Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Chapter 10 Determinants of Customers’ Engagement with Islamic Banking

Accordingly, this chapter presents discussions on factors that influence customers’ engagement/patronage with Islamic banking. From plethora of studies conducted over long period of time and in different countries, many different factors have been identified as the determinants of customers’ engagements. The factors include but are not limited to customers’ personal attributes such as their understanding, knowledge, and perceptions of banking products, the banking institutions’ related factors such as product pricing, technology adopted by bank, environmental factors, and other myriads of determinants.
The effect of gendered decision-making considering all household members on the adoption of crop rotation and livelihood outcomes in Ethiopia

Empowering women is considered to affect households livelihood outcomes both directly through emphasizing expenditure for food or social aspects (health, education), and indirectly through higher adoption rates of agricultural technologies increasing productivity, thus raising on-farm food availability and agricultural income. Drawing on women s intra-household decision-making power, the possibility of all (adolescent) household members actively participating in family decisions is widely ignored or undervalued in the literature. Therefore, this article applies a new decision-making index that allows all household members to be considered in decision-making processes. It investigates how women s bargaining power influences livelihood outcomes through different pathways: (i) the direct effect is measured as impact on social expenditures; (ii) the indirect effect is measured as impact on adopting crop rotation leading to higher agricultural productivity. Using data of 378 farming households living in a 200 km radius around Hawassa town, we estimate the effects by employing Tobit and log-linear regression models. Our findings suggest that women s participation in decision-making positively influences livelihood outcomes directly, reflected in higher social expenditures; and indirectly through increasing the adoption of crop rotation practices, thus improving farm productivity. Therefore, we conclude that households with higher women empowerment are likely to achieve higher livelihood outcomes. Acknowledgement : The financial support of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) is kindly acknowledged.
Audit Market Dynamics: Effects on Audit Quality

This study researches the effects of market share dynamics on audit quality in the U.S. audit market from fiscal years 2005 to 2013. Thus far, the audit market has only been researched in terms of static market share mobility. This research reflects competition more accurately by using market structure dynamics to map the U.S. audit market. The study finds that there is in fact a rather high degree of market share instability within the audit market, which indicates a high degree of competition. Moreover, two out of three models show a significant influence of market share instability on proxies for audit quality. The directions of these effects indicate that market share instability has a positive effect on audit quality. The paper therefore concludes that audit market share dynamics have a positive effect on audit quality.
Cloud Computing Adoption in Government Agency

As accessibility to government online services is critical, MAMPU has outlined strategic directions for the implementation of Public Sector ICT. This included cloud computing adoption which aims to optimize service delivery but is progressing slowly due to resource-sharing and standardization issues. This calls for the need to assess contributing factors of technology acceptance within a public sector. Employing Malaysia NRD as a case study, we aim to identify factors of cloud adoption and determine how NRD could strategize Cloud Computing adoption. Using the DOI and TOE theories, we assessed cloud computing adoption in terms of ¬Technology Characteristics, Organisational Readiness, and External Environment through a case study. It was found that that all constructs are significant to cloud adoption with security and service quality being the highest concern. Moreover, several elements such as compatibility, readiness and more need to be in place to enhance the impact of cloud computing adoption.
Nursing interventions and supportive care for the prevention and treatment of oral mucositis associated with cancer treatment.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES To review novel approaches to assessing and managing patients with cancer who are at risk for oral mucositis. DATA SOURCES Published research and review articles, books, conference presentations, and abstracts. DATA SYNTHESIS Oral mucositis is a major source of clinical morbidity among patients with cancer undergoing treatment, yet definitive management strategies continue to elude practitioners. A growing body of evidence suggests that a multifaceted, innovative, targeted approach to oral care provides an important foundation with which to reduce treatment-related morbidity. CONCLUSIONS Ongoing assessment and monitoring are critical to the effective management of oral mucositis. Targeted interventions that incorporate the basic principles of wound care with current knowledge about the temporal aspects of clinical manifestations, evidence-based standardized approaches to assessment, and utilization of novel therapeutics provide an important means by which to improve patient outcomes. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING Oral care protocols are essential components of oral mucositis management. Incorporating current knowledge of pathophysiology with a targeted, standardized approach may help to reduce overall morbidity and improve quality of life.
Cancer may be caused by the Immune Reaction

Hormesis-like effects of immunity have been documented during tumor-growth experiments in mice, quantitatively large immune-reactions have inhibited while lesser quantities of the same specific immune-reactants have been stimulatory to the growth of implanted tumors. Likewise, carcinogenesis has been inhibited by a high quantities of immune reactants, but positively stimulated by lower levels of the same reactants. One observation suggests that malignant transformation may seldom, if ever, occur in vivo if there is no immune reaction against the incipient neoplasm. These and many similar observations suggest a real danger that some vaccines might stimulate rather than inhibit tumor growth. These hormesis-like effects may help to provide explanations for a number of otherwise perplexing observations such as the following: (1): The fact that immunodepression for heart or kidney allografting results in an increased incidence of some tumors, especially leukemias and skin tumors, while others, such as those of breast and rectum, show a decreased incidence in these immunodepressed patients, (2): The possible dependency of carcinogenesis on an immune reaction, (3): The fact that adult Down’s syndrome patients are unexpectedly resistant to solid tumors, especially breast-carcinoma, but have a very high incidence of leukemia, (4): The fact that Kaposi’s sarcoma in an AIDS-patient often tends to flare as the patient’s disease is ameliorated, (5): The sneaking through phenomenon, (6): Lastly, some peculiarities in the metastatic patterns of tumors of various types.
Contrast sensitivity with contact lens corrections for presbyopia

We measured contrast sensitivity at three distances (330 mm, 660 mm and 4 m) with six contact lens and two multifocal spectacle corrections for presbyopia. The two spectacle corrections were D‐segment bifocals and trifocals and the contact lens corrections were distance contact lenses with lookover spectacles, soft progressive bifocals, soft concentric bifocals, monovision, modified monovision, and hard crescent segment bifocals. The spectacle corrections in general gave better results for the contrast sensitivity function (CSF), than did the contact lens corrections. Distance contact lenses with lookover spectacles performed best of the contact lens corrections used. However, the differences in CSF between the various contact lens corrections were small and not statistically significant.
Stability Analysis and Evaluation of the IntelRate Controller for High-Speed Heterogeneous Networks

The IntelRate controller does not require to evaluate some critical network parameters (such as the bottleneck bandwidth and the number of flows in the link) while performing well to the sudden changes in traffic load or bandwidth. This paper demonstrates theoretically that the IntelRate control system is globally asymptotically stable. Opnet simulations verify that the IntelRate controller can maintain stable operations regardless of the traffic conditions. Finally, comparison demonstrates that the IntelRate controller can have more stable performance than other exiting controllers upon network changes.
Job Loss Expectations, Durable Consumption and Household Finances: Evidence from Linked Survey Data

Job security is important for durable consumption and household savings. Using surveys, workers express a probability that they will lose their job in the next 12 months. In order to assess the empirical content of these probabilities, we link survey data to administrative data with labor market outcomes. Workers predict job loss quite well, in particular those whose job loss is followed by unemployment. Workers with higher job loss expectations acquire cheaper cars, and are less likely to buy new cars. In line with models of precautionary saving, higher job loss expectations are associated with more savings and less exposure to risky assets.
Proud to be British: An Autoethnographic Study of Working as a Games Maker at London 2012

This autoethnographic study of working as a Games Maker at London 2012 demonstrates the motivational challenges behind volunteering for an event nearly 2 years in the future and the issues this causes. The task of keeping 70,000 international volunteers motivated over a long time frame, while not providing any financial incentive, was a huge risk and investment; yet, the response from athletes, media, and the general public when the Games ended was that the Games Makers were a vital part of the success of London 2012. This study shows how the initial stages of the volunteer program suggest that even though the author was preselected, the generic training, primary knowledge exchange, and pre-Games engagement were potential demotivators. It was only once that the role-specific and venue training were undertaken, that the volunteer enthusiasm returned. This study follows a personal journey of one such volunteer. The article modifies Bang and Chelladurai's original motivational pull theory, by arguing through an autoethnographic study, that motivations will change over the timescale of the volunteer experience and involvement. It does this in contrast to previous studies that have favored quantitative methods, with data collected at one point in time, as opposed to this study, which captures motivation over a 24-month period.
Coping with condom embarrassment

Abstract This study assesses the embarrassment associated with purchasing, carrying, storing, using and disposing of condoms. It incorporates coping theory into the investigation of embarrassment by analysing the strategies individuals use to cope with embarrassment during condom purchase. The results of a survey show that individuals are embarrassed at various stages related to condom use. Purchasing condoms elicits the most embarrassment, followed by carrying and disposing, while using and storing are the least embarrassing. To cope with their embarrassment while purchasing condoms, people use multiple cognitive and behavioural coping strategies, with embarrassed people using more strategies. Both embarrassment and the number of strategies used decrease with age and experience. It appears that embarrassment associated with condoms remains a barrier to condom acquisition and consistent condom use, particularly among young adult populations. Coping strategies help individuals to bridge the gap between embarrassment and use.
Wafer level package solder joint reliability study for portable electronic devices

Small form factor WLP (or WLCSP) type component has been increasingly applied to portable electronic devices. However, wafer level package type active components are more vulnerable to the failure than the passive or conventional BGA or QFP type active components. WLP constitute a neck point in terms of PCB assembly reliability. Therefore, it is very important to optimize the structure and material to secure high reliability of PCB assembly. Three variables are chosen for WLP reliability evaluation. They are solder ball size, PCB pad size, and underfill (use or non-use). DOE (design of experiment) technique is adopted to analyze variables effects on WLP solder joint lifetime. Board assembly level thermal cycling, high temperature and high humidity, and 4-point bending tests are employed as output parameters. The TC test results are compared with the finite element analysis. Solder joint cracks were mainly initiated from the triple point in IC side where solder, redistribution layer, and UBM meet together. WLP ball size was the major factor to determine solder joint lifetime whereas PCB pad size was not a critical parameter in all three reliability tests. Ironically, for the small ball sized WLPs, underfill decreased thermal fatigue lifetime. This is quite a different result compared with other previous reports. This discrepancy is presumably due to improper combination of underfill material property with high stress induced WLP passivation material, BCB (Benzocyclobuten).
Inhaled therapeutics for prevention and treatment of pneumonia

The lungs are the most common site of serious infection owing to their large surface area exposed to the external environment and minimum barrier defense. However, this architecture makes the lungs readily available for topical therapy. Therapeutic aerosols include those directed towards improving mucociliary clearance of pathogens, stimulation of innate resistance to microbial infection, cytokine stimulation of immune function and delivery of antibiotics. In our opinion inhaled antimicrobials are underused, especially in patients with difficult-to-treat lung infections. The use of inhaled antimicrobial therapy has become an important part of the treatment of airway infection with Pseudomonas aeruginosa in cystic fibrosis and the prevention of invasive fungal infection in patients undergoing heart and lung transplantation. Cytokine inhaled therapy has also been explored in the treatment of neoplastic and infectious disease. The choice of pulmonary drug delivery systems remains critical as air-jet and ultrasonic nebulizer may deliver sub-optimum drug concentration if not used properly. In future development of this field, we recommend an emphasis on the study of the use of aerosolized hypertonic saline solution to reduce pathogen burden in the airways of subjects infected with microbes of low virulence, stimulation of innate resistance to prevent pneumonia in immunocompromised subjects using cytokines or synthetic pathogen-associated molecular pattern analogues and more opportunities for the use of inhaled antimicrobials. These therapeutics are still in their infancy but show great promise.
Response of bacteria to simulated upwelling phytoplankton blooms

Until recently, studies of the fate of primary production in coastal upwelling systems have focused mainly on export through sinking of particulate organic matter (POM). In week-long deck incubations conducted during the upwelling season off Oregon, a large accumulation of carbon- rich (C:N ≥ 16) dissolved organic matter (DOM) occurred following nitrate depletion by diatom blooms. The response of bacterioplankton to the DOM release in the incubations was observed using flow cytometric analysis of abundances of bacteria with high nucleic acid (HNA) and low nucleic acid (LNA) content. Relatively small increases in the abundance of HNA bacteria were observed in nitrate-replete conditions (<1.0 × 10 6 cells ml -1 ). Coincident with nitrate depletion and accumulation of the DOM, abundances and growth rates of HNA bacteria increased rapidly while little response was observed from LNA bacteria. Although growth rates and abundances of HNA cells increased markedly, a net decrease in dissolved organic carbon (DOC) was observed in only 1 incubation. Within approximately 1 d of nitrate going to depletion, HNA bacterial abundances peaked and then decreased rapidly, possibly due to flagellate grazing or viral lysing. These results indicate that on the timescale of upwelling/relaxation events, which generally last 7 to 10 d, environmental controls on bacterial populations may prevent complete degradation of phytoplankton-derived DOM, thus allowing some of this material to be exported from the system through physical processes following termination of the upwelling event.
Store Formats and Patterns in Household Grocery Purchases

This study uses Information Resources, Inc., Household Panel dataset of comprehensive grocery purchase records to investigate relationships among store formats, household demographics, and the healthfulness of grocery purchases. The findings demonstrate that U.S. consumers increasingly shop at nontraditional store formats for their groceries, including supercenters and dollar stores (and other smaller formats), and discuss some possible implications of these changing patterns. Grocery purchases vary considerably, on average, across store formats. Households purchase the most healthful foods at supermarkets and club stores and the least healthful foods at drug stores, convenience stores, and dollar stores. In most cases, the strongest associations with respect to formats and food choices are found for low-income households.
Experimental Attempts to Reduce Predation by Harbor Seals on Out‐Migrating Juvenile Salmonids

Abstract During spring, harbor seals Phoca vitulina feed at night under two bridges spanning the Puntledge River in Courtenay, British Columbia, Canada. Positioned parallel to one another, ventral side up, the seals form a feeding line across the river to intercept thousands of out-migrating salmonid smolts. During a 4-week observation period in the spring of 1996, we attempted to disrupt the seals' feeding patterns by (a) deploying a mechanical feeding barrier (cork line), (b) altering the lighting conditions (lights on a bridge were turned off), and (c) installing an acoustic harassment device. We found acoustic harassment to be the most effective feeding deterrent. Of the other two deterrents, turning off the bridge lights was more effective than deploying a cork line, which had little effect. Acoustic harassment devices appear to be the most effective, nonlethal means for protecting juvenile salmonids from harbor seal predation in portions of the Puntledge River.
Recurrent Neural Aligner: An Encoder-Decoder Neural Network Model for Sequence to Sequence Mapping

We introduce an encoder-decoder recurrent neural network model called Recurrent Neural Aligner (RNA) that can be used for sequence to sequence mapping tasks. Like connectionist temporal classiﬁcation (CTC) models, RNA deﬁnes a probability distribution over target label sequences including blank labels corresponding to each time step in input. The probability of a label sequence is calculated by marginalizing over all possible blank label positions. Unlike CTC, RNA does not make a conditional independence assumption for label predictions; it uses the predicted label at time t − 1 as an additional input to the recurrent model when predicting the label at time t . We apply this model to end-to-end speech recognition. RNA is capable of streaming recognition since the decoder does not employ attention mechanism. The model is trained on transcribed acoustic data to predict graphemes and no external language and pronunciation models are used for decoding. We employ an approximate dynamic programming method to optimize negative log likelihood, and a sampling-based sequence discriminative training technique to ﬁne-tune the model to minimize expected word error rate. We show that the model achieves competitive accuracy without using an external language model nor doing beam search decoding.
Using the Structure‐Function Linkage Database to Characterize Functional Domains in Enzymes

The Structure‐Function Linkage Database (SFLD; http://sfld.rbvi.ucsf.edu/) is a Web‐accessible database designed to link enzyme sequence, structure, and functional information. This unit describes the protocols by which a user may query the database to predict the function of newly sequenced enzymes and to correct misannotated functional assignments for enzymes currently in public databases. It is especially useful in helping a user discriminate functional capabilities of a sequence that is only distantly related to characterized sequences in publicly available databases.
Autopsy analysis of clinically unilateral exfoliation syndrome.

PURPOSE To study the pathogenesis of clinically unilateral exfoliation syndrome by localizing exfoliation deposits in involved and fellow eyes during autopsy. METHODS The formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded involved and fellow eyes were obtained at autopsy from five patients (age range, 72 to 88 years) with clinically unilateral exfoliation. Exfoliation deposits were identified with monoclonal antibodies (mAb) HNK-1 and NC-1 to the HNK-1 carbohydrate epitope, and with five lectins (Bauhinia purpurea agglutinin, Concanavalin A, Lens culinaris agglutinin, Phaseolus vulgaris erythroagglutinin, and Ricinus communis agglutinin I) using the avidin-biotinylated peroxidase complex (ABC) method. RESULTS Marked exfoliation deposits in all involved eyes, and weak exfoliation deposits in one fellow eye were consistently detected in light microscopic, immunohistochemical, and lectin histochemical examinations. Similarly labeled deposits were present around a population of blood vessels of the iris in every involved and fellow eye. Particularly in fellow eyes, these subendothelial deposits were better visualized with mAbs to the HNK-1 epitope than they were with lectins. In the only fellow eye with early exfoliation, the reactivity around blood vessels was more conspicuous than the exfoliation deposits, whereas the reverse was true in the involved eyes. CONCLUSIONS Clinically unilateral exfoliation is asymmetric, rather than truly monocular. The findings in fellow eyes suggest that iris blood vessels become abnormal early in the process, even before exfoliation deposits are histopathologically seen in the posterior chamber. Marked asymmetry in exfoliation indicates an influence of modulating local factors that may be internal or external to the eye, and that also may be functional in bilateral exfoliation.
Faktor-faktor yang mempengaruhi kebijakan dividen pada perusahaan non keuangan

The purpose of this research is to analyze the factors affecting on dividend policy of non financial company that listed in Indonesian Stock Exchange for period 2011 until 2013. This research use return on equity (ROE), current ratio (CR), debt to equity ratio (DER), sales growth (SG), investment opportunity set (IOS), size of firm (SIZE), and total asset turnover (TATO). The data are collected from 99 non financial company listed at Indonesian Stock Exchange (BEI) and the observation period are three years. Sampling method used is purposive sampling and data analysis with multiple linear regression. Empirical evidence shows that, sales growth has influence to dividend policy and return on equity, current ratio, debt to equity ratio, investment, size firm, and total asset turnover have not influence to dividend policy.