Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Determinants of Cash Holdings in Developed and Developing Countries

This paper aims to find out the determinants of amount of cash holdings in developed and developing countries. One of the reason is because majority of studies that exist only focus on developed countries such as US or UK. Therefore, it is important to study cash holdings in the context of developing countries as well. Samples are drawn from DataStream Database using a sample period between 2009-2014 by including recent output with firm selection criterion based on data availability of firms (Al-Najjar, 2013), whereas financial firms with SIC codes 6000-6799 were not included as well as utility firms with SIC codes 4000-4999, resulting in total sample of 5402 observations from 23 countries. EViews was employed for the regression analysis with amount of cash holdings as the dependent variable. The results show that most of the hypotheses are not confirmed because of insignificant results and/or unexpected signs of coefficients. As the research about cash holdings in developing countries is not extensive yet, it is possible that there are differences to be found between developed and developing countries.
Evaluation of Status and Diversity of Odonates of Kondajji Lake, Kondajji Village, Harihar Taluk, Davanagere District, Karnataka, India

A study on diversity of odonates was conducted at Kondajji Lake of Kondajji Village located in Harihar Taluk, Davanagere District of Karnataka. The study was conducted to explore status, diversity and threats of Odonates during February 2007 to January 2008. The study revealed a total of 34 species of Odonates in 24 genera belonging to 6 families have been reported. Among them Anisoptera (Dragonflies) dominated with 25 species, followed by the Zygoptera (damselflies) with 9 species. The family Libellulidae dominated with 20 species among the Anisoptera. Among the Zygoptera, Coenagrionidae was found to be the dominant family with 6 species. Based on the frequency of occurrence 35% of the species were common, 23% were very common, 21% were rare, 15% were occasional and 6% were very rare. According to IUCN categorization all the odonate species recorded from the study area comes under ‘Least Concern’ (LC) category. The study provides the baseline data on Odonates diversity of some major wetland water bodies of Davanagere District of Karnataka state for research on their biology and the conservation.
The Electromagnetic Radiation Mechanism

This paper suggested a mechanism for Electromagnetic Radiation (EM-R); the mechanism is based on the Flip-Flop (F-F) of combined Circular Magnetic Field (CMF) and Electric Field (EF) produced by energetic charged particles, the action released the EM-R; while as the F-F generates EM-R, it is also achieved within specific Flipping Time (tF), the inverse of which is the Flipping Frequency (fF), the‎model‎is‎compared‎with‎Maxwell’s‎two‎transformations‎to‎elaborate‎differences‎and‎ characteristics, hence when EM-R is better understood, that will reflects on the physical world and related human ideas and philosophies.
The colonization of a new area in the first six months following ‘same-day’ free release translocation of black rhinos in Kenya

In February 2007, 27 black rhinos (Diceros bicornis) were translocated to an area in the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in central Kenya that contained no resident population. The rhinos were ‘free’ released on the same day of their capture at 11 sites spread throughout the new area in order to minimize future conflict. Free release had not been tried on such a scale in Kenya. Following release, the rhinos were closely monitored through radio tracking and direct observation to record their movements and how quickly they settled in their new environment. In the first six days after release, 17 of the 27 rhinos remained close to their release sites while one individual travelled 35.1 km. All rhinos bar one settled within six months of release; 16 had settled within 25 days. The rhinos moved on average 7.69 km from their release sites with 14.57 km the maximum distance moved. With no reported fights between conspecifics and the ease of settling of the rhinos in their new location, the results obtained from the free release translocation used at Ol Pejeta Conservancy show it to be a useful alternative approach to future rhino translocations.
Evaluation of oxidative stress induced by cadmium and comparative antioxidant effects of Shirazi thyme (Zataria multiﬂora Boiss) and vitamin E in common carp (Cyprinus carpio)

Shirazi thyme is an active phytobiotc contains phenolic compounds and flavonoids which have strong antioxidant properties. This study was conducted to investigate the potential protective effects of Shirazi thyme compared to that of vitamin E against cadmium toxicity. Common carp juveniles (34±3 g) were divided into four groups and fed by three different diets including commercial diet without any additive (for control and metal only group) and supplemented with either 1% ground Shirazi thyme or 100 mg/kg vitamin E. All treatments except the control were exposed to sublethal concentration of waterborne cadmium (1.5 mg/L free ion) for 15 d and liver, kidney and gill were sampled 3, 7, 10 and 15 days after the metal exposure. Results showed that treatment of the fish with cadmium for 15 days resulted in a significant reduction in glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione-S-transferase (GST) and catalase (CAT) and led to liver, kidney and gills dysfunction. On the other hand, the level of malondialdehyde (MDA) significantly increased during metal exposure. Supplementation of diets with Shirazi thyme and vitamin E led to a significant protection against metal exposure in different tissues. Moreover, Shirazi thyme was found to be as effective as vitamin E. The current finding can provide a useful reference for stress protective effects of thyme and its beneficial role in aquaculture.
Identifying Visual Evoked Potential (VEP) Electrodes Setting for Person Authentication

Over recent years, person authentication using Electroencephalograms (EEG) signals has become more significant to researchers due to its uniqueness and security. EEG signals such as Visual Evoked Potential (VEP) had been used in the past literature for person authentication purposes. However, different sets of electrode channels were used in various VEP research. There is no consensus on the selection of EEG electrodes, particularly in person authentication research. Thus, this paper aims to investigate the best set of electrode channels for person authentication using VEP. Feature extraction methods such as coherence, cross-correlation and mean of amplitude were used for the purpose of classification. The performance measurement were based on the accuracy and area under ROC curve (AUC) values using Fuzzy-Rough Nearest Neighbour (FRNN) classifier proposed in our earlier work. An Anderson-Darling test in MATLAB was carried out to test the normality distribution of the results and the Wilcoxon sign-ranked test was used to perform statistical test. The results show that the set of eight channels from the occipital area perform better compared to the set of three channels and nine channels. The future research work will focus on investigating the performance of each parietal occipital and midline channels to obtain the best reduced set.
Limitation of reproductive success by food availability and litter size in the bank vole, Clethrionomys glareolus

Food limitation has been suggested as one of the most important factors affecting life history evolution in terrestrial vertebrates. However, this inference is based mainly on evidence from birds, and reproductive trade–offs may differ among groups with different forms of parental care. To study whether the costs of enlarged litters (decreased mass of offspring) would appear when food is not limiting, we performed outdoor enclosure experiments in which we manipulated simultaneously the litter size (control versus litter plus two pups) and food availability (control versus food–supplemented) of female bank voles, Clethrionomys glareolus. The weaning success of females increased significantly in response to supplementary food. When females were provided with extra food, no differences were observed in body masses of weanlings of control and enlarged litters. Further, food–supplemented females grew to larger sizes during nursing than unsupplemented females. Our experiment suggests that energetic requirements during nursing constrain the number of offspring that can be raised successfully in a particular breeding attempt. The results also indicate that unlimited food resources may increase future reproductive potential of females because they can use more energy for somatic growth.
Factors influencing a risky driving profile among a cohort of young university students: Bases for adopting evidence-based prevention interventions

El objetivo de esta investigacion es identificar y analizar los factores que influyen en la creacion de un perfil de conductor de alto riesgo entre los jovenes conductores. La finalidad de ello es tener evidencias cientificas que permitan disenar iniciativas de intervencion educativa para minimizar el riesgo de sufrir accidentes de trafico y prevenir el desarrollo de perfiles de alto riesgo en jovenes conductores. Con el proposito de identificar las influencias que podiantener mas peso en la creacion del perfil de riesgo se analizaron los factores familia, grupo de iguales y pareja, reaccion a situaciones estresantes, videojuegos, e involucracion en accidentes de trafico en una muestra de estudiantes universitarios. Los resultados indican que la mayor influencia seria ejercida por la familia y el grupo de iguales, mientras que por otro lado, las autoescuelas se posicionarian como el mayor factor protector en la prevencion de la aparicion del perfil de conductor de riesgo. A partir de estos hallazgos se recomienda el desarrollo de programas que permitan reforzar el rol modelador de aquellos que ensenan a los jovenes a conducir.
Quality of Life among Patients with Lower Limb Amputation

Background: Lower extremity amputation is a surgical procedure resulting in important anatomical, functional, psychological, and social consequences that can influence the quality of life of these patients. This study was aimed to evaluate the quality of life (QOL) of patients with limb amputation and identify the factors affecting the quality of life among patients with limb amputation. The study was conducted at Orthopedics and Surgical Department in El-Demerdash Hospital at Ain Shams University Hospitals. A sample of purposive of 100 adult male and female patients who met the inclusion criteria was included. Design: It was a descriptive exploratory design. Tools (a) Structured interview questionnaire (SIQ) was used to collect personal data, (b) short form (36) health status questionnaires: this part was utilized to assess the quality of life among Egyptian patients with amputation. The results of this study: illustrated that males constituted 59% of the participants in this study and females 41%. Most participants experienced a change in the quality of life. There is a statistically significant difference between total QOL aspects and each of the following: age, gender, educational level, and type of work. This study concluded that the quality of life automatically drops after losing any important part of one’s body. The most affected aspects are the physical and mental ones and this is very frequent in amputation. This study recommended that replication of the study on a larger sample from different geographical areas should be done to achieve more general results. Keywords: Quality of life; lower limb amputation
Industrial Relations Performance, Economic Performance, and QWL Programs: An Interplant Analysis

This study analyzes the relationship among plant-level measures of industrial relations performance, economic performance, and quality-of-working-life programs. The analysis employs pooled time-series and cross-section data from 18 plants within a division of General Motors for the years 1970–79. The empirical results show strong associations between industrial relations and economic performance measures and limited support for the hypothesis that quality-of-working-life efforts improve both kinds of performance.
Legionella and Protozoa in Cooling Towers: Implications for Public Health and Chemical Control

In recent years, technical and regulatory controls on the operation and maintenance of cooling towers within Australia have increased. Chemical treatments for microbial control have primarily focused on effects against bacteria and in some instances, specifically on Legionella. There is strong evidence to suggest that the presence of protozoa contributes significantly to the survival of Legionella in cooling towers and might be an important consideration for health risk management strategies.
Validations and investigations of the computed flow in the GAMM Francis runner and the Hölleforsen Kaplan runner

The parallel multiblock finite volume CFD code CALC-PMB is used for computing the turbulent flow in the GAMM Francis runner and the Hölleforsen Kaplan runner at best and off-design operating conditions. The computational results are validated against detailed measurements and observations. A general method for estimating numerical accuracy in swirling flow, based on the conservation of angular momentum, is applied. The Kaplan tip vortex is investigated and compared at two operating conditions. The use of surface restricted streamlines (smearlines) to locate important flow features is investigated.
Numerical simulation of flow over labyrinth spillways

Spillways play an important role in the safety of dams. To ensure the safety of dams, spillways should be designed considering floods with long return periods. To increase the discharge capacity of a spillway, a designer can increase the crest length using the labyrinth spillway. For high head conditions, the local submergence may decrease the efficiency of a labyrinth spillway. In this study, the hydraulic characteristics of linear and arced labyrinth spillways are compared and the effect of the downstream bed level on the discharge coefficient of labyrinth spillways is studied numerically. The numerical simulations are done using Flow-3D software. RNG k-e model is used for turbulence simulations and the free surface profiles are calculated by VOF method. Experimental data of pervious researchers are used for validation of the proposed numerical model. The results show that in the high head conditions, lowering the downstream bed level of a labyrinth spillway increases its efficiency, especially in the case of an arced labyrinth spillway.
REVENUE SCARCITY AND GOVERNMENT OUTSOURCING: EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE FROM NORWEGIAN LOCAL GOVERNMENTS

It is often said that ‘necessity is the mother of invention’. In this article, we assess whether this also applies to the design of public authorities' service provision. In particular, we evaluate whether revenue scarcity – as an indicator of fiscal stress – induces government outsourcing. In contrast to previous studies, we exploit arguably exogenous variation in local government revenue across time and space to derive stronger inferences on the role of revenue scarcity for outsourcing. Using data from Norwegian local governments covering the period 1995–2012, our main results indicate that a decrease in local government revenues is linked to more outsourcing of both infrastructure and support services.
Does the Current Constraints in Funding Promote Failure in Humanitarian Supply Chains?

Traditionally, most funding is made available when a disaster occurs. Disaster response is the implementation of what humanitarian actors did (or didn’t do) in preparedness for any intervention. Based on a case study of a logistics change in the International Federation of Red Cross Red Crescent Society, this paper discusses how more funding of preparedness can radically improve the speed and quality of response. Findings contribute to our understanding of how changes in funding can improve and support faster recovery due to increased preparedness in disaster- prone areas. Illustrating how postponement/speculation logistics strategies are applied to flows of material, information, and human resources, it is concluded that associated changes of financial flows are required. Donors and NGOs must think of more ‘speculative’, long-term, and unearmarked funding with particular attention to risk sharing, cost recovery, and measurements. This paper contributes to further understanding of postponement/speculation in project-based settings (temporary supply networks), how funding and logistics (payment and materials flows) are related, as well as the present funding models′ implications for efficiency and effectiveness in humanitarian aid. These are all areas that have been underresearched.
Student-Perceived Quality of Motivational Interviewing Training: A Factor-Analytic Study

Objective: This study developed and tested a student-report measure of motivational interviewing (MI) teaching quality called the Evaluation of Motivational Interviewing Teaching (EMIT) scale. Method: Social work students (N = 297) receiving course content on motivational interviewing completed the EMIT, and exploratory factor analysis investigated whether theory-based dimensions of teaching emerged as EMIT subscales, including: interactivity/skill building, MI content coverage, modeling MI during teaching, trainee autonomy violation, and encouraging ongoing training in MI. Results: Two subscales emerged representing MI-consistent (28 items, α = .92) and MI-inconsistent teaching practices (7 items, α = .73). Conclusions: Although more research is needed on the EMIT, this study supports the initial reliability of the instrument and can help social work educators evaluate MI teaching quality.
Ammonia emission evaluation from manure management

Ammonia emissions are produced in all manure management cycle stages: in the livestock housing period as well as during grazing, while manure is stored and incorporated to the soil. For ammonia emission estimation from manure management in Latvia the methodology described in the EMEP-EEA guidebook 2016 is used. The research paper covers all common livestock groups as well as the major manure handling and storage technology solutions in Latvia. The ammonia emissions are overviewed according to the level of calculations (Tier 1 or Tier 2), as well as typical characteristics of small or intensive management farms. The outcome of ammonia emissions increased by 50 %, if Tier 2 method was used for determination of dairy cattle ammonia emissions compared to Tier 1, for laying hens this difference is 32 %. Conventional farming contributes less ammonia emissions for dairy cattle (52 %) and laying hens (44 %) compared to intensive farming in the context of Tier 2 calculation approach, if abating solution quantitative expressions are not taken into account. Substantial reduction potential (up to 64 % for dairy cattle) can be reached for ammonia emission, if manure is used as feedstock for biogas production as direct use of manure is subtracted from Tier 2 calculations and for this research comparison purposes calculated using Tier 1 level methodology. The emission created from biogas production is necessary to report in the waste sector according to the UNECE Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution (CLRTAP)p directive. Quantitative estimation of abating and preventing solutions for ammonia emissions at all levels of manure management according to the country specific conditions is important.
The Effect of Multimedia Instruction and Shadowing on EFL Learners' Reading Comprehension

This study investigated the effects of three methods of teaching, including multimedia, shadowing, and traditional method on Iranian English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners' reading comprehension ability. Seventy Iranian EFL female learners, aged 15 to 17, who were studying at schools in Qazvin participated in this study. Based on the results of the Key English Test (KET), the participants were homogenized in terms of their English proficiency level. The participants were divided into three groups. Each group was randomly assigned to a different treatment condition. At the end of the treatment period, a reading comprehension test was administered. A one-way ANOVA was used to analyze the obtained data. The results indicated a significant difference between the multimedia and traditional groups in favor of multimedia instruction. However, there was no significant difference between the multimedia and shadowing groups, nor was there any significant difference between the shadowing and the traditional groups. The findings may have implications for learners, teachers, and syllabus designers.
The Effect of Online Service Quality towad Perceived Risk, Customer Attitudes, Relationship Quality, Online Purchase Intention, E-Loyalty, and Purchasing Behavior

This study aims to analyze and explain 1) the effect of online service quality toward perceived risk, 2) the effect of online service quality toward customer attitudes, 3) the effect of online service quality toward online relationship quality, 4) the effect of perceived risk toward customer attitudes, 5)the effect of perceived risk toward online relationship quality, 6)the effect of online service quality toward online purchase intention, 7)the effect of risk toward online purchase intention, 8)the effect of customer attitudes toward online purchase intention, 9)the effect of online relationship quality toward online purchase intention, 10) the effect of online purchase intention toward e-customer loyalty, 11) the effect of online purchase intentiontoward online customer attitudes, and 12) the effect of e-customer loyalty toward online customer attitudes. This study was explanatory research, which describes the relationship between variables. The study was conducted on consumers who madeonline purchasingat SMEs who were members of the world's Top 50 SMEs in the online version of the Markeetermagazine. The unit of analysis consists of 123 consumers. The analytical tool used was the Generalized Structured Component Analisys (GSCA) to test the hypotheses. The results showed that eight hypotheses with significant effect were online service qualitytowardperceived risk, online service qualitytowardcustomer attitudes, online service quality toward online relationship quality, perceivedrisk towardonline relationship quality, customer attitudes towardonline purchase intention, online relationship quality towardonline purchase intention, online purchase intention toward e-customer loyalty, and e-customer loyalty towardonline customer behaviors. The hypotheses with non significant effect were online service quality toward online purchase intention, perceived risk toward customer attitude, perceived risktowardonline purchase intention,and online purchase intention toward online purchasing behavior. Keywords : Online purchasing behavior, customer attitudes, online relationship quality, online purchase intention, customer e-loyalty
Impact of dielectric deterioration on the conducted EMI emissions in the DC-DC boost converter

The magnitude of emitted noise generated by DC-DC converters depends of their electrical behavior and parameters. Some of these can change during the converter life time, especially due to some deterioration process. In this paper the impact of the dielectric materials aging is presented using both circuit simulation and a digital signal processing method based on Wiener filtering. The change of the total EMI spectrum as a function of the dielectric property has been investigated. Application can be either aging diagnostig, or a forecast of the EMI spectrum evolution with the time.