Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Factors influencing business performance of Micro and Small enterprises (MSEs): the case of jenga Kenya community based organizations's clients in Meru Central

Micro and small enterprises act as providers for goods and services, facilitate transfer of technology, create employment and create wealth. They are also credited with creating over 80% of all new jobs in Kenya and providing a brooding ground for Small and Medium Enterprises with the hope that the enterprises grow to big businesses. The Government of Kenya and other development agencies have put resources to harness the potential presented by these enterprises with the aim of reducing poverty, while creating employment and wealth. Besides these benefits, most of the Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) do not survive to their fifth year while others stagnate and are not able to generate permanent and highly remunerative jobs due to numerous challenges they encounter, including competition, low capitalization, insecurity, unskilled management among others. The main objective of this study was to relate Business Performance of MSEs as the dependent Variable to factors that influence it including Demographics, Training on Business Skills and Access to Credit as the Dependent Variables. This study focused on Jenga Kenya clients who operate their MSEs in six districts around Meru town in Eastern Province. This study used descriptive survey design with confidence level set at 95% and the margin level set at 4%. The total population of Jenga Kenya clients being 422 from which sample of 248 respondents were surveyed using questionnaires. To capture the richness in diversity of the population, stratified disproportionate random sampling was employed using the districts as the strata. The data collected was cleaned, organized, coded and SPSS was used in to analyze the data. The findings were presented in Tables and percentages. The study found that; Training on Business Skills and Access to Credit significantly influenced Business Performance of MSEs. It also established that Micro-Finance Institutions were accessible to entrepreneurs of both Gender and was more favorable to women than men. Majority of those accessing training and credit from Jenga Kenya C.B. O. were based in the rural areas and most were operating farm based enterprises. The study also found out that ‘terms and conditions’ of lending in Micro-Finance Institutions was not a hindrance to entrepreneurs operating MSEs and most of them classified the ‘terms and conditions’ of borrowing as favorable and acceptable. This study proposes formulation of a curriculum for entrepreneurs running MSEs since most entrepreneurs had practiced the skills they had learned from the trainings offered. Growth of micro and small enterprises in the rural areas should be encouraged since this shall not only provide goods and services to those dwelling in those areas, they also provide an avenue for technology transfer, create wealth, reduce rural urban migration by raising the standards of living and creating opportunities in the rural areas but most of all, reduce poverty and contribute to the GDP of the country.
Single-Phase Inverter Control Techniques for Interfacing Renewable Energy Sources With Microgrid—Part I: Parallel-Connected Inverter Topology With Active and Reactive Power Flow Control Along With Grid Current Shaping

In this paper, a novel current control technique is proposed to control both active and reactive power flow from a renewable energy source feeding a microgrid system through a single-phase parallel-connected inverter. The parallel-connected inverter ensures active and reactive power flow from the grid with low-current total harmonic distortion even in the presence of nonlinear load. A p-q theory-based approach is used to find the reference current of the parallel-connected converter to ensure desired operating conditions at the grid terminal. The proposed current controller is simple to implement and gives superior performance over the conventional current controllers, such as rotating frame proportional-integral controller or stationary frame proportional resonant controller. The stability of the proposed controller is ensured by direct Lyapunov method. A new technique based on the spatial repetitive controller is also proposed to improve the performance of the current controller by estimating the grid and other periodic disturbances. Detailed experimental results are presented to show the efficacy of the proposed current control scheme along with the proposed nonlinear controller to control the active and reactive power flow in a single-phase microgrid under different operating conditions.
Intrusion Detection System Techniques and Tools : A Survey

An Intrusion Detection System (IDS) is a system that tries to perform intrusion detection by comparing observable behaviour against suspicious patterns. The objective of intrusion detection is to monitor network resources and to detect abnormal and irregular behaviours and abuses. This concept has been around for the past several years but only recently it has seen a dramatic rise in interest of researchers and system developers for incorporation into the overall information security infrastructure. This survey gives the overall study about the IDS, its nature and techniques, tools used in the area of intrusion detection. Finally the survey gives the real-time working performance of top selected Intrusion Detection and Intrusion Prevention tools. This paper helps in analysing and evaluating of various IDS tools used in high-speed networks.
Ethnic differences in human flavin-containing monooxygenase 2 (FMO2) polymorphisms: detection of expressed protein in African-Americans.

The flavin-containing monooxygenases (FMOs) are a family of xenobiotic-metabolizing enzymes that are expressed in a species- and tissue-specific manner. FMO2 expression has been observed in pulmonary tissue from several species, but not human. Two human FMO2 point mutations have been reported: a cytosine to thymidine transition at position 1414 resulting in a premature stop codon and a thymidine insertion at position 1589 resulting in a frameshift. To define the frequency of these sequence variations and explore their significance, unrelated African-American, Caucasian, and Korean individuals were genotyped. In the African-American population tested (n = 180), the 1414C allele occurred at a 13% frequency; however, all of the tested Caucasians (n = 52) and Koreans (n = 100) were homozygous for the 1414T allele. The T1589 allele occurred at frequencies of 6.9 and 13.0% in African-Americans (n = 175) and Caucasians (n = 23), respectively, and appears to segregate with the 1414T allele. Thus, it would have no further impact on FMO2 activity. Western blot analysis of pulmonary microsomes failed to detect immunoreactive protein in 1414T homozygotes. A heterozygotic individual did exhibit a single band of the expected size, but no detectable FMO activity in the corresponding lung microsomes. Sequence analysis, however, was consistent with the 1414C allele encoding an active FMO2 enzyme. FMO2 mRNA expression was observed in most individuals, but failed to correlate with genotype or protein expression. In summary, functional FMO2 is expressed in only a small percentage of the overall population. However, in certain ethnic groups, active pulmonary FMO2 enzyme will be present in a significant number of individuals.
In Search of Well Established Models and Definitions for Process Management

Purpose: Process management has been around for a long time, but unlike that of many other management trends, the interest in process management has remained high. There is an ongoing discussion among both practitioners and scholars about how to best manage the value creating flows of activities that run through all organizations. Numerous process definitions have been proposed, most of them fairly similar. Further, there are well established tools, such as process mapping and measurement, to be applied on individual processes. However, when it comes to managing processes on a strategic system level, process management, the notions and definitions used varies widely. A starting point for this paper is the idea that the lack of well established conceptual models of process management has a role in the difficulties facing organizations when trying to control their processes on a strategic level. A question is whether there really are some existing widespread and common models and definitions for process management in the literature? Methodology: A structured literature review is used to identify contemporary models and definitions for process management. Findings: There are several descriptions and definitions of process management presented in the literature, but none that seems to be really widespread and well established. There are similar components in the definitions of the concept of process the included literature which can be condensed into a net process definition. The result and analysis of the definitions of process management in the included literature shows two different movements, (A) process management for single process improvement and (B) process management for system management. The varying purposes of working with process management demonstrate a diverse need for both movements. Still, the focus of a majority of the identified tools and approaches for process management is to contribute to the more mechanistic movement (A) of systematically improving single processes. There is a strong need for process management practitioners and researcher to develop and formulate approaches and tools that have the potential to contribute to process management not only on a single process level but on a strategic system level in the organization. Value of paper: The paper provides a literature review and an aggregated description of existing models for process management. It also discusses the implications of the findings on process management in organizations and suggests further research.
Novel hybrid C/BN two-dimensional heterostructures

Here we present an investigation of new quasi-two-dimensional heterostructures based on the alternation of bounded carbon and boron nitride layers (C/BN). We carried out a theoretical study of the atomic structure, stability and electronic properties of the proposed heterostructures. Such ultrathin quasi-two-dimensional C/BN films can be synthesized by means of chemically induced phase transition by connection of the layers of multilayered h-BN/graphene van der Waals heterostructures, which is indicated by the negative phase transition pressure in the calculated phase diagrams (P, T) of the films. It was shown that the band gap value of the C/BN films spans the infrared and visible spectrum. We hope that the proposed films and fabrication method can be considered as a possible route to obtain nanostructures with a controllable band gap in wide energy range. This makes these materials potentially suitable for a variety of applications, including photovoltaics, photoelectronics and more.
Exploring Factors that Influence Store Patronage amongst Low-Income Consumers in Cape Town, South Africa

The study investigates the factors that influence store patronage among low-income consumers in a Cape Town township by exploring the relationships amongst the influencing factors and determining the factors that consumers prioritise. Based on factor and multiple regression analyses of data from a convenience sample of 113 adult shoppers, the study found that relationship-based promotion and convenient branded solutions are among the important factors of store patronage. Store location is a significant influencer of both store satisfaction and store loyalty while store location, store image, and promotion are significant influencers of store loyalty. The study concludes that low-income consumers are not homogeneous in their responses to marketing stimuli designed to elicit store patronage. Retailers need to be clear about the segments to pursue and not assume that all low-income consumers are primarily motivated by low prices. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2014. v5n20p152
Unexpected Findings of a Female Team in Xochimilco, Mexico

This is a reflection about the methodological circumstances that led the author to certain unexpected information during the course of a qualitative approach to the perception of health problems of a group of poor families in the south of Mexico City. Special attention is paid to the influence of the research team composition (four women with different professional backgrounds, ages, marital statuses, and styles of personal interaction) and the psychoanalytic technique that influenced the study. The inclusion of people of different ages, professions, and personality traits proved extremely valuable both as a means of widening the possibilities for empathetic relations between the research group and the population studied and for increasing the shades of meaning that the team was able to capture.
Dividend Policy and Ownership Structure: Evidence from the Casablanca Stock Exchange

This study investigates the effect of the ownership structure on dividend policies for firms listed at the Casablanca stock exchange. Two aspects of the ownership structure are used, the first is the ownership concentration and the second is the identity of the largest shareholders. A panel data analysis is performed to examine the relationship between the dividend policy and the ownership structure in this emerging market for the period between 2004 and 2010. Results show that two forms of ownership identity influence negatively the dividend policy of firms listed. In fact, when the identity of the largest shareholder is either an industrial company or a family, the level of distributed dividends is decreased. Furthermore, findings show that there is no impact of ownership concentration on dividend policies for firms listed at the Casablanca Stock Exchange.
On the Embeddedness of CEO Labor Markets: How Owners’ and Directors’ Social Capital Affects the Likelihood of CEO Dismissal

This study focuses on the impact of social relations on the efficiency of the governance structure. Social capital which accrues from the dyadic and network relationships between the CEO, the board of directors and corporate owners is argued to have multiple and very different effects on the likelihood of dismissing a poorly performing CEO than has financial capital as captured by the actors’ level of shareholdings and the amount of their voting rights. Data from a sample of Swiss companies collected over the period 2000-2004 were employed. Results indicate that poorly performing companies are more likely to dismiss their CEO in the event of proximity and strong ties between the CEO and corporate owners and in the event of highly heterogeneous ownership structure.
Understanding the Customer Base of Service Providers: An Examination of the Differences between Switchers and Stayers

Creating and maintaining customer loyalty has become a strategic mandate in today's service markets. Recent research suggests that customers differ in their value to a firm, and therefore customer retention and loyalty-building efforts should not necessarily be targeted to all customers of a firm. Given these sentiments, it is becoming increasingly necessary for firms to have a thorough understanding of their customer base. Yet current knowledge is limited in providing insights to firms regarding the differences within their customer base. This research comprises two studies in which the authors examine the differences among internal customer groups in a service industry. As theory suggests and as is empirically validated here, customers who have switched service providers because of dissatisfaction seem to differ significantly from other customer groups in their satisfaction and loyalty behaviors. The findings offer some interesting implications for both marketing theory and practice.
What's next for hepatitis C virus research?

Recently, a fellow grant reviewer raised concerns about the significance of a basic research proposal on hepatitis C virus (HCV), stating, “There’s already a cure for HCV. ” At the time, I found it ironic that this reviewer was known for their work on viruses unassociated with any human disease; nevertheless, the reviewer had a point: The HCV research community needs to justify its existence. The conquest of HCV is one of the great success stories of basic, translational, and clinical virus research. Several HCV targets have been identified, potent inhibitors have been developed, and directacting antiviral (DAA) drugs have been approved and successfully deployed in the clinic. We are now in the postinterferon era of HCV treatment, with sustained virological response rates exceeding 90% after 8 weeks of combined DAA therapy. The current challenges are not to develop new antiviral strategies, but to optimize treatment regimens and deliver them cost effectively. Therefore, it is difficult to justify basic HCV research funding based on developing novel antiviral strategies. Yet, there are many unmet research priorities and important reasons to further study HCV, which I outline here.
An Analysis of the Impact of Public Capital on Cost Structure of Manufacturing Firms in China

Since 1978, China government has spent a huge amount on public capital, including infrastructure, education, and R&D. It is important to know whether those expenditures on public capital have a positive impact on improving manufacturing firms' productivity and thus reducing their production cost. In this study, we applied a data set with 1,371,726 sample points from the manufacturing sector of China from 1998 to 2006 with a traditional cost function to estimate the impact of public capital on firms' production cost, with a firm-level fixed effect. Then we estimate the substitutability of public capital and private inputs. We found that both education and infrastructure have a significant impact on reducing production cost for manufacturing firms, while education expenditure has a larger effect. On the other hand, R&D expenditure has little effect on reducing production cost.
Comparison of Five Tests for the Common Mean of Several Multivariate Normal Populations

Abstract In this article, we evaluate the merits of some tests for testing about the common mean vector of several multivariate normal populations with different covariance matrices. Five tests, including the Fisher's exact test, are compared with respect to their powers. Powers are estimated using Monte Carlo simulation. Based on the comparison studies, we found that the Fisher's test and one of the test due to Zhou and Mathew [Zhou, L. , Mathew, T. (1994). Combining independent tests in multivariate linear models. J. Multivariate Anal. 51:265–276] are in general more powerful than other three tests. The tests are illustrated using simulated data.
Is Perception Reality? Improving Agricultural Messages by Discovering How Consumers Perceive Messages

This study assessed how consumers interpret agricultural messages typically found on commodity organizations’ websites in Florida. Four focus groups were held in the fall of 2010. Results indicate that the participants found most of the messages to be unfavorable, rather than favorable. Additionally, the conclusions made by the participants were explained as being influenced by previous experience, corporate influence, history, the creation of mental images, lack of supporting information, and media influence. Participants provided researchers with suggestions to improve the messages and create a more favorable response from consumers. Further research should be done in this area to continue to improve the effectiveness of agricultural messages. In addition, this research should be replicated in other geographic locations. The implications of this study provide valuable information for agricultural communicators, commodity organizations, industry professionals, and those wanting to tell the story of agriculture.
An Analysis of the Needs and Behavior of Holiday-makers——Taking Chinese and Russian Tourists to Sanyaas An Example

Holiday-making travel is China's new industrial form and tourist mode. Although holiday-making travel had undergone slow and torturous development in the past twenty years,there appeared an obvious turning point after 2003.Long-distance holiday-making travel has become a new trend deserving our concern.The paper,choosing holiday-makers both at home and abroad in Sanya,Hainan——China's most significant tourism destination,as an object of investigation,studies the characteristics of demography,travel motivation,behavior and needs between Chinese and Russian holiday-makers and discloses the difference and similarity of their travel behavior and needs.The study has tested four hypotheses and negated individual typical conclusion about holiday-making travel in academic circle.
Adapted Use of Andon in a Horizontal Residential Construction Project

The andon is a visual management tool used mainly in manufacturing systems to highlight the status of the operations. In construction industry, its use is not widely known nor reported in academic literature. In understanding the difficulties imposed by this kind of production, it is necessary to adapt this tool to the construction sites. An andon device was implemented in a 55 hectares area of large horizontal residential project, with more than eight hundred apartments, at Fortaleza, Brazil, in order to indicate for the engineer team the exactly position of the problem in each workstation. The device was adapted to a touch screen terminal inside the workstations and it was shared for nine hundred workers, each one has its own identification number. They have to log in at the andon terminal and indicate the actual status of the operation he is executing. As a result, the andon allowed increasing operations transparency, to identify some planning issues and to solve the main causes of interruptions that were classified in four main areas: lack of material, problems with manpower, design documentation and safety. Also, the andon improved worker’s sense of responsibility by forecasting future problems that will affect the production. The use of the andon adapted to a horizontal project is an inspiration to other construction companies of how to implement this Toyota system traditional tool at extent construction sites.
A comparative evaluation of South African SME financial statements against the IFRS requirements

Research revealed that strong enforcement of accounting standards would improve the quality of financial reporting. As a result, information communicated by management to existing and potential shareholders should also improve. Proper financial reporting is however not necessarily an SME objective. Traditionally SME owners also fulfil a management function in the business. Moreover, little evidence exist that disclosure practices of SMEs are monitored. Notwithstanding these circumstances the IFRS for SMEs was developed for the SME sector worldwide. The relevance and adequacy of this accounting framework to the SME sector is therefore doubtful. This study compares current disclosure practices by South African SMEs against the IFRS for SMEs’ illustrative financial statements. Based on a sample of financial statements from the SME sector in South Africa our results suggest to what extent the illustrative financial statements is suitable for South African SMEs. Key words: Accounting, generally accepted accounting practice, small and medium entities, international financial reporting standards.
Predictors of recovery of responsiveness in prolonged anoxic vegetative state

Editors’ Note: The 1994 guidelines for the diagnosis of the vegetative state (VS) should be revised, Young and Owen suggest. Estraneo et al. agree, pointing to the development of new, advanced tools that improve recognition of discernible intentional responses in patients with prolonged anoxic VS. Some corrections and interesting additions to the historical article on cerebral PET scanning are made by Singhal. Okun et al. agree and explain the challenge of word count limit. Chafic Karam, MD, and Robert C. Griggs, MD