Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
EFFECT OF MILITARY DEPLOYMENT IN OPERATIONAL AREA ON THE TREND OF SMOKING AMONG TROOPS

Objective: To identify effect of military deployment in operational area on trend of smoking cigarettes among troops. Study Design: Descriptive cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of study: The study was carried out in an Army Brigade deployed in Operation Al-Mizan, Swat, from Jan to March 2014. Material and Methods: Whole troops of an army brigade deployed in operation Al-Mizan, Swat were the part of present study. Total strength of brigade comprised of 1850 troops. Out of these 1850, officers constituted 53 (2.86%) and rest 1797 (97.14%) were Junior Commissioned officers (JCOs), noncommissioned officers (NCOs) and soldiers. All ranks other than officers were collectively termed as soldiers. All the individuals were given structured questionnaire to fill. The information was gathered on variables like age, rank, unit, education, duration of deployment in operational area, habit of smoking, intensity of smoking (number of cigarettes smoked daily) and change in the habit and intensity of smoking after being deployed in the operational area. Information was also gathered from the individuals about the reasons for change in the habit (starting or stopping smoking) and intensity of smoking after deployment in operational area. Forty nine individuals with less than 6 months duration in operational area were excluded. All the other officers and soldiers (1801) having served more than 6 months in the operational area were included in the study. Results: There were total 1801 individuals included in the study. Officers constituted 52 (2.88%) of the total and rest 1749 (97.12%) were soldiers. The mean age of officers was 26.34 ± 4.6 years and mean age of soldiers was 27.92 ± 4.5 years. The overall frequency of smoking in officers and soldiers in the operational area came out to be 29.6%, however the overall frequency of smoking in these individuals before coming to operational area was 26.8%. There were 3 officers and 47 soldiers who started smoking in the operational area. There was an increased consumption of cigarettes among troops ( p < 0.001). The increased frequency of consumption of cigarettes in operational area was because of stress/increased combat activities, boredom, lack of recreational activities and monotony. Conclusion: It is concluded from the present study that operational activities increase the tendency of smoking in some troops and cause increased consumption of cigarettes by others mainly because of stress and peer pressure, which over the period of time can affect health, medical fitness and operational readiness of military personnel.
Modelling Environmental Burdens of Indoor-Grown Vegetables and Herbs as Affected by Red and Blue LED Lighting

Notwithstanding that indoor farming is claimed to reduce the environmental pressures of food systems, electricity needs are elevated and mainly associated with lighting. To date, however, no studies have quantified the environmental and economic profile of Light Emitting Diodes (LED) lighting in indoor farming systems. The goal of this study is to quantify the effect of varying the red (R) and blue (B) LED spectral components (RB ratios of 0.5, 1, 2, 3 and 4) on the eco-efficiency of indoor production of lettuce, chicory, rocket and sweet basil from a life cycle perspective. The functional unit of the assessment was 1 kg of harvested fresh plant edible product, and the International Reference Life Cycle Data System (ILCD) method was employed for impact assessment. Even though most of the materials of the LED lamp and electronic elements were imported from long distances (14,400 km), electricity consumption was the largest contributor to the environmental impacts (with the LED lamps being the main electricity consumers, approximately 70%), apart from the resources use indicator, where the materials of the lamps and the mineral nutrients were also relevant. RB0.5 was the most energy-efficient light treatment but had the lowest eco-efficiency scores due to the lower crop yields.
The contribution of the African capital markets in the diversification of investment global portfolios

This study aims to evaluate the contribution of the African capital markets in the diversification of investment global portfolios. The study used the methodology based on the application of optimization models like mean variance (MV), resample michaud (RM), semi variance (SV), mean absolute deviation (MAD), and filtered historical simulation (FHS). In-sample and out-of-sample approaches were used to analyze the data. The study results suggested the existence of a strong correlation between some African capital markets and global capital markets, that is, they tend to move in the same direction. The most important being the diversification of global portfolio with assets of African capital markets generate benefits for both types of investors, risk averse and taker investors; that is, it provides benefits in the return and reduce investment risk. Still, the study results suggested that the foreign investors should look for African capital markets with a chance to maximize their wealth and diversify the investment risk in their portfolios. In the same order, the study result went further to elaborate on the advantages of the international diversification and furthermore contributes to the literature through application of the FHS method in the optimization portfolio. This methodology in addition to producing good results, is more restrained in the composition of investment portfolios than the other methods. Key words: African capital markets, diversification, investment global portfolios.
Youngsters’ Perspectives on Continuity in Their Contacts with Youth-Care Services

Continuity is seen as an important aim for the quality of youth-care services. However, views on continuity are predominantly guided by experts, without much attention to user perspectives. This paper focuses on youngsters’ experienced continuity in relation to youth-care services. Twenty-five youngsters, who were in residential care or reached by low-threshold youth services, were interviewed about their experiences in and out of care. In thematically exploring the biographical narratives for important experiences of continuity, three major themes emerged: (i) the need for footholds in moments of existential chaos, (ii) the importance of timing of interventions to match the youngsters’ perspectives and (iii) the importance of the youngsters’ impact on their own care pathways. This study shows the need for support that is imbedded in a relational network within the context of youngsters in vulnerable situations. Rethinking youth services towards a better connection with these contexts is essential. Furthermore, the amount of control youngsters experience in their care interventions seems to be beneficial to the experience of continuity. It is argued that continuity should be seen as a process, in order to leave more space for negotiation and flexibility throughout the youngsters’ experiences in youth-care services.
Evaluating the role of sensation seekingand brain-behavioral systems in internet addiction among college students

Introduction: The Internet is one of the most powerful tools of development in the contemporary world, but excessive use of the Internet will causes Internet addiction. Given that various factors can be influential on the Internet addiction; this research aimed to evaluate the role of sensation seeking and brain-behavioral systems in Internet addiction among students of Islamic Azad University, branch of Mashhad. Materials and Methods: In this correlational research conducted on 92 students of Islamic Azad University, branch of Mashhad during 2016, questionnaire including: demographic characteristics data, Young Internet Addiction Test, Zuckerman's Sensation Seeking and Brain-Behavioral Systems. Data analyzed through descriptive statistics and regression analysis using SPSS software. Results: There is a correlation between Internet addiction and the components of female student’s brainbehavioral systems, including drive, searching for entertainment, behavioral activation system, behavioral inhibition system but this correlation was not significant and there is only a positive relationship with the response to reward component. No significant relationships between these components have been found among male students. The correlation between Internet addiction and sensation seeking has been significant and positive and this correlation between internet addiction and disinhibition component was significant and negative, while the correlation coefficient between Internet addiction and boredom susceptibility and experience seeking components was not significant. Conclusion: According to the results, there was a direct and significant relation between Internet addiction and sensation seeking. This relationship was weaker about the role of brain behavioral systems and Internet addiction.
Predictability concentrates in bad times. And so does disagreement

Within a standard risk-based asset pricing framework with rational expectations, realized returns have two components: Predictable risk premiums and unpredictable shocks. In bad times, the price of risk increases. Hence, the predictable fraction of returns – and predictability – increases. “Disagreement” (dispersion in analyst forecasts) also intensifies in bad times if (i) analysts report (close to) risk-neutral expectations weighted by state prices, which become more volatile, or (ii) dividend volatility changes with the price of risk – for example, because consumption volatility changes. In both cases, individual analysts produce unbiased forecasts based on partial information.
Automatic balancing mechanisms for mixed pension systems under different investment strategies

State pension systems are usually pay-as-you-go financed, i.e. current contributions cover pension expenditure. However, some countries combine funding and pay-as-you-go (PAYG) elements within the first pillar. The aim of this paper is twofold. First, using nonlinear optimisation based on [Godínez-Olivares, H. , M. C. Boado-Penas, and S. Haberman. 2016. “Optimal strategies for pay-as-you-go pension finance: A sustainability framework. ” Insurance: Mathematics and Economics 69: 117–126], it seeks to assess the impact of a compulsory funded defined contribution (DC) pension scheme that complements the traditional defined benefit (DB) PAYG on the level of pension benefits. Future expected returns for both the funded part and the buffer fund of the PAYG are simulated through the non-overlapping block bootstrap technique. Second, in the case of partial financial sustainability, we design different optimal strategies, that involve variables such as the contribution rate, age of retirement and indexation of pensions, to restore the long-term financial equilibrium of the system. We show that the adjustments needed to ensure sustainability for the mixed pension systems are less severe than the pure DB PAYG but the total replacement rate for the former is lower in most of the cases studied. When calculating the return that the individuals would receive, we prove that some cohorts are better off under a mixed pension system.
On Promoting Fiscal Discipline: The Role of Exchange Rate Regimes, Fiscal Rules and Institutions

This paper examines how fiscal rules, exchange rate regimes, and institutional quality affect the cyclical behavior of fiscal policy (how government spending responds to fluctuations in gross domestic product). The analysis is performed on a panel of 153 advanced, emerging, and developing countries over 1993-2015 using local Gaussian-weighted ordinary least squares and two-stage least squares estimators. The findings show that the adoption of fiscal rules alone is not sufficient to promote countercyclical fiscal policy and should be combined with strong institutions. Moreover, fiscal rules seem to limit procyclicality, especially in countries with flexible exchange rate regimes rather than in countries with fixed exchange rates. The analysis also finds that the disciplining effect of fiscal rules depends on the type of rule.
Tropical Forest Canopy Height and Aboveground Biomass Estimation Using Airborne Lidar and Landsat-8 Data, a Sensitivity Study with Respect to Landsat-8 Data Temporal Availability, in Mai Ndombe Province, Democratic Republic of Congo

ix 1.0. INTRODUCTION . 1 2.0. THESIS OBJECTIVES . 5 3.0. LITTERATURE REVIEW . 6 3.1. The human impact on vegetation . 6 3.2. Land cover change . 6 3.3. The Tropical forests . 7 3.4. The Congo Basin forests . 8 3.5. Forest structure. 9 3.6. LiDAR application for forest structure estimates . 10 3.7. Mapping forest canopy heights . 11 3.8. Aboveground biomass estimates. 13 3.9. Literature review conclusion. 14 4.0. MATERIALS AND METHODS . 16 4.1. Materials . 16 4.1. 1. Study area . 16
Emotional Content in PTSD Nightmares and Its Relation to other PTSD Features; An Exploratory Study

Nightmares are a cardinal symptom of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), but little is known about the experiential aspects of PTSD dreams. The present study is a secondary exploration of data collected in a randomized, controlled trial of prazosin in PTSD patients. This study examined affective attributes of nightmares in 20 PTSD patients using visual analogue scales (VAS) rated from “0” (never) to “100” (always) for anger, fear, and sadness. PTSD diagnosis was confirmed by Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale. Sitting pulse, Disturbing Dreams and Nightmare Severity Index (DDNSI), PTSD Checklist (PCL), and other psychiatric measurements were recorded. Analytic approach included Pearson’s r, paired t-tests, and multilinear regression modeling. The mean presence of anger, fear, and sadness in dreams was noted to have been: 54.9 ± 32.0, 76.6 ± 24.3, and 71.5 ± 26.2, respectively. Significant positive correlations were found between anger scores and the relation of a dream to: prior trauma (r= 0.5113), repetitive nature (r= 0.4807), and awakening the dreamer (r= 0.5781). Significant correlations were not seen for fearful or sad affects. In multilinear regression, “PCL minus sleep” scores were predicted by DDNSI and anger scores, after covarying for age and gender (F= 4.5, df = 19, p< 0.02). DDNSI scores and resting pulse were significantly positively correlated (r= 0.5541). These results confirm that PTSD dreams are negative-affect laden, and specifically, that anger in dreams is correlated with a greater degree of traumatic themes, repetitiveness, and awakenings. Additionally, anger in dreams best indicated the presence of worse global PTSD symptoms. The correlation between resting daytime pulse and DDNSI scores underlines the unifying features of PTSD across day and night.
Past Performance, Organizational Aspiration, and Organizational Performance: The Moderating Effect of Environmental Jolts

Previous research has implied that past performance and organizational aspiration may have an important effect on the sustainable growth of organizational performance. Under the conditions of environmental jolts, their relationships are more complicated to discern. However, few studies have undertaken this investigation. Using data from 183 U.S. firms, this study proposes and tests a theoretical model of the relationships between past performance, organizational aspiration, and organizational performance at different environmental jolt levels. Through hierarchical regression analysis, the empirical findings suggest that low levels of environmental jolt weaken the positive relationship between organizational aspiration and organizational performance, while high levels of environmental jolt magnify the positive influence of past performance on organizational performance. Most importantly, the empirical findings reveal that at low levels of environmental jolt, past performance has no effect on organizational performance, while organizational aspiration has no effect on organizational performance when the level of environmental jolt is high. These interesting findings provide some implications for managers and enrich the theory of sustainable development.
A Global Financial Transaction Tax - Theory, Practice and Potential Revenues

This study presents in detail the concept of a financial transaction tax (FTT) and the theoretical and empirical evidence in favour and against introducing it, the potential revenues, different implementation designs and its ability to correct various market failures. We analyse the benefits and challenges of introducing a tax on financial transactions, putting special focus on the introduction of such a tax on a world-wide scale. For a number of reasons, international cooperation is deemed a central prerequisite for an efficient FTT. The purpose of the tax is to raise substantial revenues and help dampen excessive financial market speculation and market volatility. An FTT would ensure that the financial sector contributes more substantially to government revenues. In its optimal form, the tax would be broad-based and there will be no financial instrument types exempted. In a second step, we analyse from a political economy perspective the prospects, the current status, and the lessons learnt from the European discussion on the implementation of an FTT. Finally, we calculate the revenue potential of a global FTT and report how much revenues would accrue to specific countries. We estimate that the tax, if imposed globally and taking into account still evasion, relocation and lock-in effects, can bring significant revenues – between 237.9 and 418.8 billion $ annually. The baseline case delivers 326.9 billion $ overall for the global economy, which corresponds to 0.43 percent of global GDP. These are lower bounds for potential revenues due to missing data on a number of financial instrument types. For specific countries, in the baseline case this would result in 72.57 billion $ annual potential revenues for the USA (0.37 percent of GDP), 119.46 billion $ for the European Union (0.69 percent of GDP), 10.00 billion $ for Germany (0.27 percent of GDP), 9.99 billion $ for France (0.39 percent of GDP) and 19.99 billion $ for Japan (0.41 percent of GDP).
When sounds, colors, and shapes meet: Investigating children’s audiovisual art in response to classical music

This study was designed to investigate children’s audiovisual art, following intuitive listening to complete classical works from different historical periods. The study aimed to examine the effect of different musical stimuli on children’s audiovisual output. Two related questions were asked: (1) How do children visually and verbally represent music from different historical periods? (2) What musical and extra-musical elements are represented? Participants were 181 second graders (age 7.0–8.5). Three compositions were presented: a 12th-century anonymous choral from the liturgical drama “Danielis Ludus,” Chopin’s prelude op. 28 no. 10, and Bartók’s “Melody in the Mist” Vol. 4 no. 107, from “Mikrokosmos. ” Each composition is based on distinct musical parameters: vocal timbre, melodic contour, and texture alternations, respectively. Data consisted of 495 audio-graphic productions and related accounts. Analysis progressed in three stages abbreviated MSC: Morphological dimensions, focusing on type of symbols employed; Structural dimensions, focusing on the overall graphical design; and Conceptual dimensions focusing on the generic meanings of the productions. Results indicated significant differences in children’s reactions to each of the three compositions, showing that MSC dimensions are influenced by the type of music presented and that differences in MSC dimensions are statistically significant. Experiencing “audiovisuology” in school is one way of promoting art integration.
Does the Kinesio Tape Provide more Knee Extensor Torque

Background: A strong performance from the quadriceps muscle has been associated with improved dynamic stabilization of the knee and a lower risk of injuries. Therefore, techniques that improve quadriceps muscle activity are often used in physiotherapy programs. Objectives: To evaluate the effect of Kinesio tape (KT) on the isokinetic parameters, in physically active women, 24 hours after being applied to the vastus medialis oblique, vastus lateralis oblique and vastus lateralis longus muscles. Methods: A randomized, crossover and double-blind study with 16 women (31.5 ± 5.6 years old) was conducted. The quadriceps muscle performance was evaluated through the use of an isokinetic dynamometer (concentric-concentric at 60°/s) 24 hours before and after the application of KT on the dominant limb. The following variables were evaluated: peak torque; maximum repetition of the total work; work fatigue; agonist/antagonist ratio; deceleration time; and the time to reach the peak torque. Results: There were no statistically significant differences and no clinically relevant differences between the placebo and the KT groups on the outcome variables studied (0.362 < P < 0.906). Conclusions: Application of KT for 24 hours was insufficient to improve the knee extensor torque in physically active women.
Macro to the Rescue? An Analysis of Macroprudential Instruments to Regulate Housing Credit

This paper builds a macro model with a financial sector and a housing market to understand the transmission and effects of macroprudential instruments addressing mortgage credit. The model compares the introduction of a loan-to-value ratio (LTV), a countercyclical capital buffer (CCyB)-style rule and sectoral constraints similar to sectoral risk weights. The results show that instruments work largely as intended and are to different extents suitable to dampen credit booms. Moreover, there is a trade-off between effectiveness, i.e. the extent to which instruments are able to dampen credit booms, and efficiency, i.e. the extent to which instruments might exhibit unintended consequences for the financial sector or real economy. General shocks, where housing credit increases as a side effect of larger movements, might warrant the use of the CCyB or also sectoral risk weights to correct for sector specific developments. Simple sectoral shocks can be dealt with or responded to first with sectoral risk weights. The LTV is much more effective than sectoral risk weights in confining credit growth, but shows less efficiency due to strong substitution effects.
Nesting behavior of Marbled Murrelets Brachyramphus marmoratus in Washington and British Columbia

LORENZ, T.J., RAPHAEL, M.G. & BLOXTON, T.D. 2019. Nesting behavior of Marbled Murrelets Brachyramphus marmoratus in Washington and British Columbia. Marine Ornithology 47: 157–166. Marbled Murrelets are threatened seabirds that nest predominantly in old-growth forests in the southern part of their western North America range. Little is known about causes of nest failure, timing of parental visits, and nest reuse because it is difficult to locate and monitor nests of this cryptic species. We used radio telemetry to locate murrelet nests from 2004 to 2008 in northwestern Washington and southeastern British Columbia. We monitored four nests with video cameras to document causes of nest failure, and we visited 15 nests after the nesting season to infer nest fate. We also monitored six active nests with telemetry data loggers to determine the timing of parental visits, and eight previous-year nests to determine nest reuse. Among 20 nests, four successfully fledged and 16 failed. Among failed nests, 10 failed from unknown causes and the remaining six failed from non-predatory causes. Parental visits during the incubation period occurred exclusively before dawn (100 % of 32 visits), whereas visits during the nestling period (n = 73) occurred during the morning (70 %), afternoon (1 %), and evening (29 %). Among eight nests monitored for reuse, we observed two cases of nest reuse and two cases in which nests were briefly visited by murrelets in later years but were not reused for nesting.