Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Lead Farmer Extension Approach and Sustainable Extension Service Delivery in Oyo State, Nigeria

Summary Over the years, provision of extension and advisory services has been the main thrust of both the public and private extension services in Nigeria. Meanwhile, the lead farmer extension approach has been deployed for cost effectiveness, broader reach and sustainability. The utility value of this approach needs to be empirically established. This study therefore examined the extent to which the approach has achieved the intended objectives among randomly sampled maize farmers in Iseyin and Saki-West Local Government Areas (LGAs). Interview schedule and focus group discussion among farmer groups were used for the study. Lead farmer extension approach was cost and time effective vis-a-vis the number of farmers reached and the achieved outcome. Almost 70% of the lead farmers encountered late arrivals and impatience from group members during step-down training activities while all of them complained of insufficient funds for refreshment. About 65% of the farmers engaged in selective adoption of the training items owing to various reasons. There was also a significant difference between the knowledge level of the lead farmers and their respective group members while the group members’ assessment of their respective lead farmers’ performance was high. The study concluded that this extension approach was effective and could serve to complement the efforts of extension workers in the state.
Quantum mechanical methods for the simulation of electronic transport through carbon nanotubes

In the present work we study electronic transport properties of finite length single-wall carbon nanotubes. A simple model is used to describe the electrodes and the way they are attached to both ends of the CNT. Electronic transport calculations are carried out on three different levels of sophistication. Those are single orbital tight-binding, extended Hückel and density functional theory in combination with Greens function methods. Results are compared and discussed.
Role of Fyn tyrosine kinase in ethanol consumption by mice.

BACKGROUND Mice deficient for the intracellular protein Fyn tyrosine kinase (fynZ/fynZ mice) have been reported to show increased alcohol sensitivity and lack of tolerance to the effects of ethanol. To further study the involvement of Fyn in neurobehavioral effects of alcohol, we examined ethanol consumption and relapse drinking behavior in fynZ/fynZ mice. METHODS FynZ/fynZ and wild-type mice were given a free choice between water and increasing concentrations of ethanol (2-16%). Once a stable baseline of 16% ethanol consumption was established, access to ethanol was withdrawn for 2 weeks and then reinstated, to measure the alcohol deprivation effect (ADE). Forced swim stress was performed thereafter on 2 consecutive days. In a final experiment we studied alcohol sensitivity by measuring ethanol-induced loss of righting reflex (LORR). RESULTS The concentration of available ethanol had a significant effect on ethanol consumption and preference; however, there was no significant effect of genotype on these measures. Deprivation from ethanol led to a significant increase in ethanol consumption by all mice with no significant impact of genotype on ethanol consumption or water consumption during the ADE. Two consecutive days of forced swim stress led to a significant increase in ethanol consumption; again however, genotype had no effect on stress-associated ethanol consumption. Surprisingly, however, FynZ/fynZ mice showed no differences in alcohol sensitivity when compared to wild-type animals, in contrast to previously reported results ( Miyakawa et al., 1997). CONCLUSIONS Deletion of the Fyn tyrosine kinase gene may be involved in ethanol sensitivity but this effect may depend on a gene-environment interaction. Fyn does not influence ethanol consumption, neither under basal conditions nor following a deprivation period or stress. This finding indicates that phosphorylation and activation of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors through Fyn is not a critical mechanism in alcohol drinking or relapse behavior.
Influence of E-Procurement Practices on Supply Chain Performance: A Case Study of Kenya Airways

Kenya Airways PLC being an international airline is currently facing massive competition in both the local and the international routes. The supply chain section within the company handles large volumes of goods purchases including purchases from overseas suppliers as well as those local suppliers. Adopting an effective and efficient supply chain is of essence to the company during these hard times. It’s therefore important to continuously carry out supply chain performance measurement as well as identify the challenges involved. The study establishes the influence of e-procurement practices on supply chain performance at Kenya airways. The paper employed a desk study review methodology. Past studies on e-procurement were critically and thoughtfully studied and the results related to the airline industry. A critical review of empirical literature is conducted to identify main thematic concepts of the paper. From empirical studies, it was established that e-procurement practices are fundamental to the performance of supply chain management. The adoption of e-procurement practices is vital due to that fact that procurement is one of the most critical functions of the supply chain. It is imperative for any firm to ensure that efficiencies are built within the procurement process to ensure competitive advantage and profitability. Likewise, Kenya Airways may attempt to modernize their procurement services by integrating e-procurement in the supply chain systems. The recommendations of the study focus the subject of the study which is the Kenya Airways. The study recommends that Kenya Airways should pay attention in developing e-procurement platform to enhance supply chain performance. E-procurement practices have very strong influence on supply chain performance. E-order processing, information sharing and E- supplier appraisal strongly influence supply chain performance. The airline firm should embrace the e-procurement practices to enhance the firms’ supply chain performance which consequently lead to profit maximization. Key words: e-procurement practices, supply chain performance & Kenya Airways.
The Influence of Perceived Organizational Support and Employee Advocacy on Organizational Commitment in Hotels

Organizational commitment (OC) achieves numerous positive organizational outcomes as well as positive employee behaviors and attitudes that help the organization to succeed. Hence, it is important to identify employee organizational commitment in hospitality organizations and recognize the factors that influence it, such as perceived organizational support (POS) and employee advocacy. Therefore, the study aimed at investigating the influence of POS and employee advocacy on OC dimensions. For achieving these objectives, data were collected using questionnaires. A convenience sample of 600 hotel employees from 8 five-star hotels in Cairo was chosen for investigation. However, only 367 valid questionnaire forms were received from the respondents, representing a response rate of 61.2 percent. Descriptive analysis, correlation analysis, and multiple regression analysis were used to analyze the data. The findings showed that the two independent factors had significant positive effects on all dimensions of OC. POS as well as employee advocacy had the highest impact on continuance commitment (CC). However, employee advocacy is more important than POS in terms of its impact on normative commitment (NC) and CC. It was recommended that hotel management should increase hotel employees’ organizational commitment, particularly the affective commitment (AC), by raising organizational support through many practices, such as organizational rewards, good work conditions, promotion at work, job safety, etc. The results also suggested that hotel management should facilitate the access of employees to required information to improve employee advocacy. Keywords: Perceived organizational support; organizational commitment; affective commitment; normative commitment; continuance commitment; employee advocacy
Rate regulation and earnings management: evidence from the U.S. electric utility industry

ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This dissertation is a culmination of an academic journey in which I was encouraged and supported by many others: mentors, colleagues, friends, and family. My sincere and deepest appreciation goes to my dissertation committee. Dr. K.E. " Skip " Hughes II performed his duties as committee chair and major professor with both professional diligence and collegial demeanor. I thank him for sharpening and focusing my ideas and thinking. He went beyond fulfilling his notional responsibilities by purchasing a data set required for pursuing a research question, and by providing me with reference material which I would otherwise not be able to access. Amidst his busy schedule as Associate Dean, he maintained an " open door " policy for me. In this brief acknowledgement, I can only express my gratitude for Dr. Hughes' unwaivering support, encouragement and generosity. I wish to extend my appreciation to Dr. William Lane, Department Chair of Finance and my minor professor. He found time for me despite the demands of his office. His advice on the research design and his words of encouragement were invaluable. To the other committee members, Dr. Ken Reichelt, I will forever be grateful to you. You provided technical guidance and challenged me with your knowledge of accounting research. I am humbled by your level of commitment. You met with me even during holiday breaks, unbelievable! A colleague once remarked that " you have a powerful and knowledgeable committee. " I couldn't agree more, but I added that my committee has a compassionate human face too. These faculty members were truly concerned with regard to my welfare, and this motivated me in completing my academic journey. My sincere appreciation is also extended to the entire Department of Accounting faculty, especially Angela, Jackie, Nick and David, for attending my proposal defense and offering me ideas on how to improve this research. I am grateful for encouragement and hospitality that I iii received from the faculty and staff in the department, including those faculty members who have since departed for other schools. I thank my fellow doctoral students especially, " Ovee " and Joe, for encouragement. Joe thanks again for helping me master SAS programming; your SAS expertise and your friendship were tremendous resources in helping me to complete this dissertation. (ISO) and her staff for expeditiously processing my administrative requirements while providing immeasurable hospitality. Thanks for making ISO a friendly environment …
Environmental Accounting Information Disclosure in Steel Industry

The main body of environmental accounting information disclosure in China is listed companies, and the steel industry is one of the 16 heavily polluted industries. Steel listed companies in Shanghai and Shenzhen stock markets are taken as examples for analysis and discussion in this paper. The relevant concepts of environmental accounting and the theoretical basis of environmental accounting information disclosure are firstly described. Then the current situation of environmental accounting information disclosure in China's steel industry from disclosure method and disclosure content is analyzed to take China's steel listed companies as an example. The analysis of the status quo of environmental information disclosure in the steel industry, and the main problems and causes are drawn. Finally, some countermeasures and suggestions to improve the quality of environmental accounting information disclosure in China's steel industry are proposed. Keywords—Environmental accounting; Information disclosure;
Blockchain in the Sharing Economy : Will Blockchain Disrupt Today’s Winning Business Models?

The increasing popularity of sharing economy business models led to some of the most successful startups in the last ten years. Blockchain technology could disrupt these businesses, as it offers unique opportunities for automatization and for giving back the power to the users by decentralizing the settlement service. Most prior research focusses on either blockchain technology or the sharing economy. This paper provides insights into the characteristics of blockchain technology and the success factors of sharing economy businesses. Furthermore, the chances and challenges of using blockchain technology in the context of sharing economy business models are discussed. Based on that information, a general model for decentralized sharing economy organizations (DSEO) is given, discussing the design choices that are crucial to be made.
Redox trapping of arsenic during groundwater discharge in sediments from the Meghna riverbank in Bangladesh

Groundwater arsenic (As) is elevated in the shallow Holocene aquifers of Bangladesh. In the dry season, the shallow groundwater discharges to major rivers. This process may influence the chemistry of the river and the hyporheic zone sediment. To assess the fate of As during discharge, surface (0–5 cm) and subsurface (1–3 m) sediment samples were collected at 9 sites from the bank of the Meghna River along a transect from its northern source (25° N) to the Bay of Bengal (22.5° N). Bulk As concentrations of surface sediment averaged 16 ± 7 mg/kg (n = 9). Subsurface sediment contained higher mean concentrations of As of 4,000 mg/kg (n = 14), ranging from 1 to 23,000 mg/kg As, with >100 mg/kg As measured at 8 sites. X-ray absorption near-edge structure spectroscopy indicated that As was mainly arsenate and arsenite, not As-bearing sulfides. We hypothesize that the elevated sediment As concentrations form as As-rich groundwater discharges to the river, and enters a more oxidizing environment. A significant portion of dissolved As sorbs to iron-bearing minerals, which form a natural reactive barrier. Recycling of this sediment-bound As to the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna Delta aquifer provides a potential source of As to further contaminate groundwater. Furthermore, chemical fluxes from groundwater discharge from the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna Delta may be less than previous estimates because this barrier can immobilize many elements.
Seroepidemiology of Bordetella pertussis infections in the twin cities of Pakistan

Background: Bordetella pertussis is the cause of whooping cough occurring mainly in children. The prevalence of this disease has been reduced largely due to worldwide mass vaccination with DTP vaccine. However, the immunity produced by the vaccination wanes by the passage of time. Still this disease kills around 2-4 million children annually. Adults may be a source of infection for infants and children. Furthermore, Bordetella pertussis has also been found to be associated with cases of persistent cough in adults in many countries. Aim: The aim of this study was to study the exposure of the adult population to the Bordetella pertussis by detecting IgG antibodies. Materials and Methods: We performed Seroepidemiology of Bordetella pertussis infections in multiethnic twin cities of Pakistan (Rawalpindi and Islamabad) using a commercially available ELISA kit to have a picture of epidemiology of Bordetella pertussis in Pakistan. We targeted adults of age between 18-45 years (mean age 29.64 years). Results: The results of our study show a high percentage of seropositivity to Bordetella pertussis (89 percent), which indicates higher exposure to this organism and risk of infection to infants, children, adolescents and adults. Conclusion: A high percentage of seropositive individuals are alarming to health care professionals as well as policy makers. Bordetella pertussis infections may be associated with their atypical manifestation in Pakistan. Adult vaccination with DTP is recommended to reduce the risk of infection in infants and children through adult reservoirs.
Analysis of a simple grounding system installed in a multilayer soil

The aim of the paper is to analyze the influence of selected geoelectrical models on the correctness of a simple grounding system performance estimation. A comparison of different multilayer soil models used to compute grounding system resistance was made as an alternative to typical uniform and two-layer soil conceptions. Experimental tests of a simple grounding system are described. Preliminary measurements were conducted at the new open-air laboratory belonging to Rzeszow University of Technology (RUT), Poland. Finally, measurements of soil resistivity with the use of different methods and at the same time, the ground resistance measurements of simple grounding system were performed. Using the experimental data, a different multilayer soil models were proposed and the grounding resistances of the same grounding system were computed. In case of impact excitations characteristic for lightning currents, the potential distributions around the analyzed grounding system are shown for the selected multilayer soil, and then, the obtained simulation results were compared with the case of the corresponding uniform soil.
Sensitive community responses of microbiota to copper in sediment toxicity test

Sediment contamination is widespread and can be toxic to aquatic ecosystems and impair human health. Despite their significant ecological function, meio‐ and microbiota in aquatic ecosystems have been poorly studied in conventional sediment ecotoxicity tests because of the difficulty in sample collecting and identification. In the present study, a novel DNA metabarcoding method was used to assess the effects of spiked copper (Cu) on benthic eukaryotic and prokaryotic communities in laboratory sediment toxicity tests with macroinvertebrates, the chironomid Chironomus tepperi and the amphipod Austrochiltonia subtenuis. In addition to the obvious toxic effects to experimental animals, microbiota (bacteria, protists, algae, and fungi) were significantly altered by spiked Cu in the sediments. The phylogenetic diversity of eukaryotic communities was decreased after spiked‐Cu exposure. Even a low–spiked Cu treatment (125 mg/kg) altered structures of eukaryotic and prokaryotic communities in the amphipod experiment. The present study demonstrates that measuring microbiota communities will expand our understanding of the influences of contaminants on aquatic ecosystems. Particularly, the alterations of phylogenetic biodiversity of eukaryotic communities and the structure of sedimentary communities are sensitive indicators for sediment contamination, which can be incorporated in the monitoring and assessment of sediment quality. Environ Toxicol Chem 2018;37:599–608. © 2017 SETAC
Mining the record: historical evidence for climatic influences on maize - Abutilon theophrasti competition

Summary Variations in climate are widely recognized as central factors governing the competitive balance in mixed-species plant communities. In agricultural systems, highly variable patterns of crop yield reduction as a function of weed density have been documented across sites and among years at the same site for several crop–weed combinations. This variation is typically attributed to contrasting environmental conditions. Despite broad acknowledgement of their importance, experimental and temporal limitations have constrained the investigation and systematic understanding of environmental controls on the dynamics of competition. For several well-studied crop–weed associations, aggregating historical data from similar competition experiments provides an opportunity to explore interference relationships over an array of conditions. In this study, 19 site-years of maize –Abutilon theophrasti (velvetleaf) data were compiled and the weather characterized (i.e. average ambient temperature and moisture regime) for discrete portions of each growing season. These features were then related to patterns of maize yield loss from A. theophrasti interference at high weed densities. Results of this analysis suggest that temperatures following establishment, together with the presence or absence of water stress during the maize crop's exponential growth phase, account for over 60% of the observed variation in relative yield loss.
Wealth Effects of Hedge Fund Activism

Do hedge funds add value to the companies they target or reap short-term benefits at the expense of others? This paper looks at the impact of shareholder activism on bondholders' wealth through the prism of bondholder-shareholder-manager conflicts as opposed to that of the activism literature, which exclusively focuses on the bilateral shareholder-manager conflicts. We use a comprehensive hand-collected database of activist SEC filings between January 1996 and March 2008. We run a battery of univariate and cross-sectional tests for the full sample and for different groups segmented by default risk, hedge fund activity, level and type of covenant protection, debt seniority and outcome of the activity. In the short-run, although we find some evidence that hedge funds transfer wealth from bondholders in the subsample of "investment-grade" bonds and "capital structure-related" activism, the expropriation is pronounced mostly for the "weakly protected" bonds and activism targeting shorter-term "strategic types of corporate changes". For the full sample and other subgroups we do not find that expropriation of wealth is a major source of stockholder gains. We show that the initial positive bond reaction is offset over extended time frames and that target bonds underperform their benchmarks starting one year after activist filing significantly by 3 percent to 5 percent per year for the full sample. Consistent with this finding, our results reveal that there is a greater incidence of downgrades than upgrades in the same time frame as return underperformance.
Elucidating the Role of Recovery Experiences in the Job Demands-Resources Model

Based on the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model, the current study examined the moderating role of recovery experiences (i.e., psychological detachment from work, relaxation, mastery experiences, and control over leisure time) on the relationship between one job demand (i.e., role conflict) and work-and health-related outcomes. Results from our sample of 990 employees from Spain showed that psychological detachment from work and relaxation buffered the negative impact of role conflict on some of the proposed outcomes. Contrary to our expectations, we did not find significant results for mastery and control regarding moderating effects. Overall, findings suggest a differential pattern of the recovery experiences in the health impairment process proposed by the JD-R model. El estudio que aquí se presenta se fundamenta en el modelo de Demandas-Recursos Laborales y se centra en el análisis de las experiencias de recuperación (distanciamiento psicológico, relajación, búsqueda de retos y ocio) como moderadoras de la relación entre las demandas laborales (conflicto de rol) y la salud relacionada con el trabajo. Los resultados obtenidos con una muestra laboral española de 990 trabajadores muestra que el distanciamiento psicológico y la relajación median el impacto negativo del conflicto de rol en las medidas propuestas. Contrariamente a los resultados esperados, no se encontraron resultados significativos para las variables de recuperación, mastery y ocio. En general, los resultados sugieren un patrón diferencial de las experiencias de recuperación en el proceso de salud propuesto por el modelo de Demandas-Recursos Laborales.