Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Investment Opportunity Set, Corporate Governance Practices and Performance of Modarabas

The literature on association between corporate governance and firm performance is based on the paradigm that there is a positive relationship between the two. Since better corporate control mechanism reduces the risk of information asymmetry and align the interests of owners and managers. However, prior studies have documented mixed and to some extent weak results. Many researchers believe the global financial crisis of 2007-09 occurred due to slack board oversight and flawed remuneration of managers that boosts aggressive risk taking (Erkens, Hung, & Matos, 2012; Sharfman, 2009). While for ordinary shareholders, it is difficult to monitor the actions of executives, due to costly state verification. This paper, following the approach of Hutchinson & Gul (2004), postulates, as a principal association, a negative relationship between growth and performance of modaraba companies; and then investigate whether corporate governance variables moderate this negative association. In Islamic finance, modaraba is a kind of partnership wherein one party extends capital to other for the purpose of carrying business and sharing profits earned through mixture of investment and expertise. Modarabas are shariah-compliant (i.e., pure Islamic based) financial sector firms. The results support this paradigm to some extent and show that the presence of non-executive and independent directors on the board have positive impact on modaraba sector entities of Pakistan. The evidence indicates significant positive moderating effect of higher ratio of non-executive directors (NEDs) in the relationship between growth opportunities and ROE/Tobin's Q. But insignificant moderating effect for: (a) fraction of issued certificates owned by executive directors and (b) officers' remuneration/compensation. The findings provide support for the positive contribution of board of directors' role of supervising and controlling managerial decisions that protect the interests of stakeholders and increases value of modaraba companies.
Prescribing angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers in chronic kidney disease (Review Article)

SUMMARY: In Australia the number of patients developing end‐stage kidney disease is growing. Almost 70% of new cases of treated end‐stage kidney disease are due to diabetes, hypertension or glomerulonephritis. The majority of these patients have a chronic decline of renal function over many years before dialysis is required, even when the initial insult is no longer present. Hypertension and the degree of proteinuria are the most important determinants for this progression and ample evidence suggests that angiotensin II is the key player in sustaining both hypertension and proteinuria. Angiotensin II mediates not only haemodynamic changes but also profibrotic and pro‐inflammatory processes. Blockade of the renin‐angiotensin system decreases proteinuria and slows the progression of both diabetic and non‐diabetic proteinuric renal disease. Angiotensin‐converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors are first‐line therapy in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus and nephropathy, whereas angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB) are first‐line therapy in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and microalbuminuria or overt nephropathy. Finally, treatment with ACE inhibitors delays the progression of proteinuric nephropathy in non‐diabetic patients. Combination therapy with ACE inhibitors and ARB may allow a more complete blockade of the renin‐angiotensin system and clinical trials show that ACE inhibitor–ARB combinations have an additive antiproteinuric effect of up to 40% compared with ACE inhibitor or ARB alone, without additional blood pressure‐lowering effect. Finally, it is important to emphasize that progressive lowering of blood pressure to 120 mmHg is associated with improved renal outcome and that this effect is independent of baseline renal function.
23. Faktor-faktor Yang Mempengaruhi Keberhasilan Kerjasama Indonesia Dengan Vietnam Dalam Menangani Iuu Fishing

The increasing rate of fish consumption in the world has made some countries flocking to fulfill their needs of fish. In the process of fulfilling their needs of fish, they are doing everything they can, both legally and illegally, in these case through Illegal Unreported Unregulated Fishing. The act of these IUU fishing has caused a lot of damage and losses to the affected countries and also could ruin the ecosystem of the affected sea. Indonesia as a country with plenty of fish resources has became an appealing target for these act. One of the neighbouring countries who has been caught doing these act was Vietnam. To reduce the frequencies of these illegal act and lessen the damages and losses, Indonesia cooperated with Vietnam by making a Memorandum of Understanding or MOU. These cooperation between Indonesia and Vietnam ended with a good result, thankfully. This research was done in order understand the factors of the successful cooperation against IUU fishing between Indonesia and Vietnam. In accordance to achieve the goal of these research and solve the problem that occured, it was done by using theory of international cooperation, analyzing the indicators of success of the cooperation, concept theory of foreign policy and theory of cooperation in liberalis-paradigm, These research was done in qualitatif method with descriptic-analythical way through journal research and interview. Results of the study are the success of Indonesia's cooperation with Vietnam in dealing with IUU fishing due to the proximity of factor, communications, law enforcement.
A Classification and Analysis of Data Quality Costs

Many information quality initiatives and projects need to demonstrate the potential benefits of their IQrelated activities already in their planning stage. In doing so, practitioners rely on cost estimates based on current non-quality data effects (that are then compared to data quality improvement costs). In producing such estimates on costs caused by low quality data, it is difficult to identify all potential negative monetary effects that are the result of low quality data (as well as all possible costs associated with assuring high quality data and their progression). Consequently, this article reviews and categorizes the potential costs associated with low quality data and examines their progression. This analysis can help practitioners to identify cost saving potentials and argue a more convincing business case of their data quality imitative. For researchers, the proposed classification framework and the cost progression analyses can be helpful to develop quantifiable measures of data quality costs and to prepare – subsequently – benchmarking studies, comparing different cost levels in different organizations. Thus, the paper contributes elements of a future cost-benefit analysis method for data quality investments.
The Impact of Chinese Economic Structural Changes on Korea’s Exports to China*

We examine the structural changes of the Chinese economy and analyse how those changes have affected Korea’s exports to China. Focusing on the evolution of Chinese development strategy and the changing role of China in global value chain during 2000s, we separate the role of Chinese external demand and domestic demand in Korea’s exports to China. We also shed light on the driving force among Chinese GDP expenditure components in Korea’s exports to China for different periods of time. The subsample analysis shows that Chinese external demand had a significant impact on Korea’s exports to China before 2008, while Chinese domestic demand became important afterwards. More specifically, we find that Chinese investment is the most dominant expenditure component in determining Korea’s exports to China in recent times.
Intriguing nonlinear dynamic and stability characteristics of film blowing process and the chronological progress made in its simulation efforts

The successful simulation of the transient behavior of film in film blowing process has proved rather elusive, despite its modeling standards having been laid down more than 30 years ago by Pearson and Petrie in their seminal paper (1970) incorporating a moving material coordinate system. This is mainly because of the highly nonlinear nature of the partial differential equations involved and the difficulties in executing the numerical algorithms. It is thus only recent when Hyun et al. (2004) have successfully obtained for the first time the transient solutions of the dynamics using newly-devised mathematical/numerical schemes which employ a coordinate transformation converting a free-end-point problem to a more amenable fixed-end-point one and an orthogonal collocation on finite elements alleviating the dimensional burden in numerical computation. The transient solutions thus obtained have been found robust even during the severe oscillations of draw resonance instability also revealing a striking dynamic resemblance to experimental observations. In another seminal paper in 1988 by Cain and Denn the dynamics of the system like the multiplicity and stability of the steady states was first investigated systematically. Shin et al. (2007) have recently conducted an extended analysis both experimentally and theoretically with focus on the multiplicity, bifurcation, stability and hysteresis features and also provided physical explanations for the various dynamic features in the system. Quite recently, Lee et al. (2008) have included the flow-induced crystallization (FIC) into the non-isothermal, viscoelastic governing equations to obtain the robust, transient solutions for the whole distance coordinate from the die exit to the nip roll. These solutions are particularly significant in the sense that they have been obtained without assuming the boundary condition of the vanishing gradient of the bubble radius at the freeze-line height (FLH), which had been universally taken by all researchers in hitherto-published simulation models. The same vanishing gradient of the bubble radius at FLH has instead been obtained as part of the solution of the governing equations, not as an assumed boundary condition.
Examining the determinants of effort among open source software volunteer developers

This study explores the relationships between open source software (OSS) volunteer developers' motivations, commitment to the OSS community and effort spent on OSS development. The study considers multiple extrinsic and intrinsic motivations that are expected to influence developer effort, and also measures the extent to which developers commit themselves to the OSS community, which in turn is expected to cause them to exert effort on behalf of OSS projects. The model is empirically tested using a field survey of OSS volunteers. The results show that the major motivational forces driving OSS volunteer developers' effort are helping others (intrinsic motivator), fun for coding (intrinsic motivator) and peer recognition (extrinsic motivator), while developer commitment has a direct and significant effect on their effort decisions. Findings also suggest that time availability moderates the relationship between commitment and effort.
Endogenous aldosterone is involved in vascular calcification in rat

Aldosterone (Aldo) is an important active hormone in the renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system and plays a vital role in the development of hypertension, heart failure and other cardiovascular diseases. We aimed to explore the role of endogenous Aldo in aortic calcification in rats. We induced arterial calcification in rats by intramuscular administration of vitamin D3 plus oral nicotine (VDN) and determined calcium content, 45Ca2+ accumulation and activity of alkaline phosphatase (ALP). The mRNA level of osteopontin (OPN) was measured by semi-quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. Deposition of collagen in the aorta wall was measured by Sirius red staining. The content of angiotensin II (Ang II) and Aldo in plasma and myocardial and vascular tissue was determined by radioimmunoassay. In rats with VDN treatment, von Kossa staining showed calcification in vascular smooth muscle cells and extracellular matrix, and the content of calcium in calcified arteries was 5.8-fold of that in control arteries (P < 0.01). The accumulation of 45Ca2+ and activity of ALP in calcified aortic tissue was three- and 2.5-fold, respectively, that in control tissue (P < 0.01). The mRNA expression of OPN was significantly higher, by 58%, in calcified than control tissue (P < 0.01). Vascular fibrosis was greater in rats with calcified tissue than in control rats. The level of Ang II and Aldo was 58% and 80% higher, respectively, in calcified than control tissue (both P < 0.01). The changes could be significantly improved by treatment with captopril, an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor, and the Aldo receptor antagonist spironolactone. These results suggest that Aldo is an endogenous bioactive factor involved in vascular calcification.
Microbial Contamination of Environmental Surfaces in An-Najah National University Setting

Aims : To investigate bacterial contamination of environmental surfaces in An-Najah National University setting. This study focused mainly on staphylococci bacteria in particular detection of some molecular characterization of Staphylococcus aureus. Place and Duration of the Study: Department of Biology and Biotechnology, An-Najah National University, Palestine, March-August 2012. Methods: A total of 210 environmental surface samples from Faculty of Science, An-Najah National University were collected using cotton swabs. S. aureus, biochemical tests and S. aureus species-specific identification was used to confirm the isolates. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing for methicillin was performed, mecA gene, SCCmec typing and seg, seh and sei toxin genes were detected by PCR. Morphology, biochemical tests and selective media were used to identify other microorganisms obtained from contaminated environmental surfaces. Results: It was found that 31.9% (67/210) of these surfaces were contaminated with S. aureus. Only 5 methicillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA) isolates were detected and belonged to SCCmec IVa type. One isolate of methicillin sensitive S. aureus (MSSA) was enterotoxigenic and had genotype Original Research Article Adwan et al.; JSRR, 10(2): 1-9, 2016; Article no.JSRR. 23098 2 seg/seh. In addition, 85.7%, 90.5%, 14.3%, 11.9%, 10% and 4.8% of cultures were positive for S. epidermidis, fungi, Bacillus sp. , Escherichia coli, Klebsiella sp. and Streptococcus sp. , respectively. Conclusion: The results show that these different representative environmental surfaces are in daily use and may be a source of infection.
Vascular endothelial growth factor/vascular permeability factor augments nitric oxide release from quiescent rabbit and human vascular endothelium.

BACKGROUND Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)/ vascular permeability factor (VPF) is an endothelial cell (EC) mitogen. This feature is considered central to the documented role of VEGF/VPF in promoting angiogenesis. More recent evidence suggests that VEGF/VPF may also serve a "maintenance" function, modulating various aspects of EC biology. In the present study, we sought to determine the extent to which VEGF/VPF may stimulate the release of NO from normal ECs. METHODS AND RESULTS VEGF/VPF produced a dose-dependent rise in NO concentration ([NO]) from vascular segments of rabbit thoracic aorta, pulmonary artery, and inferior vena cava. In comparison to stimulation with acetylcholine, the onset of increased [NO] after administration of VEGF/VPF was slower, reaching a maximum value after 8 minutes. Preincubation of the aortic segments with L-arginine raised by twofold both baseline [NO] and [NO] stimulated by addition of 2.5 micrograms/mL VEGF/VPF. Removal of CaCl2 from the Krebs solution, disruption of the endothelium, and administration of NG-monomethyl-L-arginine abrogated the stimulatory effect of 10 micrograms/mL VEGF/VPF. Similar findings were documented with an NO-specific polarographic electrode to measure NO released from cultured human umbilical vein ECs. CONCLUSIONS VEGF/VPF stimulates production of NO from rabbit and human ECs. This finding (1) constitutes inferential evidence for the presence of functional VEGF/VPF receptors on quiescent endothelium of the adult rabbit as well as human ECs and (2) supports the notion that putative maintenance functions of VEGF/VPF may include regulation of baseline synthesis and/or release of EC NO.
Carcass characteristics and meat quality of heavy swine fed different citrus pulp levels

An assay with 36 swine initially weighting 83.7±5.1kg body weight (BW) was carried out to evaluate the effects of the use of different dietary citrus pulp levels, 0, 10%, 20%, and 30%, upon digestive organs weights, carcass characteristics, and meat quality of animals subjected to qualitative feed restriction program, and slaughtered at 130kg BW. Linear response (P 0.05). Higher levels of citrus pulp neither decreased backfat thickness nor increased amount of lean meat, indicative that qualitative feed restriction was not efficient. Positive linear effect (P<0.05) on pH measured 24 hours after slaughter and negative linear effect (P<0.05) on color characteristics as function of citrus pulp dietary levels were verified. Citrus pulp addition in qualitative feed restriction program may not be effective. As no deleterious effects upon meat qualities were observed, citrus pulp can be used as an alternative feedstuff for finishing swine.
The Impact of Type of Ownership on Mental Health Organizations: The Privatization Alternative

Briefly describe the purpose, research design, and site of th proposed research activity. Most citizens consider care of the mentally ill a public uuty anu a government responsibility. A current topic of debate is waetuer or not mental ueaitn care should continue to be provided primarily in the public realm or instead be provided as a business. A question which must be answered as a part or t. '. is uebate is: Does type of ownership effect service provision, and if so ho:;? In order to answer this question data iron the Inventory1 or Mental . earth Organizations, a national survey sponsored by the Survey and Deports Srancu, . ationai Institute of Mental Health, Department of Health and Human Services will be analyzed to look for differences in five domains— clientele, size of organization, staffing, expenditures, and sources of funds. This secondary analysis of data will examine three types of mental health organization ownership; private for-nrofit, private nonprofit, and governmental. The analysis will be performed here at hDTJ. CHARACTERI3iICS OF SUBJECTS: Briefly describe the suQject population \e. age, sex, prisoners, people in mental institutions, etc.). Also indicate the source of subjects. The data is collected from mental health organizations in the United States and concerns various aspects of organizations. SUBJECT SELECTION: How will the subjects be selected? Approximately howmany subjects will be involved in the research? Mo individual subjects will or could be selected from the data provided. Only’ grouped data is available. 2,262 organizations will be analyzed. E*" R eproduced with perm ission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. L OCNFIDENTIALITY 0? DATA: Briefly describe "he precautions that vile. be taken to ensure the privacy of subjects and ccnfidentiality of infornat: Be explicit if data is sensitive. Onlv grouoed data is to be analyzed. Iden-tifvin? information will not be included. BENEFITS OF RESEARCH: Briefly describe the expected benefits of the rese It is expected that this research will contribute to the ongoing debate about the trend toward for-profit care. r.ISEs 10 S'JBj ECTS: Briefly describe one nature and likelihood of possiblrisks 'e.g., physical, psychological, social) as a result of participatio: in the research.
High tumor tissue concentration of urokinase plasminogen activator receptor is associated with good prognosis in patients with ovarian cancer

The urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA) system is involved in tumor growth and metastasis. We assayed the components of the uPA system in homogenates of 64 primary epithelial ovarian tumors and 5 metastases and evaluated the association of these parameters to prognosis in the 51 malignant cases. The levels of uPA, PAI‐2 and the uPA:PAI‐1 complex increased with progressive loss of histological differentiation (ptrend <0.001, <0.05 and <0.001). The level of PAI‐1 was higher in poorly than in well/moderately differentiated tumors (p = 0.03). The content of uPAR was lower in benign tumors as compared to borderline malignancies (p = 0.002), invasive primary tumors (p < 0.001), and metastases (p = 0.002). Surprisingly, the level of uPAR was lower in poorly differentiated as compared to both borderline (p = 0.01) and well differentiated malignant tumors (p = 0.005). Also, the level of uPAR was lower in advanced as compared to early stages of the disease (ptrend = 0.002). The median follow‐up time for patients was 5.8 years. High tumor tissue levels of uPAR were associated with longer postoperative survival (HR = 0.4, 95% CI = 0.2–0.8, p = 0.01). In contrast, shorter survival was evident in patients with high tumor levels of uPA from 2 years on after operation (HR = 4.6, 95% CI = 1.2–17, p = 0.02). High tPA levels tended to be associated with shorter overall survival after 2 years (HR = 2.9, 95% 95% CI = 0.9–9.8, p = 0.08). Although high tumor tissue content of uPAR was associated with a less aggressive phenotype characterized by well differentiated histology and longer survival, low content of uPAR in the poorly differentiated tumors and metastases presumably results from increased elimination of uPAR. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Spatial Variation of Endotoxin Concentrations Measured in Ambient PM10 in a Livestock-Dense Area: Implementation of a Land-Use Regression Approach

Background: Results from studies on residential health effects of livestock farming are inconsistent, potentially due to simple exposure proxies used (e.g., livestock density). Accuracy of these proxies compared with measured exposure concentrations is unknown. Objectives: We aimed to assess spatial variation of endotoxin in PM10 (particulate matter ≤10μm) at residential level in a livestock-dense area, compare simple livestock exposure proxies to measured endotoxin concentrations, and evaluate whether land-use regression (LUR) can be used to explain spatial variation of endotoxin. Methods: The study area (3,000 km2) was located in Netherlands. Ambient PM10 was collected at 61 residential sites representing a variety of surrounding livestock-related characteristics. Three to four 2-wk averaged samples were collected at each site. A local reference site was used for temporal variation adjustment. Samples were analyzed for PM10 mass by weighing and for endotoxin by using the limulus amebocyte lysate assay. Three LUR models were developed, first a model based on general livestock-related GIS predictors only, followed by models that also considered species-specific predictors and farm type–specific predictors. Results: Variation in concentrations measured between sites was substantial for endotoxin and more limited for PM10 (coefficient of variation: 43%, 8%, respectively); spatial patterns differed considerably. Simple exposure proxies were associated with endotoxin concentrations although spatial variation explained was modest (R2<26%). LUR models using a combination of animal-specific livestock-related characteristics performed markedly better, with up to 64% explained spatial variation. Conclusion: The considerable spatial variation of ambient endotoxin concentrations measured in a livestock-dense area can largely be explained by LUR modeling based on livestock-related characteristics. Application of endotoxin LUR models seems promising for residential exposure estimation within health studies. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP2252