Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Correlation analysis of toxic metals on motorway and national highway

Research evaluating levels of toxic metals along with the busy pollution prone, due to exhaust smoke & sand dust on roads is timely gesture. Five (5) sampling sites were strategic along Motorway (M-3) and National Highway (N-5) in Pakistan. The sites were respectively designed as; M-3a, M-3b, M-3c, M-3d, M-3e and N-5a, N-5b, N-5c, N-5d and N-5e. In each case dust was accumulated 24hours within two consecutive months, in petri plates encrusted with polystyrene foam kept 15 m away from roads as reference control and its corresponding road sites dust deposit near roads as test. The lead (Pb 2+ ) and cadmium (Cd 2+ ) contents were estimated using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS). The results showed high Pb 2+ concentration along M-3 and N-5 road sides sand dust deposit compared to controls. High Cd 2+ contents were also recorded in road sides deposit at M-3e and M-3d compared to controls at 15m away from the roads. Although high levels of these toxic metals were detected in the road sides sand deposit compared to controls. The controls may be considered to also harbor reasonable concentration of the metals. The correlation co-efficient between the metal contents & traffic density proved that Pb 2+ & Cd 2+ were constantly toting up from vehicular (exhaust dust). The finding may therefore indicates that settlers along these roads are at high risk of toxicity of these metals.
The Quantitative Analysis of Juvenile Delinquency in Contemporary Japan(Part 1)

According to Blumstein et al. (1986), one analytical dimension in criminal career theory is seriousness, which focuses on crime type. Change in crime type associated with recidivism is a major issue in the study of criminal careers. Hence, many researchers have focused on whether there are tendencies toward specialization in a specific crime type or toward escalation to more serious crimes associated with repeated crimes. However, the study of crime and delinquency in Japan lacks empirical reports pertaining to either of these concepts. Hence, this chapter uses longitudinal delinquency record data to examine specific aspects of change in crime type associated with repeated delinquency.
Inventing Participatory Planning and Budgeting for Participatory Local Governance in Nigeria

Governance has continued to be something of concern to Nigerians, especially in terms of poor service delivery. This problem of poor service delivery is said to be traceable to a number of factors. These may include lack of social inclusion and probity and accountability underscored as two of the key elements of good governance this paper is relying on. This paper set out to suggest the invention and institution of participatory governance and particularly Participatory Budgeting (PB) option in Nigeria’s local government administration. This is in recognition of the fact that budget process is a powerful tool for participatory governance. The inclusionary character of PB underscores opening up to ordinary citizens, through intermediary organizations, the most basic and formal procedure of governance, particularly the distribution of resources through budgeting if only to foster good governance in terms of service delivery, probity and accountability, transparency, social justice, and spurring the growth of meaningful democracy from the bottom-up, to mention a few. The paper also went further to identify the enabling conditions necessary for PB especially in Nigeria setting which may include political will, nature and organization of political system, desirability of enabling legal framework, and a host of others.
Rapid changes in ice core gas records - Part 1: On the accuracy of methane synchronisation of ice cores

Abstract. Methane synchronisation is a concept to align ice core records during rapid climate changes of the Dansgaard/Oeschger (D/O) events onto a common age scale. However, atmospheric gases are recorded in ice cores with a log-normal-shaped age distribution probability density function, whose exact shape depends mainly on the accumulation rate on the drilling site. This age distribution effectively shifts the mid-transition points of rapid changes in CH4 measured in situ in ice by about 58% of the width of the age distribution with respect to the atmospheric signal. A minimum dating uncertainty, or artefact, in the CH4 synchronisation is therefore embedded in the concept itself, which was not accounted for in previous error estimates. This synchronisation artefact between Greenland and Antarctic ice cores is for GRIP and Byrd less than 40 years, well within the dating uncertainty of CH4, and therefore does not calls the overall concept of the bipolar seesaw into question. However, if the EPICA Dome C ice core is aligned via CH4 to NGRIP this synchronisation artefact is in the most recent unified ice core age scale (Lemieux-Dudon et al., 2010) for LGM climate conditions of the order of three centuries and might need consideration in future gas chronologies.
Title Enhancing corporate compliance with worksite safety and health legislation Permalink

Introduction: A 2-year prospective study evaluated the effectiveness of a managerial training program to enhance corporate compliance with statewide worksite safety and health regulations. The program offered participants information about regulatory requirements and emphasized organizational and environmental strategies for reducing occupational injuries and illnesses. Objectives: To assess the effects of a train-the-trainer program on business managers’ knowledge of statewide occupational safety and health legislation and on levels of corporate compliance with regulatory requirements. Methods: Forty-eight smalland medium-sized companies participated in the training sessions during the first year of the study. These firms were compared with 46 control companies that did not receive the training until the conclusion of the study. Results: Participation in the program was associated with higher levels of corporate regulatory compliance 12months after the training sessions were held (controlling for baseline levels of corporate compliance with the regulations). Program effects on compliance levels weremediated by posttraining changes in managers’ knowledge of regulatory requirements.Conclusions: The REACHOUT training program raised managers’ awareness of and corporate compliance with statewide worksite safety and health regulations. Impact on Industry: Smaller companies face greater challenges than larger ones in developing and maintaining worksite safety and health programs. Barriers to regulatory compliance, especially in smalland medium-size companies, should be identified and removed to enhance the efficacy of these programs. D 2001 National Safety Council and Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
Bans versus Fees: Disposable Carryout Bag Policies and Bag Usage

Using observational data on consumer carryout bag usage, we measure the effects of Disposable Bag Policies on bag demand. Our results show that plastic bag bans with paper bag fees eliminate use of disposable plastic bags and increase use of reusable bags. However, we find significant and undesired increases in paper bag demand. We compare our results to a study on bag fees and conclude the types of bags stores choose to sell in lieu of disposable plastic bags, as well as the price of alternatives, impact whether bans are more successful than fees in discouraging disposable bag demand.
Effect of tanniniferous browse meal on nematode faecal egg counts and internal parasite burdens in sheep and goats

The effect of tanniniferous browse meal on faecal egg counts (FEC) and intestinal worm burdens was investigated in sheep and goats infested experimentally with gastrointestinal nematodes. Initially, leaves of different browse tree species were assayed for condensed tannin (CT) content using a colorimetric method to determine concentration and seasonal variations. The level of CT in the leaves ranged between 58 – 283 g/kg dry matter. Seasonal changes in CT levels were influenced by stage of leaf maturity with peak levels after the wet season in June. Leaves of Acacia polyacantha had the highest tannin concentration and were used to test their anthelmintic effect in goats and sheep infested with the nematodes in two separate feeding trials. In Trial 1 an acacia leaf meal supplement (AMS) was offered at 100 – 130 g/animal/day for 20 days to growing Small East African goats to investigate its effect on FEC and worm burden. Mean FEC and worm burden of the AMS-fed group were respectively 27% and 13% lower than in the control group. Trial 2 was similar to Trial 1 except that AMS was offered for 30 days to growing Black Head Persian sheep at 170 g/animal/day. The sheep receiving AMS showed a slight reduction in FEC (on average 19% lower than the control group) but had no effect on worm burden. The current results substantiated previous reports of a suppressing effect of CT on gastrointestinal nematodes of small ruminants. Although the observed anthelmintic activity of AMS was less than expected, such reductions can have practical epidemiological implications in reducing pasture larval contamination. Further studies are needed under field conditions to evaluate the feasibility of using locally available tanniniferous browse as an alternative to synthetic anthelmintics in reducing worm infestations in small ruminants. South African Journal of Animal Science Vol. 37 (2) 2007: pp. 97-106
Effects of Ethanolic Purslane S hoot and S eed Extracts on Doxorubicin - Induced Hepatotoxicity in Albino Rats

Doxorubicin (DOX), an anthracycline antibiotic, is a broad - spectrum antineoplastic agent, which is commonly used in the treatment of uterine, ovarian, breast and lung cancers, Hodgkin's disease and soft tissue sarcomas as well as in several other cancer types. The effect of d oxorubicin (4 mg/kg b.w. week) without or with oral administration of et h anolic purslane (Portulaca oleracea ) shoo t (leaves and stems) extract (50 mg/kg b.w. day) or et h anolic purslane seeds extract (50 mg/kg b.w. day) co - treatments for 6 weeks was evaluated in adult male rats . Serum ALT, AST, ALP, GGT, t otal b ilirubin, t otal protein and a lbumin levels were assayed. Lipid peroxidation (indexed by MDA) and antioxidants like hepatic glutathine , glutathione transferase, peroxidase, SOD , CAT were assessed. There was a n in crease in serum levels of ALT, AST, ALP, GGT and t otal b ilirubin . In addition , h epatic glutathine, glutathione transferase, peroxidase , SOD, CAT activities were decreased while lipid peroxidation in the liver was increased . Co - administration of ethanolic purslane and seed extract s successfully improved the adverse changes in the liver functions with an increase in antioxidants activities and reduction of lipid peroxidation. In coclusion, it can be supposed that dietary purslane extract supplementation may provide a cushion for a prolo nged therapeutic option against DOX hepat opathy with out harmful side effects. However, further clinical studies are required to assess the safety and efficacy of these extract in human beings . ( Osama M. Ahmed; Walaa G. Hozayen; Haidy Tamer Abo Sree ; and Mohamed B; Ahmed . Effects of Ethanolic Purslane Shoot and Seed Extracts on Doxorubicin - Induced Hepatotoxicity in Albino Rats. Nat Sci 2013;11(10 ): 94 - 101 ). (ISSN: 1545 - 0740). http://www.sciencepub. net /nature . 15
Diet of the lizard Ecpleopus gaudichaudii (Gymnophthalmidae) in Atlantic Rainforest, state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

In this study we analyzed the diet of the gymnophthalmid lizard Ecpleopus gaudichaudii Dumeril & Bibron, 1839, a typical inhabitant of the forest-floor leaf litter, in an Atlantic Forest area in the state of Rio de Janeiro, southeast- ern Brazil. The 26 individuals sampled during the study had a mean snout-vent length (SVL) of 36.2 ± 4.2 mm and a mean jaw width (JW) of 4.1 ± 0.5 mm. We did not find differences in SVL between males and females, though the sexes differed in JW when the effect of body size was factored out, with females presenting higher values. The diet of the lizards was composed exclusively of arthropods, especially isopods and orthopterans. The similarity in trophic niches among seasons (volumetric and numerical proportions of prey categories consumed) were 0.096 and to 0.43, respec- tively. There were also no detectable seasonal differences in mean number and mean volume of prey ingested, as well as no significant influence of lizard SVL on prey number and of lizard JW on mean prey volume, which may reflect the tendency of E. gaudichaudii to feed on few, relatively large prey.
Evaluating the Role of Trust in Adoption of Open Source Systems: An Empirical Analysis

This study is a conceptual replication of the Chandra, Srivastava, & Theng (2010) study on the role of trust in adopting a unique type of technology. Whereas Chandra et al. focused on mobile payment systems, we apply their theoretical model to the context of adopting open source software (OSS). Results are largely consistent and comparable with that of the original model; we also found that user trust plays a vital role in OSS adoption intention. However, two of the hypotheses had significantly different results in our model when compared to the original— specifically, perceived reputation did not have a significant impact on trust in the technology, and trust had a more powerful effect on the perceived usefulness of the technology. We argue that users’ expectations regarding trust are different depending on the type of technology that a user intends to adopt.
Efficiency Gains or Market Timing? The Source of Wealth Gains from Management Buyouts Revisited

Recent studies of leveraged buyouts (LBOs) have reported that firm managers time buyouts so as to maximize profits from undervaluation or overvaluation of the target firms; the literature on management buyouts (MBOs) from the 1990s attributes the source of value enhancement to organizational change. Furthermore, since the mid-1990s there have been a variety of changes in the private equity (PE) industry, such as the junk bond crisis and the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. Taken together, there is doubt about the validity of applying findings from historic studies advocating the efficiency gains of MBOs to the recent and current MBO industry. Here, we replicate the work of Ofek (1994) to reexamine what better explains the improved performance of recent MBOs between 1995 and 2012. We find that organizational change through MBOs contributes to the enhancement of MBO performance, which is consistent with the findings of Ofek (1994). Our results support the robustness of the organizational change hypothesis, regardless of recent changes in PE industry. JEL classification: Management buyouts, organizational change, market timing
Wpływ wczesnego intensywnego leczenia neurologicznego na rokowania powrotu do pełnej wydolności funkcjonalnej pacjentów po udarze mózgu

Introduction . Recent decades have brought a dramatic change in the approach to the assessment of treatment results and the prognosis regarding future health condition in diseases of neurological background. It is getting an increasingly more common practice in research on chronic neurological diseases effects to depart from the principle of an exclusively biological assessment of human health, instead a more holistic approach has been adopted where particular attention is drawn to patient’s emotional experience, his well-being as well as to the ability to function in everyday life. Aim . The analysis of the effect of early intensive neurological treatment on the prognosis of patients’ return to full functional capacity after stroke. Material and Methods . The research was carried out in the Neurological Department Independent Public Hospital no. 4 (IPH 4) in Lublin on a randomly selected group of one hundred patients, who were characterised by the type of stroke, socio-demographic characteristics (gender, age, place of residence, marital status, education) as well as by coexisting diseases. The level of patients’ functional capacity after completion of intensive neurological treatment was assessed by means of the FIM Scale. Progression of functional capacity during the period of the patients’ stay in a stroke unit was measured based on the Scandinavian Stroke Scale (SSS). Results . The research results indicate the high efficiency of a professional medical approach in the acute period of vascular disease of the brain. Patients leaving the stroke unit were on the right path to return to active life from the period preceding the illness. Less than half of respondents (42%) after the first stage of treatment regained full functional capacity. The least certain prognosis of the first stage of treatment occurs in the case of ischemic stroke. In all patients there was observed a visible increase in functional capacity in the course of treatment. Conclusions . 1. After a transient ischemic attack (TIA) patients almost always (91.67%) recover the full functional capability after the first stage of treatment. 2. There was a very large improvement in the long term capacity index in the group of patients after hemorrhagic stroke. 3. In all patients, the neurological intensive treatment contributed to a clear improvement in the prognosis of the forecast regarding further improvement of functional capacity. (JNNN 2015;4(1):13–18)
INSIDER TRADING ACTIVITIES AND RETURNS OF GERMAN BLUE CHIPS

The aim of this paper is to investigate the causality between stock returns and insider open market transactions. The Dumitrescu-Hurlin (2012) heterogeneous approach to panel Granger causality is chosen to examine the relationship. The investigation is conducted on the 30 most traded German blue chips during the period of 2006–2014. The strong causality is revealed in the one-month period. Thus, stock returns may be used to predict future insider trading activity. The strong causality between stock returns and future insider buying and selling transactions is further confirmed with three out of four employed insider trading indices. The fact of the legal insider trade (either buy or sell) is more important than its volume. The reverse relationship is weak and valid only for longer time horizon of twelve months. Our results indicate that insider traders do not degrade the market efficiency in the long run.
Strength properties of juvenile and mature wood in black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.)

This study was undertaken to investigate the strength properties of juvenile and mature wood in black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.). Wood specimens were prepared from various stem heights, up to 9 m, of five naturally-grown black locust trees, 21 – 37 years old. Mechanical properties tested included moduli of rupture (MOR) and elasticity (MOE), and pure modulus of elasticity (PMOE) in static bending, stress wave modulus of elasticity (SWMOE) in dynamic strength, axial compression, and toughness. Comparisons between juvenile and mature wood specimens of similar densities (0.667 – 0.894 g/cm 3 and 0.682 – 0.892 g/cm 3 , respectively) showed that juvenile wood had a statistically significant lower mean MOR (138.78 N/mm 2 ), MOE (13,936 N/mm 2 ), PMOE (18,125 N/mm 2 ), SWMOE (16,813 N/mm 2 ) and toughness strength (155.25 KJ/m 2 ) than the mature wood (148.29 N/mm 2 , 14,747 N/mm 2 , 19,498 N/mm 2 , 17,635 N/mm 2 and 181.27 KJ/m 2 , respectively). On the contrary, no statistically significant differences were found for the mean strength in axial compression among juvenile (63.75 N/mm 2 ) and mature wood (66.65 N/mm 2 ). Fractured surfaces of juvenile and mature wood specimens in static bending and toughness were classified into the “splintering tension” type of failure, while compression failures were of the “shearing type” according to ASTM D 143-83 standards. Lower strength of juvenile wood in most of the properties examined may be attributed to anatomical and chemical properties rather than density of wood specimens. The adverse influence of juvenile wood on strength properties should be considered for effective management (e.g. longer rotation age and other genetic and forest or plantation management measures that reduce juvenile wood content) and utilization of the species.
The Real Effects of Debt Certification: Evidence from the Introduction of Bank Loan Ratings

I examine the introduction of syndicated bank loan ratings by Moody's and Standard & Poor's in 1995 to evaluate whether third-party rating agencies affect firm financial and investment policy. The introduction of bank loan ratings leads to an increase in the use of debt by firms that obtain a rating, and also increases in firms' asset growth, cash acquisitions, and investment in working capital. Consistent with a causal effect of the ratings, the increase in debt usage and investment is concentrated in the set of borrowers who are of lower credit quality and do not have an issuer credit rating before 1995. A loan-level analysis demonstrates that previously unrated borrowers who obtain a loan rating gain increased access to the capital of less-informed investors. The results suggest that third-party debt certification has real effects on firm investment policy. The Author 2007. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Society for Financial Studies. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org, Oxford University Press.
Dynamic Bond Portfolio Choice with Macroeconomic Information

This study examines the optimal portfolio choice of a long-term bond investor, who faces a set of macroeconomic risk factors, both observable (inflation and output gap) and latent ones (real interest rate, inflation central tendency and real interest rate central tendency). It makes use of the essentially affine macro-finance term structure model of Dewachter, Lyrio and Maes (2006) that allows for time-varying risk premia, capturing the failure of the expectations hypothesis. Employing this setup, the investment as well as the hedging opportunities provided by consistently priced zero-coupon bonds for a power utility agent are examined. Moreover, real bonds are introduced and their role for investment and hedging purposes is considered. This study also serves as an evaluation of the employed macro-finance term structure model from an asset allocation perspective, revealing that more attention should be paid to the covariance structure of the bonds' returns.
Climate of the Past Detecting instabilities in tree-ring proxy calibration

Evidence has been found for reduced sensitivity of tree growth to temperature in a number of forests at high northern latitudes and alpine locations. Furthermore, at some of these sites, emergent subpopulations of trees show negative growth trends with rising temperature. These findings are typically referred to as the “Divergence Problem” (DP). Given the high relevance of paleoclimatic reconstructions for policy-related studies, it is important for dendrochronologists to address this issue of potential model uncertainties associated with the DP. Here we address this issue by proposing a calibration technique, termed “stochastic response function” (SRF), which allows the presence or absence of any instabilities in growth response of trees (or any other climate proxy) to their calibration target to be visualized and detected. Since this framework estimates confidence limits and subsequently provides statistical significance tests, the approach is also very well suited for proxy screening prior to the generation of a climate-reconstruction network. Two examples of tree growth/climate relationships are provided, one from the North American Arctic treeline and the other from the upper treeline in the European Alps. Instabilities were found to be present where stabilities were reported in the literature, and vice versa, stabilities were found where instabilities were reported. We advise to apply SRFs in future proxy-screening schemes, next to the use of correlations and RE/CE statistics. It will improve the strength of reconstruction hindcasts. Correspondence to: H. Visser (hans.visser@pbl.nl)