Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Who needs entrepreneurial role models? Driving forces of students' cyber-entrepreneurial career intention

Cyber-entrepreneurship has become an important topic of debate in academia primarily because of an increasingly competitive nature of E-commerce industry and internet. Since cyber-entrepreneurial career-decision encompasses higher degree of personal risks and commitments among those aspiring to become ‘cyber-entrepreneurs’, there is need for in-depth understanding on the driving factors that influencing Cyber-entrepreneurial intentions. By integrating the concepts of social cognitive theory and goal-setting theory, the current research aims to explore the effects of Cyber-entrepreneurial self-efficacy (CESE) and goal commitment (GC) on Cyber-entrepreneurial intentions (CEIs) in the context of undergraduate entrepreneurship education, and inquires whether the presence of entrepreneurial role models (ERMs) has any effect on the CEIs among undergraduates. Structural equation modeling and multi-group analysis were used to analyze the data collected from 279 undergraduate students from several universities in Taiwan—among which 146 were with entrepreneurial role models and 143 were without. The results showed that GC has a partial mediation effect between CESE and CEI only in the cases of students without ERMs. Multi-sample SEM revealed a significant difference between the effects of CESE on CEI in students with and without ERMs. These findings may have important theoretical and practical implications to students undertaking entrepreneurship degrees and those making leap-decisions to enter the cyber-entrepreneurial field.
COMMON AND BRANCH-SPECIFIC NEEDS OF TURKISH TEACHERS ABOUT IN-SERVICE TRAINING COURSES WITHIN THE SCOPE OF FATIH PROJECT

FATIH Project is regarded as one of the most inclusive ICT integration attempts in the history of Turkish education. This nation-wide project entails equipping each classroom with an interactive whiteboard and supplying each student with a Tablet PC. The in-service teacher training courses are by far the most crucial component of the project as teachers are the end-users of those facilities in classrooms. Despite the abundance of studies on the opinions and attitudes of teachers towards the use of ICT technologies in general, to our knowledge, there exists no research study which specifically investigates whether the views and in-service training needs of teachers differ according to their distinct subject areas. With this in mind, this qualitative study aims to explore the perceptions and needs of 35 Turkish in-service teachers from different branches about in-service training courses within the scope of FATIH project. The study adopted a case study design. The research site and participants were selected purposefully. The data were mainly collected through questionnaires, and the accuracy of these data was validated through semi-structured interviews conducted with 30% of the participants. The collected data were analysed through the content analysis method. The study findings revealed a good deal of research evidence on the divergent training needs of teachers from various subject areas. Thus, it suggested that in-service training courses should be planned and organised as branch-specific. Keywords: FATIH project, information and communication technologies (ICT), in-service teacher training, integration of ICT into education, interactive whiteboard (IWB)
INVESTIGATION MACHINE FOR PAVEMENT ACOUSTIC DURABILITY; IMPACT TESTING THE DURABILITY OF LOW NOISE ROAD SURFACE

Acoustic durability of asphalt pavements depends mainly on the total number of loading cycles rather than the age of the road surface. At present, testing acoustic and mechanical durability of asphalt pavements is only possible by constructing test-sections and monitoring them during loading by real traffic. This approach is time-consuming (several years) and expensive. The aim of the present project is to develop a reliable, fast, and economical method that allows testing “low noise road surfaces” regarding durability aspects. The developed testing equipment is denoted IMPACT and allows simulating traffic, temperature, load, tread pattern, tyre pressure and wheel spin in the laboratory. Noise emission is in the present project calculated the by the mathematical model SPERoN, based on measurement of different parameters of the surface. Within only a few weeks of testing, the acquired data allows assessing the durability of the investigated pavement. Thus, the test procedure of the present work enables faster development of new low noise road surfaces than conventional approaches. Moreover, IMPACT allows comparison of different products under identical and well-defined conditions.
Saccade latency and fixation stability: Repeatability and reliability

This study aimed to investigate the repeatability and reliability of saccadic latency and fixation stability as a function of sighting-dominance and contact lens wear. Eye movements were recorded in 12 healthy adults who performed a pro- saccade and a fixation task in four conditions; baseline, retest, non-sighting eye viewing and plano contact lens wear. The re-sults showed that saccadic latency and fixation stability (indexed via logBCEA) have good internal consistency, reliability and repeatability, which are not influenced by sighting- dominance or contact lens wear. For standard deviation of eye position, internal consistency was low to moderate. The results also indicated that the non-sighting eye is slightly less stable than the sighting eye and that wearing a contact lens decreases precision.
Financial Valuation and Risk Management Working Paper No . 479 Business and Financial Indicators : What are the Determinants of Default Probability Changes ?

This paper investigates some common determinants of default probability changes of individual firms using Standard & Poor’s ratings database. We analyze and quantify the responses of hazard rates to changes in various economic variables, namely financial markets, business cycle and credit indicators, and examine their persistency. First, we show that including non-financial information largely improves the poor explanatory power of financialbased factor models. More importantly, in comparison with market factors, business and credit factors become dominant as the issuer quality decreases. Second, we highlight the benefits of past information. Our results prove that both past shocks and subsequent economic trends are of prime importance in explaining probability changes. To draw these conclusions, we introduce a semi-parametric framework accommodating the continuous nature of probability changes and ageing effects. It allows us to recover default probabilities over any desired time horizon. ∗Swiss Finance Institute at University of Geneva, Bd du Pont d’Arve 40, 1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland. †Associate Fellow, FERC, Warwick Business School, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK. ‡Swiss Finance Institute at HEC-University of Geneva, Bd du Pont d’Arve 40, 1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland. §The authors gratefully acknowledges data support by Standard & Poors. In addition the first author thanks financial support from the Swiss National Science Foundation through the National Center of Competence: Financial Valuation and Risk Management (NCCR FINRISK) and from the Geneva Research Collaboration Foundation (GRC). We thank Arnaud de Servigny, Ren Stulz, Laurent Barras, anonymous participants to the 2005 GRETA Credit conference and members of Standard & Poors European academic panel for useful comments. The views expressed therein are those of the authors but not necessarily those of Standard & Poors or any other institution. All remaining errors are ours. Corresponding author: F. Couderc, FC@fame.ch.
Attempt to detect mycoplasma and chlamydia by culture in the synovial fluid of patients with arthritis.

The objective was to investigate the presence of Mycoplasma and Chlamydia in the synovial fluid of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and other chronic arthritides. Samples of synovial fluid (SF) were collected from all patients presenting with an articular effusion. Seventy SF samples were subjected to study for Mycoplasma and cultured on standard media for Mycoplasma. The 70 other SF samples were subjected to study for the presence of Chlamydia and cultivated on cell cultures specially MC coy cell lines. All standard cultures for Mycoplasma and Chlamydia remained negative, consistent with the fact that synovial fluid is sterile, despite of many investigations that have indicated DNA of some bacteria in the SF of patients with arthritis. However, as many other attempts to detect the presence of these fastidious organisms in the joints of patients with such arthritides have failed, the question of their possible roll in the pathogenesis of human rheumatic diseases remains controversial and needs to be re-examined.
Micronucleus frequencies in peripheral blood lymphocytes in a Serbian human population exposed to pesticides

Micronucleus (MN) is a biomarker widely used in biomonitoring studies for determining the genetic risk associated with exposure to pesticides. The purpose of this study was to assess damage to the genetic material of workers occupationally exposed to pesticides as detected in micronucleus tests. The research included 119 subjects divided into three groups: a control group of 39 subjects, a group of 40 subjects exposed to pesticides as producers and a group of 40 pesticide applicators in the field. A Mann-Whitney U-test displayed statistically significant differences between the parameter means of all variables, and the control group. Significant differences were observed between males involved in pesticide production and application for the parameter MN4, then between non-smoking producers and applicators regarding parameters MN2, MN3, MN4 and NB, as well as between the control and applicator groups for parameter MN2, and between producers and applicators for parameter MN3. Spearman’s correlation test showed a positive correlation between the frequency of micronuclei and age of respondents, as well as their smoking habits. A statistically significant difference in relation to cytogenetic parameters was detected between the respondents working in pesticide production and those working in the field. The results suggest that applicators in the field do not use adequate personal protective equipment. Regular biological monitoring of workers exposed to pesticides is required. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. TR31043]
Improving Farmers Attitude Towards Natural Resources Management in a Democratic and Deregulated Economy: Honey Production Experience in Oyo State of Nigeria

Abstract The study identified the production and management practices involved in honey production; investigated farmers’ level of knowledge of honey production; and determined the attitude of farmers towards honey production. Eighty members of the Beekeepers’ Association of Nigeria (BAN), Oyo State Chapter, were interviewed through the use of questionnaire in December 2003. The study identified site selection, housing of bees, routine inspection and prevention of swarming, harvesting, processing, packaging, marketing and record keeping as management practices among others. The result showed that the farmers possessed high level of knowledge of honey production (mean knowledge score = 32.5). The result of the hypothesis tested showed significant relationship between attitude of farmers and some selected attributes of knowledge such as source of knowledge (T=3.100); knowledge of ripe honey (T= -2.058); period of harvesting (T=3.497) and method of honey extraction from comb (T=3.008). Farmers in the study area had positive attitude towards honey production and management practice hence, measures should be taken to sustain the favourable attitude of farmers towards honey production.
The Services Quality Influence the Satisfaction of SMEs and fees Paid on Non-Audit Services Provided by Small and Medium Practitioners (SMPS)

It is an undeniable fact that Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs) play an essential role in the growth of the economy of Malaysia. Although SMEs form the majority of the total number of registered companies in Malaysia, its contribution to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) is still not significant as compared to SMEs in other countries. Generally, SMEs are facing many challenges and barriers such as lack of managerial capabilities, shortage in financing and human resource. This forced SMEs to find the expertise from an external party such as an accountant in term of non-audit services (NAS) to overcome their challenges. As an external accountant is the first choice for SMEs to seek the advices, it is essential to study the service quality of external accountant who providing the NAS to SMEs and the relationship with satisfaction and non-audit fees. A total 106 usable responses were used in the analysis and found that from the five dimensions of service quality only four dimensions (namely tangible, assurance, responsiveness and reliability) has a significant relationship with satisfaction. Meanwhile, only assurance, responsiveness and reliability significantly affect the level of nonaudit fees paid. The finding helps external accountant to strategize their services in order to satisfying their customer and determined the level of fees would like to charge. Overall, this paper draws attention to the importance services quality of NAS in enhancing the survival of the SMEs
Characterization of Serum Complement Activity in Serum of the Komodo Dragon (Varanus komodoensis)

Incubation of different volumes of serum from the Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis) with sheep red blood cells (SRBCs) resulted in volume-dependent hemolysis, as measured spectrophotometrically at 540 nm. The hemolysis occurred rapidly, with almost 90% of the hemolytic activity occurring within 20 min of incubation. A thermal profile showed that Komodo dragon serum exhibited low activity from 5- 20℃, but exerted maximum activity at 35℃, which was substantially reduced at 40℃. The maximum activity was observed near optimal temperatures to which Komodo dragons thermoregulate. Mild heat treatment of Komodo dragon serum (56℃, 30 min) depleted the ability to hemolyze SRBCs. In addition, preincubation of Komodo dragon serum with only 5 mM EDTA or phosphate, both chelators of divalent metal ions, reduced the hemolytic activity sharply. These results indicate that the hemolytic activity was due to the presence of a potent serum complement system. Incubation of Komodo dragon serum with 5 mM EDTA and 15 mM Ca2+ or Mg2+, but not Ba2+, Zn2+, or Fe2+, completely restored activity. These results indicate that Komodo dragon serum complement activity requires the presence of Mg2+ or Ca2+. This is the first assessment of innate immune activity of a Varanid.
Running in Place: Low-Income Students and the Dynamics of Higher Education Stratification

The increasing concentration of wealthy students at highly selective colleges is widely perceived, but few analyses examine the underlying dynamics of higher education stratification over time. To examine these dynamics, the authors build an analysis data set of four cohorts from 1972 to 2004. They find that low-income students have made substantial gains in their academic course achievements since the 1970s. Nonetheless, wealthier students have made even stronger gains in achievement over the same period, in both courses and test scores, ensuring a competitive advantage in the market for selective college admissions. Thus, even if low-income students were “perfectly matched” to institutions consistent with their academic achievements, the stratification order would remain largely unchanged. The authors consider organizational and policy interventions that may reverse these trends.
What Measures Chinese Monetary Policy?

This paper models the PBC's operating procedures in a two-stage vector autoregression framework. We decompose changes in policy variables into exogenous and endogenous components in order to find a “clean” monetary policy indicator whose changes are mainly policy induced. Our main findings are twofold. First, the PBC's operating procedures have evolved over time; since about 2006, they have developed to a relatively stable regime. Second, its operating procedures are neither pure interest rate targeting nor pure reserves targeting, but a mixture. A set of indicators all contain information about the policy stance. Finally, we construct a new composite indicator of the overall policy stance.
Quantification and Physical Composition of Household Municipal Solid Waste and Peopleâ€™s Attitudes towards its Final Disposal â€“ Chuadanga Municipality, Khulna

Rapid growth of population and unchecked urbanization is redoubling the municipal solid waste (MSW) generation piles all over the universe day-to-day. Many studies have already been performed on MSW management in big cities but limited in small scale and new cities. Therefore, we executed a study in Chuadanga Municipality to estimate the bulk of MSWs generation in residential area and their physical composition as-well-as the household’s attitudes towards its disposal. A semi-structured questionnaire was outlined and surveyed in 2012 on 30 households from randomly selected wards. Wastes collected from those households were segregated and weighed. This study revealed that on an average 1.015 kg/household/day and 0.22 kg/person/day were found in the study area. Further, food wastes were found the highest (75%) wherein (20.07%) recyclable, (86.50%) degradable, and (14.3%) inorganic. Majority of households (79%) opined that MSW management lies on municipality wherein about 55% of people were unsatisfied with current system.
Effect of Fertilization and Irrigation on Plant Mass Accumulation and Maize Production (Zea mays)

The efficiency levels of nitrogen fertilization on growth and yield of maize (Zea mays) at two different levels of irrigation were examined. The experimental work was carried out at the farm of the Technological Educational Institute of Kalamata. The soil characteristics include: sandy clay soil texture, 11.07% CaCO3, slightly acidic to neutral pH, non- saline, sufficient organic matter, adequate nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and magnesium concentrations. Plot dimensions were equal to 3.0x4. 0 m with four rows of plants per 0.75 cm in each plot of which the two inner rows represent the experimental surface. The experimental design was a Randomized Block Design. The experiment consisted of six treatments in three replications, with two levels of soil water capacity (70 and 40% respectively). N levels were 0, 160, 240 kg/ha, while the P and K levels were kept constant at 100 kg/ha. The amounts of P, K and 30% of N were added to the basic fertilization before sowing. The remaining N amount separated to two doses, at different growth stages of maize and incorporated through the irrigation system. The type of fertilizers was ammonium sulfate, ammonium nitrate, superphosphate and potassium sulfate. Based on the experimental data, it was found that the fed conditions greatly influence the nature and direction of the processes involved in developing plant, the addition of nutrients, regardless of treatment combination and their dosages, affected positively the plant growth, the fresh plant mass accumulation and the weight of 1000 grains compared to plants cultivated in soil without nitrogen. The total plant weight increase was equal to 59.13% compared to plants cultivated in soil with lack of nitrogen maintaining N, P, K levels to 240, 100, 100 kg/ha and soil water capacity to 70%. High seed yields were observed with the addition of 160 and 240 kg/ha N, constant levels of P and K, and 70% of soil water capacity. Low seed yields were observed when the level of irrigation was 40% of soil water capacity regardless the added amount of N, P and K. This can be interpreted that fertilizers have a high impact on crop yield, when combined with the appropriate level of irrigation.
Delivering information and brief advice on alcohol (IBA) in social work and social care settings: an exploratory study

Abstract Social workers and practitioners working in social care are potentially key players in the prevention of alcohol-related harm and harm reduction for people using services and their carers. This requires attention to workforce development alongside the selection of appropriate tools to support prevention strategies. We report findings from a UK exploratory study into the potential of using Identification and Brief Advice (IBA) as a tool for screening and prevention in social work and social care settings. Thirty-six social workers and social care practitioners attended one of two training workshops on IBA in the South East of England. Pre and post-workshop surveys (n = 35 and n = 20, respectively) and four post-workshop focus groups (n = 36) were conducted with participants to explore the application of IBA taking into account the paradigmatic shift towards prevention and holistic approaches indicated in recent UK legislation and policy. Four themes emerged from the findings: (1) perceptions of the social work/social care role in responding to alcohol problems, (2) ethical concerns, (3) time conflicts and problems of delivering IBA and (4) the role of training. Further studies are needed to evaluate the effectiveness of motivational techniques and tools that social workers can use to promote preventative practise for alcohol-related harm. Different strategies are required to engage and support those working in social care to increase proactive engagement with problematic alcohol use in everyday practise settings.
IDENTIFIABILITY FOR COMPOSITE STRING VIBRATION PROBLEM

The paper considers the identifiability (i.e., the unique iden- tification) of a composite string in the class of piecewise constant param- eters. The 1-D string vibration is measured at finitely many observation points. The observations are processed to obtain the first eigenvalue and a constant multiple of the first eigenfunction at the observation points. It is shown that the identification by the Marching Algorithm is contin- uous with respect to the mean convergence in the admissible set. The result is based on the continuous dependence of eigenvalues, eigenfunc- tions, and the solutions on the parameters. A numerical algorithm for the identification in the presence of noise is proposed and implemented.
Uniform definability of henselian valuation rings in the Macintyre language

We discuss definability of henselian valuation rings in the Macintyre language L Mac , the language of rings expanded by n th power predicates. In particular, we show that henselian valuation rings with finite or Hilbertian residue field are uniformly ∃ ‐ ∅ ‐definable in L Mac , and henselian valuation rings with value group Z are uniformly ∃∀ ‐ ∅ ‐definable in the ring language, but not uniformly ∃ ‐ ∅ ‐definable in L Mac . We apply these results to local fields Qp and Fp((t)) , as well as to higher dimensional local fields.