Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Corporate Governance, Investment in Research and Development and Company Performance: A Data Envelopment Analysis Approach Based on Data from a Developing Country

The aim of this paper is to investigate the role of investment in research and development (R and D) in relationship between corporate governance (CG) and company performance in the Tehran Stock Exchange. In this regard, ownership concentration and debt ratio were used as the criteria for CG. The statistical population included all companies listed in Tehran Stock Exchange, 161 of which were selected as the statistical sample and investigated from 2004 until 2014. The statistical regression analysis of mixed data in the Baron and Kenny model (1986) and hierarchical regression analysis were employed to test the research hypotheses. The results indicated that CG was a factor influencing company performance and R and D activities. The results also indicated that investment in R and D improved company performance. Furthermore, the research evidence showed a minor role for the R and D investment variable in mediating the relationship between CG and company performance, and thus could not play a moderating role in this relationship
Prediction of Diabetes Using Data Mining Techniques

Diabetes mellitus is fourth most high mortality rate diseases in the world and it is also a cause of kidney disease, blindness, and heart diseases. Data mining techniques support a medical decision for a correct diagnosis, treatment of disease in such way it minimizes the workload of specialists. This study proposed to predict diabetes using data mining techniques. Back propagation algorithm is used to predict whether the person has diabetic or not. And also J48, naive bayes and support vector machine were used to predict diabetes. These neural networks were having an input layer with having 8 parameters, one hidden layer having 6 neurons and produce one output layer.5 fold cross-validation technique and large value learning rate was used to improve the performance of the model. PIMA Indian dataset used to conduct this study. The study implemented in RStudio using R programming language. The performance of Back propagation algorithm is used to predict diabetes diseases gave 83.11 % accuracy, 86.53% sensitivity and 76% specificity, the result shows improvement from previous work. The obtained result is also compared with J48, naive bayes and support vector machine algorithm.
Effect of fribrinigen degradation products on various stages of the fibrinolytic process

Over-activation of the fibrinolytic system may result in proteolytic destruction of fibrinogen. However, the effect of the degradation products formed during fibrinogenolysis on fibrinolytic process and plasminogen/plasmin properties remains unclear. To investigate this effect and its mechanism, the ability of fibrinogen fragments E and D to act on plasminogen and tPA binding, proenzyme activation, fibrin clot lysis and plasmin inhibition by plasma α2-antiplasmin, were studied. It was found that early product fragment EE binds to plasminogen and tissue-type plasminogen activator and enhances plasminogen conversion into plasmin. C-terminal lysine residues of all 3 chains pair and 16 or 23 amino acid residues of Aαchain are essential for this process. C-terminal lysines of fragment E Aαand γ-chains and lysine-binding site of tPA kringle 2 are responsible for the interaction between these proteins. Binding of fragment E to plasminogen is provided by N-terminal Aα1–19 and C-terminal Bβ120–122 regions. Late plasmic fibrinogen degradation product fragment EL loses the ability to potentiate plasmin generation but can bind proenzyme and its activator. Fragment D has no binding properties towards plasminogen and tPA. None of fibrinogen fragments protects plasmin from α2-antiplasmin inhibition. It is concluded that at over-activation of the fibrinolytic system and subsequent fibrinogenolysis, the products of fibrinogen degradation, can bind plasminogen and tPA and potentiate generation of plasmin, which will be neutralized under the normal level of the
Enhancing The Academic And Social Learning Of Irish Undergraduates Through Emotional And Social Skills Development.

This paper considers the potential merits of emotional competency coaching for undergraduate students. We outline the findings from our previous work which showed, for example, that a sample of First Year undergraduate students failed to engage with coaching primarily because it was not a mandatory aspect of the curricula. An analysis of the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) - which details the specific learning outcomes that must be achieved by all Irish academic syllabi found that this framework makes scant reference to the development of social and emotional skills. Therefore, a revised working model of the NFQ is proposed, which incorporates learning outcomes related to emotional and social development at all levels of academic attainment.
Governing Digital Technology – how Mature IT Governance can help in Digital Transformation?

Due to its unique features, the focus of implementing digital technology in the business is no more to improve internal operations, but to expand internal dimensions, reach customers and external partners, improve affect services, integrate processes, disrupt markets and fundamentally change industries. Research results [16] suggest that integrated products, services, channels and processes address disruption, and it is not separate technology strategy, but unique digital strategies that incorporate the opportunities digital technologies presents. One of the objectives of this paper is to investigate how mature IT governance activities can affect adoption of digital technologies. As many researches argued about various mechanisms that can affect IT governance performance, we would like to discuss if research in governing digital technologies should follow similar path. In first section of paper we will explain distinguished and unique features of digital technologies and show some useful examples of their use in the business. In other sections we would like to contribute with case studies explaining how companies with more matured IT governance have different mechanisms in preparing to inevitable digital transformation. Our working hypothesis will be that companies with matured IT governance are more likely to engage in digital initiatives and have better starting point for digital transformation. Using case study approach we would investigate what mechanisms of (mature) IT governance might be useful in digitalization.
Critical thinking analysis based on Facione (2015) – Angelo (1995) logical mathematics material of vocational high school (VHS)

The research has purpose to analyze and categorize the critical thinking ability of VHS students based on modified critical thinking indicator according to Facione-Angelo covering: interpreting the problem, analyzing alternative solution, applying the problem, evaluating the solution and concluding the results gained – attached by supportive evidence. The subject of the research is 30 eleventh graders of TKJ in Yabujah VHS, Indramayu in the odd semester 2016/2017. The collected data are critical thinking test and interviews. The result shows 15% is in good category, 30% in fair category, and 55% in low category. The students in “Good” category has accomplished critical thinking steps although imperfect, especially the indicators of evaluating and concluding attached by supportive evidence. The “Fair” categorized students only show partial steps of the indicators. The analyzing, evaluating, and concluding indicators are the most seldom to do, meanwhile the “low” categorized students show all indicators in low quality even to identify has problem to do.
The Relationship between Prenatal Coping Strategies and Irrational Beliefs in Pregnant Woman

Background & aim: Physiological changes during pregnancy cause high levels of stress in the mother. Thus, the need for maternal psychological adjustment using coping strategies is important. Coping strategies can be influenced by individual beliefs and attitudes. Therefore, this study was performed to determine the relationship between irrational beliefs and prenatal coping strategies. Methods: This descriptive correlational study was conducted on 702 low-risk pregnant women at 35-39 weeks of gestation (gravidity: 3≥) who referred to the health centers of Mashhad, Iran, during 2015. Multi-stage random sampling was used to select the participants (stratified, cluster proportional to size). Data collection tools included Demographic and Midwifery questionnaire, Irrational Beliefs Test, and Revised Prenatal Coping Inventory. Reliability of the scales was determined with inter-class correlation coefficient. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Spearman correlation, regression, and general linear models by SPSS, version 16. Results: Total score of irrational beliefs had a significant direct correlation with avoidance coping strategies (r=0.24, P 0.05). Also, types of irrational beliefs were significantly related to the dimensions of perinatal coping strategies (P<0.001). Conclusion: Considering that types of irrational beliefs can affect stress coping behaviors, it is necessary to include the evaluation of these two issues in prenatal screening.
Services vs Goods Trade : Are They the Same ? ∗

Using a unique dataset on Belgian firms with detailed information on export and import transactions of goods and services during the period 1995-2005, we present for the first time a qualitative and quantitative comparison between trade in services and trade in goods at firm-level. First we perform a static analysis, looking at trade participation, firms’ characteristics, heterogeneity, concentration and trade variation; second we explore dynamic aspects of trade focusing on entry, exit, survival and development. From one hand our results reveal many qualitative similarities between services and goods trade at firm-level, suggesting that heterogeneous models of trade can be a good starting point for the analysis of trade in services. On the other hand, we highlight dramatic differences in quantitative terms and in some key characteristics that pose two main challenges. First and most important, it is essential to introduce the frequency of trade into theoretical frameworks: the number of transactions a firms makes over one year is the main source of variation across firms and at the same time only by introducing this dimension we can appreciate the differences across goods and services. Second it is important to modify the assumptions on trade costs in order to account for a smaller participation, less heterogeneity, lower concentration and higher entry and exit for service trade.
The effect of the gantry crane beam cross section on the level of generated stresses

The gantry cranes are currently one of the most common devices for transporting loads. They can be applied in many industry areas. This study focuses on the numerical analysis of only the portable gantry crane. Gantry cranes are widely applied to lift and transport smaller items around a working area in a factory or machine shop. The mathematical model and numerical simulations of mechanical phenomena in the gantry crane beam are presented in this paper. The problem was solved by the finite element method. Analysis was made to the gantry crane beam, which cross-section was the I-beam or T-beam. The numerical simulations are limited to strength analysis of the gantry crane beam which was load by the motion of the crane trolley along its length. As a result of the computations carried out, the stresses and displacements of the structure of gantry crane were obtained. The influence of changing the loading force position on generate the equivalent stress in the crane beam was evaluated. The research performed, which allows the evaluation of the stress state, pointing out the critical areas and values, were made in order to increase the strength of the structure of the gantry crane.
An application of unit rate estimation on shareholders' overreaction: Evidence from Tehran Stock Exchange

Article history: Received 5 January 2014 Received in revised format 8 March 2014 Accepted 16 March 2014 Available online 20 March 2014 This paper characterizes the stockholders overreaction thorough return and price mean reverting behavior in specified ten major industry groups in Tehran Stock Exchange (TSE). For investigation of mean reversion presence, we use corporate firms from ten specified industry groups traded on the Tehran Stock Exchange and using a random walk with drift model with data over the period 2009-2013 period and recursive estimation in stability diagnostics test. The primary objective of this paper is to investigate mean reversion phenomenon in ten major industries including maximum number of real and nonstrategic investors with two different methods on quarterly return and monthly price time series. The results indicate that mean reversion occurred in the returns of these industry group. In addition, we use two major Unit Root Tests as complementary and final analysis. Out results also indicate that mean reversion takes place, significantly in eight industry groups and price time series in two industry groups follow a random walk process. © 2014 Growing Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
SiGe BiCMOS Current Status and Future Trends in Europe

This paper reviews the advantages of SiGe BiCMOS technologies and their applications in the millimeterwave to terahertz domains. The state-of-the-art covering both the Si/SiGe HBTs and the CMOS nodes is shown. Future perspectives and related main challenges are discussed with a focus on the ongoing European research activities through the presentation of the TARANTO project, whose main objective is to help developing 600 GHz $\pmb{f}_{\mathbf{MAX}}$ nanoscale SiGe BiCMOS platforms.
THE USE OF FISH AVOIDANCE RESPONSE IN IDENTIFYING SUBLETHAL TOXICITY OF HEAVY METALS AND THEIR MIXTURES

Analysis of the experimental data obtained by the author over the last decade is presented. Laboratory tests were conducted on fishes of different ecological groups. It was found that fishes are able to detect and spontaneously avoid low sublethal concentrations of heavy metals and their mixtures. The intensity of avoidance response depended on fish species sensitivity, ecological, physiological and behavioural characteristics. Rainbow trout was found to be the most sensitive species among other fishes tested: three-spined stickleback, goldfish, roach, dace, vimba and perch. Rainbow trout intensively avoided heavy metal model mixtures of different combinations consisting of 5 to 8 representative heavy metals (Cu, Zn, Ni, Cr, Fe, Pb, Cd, Mn). The concentrations of heavy metals corresponding to threshold avoidance concentrations were very low. Such heavy metal concentrations can be found only in clean unpolluted waters. Moreover, the vast majority of them were considerably (on average 29-fold) lower than their Maximum Permitted Concentrations (MPC) accepted as Lithuanian water quality guidelines for the protection of aquatic biota. The possibility of appliance of fish avoidance response to heavy metals for the needs of bioassay testing is discussed.
Phytosociology of a natural fragment of the floodplain forest in the Lower Tapajós River, Brazil

The aim of this study was to describe the floristic, structure and spatial pattern of species occurring in a natural fragment of the floodplain forest in the lower Tapajós River, Pará. Three hundred and eight contiguous sampling unities of 100 m2 were installed, comprising a sampling area of 3.08 ha. In each plot, all individuals with DBH (diameter at breast height of 1.30 cm) equal to or higher than 10 cm were measured, identified, and referenced in Cartesian coordinates (X, Y). The analyses of the diversity and spatial pattern were performed using the Shannon-Weaver index and the Ripley’s K function, respectively. There were 1,022 individuals surveyed, including 64 tree species and 33 families. The diversity recorded was 3.03; the total density was determined to be 331.8 individuals ha-1 and basal area of 16.10 m2 ha-1. The species of high ecological value were Campsiandra laurifolia, Hevea brasiliensis, Glicoxylon pedicellatum, Tetragastris altissima, Vantanea parviflora and Mabea caudata. The diametric distribution of the community and species, except for Hevea brasiliensis, behaved as expected for uneven-aged forests, and presented an exponential distribution with an inverted J form. The community spatial pattern showed variations depending on the considered distance, however there was a predominance of aggregated distribution. The spatial patterns detected on the species were: I partially aggregated and random for Vantanea parviflora species, II completely aggregated to the Hevea brasiliensis and Glicoxylon pedicellatum species, and III predominantly aggregated to Campsiandra laurifolia, Tetragastris altissima and Mabea caudata.
Temporal and spatial growth of wind waves

Abstract A solution of Rayleigh’s instability equation, which circumvents the apparent critical-layer singularity, is provided. The temporal and spatial growth rates of water waves exposed to a logarithmic wind profile are calculated and discussed. The findings are similar to previously published results, except for shear velocity–to–wave celerity ratios larger than 2, where the newly calculated growth rates start to decrease after having reached a distinct maximum. The ratio of the spatial to temporal growth rates is examined. It is shown to deviate by up to 20% from the leading-order value of 2. The implications of the growth rate to the modal distributions of energy input from wind to waves, for young and mature seas, and in temporal/spatial growth scenarios, are analyzed.
Late Pleistocene faunal remains from Seton rock shelter, Kangaroo Island, South Australia

Seton rock shelter (350 59' S, 1370 03' E) is located in the south- west of Kangaroo Island, South Australia. Excavation of the late Pleistocene deposit in the rock shelter has provided a rich assemblage of mammal, bird and reptile remains dating from more than 16 000 BP to about 10 000 BP. Analysis of these remains shows that the late Pleistocene fauna of Kangaroo Island was more extensive than the depauperate island fauna of today. The disappearance of many species reflects a reduction in open vegetation probably due to a com- bination of climatic change, the separation of the island postglacially by rising sea level, and the disappearance of a human population within the last 5000 years. The deposit also provides evidence for the contemporaneity of man and one of the extinct Pleistocene kangaroos, Sthenurus cf. gilli, at 16 000 BP.
Strong air pollution causes widespread haze-clouds over China

[1] North China (Huabei in Chinese) is a geographical region located between 32°N and 42°N latitude in eastern China, including several provinces and large municipalities (e.g., Beijing and Tianjin). In the past decades the region has experienced dramatic changes in air quality and climate. Among the multiple causes aerosol pollution is expected to play a particularly important role. To investigate this, a field measurement campaign was performed in April–May 2006 as part of the project Influence of Pollution on Aerosols and Cloud Microphysics in North China. Here we report the first aircraft measurements of atmospheric trace gases, aerosols, and clouds over this part of China, a region strongly affected by both natural desert dust and pollution smog. We observed very high concentrations of gaseous air pollutants and haze particles, partly together with nonprecipitating stratiform clouds. The clouds were characterized by numerous droplets, much smaller than in a less-polluted atmosphere. Our data reveal that the highly efficient coating of dust particles by pollution acids provides the predominant source of cloud condensation nuclei. The pollution-enhanced activation of dust particles into droplets is shown to be remarkably efficient so that clouds even form below 100% relative humidity. Contrary to previous analyses, we find that the haze particles influence the spectral shape of the cloud droplet size distribution such that the indirect climate cooling effect of aerosols on clouds is increased. The widespread haze, combined with low clouds, diminishes air quality and exerts an unusually strong cooling forcing on climate.
Urbanizing with Equity Consideration

Research has not yet been undertaken on the optimal level of urbanization, notwithstanding the pioneering work of Au and Henderson (2006) on optimal urban concentration. We develop two-sector general equilibrium models of urbanization, with and without equity consideration, respectively. It is shown that considering equity will result in a higher level of urbanization than otherwise, when urban inequality is sufficiently small or migration costs are sufficiently large. Such a theoretical prediction is confirmed by empirical modeling results using panel data from People’s Republic of China (PRC). Provincial governments that paid attention to the inequality issue are found to have higher urbanization levels than those that did not. Finally, we explore possible equity consideration-to-urbanization transmission channels, and empirically establish that equity consideration in PRC (e.g., government initiatives towards combating rural poverty or the urban-rural gap) is positively correlated with road density, which helps reduce migration costs, and with bank lending to the manufacturing sector, which helps enhance the pulling force of migration. Thus, policy makers in the developing world should reverse their prevailing anti-urbanization attitudes and practices that tend to slow down urbanization or restrict rural-to-urban migration.
Effect of heat treatment at alkaline pH on the rennet coagulation properties of skim milk

Reconstituted skim milk was heated at 90 °C for 30 s at pH values ranging from 6.6 to 8.1, stored overnight at 5 °C then renneted at pH values ranging from 6.2 to 6.6. The heat-induced disimprovement of the rennet coagulation properties of the milk (longer rennet coagulation time and lower gel firmness) were partially reduced as heat-treatment pH increased, except at pH 6.6. These properties were related to the increased heat-induced dissociation of micellar κ-casein and subse- quent formation of serum, rather than micelle-bound, heat-induced whey protein/κ-casein aggrega- tes. It was postulated that such distribution of the denatured whey protein and κ-casein slightly reduced the detrimental effects of heating on the enzymatic coagulation, as well as helped earlier destabilisation of the micelles. These results are discussed with respect to the amplitude of the effect of the heat-treatment pH, as well as the side effects of alkalinisation and heat treatment on casein dissociation. whey protein / heat treatment / rennet coagulation / pH