Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Organizational Form, Parental Involvement, and Quality of Care in Child Day Care Centers

This research compares cooperative child day care centers to for-profit and independent nonprofit centers in terms of parental involvement in operations (such as fundraising and classroom participation), parental involvement in governance (specifically, serving on the board and attending the annual meeting), and quality of care. It also tests whether parent control of the board is associated with quality. Findings show that cooperative centers feature greater parental involvement in operational aspects, including fundraising and care of the center or grounds compared to for-profits and independent nonprofits. Cooperatives are also more likely to have parents on their boards and feature boards with parent majorities compared to independent nonprofits, although more than half of these nonprofit centers also have parent-controlled boards. Results also show that while the cooperative form, tested as a distinct organizational type, is not a predictor of quality, parent control of the board is a positive predictor of this outcome.
Parallelism In M ultip le Sequence A lignm

Aligning multiple sequences is a daunting task that can be extremely de­ manding on computer power and memory resources. By comparing the ho­ mologues sequences from different species of animals, one can draw inferences about the evolution of these species from their common ancestors. This thesis applied shared memory parallel processing techniques to the global alignment of multiple DNA and protein sequences, as well as gene orders. The multi­ threaded method deployed for multiple DNA and protein sequence alignment was based on the divide-and-conquer technique, which firstly cut the sequences into sub-sequences, but it is computational expensive to find the optimal cut positions. Since speed performance is the focus of this thesis, we did not con­ sider the optimal cut positions in our implementations. Meanwhile, an original and promising graph-based algorithm with parallel processing properties was introduced to simplify and speed up the alignment operations for multiple gene orders.
Accountability and Transparency About Central Bank Preferences for Model Robustness

Using a New Keynesian model subject to misspecifications, we examine the accountability issue in a framework of delegation where government and private agents are uncertain about the central bank's preference for model robustness. We show that, in the benchmark case of full transparency, the optimal inflation targeting weight (or penalty) is decreasing with the preference for robustness. Departing from the benchmark equilibrium, the central bank has then incentive to be less transparent in order to reduce the optimal inflation targeting weight and thus to become more independent vis-a-vis the government. We also find that greater opacity will increase the sensibility of inflation and model misspecification to the inflation shock but will decrease that of output-gap. Since macroeconomic volatility could be increased or decreased under more opacity, there could exist in some cases a trade-off between the level and the variability of inflation (and output gap). Persistent inflation shocks could be associated with a higher inflation targeting weight as well as a higher sensibility of inflation and output gap to the inflation shock but a lower sensibility of model misspecification.
Impact of the Prevailing Internet on International Trade in Asia

This article provides empirical evidence for the relationship (1) between the prevailing Internet and international trade and (2) between the prevailing Internet and economic growth in Asian countries. The empirical results show that Internet promotes international trade both in developed countries and developing Asian countries; however, the effect is larger in Asian countries. The Internet can increase economic international trade; on the other hand, it has not necessarily been linked to economic growth. If countries seek to enhance international trade and economic growth, they need to implement specific policies that facilitate investment in information and communications technologies (ICT) to encourage efficient and effective economic growth. A digital revolution can form the foundation of a sustainable global economy. It is important to respond to this opportunity.
Over her shoulder: What are women’s relationship perceptions when there has been lived experience of domestic violence within that relationship?

Research into the social phenomena of domestic violence is a relatively new area of exploration. The focus for domestic violence researchers has been across a broad range of topics with a key theme being the reasons that women stay or leave the relationship. The study described in this thesis engaged with women in discussions regarding their perception of their relationship when there had been experiences of domestic violence. The methodology included the use of a focus group with three women from the South West of Western Australia. The focus group consisted of both individual and group sessions. For the focus group, word association and brainstorming were tools used to enable deep reaching, in-depth discussion that produced rich data. Data was thematically analysed using a process of coding. The analysis found a number of themes present, of which, four thematic chapters were developed. The findings of this study have implications for how the realities of domestic violence are understood by the greater community, and how services engage with women who have been subjected to abuse.
The Role of Self-Perceptions in the Prediction of Household Recycling Behavior in Australia

This study examined the role of self-perceptions, within a theory of planned behavior (TPB) framework, in the prediction of householders’ recycling intentions and behavior. To examine additional self-perception constructs, the personality factor of conscientiousness (as well as its lower order facets) and measures of self-identity were assessed in addition to the standard TPB predictors of attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control (PBC). Participants from the general community (N = 200) completed TPB, conscientiousness, and self-identity items. Two weeks later, 148 participants reported their recycling behavior for the previous fortnight. Structural equation modeling found some support for the standard TPB with attitude and subjective norm (but not PBC) predicting recycling intentions and intentions (but not PBC) predicting recycling behavior. In addition, self-identity as a recycler but not conscientiousness (or its lower order facets) emerged as a significant predictor of recycling intentions, although not as a significant determinant of actual recycling behavior. The findings of the present study highlight the importance of considering role-related perceptions in the development of prorecycling campaigns.
Thermo-mechanical fatigue prediction of a steam turbine shaft

The increasing demands on the flexibility of steam turbines due to the use of renewable energy sources substantially alters the fatigue strength requirements of components of these devices. This paper presents Thermo-Mechanical Fatigue (TMF) design calculations for the steam turbine shaft. The steam turbine shaft is exposed to complex thermo-mechanical loading conditions during the operating cycle of the turbine. An elastic-plastic structural Finite Element Analysis (FEA) of the turbine shaft is performed for the turbine operating cycle on the basis of calculated temperature fields obtained in a previous transient thermal FEA. The temperature dependent material parameters, which are used in the elastic-plastic FEA, are obtained from the uniaxial tests. Consequently, the TMF is predicted for the steam turbine shaft. Several fatigue criteria are used for the identifications of the critical domain and for the TMF damage assessment of the turbine shaft.
Optimization of Photocatalytic Decolourization of Cationic Azo Dye in Thin Film Fixed Bed Photoreactor

The photocatalytic decolourization of C.I. Basic Red (BR46) was carried out in a thin film fixed bed photoreactor with external UV light irradiation. The optimization of UV/TiO2 process was carried out using full factorial experimental design (2(4)) approach in order to assess individual and interactive effects of the four main independent parameters (initial dye concentration (mg/L), Intensity I (w.m(-2)), flow rate (L.min(-1)) and reaction time (min) on the decolourization efficiency Y (%), Experimental findings were in close agreement with the prediction model (R = 99.57 %, Adj-R-2 = 0.987) and the photocatalytic degradation efficiency Y (%). The effects of individual variables and their interaction were determined using ANOVA analysis. The results indicate that the reaction time and the light Intensity exhibit a significant positive effect on the efficiency of decolourization, whereas the initial dye concentration and the flow rate show a significant negative effect. Moreover, the interaction between light Intensity and reaction time was the most influence one, the experimental values agreed with the predicted ones, indicating suitability of the model employed. The maximal decolourization efficiency of 99.95 % was achieved at initial dye concentration 20 mg/L, UV light intensity 38.1 W/m(2), flow rate 0.3 L/min and reaction time 150 min. Thus, under this condition the highest TOC removal efficiency of 61 % mineralization was obtained
Variation in floral organ size depends on function: a test with Commelina communis, an andromonoecious species

We measured the size of floral organs in andromonoecious Commelina communis to test the hypothesis that pollinator-mediated selection might regulate variation in the size of floral organs. We compared variation in floral organ size between C. communis perfect flowers, with fertile pistils, and C. communis staminate flowers, with sterile pistils. We hypothesized that variation in size of the sexually functionless pistil would be large. We found supporting evidence from eight C. communis populations. These results suggest that pollinator-mediated selection may have stabilized variation in the style length of perfect flowers. We also found differences in variation in length among three different types of anthers in both perfect and staminate flowers, only two of which produce fertile pollen. This is consistent with our prediction that mating-related organs should vary less in size than attraction-related organs.
Managing Rumen Fermentation in Barley- Based Diets: Balance Between High Production and Acidosis

Clinical acidosis occurs when blood pH falls below 7.35, due to a decrease in the alkali (base) of body fluids relative to acid content (Owens et al. 1998). Other clinical signs are ruminal pH below 5.0, cows off feed, rumen stasis, diarrhea, dehydration and lethargy (Elam 1976). Lactic acid concentrations in the rumen exceeding 40 mM are indicative of severe acidosis, although acidosis can occur without build-up of lactic acid (Owens et al. 1998).
The Effects of Experience, Choice Architecture, and Cognitive Reflection in Individual and Strategic Decisions

We study how performance in strategyproof mechanisms and individual lottery choices is affected by experience with the decision environment, choice architecture (selection among strategically equivalent mechanisms), and cognitive reflection. In both individual and strategic decisions, we observe substantial gaps in performance between high reflective and low reflective participants. We also find that choice architecture and experience narrow these gaps in performance. Our primary finding is that experience serves as a substitute for cognitive reflection: Across a series of experiments employing multiple rounds of a lottery task, a second price sealed bid auction, an English clock auction, and a random serial dictatorship allocation mechanism, we consistently find that the performance of low reflection participants with experience is similar to that of high reflection participants without experience. We also find across all tasks that switching from a strategyproof to an ‘obviously strategyproof’ mechanism has a larger effect on performance than the difference of having a low level versus a high level of cognitive reflection, providing evidence that choice architectures can systematically induce or reduce the prevalence of rational behavior. A policy implication emerging from our results is that transparent mechanisms and familiar mechanisms (those with which participants have experience) can serve to increase the frequency of optimal decisions and efficient allocations in society.
The Impact of International Trade and Foreign Competition on Labour Earnings in Poland

This paper investigates the influence of international trade and increasing foreign competition on earnings in Poland. Using disaggregated income data for skilled labour in the years 1999 and 2004, and OLS and IV estimation methods it examines the impact of liberalisation of international trade and foreign direct investment flows between Poland and the European Union. The conducted analysis suggests that increased competition forces domestic firms to raise the salaries of the best educated workers.
Toward consistency between bottom-up CO 2 emissions trends and top-down atmospheric measurements in the Los Angeles megacity

S. Newman, X. Xu, K. R. Gurney, Y. -K. Hsu, K. -F. Li, X. Jiang, R. Keeling, S. Feng, D. O’Keefe, R. Patarasuk, K. W. Wong, P. Rao, M. L. Fischer, and Y. L. Yung Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA Department of Earth System Science, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA Monitoring and Laboratory Division, Air Resources Board, Sacramento, CA 95811, USA Department of Applied Mathematics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77004, USA Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
Axisymmetric inertial modes in a spherical shell at low Ekman numbers

We investigate the asymptotic properties of axisymmetric inertial modes propagating in a spherical shell when viscosity tends to zero. We identify three kinds of eigenmodes whose eigenvalues follow very different laws as the Ekman number $E$ becomes very small. First are modes associated with attractors of characteristics that are made of thin shear layers closely following the periodic orbit traced by the characteristic attractor. Second are modes made of shear layers that connect the critical latitude singularities of the two hemispheres of the inner boundary of the spherical shell. Third are quasi-regular modes associated with the frequency of neutral periodic orbits of characteristics. We thoroughly analyse a subset of attractor modes for which numerical solutions point to an asymptotic law governing the eigenvalues. We show that three length scales proportional to $E^{1/6}$ , $E^{1/4}$ and $E^{1/3}$ control the shape of the shear layers that are associated with these modes. These scales point out the key role of the small parameter $E^{1/12}$ in these oscillatory flows. With a simplified model of the viscous Poincaré equation, we can give an approximate analytical formula that reproduces the velocity field in such shear layers. Finally, we also present an analysis of the quasi-regular modes whose frequencies are close to $\sin (\unicode[STIX]{x03C0}/4)$ and explain why a fluid inside a spherical shell cannot respond to any periodic forcing at this frequency when viscosity vanishes.
Effect of a Standing Body Position during College Students' Exam: Implications on Cognitive Test Performance

This study stems from the work of Lehman et al. (Ergonomics, 2001) which concluded that standing yields better work performance, and from the growing health trend of recommending the reduction of the amount of time spent in sitting (Owen et al., Exercise and Sport Science Reviews, 2010). Lajoie et al. (Experimental Brain Research, 1993) provided an initial significant contribution to a theory that standing requires a person to control balance, equating to demand higher productive output from the cognitive system than when a person is sitting. An assumption was formulated that standing position during class is feasible and can be adopted on the belief that it might contribute positive results to students’ performance. The purpose of this study is to identify whether a body position during exams tested along with exposure durations has a significant effect on college students’ performance. Mathematical analysis and reading comprehension exam was used to measure the cognitive performance of the students. Two factors, position and duration, were tested for significance with two levels each subjected to six replicates. Twenty-four students from the College of Engineering and Agro-Industrial Technology, University of the Philippines Los Banos were randomly selected. The experiment showed that the body position during exams is a significant factor for the Math exam, but insignificant for the Reading Comprehension exam.
Responsible Leadership Requires Responsible Leadership Systems: The Case of Merck Ltd., Thailand

The ongoing change in perception of business from a narrow view of profit making to a wider view of a more responsible and sustainable corporation is challenging global enterprises. The paper bases on the understanding that leadership is a key issue in making corporations more responsible. It then develops an organizational leadership perspective focusing on corporate leadership systems supporting corporate social responsibility. It finally tests its relevance with a case study approach in a subsidiary of a global chemical and pharmaceutical company.
Communal knowledge and perceptions of African wild dog (Lycaon pictus) reintroduction in the western part of Serengeti National Park, Tanzania

This study assessed communal knowledge and perceptions regarding the reintroduction of the African wild dog (Lycaon pictus). Questionnaires were employed to acquire information from 216 randomly selected respondents within six villages. Our results indicate that gender differences exist among respondents; more males than females correctly identified wild dogs from photo cards. Males also wanted the species to be of high conservation priority. Moreover, because of their education, more males suggested that the wild dog population should increase after being released into the Serengeti National Park (SNP). Finally, gender and education level significantly explained the variation of the outcome of answers with respect to wild dog reintroduction to SNP. The study recommends that conservation authorities should incorporate communal knowledge and perceptions during implementation of the wild dogs’ reintroduction programmes. Key words: Gender, education, conservation priority, protected areas, reintroduction.
Periodic picophytoplankton predominance in a large, shallow alkaline lake (Lake Fertő, Neusiedlersee)

The biomass and composition of the phytoplankton was studied at seven sampling stations located at different water bodies (open water, inner pond and canal) of a large, shallow turbid lake (Lake Fertő, Neusiedlersee). The open water was characterized by picocyanobacteria and meroplanktonic diatoms, the artificial canal by epiphytic diatoms, cryptophytes and chlorophytes. The inner ponds, based on the phytoplankton composition, were positioned between these water bodies. High picoplankton abundance (>10 6 cells.mL −1 ) and predominance (up to 80% contribution to the total phytoplankton biomass) were detected in the open water and the inner ponds, which was hypothesized to be the result of the turbid environment by the suppression of the top down control and by light-limitation. Information on the diversity of the picoplankton in the open water of the lake has been presented first time in this study. Based on molecular analysis (16S rRNA gene and cpcBA -IGS region) the dominant group of picocyanobacteria belonged to the Cyanobium gracile cluster (group A) of the picophytoplankton clade in April. Members of two other picocyanobacterial groups (group B and C) were also detected.
Phylogeography of a flooded forest specialist fish from central Amazonia based on intron DNA: the cardinal tetra Paracheirodon axelrodi.

Summary 1. Historic and extant landscape structures and environmental conditions are known to influence phylogeographic patterns and population histories in organisms from Amazonia. Recent work suggests that events of the Tertiary Period have played a significant role in generating biodiversity in this exceptionally rich but understudied region. However, species distributions and population structures are also affected by recent environmental and physical changes, especially within highly dynamic ecosystems. 2. The cardinal tetra is a small luminous fish native to the dynamic flooded forest ecosystems of the Rio Negro and Orinoco basins of South America. This very popular aquarium fish represents the single most important species in the ornamental fishery of the Rio Negro, an activity of high socio-economic value for local riverine communities. Here we use a fine-scale sampling regime and sequence data from the second intron of the Ribosomal protein S7 (S7 2) to investigate population structure, colonisation history and genealogical relationships in cardinal tetras of the Rio Negro. 3. High levels of S7 2 polymorphisms revealed phylogeographic patterns across several temporal settings that appear associated with the complex dynamics of the region. Our results suggest a long history of isolation and persistence of cardinal tetra populations in the headwaters and upper regions of the Rio Negro and recent events of colonisation within the incipient Rio Negro floodplain. These colonisation events were followed by recent population expansions likely facilitated by the establishment of the extensive Rio Negro floodplain, an anabranching ecosystem of Holocene age. 4. Our reconstruction of the phylogeographic history of cardinal tetras based on S7 2 intron sequence data reflects the complex influence of both geomorphological and climatic events through time in the Rio Negro basin. Our findings also indicate that in order to maintain the cardinal tetra fishery as a sustainable activity for rural Amazonians, the fishery should be restricted to the middle Rio Negro, the region of the basin where population replenishment is more likely to occur.
Partitioning of respiratory electrons in the dark in leaves of transgenic tobacco with modified levels of alternative oxidase

This study examined tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum cv. Petit Havana SR1) leafrespiration in the dark, utilizing both wild-type plants and transgenic plantswith increased or decreased levels of alternative oxidase (AOX) protein. AOXrepresents a non-energy-conserving branch in mitochondrial electron trans-port. Inhibitor studies showed that the maximum possible flux of electrons toAOX (AOX capacity) correlated with the level of AOX protein present in thedifferent plant lines. A comparison of the plants using online
Behavioral Criteria of Mentoring Effectiveness: An Empirical Study of Formal Mentoring Relationships within a Major UK Public Sector Organization.

This paper describes an empirical study of mentor and mentee behaviors deemed critical for developing healthy mentoring relationships and effective mentoring during the ‘start up’ and ‘on going’ stages of a formal mentoring scheme within a major UK public sector organization. Several identified behavioral categories (criteria) of mentoring effectiveness provide significant support for Kram’s (1985) two-function model of mentoring relationships and for various ‘best practice’ models of effective mentor and good mentee behavior.