Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Hotel Managers’ Perception of the Internal Environment for Innovation: The Case of Egyptian Hotels

For many individuals the term innovation stands for success and something new in our lives. Some might think of their first smart phones, others of using solar panels on their roof. But innovation is so much more; it moves our society forward especially in case of the high market competition. Innovation has not attracted fair attention in the Egyptian hotel industry, as it is difficult to measure. Hence, this work developed first a theoretical model of innovation determinants and outcomes, to help the hotel managers and executives to better manage innovation especially in cases of competition and recession periods. The theoretical foundations of this conceptual framework are based on the Attitude–behaviour theory. Second, this research highlighted the importance of perceived innovation among a sample of hotel managers in Cairo and Sharm El-Sheikh based in Egypt. Furthermore, new determinants and key indicators to the innovation in hotels (work-life balance; usage of sustainability indicators; innovation importance knowledge; demographic factors) were first, to date, researched and examined in the Egyptian hotel sector in relation to the perceived innovation and innovation success. The researcher distributed a self-administered questionnaire to a sample of 450 hotel managers in 55 Egyptian five-star hotels based in Cairo and Sharm El-Sheikh. The current research tested hypotheses using the Structure equation modelling (SEM) and the analysis of regression performed by AMOS software 20. The results revealed that the key determinants of innovation such as work-life balance, key sustainable indicators usage, innovation importance knowledge and some demographic factors (marital status, gender, level of education and age) had an effect on the perceived innovation construct and business success afterwards. In addition, hotel managers experienced significantly differences in innovation according to some demographic characteristics. Implications for practice are discussed as well as future research scenes are offered.
The Carpathian lingonberry, raspberry and blackberry fruit extracts feature variable antimicrobial efficiency

Wild berry is an excellent source of phytonutrients and/or bioactive compounds associated with significant therapeutic properties, so that they have been utilized in folk medicine and traditional nutrition throughout centuries. Multiple health-promoting effects, such as anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, anti-heart and coronary disease properties were attributed to such wild berries. It has also been proved that berries could feature antimicrobial effects that could be of a great importance for the prevention of food-feed poisoning and fighting back antibiotic resistance. In this study, we investigated the antimicrobial properties of lingonberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea), raspberry (Rubus idaeus) and blackberry (Rubus fruticosus) crude and ethanolic extracts prepared from fruits obtained from the spontaneous flora of Eastern Carpathian Mountains situated in Transylvania. The antimicrobial effect of crude and alcoholic extracts were assessed on four Gram-negative, five Gram-positive bacteria and one yeast species using the agar diffusion method. The studied bacteria can cause food or feed spoilage and foodborne diseases. Our results indicate the significant inhibitory effect of lingonberry extracts in the case of Gram-negative bacteria like Proteus vulgaris and Salmonella Hartford, while among Gram-positive bacteria the strongest inhibitory effect was observed for Bacillus species like B. cereus, B. subtilis, B. mojavensis and Micrococcus luteus. The raspberry and blackberry extracts featured milder inhibitory effects in the case of the studied bacteria species. Furthermore, we have studied the crude or ethanolic extract combinations associated antimicrobial effects synergistic/additive or antagonistic properties. Interestingly, the triple and double ethanolic extract mixes had stronger antimicrobial properties, whereas the crude extract mixes showed relatively reduced effects, if any. Our results indicate that the antimicrobial activity of studied fruit extracts obtained from wild berries can vary upon the applied extraction method and their combination formulae, so that all these considerations must be taken into account when such fruit extracts are considered for foodstuff development.
Low Level of Genetic Variation and Signs of Isolation in the Native Hungarian Sea Buckthorn Population Compared to Cultivated Specimens

Sea Buckthorn population from Újpest Nature Reserve, the only one assumed to be native in Hungary sustains at the periphery of Budapest city on the sandy substrate deposited by the Danube river. The study aims to characterize the gene stock preserved on this small edaphic habitat by comparing with the genetic material of planted specimens of known origin used in horticultural and gardening practice. Fragment length variations of seven nuclear microsatellite markers were evaluated and a phylogenetic tree was constructed based on sequence variation of an intron from nuclear gene encoding the chalcone synthase enzyme. Gender rate was evaluated by female specific SCAR marker. Microsatellite analysis pointed out the extremely low variation of the natural sea buckthorn population from Újpest Nature Reserve compared to the cultivated specimens, while the phylogenetic tree revealed that the natural population belongs to the genetic lineage distributed mostly in Western and Middle-Europe, and in Romania, region, which has strong links to the Balkan and the Black Sea. The analysis clearly separated the genetic material of the native Újpest population from the planted individuals from the vicinity that proved to be of allochthonous origin. The HrX2 SCAR marker revealed the dominance of the males (1:1.42). The study provides support for the autochthonous origin of the Hungarian remnant population being in reproductive isolation that suggest for its long persistence and relict status. Ex situ conservation and nature protection measures are highly recommended to maintain one of the last native sea buckthorn populations of the Pannonian region. ********* In press - Online First. Article has been peer reviewed, accepted for publication and published online without pagination. It will receive pagination when the issue will be ready for publishing as a complete number (Volume 47, Issue 3, 2019). The article is searchable and citable by Digital Object Identifier (DOI). DOI link will become active after the article will be included in the complete issue. *********
Customer Impulse Buying Behavior in Kathmandu

This study examines customer impulse buying behavior in Kathmandu for the retail sector. Departmental store located in Kathmandu City were approached and collected data. Judgmental sampling technique was used and data were collected from 250 samples. Descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis were used to summarize the nature of data and to test the hypotheses. The research confirmed that window display, in-store display and promotional signage had significanct influence on impulse buying of customers. No support was found for floor merchandising.
Motion and Sound in Animated Storybooks for Preschoolers’ Visual Attention and Mandarin Language Learning: An Eye-Tracking Study With Bilingual Children

This study examined the role of the “animated eBook advantage” in child bilingual’s Mandarin learning, which has tended to be examined in the acquisition of Germanic languages. With this aim, 102 4- to 5-year-old preschoolers in Singapore were assigned to one of four conditions: (a) animated eBooks (+sound+motion), (b) static eBooks with sound, (c) static eBooks only, and (d) a control condition where children played a math game on an iPad. Three stories were displayed to children each for four times over 2 weeks, while visual attention was traced with an eye tracker. Children’s target words and story comprehension were assessed for the effects of the intervention conditions. The results revealed that children in the animated condition outperform their counterparts in total fixation duration, target word production, and storytelling of one of the stories (Cycling With Grandpa). There were no consistent differences between the two static conditions. Our results indicate the importance of motion in animated eBook design, in line with previous findings.
Unmasking Narcissus: A competitive test of existing hypotheses on (agentic, antagonistic, neurotic, and communal) narcissism and (explicit and implicit) self-esteem across 18 samples

ABSTRACT Research on narcissists’ explicit self-esteem (ESE) and implicit self-esteem (ISE) is characterized by a wide array of competing hypotheses and inconsistent empirical findings. Using data from 18 samples (total N = 5,547), we moved beyond classical null-hypothesis testing and employed an information-theoretic approach combined with Response Surface Analysis to provide a first competitive test of all plausible ESE-ISE combinations for different aspects of narcissism and across a wide set of ISE measures. Agentic and communal narcissism were positively, neurotic and antagonistic narcissism were negatively related to ESE. Contradicting the mask model and other more complex models, no consistent evidence was found for relations between narcissism and ISE, and ESE-ISE discrepancies, respectively. Implications for understanding narcissistic self-regulatory dynamics are discussed.
Housing Boom, Mortgage Default and Agency Friction

The paper develops a quantitative framework to understand the dynamics of US house and mortgage markets before and after the Great Recession. I document two facts that jointly seem puzzling in the mortgage credit boom from 2001 to 2007: (1) mortgage risk increased, but (2) the mortgage risk premium decreased. Besides the mortgage risk component in the premium, other time-varying factors must reduce the risk premium in the boom episode. I introduce and calibrate the lending conditions and the mortgage risk as the aggregate shocks to capture time series change in the supply and the demand of mortgage credit. The shocks generate time-varying liquidity and default premiums in the mortgage risk premium respectively. Using a general equilibrium model with borrowers, depositors and intermediaries, I quantify the contribution of aggregate risks to the boom-bust dynamics. I find that the income channel alone cannot generate strong movement in the risk premium under plausible size of shocks, while lending relaxation is essential to explain the mortgage credit boom and the decreasing risk premium. An intermediary is subject to a moral hazard problem whose leverage ratio thus cannot exceed an endogenous cap. The optimal leverage is pro-cyclical and amplifies aggregate shocks through the news effect; bad news of future funding liquidity can hamper today's intermediation and increase the risk premium.
Investigating Pattern Separation in the Medial Temporal Lobe through the Parametric Manipulation of Item Similarity

Pattern separation is the essential ability to create separate memory representations for overlapping events. This process is accomplished by magnifying the dissimilarity between memories. Computational models posit that the degree to which memories become separated varies as a function of the similarity between them. However, there is little human evidence to support this claim. Using fMRI, we recorded from participants as they performed an explicit memory task in which we manipulated the similarity between study and test items. Our analysis revealed that manipulating similarity did not reliably influence the degree to which memories were separated. We instead found that pattern separation was related to how confident participants were when making decisions related to memory. The implications of this finding, however, remain unclear with future studies needed to interpret them. These results suggest that trial-wise confidence ratings might be a truer measure of mnemonic “similarity” than our groupaverage similarity measures.
Determinants of Smallholders’ Market Preferences: The Case of Sustainable Certified Coffee Farmers in Vietnam

This study attempts to analyze the market preference of coffee farmers in Vietnam. Using the transaction cost approach, a seemingly unrelated regression (SUR) model was developed based on the sales volume in different markets, transaction cost attributes, socioeconomic factors, and behavioral aspects of sustainable certified coffee farmers. Factors that significantly influence farmers’ market preference include several transaction cost attributes (price uncertainty, market competition, transportation cost, speed of payment, and sale volume agreement) and characteristics of coffee farmers (age, ethnic, farming experience, location, and certificate ownership). Repeated economic transaction embedded in the social relationship indicates the largest sales volume of coffee farmers to the market of buying agents and the existence of local traders. There is a belief that formal institution brings better market access for coffee farmers, but main issues are regarding opportunistic behavior, imperfect market knowledge, traditional farming habits, and contract noncompliance, which have resulted in a lower preference for the market of processors/exporters.
Combined use of 3D metric surveys and non-invasive geophysical surveys for the determination of the state of conservation of the Stylite Tower (Umm ar-Rasas, Jordan).

The Stylite Tower is part of the UNESCO archaeological site of Umm ar−Rasas (Jordan). It represents a unicum in its category and has a fundamental value for the Jordanian Cultural Heritage as a symbol and an emblem of Jordan’s history and culture. The monument has evident signs of deterioration that appear in the form of substantial detachments of the plaster, water infiltration, erosion and fractures. Given the need to preserve this important ancient monument and for public safety reasons, a high−detail analysis of the Tower has been achieved through the realization of 3D geometrical surveys (Photogrammetry and Laser Scanner) and non−invasive geophysical surveys (using Ground Penetrating Radar Technique). The use of non−destructive testing techniques has provided encouraging results for the struc− tural planning of diagnostic, consolidation and restoration activities.
Cross-species cortical alignment identifies different types of neuroanatomical reorganization in the temporal lobe of higher primates

Evolutionary modifications of the temporo-parietal cortex are considered to be a critical adaptation of the human brain. Cortical adaptations, however, can affect different aspects of brain architecture, including areal expansion or changes in connectivity profiles. We propose to distinguishing different types of brain reorganization using a computational neuroanatomy approach. We investigate the extent to which between-species alignment based on cortical myelin can predict changes in connectivity patterns across macaque, chimpanzee and human. We show that expansion and relocation of brain areas are sufficient to predict terminations of several white matter tracts in temporo-parietal cortex, including the middle and superior longitudinal fasciculus, but not of the arcuate fasciculus. This demonstrates that the arcuate fasciculus underwent additional evolutionary modifications affecting the connectivity pattern of the temporal lobe. The presented approach can flexibly be extended to include other features of cortical organization and other species, allowing direct tests of comparative hypotheses of brain organization.
Influence of Rehearsal on Serial-Position Effects in Immediate Free Recall

48 male Ss were presented 24 items, half as words and half as simple line drawings, with or without instructions to try to remember them. Ss given a learning set reported rehearsing items during stimulus presentation, while non-set Ss did not. Free recall performance showed a serial-position factor which interacted with the set-non-set condition; primacy was much stronger and recency somewhat weaker for the rehearsing (set) Ss. This result supports conjectures of other investigators concerning the effects of rehearsal on serial position phenomena.
Detecting and controlling dye effects in single-virus fusion experiments

Fluorescent dye-dequenching assays provide a powerful and versatile means to monitor membrane fusion events. They have been used in bulk assays, for measuring single events in live cells, and for detailed analysis of fusion kinetics for liposomal, viral, and cellular fusion processes; however, the dyes used also have the potential to perturb membrane fusion. Here, using single-virus measurements of influenza membrane fusion, we show that fluorescent membrane probes can alter both the efficiency and the kinetics of lipid mixing in a dye- and illumination-dependent manner. R18, a dye that is commonly used to monitor lipid mixing between membranes, is particularly prone to these effects, while Texas Red is somewhat less sensitive. R18 further undergoes photoconjugation to viral proteins in an illumination-dependent manner that correlates with its inactivation of viral fusion. These results demonstrate how fluorescent probes can perturb measurements of biological activity and provide both data and a method for determining minimally perturbative measurement conditions. Statement of Significance Fluorescent dyes are powerful tools for labeling membranes and tracking subcellular objects, and fluorescence dequenching has further been used as a sensitive assay for membrane fusion. Here we show how incorporation of membrane dyes can perturb membrane fusion by influenza virus in a light-dependent manner. We provide a strategy to mitigate this by minimizing dye and light exposure. Finally, we show how in some cases these effects can be due to covalent reaction of some dyes with viral proteins upon illumination. These phenomena may be general and should be carefully controlled for in experiments using such labels.
Review of Functional Properties of Natural Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Composites: Thermal Insulation, Biodegradation and Vibration Damping Properties

Natural fiber-reinforced polymer composites are attracting researchers’ attention as environmentally friendly and sustainable materials because of their low environmental load imposed by manufacture and disposal. Natural fiber-reinforced composites have comparable or somewhat inferior mechanical performance when compared to glass fiber-reinforced plastics (GFRP), but have some unique characteristics, which include low thermal conductivity, biodegradation in natural environments and effective suppression of vibration. This paper presents a review of the typical functionalities of natural fiber-reinforced composites including thermal insulation property, biodegradable property and vibration damping property. As described herein, the author will introduce each functionality and discuss the effects of many factors affecting the performance of each function. Consequently, this paper reports that composite materials that fully use their functionality rather than mechanical performance are important for the future development of natural fiber-reinforced composites.
An Assessment Of Bank Capital Effects On Bank-Risk-Taking In Pakistan

This study examines the empirical impacts of capital-level on risk-taking behaviour of banks in Pakistan, using the bank-level panel data covering the period 2006 to 2015. It also explores the impacts of bank-size, profitability and the interest/financing rate on banks risk-taking. Panel co-integration test is applied to examine the presence of long-run relationship among the variables. Dynamic ordinary least square (DOLS) and the two-step system generalized method of moments are applied for estimation of the panel vector error correction model, to obtain the long-run and short-run estimates, respectively. Significant positive impact of capital on risk taking behaviour of banks was found. The short-run estimate, also shows that change in capital level is positively and significantly related to banks risk-taking. The positive capital effect on risk, suggest that banks with capital level above the regulatory requirements tends to invest more in risky assets. Findings of the study also reveal that bank-size has a negative impact on risk-taking; whereas, the interest rate is positively related to risk. Overall, the results are in line with finance theories and the existing empirical analyses on links between the capital and risk.
Brucella melitensis Rev.1 live attenuated Vaccine and its DNA induced IFN-γ and anti-ds DNA antibodies production in rats

Brucellosis is one of the five common bacterial zoonoses in the world caused by organisms belonging to the genus Brucella. Immune recognition of bacterial infection may contribute to cytokine, as well as antibody production that are characteristic of innate and adaptive responses. In this study, the presence of attenuated live Brucella melitenses Rev1 bacteria or its DNA induced the immune system to produce IFN-γ and anti-ds DNA antibody. In respect to IFN-γ released, the B. melitensis Rev 1 attenuated live vaccine was able to stimulate the immune system more than the DNA (P≤0.05). Such finding could be attributed to the whole attenuated bacteria that have immunogenic factors other than the DNA like cell wall component and outer membrane. On the other hand, the B. meliensis Rev 1 DNA activated the B cell to secret anti-ds DNA antibodies significantly higher (P≤ 0.05) than live attenuated vaccine, and the level of antibodies was increased to parallel the concentration increases of injected DNA.
Possible roles of fall speed parameters of different graupel densities on microphysics and electrification in an idealized thunderstorm

Graupel is often parametrized as “medium‐density” ice particles with a bulk density of 400 kg m−3 and corresponding fixed fall speed parameters in numerical models. In natural clouds, however, graupel has an extensive range of densities, and its fall speed is closely related to its density ρg. In this study, the possible responses of the microphysical and electrical structures of a simulated thunderstorm to varying ρg and its corresponding fall speed parameters were examined using the Advanced Research Weather and Forecasting Model (ARW‐WRF) with an explicit charging and discharge lightning scheme. Six sensitivity tests were performed with different ρg and corresponding fall speed parameters. ρg ranges from 350–850 kg m−3, to represent relatively low‐ (350, 450 kg m−3), medium‐ (550, 650 kg m−3), and high‐ (750, 850 kg m−3) density assumptions. In low‐density cases, the ice water path (IWP) could be comparable with the liquid water path (LWP), while the LWP exceeds the contribution of the IWP to the total water path (TWP) in high‐density cases. The results show that melting rates and precipitation were enhanced when ρg was increased from low to high values, resulting in a smaller size and lighter mean mass due to a shorter residence time and faster fall speed.