Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
What makes undergraduate students enroll into an elective course?: The case of Islamic accounting

Purpose - The main purpose of this paper is to investigate the acceptance level of Islamic accounting course by undergraduate students at the Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS). The study used theory of reasoned action (TRA) to analyze the findings. Design/methodology/approach - The primary data for the study are collected using self-administered questionnaires. Altogether, the sample comprised of 135 respondents. Data are analyzed using statistical package for social science 13.0 and Analysis of Moment Structures 7.0 to determine the acceptance level and model fit. Findings - Attitude (ATT), subjective norm (SN), and amount of information on Islamic accounting (AIIA) are found to affect the intention of students to enroll in the Islamic accounting course. Other proposed hypotheses are also supported. Research limitations/implications - The study limitations are confined to three only. The first limitation is the narrow focus on one University in Malaysia as a case study. The second is about its limited relevant measures used in the model that may potentially support the acceptance. The third is about the lack of adequate sample of non-Muslim students. Nevertheless, these limitations drive for the future research in the area of Islamic accounting. Practical implications - Despite its limitations, this study is still of importance in providing insights on a particular issue. The findings of this study shed some light on the students' acceptance level of an Islamic course. This course is unique as it is different in orientation compared to other existing courses on offer. This paper also provides an invaluable insight, especially in the case of UMS, to consider Islamic accounting course as a core course in the future instead of only an elective course. The university's management should consider the importance of students' ATT, SN, and AIIA prior to offering the course. Originality/value - This paper examines undergraduate students' acceptance level of an Islamic accounting course using TRA and highlights the factors affecting the acceptance of students of an Islamic accounting course in a Malaysian higher learning institution.
Effects of Increased Phosphorus Rates and Plant Densities on Yield and Yield-Related Traits of Narbon Vetch Lines

We evaluated seed yield, forage yield, and yield-related traits of 4 different narbon vetch (Vicia narbonensis L.) lines using 3 phosphorus rates and 4 plant densities. The experiment was conducted during the 1999-2000 and 2000-2001 cultivation seasons in Hatay, located in the Eastern Mediterranean region of Turkey. The experimental design was a split-split plot design with 3 replications. Phosphorus levels of 25, 50, and 75 kg P2O5 ha-1 were the main plots, narbon vetch lines (2382, 2385, 2387, and 2561) were the split plots, and seeding rates (50, 75, and 100 plants m-2) were the split-split plots. Analysis of variance showed that yield and most of the yield-related traits were significantly affected by phosphorus rate, line, and seeding rate. The application of 75 kg ha-1 of phosphorus resulted in higher yield than that of 25 kg ha-1 and 50 kg ha-1 applications. Significant genotypic variation was observed for most of the traits. The different plant densities significantly affected all the traits. Seed yield, green forage yield, and dry matter yield increased as the number of plants increased per unit area. The highest seed yield, above ground biomass, green forage yield, and dry matter yield were obtained with the highest plant density of 100 plants m-2. There were significant relationships between yield and yield-related traits. Seed yield positively correlated with plant height (r = 0.65), above ground biomass (r = 0.63), green forage yield (r = 0.54), and dry matter yield (r = 0.27, P < 0.01).
Mathematical Mortality Models and Modeling UrbanizationÃ¢ÂÂs Influence onDeaths in Jamaica

Background: Inspite of the body of knowledge which exists on mortality, the literature is void of a study on ‘Time-specific Mortality’. Objectives: This study aims to evaluate ‘Time-specific Mortality’ in Jamaica, the role of urbanization, and sexratio on mortality. Materials and method: The data were derived from various Jamaica Government Publications including The Economic and Social Survey of Jamaica; 2011 Census of Population and Housing report for Jamaica and the Demographic Statistics, and the Statistical Department of the Jamaica Constabulary Force. Data were recorded, stored and retrived using the Statistical Packages for the Social Sciences for Windows, Version 21.0, as well as Microsoft Excel. The level of significance that is used to determine statistical significance is less than 5% (0.05). Results: The annual probability of mortality in Jamaica, for the studied period is 0.005 ≤ px ≤ 0.008. The probability of dying in Kingston and Saint Andrew is generally greater than that of Jamaica, which is equally the case in Saint James (i.e., 0.005 ≤ px ≤ 0.008), Manchester (i.e., 0.006 ≤ px ≤ 0.008), with the probability of dying being the least in Hanover (0.003 ≤ px ≤ 0.005). The majority of deaths occurred in January (9.8%), with the least being in December (7.8%). Although on average the least number of deaths occurred in December 2011 (7.8%), 11% of Jamaicans died in December compared to 8% in Feburary and 9% in August as well as April-to-June. Urbanization and the sex-ratio explain 88% of the variability in mortality in Jamaica, with urbanization explaining 79.9% of the variability and the sex-ratio contributing the remaining 8.1%. Conclusion: The results presented in this study speaks to the dominance of urbanization in the mortality discourse, urbanization’s role in reducing life expectancy and that the time as well as the sex-ratio, which offers some insights into changes in mortality. These findings offer policy makers critical information that can be used to develop intervention programmes as well as provide scholars with new insights into the mortality discourse.
SOIL CHEMICAL ATTRIBUTES AND THEIR INFLUENCE ON ELEMENTAL COMPOSITION OF YERBA MATE LEAVES

Yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis St. Hil.) is a raw material used in making a beverage whose chemical composition can be altered by the growing environment and the management adopted during its cultivation. Thus, it is essential that scientific studies are undertaken to understand the chemical composition of yerba mate related to its growing environment. The aim of this work was to determine the elemental composition in the leaves of yerba mate from native cultivations that had never received fertilization and liming, from the Southern Region of the state of Paraná, Brazil. Soil and leaf samples were collected at 11 sites located in the municipalities of São Mateus do Sul, Mallet, São João do Triunfo, and Lapa. Leaf analyzes were performed in an Optical Emission Spectrometer with Inductively Coupled Plasma. The mean concentrations observed (mg kg-1), in decreasing order, were: Ca – 7880; K – 7310; Mn – 2418; - Mg – 820; P – 720; Al – 474; Fe – 231; B – 78; Zn – 62; Ba - 62; Cu – 8.9; Ni – 5.6; Cr – 0.82; V – 0.53; Co – 0.17. The Mn concentrations were directly correlated with Al3+ saturation and inversely correlated with base saturation, pH, and the available Ca2+, demonstrating that changes among these soil components can significantly modify the Mn concentrations in the yerba mate leaves. The high concentrations of Mn and Al in the leaves of yerba mate demonstrate the adaptation of this species to acidic soils with high saturation of Al3+.
Beyond propaganda: science coverage in Soviet Estonian media

Previous studies have concluded that science coverage in Soviet countries was determined by the ideological function of the media. This paper analyses the science coverage in Soviet Estonian publications Rahva Hääl and Horisont in 1960/1967 and 1980 and demonstrates that the popularization of science existed as an independent function of articles. This suggests that the parallel developments in science communication on both sides of the Iron Curtain deserve further study. Abstract
The Impact of Assembly Bias on the Galaxy Content of Dark Matter Halos

We study the dependence of the galaxy content of dark matter halos on large-scale environment and halo formation time using semi-analytic galaxy models applied to the Millennium simulation. We analyze subsamples of halos at the extremes of these distributions and measure the occupation functions for the galaxies they host. We find distinct differences among these occupation functions. The main effect with environment is that central galaxies (and in one model, also the satellites) in denser regions start populating lower-mass halos. A similar, but significantly stronger, trend exists with halo age, where early-forming halos are more likely to host central galaxies at lower halo mass. We discuss the origin of these trends and the connection to the stellar mass–halo mass relation. We find that, at fixed halo mass, older halos and to some extent also halos in dense environments tend to host more massive galaxies. Additionally, we see a reverse trend for the occupation of satellite galaxies where early-forming halos have fewer satellites, likely due to having more time for them to merge with the central galaxy. We describe these occupancy variations in terms of the changes in the occupation function parameters, which can aid in constructing realistic mock galaxy samples. Finally, we study the corresponding galaxy auto- and cross-correlation functions of the different samples and elucidate the impact of assembly bias on galaxy clustering. Our results can inform theoretical modeling of galaxy assembly bias and attempts to detect it in the real universe.
Preparation and in-vitro characterization of alginate microspheres incorporating leptospiral antigens as a delivery system and adjuvant

Leptospirosis is one of the most prevalent zoonotic diseases worldwide. Currently, multivalent whole-cell leptospiral vaccines can induce protection against leptospirosis. Therefore, preparation and formulation of new generations of vaccines that can stimulate long-term immunity for leptospirosis control are essential. The aim of this study was to prepare and characterize alginate microspheres as an antigen delivery system for immunization against leptospirosis. We used five Leptospira interrogans serovars, namely, Icterohaemorrhagiae, Grippotyphosa, Serjo harjo, Pomona, and Canicola, for antigen preparation. Alginate microspheres containing leptospiral antigen (LA) were prepared by an emulsification method and evaluated with respect to morphology, size distribution, loading efficiency (LE), loading capacity (LC), and release profile. The effects of concentration of alginate and emulsifiers and stirring rate on characteristics of microspheres were investigated. The optimal condition parameters for the preparation of LA-loaded alginate microspheres were estimated. The optimum concentrations obtained for alginate and emulsifiers were 3.65% (w/v), Span 80 (0.24% w/v), and Tween 80 (3.85% w/v), respectively. Moreover, the appropriate homogenization rate was 500 rpm. Our results showed mean particle size of 200 μm, 97.41% LE, and 8% LC for the microspheres. Sufficient release profile was observed for in-vitro release test of LA from alginate microspheres over an extended period of time (216 hour). Therefore, alginate microspheres technologically seem to be a promising antigen delivery system for leptospiral vaccine.
Response of a Transonic Compressor to a Massive Inlet Distortion

The demand to extend the flight envelope of an aircraft makes predicting the behaviour of a plane and its components close to its aerodynamic limits imperative. The interaction of the plane, the engine and the atmosphere is still challenging to model. One problem is that by reducing the stability margin the risk of disturbances rises. A separation in the intake can lead to a distortion of the inflow, especially for the engines. In contrast to academic experiments, this publication shows the investigation of a realistic distortion pattern in a transonic compressor stage. A bevelled beam was installed upstream of the rotor. The radial extent was 10% of the channel height, the circumferential extent was 120° . This beam generated a separation that extended into the rotor. The interaction of this massive separation with the compressor was investigated using high-resolution measurement techniques. The flow in the compressor was influenced around the entire circumference and span even though the distortion was located only at the casing.
Imaged substellar companions: not as eccentric as they appear? The effect of an unseen inner mass on derived orbits

Increasing numbers of sub-stellar companions are now being discovered via direct imaging. Orbital elements for some of these objects have been derived using star{companion astrometry, and several of these appear to have eccentricities signicantly greater than zero. We show that stellar motion caused by an undetected inner body may result in the companion elements derived in such a way being incorrect, which could lead to an overestimation of the eccentricity. The magnitude of this eect is quantied in several regimes and we derive the maximum eccentricity error a third body could introduce in a general form, which may be easily applied to any imaged system. Criteria for identifying systems potentially susceptible to this scenario are presented, and we nd that around half of the planets/companion brown dwarfs currently imaged could be liable to these errors when their orbital elements are derived. In particular, this eect could be relevant for systems within 100 pc with companions at >50 AU, if they also harbour an unseen 10 Jupiter mass object at >10 AU. We use the Fomalhaut system as an example and show that a 10% error could be induced on the planet’s eccentricity by an observationally allowed inner mass, which is similar in size to the current error from astrometry.
Lattice Boltzmann Simulations of Fluid Flow in Continental Carbonate Reservoir Rocks and in Upscaled Rock Models Generated with Multiple-Point Geostatistics

Microcomputed tomography (μCT) and Lattice Boltzmann Method (LBM) simulations were applied to continental carbonates to quantify fluid flow. Fluid flow characteristics in these complex carbonates with multiscale pore networks are unique and the applied method allows studying their heterogeneity and anisotropy. 3D pore network models were introduced to single-phase flow simulations in Palabos, a software tool for particle-based modelling of classic computational fluid dynamics. In addition, permeability simulations were also performed on rock models generated with multiple-point geostatistics (MPS). This allowed assessing the applicability of MPS in upscaling high-resolution porosity patterns into large rock models that exceed the volume limitations of the μCT. Porosity and tortuosity control fluid flow in these porous media. Micro- and mesopores influence flow properties at larger scales in continental carbonates. Upscaling with MPS is therefore necessary to overcome volume-resolution problems of CT scanning equipment. The presented LBM-MPS workflow is applicable to other lithologies, comprising different pore types, shapes, and pore networks altogether. The lack of straightforward porosity-permeability relationships in complex carbonates highlights the necessity for a 3D approach. 3D fluid flow studies provide the best understanding of flow through porous media, which is of crucial importance in reservoir modelling.
School Leaders as Participants in Teachers' Professional Development: The Impact on Teachers' and School Leaders' Professional Growth.

Over a two-year period, approximately 70 teachers from 18 schools participated in an on-going professional development program as part of a study to promote the teaching and learning of numeracy. Principals and other school leaders were invited to participate in the professional development program alongside their teachers, which 20 leaders from 11 schools chose to do. Throughout the project, data were collected from teachers and participating school leaders using surveys, interviews, and workshop discussions to investigate teachers’ and leaders’ professional growth. The findings showed that school leaders’ participation in teacher professional development programs has a positive influence on the capacity for teachers to enact and reflect on new knowledge and practices. They also revealed a positive influence on the professional growth of the leaders themselves. This study has implications for the design of professional development and for school leaders and teacher educators.
A comparison between tomato quality of mature-green and red- ripe stages in soilless culture

The aim of this study was to compare between postharvest tomato quality of mature-green and red- ripe stages produced in soilless culture. The research was conducted in a completely randomized design with 3 replications. The treatments included: palmpeat 1 + perlite (v/v = 50%)‚ palmpeat 2 + perlite (v/v = 50%)‚ perlite (100%), palmpeat 1 (100%) (non fermentation) and palmpeat 2 (100%) (3 manth fermentation) (papadopolus formula used for nutrient solution during plant growth with fertigation method as well as temperature, humidity and irrigation rate was constant for all treatments. Comparison of means showed that the media had significant effect on fruit quality [titratable acidity (TA), total soluble solid (Tss), Vitamin C and Tss/TA]. Also results showed that the stages of harvesting (red-ripe and mature-green) had significant difference on Tss, Vit c and Tss/TA. The overall results showed that the stage of red-ripe quality of fruits is better than mature-green and its effect was selected by consumers. Key words: Titratable acidity, total soluble solid/titratable acidity, soilless, palmpeat, perlite.
The Affection Evaluation of Service Quality through the Usage of Knowledge Management Factors on Customer Loyalty : The Case Study of Insurance Industry in Guilan Province

The competition intensification in the manufacturing and services areas can be seen in the worldwide. Increasing competition is quite obvious in services, in industries such as hospitality, banking, insurance, and this factor is getting more difficult to retain customers and increase their loyalty in this situation. So providing quality services is a major and future challenge of active companies in this field. In addition, in the new business environment characterized by volatility and increasing complexity, a company ability in create and keep a company's competitive advantage is hidden in its knowledge. In today's competitive world, customers are the main focus of companies and their loyalty is the main factor in gaining competitive advantage of organizations. Today, communities are increasingly moving towards being knowledge-based. Therefore, it can be said that the dynamic knowledge implementation and management for organizational performance enhancement and decision-making is essential. This research written with purpose acquaintance and focusing on service quality management and knowledge management and their interaction with customer loyalty of various insurance products. Also the current study purpose is to investigate the effect of service quality of customer on loyalty due to the role played by knowledge management and Due to intensification of competition in the insurance organization is obvious, this research has been implemented in insurance companies of Gilan province and the results showed that the proposed model of research were confirmed at the level of 99% assurance.
Effect of Instructional Model and Learning Materials Towards Competency in Using and Regulating of Electrical Motor

The interest of this research is learner’s competency in using and regulating of electrical motor based on teaching models and instructional materials used. Data are obtained through quasi-experimental study with a number of 60 learners as a sample, which it was taken randomly. A sheet test and an observation sheet are used as the research instrument, which was developed and tested in advance. Data are analyzed by ANOVA, and concluded that there is a difference of the effect of learning models and forms of teaching materials used towards the learners’ competency in using and regulating of an electric motor.
A 4-GHz Phase Shifter MMIC in 0 . 18-m CMOS

This letter presents a tunable phase shifter implemented in a 0.18m CMOS process for monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) applications. By employing active inductors in the synthetic transmission line architecture, the phase shifter exhibits a wide phase control range, low insertion loss, and miniaturized chip area. Characterized by the -parameter measurement, the fabricated circuit demonstrates an insertion loss less than 1.1 dB within the 360 phase shift while maintaining a return loss better than 10 dB from 3.5 to 4.5 GHz. Due to the absence of distributed elements and spiral inductors, the area of the phase shifter core is 400 200 m. To the authors’ best knowledge, this is the smallest chip size ever reported for an analog phase shifter at this frequency band.
Trade Facilitation and Export Diversification

This paper shows that improved trade facilitation can help promote export diversification in developing countries. We find that 10 per cent reductions in the costs of international transport and domestic exporting costs (documentation, inland transport, port and customs charges) are associated with export diversification gains of 4 and 3 per cent, respectively, in a sample of 118 developing countries. Customs costs play a particularly important role in these results. Lower market entry costs can also promote diversification, but the effect is weaker (1 per cent). We also find evidence that trade facilitation has stronger effects on diversification in poorer countries. Our results are highly robust to estimation using alternative dependent and independent variables, different country samples, and alternative econometric techniques. We link these findings to recent advances in trade theory that emphasise firm heterogeneity, and trade growth at the extensive margin.
Dividend history and determinants in selected Indian companies: a study during 1993-'94 to 2004-'05

The study attempts to find out the trends in dividend payment and determinants of dividend decision. A sample of 607 BSE-listed Indian companies has been considered for the period from 1993-94 to 2004-05. Study results show that number of non-payers and low-payers of dividend has increased. Again, average dividend payments are on the rise continuously. It means that there is no room for moderate dividend payment. Average dividend for the past three years is the most consistent and significant determinant of dividend payment. Current profit, past profit and expected future profit have significant positive role to play in setting dividend rate. Again, cash position and cash flow has significant negative relationship with only dividend rate. Interest expenses, capital expenditure, tax ratio and share price behaviour has almost no role to play in the matter of dividend payment. That the stability of dividend is the primary concern for the managers at the time of taking dividend decision is upheld.