Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Dividend and Profit Allocation Practices of Performing Cooperatives in Malaysia

This paper explores the dividend payout and profit allocation practices of performing cooperatives in Malaysia, specifically how net profits were distributed as between dividends and various funds established for the benefit of members, after the necessary statutory deduction has been made. This paper is an exploratory study that is confined to performing co-operatives throughout Malaysia of different sizes and activities. Figures were derived from the 2008, 2007 and 2006 audited annual financial statements provided by the co-operatives themselves. Overall the study revealed that micro co-operatives are found to have paid the highest average dividend payouts, followed by the large co-operatives. Credit co-operatives which have a sizeable amount of shares and subscriptions are observed to have the lowest average dividend payout ratio. The highest dividend payout is given out by the construction and consumer co-operatives. Besides dividends, co-operatives normally allocate part of their annual net profit for the benefit of members in the form of specific funds for members’ social and related purposes. It was observed that in 2007, all co-operatives have increased their allocation towards members’ benefits except for co-operatives in the services sector. In conclusion, the credit, agriculture and industrial co-operatives are the top three functions with the highest level of contribution to members' benefit fund.Este articulo analiza el pago de dividendos y practicas de reparto de beneficios que siguen las cooperativas de Malasia, especificamente el sistema en los que los beneficios netos, despues de realizar las deducciones legales pertinentes, se distribuyen entre dividendos y los fondos creados para el beneficio de los miembros. Se ha realizado un estudio exploratorio que analiza las cooperativas de diferente tamano y actividad limitadas a Malasia. Los datos se derivan de las auditorias de los anos 2008, 2007 y 2006, que presentan las propias cooperativas. En general, el estudio demostro que las micro-cooperativas realizan, de media, los pagos de dividendos mas elevados, seguidos por las cooperativas de gran tamano. Se ha observado que las cooperativas de credito, que tienen una considerable cantidad de intereses y suscripciones, mantienen sin embargo media mas baja de reparto de intereses. El pago de dividendos mas elevado lo realizan las cooperativas de la construccion y el consumo. Ademas de los dividendos, las cooperativas normalmente destinan parte de sus beneficios netos a favorecer a sus miembros, mediante fondos especiales destinados a proyectos sociales de los miembros. Se ha observado que, en 2007, todas las cooperativas aumentaron el reparto destinado a los beneficios para los miembros, con la excepcion de las cooperativas en el sector servicios. Como conclusion, las cooperativas de credito, agricolas e industriales son los tres tipos de cooperativas con un mayor nivel de contribucion al fondo para beneficio de los miembros.
Hydrological controls on DOC : nitrate resource stoichiometry in a lowland, agricultural catchment, southern UK

Abstract. The role that hydrology plays in governing the interactions between dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and nitrogen in rivers draining lowland, agricultural landscapes is currently poorly understood. In light of the potential changes to the production and delivery of DOC and nitrate to rivers arising from climate change and land use management, there is a pressing need to improve our understanding of hydrological controls on DOC and nitrate dynamics in such catchments. We measured DOC and nitrate concentrations in river water of six reaches of the lowland river Hampshire Avon (Wiltshire, southern UK) in order to quantify the relationship between BFI (BFI) and DOC : nitrate molar ratios across contrasting geologies (Chalk, Greensand, and clay). We found a significant positive relationship between nitrate and BFI (p 5 throughout the year, whilst groundwater-dominated reaches underlain by Chalk, with a high BFI have DOC : nitrate ratios in surface waters that are an order of magnitude lower (
Validity of the Interest- and Deprivation-Type Epistemic Curiosity Model in Germany

Three studies were conducted to evaluate the validity of the interest (I) and deprivation (D) type epistemic curiosity (EC) distinction in three German samples. In Study 1 (N = 395) and Study 2 (N = 191), responses to German translations of the Epistemic Curiosity Scale and the Curiosity as a Feeling-of-Deprivation Scale were submitted to confirmatory factor analysis. The previously found 10-item 2-factor model (Litman, 2008; Litman, Crowson, & Kolinski, 2010) had the best fit compared to competing models. In Study 1, Study 2, and Study 3 (N = 249), the I- and D-type EC scales correlated positively with intellectual stimulation measures, providing evidence of convergent validity. I-type EC correlated with enjoying new discoveries and ideas, whereas D-type EC was associated with persistence and solving problems, providing evidence of discrimination.
Prevalence of Gastro-Intestinal Parasites of Dairy Cows in Thailand

Gastro-intestinal (GI) parasitic infections remain one of the major constraints to ruminant production in Thailand. Insidious productivity losses through reduced feed intake and decreased efficiency in feed utilization, associated with subclinical or chronic conditions of parasitic infections are often the cause of large economic losses. The objectives of this study were to: 1) assess the prevalence of GI parasitism in dairy cows in Thailand; 2) determine the species of existing GI parasites; and 3) compare GI parasitic rates of cows from different regions of Thailand. The study was conducted in four parts of Thailand. A total of 1,599 fecal samples were collected and subjected to ethyl-acetate centrifugation to identify the stages of any parasites. The overall prevalence of parasitic infection was 46.6 % (745/ 1599). Cows aged between 1 to 5 y had the highest infection rate (51.4 %). Cows older than 5 y and younger than 1 y had rates of 41.8 and 33.8 %, respectively. The highest percentage of infected cows by region was in the South (98.4 %). Cows in the North, Central, and Northeast were had infection rates of 66.4, 18.2 and 16.7 %, respectively. The herd infection rate of GI parasites in dairy farms in the South was the highest (14/14, 100 %) compared to the North (37/42, 88.1 %), Northeast (30/46, 65.2 %), and Central (28/60, 46.7 %). GI parasites were identified as Entamoeba, rumen fluke, coccidia, Strongyles, Fasciola, Moniezia, Trichuris, Strongyloides, and Giardia. The high incidence of parasitism of cows might have been due to the relative low influence of feeding behavior and a deworming program. In circumstances of very high infection, management and treatment is highly recommended.
Prime ideals in differential operator rings. Catenarity

Let R be a commutative algebra over the commutative ring k, and let A = {51.5, } be a finite set of commuting k-linear derivations from R to R. Let T=R[61I.6 'al'. ,5-,n] be the corresponding ring of differential operators. We define and study an isomorphism of left R-modules between T and its associated graded ring R[xl,. , , a polynomial ring over R. This isomorphism is used to study the prime ideals of T, with emphasis on the question of catenarity. We prove that T is catenary when R is a commutative noetherian universally catenary k-algebra and one of the following cases occurs: (A) k is a field of characteristic zero and A acts locally finitely; (B) k is a field of positive characteristic; (C) k is the ring of integers, R is affine over k, and A acts locally finitely.
Memory and the Experience of Hearing Music

We report five experiments in which listeners heard the beginnings of classical minuets (or similar dances). The phrase in either measures 1-2 or measures 3-4 was selected as a target, tested at the end of the excerpt. A "beep" indicated the test item, which was a continuation of the minuet as written. Test items were targets (repetitions of the selected phrase), similar lures (imitations of targets), or different lures , and occurred after delays of 4-5, 15, or 30 s. We estimated the proportion of correct discriminations of targets from similar lures and targets from different lures. In Experiment 1, discrimination of targets from similar lures (but not of targets from different lures) improved between 5 and 15 s. Experiment 2 extended this result to a delay of 30 s. Discrimination of targets from similar lures improved over time, especially for second-phrase targets. This improvement was due mainly to decreasing false alarms to similar lures. Experiments 3 and 4 replaced the continuous music with silence and with a repetitive "oom-pah-pah" pattern, and the improvement in discrimination of targets from similar lures disappeared. Experiment 5 removed listeners9 expectations of being tested, and the improvement also disappeared. Results are considered in the framework of current theories of memory, and their implications for the listener9s experience of hearing music are discussed.
Sensitive Detection of Noroviruses in Vietnam by Reverse Transcription Loop-mediated Isothermal Amplification

Noroviruses (NoVs) are recognized as one of the most important foodborne pathogens. Currently, standard methods for detection of NoVs are based on real-time RT-PCR, which is highly sensitive and specific but required expensive equipment. As an alternative to real-time RT-PCR, assays based on RT-LAMP have been developed by several research groups to detect Norovirus (NoV) GI and GII, the two genogroups responsible for a large majority of clinical cases of gastroenteritis. However, these assays may not be suitable for the detection of circulating strains of NoVs in Vietnam because of the continuous emergence of new strains with high sequence variability. Therefore, the aim of this study was to design LAMP primer sets for efficiently detecting NoVs in Vietnam. To achieve this objective, collected ORF1/ORF2 junction sequences of NoV GI and GII from Vietnam were aligned to identify consensus sequences and to design primer sets covering the maximum number of sequences of NoVs. Genogroup-specific RT-LAMP assays with new primer sets were then optimized by varying reaction temperature. The optimal amplification was obtained at 62 o C after 60 minutes of incubation. When using these optimized assays for detection of circulating NoV strains in Vietnam, they showed excellent sensitivities (10 copies/reaction) for the most prevalent genotypes/variants including GII.4 Minerva 2006b, GII.4 New Orleans 2009, GII.4 Sydney 2012 and GII.3. Due to their simplicity and sensitivity, the newly developed assays may offer an excellent alternative to real-time RT-PCR for the detection of NoVs in clinical and food samples in Vietnam.
The Institutional Logic in Assessment of Asylum Applications in Sweden

* E-mail: hanna.wikstrom@jur.uu. se; hanna.wikstrom@socwork.gu. se Abstract Analysing the Swedish Migration authorities’ assessment of asylum applications, the article examines how discretionary space is used concerning gender, culture and the possibility of protection in the country of origin. Gendered victims of both sexes are disregarded. Although the verdicts depend on applicants’ narratives, the scope of applicants’ narrative authority is very limited, and resistance is silenced in favour of authorities’ predominant views of culture. Country information is used to sustain one-dimensional views of culture and to exaggerate the possibility of protection in the country of origin, which denies gender-based claims for protection in the asylum country.
Correlations Regarding Microbial Contamination Level and Oxidative Spoilage in Frozen Beef, Pork, Poultry and Fish Meat

Studies concerning food safety and quality of meat have increased considerably over the past few years. Lipids oxidation represents one major cause of sensorial changes and quality loss of meat. Also, is responsible for reducing the shelf life, being influenced by the temperature and time of meat storage. Aim of this study was represented by the assessment of oxidation spoilage processes through determination of thiobarbituric acid (TBARS) correlated with the load and configuration of psychotropic microflora of beef, pork, poultry and fish meat. The research material submitted was represented by 27 samples collected from 3 different batches of beef, pork, and poultry and fish meat, purchased from the retail network of a hypermarket from Cluj County. The samples have been carried in isothermal bags at the Food inspection and control laboratory from FVM Cluj-Napoca, and they have been kept at freezing temperatures (-20Â°C). In order to assess in dynamic the oxidative spoilage processes, there have been carried out 3 analyses during the experiment: July 2014, December 2014 and May 2015. From the research of the give results regarding the oxidative processes it has been determined in the meat samples that the thiobarbituric acid (TBARS) represented in dynamics an ascendant evolution, the highest values being in poultry in the first day of the experiment 14. 4Â±0.4 and 19. 74Â±1.16 nmol/100 g malondialdehyde (MDA). The microbial load of meat samples presented a descendent evolution during the storage at -20ÂoC, from 4. 9Â±0.31 log cfu/g at the beginning of the experiment to 4. 1Â±0.26 log cfu/g in the last day.
Temporal and spatial variation in the diet of a marine top predator—links with commercial fisheries

The huge quantities of waste produced by commercial fisheries worldwide attract large numbers of scavengers. Reducing this wasteful practice is desirable, but may have implications for marine ecosystems as scavengers will face a major shortfall in food. Predicting the impact of reduced discarding requires information on the strength of the link between scavengers and fisheries. We analysed sagittal otoliths regurgitated by great skuas Stercorarius skua over 5 yr from 8 different colonies in Shetland, UK, and over 18 yr from 1 of these sites, in relation to spatial and temporal vari- ation in fisheries activity. The proportions of 2 demersal fish not normally available to skuas, haddock Melanogrammus aeglefinus and whiting Merlangius merlangus, are positively correlated with annual variation in discard estimates. The proportion of whiting at 8 colonies is positively correlated with spatial differences in fish biomass estimates, and blue whiting Micromesistus potassou are only eaten in colonies close to the continental shelf edge, where this species is fished. Non-breeding great skuas tend to eat smaller and significantly more variable discarded fish compared with breeders. Our results indicate that great skuas rely heavily on fishery discards and are also sensitive to spatial and temporal changes in fisheries activity. Differences between breeding status indicate that the non- breeding component of the population may respond differently to changing discard policy. The strength of the link between fisheries and scavengers appear to be species-specific, and testing the strength of these relationships should be an important avenue of future research to interpret the response of scavengers to changes in fisheries management.
Temporal coordination of articulatory gestures in consonant clusters and sequences of consonants

In the framework of Articulatory Phonology, linguistic structures are represented in terms of coordinated articulatory gestures that are organized into a gestural score. Syllable structure can be seen as residing in the phasing of the dynamical gestures. The present study investigates the temporal coordination and cohesion of some articulatory gestures as a function of their respective configuration. It looks at the effect of speaking rate and accent on the articulation of the /kl/ or /skl/ clusters and on the same sequence of consonants separated by a reduced vowel (/k♠l/). Articulatory-phonetic representations inspired by gestural scores were recovered independently for both the acoustic and EPG signals that were recorded for two native American English speakers. Constriction locations and degrees were inferred from the EPG data by dividing the palates into place-of-articulation regions and tabulating the percent of electrodes contacted within these regions. These measurements support a Gestural Phonology account of the difference in the production and cohesion of /kl/ and /skl/ vs. /k♠l/. In a parallel modeling study, temporal events were recovered from the acoustic signal using a temporal decomposition procedure. These events and their relative timing are compared to the EPG-based gestures and their arrangement in the gestural score.
Advances in restoration ecology: rising to the challenges of the coming decades

Simultaneous environmental changes challenge biodiversity persistence and human wellbeing. The science and practice of restoration ecology, in collaboration with other disciplines, can contribute to overcoming these challenges. This endeavor requires a solid conceptual foundation based in empirical research which confronts, tests and influences theoretical developments. We review conceptual developments in restoration ecology over the last 30 years. We frame our review in the context of changing restoration goals which reflect increased societal awareness of the scale of environmental degradation and the recognition that inter-disciplinary approaches are needed to tackle environmental problems. Restoration ecology now encompasses facilitative interactions and network dynamics, trophic cascades, and above- and below ground linkages. It operates in a non-equilibrium, alternative states framework, at the landscape scale, and in response to changing environmental, economic and social conditions. Progress has been marked by conceptual advances in the fields of trait-environment relationships, community assembly, and understanding the links between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. Conceptual and practical advances have been enhanced by applying evolving technologies, including treatments to increase seed germination and overcome recruitment bottlenecks, high throughput DNA sequencing to elucidate soil community structure and function, and advances in satellite technology and GPS tracking to monitor habitat use. The synthesis of these technologies with systematic reviews of context dependencies in restoration success, model based analyses and consideration of complex socio-ecological systems will allow generalizations to inform evidence based interventions. Ongoing challenges include setting realistic, socially acceptable goals for restoration under changing environmental conditions, and prioritizing actions in an increasingly space-competitive world. Ethical questions also surround the use of genetically modified material, translocations, taxon substitutions, and de-extinction, in restoration ecology. Addressing these issues, as the Ecological Society of America looks to its next century, will require current and future generations of researchers and practitioners, including economists, engineers, philosophers, landscape architects, social scientists and restoration ecologists, to work together with communities and governments to rise to the environmental challenges of the coming decades.
What Shall We Do About Grit? A Critical Review of What We Know and What We Don’t Know

Grit is a construct that is widely studied by educational researchers and that has generally been enthusiastically received by educational practitioners. This essay highlights that many of the core claims about grit have either been unexamined or are directly contradicted by the accumulated empirical evidence. Specifically, there appears to be no reason to accept the combination of perseverance and passion for long-term goals into a single grit construct, nor is there any support for the claim that grit is a particularly good predictor of success and performance in an educational setting or that grit is likely to be responsive to interventions. I describe avenues for future research on grit that may help to clarify if grit can contribute to our understanding of success and performance. These avenues include examinations of possible configural relationships between passion and perseverance, whether grit or grit facets represent necessary but not sufficient conditions for performance, interactions between ability and either grit or the facets of grit in the prediction of performance, possible polynomial relationships between grit or grit facets and performance, and improvements in the manner in which grit is assessed. Alternative predictors of performance that are more strongly related to success and performance and that may be more responsive to interventions are also discussed.
Age Related Changes in the Executive Function of Colombian Children

Las funciones ejecutivas (FE) son un proceso cognitivo superior para la autorregulacion y control del comportamiento. El objetivo del estudio fue describir las trayectorias de desarrollo de 163 ninos colombianos normotipicos de 4 y 6 anos de edad y resaltar las diferencias observadas segun variables sociodemograficas como edad, sexo, tipo de colegio y condicion socioeconomica. Para ello, se aplicaron pruebas psicologicas validadas para poblacion hispanohablante y que conforman las baterias de la Weschler y Luria inicial. Los analisis HJ-biplot realizados muestran que las FE se desarrollan en relacion con la edad y el grado escolar de los ninos, no obstante, tambien se observaron diferencias asociadas a las condiciones socioeconomicas y tipo de colegio al que asisten los ninos.
Plurality inferences are scalar implicatures: Evidence from acquisition

This paper provides novel experimental evidence for a scalar implicature approach to the plurality inferences that are associated with English plural morphology ( Emily fed giraffes -> Emily fed more than one giraffe ). Using a Truth Value Judgment Task, we show that both adults and 4–5-year-old children compute more plurality inferences in upward-entailing than downward-entailing environments, but children compute fewer plurality inferences overall than adults do. These findings are consistent with previous research demonstrating children’s relative insensitivity to scalar implicatures. We discuss the implications of these findings for theories of plurality inferences, and for the acquisition of scalar inferences more generally.
Stationary solutions of the generalized Smoluchowski-Poisson equation

The existence of steady states in the microcanonical case for a system describing the interaction of gravitationally attracting particles with a self-similar pressure term is proved. The system generalizes the Smoluchowski–Poisson equation. The presented theory covers the case of the model with diffusion that obeys the Fermi–Dirac statistic.