Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Determinants of domestic and cross-border bank M & As in European countries

Which bank characteristics make a target more attractive to the acquirer in the banking sector? This thesis answers this question by analyzing the determinants of bank acquisitions both within and across countries in EU countries over the period 2001-2010. The overall results indicate that, relative to banks that were involved in cross-border bank M&As, target were more profitable. The results suggest that banks with high profitability have a higher probability to be acquired by a foreign acquirer in a bank M&A. In particular, and contrary to what previous studies found, target bank size does not show a significant effect on the probability of being a target in both domestic and cross-border M&As.
Flora and vegetation of the greenstone ranges of the Yilgarn Craton: Kangaroo Hills and surrounding area

A series of timber reserves in the Coolgardie Bioregion were gazetted in the early 20th century to protect the woodlands and to ensure sufficient local supply of firewood close to towns. This paper describes the flora and vegetation on the greenstone hills within these timber reserves and their relationships with environmental variables. A total of 160 taxa were recorded from the survey, including a single taxon of conservation significance. The reserves are characterised by four different Eucalyptus woodland communities, with the most widespread community (community 3) occurring on the slopes and crests of the greenstone ranges. This community is dominated by Eucalyptus lesouefii, E. torquata, E. griffithsii and E. celastroides subsp. celastroides, and is consistently associated with soils that are more alkaline and higher in Mg and Ca compared with soils of other communities. Floristically, this woodland community is different to other eucalypt communities occurring on the crests of the greenstone ranges in the region.
Thermal conductivity of bulk nanostructured lead telluride

Thermal conductivity of lead telluride with embedded nanoinclusions was studied using Monte Carlo simulations with intrinsic phonon transport properties obtained from first-principles-based lattice dynamics. The nanoinclusion/matrix interfaces were set to completely reflect phonons to model the maximum interface-phonon-scattering scenario. The simulations with the geometrical cross section and volume fraction of the nanoinclusions matched to those of the experiment show that the experiment has already reached the theoretical limit of thermal conductivity. The frequency-dependent analysis further identifies that the thermal conductivity reduction is dominantly attributed to scattering of low frequency phonons and demonstrates mutual adaptability of nanostructuring and local disordering.
Does School District Spending Vary by Source of Funds

For the average school ditrict, state funding is now higher than local funding, with unknown effects on per pupil spending. Previous studies in individual states do not agree on the direction and magnitude of the stimulative effs.ct of state funding. This paper analyzes data from the 1989-90 United States Bureau of the Census report, "Public Education Finances," which provides financial information on school districts across the country. The study seeks to determine the magnitude and variation of school district spending as a result of differences in the contribution of state revenue. Findings indicate that both the southern and western regions of the United States have about the same level of state support. Once region and size were controlled, the type of school-district governance had no significant effect on expenditure per pupil. The percentage of state aid, once region and size were taken into account, explains about one-third of school-district spending per pupil. The effect of state aid has slightly negative consequences for per-pupil spending. However, no information was available on school-district wealth. Five tables and one figure are included. (LMI) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original . document. *************************A***********************i.AA****************
Direction of Causality in Innovation-Exporting Linkage: Evidence on Korean Manufacturing

This paper examines various possible bi-directional causal relationships among exporting, innovation, and productivity utilizing plant-level data on Korean manufacturing. Based on both propensity score matching technique and three-variable panel VAR estimation, we find a significantly positive effect of exporting on new product introduction. The effect for the other direction of causality is estimated to be positive but not significant. Panel VAR estimation results suggest that plant productivity has a significantly positive effect on both exporting and new product introduction.
A Review of Self-Determination Theory’s Basic Psychological Needs at Work

Self-determination theory (SDT) conceptualizes basic psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness as innate and essential for ongoing psychological growth, internalization, and well-being. We broadly review the literature on basic psychological need satisfaction at work with three more specific aims: to test SDT’s requirement that each basic psychological need should uniquely predict psychological growth, internalization, and well-being; to test whether use of an overall need satisfaction measure is appropriate; and to test whether the scale used to assess basic psychological needs influenced our results. To this end, we conducted a meta-analytic review of 99 studies with 119 distinct samples examining the antecedents and consequences of basic need satisfaction. We conclude with recommendations for addressing issues arising from our review and also identify points for future research, including the study of need frustration and culture, integrating the basic needs with other motivation theories, and a caution regarding the measures and methods used.
Statistical Constraints for Astrometric Binaries with Nonlinear Motion

Useful constraints on the orbits and mass ratios of astrometric binaries in the Hipparcos catalog are derived from the measured proper motion differences of Hipparcos and Tycho-2 (Δμ), accelerations of proper motions (), and second derivatives of proper motions (). It is shown how, in some cases, statistical bounds can be estimated for the masses of the secondary components. Two catalogs of astrometric binaries are generated, one of binaries with significant proper motion differences and the other of binaries with significant accelerations of their proper motions. Mathematical relations between the astrometric observables Δμ, , and and the orbital elements are derived in the appendices. We find a remarkable difference between the distribution of spectral types of stars with large accelerations but small proper motion differences and that of stars with large proper motion differences but insignificant accelerations. The spectral type distribution for the former sample of binaries is the same as the general distribution of all stars in the Hipparcos catalog, whereas the latter sample is clearly dominated by solar-type stars, with an obvious dearth of blue stars. We point out that the latter set includes mostly binaries with long periods (longer than about 6 yr).
The implementation of a quality management system in the not‐for‐profit sector

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the rationale for establishing a quality management system (QMS) by obtaining ISO 9001:2000 certification in a not for profit small to medium enterprise (SME) in the UK. The rationale for choosing this approach over others to achieve operational stability and ongoing improvement is explored and an evaluation of its effectiveness undertaken.Design/methodology/approach – A case study approach is adopted with the paper outlining the process of ISO 9001:2000 implementation in a single not‐for‐profit SME. The paper identifies the process by which the organisation prepares for certification and appraises both the changes required by the organisation and the scope of opportunistic improvements that resulted.Findings – Through the correct development of the QMS the company was able to generate bottom‐line savings and business performance enhancement. The paper shows that when the QMS is developed as part of a coherent initiative, lasting performance improvements a.
Bridging the Barriers: ICT in the Girl-Child Education in Nigeria

The problems militating against the girl child education in Nigeria is an age long factor that hingers on cultural, social and religious undertones where the girl-child is perceived as inferior to the male and hence denied aceess to education anf her roles relegated to that of a home maker, child rearer and house keeper. The need to phase these barriers to the girl-child education is an enormous task educationist is saddled with in this 21 st century and the emergence of ICT to Education has given it a new approach of interest as access to information will create more awareness on issues bothering on the girl-child education. The study was conducted in college of Education zing, Taraba state and drew a sample of 300 female respondents from the department of Social studies. Survey design was adopted for the study and the following findings were made; ICT mostly internet access improves the interest and motivation of female students and in return improves their educational achievement. The study recommended that ICT facilities should be provided for in the schools, trainings should be organiszed in the institutions to help females learn the relevance of ICT to education, female teachers should equally be encouraged to adapt to ICT so that the disparity with the students will be non existence. Keywords: Girl-Child Education, ICT, Academic achivement
GROWTH AND REPRODUCTION OF THE SPOTTED PORPOISE, STENELLA ATTENUATA, IN THE OFFSHORE EASTERN TROPICAL PACIFIC

This study is based on data &om several thousand specimens of spotted porpoise, Stenello attenuata, incidentally killed in the purse seine fishery for yellowfin tuna, Thunnus albacares. Average length at birth is 82.5 cm. Gestation is 11.5 mo. Average length at 1 yr is 138 cm. Length-weight equations are given for fetuses and postnatal males and females. Age was estimated from dentinal layers in thin sections of teeth. A two-phase Laird-Gompertz growth model was fitted to the layer-length data. Direct calibration of the dentinal layers beyond the first year (two layers) was not possible, and three alternative hypotheses were considered: 1) two layers per year, until pulp cavity occluded, 2) two layers per year in first year, and one per year thereatter, and 3) two layers per year until puberty, and one per year thereafter. The second alternative is mast probably the correct one, but reproductive parameters were estimated in terms of layers. Breeding is diffusely seasonal, with prolonged calving seasons in spring and fall and a pronounced low in winter. A third calving season may exist in the summer. Average age at attainment of sexual maturity of males is approximately 12 layers (average length about 195 cm and average weight about 75 kg). Females attain sexual maturity on the average at about 9 layers and 181 cm. Ovarian changes in adult females are described. Apparently postreproductive females were encountered in the samples. It is concluded that corpora albicantia of ovulation and pregnancy persist indefinitely in the ovaries. It was not possible todistinguish between the two types of mrpora. Ovulation rate changes with age, from about four per layer in very young adult females, to about one per layer in older females. The average calving interval is 26 mo long and consists of 11.5 mo of pregnancy, 11.2 mo of lactation, and 3.3 mo of resting and/or estrus. About 9.6% of lactating females are also pregnant. Pregnancy rate decreases with age, from about 0.6 per year at 8 to 10 layers, to about 0.3 at 16 layers. The overall sample contained 44.9% males and 55.1% females. Sex ratio changes with age, from near parity at birth, indicating higher mortality rates for males. Grass annual production of calves, based on age and sex structures of the sample and the estimated pregnancy rate, is 14.4% of the population per year. No evidence was found of age or sex segregation in schooling. The estimated parameters differ in a consistent way from those estimated for a population of Stenella attenuata in the western Pacific, possibly reflecting the exploitation in the eastern Pacific.
Assessing the impact of climate change on water resources in Iran

As water resources become further stressed due to increasing levels of societal demand, understanding the effect of climate change on various components of the water cycle is of strategic importance in management of this essential resource. In this study, we used a hydrologic model of Iran to study the impact of future climate on the country's water resources. The hydrologic model was created using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model and calibrated for the period from 1980 to 2002 using daily river discharges and annual wheat yield data at a subbasin level. Future climate scenarios for periods of 2010–2040 and 2070–2100 were generated from the Canadian Global Coupled Model (CGCM 3.1) for scenarios A1B, B1, and A2, which were downscaled for 37 climate stations across the country. The hydrologic model was then applied to these periods to analyze the effect of future climate on precipitation, blue water, green water, and yield of wheat across the country. For future scenarios we found that in general, wet regions of the country will receive more rainfall while dry regions will receive less. Analysis of daily rainfall intensities indicated more frequent and larger‐intensity floods in the wet regions and more prolonged droughts in the dry regions. When aggregated to provincial levels, the differences in the predictions due to the three future scenarios were smaller than the uncertainty in the hydrologic model. However, at the subbasin level the three climate scenarios produced quite different results in the dry regions of the country, although the results in the wet regions were more or less similar.
An Investigation on the Histologic Responses of Periapical Tissues Following Retrofilling with Root MTA and Portland Cement Type I Versus Pro Root MTA in the Canine Teeth of Cats

Statement of the Problem: Endodontic surgery if required is considered as an additive therapy after classic endodontic treatments. The most prevalent type of e ndodontic surgeries are apicoectomy and corrective surgeries. Type of material applied in apicoectomies is of high importance. Root end filling material should not only be biocompatible but also provide appropriate seal. Considering these findings, the subject of this paper was to compare the histologic responses of the periradicular tissues after using Root MTA and Portland cement, as Root end fillings, with Pro Root MTA. Purpose: The aim of the present study was to introduce a suitable material for root end filling. Materials and Methods: The canals of sixty maxillary canines of cats, after cutting the crowns and exposing the pulps, were instrumented 1 mm beyond the apex until 25 # file to develop periapical lesion after 28 days. They were then randomly divided into five groups. After apicoectomy, Pro Root MTA, Root MTA and Portland cement were placed, as root end filling materials in three experimental groups whereas the two remaining groups were considered as positive and negative controls. After 3, 6 and 12 weeks the animals were sacrificed and the specimens were stained for histologic evaluation under light microscope. The data were submitted to statistical analyses (Fisher exact test, k2 test and one- way variance analysis). Results: No statistically significant difference was found between these three materials in cementum apposition on roots and implanted materials, fibrous capsule formation and the severity of inflammation, however, bone formation in Root MTA group was significantly less than pro Root MTA and Portland cement groups. The extent of inflammation thickness in Portland cement group was significantly less than Pro Root MTA group. Conclusion: According to these findings if long term investigations with larger sample size confirm the obtained results of the present study, Root MTA and Portland cement which are cost- effective and readily available, can replace Pro Root MTA in endodontic surgeries.
Structure and energetics of Ni, Ag, and Au nanoclusters

The geometries and binding energies of the most stable isomers of nickel, silver, and gold nanoclusters of size 6, 7, 12, 13, 14, 19, 38, 55, and 75 atoms, predicted with an n-body Gupta potential, are presented. An exhaustive search for low-energy minima on the potential energy surface was carried out using an evolutive ~genetic-symbiotic! algorithm. Our results confirm the existence of disordered global minima for gold clusters of 19, 38, and 55 atoms in size, and disordered low-energy isomers for the 75-atom gold cluster. Disordered structures are also isomers of nickel and silver clusters but they are not among the global minima of these metals. Comparison of the structure factors of the disordered and ordered isomers of gold with published experimental x-ray powder diffraction data suggests that the disordered structures are real. The relation between the form of the n-body potential and the structure of the global minimum is studied, leading to an explanation of why these disordered states were located with the Gupta potential but not with certain other models of the metal bonding. @S0163-1829~99! 05524-1#
Examining patient safety education in pre-registration nursing curriculum: Qualitative study

Background: Patient safety education has become an important tool to shape the future safety behaviour of health care professionals. The World Health Organisation has recently advocated eleven patient safety themes that need to be addressed in any health care educational curriculum. It is not known at this stage how far pre-registration adult nursing curriculum addresses these patient safety themes. Aims: To examine the views of nursing students and faculty members on patient safety education in a pre-registration adult nursing curriculum in relation to the WHO’ patient safety themes. Method: Qualitative method, utilising 20 semi-structured interviews with pre-registration adult nursing students and faculty members (10 students and 10 faculty members). The data were analysed thematically. Findings: Three main themes emerged from the participants’ views: ‘Not explicitly linked to patient safety’, ‘Mismatch between theory and practice’ and ‘The role of the mentor in practice’. The power imbalance between the students and staff in clinical placement appeared to have rendered many students reluctant to challenge unsafe practice. Conclusion: Patient safety education needs to be more visibly taught in nursing education. The nursing curriculum’ content, teaching and delivery methods may need to be reconsidered to better address the relevant WHO’ patient safety themes, but also to accommodate the unique context of each nursing educational system.
A case study on engineering faculty design projects

There is an established trend in engineering education to incorporate a design component for preparing students for real life practice. A recent report entitled Educating Engineers for the 21st Century[9] stresses that engineering courses need to adapt to the changing needs of businesses and to place a greater emphasis on real-life problems by working in collaboration with industrial partners. An initial investigation of design projects across four engineering disciplines was carried out to understand the breadth and depth of design projects. This included identifying key characteristics of the design projects, analysis of learning and teaching activities with respect to constructive alignment and investigation of assessment practices in these design projects. This research also examines the type of students' experiences. This paper ends with a discussion on the implications of these findings for design projects.
PROTECTIVE EFFECTS OF BLUE GREEN ALGAE SPIRULINA FUSIFORMIS AGAINST GALACTOSAMINE-INDUCED HEPATOTOXICITY IN MICE

Objective: The present investigation was carried out to assess the protective properties of Spirulina fusiformis against galactosamine induced toxicity in swiss albino mice. Methods: Evaluation of serum glutamate oxaloacetate transferase (SGOT), serum glutamate pyruvate transferase (SGPT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), serum bilirubin (SBLN), antioxidant status and TNF-α was done and was compared with the standard reference drug silymarin. Results: Galactosamine injection significantly increased the levels of SGOT, SGPT, SBLN and TNF–α in the serum and caused depletion in the antioxidant status in the liver. Administration of Spirulina fusiformis altered these parameters and brought them near to normal levels. Conclusion: Hence results of this study clearly indicate that Spirulina fusiformis has hepatoprotective activity against galactosamine induced toxicity in mice.
Capital budgeting practices in South Africa: A review

This paper reviews the capital budgeting survey literature in South Africa over the period 1972 to 2008. The survey evidence indicates a significant growth in Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) methods and a fall in the use of other methods. In particular, there has been growth in the use of Net Present Value (NPV). Yet, the Internal Rate of Return (IRR) technique remains the primary method used in practice despite some serious drawbacks. Larger companies are more likely to use DCF methods. There has been a significant growth in the use of sensitivity analysis and scenario analysis. However, there is little use of sophisticated risk analysis tools such as Monte Carlo simulation, and decision trees. Although financial theory predicates the use of risk adjusted discount rates, surveys indicate that the majority of companies use a single firm discount rate. Companies have increasingly used inflation-adjusted cash flows but the process of ranking mutually exclusive projects is not aligned with finance theory. There is limited use of the Modified Internal Rate of Return (MIRR) method and DCF dominant companies do not outperform non-DCF dominant companies. The most important phase of project evaluation is the project definition and cash flow estimation phase and yet research studies have focused mainly on the financial analysis and project selection phase.
Biotype characterization and genetic diversity of the greenbug, Schizaphis graminum (Hemiptera: Aphididae), in north Tunisia

The greenbug Schizaphis graminum, is a major pest of wheat worldwide. Biotype screening of this pest is essential to develop pest management programs. In this research, eight greenbug clones, collected on wheat in the cereal-growing region of Béja (north Tunisia), were used to determine their damage on six reference wheat cultivars. All tested clones shared a unique biotypic profile, similar to biotype C. Moreover, DNA from the tested clones and that from seven reference clones of biotypes C, E, F, G, H, I and K, was analyzed, using 5 RAPD-PCR primers. The UPGMA method clustered samples into two distinct clades: a first one (I) included clones from north Tunisia, which were clearly associated to agricultural biotypes C, E, I and K, while a second clade (II) included non agricultural biotypes F, G and H. Results reported in this paper suggest that resistance genes Gb2, Gb3, Gb4, Gb5 and Gb6 in wheat would be the most efficient if used in wheat improvement programs for resistance against greenbug in Tunisia.