Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effect of Information Availability on Assessment and Designation of Species at Risk

Abstract: Information required to evaluate the extent to which species are at risk of extinction is usually limited and characterized as highly uncertain. In this context, we define information availability as the presence or absence of information used to determine the value of an ecological variable. We examined which of three hypothetical approaches best matched how levels of risk are assigned to species: (1) precautionary approach in which analysts designate levels of risk regardless of the amount of information available, (2) worst‐case approach in which analysts assign the maximum level of risk possible from the criteria, and (3) insurance approach in which analysts assign poorly known species to a high‐risk category when little information is available. We used the quantitative assessment criteria of the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) as a case study. We created a binary (0/1) matrix of all 2.4192 × 107 logical combinations of available information for the 14 ecological variables included in the quantitative criteria. We processed each combination of information availability represented in the matrix with a computer algorithm designed to emulate COSEWIC decision‐making rules. Low information availability was associated with a relatively high frequency of not being able to assign a candidate taxon to a risk category, which does not follow the precautionary principle. Information availability and the level of risk assigned to species were directly related, which is associated with the worst‐case approach, and counter to the insurance approach. Our results suggest that information availability can have a major effect on the level of risk assigned to a species. We recommend a conscious determination of whether such effects are desired, and we recommend the development of methods to explicitly characterize and incorporate information availability and other sources of uncertainty in decision‐making processes.
Assessment of materials management in the Kenyan manufacturing firms-Exploratory survey of manufacturing firms based in Nairobi

Materials play a big part in the manufacturing firms as it account for about 56% of the annual turnover. This research analyzed the attention and recognition the Kenyan manufacturing firms are giving to the materials management. The motivation of the study was based on the fact that longterm success and survival of any Organization depends entirely on how well organization are managing their costs. The study was a survey of medium and large manufacturing firms based in Nairobi. The data was collected using a structured questionnaire consisting mainly of close-ended questions and some few open-ended questions. The main objective of this study was to determine the kind of attention and recognition the Kenyan manufacturing firms are giving to material management and also shed light on the benefits of adopting good materials management practices. A sample size of 55 firms was collected and analyzed using descriptive statistics. The research revealed that not much attention was given to materials management as only about 23 percent of the firms had in charge of materials reporting directly to the chief executive officer. At least quite a number of large firms had well established departments to manage materials compared to medium firms. The conclusion drawn from the research was that Kenyan firms were not practicing professionalism in materials management and that materials management was more suited for large firms. Recommendations made were that, owing to the large sum of money companies were spending on materials and material related activities, a lot of emphasis and attention needed to be given to materials management. Materials management needs to be recognized as a top management function.
Customer co-creation: moving beyond market research to reduce the risk in new product development

Abstract: Forecasting the demand for new products is becoming increasingly difficult in many markets. A new method to decrease the failure rate of new products builds on the idea to integrate customers deeply into the innovation process. This process of ‘customer co-creation’ starts with an open call for participation to a community of designers and hobbyists to submit a new product concept. Reactions and evaluations of other consumers towards the posted concepts are encouraged in the form of internet forums and opinion polls. The product concept is then presented to the customer community for evaluation. Only if the number of interested consumers exceeds a minimum threshold, are investments in final product development made, merchandising settled, and sales commenced. This paper illustrates this process of customer co-creation with the example of Threadless.com, a pioneering company in the apparel market from the US.
Liquidity and Price Discovery in the European CO2 Futures Market: An Intraday Analysis

European Union CO2 allowances (EUAs) are traded on several markets with increasing intensity. We provide an intraday data analysis of the EUA futures market for the complete first trading period 2005-2007 (Phase I). To investigate the trading process in this young market, we compare the two main trading platforms, ECX and Nord Pool, with respect to price discovery and liquidity. Both are of high relevance to traders. We compare liquidity by estimating traded bid-ask spreads following the approach of Madhavan et al. (1997) and study price discovery using the VECM framework of Engle & Granger (1987). We find that while estimated transaction costs are always lower on the larger exchange ECX, the less liquid platform Nord Pool also contributes to price discovery, especially during the first months of trading. Overall, results indicate that from 2005 to 2007 liquidity in the European CO2 futures market has markedly increased and according to microstructural criteria the trading process has flowed smoothly.
Long Memory and the Term Structure of Risk

This paper focuses on the implications of asset return predictability on long-term portfolio choice when return forecasting variables exhibit long memory. Recent research in empirical finance argues that expected asset returns are time-varying and relates them to various predicting variables that historically reveal very gradual movements in time; hence, we aim at careful modelling of their persistence properties. For that purpose, we exploit the class of fractionally integrated processes. Our theoretical derivations indicate profound impact of the long-memory component on optimal long-term portfolio weights. We illustrate our approach to the modelling of asset return dynamics on post-war US data for equities, Treasury bonds, and cash.
Control issues and effects on the stock exchange of Thailand

This thesis presents a study of merger and acquisition activities on the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET). The thesis focuses on two key conceptual components: takeover effects on target and bidding firms, and an analysis of the possible motives for the takeovers. This is the first comprehensive Thai takeover study. The takeover sample covers a time period drawn from the years 1992 to 2002. The data and information used in this study was obtained from four major sources: the SET, the SEC, the Datastream, and the Brooker Group Public Co., Ltd. The selection criteria reduced the initial sample from 151 to 52 target firms and 42 bidding firms. Successful takeovers are the main focus of the study and takeover effects during the bid period running between (-12,+12) months are primary focus of the study. The three-stages of event period: pre-bid, bid, and post-bid periods were all examined. 27 alternative classifications of target firms and 80 alternatives for bidding firms were also investigated. The market and marketadjusted (zero-one) models as well as metrics based on a matched reference portfolio method were applied to assess the impact of these events on shareholder wealth. These effects were analysed using cumulative (CAR) and buy-and hold (BHAR) abnormal return measurements. Three parametric and non-parametric statistical significance tests were employed. The findings show that takeovers result in substantially positive CAARs about 31 % for the target firm's shareholders, and substantially positive CAARs of approximately 26% ( estimated from the zero-one model) and small negative CAARs of -1 % ( estimated from the market model) for the bidding firm's shareholders. The reported findings are consistent with those of previous studies which reveal the returns for the target and bidding firm's shareholders are on average significant and positive in the range of 2030%, and positive as well as negative between + 7% and -1 % consecutively, including Thai literature, on the whole. Furthermore, the positive CAARs for the target firm's shareholders are of an order of up to 28% ( estimated from the zero-one model) and 31 % ( estimated from the market model) immediately around the takeover announcement month. The total gains and the combined value of the target and bidding firms are positive at 21.85%, on average, and 25.19% respectively. In addition, there is similar evidence from an examination of both the target and bidding firms, indicating that the market responds to the takeover news as being likely good news before the
Etiology of upper-respiratory-tract illnesses among civilian adults.

Virus infection was identified in 34% of 221 upperrespiratory-tract illnesses in adults. The single most important agents were the rhinoviruses. Rhinoviruses were recovered from 18% of 221 patients tested, and 82% of these patients had fourfold or greater rises in homologous antibody. Influenza A virus, parainfluenza virus type 1 or 3, or herpesvirus infection occurred in only 2% to 5% of patients, and infection with respiratory syncytial virus, adenovirus, parainfluenza virus type 2, and coxsackievirus A-21 occurred in less than 1% of patients. Thirty-one of the 40 rhinovirus strains could be identified serologically, and these belonged to 17 different serotypes. In this study the pattern of rhinovirus infection appeared to be that of a constantly changing mosaic involving different serotypes. No one serotype was predominant, and only six serotypes were detected more than once.
The Influence of Accounting Standard Precision on Auditors Decisions

Accounting standards such as lease standard can be applied opportunistically by managers to manipulate the economic substance of transaction. This phenomenon is reduced by using the principles-based accounting standard. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of principles-based versus rules-based accounting standard and audit committee on constraining aggressive financial reporting. This research manipulated with the type of accounting standards (principles-based and rules-based) and the type of audit committee (strong and weak) in the auditors group. Our results indicate that auditors are less likely to report aggressively under a less precise (principles-based) standard than under a more precise (rules-based) standard. Also, we find no effect of audit committee on the aggressively financial reporting. This result suggests that accounting standard setters can move in direction of the less precise standards to improve the financial reporting quality. Normal 0 false false false RU X-NONE X-NONE Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE AR-SA
Social consequences of substance abuse: the impact of comorbid psychiatric disorders. A prospective study of a nation-wide sample of treatment-seeking patients

This is both a retrospective and a 16 and 28 months prospective study of the association between psychiatric comorbidity and social consequences (accidents, fights, broken relationships, drunken driving arrests, and reduced employment) related to alcohol in a nation-wide sample (n=351) of substance abusers seeking inpatient treatment. Psychiatric comorbidity was evaluated with the Diagnostic Interview Schedule, while drinking history and social consequences were assessed with a structured questionnaire. The social consequences had a high rate of re-occurrence. Controlled for alcohol consumption, polysubstance abuse predicted accidents (OR=2.9) and fights (OR=3.9) among men, while among pure alcoholics of both sexes phobia (OR=4.3) and antisocial personality disorder (OR=3.0) predicted fights. Only level of abuse predicted broken relationships. Antisocials had most drunken driving arrests. Attempts to reduce these social consequences should aim at treating polysubstance abuse, phobia, and antisocial personality disorder. However, the overriding aim should be the promotion of abstinence.
Green Silver Nanoparticles: Novel Therapeutic Potential for Cancer and Microbial Infections

As a result of the development of nanotechnology in the last decade, silver nanoparticles emerged as an interesting alterative for the treatment of antimicrobial diseases and cancer, but its toxicological effects and its low biocompatibility were limiting its potential for clinical application [1-3]. The development of biosynthetic methods to obtain silver nanoparticles based on silver ions and natural plant extracts (Rich in reducing, capping, and stabilizing agents) radically changes the perspective on its adverse effects, since this green synthesis method allows obtaining silver nanoparticles with more biocompatibility [4-7]. The present review aims to show an overview of the therapeutic potential of silver nanoparticles synthesized with natural plant extracts for the treatment of microbial infections and cancer, this analysis is based on recent publications.
Calcium sulfate veins characterized by ChemCam/Curiosity at Gale crater, Mars

The Curiosity rover has analyzed abundant light‐toned fracture‐fill material within the Yellowknife Bay sedimentary deposits. The ChemCam instrument, coupled with Mastcam and ChemCam/Remote Micro Imager images, was able to demonstrate that these fracture fills consist of calcium sulfate veins, many of which appear to be hydrated at a level expected for gypsum and bassanite. Anhydrite is locally present and is found in a location characterized by a nodular texture. An intricate assemblage of veins crosses the sediments, which were likely formed by precipitation from fluids circulating through fractures. The presence of veins throughout the entire ~5 m thick Yellowknife Bay sediments suggests that this process occurred well after sedimentation and cementation/lithification of those sediments. The sulfur‐rich fluids may have originated in previously precipitated sulfate‐rich layers, either before the deposition of the Sheepbed mudstones or from unrelated units such as the sulfates at the base of Mount Sharp. The occurrence of these veins after the episodes of deposition of fluvial sediments at the surface suggests persistent aqueous activity in relatively nonacidic conditions.
User generated branding : integrating user generated content into brand management

Learning from User Innovation, Collective Intelligence, Word of Mouth and Community Research Types and Applications of User Generated Branding in Market Research, Commercialisation and Customer Retention Development of a Structural Equation Model to Measure the Impact on the Consumer-Brand Relationship Empiric Model Validation by Means of Three Real Life Interactive Branding Programmes
Self-Financing of Traditional and R&D Investments: Evidence from Italian SMEs

Self-financing has often been seen as an important source for research-and-development (R&D) funding. However, an in-depth comparison between the determinants of self-financing in the case of traditional investments versus those in R&D has not been provided yet. We use a comprehensive data set of Italian manufacturing firms to investigate this issue. We analyse the role of a wide number of financial variables in driving the rate of self-financing of firms, in both traditional and R&D investments, and we focus on public subsidies and firm size as critical factors explaining heterogeneity. First, we perform logit and logistic regressions separately for traditional and R&D self-financing, finding that they are positively correlated, and that the availability of public subsidies reduces self-financing. Subsequent poolability tests show that public subsidies and firm size are crucial discriminating factors for self-financing behaviour. Our main finding is that, in the absence of public subsidies, no internal or external market variable is able to explain the firms’ financing decisions. Furthermore, our analyses generally show that credit constraints and banking relationship variables are relevant in determining traditional investment self-financing, while no clear statistical evidence is found in the R&D case. Credit rationing is not significant for R&D selffinancing, which may be explained by rationed firms being left out of our sample.
Mitochondrial Function / Dysfunction in Health and Disease Nuclear SIRT 1 activity , but not protein content , regulates mitochondrial biogenesis in rat and human skeletal muscle

Brendon J. Gurd, Yuko Yoshida, Jay T. McFarlan, Graham P. Holloway, Chris D. Moyes, George J. F. Heigenhauser, Lawrence Spriet, and Arend Bonen School of Kinesiology and Health Studies, Department of Biology, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada; Department of Human Health and Nutritional Science, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada; and Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
An Assessment of the Effect of Working Capital Management Practices on Financial Performance: A Study of Small Scale Enterprises

The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of working capital management practices on the financial performance of SSEs in Kisii South District. The study adopted Across-sectional survey research design which allowed the collection of primary quantitative data through structured questionnaires. The target population was 159 managers of 101 trading and 58 manufacturing SSEs. Stratified random sampling technique was used to obtain a sample of 113 SSEs comprising 72 trading and 41 manufacturing enterprises. The data was analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. Consequently, the findings of the study were that Working capital management practices are low amongst SSEs as a majority has not adopted formal working capital management routines and their financial performance is on average low. The study also revealed that SSE financial performance is positively related to efficiency of cash management (ECM), efficiency of receivables management (ERM) and efficiency of inventory management (EIM) at 0.01 significance level. The coefficient of determination (R2) indicates that 63.4% of the variations in financial performance could be explained by changes in ECM, ERM and EIM with the F statistic (61.189) significant at 95% confidence level indicating that SSE financial performance is simultaneously influenced by the working capital management practices. The study concluded that working capital management practices have an influence on the financial performance of SSEs hence the need for SSE managers to embrace efficiency in working capital management as a strategy to improve their financial performance and survive in the uncertain business environment. The study corroborates other research findings that established a positive relationship between working capital management and financial performance.
THE TRENDS HIGH-CONTRAST IMAGING SURVEY. II. DIRECT DETECTION OF THE HD 8375 TERTIARY

We present the direct imaging detection of a faint tertiary companion to the single-lined spectroscopic binary HD 8375 AB. Initially noticed as an 53 m s−1 yr−1 Doppler acceleration by Bowler et al., we have obtained high-contrast adaptive optics observations at Keck using NIRC2 that spatially resolve HD 8375 C from its host(s). Astrometric measurements demonstrate that the companion shares a common proper-motion. We detect orbital motion in a clockwise direction. Multiband relative photometry measurements are consistent with an early M-dwarf spectral type (∼M1V). Our combined Doppler and imaging observations place a lower-limit of m ⩾ 0.297 M☉ on its dynamical mass. We also provide a refined orbit for the inner pair using recent radial velocity measurements obtained with the High Resolution Echelle Spectrometer. HD 8375 is one of many triple-star systems that are apparently missing in the solar neighborhood.
Institutional Investors and Corporate Governance in India

Using nineteen measures of corporate governance, we develop a corporate governance index in this paper. We find that this corporate governance index is positively associated with financial performance measures like Tobin's Q and industry-adjusted excess stock returns of Indian companies. We find that the development financial institutions in India have lent money to companies with better corporate governance measures. We also find that mutual funds in India have invested money in companies with better corporate governance record. Using a simultaneous equation approach we find that this positive association is both because the mutual funds (development financial institutions) have invested (lent money) in companies with good governance records, and also because their investment has caused the financial performance of the companies to improve. We finally report the findings of a survey that we conduct on the major findings of the paper.
Biomechanical Analysis of Antegrade and Retrograde Flexible Intramedullary Nail Fixation of Pediatric Femoral Fractures Using a Synthetic Bone Model

Biomechanical testing was performed to evaluate the stability of simulated transverse and comminuted femoral fractures after retrograde and antegrade flexible titanium intramedullary nail fixation. Ten synthetic adolescent-sized femoral bone models were used. Five underwent retrograde fixation with two C-shaped nails inserted from medial and lateral entry portals. The other five underwent antegrade fixation using one C- and one S-shaped nail through lateral entry holes just inferior to the greater trochanter. Retrograde nail fixation demonstrated significantly less axial range of motion and greater torsional stiffness than antegrade fixation in both transverse and comminuted fracture patterns. However, there appeared to be a biomechanical trend of greater resistance to shortening for antegrade nails.
Experimental Characterization of Power Transistors for Linearity Optimization

In this paper, different techniques are combined in a unique characterization system dedicated for power transistor linearity improvement. Successive optimizations are performed using source-pull/load-pull techniques at the fundamental and base-band frequencies associated with an instantaneous memoryless base-band predistortion procedure. Measurement results performed at 1.575 GHz on a MESFET power transistor biased in class AB for a QPSK modulated signal, show that fundamental frequency source-pull measurements lead to an ACPR variation equal to 3 dB. Moreover, the influence of base-band impedance on ACPR and EVM is found to be 15 dB and 4.5 points, respectively. Finally, instantaneous memoryless base-band predistortion improves ACPR and EVM values by 5 dB and 1 point, respectively.