthonormal basis but with the associated "time"-translates of the window $χ_{[0,1]^d}$ having significant overlaps.
An Analysis on the Agricultural FTA Rules of Origin of Korea and other Major Countries
Creators: name: Chong, Hairyon
name: Chong, Hairyon
Publisher: name: Unknown
Year: 2014
Subjects: subject: International Relations/Trade
subject: Rules of Origin
subject: Restrictiveness Index, Tariff
subject: Concession Index

description: This paper analyses agricultural rules of origin in Korea's seven FTAs and other eight FTAs of the United States, Japan, China and Europe, seeking several policy implications for the future FTA negotiations and agricultural development. The results of analysis are as follows: (i) the agricultural product-specific rules of origin of Korea's FTAs are more restrictive than those of other countries' FTAs; (ii) the restrictiveness index of basic agricultural products is higher than that of the processed agricultural products; (iii) according to the analysis of the relationship between the restrictiveness index and trade values, the higher the restrictiveness index is, the larger the values of import and export are, with some exceptions; (iv) an analysis of the relative degree of liberalization based on both tariff concession and product-specific rules of origin shows that the Korea-Singapore FTA, Japan-Mexico FTA, EU-Chile FTA are relatively less liberalized, while the China-Chile FTA, China-New Zealand FTA, Korea-ASEAN FTA, US-Australia FTA are relatively more liberalized.
Managing Price Fluctuations in Agricultural Commodities Supply Chain: Challenges and Strategies for Super Shops
Creators: name: MD Abdul Kader Jilane
name: Siyam, Shiam Ibn Shoharab
name: Mushfikur Rahman
name: Khandaker Nazmul Islam Badhon
Publisher: name: BIHRM Supply Chain
Year: 2023

description: Price fluctuations in the agricultural commodities supply chain pose significant challenges to super shops, impacting their profitability and operational efficiency. This research investigates the complexities surrounding the management of price volatility in the context of super shops. The study delves into the factors contributing to price fluctuations, explores the unique challenges that super shops face in this regard, and presents strategies that can be adopted to mitigate these challenges. Through a comprehensive review of literature, case studies, and real-world examples, this research highlights the significance of effective supply chain management to address price volatility. The findings offer insights into diverse strategies including inventory management techniques, supplier negotiation approaches, demand forecasting methods, and collaborative partnerships that can empower super shops to navigate the intricate landscape of price fluctuations in agricultural commodities supply chains
Brachiaria species identification using imaging techniques based on fractal descriptors
Creators: name: Florindo, João Batista
name: da Silva, Núbia Rosa
name: Romualdo, Liliane Maria
name: da Silva, Fernanda de Fátima
name: Luz, Pedro Henrique de Cerqueira
name: Herling, Valdo Rodrigues
name: Bruno, Odemir Martinez
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2014
Subjects: subject: Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition (cs.CV)
subject: FOS: Computer and information sciences

description: The use of a rapid and accurate method in diagnosis and classification of species and/or cultivars of forage has practical relevance, scientific and trade in various areas of study. Thus, leaf samples of fodder plant species \textit{Brachiaria} were previously identified, collected and scanned to be treated by means of artificial vision to make the database and be used in subsequent classifications. Forage crops used were: \textit{Brachiaria decumbens} cv. IPEAN; \textit{Brachiaria ruziziensis} Germain \& Evrard; \textit{Brachiaria Brizantha} (Hochst. ex. A. Rich.) Stapf; \textit{Brachiaria arrecta} (Hack.) Stent. and \textit{Brachiaria spp}. The images were analyzed by the fractal descriptors method, where a set of measures are obtained from the values of the fractal dimension at different scales. Therefore such values are used as inputs for a state-of-the-art classifier, the Support Vector Machine, which finally discriminates the images according to the respective species.
description: 7 pages, 5 figures
supporting Information from Solving post-prandial reduction in performance by adaptive regurgitation in a freshwater fish
Creators: name: Zhao, Jian
name: Yanci Wen
name: Songming Zhu
name: Jinyun Ye
name: Junjie Zhu
name: Zhangying Ye
name: Jordan, Alex
Publisher: name: The Royal Society
Year: 2020
Subjects: subject: 110601 Biomechanics
subject: FOS: Health sciences
subject: 60801 Animal Behaviour
subject: FOS: Biological sciences

description: Foraging animals must balance benefits of food acquisition with costs induced by a post-prandial reduction in performance. Eating to satiation can lead to a reduction in locomotor and escape performance, which increases risk should a threat subsequently arises, but limiting feeding behaviour may be maladaptive if food intake is unnecessarily reduced in the prediction of threats that do not arise. The efficacy of the trade-off between continued and interrupted feeding therefore relies on information about the future risk, which is imperfect. Here, we find that black carp (Mylopharyngodon piceus) can balance this trade-off using an a posteriori strategy; by eating to satiation but regurgitating already ingested food when a threat arises. While degrees of satiation (DS) equal to or greater than 60% reduce elements of escape performance (turning angle, angular velocity, distance moved, linear velocity), at 40% DS or lower performance in these tasks approaches levels comparable to that at 0% satiation. After experiencing a chasing event, we find that fish are able to regurgitate already ingested food, thereby changing the amount of food in their gastrointestinal tract to consistent levels that maintain high escape performance. Remarkably, regurgitation results in degrees of satiation between 40 and 60% DS, regardless of whether they had previously fed to 40, 60 or 100% DS. Using this response, fish are able to maximize food intake, but regurgitate extra food to maintain escape performance when they encounter a threat. This novel strategy may be effective for continual grazers and species with imperfect information about the level of threat in their environment.
Pion production in p+p interactions and Be+Be collisions at the CERN SPS energies
Creators: name: Aduszkiewicz, Antoni
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2015
Subjects: subject: Nuclear Experiment (nucl-ex)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: Evidence for the onset of deconfinement in central Pb+Pb collisions was reported by NA49 in fixed target measurements at beam momentum 30A GeV/c. This observation motivated the NA61/SHINE program started in 2009 at the CERN SPS, which, in particular, aims to study properties of the onset of deconfinement by measurements of hadron production in proton-proton, proton-nucleus and nucleus-nucleus collisions. This contribution presents spectra of charged pions produced in p+p interactions and $^7$Be+$^9$Be collisions at 20A-158A GeV/c beam momentum. The NA61/SHINE results are compared with the corresponding NA49 data from central Pb+Pb collisions at the same beam momenta per nucleon.
Random forest analyses from Genotype and sex-based host variation in behaviour and susceptibility drives population disease dynamics
Creators: name: White, Lauren A.
name: Siva-Jothy, Jonathon A.
name: Meggan E. Craft
name: Vale, Pedro F.
Publisher: name: The Royal Society
Year: 2020
Subjects: subject: Ecology
subject: FOS: Biological sciences
subject: Health Care
subject: Diseases
subject: 111706 Epidemiology
subject: FOS: Health sciences

description: Fig S1-S4
Wealth Effects of an Asset-Building Intervention Among Rural Households in Sub-Saharan Africa
Creators: name: Sherraden, Michael
name: Masa, Rainier
name: Chowa, Gina
Publisher: name: University of Chicago Press
Year: 2012

description: Asset development is a key strategy to promote economic and social development in Sub-Saharan Africa. Research has found associations between asset ownership and household well-being. However, to date there has been little rigorous research on impacts of asset-building interventions for families in Sub-Saharan Africa. Data were obtained from AssetsAfrica, a demonstration and research initiative designed to test asset-building innovations in Masindi, Uganda. The study sample consists of 393 individuals assigned to the intervention group (n = 203) or the comparison group (n =190). The intervention is a structured, matched-savings account offered to the intervention group for a 3-year period. In addition, the program participants were offered financial education and asset-management training. Participants who successfully reach their savings goals receive matched funds at a 1:1 ratio. Propensity score optimal matching and matching estimators are used to investigate the impact of the intervention on financial and productive assets. Results indicate a positive effect of the intervention on family financial assets; that is, individuals who receive the asset-building intervention have almost $39 more in financial assets than those in the comparison group. Further, the matching estimators indicate a statistically significant larger treatment effect on the treated group. However, the impact of the intervention on ownership of productive assets is less conclusive. Overall, results of this study show that asset-building interventions have potential utility as a policy solution for improving the economic well-being of poor households in Sub-Saharan Africa.
EFFECT OF PROTECTIONIST POLICIES ON ECONOMY DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA
Creators: name: Ibukun, Balogun David
name: . Okechukwu, Prof E. U.
Publisher: name: SADI Journals
Year: 2023
Subjects: Development
Economy
Effect
Policies
Protectionist

description: The study was carried out to determine the effect of protectionist policies on economic development, in Nigeria the specific objectives are to: Examine the existence of a long run relationship between trade openness and economic development in Nigeria, Evaluate the effect of trade openness on economic development in Nigeria and evaluate the effect of import tariffs and exchange rate on economic development in Nigeria. This study employs the Classical Linear Regression Model to investigate the effect of protectionist policies on economic development in Nigeria. The Classical linear regression model is useful when the relationship that exists between variables is linear. The results of the ordinary least squares indicate that protectionist policies have a mixture of significant and insignificant effects on gross domestic product. The protectionist variables used in the study include import tariffs, exchange rates, and trade openness. The study recommended among others that there should be a deliberate effort on the part of the government to make policies that will favour the exportation of products. This is because doing such means a high trade openness, and will have a positive effect on the economic development of the country, with the market for local goods being expanded, and the pool of natural resources and human resources widened.
Toward a Children's Savings and College-Bound Identity Intervention for Raising College Attendance Rates: A Multilevel Propensity Score Analysis
Creators: name: Loke, Vernon
name: Elliott, William
name: Chowa, Gina
Publisher: name: Scientific Research Publishing
Year: 2011

description: It has been suggested that children's savings programs will be more effective if they are combined with strategies to build children's college-bound identities. In this study we use a multi-level treatment approach to propensity score analysis to test this proposition. Findings suggest that children who have savings and are certain they will graduate from a four-year college are more likely to attend college than their counterparts. Given this, we suggest that children's savings policies designed to increase college attendance rates will be more effective if they include strategies for building children's college-bound identity and college-bound identity programs will be more effective if they are linked to children's savings programs.
One Right-handed Neutrino to Generate Complete Neutrino Mass Spectrum in the Framework of NMSSM
Creators: name: Tang, Yi-Lei
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2014
Subjects: subject: High Energy Physics - Phenomenology (hep-ph)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: The see-saw mechanism is usually applied to explain the lightness of neutrinos. The traditional see-saw mechanism introduces at least two right-handed neutrinos for the realistic neutrino spectrum. In the case of supersymmetry, loop corrections can also contribute to neutrino masses, which lead to the possibility to generate the neutrino spectrum by introducing just one right-handed neutrino. To be realistic, MSSM suffers from the mu problem and other phenomenological difficulties, so we extend NMSSM (the MSSM with a singlet S) by introducing one single right-handed neutrino superfield (N) and relevant phenomenology is discussed
description: 20 pages, 7 figures
Effects of Maternal Labor Force Participation on Childhood Obesity
Creators: name: Kim, Taeyang
name: Kim, Taeyang
Publisher: name: Unknown
Year: 2014
Subjects: subject: Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety
subject: selection bias
subject: propensity score matching
subject: coarsened exact matching

description: Childhood obesity has recently become a more global issue. However, there are not many studies to analyze the effects of maternal factors on childhood obesity. The objective of this study is to analyze the effects of mother’s labor force participation on children’s obesity using the 5th KNHNES (Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey) conducted in 2010 and 2011. Since a child’s physical change is greater than an adult’s, this study used the BMI z-score, which is standardized according to a child’s age and gender. In order to reduce the problems of selection bias, both PSM (propensity score matching) and CEM (coarsened exact matching) are used to analyze the effect of maternal factors on children’s obesity. Our result shows that mother’s labor force participation is positively related to children’s obesity. Implications of this result for public health policy are discussed.
Correspondence between phase oscillator network and classical XY model with the same infinite-range interaction in statics
Creators: name: Uezu, T.
name: Kimoto, T.
name: Kiyokawa, S.
name: Okada, M.
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2014
Subjects: subject: Statistical Mechanics (cond-mat.stat-mech)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: We study the phase oscillator networks with distributed natural frequencies and classical XY models both of which have a class of infinite-range interactions in common. We find that the integral kernel of the self-consistent equations (SCEs) for oscillator networks correspond to that of the saddle point equations (SPEs) for XY models, and that the quenched randomness (distributed natural frequencies) corresponds to thermal noise. We find a sufficient condition that the probability density of natural frequency distributions is one-humped in order that the kernel in the oscillator network is strictly decreasing as that in the XY model. Furthermore, taking the uniform and Mexican-hat type interactions, we prove the one to one correspondence between the solutions of the SCEs and SPEs. As an application of the correspondence, we study the associative memory type interaction. In the XY model with this interaction, there exists a peculiar one-parameter family of solutions. For the oscillator network, we find a non-trivial solution, i.e., a limit cycle oscillation.
description: 13 pages, 2 figures
Fractal descriptors based on the probability dimension: a texture analysis and classification approach
Creators: name: Florindo, João Batista
name: Bruno, Odemir Martinez
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2014
Subjects: subject: Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition (cs.CV)
subject: FOS: Computer and information sciences

description: In this work, we propose a novel technique for obtaining descriptors of gray-level texture images. The descriptors are provided by applying a multiscale transform to the fractal dimension of the image estimated through the probability (Voss) method. The effectiveness of the descriptors is verified in a classification task using benchmark over texture datasets. The results obtained demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed method as a tool for the description and discrimination of texture images.
description: 7 pages, 6 figures. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1205.2821
Slow sound in lined flow ducts
Creators: name: Auregan, Yves
name: Pagneux, Vincent
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2015
Subjects: subject: Classical Physics (physics.class-ph)
subject: Fluid Dynamics (physics.flu-dyn)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: We consider the acoustic propagation in lined flow duct with a purely reactive impedance at the wall. This reacting liner has the capability to reduce the speed of sound, and thus to enhance the interaction between the acoustic propagation and the low Mach number flow ($M\simeq0.3$). At the lower frequencies, there are typically 4 acoustic or hydrodynamic propagating modes, with 3 of them propagating in the direction of the flow. Above a critical frequency, there are only 2 propagating modes that all propagate in the direction of the flow. From the exact 2D formulation an approximate 1D model is developed to study the scattering of acoustic waves in a straight duct with varying wall impedance. This simple system, with a uniform flow and with a non-uniform liner impedance at the wall, permits to study the scattering between regions with different waves characteristics. Several situations are characterized to show the importance of negative energy waves, strong interactions between acoustic and hydrodynamic modes or asymmetric scattering.
Social Workers' Interest in Building Individuals' Financial Capabilities
Creators: name: Despard, Mathieu R
name: Chowa, Gina
Publisher: name: New Prairie Press
Year: 2010

description: Social workers have many opportunities to integrate a focus on personal finance into their
practice with mostly lower-income and vulnerable client populations. However, little is known
about social workers’ interest in personal finance. Results of a survey of social workers (N =
56) interested in integrating personal finance content into their practice are reported in this
paper. Ways in which social workers might further develop knowledge and skills in personal
finance are discussed. Professional perspectives that social workers may lend to inform
financial education and counseling and the emerging field of financial therapy are also
explored. Social workers can offer an understanding of the environmental risks that affect the
financial health of low-income individuals and families and resources that can help build
financial capability.
Powder Diffraction Data and Mesomorphic Properties for 4-Butyloxyphenyl 4'-Decyloxybenzoate
Creators: name: Cvetinov, M.
name: Stojanović, M.
name: Obadović, D.
name: Rakić, S.
name: Vajda, A.
name: Fodor-Csorba, K.
name: Éber, N.
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2014
Subjects: subject: Materials Science (cond-mat.mtrl-sci)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: Unit cell parameters obtained from X-ray powder diffraction data are presented for the crystalline phase of a liquid crystal 4-butyloxyphenyl 4'-decyloxybenzoate: a = 23.098 (4) Å, b = 5.974 (6) Å, c = 12.357 (10) Å, \b{eta} = 121.53 (8)°, unit-cell volume V = 1453.56 Å3. Temperature dependent X-ray diffraction data confirmed the existence of smectic A and smectic C mesophases and a more ordered, tilted crystalline smectic phase. Possibility of existence of previously reported smectic B phase as well as another crystalline phase was refuted.
Animal Disease and Hog Price Impacts: An Event Study of the Foot-and-Mouth Disease Outbreaks in Korea
Creators: name: Kim, Jeonghyun
name: Kim, Jeonghyun
Publisher: name: Unknown
Year: 2014
Subjects: subject: Demand and Price Analysis
subject: Health Economics and Policy
subject: price deviation
subject: foot-and-mouth disease
subject: hog price

description: This paper considers the hog price impacts of the foot-and-mouth disease outbreaks occurred in 2010. The recent movement of the domestic hog price revealed abnormal price deviations considering the movement of the international hog price and the trend in income. An empirical assessment of abnormal price deviations in the domestic hog price is provided using the event study. The study shows that the domestic hog price was formed far below the equilibrium level based on the long-run relationship between the domestic and international hog prices. The abnormal price deviations were found significant and persistent after the outbreaks of the foot-and-mouth disease.
Interacting Holographic Extended Chaplygin Gas and Phantom Cosmology in the Light of BICEP2
Creators: name: Sadeghi, J.
name: Farahani, H.
name: Pourhassan, B.
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2014
Subjects: subject: General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology (gr-qc)
subject: High Energy Physics - Theory (hep-th)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: In this paper, we study the holographic dark energy density and interacting extended Chaplygin gas energy density in the Einstein gravity. We reconstruct the scalar field and the scalar potential describing the extended Chaplygin gas. In the special case, we obtain energy density and investigate some cosmological parameters. Assuming interaction between components we find energy density for some different parametrization of total EoS. We analyze tensor to scalar ratio and use recent observational data of BICEP2 to fix the model parameters.
description: 15 pages, 3 figures, References added in version 2
Integrating HIV and mental health interventions to address a global syndemic among men who have sex with men
Creators: name: Sanders, Eduard
name: Masa, Rainier D.
name: Sun, Shufang
name: Shangani, Sylvia
name: van der Elst, Elise
name: Bermudez, Amiel Nazer
name: Operario, Don
Publisher: name: Elsevier
Year: 2022

description: In this Series paper, we review evidence on the co-occurring and synergistic epidemics (syndemic) of HIV and mental health problems worldwide among men who have sex with men (MSM). The multilevel determinants of this global syndemic include structural factors that enable stigma, systematic bias, and violence towards MSM across geographical and cultural contexts. Cumulative exposure to these factors over time results in population-level inequities in the burden of HIV infections and mental health problems among MSM. Evidence for this syndemic among MSM is strongest in the USA, Canada, western Europe, and parts of Asia and Latin America, with emerging evidence from sub-Saharan Africa. Integrated interventions are needed to address syndemics of HIV and mental health problems that challenge the wellbeing of MSM populations worldwide, and such interventions should consider various mental health conditions (eg, depression, anxiety, trauma, and suicidality) and their unique expressions and relationships with HIV outcomes depending on cultural contexts. In addition, interventions should identify and intervene with locally relevant structural factors that result in HIV and mental health vulnerabilities among MSM.
Gabor wavelets combined with volumetric fractal dimension applied to texture analysis
Creators: name: Z., Álvaro Gomez
name: Florindo, João B.
name: Bruno, Odemir M.
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2014
Subjects: subject: Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition (cs.CV)
subject: FOS: Computer and information sciences

description: Texture analysis and classification remain as one of the biggest challenges for the field of computer vision and pattern recognition. On this matter, Gabor wavelets has proven to be a useful technique to characterize distinctive texture patterns. However, most of the approaches used to extract descriptors of the Gabor magnitude space usually fail in representing adequately the richness of detail present into a unique feature vector. In this paper, we propose a new method to enhance the Gabor wavelets process extracting a fractal signature of the magnitude spaces. Each signature is reduced using a canonical analysis function and concatenated to form the final feature vector. Experiments were conducted on several texture image databases to prove the power and effectiveness of the proposed method. Results obtained shown that this method outperforms other early proposed method, creating a more reliable technique for texture feature extraction.
description: 11 pages, 2 figures
The Association of Perceived, Internalized, and Enacted HIV Stigma With Medication Adherence, Barriers to Adherence, and Mental Health Among Young People Living With HIV in Zambia
Creators: name: Zimba, Mathias
name: Zulu, Graham
name: Masa, Rainier D.
name: Tamta, Mohit
name: Zimba, Gilbert
Publisher: name: American Psychological Association (APA)
Year: 2022

description: Few studies have examined the independent effects of different manifestations of HIV stigma experiences on health outcomes among youth living with HIV in low- and middle-income countries. We examined the association of internalized, enacted, and perceived HIV stigmas with medication adherence, self-esteem, depression, and barriers to adherence. Young people living with HIV aged 18-21 years (N = 120) were purposively sampled from two health facilities in Eastern Province, Zambia, and completed self-report measures. Results indicated heterogeneous associations. Internalized HIV stigma was positively associated with depression and negatively associated with adherence, adherence motivation, behavioral adherence skills, and self-esteem. Perceived stigma was negatively associated with self-esteem. No significant association was observed between enacted stigma and health outcomes. The complexity of HIV stigma requires a precise explication of the associations among different HIV stigma experiences and outcomes, which can inform the development of stigma reduction interventions targeting one or more stigma experiences.
Outcomes of model simulations for all combinations of parameter values from Genotype and sex-based host variation in behaviour and susceptibility drives population disease dynamics
Creators: name: White, Lauren A.
name: Siva-Jothy, Jonathon A.
name: Meggan E. Craft
name: Vale, Pedro F.
Publisher: name: The Royal Society
Year: 2020
Subjects: subject: Ecology
subject: FOS: Biological sciences
subject: Health Care
subject: Diseases
subject: 111706 Epidemiology
subject: FOS: Health sciences

description: Figs S5-S17
Supplementary methods and results from Born to be young? Prenatal thyroid hormones increase early-life telomere length in wild collared flycatchers
Creators: name: Stier, Antoine
name: Hsu, Bin-Yan
name: Marciau, Coline
name: Doligez, Blandine
name: Gustafsson, Lars
name: Bize, Pierre
name: Ruuskanen, Suvi
Publisher: name: The Royal Society
Year: 2020
Subjects: subject: Ecology
subject: FOS: Biological sciences
subject: Developmental Biology

description: ESM1: Egg injection procedure, ESM2: Laboratory analyses, ESM3: Supplementary Table S1
High Spatial Analysis on the Effects of Climate Change on Cereal Yield in Greece
Creators: name: Gkiza, Ioanna
name: Nastis, Stefanos
name: Gkiza, Ioanna
name: Nastis, Stefanos
Publisher: name: Unknown
Year: 2018
Subjects: subject: Environmental Economics and Policy
subject: Research Methods/ Statistical Methods
subject: spatial analysis
subject: cereal yield
subject: climate change

description: The aim of this study is to analyze the spatial dimension of economic impacts on cereal yields due to climate change by analyzing data on rainfall as well as soil and geophysical data. We evaluate the effects of climate change on cereal yields using time series data from 1984 to 2014 and future climate A2 emission scenario. The results showed that crop yield is clearly influenced by spatial geophysical, soil and climate variables. Finally, adaptation and mitigation measures that must be taken in order to tackle climate change are discussed.
An Analysis of Consumers' Preferences for Quality-Graded Beef Products
Creators: name: Kim, Sungyong
name: Kim, Sungyong
Publisher: name: Unknown
Year: 2014
Subjects: subject: Livestock Production/Industries
subject: beef grading
subject: vertical product differentiation
subject: consumers survey on food consumption behavior

description: This paper analyzes consumer preferences for quality-graded beef products within a vertical product differentiation framework. Based on a theoretical discussion of consumers demand for vertically differentiated products, we suggest an ordered probit model with sample selection as an empirical demand function for quality-graded beef products. We employ cross-sectional data sets obtained from the 2013 Consumers Survey on Food Consumption Behavior conducted by the Korea Rural Economic Institute and examine factors affecting consumers choice of the grade on purchasing beef products. The empirical results show that i) about half of sample consumers refer to various label information other than grade in order to choose beef products which match their preference, ii) those consumers who are younger and have higher income level are more likely to choose higher graded beef products, and iii) the on-going beef grading systems have not thoroughly solved out the asymmetry problem of quality information between producers and consumers because their evaluation schemes do not appropriately reflect consumers' preference for quality attributes of beef products.
Prevalence and contributing factors to recurrent binge eating and obesity among black adults with food insufficiency: findings from a cross-sectional study from a nationally-representative sample
Creators: name: Bulik, Cynthia M.
name: Masa, Rainier D.
name: Watson, Hunna J.
name: Goode, Rachel W.
Publisher: name: Springer Nature
Year: 2021

description: Background: Living in a food-insecure or food insufficient household may increase risk for binge eating and obesity.
Because racial disparities in food access, obesity, and access to treatment for disordered eating exist, it is important to
examine these relationships in Black populations.
Methods: We conducted a secondary analysis of data from the National Survey of American Life (N = 4553), a nationally-
representative sample of Black Americans, including African Americans and Afro-Caribbeans. Logistic regression
was used to explore the association of food insufficiency with obesity and binge eating.
Results: In the total sample of Black Americans, the prevalence of food insufficiency was 10.9% (95% CI 10.0–11.8%).
Food insufficiency was not significantly associated with obesity in Black Americans, but when associations were
explored in analyses stratified by ethnicity and sex, food insufficiency significantly predicted an increased odds of
obesity in Afro-Caribbeans (odds ratio [OR] = 1.47, 95% CI 1.01, 2.13). Individuals experiencing food insufficiency were
more likely to report recurrent binge eating in the last 12 months (3% v 2%, P = 0.02) and a lifetime history of binge
eating (6% v 3%, P = 0.004) compared to those who were food sufficient. After adjusting for socio-demographic factors,
food insufficiency was not significantly associated with recurrent binge eating in Black Americans or in sex- and
ethnicity-stratified analyses.
Conclusion: The present study reveals a more complex relation between food insufficiency and binge eating than
previously thought—although an association existed, it was attenuated by an array of sociodemographic factors.
Our results also underscore the importance of considering ethnicity as different patterns emerged between African
American and Afro-Caribbean participants
Magnetic field at the center of a vortex: a new criterion for the classification of the superconductors
Creators: name: Wang, Jun-Ping
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2015
Subjects: subject: Superconductivity (cond-mat.supr-con)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: Magnetic response of a superconductor depends on the thermodynamic stability of vortex in the material. Here we show that the vortex stability has a close relation with the ratio of the magnetic field at the vortex core center to the thermodynamic critical field. This finding provides a new criterion for the classification of the superconductors according to their magnetic responses.
description: 3 pages, 2 figures
Twist decomposition of proton structure from BFKL and BK amplitudes
Creators: name: Motyka, Leszek
name: Sadzikowski, Mariusz
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2014
Subjects: subject: High Energy Physics - Phenomenology (hep-ph)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: An analysis of twist composition of Balitsky-Kovchegov (BK) amplitude is performed in the double logarithmic limit. In this limit the BK evolution of color dipole -- proton scattering is equivalent to BFKL evolution which follows from vanishing of the Bartels vertex in the collinear limit. We perform twist decomposition of the BFKL/BK amplitude for proton structure functions and find compact analytic expressions that provide accurate approximations for higher twist amplitudes. The BFKL/BK higher twist amplitudes are much smaller than those following from eikonal saturation models.
description: 10 pages, 5 figures
Conducting Measurement Invariance Tests with Ordinal Data: A Guide for Social Work Researchers
Creators: name: Bowen, Natasha K.
name: Masa, Rainier D.
Publisher: name: University of Chicago Press
Year: 2015

description: Objective: The validity of measures across groups is a major concern for social work researchers and practitioners. Many social workers use scales, or sets of questionnaire items, with ordinal response options. However, a review of social work literature indicates the appropriate treatment of ordinal data in measurement invariance tests is rare; only 3 of 57 articles published in 26 social work journals over the past 12 years used proper testing procedures. This article synthesizes information from the literature and provides recommendations for appropriate measurement invariance procedures with ordinal data. Method: We use data from the Cebu Longitudinal Health and Nutrition Survey to demonstrate applications of invariance testing with ordinal data. Using a robust weighted least squares estimator and polychoric correlation matrix, we examine invariance of a 10-item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) across 2 young adult groups defined by health status. We describe 2 competing approaches: a 4-step approach, in which factor loadings and thresholds are tested and constrained separately; and a 3-step approach, in which loadings and thresholds are tested and constrained in tandem. Results: Both approaches lead to the same conclusion that the 2 dimensions of the PSS are noninvariant across health status. In the absence of invariance, mean scores on the PSS factors cannot be validly compared across groups, nor should latent variables be used in the hypothesis testing across the 2 groups. Readers are directed to online resources. Conclusions: Careful examination of social work scales is likely to reveal fit or noninvariance problems across some groups. Use of appropriate methods for invariance testing will reduce misuse of measures in practice and improve the rigor and quality of social work publications.
HIV risk among young Ghanaians in high school: validation of a multidimensional attitude towards condom use scale
Creators: name: Chowa, Gina A.
name: Masa, Rainier D.
Publisher: name: Taylor & Francis
Year: 2014

description: Condom use remains low among sexually active youth in sub-Saharan Africa. Theoretical and empirical evidence suggests that attitudes towards condom use are important predictors of actual condom use. However, few attempts have been made to systematically develop a valid scale that measures attitudes towards condom use among youth, particularly high school students in sub-Saharan Africa. Using the health belief model, we developed an instrument that measures such attitudes. We analysed survey data collected from 6252 Ghanaian junior high school students. We assessed construct validity using confirmatory factor analysis. Results indicate that attitudes towards condom use among young Ghanaians are best represented by a multidimensional construct. Young Ghanaians differentiate constructs related to perception of benefits and barriers to condom use, as well as perception of severity and susceptibility to HIV. This instrument offers a valid tool for assessing high school students' attitudes towards condom use and their HIV risk.