Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
PERCEIVED VALUE , CUSTOMERS ’ SATISFACTION AND BEHAVIOURAL INTENTIONS TOWARDS MAMAK RESTAURANTS IN PENANG

Penang is well known for her various ethnic foods and one of the popular ones being the mamak dishes served in many mamak restaurants located everwhere in Penang. However, due to the increase in operational costs, namely food, overhead and labor, mamak restaurant operators are facing increasing challenges in maintaining what they are known for: the ability to provide decent food at affordable prices and provision of efficient service to customers. The objectives of this study were: to study the perceived value, customers satisfaction and behavioral intentions towards mamak restaurants; to compare socio-demographic variables of mamak restaurants’ customers with their behavioral intentions; and to study the relationship between perceived value aspects with Penang-mamak-restaurant-customers’ satisfactions and behavioral intentions. The instrument used in this study was in the form of self-administered questionnaire. The questionnaire contained four parts namely section A (perceived value), section B (customer satisfaction), section C (behavioral intentions) and section D (socio-demographic). A total of 220 respondents who had just dined in at various mamak restaurants both in Penang Island as well as the Butterworth were randomly selected. The study results suggested that consumers’ perceived value towards performance of food quality out perform the performance of service quality and atmospherics in mamak restaurants. In particular, aspects which require improvement are ‘food portion’, ‘food presentation’, ‘lighting’, ‘environmental cleanliness’, ‘music’ and ‘prompt and quick service’. Significant differences were recorded in the behavioural intention between respondents’ gender, race, educational level and monthly income. Consumers were more satisfied with food and service qualities than atmospherics elements in mamak restaurants. All aspects (food, service and atmospherics) were able to predict customer satisfaction and behavioural intention in mamak restaurant. However the most influencing predictor of customer satisfaction and behavioural intention respectively is customers’ perceived value towards food quality and atmospherics
Structural , vibrational and thermodynamic properties of 1 Mg 2 SiO 4 and MgSiO 3 minerals from first-principles 2 simulations

9 In this paper we report a computational study of the structural and vibrational properties of the Mg-end members forsterite, wadsleyite and ringwoodite of Mg2SiO4, and akimotoite, majorite and the perovskite phase of MgSiO3. Our calculations have been carried out in the framework of Density Functional Theory (DFT) using a plane wave basis set and the Projectoraugmented wave (PAW) method to account for the core electrons. All structures have been fully relaxed at a series of volumes corresponding to the pressure range relevant to the transition zone in the Earth’s mantle, and at each volume the phonon frequencies have been obtained and classified. Using the quasi-harmonic approximation, we have estimated a series of thermodynamic properties for each structure, including the Gibbs free energy, from which we have computed approximate phase diagrams for Mg2SiO4 and MgSiO3. In spite of our reliance on the quasi-harmonic approximation, which is expected to break down at high temperatures, our calculated phase diagrams qualitatively reproduce the main features expected from diagrams fitted to experimental data. For example, from the computed phase diagram for Mg2SiO4 we obtain a post-spinel boundary at P = 22.1 GPa at T = 1873 K, with a slope of -3.4 MPa/K.This supports experimental results suggesting a relatively large slope rather than those favouring a much flatter one. It also suggests that vertical deflections of the 660 km discontinuity due to thermal signatures from plumes and slabs should be similar to those at the 410 km, and that a deflection of 35 km as seen in recent seismic studies could be caused by a thermal anomaly as small as 330 K. We also identify the triple ∗Corresponding author. Email addresses: Eduardo.Hernandez@csic.es (E. R. Hernández), J.Brodholt@ucl.ac. uk (J. Brodholt), D.Alfe@ucl.ac. uk (D. Alfè) Preprint submitted to Earth and Planetary Science Letters October 20, 2014 point between the ringwoodite, ilmenite (plus periclase) and perovskite (plus periclase) phases to be at P = 22.9 GPa and T = 1565 K. Our results clearly illustrate the stringent requirements made on theoretical models in order to extract predictions compatible with the available experimental data.
Culture, Compliance, and Confidentiality: Taxpayer Behavior in the United States and Italy

This paper analyzes the impact of confidentiality of taxpayer information on the level of compliance in two countries with very different levels of citizen trust in government – the United States and Italy. Using identical laboratory experiments conducted in the two countries, we analyze the impact on tax compliance of “Full Disclosure” (e.g., release of photos of tax evaders to all subjects, along with information on the extent of their noncompliance) and of “Full Confidentiality” (e.g., no public dissemination of photos or noncompliance). Our empirical analysis applies a two-stage strategy that separates the evasion decision into its extensive (e.g., “participation”) and intensive (e.g. “amount”) margins. We find strong support for the notion that public disclosure acts as an additional deterrent to tax evaders, and that the deterrent effect is concentrated in the first stage of the two-stage model (or whether to evade or not). We also find that the deterrent effect is similar in the U.S. and in Italy, despite what appear to be different social norms of compliance in the two countries.
Evolution of Vertebrate Adam Genes; Duplication of Testicular Adams from Ancient Adam9/9-like Loci

Members of the disintegrin metalloproteinase (ADAM) family have important functions in regulating cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions as well as cell signaling. There are two major types of ADAMs: the somatic ADAMs (sADAMs) that have a significant presence in somatic tissues, and the testicular ADAMs (tADAMs) that are expressed predominantly in the testis. Genes encoding tADAMs can be further divided into two groups: group I (intronless) and group II (intron-containing). To date, tAdams have only been reported in placental mammals, and their evolutionary origin and relationship to sAdams remain largely unknown. Using phylogenetic and syntenic tools, we analyzed the Adam genes in various vertebrates ranging from fishes to placental mammals. Our analyses reveal duplication and loss of some sAdams in certain vertebrate species. In particular, there exists an Adam9-like gene in non-mammalian vertebrates but not mammals. We also identified putative group I and group II tAdams in all amniote species that have been examined. These tAdam homologues are more closely related to Adams 9 and 9-like than to other sAdams. In all amniote species examined, group II tAdams lie in close vicinity to Adam9 and hence likely arose from tandem duplication, whereas group I tAdams likely originated through retroposition because of their lack of introns. Clusters of multiple group I tAdams are also common, suggesting tandem duplication after retroposition. Therefore, Adam9/9-like and some of the derived tAdam loci are likely preferred targets for tandem duplication and/or retroposition. Consistent with this hypothesis, we identified a young retroposed gene that duplicated recently from Adam9 in the opossum. As a result of gene duplication, some tAdams were pseudogenized in certain species, whereas others acquired new expression patterns and functions. The rapid duplication of Adam genes has a major contribution to the diversity of ADAMs in various vertebrate species.
ECONOMETRIC APPROACH TO EARLY WARNINGS OF VULNERABILITY IN THE BANKING SYSTEM AND CURRENCY MARKETS FOR HONG KONG AND OTHER EMEAP ECONOMIES

This study adopts an econometric approach to develop an early warning system of the vulnerability in the banking system and currency markets for the 11 EMEAP economies over the period from1990 to 2008. We identify a set of leading indicators of banking distress and currency pressure and investigate the causal and contemporaneous linkages between them by using separate panel probit models and a simultaneous probit equation system. Asset-price misalignments, default risk of commercial banks and the non-financial corporate sector, and growth of real credit to the private sector are found to be significant leading indicators for both banking distress and currency pressure. Economic growth, inflation and the ratio of short-term external debt to international reserves are found to be important determinants of banking distress, whereas growth of M2 relative to international reserves, total trade balance over GDP, real effective exchange rate over-valuation and trade integration with China are identified to be crucial indicators of currency pressure. Currency market pressure is shown to have strong leading and contemporaneous impacts on banking distress for the EMEAP economies but not vice versa. These findings imply that the policy measures aimed at sustaining exchange rate stability will have the additional benefit of lowering the likelihood of banking distress in the region. Lastly, China is found to play a stabilising role in the region, i.e. the greater the trade with China, the lower the chance of experiencing currency pressure.
Performance and interface buffer size driven behavioral partitioning for embedded systems

One of the major differences in partitioning for co-design is in the way the communication cost is evaluated. Generally, the size of the edge cut-set is used. When communication between components is through buffered channels, the size of the edge cut-set is not adequate to estimate the buffer size. A second important factor to measure the quality of partitioning is the system delay. Most partitioning approaches use the number of nodes/functions in each partition as constraints and attempt to minimize the communication cost. The data dependencies among nodes/functions and their delays are not considered. In this paper, we present partitioning with two objectives: (1) buffer size, which is estimated by analyzing the data flow patterns of the control data flow graph (CDFG) and solved as a clique partitioning problem, and (2) the system delay that is estimated using list scheduling. We pose the problem as a combinatorial optimization and use an efficient non-deterministic search algorithm, called the problem-space genetic algorithm, to search for the optimum. Experimental results indicate that, according to a proposed quality metric, our approach can attain an average 87% of the optimum for two-way partitioning.
A Study on K 5 students ’ mathematical problem solving based on Revised Bloom Taxonomy and psychological factors contribute to it

In this study, Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy (RBT) was used as a touchstone for obtaining a profile of K5 students’ mathematical problem solving in different cognitive process and levels of knowledge. In addition, the relationship between students’ mathematical problem solving and psychological factors (i.e. Mathematics Anxiety, Mathematics Attitude, Mathematics Attention, Working Memory Capacity and Cognitive Style) has been discussed through the lens of RBT. A total 212 K5 girls (aged 11-12 years old) were tested on (1) K5 Mathematics questions based on RBT, (2) Digit Span Backwards Test (DBT), (3) Cognitive style (FD/FI) test, (4) Mathematics Anxiety Rating Scale, (5) Modified Fennema-Sherman Attitude Scales, (6) Mathematics Attention Test. Data of this research was analyzed by MANOVA repeated measure, General Linear models and graphs error bars from SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) software. Obtained results indicate that students’ have serious difficulties in solving Metacognitive knowledge problems and those concern to complex cognitive process. Moreover, psychological factors in question could predict Mathematical problem solving in different cognitive process and levels of knowledge. Overall, these findings could help to provide some practical implications for adapting problem solving skills and effective teaching/learning.
Transfusion in Head and Neck Free Flap Patients

Objective To characterize patterns of utilization and outcomes following transfusion in head and neck patients undergoing free flap reconstruction. Study Design Case series with chart review. Setting Tertiary academic medical center. Subjects and Methods Two hundred eighty-two head and neck patients undergoing free flap reconstruction from 2011 to 2013. Outcome parameters included post-transfusion hematocrit increase, length of stay (LOS), flap survival, and perioperative complications. Results Of all head and neck free flap patients, 48.9% received blood transfusions. Average pretransfusion hametocrit (Hct) was 24.7% ± 0.2% with 2.5 ± 0.1 units of blood transfused. Transfused patients were more likely to have been taken back to the operating room. Rates of transfusion were similar between flap types, although anterolateral thigh (ALT) and fibular free flap (FFF) patients had higher transfusion requirements compared to radial forearm free flap (RFFF) patients. Further, FFF patients trended toward receiving transfusions earlier. Transfusion did not influence flap survival but was associated with wound dehiscence, myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, respiratory distress, and pneumonia. Subset analyses by flap type revealed that differences were significant among the RFFF and FFF cohorts but not ALT patients. When comparing patients who were transfused for Hct <21 to those transfused for Hct <27, there were no differences in LOS, flap survival, or postsurgical complications. Conclusions Among the different types of flaps, FFF and ALT are associated with higher transfusion requirements. Transfusion in patients undergoing free flap reconstruction does not significantly affect flap survival but was associated with perioperative complications. Our data support consideration of a restrictive transfusion policy in free flap patients.
Effect of Corporate Governance on Performance of Sugar Manufacturing Firms in Kenya: A Case of Sugar Manufacturing Firms in Western Kenya

Corporate governance is increasingly becoming important in organization as an approach of improving performance. Corporate governance is the system through which organizations are directed and controlled. It is concerned with transparency, accountability and power relationship within and outside the organization. There has been an increasing importance in corporate governance in organizations in recent years. Some studies have argued for a positive relationship while others argued that there is a negative relationship between corporate governance and organizational performance. This study sought to determine the effect of corporate governance on organizational performance of sugar manufacturing firms in western Kenya. The research employed correlation survey design. The population of the study constituted of eleven sugar manufacturing firms in Western Kenya. A convenience sample of sugar manufacturing firms in Western Kenya was used for the study. Primary data was collected using structured questionnaires. Descriptive statistics was used to summarize the data. Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to determine the relationship between corporate governance and organizational performance of sugar manufacturing firms, multiple regression analysis was used to determine the effect of corporate governance on organizational performance. Findings revealed that the corporate governance practices were positively related to the performance of sugar manufacturing firms in western Kenya, although not very strongly (r = 0.587, p < 0.05). This means that the corporate governance practices which involve board characteristics, board size, Top management characteristics and Shareholders communication policy and Continuous disclosure had an impact on the performance of Sugar firms in Western Kenya. The study recommended that there are other factors which influence performance of sugar manufacturing firms such as trade liberation and government intervention which normally introduce new variables that have an effect on the performance of Sugar firms in Western Kenya. The study also recommended areas of further research.
CUTTING DOWN ON INEFFICIENT PUBLIC EXPENDITURE AND CENTRAL BANK INDEPENDENCE

This paper shows that inefficient public expenditure can be institutionally curtailed by an independent central bank in the international economy. We conclude that an independent central bank promotes budgetary efficiency. An advantage of our analysis from the angle of public economics is to treat the relation between central bank independence and fiscal policy (public goods provision). When the central bank is not independent of the fiscal authority, that is, when fiscal policy is determined before mon- etary policy, the public good is oversupplied. When the central bank is independent (monetary policy is predetermined), however, the expenditure level is efficient. We also show that it is important to cooperate to make each central bank independent interna- tionally.
Liquidity Crises Due to Asymmetric Information

This paper considers a model where both market liquidity and funding liquidity depend on the information in the market. Speculators are constrained by margins on their positions, the margins are set by financiers, who has less information than the speculators. The paper shows how this can result in fragile financial markets. The model considers multiple assets, and it is shown that when speculators are profit- maximizing, margins may be destabilizing which does not happen with passive speculators that only provide liquidity. Margins depend on the initial holdings of the speculator, the initial illiquidity, and the variance of the financiers information and may be both increasing or decreasing depending on the trade and the sign of initial holding of the speculator. Correlation of the returns also has an impact on the mar- gins and stability in the market. The model predicts that uncertainty about future returns is a driver of market liquidity and has several predictions regarding margins and stability of the financial market.
A randomized, double-blind crossover trial of fluoxetine and amitriptyline in the treatment of fibromyalgia.

OBJECTIVE To study the effect of fluoxetine (FL) and amitriptyline (AM), alone and in combination, in patients with fibromyalgia (FM). METHODS Nineteen patients with FM completed a randomized, double-blind crossover study, which consisted of 4 6-week trials of FL (20 mg), AM (25 mg), a combination of FL and AM, or placebo. Patients were evaluated on the first and last day of each trial period. Outcome measures included a tender point score, the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ), the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) scale, and visual analog scales (VAS) for global well-being (1 completed by the physician and 1 by the patient), pain, sleep trouble, fatigue, and feeling refreshed upon awakening. RESULTS Both FL and AM were associated with significantly improved scores on the FIQ and on the VAS for pain, global well-being, and sleep disturbances. When combined, the 2 treatments worked better than either medication alone. Similar, but nonsignificant, improvement occurred in the BDI scale, the physician global VAS, and the VAS for fatigue and feeling refreshed upon awakening. Trends were less clear for the tender point score. CONCLUSION Both FL and AM are effective treatments for FM, and they work better in combination than either medication alone.
Residential Radon and Risk of Lung Cancer in Eastern Germany

Background: There is suggestive evidence that residential radon increases lung cancer risk. To elucidate this association further, we conducted a case-control study in Thuringia and Saxony in Eastern Germany during 1990-1997. Methods: Histologically confirmed lung cancer patients from hospitals and a random sample of population controls matched on age, sex and geographical area were personally interviewed with respect to residential history, smoking, and other risk factors. One-year radon measurements were performed in houses occupied during the 5-35 years prior to the interview. The final analysis included a total of 1,192 cases and 1,640 controls. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated by logistic regression. Results: Measurements covered on average 72% of the exposure time window, with mean radon concentrations of 76 Bq/m3 among the cases and 74 Bq/m3 among the controls. The smoking- and asbestos-adjusted ORs for categories of radon (50-80, 80-140 and >140 Bq/m*3, compared with 0-50 Bq/m3) were 0.95 (CI = 0.77 to 1.18), 1.13 (CI = 0.86 to1.50) and 1.30 (CI = 0.88 to 1.93). The excess relative risk per 100 Bq/mł was 0.08 (CI = −0.03 to 0.20) for all subjects and 0.09 (CI = −0.06 to 0.27) for subjects with complete measurements for all 30 years. Conclusions: Our data indicate a small increase in lung cancer risk as a result of residential radon that is consistent with the findings of previous indoor radon and miner studies.
Effect modification by parental education on the associations of birth order and gender with learning achievement in adolescents.

BACKGROUND A child's gender and ordinal position within a family have varied implications on his or her personality and cognitive development. However, little is known about whether or not parental educational level may moderate the effects of birth order and gender. METHODS Basic Competence Test (BCT) scores of 290,588 young adolescents aged 15-16 years in Taiwan were analysed. Parental educational level was calculated as the highest educational attainment of the subjects' parents. The multiple linear regression model was used to assess the modification effects of parental educational levels on the associations of interest. RESULTS After controlling for covariates, we noted a clear inverse relationship between birth order and BCT scores in Mandarin, Mathematics and Science. Additionally, boys had significantly lower mean scores in Mandarin, but had significantly higher mean scores in both Mathematics and Science. We also found the significant interactive effects of birth order, gender and parental educational attainment on BCT scores, in which the birth order and gender effects were more evident in higher-educated families than in lower-educated ones. CONCLUSIONS This large cohort study confirmed that both birth order and gender may pose independent influences on BCT scores; moreover, such influences are significantly modified by parental educational attainment.