Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Analysis of Issues on Micro Credit—The Case of Two Villages in Punjab

The phenomenon of poverty was felt and observed more during the decade of 1990s, as the overall growth slowed down. While the slowed economic growth and recessionary trends contributed to poverty, the trickle “down effect” once thought, to improve living conditions, did not reach the lowest level owing largely to lack of accessibility of institutions, unjust and non-poor policies. For these reasons, in Pakistan during the decades of 60s and 80s, when the country experienced high growth rates of 6-7 percent, 34 percent of people still lived below the poverty line. Socio-economic development, improving the quality of life in general and of rural poor in particular, welfare have been the prime stated goals of government. Therefore, rural development programmes, such as, Village-Aid, Integrated Rural Development Programme (IRDP), Peoples Works Programme, Tameer-e-watan Programme, Prime Minister’s Five Points Programme etc. were introduced to improve farm productivity, which would consequently improve incomes and quality of life of rural poor. This was done through the Department of Local Government and Rural Development. Little impact on the life of the rural poor, however, was observed partly because these were administered through closed, immutable and cloistered institutions of government which are not accessible and responsive to the needs of poor. Also, the lack of focus on community participation and need for it was evident. As these programmes were managed through government departments these lacked flexibility and out-reach. The approach of administering was fixed, rigid and lacked professionalism.
GSP and Health Expenditure in Italian Regions

This paper investigates the nexus between health care households’ expenditure and GSP for Italian regions during 1980-2009, using time series and panel econometric techniques. After a brief introduction and a survey of the economic literature on this issue, we discuss the data and briefly introduce t h e methodologies. Empirical results show the presence of a long-run relationship in fifteen regions. As regards the causality analysis, health-led growth hypothesis is supported in three regions, while the reverse causation appears in five cases. The neutrality hypothesis seems to be confirmed in ten regions. Finally, a bi-directional causality flow (feedback hypothesis) has been found for two regions. Panel analysis shows that, if our sample is divided into three more homogeneous macro-regions (North, Centre and South), a long-run relationship between health expenditure and aggregate income has been found in two areas. Furthermore, the income elasticity is below the unity, implying that health expenditure is not a luxury good.
Corporate Governance, Firm Attributes and Financial Performance of Saudi Listed Banks

The aim of the current study is to examine the determinants of financial performance by Saudi listed banks. In fact, three corporate governance namely, board size, board composition, and board meeting and two firm variables namely firm size and leverage were used in the present study. The population for this study defined as listed banks in Saudi exchange market during the period of 2007-2012. There were 11 banks listed in Saudi exchange market. After excluding one bank that has incomplete data, the total sample of study becomes 10 banks with 60 observations.The results of multiple linear regressions indicated that the only variable is significantly associated with the financial performance is firm size. Other variable were not related to the financial performance measured by ROA in the Saudi environment.
Effect of Repeated Testing on the Development of Secondary Language Proficiency

Karpicke & Roediger (2008) showed that delayed recall is optimized, not with repeated studying sessions, but with repeated testing sessions. The result was very soon re-interpreted by Lasry, Levy and Tremblay (2008), who hypothesized that repeated testing may lead to multiple traces in one’s memory, which facilitates recall. The aim of the study was, first, to test whether the results of the Karpicke & Roediger study of repeating similar tests are applicable in real life with dissimilar, though equated, tests of a gradually increasing level of difficulty in Biblical Hebrew language with no connection to the use of the spoken language in everyday life. Second, the aim was also to reveal the profiles of the students’ proficiency levels of during the study process. Randomized, matched-pairs (N = 7 + 7) of students with the same teacher, the same lessons and the same routines participated in the experiment. The intervention for the experimental group consisted of a set of short, ten-minute tests during each three-hour study session held twice weekly. IRT modeling with linking items served to equate the test scores. ANOVA was used to analyze the gain score between the pre-test and post-test. The experimental group improved statistically significantly more than did the control group. The learning curve was a nonlinear, wide U or J shape after the first elementary period of learning the letters and basic vocabulary. The repeated testing sessions helped the students raise their language proficiency level more than without the repeated testing sessions. Although the groups were small, the effect was high (Cohen’s d > 1.0 or d > 1.5 depending on the indicator). The result supports the idea that Karpicke & Roediker’s results may also be applicable when the tests measure different topics with the different in each test.
High level of natural variation in a groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) germplasm collection assayed by selected informative SSR markers

The ability to identify genetic variation is indispensable for effective management and use of genetic resources in crop breeding. Genetic variation among 189 groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) accessions comprising landraces, cultivars, a mutant, advanced breeding lines and others (unknown genetic background) representing 29 countries and 10 geographical regions was assessed at 25 microsatellite or simple sequence repeat loci. A high number of alleles (265) were detected in the range of 3 (Ah1TC6G09) to 20 (Ah1TC11H06) with an average of 10.6 alleles per locus. The polymorphism information content value at these loci varied from 0.38 (Ah1TC6G09) to 0.88 (Ah1TC11H06) with an average of 0.70. A total of 59 unique alleles and 127 rare alleles were detected at almost all the loci assayed. Cluster analysis grouped 189 accessions into four clusters. In general, genotypes of South America and South Asia showed high level of diversity. Extraordinary level of natural genetic variation reported here provides opportunities to the groundnut community to make better decisions and define suitable strategies for harnessing the genetic variation in groundnut breeding.
Genetic diversity of promising lines of barley based on pheno-morphological traits in Ardabil area

To evaluate the genetic diversity in twenty barley genotypes, an experiment based on randomized complete block design with three replications was done at Agriculture Researches Station of Ardabil, Iran in 2009-10. Investigated traits of this study was included days to flowering, plant height, 1000 seed weight, number of infertile tiller, number of seed per spike, harvest index, days to maturity, straw yield and grain yield. The comparison of means indicated that the genotypes 14, 19, 10, 20 and 16 were placed in the superior group from most traits points of views. It had been an indicator of high potential of the genotypes from agronomy and morphological points of views. Therefore, considering the results of mean comparison of the traits, these genotypes can be introduced as the superior genotypes. Factor analysis based on principal component analysis method and varimax rotation indicate that three important factors accounted 87.55% of the total variation among traits. The second factor that accounted for 34.69% of the total variations had a positive relationship with the number of grain spike, grain yield, grain weight 1000 and harvest index. Therefore we introduced the second factor as an effective factor in increasing the grain yield.
The Innate Immune Response Mediated by TLRs in Atherosclerosis

The average life expectancy increased in the 20th Century, implying that important changes in disease and causes of death worldwide have occurred. Longevity increase and risk factors for chronic diseases have been combined to turn cardiovascular diseases into one of the main causes of death in the world (Libby, 2011). Heart disease and stroke are the first and third leading causes of death, respectively, in the United States. In 2006, cardiovascular disease was responsible for 31.7% of all deaths: 26.0% from heart disease and 5.7% from stroke (Heron et al., 2009). Deaths from coronary heart disease (425,425 deaths) comprise 67.4% of all deaths from heart disease (631,636 deaths) (Keenan et al., 2011). In developing countries such as Mexico, cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death (Inegi, 2009). Atherosclerosis is a disease characterized by the accumulation of lipids, fibrous elements, cell proliferation and an inflammatory response that results in changes to the arterial wall (Libby, 2002). This disease has been observed in man throughout history, having been identified and reported in Egyptian mummies 3500 years old (Allam et al., 2009).
Principal Turnover: Are There Different Types of Principals Who Move From or Leave Their Schools? A Latent Class Analysis of the 2007–2008 Schools and Staffing Survey and the 2008–2009 Principal Follow-Up Survey

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study is to investigate the extent to which there is a typology of principals who depart from their schools in the U.S. using the 2007–2008 Schools and Staffing Survey and the 2008–2009 Principal Follow-up Survey. Prior principal retention research has focused on identifying factors that predict principal turnover; however, this research has not focused on understanding the extent to which there may potentially be different subgroups of principals who depart. This study uses latent class analysis to identify and better understand the types of principals who exit their schools and discusses the implications of such findings.
Market Reaction to Stock Issues in Brazil: Insider Trading, Volatility Effects and the New Issues Puzzle

We perform an event study to investigate stock returns associated with the announcement of equity issues by Brazilian firms between 1992 and 2003 with the aim of determining market reaction before, immediately after, and during a longer period after the issue announcement. After measuring abnormal returns by OLS, we used ARCH and GARCH models over 70% of the sample. The results show signs of insider information, negative abnormal returns around the announcement, and persistent negative abnormal returns in the long-term after the issue. The results are consistent with the extant empirical literature and show that ARCH/GARCH estimation of abnormal returns is superior to OLS estimation.
Growth, demography and carbon relations of Polylepis trees at the world's highest treeline

1. Growth, reproductive success and non-structural carbon pools in Polylepis tarapacana Philippi trees were examined across a transect between 4360 and 4810 m altitude on Nevado Sajama, Bolivia. 2. The mean -10-cm soil temperature of 5.4 degrees C under trees at the treeline during the 265-day growing season matched the threshold temperature found at other subtropical and tropical treelines. Beyond 4400 m Polylepis is restricted to the warmer and drier equator-facing slopes, suggesting a direct thermal limitation of tree growth. 3. Maximum tree height, annual shoot increment and mean tree-ring width decreased with altitude. Trees near the upper range limit reached a maximum tree height of 3.3 m and a maximum stem diameter of 34 cm. 4. The smallest tree-height classes dominated populations at all altitudes, and the uppermost site revealed the highest proportion of seedlings. Tree-size demography indicates a critical phase for tree establishment during the sapling stage, when trees emerge from sheltered niches near the ground. 5. No evidence of a depletion of mobile C stores (sugars, starch and lipids) was found in any tissue type with increasing elevation, suggesting a limitation of C investment (growth) rather than C acquisition (photosynthesis) at treeline.
Forty-seven Years of Research on the Devon Island Ice Cap, Arctic Canada

The Devon Island ice cap has been the subject of scientific study for almost half a century, beginning with the first mass balance measurements in 1961. Research on the ice cap was the first to investigate (1) the role of meltwater in seasonal ice-velocity variations on a polythermal Arctic ice cap, (2) the use of air temperature rather than net radiation as a proxy for the energy driving surface melt, and (3) the influence of the changing frequency of specific synoptic weather configurations on glacier melt and mass balance. Other research has included investigations of ice cap geometry, flow dynamics, and mass balance; ice core analyses for records of past climate and contaminant deposition; and studies of changes in ice cap area and volume and their relationship to surface mass balance and ice dynamics. Current research includes ground studies connected to efforts to calibrate and validate the radar altimeter that will be carried by the European Space Agency’s (ESA) CryoSat2 satellite, and a major collaborative Canadian International Polar Year (IPY) project focused on the Belcher Glacier, on the northeast side of the ice cap, that examines hydrodynamics of large tidewater glaciers. This paper summarizes our current knowledge of the Devon Island ice cap and identifies some of the outstanding questions that continue to limit our understanding of climate-ice cap interactions in Arctic regions.
ASSESSING THE IMPACT OF IFRS ADAPTATION ON EARNINGS MANAGEMENT: AN EMERGING MARKET PERSPECTIVE

This paper examines whether adaptation of standards to IFRS has converted Mexican GAAP into high quality standards by increasing comparability with US GAAP and reducing earnings management. We also question, according to Agency Theory, whether the differences between earnings reported by Mexican GAAP and US GAAP may be due to the opportunistic interpretation of Mexican standards by managers, rather than to differences between the accounting standards of both countries.
Causes and Consequences of Fine Scale Spatial Heterogeneity of Soil Nutrients

As an environment changes over time, pedogenesis influences the amount of soil nutrients available to plants. The effect of long term soil development on the quantity of plant available nutrients has been well documented. However, what remains poorly understood is how soil development affects fine scale spatial heterogeneity of soil nutrients. The goal of my dissertation research was investigate how spatial heterogeneity of nutrients is affected by long term soil development and to test the effects of nutrient spatial heterogeneity on plant community structure and invasibility by new species. Using a combination of field experiments implemented along a 2 million year old chronosequence located at the Colorado Front Range adjacent to the Rocky Mountains, I addressed these questions in the following data chapters: (1) how does long term soil development influence spatial heterogeneity of soil biogeochemistry, (2) how does nutrient spatial heterogeneity affect plant community structure, and (3) how does nutrient spatial heterogeneity affect plant community invasibility? In the first data chapter, spatially explicit soil samples were obtained at five age sites distributed along the 2 million year old chronosequence to measure biogeochemical properties. These results suggest that long term soil development can increase fine scale spatial heterogeneity of soil nutrients. In the second data chapter, I manipulated the fine scale spatial heterogeneity of soil nutrients and measured its affect on plant community structure by conducting plant surveys throughout the four-year study. I found that increasing nutrient spatial heterogeneity leads to an increase in species richness of natives. In the third data chapter, I conducted a field simulation of plant invasions to investigate community invasibility among differing levels of nutrient spatial heterogeneity treatments. I found that as fine scale spatial heterogeneity of soil nutrients increased, so did the invasibility of the plant community. Overall, the knowledge gained from these studies provided valuable insight into how soil development influences nutrient spatial heterogeneity, and how nutrient spatial heterogeneity can increase plant species richness and community invasibility.
Firm Performance and Entrepreneurial, Market and Technology Orientations in Korean Technology Intensive SMEs

This study investigated the relationships between entrepreneurial-market orientations and entrepreneurial-technology orientations and the impact of market and technology orientations on firm performance in Korean technology intensive small and medium-sized business (SMEs). To conduct the analysis, the study applies structural equation modeling (SEM) to understand the direct effects of entrepreneurial on market and technology orientations and the direct effects of market and technology orientations on firm performance. This research is based on a study of 347 technologies intensive Korean SMEs and the major results are as follows: The results indicate that entrepreneurial orientation directly affects market and technology orientations. This result implies that entrepreneurial orientation is key factors that influence market and technology orientation in Korean SMEs. Another finding suggests that market and technology orientations positively affect firm performance. It appears that Korean companies require the capability to serve technology well, but also need to recognize new business opportunities from within their current market relationships. The implication here is that for Korean technology intensive small firms, entrepreneurial orientation can improve market and technology orientations. The results suggest that to achieve high levels of firm performance, Korean companies need to balance the elements of entrepreneurial, technology and market orientations.
The Relationship between Societal attributes, Feminine Leadership & Management Style: Responses from Pakistan's Urban Region Female-Owned Businesses

Research paper investigates various societal attributes including; male employees' performances, living standards, level of poverty, and employment opportunities in relation with feminine leadership and style of management in urban regions of Pakistan's SMEs and Cottage Industries. 'Socio-Anthropological Paradigm' undertaken for exploring research variables. Epistemology under Post-positivism philosophy is used. Moreover, considering mixed method, 4 points Likert scale survey questionnaire and open ended interviews are used as research instruments for data collection. The survey sample size contains 37 female entrepreneurs and interviews with 30 male employees working under feminine leadership and style of management through quota, stratified, and convenience sampling in Pakistan's five urban regions. The results confirmed positive relationship between feminine leadership and management style and various societal attributes. Furthermore, male varying performances are due to situational commitment. Moreover, in male dominated society, cultural barriers and lack of governmental support is limiting the female entrepreneurship to urban regions.
The MGU - a monitoring system for the collection and documentation of valid workplace exposure data

Health and safety at workplaces in Germany, especially with respect to chemical and biological risks, is monitored by the German Social Accident Insurance Institutions in line with their legal obligations. For this purpose, the MGU measurement system for exposure assess- ment has been in place for almost 30 years now, formerly abbreviated as BGMG in German. The article gives an overview of the system and des- cribes the methods of data collection and quality assurance measures applied. In this specialized system data on workplace conditions, job titles and activities along with information on measurement conditions and exposure values are recorded and documented in the database MEGA. Emphasize is given to the coding of the work areas. It is proposed to use them e. g. in the description of exposure scenarios under REACH. Das MGU - ein Monitoringsystem zur Ermittlung und Dokumentation valider Daten zur Exposition am Arbeitsplatz Zusammenfassung Die Sicherheit und Gesundheit an Arbeitsplatzen, ins- besondere im Hinblick auf chemische und biologische Gefahrdungen, wird in Deutschland im Rahmen ihrer gesetzlichen Verpflichtung von den Unfallversicherungstragern uberwacht. Fur diese Aufgabe steht ihnen seit fast 30 Jahren das MGU - Messsystem Gefahrdungsermittlung der Unfallversicherungstrager (fruher als BGMG abgekurzt) zur Verfugung. Dieser Beitrag gibt einen Uberblick uber das System und beschreibt die Methoden der Datenermittlung sowie der dabei eingesetzten Qualitats- sicherungsmasnahmen. In dem System werden Daten zur Situation am Arbeitsplatz, zu Berufen und Tatigkeiten sowie Informationen uber die Messbedingungen und Expositionswerte erfasst und in der Datenbank MEGA dokumentiert. Betont wird die Vorgehensweise bei der Ver- schlusselung der Arbeitsbereiche. Es wird vorgeschlagen, diese Ver- schlusselungen z. B. bei der Beschreibung von Expositionsszenarien unter REACH zu verwenden.
Lexical Information from a Minimalist Point of View

Simplicity as a methodological orientation applies to linguistic theory just as to any other field of research: ‘Occam’s razor’ is the label for the basic heuristic maxim according to which an adequate analysis must ultimately be reduced to indispensible specifications. In this sense, conceptual economy has been a strict and stimulating guideline in the development of Generative Grammar from the very beginning. Halle’s (1959) argument discarding the level of taxonomic phonemics in order to unify two otherwise separate phonological processes is an early characteristic example; a more general notion is that of an evaluation metric introduced in Chomsky (1957, 1975), which relates the relative simplicity of alternative linguistic descriptions systematically to the quest for explanatory adequacy of the theory underlying the descriptions to be evaluated. Further proposals along these lines include the theory of markedness developed in Chomsky and Halle (1968), Kean (1975, 1981), and others, the notion of underspecification proposed e.g. in Archangeli (1984), Farkas (1990), the concept of default values and related notions. An important step promoting this general orientation was the idea of Principles and Parameters developed in Chomsky (1981, 1986), which reduced the notion of language particular rule systems to universal principles, subject merely to parametrization with restricted options, largely related to properties of particular lexical items. On this account, the notion of a simplicity metric is to be dispensed with, as competing analyses of relevant data are now supposed to be essentially excluded by the restrictive system of principles.