Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Organizational Commitment, Job Satisfaction and Job Performance as a mediator between Role Stressors and Turnover Intentions A Study from an Egyptian cultural perspective

The purpose of this paper is to explore (1) the effect of the relationship among role stress (role conflict, role ambiguity, role novelty and role overload) on job performance, job satisfaction, organizational commitment and turnover intentions; and (2) the situational relationships among job satisfaction, job performance, employee commitment to organizations and employee turnover intentions through a case analysis on college of management and technology (CMT) one of the Arab academy for science and technology and maritime transport. A structured questionnaire was developed. The hypotheses were simultaneously tested on a sample of 65 out of 100 employees distributed, giving a response rate of 65 per cent. Several analytical techniques were used to evaluate the relationships among the variables under investigation such as Pearson correlation, and chi-square. Hierarchical regression was used to evaluate the mediating role. The findings of this study have shown significant relationships among the variables under investigation as well as they have shown contribution as a moderator. It is imperative to better understand how a CMT skilled staff member can effectively and efficiently cope and manage with role stress and reducing or eliminating to a certain extent its negative effect on performance, satisfaction and commitment used in a way not to influence their intention to leave. This investigation is both timely and important within the Egyptian culture context. The research was limited to one college of the Arab Academy for Science and Technology and Maritime Transport in Egypt. Also the use of cross-sectional design restricts inferences being drawn regarding casualty. Although job satisfaction has been the focus of many academic papers, it is rarely defined in a systematic way. The present study contributes to the literature not only by providing empirical support for the frequently hypothesized contributions in adding to the body of knowledge regarding the relationship between role stress (role conflict, role ambiguity, role novelty and role overload) on job performance, job satisfaction, organizational commitment and turnover intentions within the Egyptian context.
Is the efficient market hypothesis day-of-the-week dependent? Evidence from the banking sector

In this article, we propose a new hypothesis: that the efficient market hypothesis is day-of-the-week-dependent. We apply the test to firms belonging to the banking sector and listed on the NYSE. We find significant evidence that the efficient market hypothesis is day-of-the-week-dependent. Overall, for only 62% of firms, the unit root null hypothesis is rejected on all the five trading days. We also discover that when investors do not account for unit root properties in devising trading strategies, they obtain spurious profits.
Urban Governance and its Impact on the Role Perception and Behaviour of European City Councillors

Abstract The trend towards new forms of political steering at the local level is a matter of fact that has been demonstrated in numerous studies. Thereby, the development is not one-dimensional, but produces a variety of different types of urban governance. Presumably, the empiric trend towards new forms of political steering changes the political power structure and the roles of relevant actors in local politics. The present article assesses the implications of different models of urban governance on the significance and the behaviour of the city councillors. Drawing on the MAELG survey on European city councillors, the hypothesis of whether the political relevance of the city council is lower under new forms of governance due to the inclusion of private actors and a new allocation of functions and political roles is tested. Furthermore, it is assumed that municipal councillors consequently display specific communication patterns and network strategies to enhance or restore their influence in local politics. The results of the multilevel analyses are only partly in line with the theoretic assumptions. The main hypothesis that the implementation of new urban steering modes generally weakens the councillors' position of power must be rejected. Different kinds of urban governance arrangements have unequal effects on the political relevance of the city councillors, and new steering instruments often strengthen the influence of the municipal council. Apparently, the institutional organisation of urban governance matters to a large extent. Regarding networking activities, the councillors evidently adapt their communication strategies to the present urban governance model. The empirical findings corroborate the hypothesis that municipal councillors pursue specific network strategies according to the prevailing governance context by expanding their ties with the respective key players. Furthermore, the frequency of communication has a positive impact on the significance of the council in local politics. City councillors who are in close contact with relevant local actors clearly feel more influential in local decision-making processes.
The metabolic power and energetic demands of elite Gaelic football match play.

BACKGROUND Metabolic power has not yet been investigated within elite Gaelic football. The aim of the current investigation was to compare the metabolic power demands between positional groups and examine the temporal profile of elite Gaelic football match play. METHODS Global positional satellite system (GPS) data were collected from 50 elite Gaelic football players from 4 inter-county teams during 35 elite competitive matches over a three season period. A total of 351 complete match samples were obtained for final analysis. Players were categorized based on positional groups; full-back, half-back, midfield, half-forward and full-forward. Instantaneous raw velocity data was obtained from the GPS and exported to a customized spreadsheet which provided estimations of both speed based, derived metabolic power and energy expenditure variables (total distance, high speed distance, average metabolic power, high power distance and total energy expenditure). RESULTS Match mean distance was 9222±1588 m, reflective of an average metabolic power of 9.5-12.5 W·kg-1, with an average energy expenditure of 58-70 Kj·kg-1 depending on position. There were significant differences between positional groups for both speed-based and metabolic power indices. Midfielders covered more total and high-speed distance, as well as greater average and overall energy expenditure compared to other positions (P<0.001). A reduction in total, high-speed, and high-power distance, as well as average metabolic power throughout the match (P<0.001) was observed. CONCLUSIONS Positional differences exist for both metabolic power and traditional running based variables. The middle three positions (midfield, half-back and half-forward) possess greater activity profiles when compared to other positional groups. The reduction in metabolic power and traditional running based variables are comparable across match play. The current study demonstrates that metabolic power may contribute to our understanding of Gaelic football match-play.
How patients describe bulimia or binge eating

SYNOPSIS Thirty-two patients who complained of episodes of ravenous overeating which they felt unable to control (bulimia) were asked to describe their behaviour and symptoms. There was considerable variation both between and within individuals, but a number of factors were defined which appeared to be common to all with the complaint. It is difficult to set up strict criteria for the recognition of bulimia, and those that have recently been proposed are criticized in the light of our present findings.
Cambodia's Unofficial Regime of Extraction: Illicit Logging in the Shadow of Transnational Governance and Investment

ABSTRACT: Cambodia has recently demonstrated one of the highest rates of deforestation in the world. While scholars have long explored the drivers of tropical forest loss, the case of Cambodia offers particular insights into the role of the state where transnational governance and regional integration are increasingly the norm. Given the significant role logging rents play in Cambodia's post-conflict state formation, this article explores the contemporary regime and its ongoing codependent relationship with forested land. Insights are distilled from comparative analysis of illicit logging in two ethnographic case studies. Both involve foreign investments by state-owned companies – a Chinese-backed hydropower dam and Vietnamese-owned rubber concessions – and both are nestled in prominent conservation landscapes that are managed with international donor support. Together, the cases reveal how Cambodia's current timber extraction regime works through the use and abuse of legal mechanisms associated with forest conservation and foreign investment projects, and the mobilization of elite alliances that log both for private gain and in service of the ruling party's interests. By implication, the government's remarkable facilitation of transnational projects for conservation and development must be reappraised and ultimately seen as constitutive of a predatory and extractive regime that continues to rely heavily upon illicit logging revenues.
Antimicrobial activities of split gill mushroom Schizophyllum commune Fr

Schizophyllum commune or commonly known as split gill mushroom is a widely distributed wooddecaying basidiomycete that has been reported for its health promoting and medical benefits. Hence, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of S. commune extracts using well diffusion method. The microorganisms tested were common pathogenic bacteria i.e Bacillus cereus, Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeuroginosa, Proteus vulgaris, Escherichia coli, Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus sanguis, Streptococcus mitis, Shigella sp. , Shigella flexneri, Plesiomonas shigelloides, Salmonella sp. , Salmonella typhi, and Enterobacter faecalis. The pathogenic fungi tested consisted of Saccharomyces pombe, Candida albicans and Candida parapsilosis. The antimicrobial activities of methanol, ethyl acetate, dichloromethane and water extracts of S. commune were qualitatively and quantitatively assessed by the presence and diameter of inhibition zones. Commercially available antibiotic discs were used as positive references. The antibiotic discs were used as positive references. The crude extracts displayed higher antibacterial activity compared to antifungal activity with S. commune dichloromethane extract to be the most active with a diameter of inhibition zones of 12 ± 1 mm against Streptococcus sanguis at a concentration of 2.0 mg/ml. Both ethyl acetate American Journal of Research Communication www.usa-journals.com Mirfat, et al., 2014: Vol 2(7) 114 arjc.journal@gmail.com and methanol extract had moderate antimicrobial activities. However, the water extract of S. commune failed to show good inhibition against all microorganisms tested. This study showed that some extracts of S. commune possess antimicrobial properties and therefore, they can be used as potential antimicrobial agents.
Providing ultra‐short latency to user‐centric 5G applications at the mobile network edge

Mobile Edge Computing (MEC) will play a key role in next‐generation mobile networks to extend the range of supported delay‐sensitive applications. Furthermore, an increasing attention is paid to provide user‐centric services, to better address the strict requirements of novel immersive applications. In this scenario, MEC solutions need to efficiently cope with user mobility, which requires fast relocation of service instances to guarantee the desired Quality of Experience. However, service migration is still an open issue, especially for resource‐constrained edge nodes interconnected by high‐latency and low‐bandwidth links. In this paper, by leveraging the potential of lightweight container‐based virtualization techniques, we investigate a novel approach to support service provisioning in dynamic MEC environments. In particular, we present a framework where proactive service replication for stateless applications is exploited to drastically reduce the time of service migration between different cloudlets and to meet the latency requirements. The performance evaluation shows promising results of our approach with respect to classic reactive service migration.
Antecedents and outcomes of promotion systems

This study tests the Ferris, Buckley, and Allen (Human Resource Planning, 15, 47–68) model of promotion systems in organizations assessing the promotion systems in Fortune 500 companies in six industry groups. Relationships were found between characteristics of organizations (e.g., the extent of their career planning and their affirmative action practices and organizational outcomes including numbers of grievances filed, industry rank on sales, and employee attitudes concerning promotion opportunities. These results suggest that the Ferris, Buckley, and Allen (1992) model provides a useful framework for the study and development of organizations' promotion systems. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
The Multiple Meanings of ‘Resilience’: An Overview of the Literature

‘resilience is in danger of becoming a vacuous buzzword from overuse and ambiguity’ (Rose 2007: 384) ‘Resilience’ is widely used in public policy debate in Australia in contexts as diverse as drought policy, mental fitness in the Australian Defence Force, and in discussion around the Australian economy's performance during the global financial crisis. The following paper provides an overview of the use of the term ‘resilience’ in the academic literature in both the natural and social sciences. The key conclusion from this research is that the term is highly ambiguous, it is used for different purposes in different contexts and in some cases the understandings of the term are diametrically opposed. The malleability of the term suggests that it might be politically risky if employed in policy debate unless clearly defined in each instance.
Carbenoxolone inhibits volume-regulated anion conductance in cultured rat cortical astroglia

Accumulating evidence indicate that the gap-junction inhibitor carbenoxolone (CBX) regulates neuronal synchronization, depresses epileptiform activity and has a neuroprotective action. These CBX effects do not depend solely on its ability to inhibit gap junction channels formed by connexins (Cx), but the underlying mechanisms remain to be elucidated. Here we addressed the questions whether CBX modulates volume-regulated anion channels (VRAC) involved in the regulatory volume decrease and regulates the associated release of excitatory amino acids in cultured rat cortical astrocytes. We found that CBX inhibits VRAC conductance with potency comparable to that able to depress the activity of the most abundant astroglial gap junction protein connexin43 (Cx43). However, the knock down of Cx43 with small interfering RNA (siRNA) oligonucleotides and the use of various pharmacological tools revealed that VRAC inhibition was not mediated by interaction of CBX with astroglial Cx proteins. Comparative experiments in HEK293 cells stably expressing another putative target of CBX, the purinergic ionotropic receptor P2X7, indicate that the presence of this receptor was not necessary for CBX-mediated depression of VRAC. Finally, we show that in COS-7 cells, which are not endowed with pannexin-1 protein, another astroglial plasma membrane interactor of CBX, VRAC current retained its sensitivity to CBX. Complementary analyses indicate that the VRAC-mediated release of excitatory amino acid aspartate was decreased by CBX. Collectively, these findings support the notion that CBX could affect astroglial ability to modulate neuronal activity by suppressing excitatory amino acid release through VRAC. They also provide a possible mechanistic clue for the neuroprotective effect of CBX in vivo.
We never thought this would happen: transitioning care of adolescents with perinatally acquired HIV infection from pediatrics to internal medicine

Abstract Purpose. Transitioning the medical care of children with perinatally acquired HIV from pediatric care to internal medicine practices has become increasingly important as newer therapies prolong survival. The study aims to describe challenges to caring for these adolescents and the potential barriers to transitioning them to internal medicine-based care. Methods. Qualitative study in which data were gathered from open-ended interviews conducted from November 2005 to April 2006 with 18 adolescents with HIV, 15 of their parents, and 9 pediatric health care providers from the Yale Pediatric AIDS Care Program, New Haven, Connecticut. Results. Issues of stigma played a prominent role in both the challenges to care and barriers to transitioning care. Challenges to care were: (1) poor adherence to medication regimens; (2) adolescent sexuality; and (3) disorganized social environments. Potential barriers to transitioning care were: (1) families’ negative perceptions of and experiences with stigma of HIV disease – which undermined the desire to meet new providers; (2) perceived and actual lack of autonomy – pediatric providers feared that staff in adult clinics would demand a level of independence that adolescents did not have; and (3) difficulty letting go of relationships – adolescents, guardians, and providers described a familial relationship and expressed anxiety about terminating their relationships. Conclusion. Understanding these challenges and barriers can inform both pediatric and adult HIV care providers and enable them to create successful transition programs, with the goal of improving retention and follow-up to care.
Building a Decommodified Research Paradigm in Tourism: The Contribution of NGOs

This paper argues for a shift in tourism research that challenges models which prioritise commodified tourism experiences over alternative decommodified products. We feel the distinction between commodified and decommodified tourism can be demonstrated using Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) as a case study. Commodifying processes occur when the final outcome is defined as the economic use-value of a product or service. Current directions in tourism research often favour the pursuit of a commodified tourism product in the search for increased efficiency and global profits using research paradigms that narrowly pursue this direction. We argue that the negative impacts of such a trajectory restrict our ability to understand and analyse the tourism experience requiring decommodifying actions in tourism research to move forward; these we feel are best informed by alternative theoretical and philosophical perspectives that include feminism, ecocentrism, community development and poststructuralism. NGOs are used in this paper to provide an example of how the broadening of research philosophies allows access to approaches that pursue decommodification in tourism as they move beyond the almost exclusive pursuit of industry profits and place social, cultural and ecological value on local environments and economics.
Beyond Distributive Fairness in Algorithmic Decision Making: Feature Selection for Procedurally Fair Learning

With widespread use of machine learning methods in numerous domains involving humans, several studies have raised questions about the potential for unfairness towards certain individuals or groups. A number of recent works have proposed methods to measure and eliminate unfairness from machine learning models. However, most of this work has focused on only one dimension of fair decision making: distributive fairness, i.e., the fairness of the decision outcomes. In this work, we leverage the rich literature on organizational justice and focus on another dimension of fair decision making: procedural fairness, i.e., the fairness of the decision making process. We propose measures for procedural fairness that consider the input features used in the decision process, and evaluate the moral judgments of humans regarding the use of these features. We operationalize these measures on two real world datasets using human surveys on the Amazon Mechanical Turk (AMT) platform, demonstrating that our measures capture important properties of procedurally fair decision making. We provide fast submodular mechanisms to optimize the tradeoff between procedural fairness and prediction accuracy. On our datasets, we observe empirically that procedural fairness may be achieved with little cost to outcome fairness, but that some loss of accuracy is unavoidable.
Natural and Incentive-Induced Conservation in Voluntary Energy Management Programs

Energy conservation is a topic of worldwide importance. In addition to the prospect of depleted nonrenewable supplies, increased concern over environmental issues, such as air pollution and global warming, have contributed to the interest in energy conservation. The U.S., as the largest per capita user of energy, has taken the lead in promoting conservation and pollution abatement, through incentive and regulation. This climate has led to an important development in the utility industry in the last few years: the growth of "demand-side management" (DSM) programs. These voluntary programs are designed to induce the adoption of energy efficient technology (new capital) by consumers (both residential and commercial/industrial). DSM is advocated by utility regulators, who cite factors such as the divergence of the private and social short run costs of energy (due to, e.g., the existence of environmental externalities), and the fact that the price of energy is not equal to its long run marginal cost. This means that the cost of implementing these programs may be below the cost of increasing capacity. In addition, some DSM programs are designed to flatten the load curve (power demand over time), since the cost of producing power at peak load is considerably greater than at times of normal system demands. For the consumer, it is argued that there are market imperfections which prevent adoption of energy efficient measures. These imperfections are usually attributed to the consumer's lack of knowledge concerning energy efficient technology. Total revenue lost by the utility from a DSM program is the sum of the direct incentive cost, returned to the consumer, and the value of any lost sales. These costs may be offset by any efficiency gains in production, especially during periods of peak demand. In order to preserve the stockholders' rate of return in these regulated companies, this revenue loss is usually recovered by an increase in utility rates. To warrant this, utilities must present evidence of lost revenue due to energy savings to their regulatory commissions. These programs are becoming so large and
Interest rate fluctuations and the UK financial services industry

The article explores the relationship between short-term interest rates and the equity returns of the UK financial services industry. Based on the arbitrage pricing theory, the present study seeks to answer the sensitivity and pricing questions. The former is tested with a linear two-index model attempting to identify any interest rate risk exposure of these stock returns. The latter, however, is examined using a nonlinear multivariate analysis based on the Seemingly Unrelated Regression Equations (SURE) model by imposing cross- and within-equation constraints on the estimated parameters. The econometric analysis unveils a significant negative interest rate effect and the existence of a risk premium incorporated in the expected returns of portfolios consisting of these stocks.