Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Estimation of controlled direct effects

Summary. When regression models adjust for mediators on the causal path from exposure to outcome, the regression coefficient of exposure is commonly viewed as a measure of the direct exposure effect. This interpretation can be misleading, even with a randomly assigned exposure. This is because adjustment for post‐exposure measurements introduces bias whenever their association with the outcome is confounded by more than just the exposure. By the same token, adjustment for such confounders stays problematic when these are themselves affected by the exposure. Robins accommodated this by introducing linear structural nested direct effect models with direct effect parameters that can be estimated by using inverse probability weighting by a conditional distribution of the mediator. The resulting estimators are consistent, but inefficient, and can be extremely unstable when the mediator is absolutely continuous. We develop direct effect estimators which are not only more efficient but also consistent under a less demanding model for a conditional expectation of the outcome. We find that the one estimator which avoids inverse probability weighting altogether performs best. This estimator is intuitive, computationally straightforward and, as demonstrated by simulation, competes extremely well with ordinary least squares estimators in settings where standard regression is valid.
Ontogenetic changes in feeding habits of northern elephant seals revealed by δ15N and δ13C analysis of growth layers in teeth

Stable isotope analysis is useful for examining the feeding strategies of mammals. Isotopes in the annual deposition growth layers of dentine in teeth permit assessment of ontoge- netic dietary shifts in individuals, because this metabolically inert tissue is not resorbed after deposition. Profiles of stable isotope ratios of nitrogen (δ 15 N) and carbon (δ 13 C) from the teeth of northern elephant seals Mirounga angustirostris, aged between 1 and 11 yr, were described from stranded individuals in San Benito and Magdalena Islands, Mexico, between 2000 and 2009. δ 13 C and δ 15 N values differed with age in each sex indicating shifts in feeding habits throughout life, as well as in their physiological condition. Although steady δ 13 C values within each individual sug- gest fidelity to feeding grounds, differences in δ 13 C values between males and females were likely a reflection of sexual segregation on the feeding areas, which begins during the juvenile stage. Mean δ 15 N values of males (18.3‰) and females (18.2‰) would suggest that both groups feed at a similar trophic level; however a combination of differences in benthic versus pelagic and longi- tudinal foraging habitats would be masking real sex differences in trophic level, estimated for the species at 4.6. δ 15 N and δ 13 C values varied markedly between individuals of the same sex, sug- gesting the potential existence of diverse feeding strategies leading to a resource partitioning in this species. The alleged fetal growth layer has a δ 15 N value 1.8‰ higher than the average of the adult female stage, suggesting that the fetal layer is more likely the product of the intensive nurs- ing during the first month of life.
The Dialects of Irish: Study of a Changing Landscape

The book offers an easy-to-grasp overview of forms of modern Irish within a general linguistic framework. Based on recordings of more than 200 speakers (accessible as supplementary material on the accompanying DVD), the book demonstrates the vitality and breadth of the present-day language. Maps and tables allow easy orientation among the varieties of modern Irish.
Employee motivation in Ghana : a factor structure and measurement tool

Purpose: This paper reports research on the factor structure of employee motivation as well as provides a tool for measuring the level of employee motivation in Ghanaian organisations. Methodology: The study was designed as exploratory, comparative and cross-sectional. 260 respondents drawn from across the gender, status and job grade hierarchy of 19 organisations participated. The organisations were matched in terms of tenure (over 5years), number of employees (50 or more) and geographic location (headquartered in Accra). A 41-item questionnaire on the Level of Motivation (LoM); Characteristics of Employee Motivation (CEM); aspects of Organisational Citizenship Behaviour (OCB); Managerial Assumptions about employee behaviour (MA); Contextual Institutional Analysis (IAN) and Organisational Leadership Issues (Le) was developed and used. The instrument combined fixed response format on a 3-point scale with open-ended responses. Findings: Exploratory Factor Analyses (Varimax Rotation, converging in 26 iterations) yielded 6 factors, which account for 60% of the variance. Thematic analyses of both interview and open-ended questionnaire data support the emergent factor structure, providing some tentative indication that employee motivation in the Ghanaian (or indeed African) context should be looked at more in an integrated manner rather than in terms of the limiting confines of any one theory of motivation. The 3 items hypothesised to constitute the measure of level of employee motivation loaded neatly onto Factor 6. One-way ANOVA demonstrated no differences in the level of motivation across the organisational samples; this was confirmed by the interview data. Implications/Originality/Value: The implications and value of this research are: that motivation research in Africa does need to focus more on developing an integrated model of employee motivation; also, a simple 3-item but novel tool for measuring the level of employee motivation as well as its underlying dynamics, is tentatively put forward. This, in the Ghanaian context, is a much needed psychometric.
Flavonoid, phenolic contents and antioxidant properties of Thai hot curry paste extract and its ingredients as affected of pH, solvent types and high temperature

Spices used in curry pastes containing phenolics and flavonoids have been reported to prevent oxidative stress related diseases. Thai hot curry, Kua-khling curry paste, a Thai traditional seasoning particular Thai-Muslim, was investigated as potential functional food. In the present study, the flavonoid, phenolic contents and antioxidant activities of extract from spices used in the paste were determined. The effect of pH, solvent type and temperature (100-121 o C) were investigated after the samples were extracted. It was found that the extracts of spices presented flavonoid and phenolic contents in the range 0.04-11.18 mg catechin equivalent (CE)/100 g sample and 0.68-134.91 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/100g sample, respectively. Antioxidant activities determined as DPPH radical scavenging activity, hydroxyl radical scavenging activity (HRSC) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) of the extracts were 0.49-8,214.91 mg GAE/100g sample, 0.69-9.30 mg GAE/100g sample and 25.83-6,860.55 mg GAE/100 g sample, respectively. The best solvent for extraction was water since its yielded flavonoid and phenolic contents and DPPH activity as 61.03±6.22 CE/100 g, 964±79.13 GAE/100g and 1,740.84±13.57 GAE/100g, respectively. Flavonoid, phenolic contents and DPPH activity were decreased at pH lower and higher than pH 6. However, it was found that temperature at 100 o C caused more depletion of flavonoids, phenolic contents and DPPH activity compared with heating 121 o C. Therefore, thermally canned food may have a potential for health benefit as evaluated by antioxidant properties in vitro system.
Tracking Changes in Buried Melt Freeze Crusts

Melt freeze crusts are a frequent occurrence in the mid-latitudes, often forming in the snowcover due to rain or wet snow in the fall and insolation in the spring. Such crusts are frequently found at the bed surface of deep slab avalanches. Although faceting and weakening at the boundaries and in the interior of crusts under low temperature gradients has been documented, few long term systematic observations exist. This omission is potentially important, as an understanding of these processes may improve forecasting the strength of deep crusts. For the past two winter seasons, the University of Calgary Applied Snow and Avalanche Research group (ASARC) has monitored naturally occurring crusts in the Columbia Mountains of Western Canada. Properties such as grain form and size, density, temperature and hardness were observed on a weekly basis. Starting in the 2008-09 field season, the specific surface area (SSA) of three crusts was measured weekly using near infrared digital photography, resulting in 23 observations over two months including the transition to near-isothermal snow, where substantial structural changes were observed. This paper details these and other results.
Potential change in the distribution of an abundant and wide-ranging forest salamander in a context of climate change

Climate change already affects species in many ecosystems worldwide. Since climate is an important component of a species’ ecological niche, up-to-date information about climatic niches is needed to model future species distributions in a context of climate change. The eastern red-backed salamander (Plethodon cinereus) is a wide-ranging woodland species and one of the most abundant vertebrates in northeastern North America. Though salamanders contribute to several forest ecosystem functions, little is known about their climatic niche and future distribution. Using a dataset of 400,090 observations from 8302 localities in 5 Canadian provinces and 22 American states, we determined the current climatic niche of P. cinereus and predicted how the species’ distribution could shift in a context of climate change, especially in the northern part of its range. We also aimed to document factors that could affect the species’ distribution. We show that P. cinereus can live in various geographic and climatic conditions and tolerate a wide range of seasonal temperatures. The species’ current potential and future (until 2061–2080) distributions show a gap of up to 400 km with the northern limit of its current observed distribution. Assuming a mean colonization rate of approximately 100 m per year, we calculated that P. cinereus would need about 4000 years to reach the northern limit of the future distribution range modeled for the 2061–2080 period. The climate-modeled future distribution suggests that the presence of P. cinereus could decrease in the south and increase in the north. This, combined with the potential presence of habitats that are unsuitable for the species’ colonization in the north and with interspecific interactions in the south, could induce a contraction of the species’ range. Regardless of climate warming, the physical environment and natural and anthropic disturbances could also limit the species’ northern post-glaciation migration.
Banding chromosome patterns of zebra mussel Dreissena polymorpha (Pallas) from the heated Konin lakes system (Poland)

Abstract The chromosome complement of freshwater mussel Dreissena polymorpha was investigated using Giemsa, Ag-NOR and chromomycin A3 staining. The diploid chromosome number of this species is 2n=32 and the arm number (NF) = 56. Nucleolar organizer region (NOR) was found on one chromosome pair and it was connected to GC rich chromatin as visualized by CMA3 staining. Additional GC-rich bands enabled to characterize zebra mussel karyotype with details. The paper presents unknown cytogenetic characteristics of this invasive mussel.
Linkages among commodity futures prices in the recent financial crisis: An application of cointegration tests with a structural break

Abstract In this study, we investigate the existence of long-term co-movements among the prices of commodity futures contracts. We use a cointegration test, which accounts for the presence of a structural break. We show that while there is a long-term relationship among agricultural and among non-agricultural commodity futures prices when a structural break is taken into account, there is no such relationship without allowing for a structural break. We also show that these break points, in fact, occur a few months before the recent global financial crisis. Although the previous literature broadly casts doubt on such price co-movements, our results confirm that market performance improved during the sample period.
Calculation of the forward tension in drawing processes

Drawing process is one of the most used metalforming process within the industrial field, particularly, in automotive and electric sectors. Then, different analytical, numerical, empirical and experimental methods have been developed in order to analyse it and to optimise it. However, exact solutions have not achieved yet due to the great number of factors involved in this type of processes and to the mathematical complexity that they present. In this work, the main variants of the drawing process have been studied by different methods. Concretely, wire drawing and plate drawing have been modelled and simulated by means of the slab method (SM) and finite element method (FEM). In addition, the results obtained in both cases have been compared with other solutions found in the literature about these themes, particularly, with Wistreich’s solutions in wire case and with Green and Hill and the upper bound technique ones in plate drawing case. © 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
2D Electrical Resistivity Tomography Survey for Shallow Environmental Study at Wastewater Valley of Southwestern Erbil City, Iraqi Kurdistan Region

The use of wastewater for irrigation in sandy soil increases the pollution risk of the soil and may infiltrate to the water table of groundwater aquifer. This is happening in an area southwest of Erbil City on both sides of the main wastewater valley outlet. Characterizing and monitoring underground conditions and the location of subsurface contaminants is a challenging and costly endeavor. Many sensors and non-invasive geophysical measurement techniques have been developed to interpret the nature of the subsurface without disturbing it. In this study the Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) was used to get detailed 2D resistivity models of the shallowest parts of the subsurface on both side of the valley along eight profiles. The wenner array was employed with 1m, 3m and 5m electrode spacing. The length of each profile was 60 m. To create a model for the subsurface resistivity Res2Dinv software was used. The results showed that the shallowest parts of the ground consist of two types of materials: the first is a clayey sandy gravel soil represents the recent alluvial deposits with resistivity value of 15-167 Ω. m and thickness 1-2 m. Many pollutant zones were detected within it; the second is saturated silty clay and other clayey materials with resistivity value of 9-52 Ω. m. Again some polluted zones were detected. Moreover some fractured areas were detected at where the risk of downward infiltration is expected. The resistivity value changes randomly in both horizontal and vertical direction because of the high infiltration which transports the contaminated materials downward and sideward along in homogeneities formed by human activity in the studied area.
Moderating Effects of Subordinates’Competency Level on Leadership and Organization Citizenship Behavior

This paper seeks to examine the relationship between leadership styles and organization citizenship behavior within Malaysian companies. The main motivation for the study is to find out how a superior can achieve a greater understanding of the appropriateness of certain leadership styles when dealing with different subordinates’ competency level. Although there have been several studies that explored the relationship between leadership styles and citizenship behavior, hitherto there has yet a study carried out to examine the moderating effect of subordinates’competency level on such relationship. Based on the literature review the moderating effect of subordinates’ competency level is explored in order to develop the proposed framework of the study. Based on the framework, propositions linking leadership styles, subordinates’competency level and organizational citizenship behavior are developed.
A Study on Banking Advertisements in Turkish TV Channels

Advertisements are one of the most influential means of increasing a company’s share in the overall market. They employ several cultural values so as to shape people’s purchase habit and create a positive attitude toward advertized products. Thus, this study investigated the verbal content of banking advertisements with a focus on cultural values they presented. The data were elicited from TV advertisements telecasted on Turkish TV channels throughout 2012. The study found that the common method used in the advertisements was to set a pessimistic scene in which advertized products appeared as a panacea. Furthermore, it yielded several cultural values, some of which were rigorously promoted while others were criticized in some way. These comprised collectivism, familial relations, patriarchy, patriotism, religious values, social conventions, wisdom on the one hand, and achievement, competitiveness, consumption, distrust, easy life, globalization, hedonism and individualism on the other. Finally, this study revealed that the traditional versus modern dichotomy constituted a prevalent conflict in Turkish society.
Detection of Eccentricity Faults in Five-Phase Ferrite-PM Assisted Synchronous Reluctance Machines

Air gap eccentricity faults in five-phase ferrite-assisted synchronous reluctance motors (fPMa-SynRMs) tend to distort the magnetic flux in the air gap, which in turn affects the spectral content of both the stator currents and the ZSVC (zero-sequence voltage component). However, there is a lack of research dealing with the topic of fault diagnosis in multi-phase PMa-SynRMs, and in particular, those focused on detecting eccentricity faults. An analysis of the spectral components of the line currents and the ZSVC allows the development of fault diagnosis algorithms to detect eccentricity faults. The effect of the operating conditions is also analyzed, since this paper shows that it has a non-negligible impact on the effectivity and sensitivity of the diagnosis based on an analysis of the stator currents and the ZSVC. To this end, different operating conditions are analyzed. The paper also evaluates the influence of the operating conditions on the harmonic content of the line currents and the ZSVC, and determines the most suitable operating conditions to enhance the sensitivity of the analyzed methods. Finally, fault indicators employed to detect eccentricity faults, which are based on the spectral content of the stator currents and the ZSVC, are derived and their performance is assessed. The approach presented in this work may be useful for developing fault diagnosis strategies based on the acquisition and subsequent analysis and interpretation of the spectral content of the line currents and the ZSVC.
The analysis of students’ mathematical representation errors in solving word problem related to graph

The skills of reading, interpreting and constructing graphs are important for students. These skills are related to mathematical representation. The purpose of this study is to analyze Grade 8 students’ representation errors in solving word problems related to graphs in one of junior high schools in Banda Aceh, Indonesia. The data were obtained based on a mathematics test administered to 36 students and a short interview conducted for five selected students. The test consisted of eight problems adapted from four contexts of PISA problems related to graph. Students’ representation errors were classified based on the errors of changing one representation to another representation, such as visual to verbal, visual to symbolic, visual to visual and verbal to visual. The results reveal that representation errors are not solely influenced by the types of representation. It is indicated by the questions with similar representation resulted in a different percentage of students committing representation errors. In general, the students’ representation errors are due to the fact that students not being familiar with the problems requiring representation; students not being used to solve PISA context problems and word problems; as well as the teachers’ time constraint in teaching non-routine problems.
Comparison the Effect of Mefenamic Acid and Matricaria Chamomilla on Primary Dysmenorrhea in Kashan Medical University Students

Background & Objectives: Regarding to high incidence of dysmenorrhea and influence on daily activities and fewer side effects of herbal medicines than chemical drugs, the aim of this study was to compare the effect of mefenamic acid and matricaria chamomilla (MC) on primary dysmenorrhea. Methods: This triple-blind randomized clinical trial study was done on 90 female students residents in dormitories of Kashan University of Medical Sciences in 2012. The subjects were categorized into two groups randomly. Mefenamic acid capsules (250 mg, every 8 hours) were given to the first group from 48 hours before menstruation until 24 hours after it . The second group received MC capsules made in Barij Essence Factory of Kashan (250 mg, every 8 hours). Severity of dysmenorrhea was measured by McGill ruler. Finally, the data were analyzed by SPSS. The chi-squire, fisher and paired t -test were used. The p-value of less than 0.05 was considered as statistically significant difference. Results: The result of this study indicated that both chamomilla and mefenamic acid can reduce the severity of pain and hemorrhage (p 0.05). Conclusion: This study showed that matricaria chamomilla is effective in decreasing the severity of primary dysmenorrhea and reducing hemorrhage as well as mefenamic acid.
Searches for rare charm decays at LHCb

Rare and forbidden charm decays are unique probes for hints of physics beyond the Standard Model. The LHCb collaboration has made significant contributions to the field over the last years. This report presents results of the search for the lepton-flavour violating decay $D^0 \rightarrow e^{\pm}\mu^{\mp}$ and the first observations of the rare four body decays $D^0 \rightarrow K^{-} \pi^+ \mu^{+} \mu^{-}$, $D^0 \rightarrow \pi^{+} \pi^- \mu^{+} \mu^{-}$ and $D^0 \rightarrow K^{+} K^- \mu^{+} \mu^{-}$.