Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Title : The effect of the exchange rate fluctuations on the volume of cross-border M & A activity

This thesis investigates the effects of exchange rates on the volume of M&A activity between the US acquirers and target companies from the OECD countries. The impact of the appreciation of the US dollar on the subsample of deals between 1993 and 2017 was investigated. It is concluded that along with other determinants of cross-border M&A such as relative GDP per capita, market capitalization, taxes on goods and services and distance, language and legal system differences between the acquirer and target countries, real exchange rates have a significant effect on the number of M&A. However, when the effect of exchange rates was examined for the deals with different payment methods, it is observed that the appreciation of the real exchange rates of the target country has a significantly negative effect on the number of stock financed deals. In addition, when the value of the target currency appreciates against US dollars, although insignificantly, the number of deals paid in cash increases as well. Furthermore, there was not any significant difference between the coefficients of real exchange rates for the deals in low and high R&D industries, as opposed to the previous studies. Name: Tukaz Ahmadova Student number: 427584 Supervisor: Xintong Zhan
Failure study on laser welds of dual phase steel in formability testing

In this paper, the formability of YAG and diode laser welded blanks of a dual phase (DP) steel with banded martensite was investigated by using limiting dome height (LDH) testing method. One high strength low alloy (HSLA) steel with equiaxed ferrite matrix was included for comparison. Both steels had a ferrite matrix and dispersed secondary phase, namely martensite and carbide. The failure mode and dome height at fracture were examined on both parent metals and welded blanks. It was found that the failure pattern of DP parent metal was determined by its rolling direction. With increasing plastic strain, voids initiated along interfaces between ferrite/martensite due to decohesion between two phases and propagated preferentially along the interface. For DP welded blanks, dome test failures occurred within the softened zone in the heat affected zone (HAZ) regardless of the orientation between weld and rolling direction. Voids formed at the interfaces between ferrite and tempered martensite. The presence of the softened HAZ zone led to dramatic LDH decrease compared to the parent metal. The diode laser welded blanks had a lower dome height than that of YAG laser welded blanks due to their more severe HAZ softening. In comparison, HSLA parent metal and welded blanks exhibited almost the same LDH values and showed insensitivity to welding process. The failure of HSLA welded blanks initiated from the weld and propagated perpendicular to the unaffected base metal.
A Cross-Cultural Comparison of U.S. and Chinese Website Customers

Website quality has been given much attention as of late. In particular the factors that impact a consumer's perception of website quality is of great interest. This paper takes a currently validated measure of business-to-consumer website quality (WebQualTM) and applies it to Chinese Web users in order to study the cross-cultural differences and similarities of U.S. and Chinese customers. Several cultural differences between U.S. and Chinese customers are revealed.
Assessment of a Driver Interface for Lateral Drift and Curve Speed Warning Systems: Mixed Results for Auditory and Haptic Warnings

Lateral Drift Warning (LDW) and Curve Speed Warning (CSW) systems were developed to address two main critical events in run-off-road crashes, which are road edge departure and excessive speed. The LDW system used a two-stage alert system, with the first stage activating when the driver departed a lane with a dashed boundary and the imminent, or second stage, when departing a lane with a solid boundary. The CSW also employed a two-stage alert, with the level based on the degree of over-speed for the upcoming curve. The haptic modality, in the form of seat vibration, was chosen as the first level warning for both systems, and auditory was chosen as the second or most urgent level. The two systems were installed in a fleet of instrumented vehicles and loaned to 78 randomly selected licensed drivers for approximately 4 weeks. Debriefing questions detailing the driver’s experience with the system were administered and analyzed in a two by two design of modality by system. After examination of both the statistical results and the open-ended comments, the question of which modality is most appropriate is still uncertain. Each modality had positive aspects. Haptic does not alert the entire car and participants also considered it less distracting. Auditory provided better recognition between warnings and participants were better able to understand the meaning and the required response for each warning.
Efficiency of steel corrosion inhibitor calcium nitrite in alkaline solutions and concrete structures

The corrosion behaviour of steel in two different media, alkaline chloride solution and reinforced concrete used in bridge building, with and without the inhibitor calcium nitrite was investigated. Accelerated corrosion tests in neutral salt spray and CO 2 chambers, as well as immersion in 5% NaCl solution were applied. Open circuit potential mapping and EIS were used for corrosion performance characterization, while XPS was employed for corrosion product analysis and AFM for surface morphology studies. Introduction of calcium nitrite in both study media reduced the corrosion rate of steel reinforcement. The inhibitory effect of nitrite manifested through the improvement of protective properties of the corrosion product (oxide layer) film.
The Geographic Determinants of Poverty in Albania

To better understand the geographic determinants of poverty in Albania, this article proposes a methodology similar to that developed by Ravallion and Wodon (1999). Our methodology’s main contribution resides within how we utilize the entirety of a household’s joint distribution of demographic characteristics as opposed to averages when simulating regional poverty levels.
Survey of Goat Feed Sources and Supplements in Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia

A survey was conducted in three districts of the East Shoa Zone in Fentale, Lume and Adami Tulu Jido Kombolcha (ATJK) districts, with the objective of describing the types and sources of goat feed and supplements. The study was carried out on 180 purposely selected households using a pretested structured questionnaire. The results of the analysis showed the presence of signifi cant (P < 0.05) differences in the number of goats per household in Fentale (52.3), ATJK (20) and Lume (19.9) districts. Most respondents in Lume and ATJK districts reported communal/private natural pastures, crop stubble, crop residues, local browsing and fodder trees as the main sources of goat feeds. Communal grazing lands, browsing and fodder trees were found to be the dominant feed sources in Fentale district. The study also revealed a declining trend in the size and quality of natural grazing lands mainly due to crop expansion in Lume and ATJK districts and from drought and bush encroachment in Fentale district. The most common feed supplements were crop residues, legume trees, household waste, local brewery byproducts, green grass/hay, mineral soil and agro-industrial byproducts which were proportionately used in ATJK district at 25, 33.3, 8.3, 10, 20 and 3.3%, respectively. The corresponding fi gures for Lume district were 33.3, 30, 8.3, 3.3, 16.7 and 8.3%, respectively and for Fental district were 5, 58.3, 3.3, 10, 18.3 and 5%, respectively.
Structural and dynamical properties of galaxies in a hierarchical Universe: sizes and specific angular momenta

We study the size and the specific angular momentum of galaxies in a state-of-the-art semi-analytic model. Our model includes a specific treatment for the exchange of angular momentum between different galactic components. Disk scale radii are estimated from the angular momentum of the gaseous/stellar disk, while bulge sizes are estimated using energy conservation arguments. The predicted size-mass and angular momentum-mass relations are in good agreement with observational measurements in the local Universe, provided a treatment for gas dissipation during major mergers is included. Our treatment for disk instability leads to unrealistically small radii of bulges formed predominantly through disk instability, and predicts an offset between the size-mass relations predicted for central and satellite early-type galaxies, that is not observed in real samples. The model reproduces well the observed dependence on morphology, and predicts a strong correlation between the specific angular momentum of galaxies and their cold gas content. We find that this correlation is a natural consequence of galaxy evolution: gas-rich galaxies form in smaller halos, and form stars gradually until present day, while gas-poor ones reside in large halos, and form most of their stars at early epochs, when the angular momentum of their parent halos is low. The dynamical and structural properties of galaxies in the local Universe can be strongly affected by a different treatment for stellar feedback, as this would modify the star formation history of model galaxies. A higher angular momentum for gas accreted through rapid mode does not affect significantly the properties of massive galaxies today, but has a more important effect on low-mass galaxies and at higher redshift.
Indirect interaction in milk between proteolytic and isogenic non-proteolytic strains of Lactococcus lactis. I, Effect of pre-culturing by a non-proteolytic variant

The indirect interaction between proteolytic and lsogenic non-proteolytic strains of Lactococcus lactis was studied by performing sequential cultures in skim milk. After pre-culturing with a non-proteolytic strain for specifie periods of time, the milk was pasteurized, re-inoculated with a second strain and then re-incubated. This second strain was either the same non-proteolytic strain, or the parental proteolytic strain. ln the control milk, bath proteolytic parental and non-proteolytic strains grew exponentially at the same rate. Whereas the non-proteolytic variant stopped growing, its parental strain continued to grow exponentially, but at a lower growth rate than in the first exponential growth phase. When grown in milk pre-cultured by the non-proteolytic strain, the same strain exhibited a slower growth rate and a lower maximum population than when grown in control milk. While abundant growth of the pre-culture strain led to lower maximum populations of the second culture, the combined cell populations in the first and second cultures were constant. Furthermore, this sum was equal to the maximum population attained by the non-proteolytic strain in control milk. When grown in pre-cultured milk, the proteolytic strain exhibited biphasic exponential growth and attained the same maximum population as when cultured in control milk. While the growth rates during the 2 exponential phases were not affected, the shift from the first to the second growth rate occurred earlier in the pre-cultured than in the control milk, with the shift in growth rates occurring earlier in milk containing higher populations of pre-culture organisms. This apparent inhibitory effect of pre-culturing milk with a non-proteolytic variant was suppressed by adding sorne non-proteic nitrogen sources to the milk, thus indicating that the pre-cultured milk was depleted in non-proteic nitrogen sources. The result of this depletion was an indirect competition in milk between isogenic proteolytic and non-proteolytic strains for non-proteic nitrogen. This indirect competition was also observed using 11 other isogenic pairs of proteolytic and non-proteolytic strains belonging to the species L lactis.
A Comparative Returns Performance Review of Islamic Equity Funds with Socially Responsible Equity Funds and the Broader Market Indices

Islamic mutual funds and socially responsible mutual funds are two similar asset classes that incorporate negative screens in their portfolio selection process to filter out stocks that fail to meet certain ethical, social, environmental, and/or religious standards. This study uses a single-factor capital asset pricing model and an adjusted sample consisting of 224 Islamic funds and 573 socially responsible funds to examine their excess risk-adjusted returns, market volatility, and systematic risk. It also gauges the market-timing abilities of the fund managers concerned in relation to both Islamic/socially responsible and conventional market indices. While there are some differences in the risk factors of Islamic funds and socially responsible funds, both are associated with lower risks and have the same market-timing ability.
SUBSTRATES AND WATER AVAILABILITY ON THE EMERGENCE AND INITIAL GROWTH OF Alibertia sessilis Schum. SEEDLINGS

The cultivation of native species in the Cerrado has encountered various problems, for instance, the slow growth and the lack of knowledge about the cultivation practices. In order to better use the available water resources and to produce quality seedlings, this study aimed to evaluate different substrates and water levels on the emergence and initial growth of Alibertia sessilis Schum. seedlings. The effects of the following substrates were evaluated: dystroferric Red Latosol (Oxisol), Oxisol +sand (1:1 v/v), Oxisol + sand + semi-decomposed poultry litter (1:1:0.5 v/v), Oxisol + sand 2 + semi-decomposed poultry litter (1:2:0.5 v/v) and Oxisol + commercial-substrate-CS (1:1 v/v) associated with the levels of irrigation of 25, 50, 75 and 100% of the water holding capacity in the substrate (WHC). The best results for emergence percentage, initial growth and quality of seedlings were observed in the substrates Oxisol + sand 2 + poultry litter (1:2:0,5) at 100% of WHC. There was no emergence at 25% of WHC. Keywords: Rubiaceae, marmelinho, fruit of the Cerrado . Resumo Substratos e disponibilidade hidrica na emergencia e crescimento inicial de mudas de Alibertia sessilis Schum . O cultivo de especies nativas no Cerrado tem esbarrado em varios problemas, entre eles, o crescimento lento e a carencia de conhecimentos sobre as praticas culturais. A fim de melhor utilizar os recursos hidricos disponiveis e produzir mudas de qualidade, objetivou-se no presente trabalho avaliar diferentes substratos e niveis de agua na emergencia e no crescimento inicial das mudas Alibertia sessilis Schum. Foram avaliados os efeitos dos substratos Latossolo Vermelho distroferrico (LVd), LVd +areia (1:1 v/v), LVd + areia + cama de frango semidecomposta (1:1:0,5 v/v), LVd + areia 2 + cama de frango semidecomposta (1:2:0,5 v/v) e LVd + substrato comercial -SC (1:1 v/v) associados aos niveis de irrigacao de 25, 50, 75 e 100% da capacidade de retencao de agua no substrato (CRA). Os melhores resultados para porcentagem de emergencia, crescimento inicial e qualidade das mudas foram observados nos substratos LVd + areia 2 + cama de frango (1:2:0,5) a 100% da CRA. Nao houve emergencia a 25% da CRA. Palavras-chave: Rubiaceae, marmelinho, frutifera do Cerrado.
Assessing the Contribution of Distributed Leadership to School Improvement and Growth in Math Achievement

Although there has been sizable growth in the number of empirical studies of shared forms of leadership over the past decade, the bulk of this research has been descriptive. Relatively few published studies have investigated the impact of shared leadership on school improvement. This longitudinal study examines the effects of distributed leadership on school improvement and growth in student math achievement in 195 elementary schools in one state over a 4-year period. Using multilevel latent change analysis, the research found significant direct effects of distributed leadership on change in the schools’ academic capacity and indirect effects on student growth rates in math. The study supports a perspective on distributed leadership that aims at building the academic capacity of schools as a means of improving student learning outcomes.
A fully covariant mean-field dynamo closure for numerical 3+1 resistive GRMHD

The powerful high-energy phenomena typically encountered in astrophysics invariably involve physical engines, like neutron stars and black hole accretion disks, characterized by a combination of highly magnetized plasmas, strong gravitational fields, and relativistic motions. In recent years numerical schemes for General Relativistic MHD (GRMHD) have been developed to model the multidimensional dynamics of such systems, including the possibility of an evolving spacetime. Such schemes have been also extended beyond the ideal limit including the effects of resistivity, in an attempt to model dissipative physical processes acting on small scales (sub-grid effects) over the global dynamics. Along the same lines, the magnetic field could be amplified by the presence of turbulent dynamo processes, as often invoked to explain the high values of magnetization required in accretion disks and neutron stars. Here we present, for the first time, a further extension to include the possibility of a mean-field dynamo action within the framework of numerical 3 + 1 (resistive) GRMHD. A fully covariant dynamo closure is proposed, in analogy with the classical theory, assuming a simple α-effect in the comoving frame. Its implementation into a finite-difference scheme for GRMHD in dynamical spacetimes [the X-ECHO code: Bucciantini & Del Zanna (2011)] is described, and a set of numerical test is presented and compared with analytical solutions wherever possible.
Relative Importance Analysis of Factors Influencing Unauthorized Siting of Residential Buildings in the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis of Ghana

The act of unauthorized siting of buildings has persisted in most developing countries. Despite numerous efforts at local levels to address this problem, its existence and effects keep on rising in various metropolises in Ghana. This research explores the causes of unauthorized siting of buildings in Asakae, a suburb of the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis, and suggests measures to curb them. In view of this, a sample size of 182 house-owners was chosen for the study. Accordingly, the sample size was determined using Fisher et al. formula and questionnaire survey approach was adopted for the study. More so, data generated from the survey were further analyzed, using Relative Importance Index. The findings of the survey indicated that ignorance on planning and building regulations, inadequate housing schemes, unrealistic zonings and the location of land are critical variables which influence unauthorized siting of buildings. It is recommended that the populace should be given regular public education on land-use planning and the building regulations of Ghana. More so, the Assemblies should automate their systems, with respect to monitoring and detection of buildings under construction; so that buildings that were being located at unapproved places could be quickly detected, and appropriate measures could be taken before their completion.
How should we estimate diversity in the fossil record? Testing richness estimators using sampling‐standardised discovery curves

To infer genuine patterns of biodiversity change in the fossil record, we must be able to accurately estimate relative differences in numbers of taxa (richness) despite considerable variation in sampling between time intervals. Popular subsampling (=interpolation) methods aim to standardise diversity samples by rarefying the data to equal sample size or equal sample completeness (=coverage). Standardising by sample size is misleading because it compresses richness ratios, thereby flattening diversity curves. However, standardising by coverage reconstructs relative richness ratios with high accuracy. Asymptotic richness extrapolators are widely used in ecology, but rarely applied to fossil data. However, a recently developed parametric extrapolation method, TRiPS (True Richness estimation using Poisson Sampling), specifically aims to estimate the true richness of fossil assemblages. Here, we examine the suitability of a range of richness estimators (both interpolators and extrapolators) for fossil datasets, using simulations and a novel method for comparing the performance of richness estimators with empirical data. We constructed sampling‐standardised discovery curves (SSDCs) for two datasets, each spanning 150 years of palaeontological research: Mesozoic dinosaurs at global scale, and Mesozoic–early Cenozoic tetrapods from North America. These approaches reveal how each richness estimator responds to both simulated best‐case and empirical real‐world accumulation of fossil occurrences. We find that extrapolators can only truly standardise diversity data once sampling is sufficient for richness estimates to have asymptoted. Below this point, directly comparing extrapolated estimates derived from samples of different sizes may not accurately reconstruct relative richness ratios. When abundance distributions are not perfectly flat and sampling is moderate to good, but not perfect, TRiPS does not extrapolate, because it overestimates binomial sampling probabilities. Coverage‐based interpolators, by contrast, generally yield more stable subsampled diversity estimates, even in the face of dramatic increases in face‐value counts of species richness. Richness estimators that standardise by coverage are among the best currently available methods for reconstructing deep‐time biodiversity patterns. However, we recommend the use of sampling‐standardised discovery curves to understand how biased reporting of fossil occurrences may affect sampling‐standardised diversity estimates.
Study of microbial diversity in Mediterranean Sea water samples by the use of metagenomics technique

Microbes were the first organisms on Earth but the diversity of the microbial world is largely unknown, with less than one-half of 1% of the microbes have been estimated. The goal of this study was to examine the bacterial diversity in water samples by metagenomics technique which came out in recent years. Metagenomics is considered as a powerful method to study the bacterial diversity in environmental directly without culturing it. Four water samples of Mediterranean Sea were selected for comprehensive metagenomics exploration and nucleotide sequencing was performed on the microbes captured by sanger shut gun 16s rRNA gene and analysis for Phylogenetic approaches were also used to determine relationship between all types of bacterial sequence and provides unprecedented insight into bacterial diversity, which implausible to culture. The results show four new strains were pathogenic in nature. The results show four strains Streptococcus anginosus, Vibrio vulnificus, Staphylococcus aureus and Vibrio vulnificus were obtained in the study.