Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The influence of early intervention movement programs on motor skills development in preschoolers with autism spectrum disorder (case studies)

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the present study was to assess the motor skills performance of preschoolers with autism spectrum disorder after eight weeks of physical activity intervention.METHODS: Participants included 5 children, 4 male and 1 female, from 62 to 81 months old, who were attending the identical special kindergarten. Both the quantitative and qualitative aspects of the children's performance were examined. With regards to the quantitative examination, participants were measured using the Movement Assessment Battery for Children (Henderson & Sugden, 1992). Qualitative results were obtained through personal observation. Each motor skills intervention program continued for eight weeks, and children were tested in both pre and post intervention phases.RESULTS: Over the course of the intervention, four of the participants improved their motor skills, while one did not.CONCLUSIONS: This study concluded that even preschool children with autism can improve their motor and social skills if they are involved in a physical activity at least twice a week. The physical activity program could improve their motor and social skills which could help them in their future development.
Adjusting to skill shortages in Australian SMEs

Skill shortages are often portrayed as a major problem for advanced economies, yet there is surprisingly little empirical evidence about how firms adjust to skill shortages and their associated effects on firm performance. This article provides new evidence from the Business Longitudinal Database, an Australian data set with unusually rich information on the causes and consequences of skill shortages in small- and medium-sized enterprises. We document the range of alternative strategies that firms adopt when responding to skill shortages and show that certain types of adaptation are used in some cases and not in others, depending on the type of shortage encountered and other attributes of the firm. Further, we show that certain types of skill shortage are more likely to be long-lasting and difficult to resolve, while others are alleviated relatively quickly with minimal adjustment. Our findings yield lessons for the skill utilization strategies of firms and for the labour market policies of governments.
Voluntary disclosures and the stock price synchronicity - evidence from New Zealand

6 CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 7 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW 11 Section 2.1 Literature survey on voluntary disclosures 11 2.1. 1 Agency theory 11 2.1. 2 Information asymmetries and relevant theories 12 2.1. 3 Incentive of voluntary disclosures 13 2.1. 4 Capital Market effects of disclosures 15 Section 2.2 Literature survey on stock price synchronicity 16 2.2.1 Stock price synchronicity theory 17 2.2.2 R squared as stock price synchronicity measurement 18 2.2.3 Relationship between voluntary disclosures and stock price synchronicity 19 Section 2.3 Literature survey on idiosyncratic volatility 20 2.3.1 Criticism of R squared measurement 21 2.3.2 Idiosyncratic volatility and alternative measures 22 CHAPTER 3: HYPOTHESES DEVELOPMENT 25 Section 3.1 Characteristics of New Zealand institution and capital market 25 Section 3.2 Main and sub hypotheses 28 CHAPTER 4: DATA AND RESEARCH METHOD DESIGN 30 Section 4.1 Sample selection 30 Section 4.2 Empirical proxies and variable measurements 31 4.2.1Voluntary disclosure index 32 4.2.2 Stock return synchronicity 32 4.2.3 Idiosyncratic stock risk 34
Knowledge, Attitude, Practice and Barriers regarding cervical cancer and its screening using Pap smear, in rural women of Ba, Lautoka and Nadi, Fiji

Background : Fiji has a high rate of cervical cancer, which is the second most common cause of cancer deaths in women in the country. Less than 10% of women are screened for cervical cancer in Fiji.In this paper we report the result of a study on Knowledge, Attitude, Practice and Barriers (KAPB) to cervical cancer and its screening with Pap smears, conducted on 1505 rural women in Fiji. Objectives: To assess the knowledge, attitudes, practice and barriers to cervical cancer and it’s screening with Pap smears in rural women of Ba, Lautoka and Nadi, in Fiji. Methods : Structured questionnaires were administered to women presenting to a rural outreach Reproductive Health education and clinics, by trained health educators to ascertain their Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice and Barriers to cervical cancer and its screening with Pap smears. Results : Seventy two percent of rural women had no knowledge of cervical cancer and 80% had no knowledge of the risk factors of cervical cancer. Lack of knowledge was significantly different for age groups (p=0.006), education levels and employment status(p<0.001) and ethnicity (p=0.022). Those groups with lowest knowledge were teenagers (18 to 19 years); those with less education; and iTaukei respondents. Of the respondents who had at least some knowledge of the Pap smear, 75% had had a Pap test. Of those who had no knowledge of the Pap smear, only 45% had had the test (p<0.001). Of those who did not have a Pap smear the commonest barrier was lack of knowledge at 46.3% and fear of procedure was 29.4%. Conclusion : More education is required to acquaint women in rural Fiji about cervical cancer, its associated risk factors as well as the benefits of cervical cancer screening programs and other prevention strategies.
Temporal change of the song of a local population of the Grey Warbler (Gerygone igata): has its song changed over time?

Abstract The songs of bird species can vary from place to place and such variation may reflect ecological heterogeneity within the habitat. However, there is little understanding of how this process occurs over time within the same population. Here, change in song over time in a local population of the New Zealand Grey Warbler (Gerygone igata) was investigated. Spectral and temporal aspects of the song were compared in the same population at an interval of 7 years (2002 and 2009). There was a significant shift in the song syllables to a higher frequency but no difference in the temporal structure of the song. The frequency difference in song suggests that interspecific interactions may have led to song-frequency displacement, which in turn may be caused by the reintroduction of other native species to the study area.
Factors Influencing the Adoption of Paddy Straw Management Practices by Farmers of Karnataka (India)

Rice occupies a pivotal place in Indian agriculture and it contributes about 13 per cent of annual agriculture GDP and provides 43 per cent calorie requirement for more than 70 per cent of Indian population. This study was conducted in Thungabhadra area of Karnataka and it is also called as ‘Rice Bowl of Karnataka’, since it occupies nearly 65 per cent of total (3.63 lakh ha) area of paddy in Karnataka. In this area, paddy-paddy system is the predominant cropping system. Paddy crop residues include any biomass left in the field after grains and other economic components have been harvested. Crop residues are also a principal source of carbon, which constitutes about 40 per cent of the total biomass on dry weight basis. Crop residues were considered as precious commodity because it can be used as a feed for the fodder and mulching for various crops and must never be considered as waste. The paddy residues are typically burnt on-farm across different regions of this area. The problem is more severe in the head and mid region of this area, particularly in the mechanized harvesting in paddy-paddy cropping system. There are four methods of residue management practices, these are as removal of straw and burning of stubble, burning of straw and stubble, removal of straw and incorporation of stubble and incorporation of straw and stubble among, which removal of straw and burning of stubble (42.45 %) is the major one. The main reasons for burning of residues are low cost and labour scarcity. Total cost of cultivation of paddy per acre was found to be marginally lower burning of straw and stubbles method as compared (₹ 38411/acre) to incorporating straw and stubbles (₹ 41845/acre) method. Article History Received: 16 March 2018 Accepted: 11 August 2018
Heterogeneous Combinations of Knowledge Elements: How the Knowledge Base Structure Impacts Knowledge‑related Outcomes of a Firm*

Knowledge is the preeminent resource of a firm. Although many scholars have focused on the firm's knowledge base, few studies have examined the effects of the knowledge base structure—how knowledge elements are linked or separated from each other in clusters—on firm's knowledge-related outcomes. This study examines the knowledge base structure, and tests hypotheses about the effects of heterogeneous combinations of knowledge elements on the outcomes. Through an analysis of the patents related to LCD technology, (1) the usefulness of an organization's inventions correlates positively with the density of the knowledge links between technologically different knowledge components, (2) the average usefulness of a firm's inventions correlates positively with the density of the knowledge links between technologically disparate knowledge components, (3) the number of inventions correlates negatively with the density of the knowledge links between excessively disparate knowledge components.
The influence of carbon black on curing kinetics and thermal aging of acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber

Elastomers based on a copolymer of butadiene and acrylonitrile (NBR) have excellent oil resistance but are very sensitive for degradation at very high temperatures. The aim of this applicative contribution was to determine the effect of high abrasion furnace carbon black with primary particle size 46 nm on aging properties of elastomeric materials based on NBR as network precursor. The curing kinetics was determined using the rheometer with an oscillating disk, in which the network formation process is registered by the torque variation during time. The vulcanizates were obtained in a hydraulic press at 150°C. The mechanical properties of elastomeric composites were determined before and after thermal aging in an air circulating oven. The reinforcing effect of the filler particles was assessed according to mechanical properties before and after aging.
Time truncated acceptance sampling plans for generalized exponential distribution

Acceptance sampling plans for generalized exponential distribution when the lifetime experiment is truncated at a pre-determined time are provided in this article. The tables are provided for the minimum sample size required to ensure a certain median life of the experimental unit when the shape parameter is two. The operating characteristic function values of the sampling plans and the associated producer's risks are also presented. It is shown that the tables presented here can be used if instead of median life, other percentile life is chosen as the criterion or if the shape parameter is not two. Examples are provided for illustrative purposes.
NUTRIENT SALTS, INORGANIC AND ORGANIC CARBON CONTENTS IN THE WATERS OF THE PERSIAN GULF AND THE GULF OF OMAN

Sea water samples were collected from 32 stations in the southern part of the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman during winter of 1987. Surface water of the Persian Gulf exhibited wide range and higher values of salinity (37.15-43.95, mean 40.02%) compared with lower values and narrow range (36.58-36.95, mean 36.74%) in the Gulf of Oman. Surface salinity did not reflect any significant relationship with nutrients and organic and inorganic carbon except, silicate which showed an increase in concentration with decreasing values of salinity (r= -065, p<0.01) in the Persian Gulf waters. The Gulf of Oman exhibited higher levels of phosphate (0.08-1.65, mean 0.57 μ moles/L), nitrate (0.083.44, mean 0.78 μ moles/L) and silicate (2.49-22.47, mean 6.37 μ moles/L) than the surface water of the southern Persian Gulf, while inorganic carbon (7.5-22.6, mean 13.62 mg/L) and organic carbon (2.1-14.6, mean 6.37 mg/L) of the Gulf of Oman showed nearly comparable results with those of the Persian Gulf,respectively. Atomic ratio of the elements P:N:Si for the surface water showed similar values 1:2.2:11.1 and 1:2.7:11.8 for the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, respectively, indicating N is the limiting nutrient for this area. The presence of a shallow Oxygen minimum in the Gulf of Oman (0.23-1.30 m1/L) at depth 140-370 m and t values (25.51-26.60) coincide with the layer of maximum PO4 (1.06-2.23 μ moles/L), NO3 (3.3919.33 μ moles/L), SiO3 (12.54-29.51 μ moles/L) and PCO2 which could be resulted from mineralization of organic matter. Water mass of Gulf origin was identified at 190-300 m in the Gulf of Oman that exhibit higher density levels 26.05-26.74 and medium concentrations of organic carbon. The nutrients, inorganic and organic carbon budget in the Persian Gulf waters were evaluated as 42608, 20165, 227909, 3395×10 3 and 4943×10 3 Ton/year for phosphate, nitrate, silicate, organic and inorganic carbon, respectively, representing the net gain to the Persian Gulf water.
Age Related Gross Morphological Studies on Ovarian Follicles in Punjab White Quail

The present study was conducted on the ovaries of 24 Punjab white quails. The study revealed that ovary was grayish in color, ovoid in shape and granular in appearance containing numerous small follicles at 8 weeks, grayish yellow in color and became irregular at 16 weeks, large yellow follicles present and resembled bunch of grapes at 24 weeks and became irregularly lobulated at 30 weeks. Three types of ovarian follicles were observed and classified based on their diameter as small (2-4 mm), medium (4-6 mm) and large sized follicles (14-19 mm). The number of small follicles was maximum (32.33 ± 0.61) at 8 weeks of age and that of medium (8.66 ± 0.47) and large follicles (4.83 ± 0.28) at 24 weeks of age which is considered to be the most active reproductive period in these female birds.
International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning

This article describes and analyzes efforts to use collaborative asynchronous discussion forums in a three semester online education program for NGO leaders and managers in Slovakia. Slovakia, as a country with autocratic styles of teacher-centered education, presents strong barriers to the implementation of collaborative learning activities. The authors used Garrison’s four stage cognitive processing categories to analyze some of the online discussions in the program. The two higher order critical thinking categories – integration and solution – appeared in student discussions only when prompted by specific instructional techniques.
METAL-POOR LITHIUM-RICH GIANTS IN THE RADIAL VELOCITY EXPERIMENT SURVEY

We report the discovery of eight lithium-rich field giants found in a high-resolution spectroscopic sample of over 700 metal-poor stars ([Fe/H] < -0.5) selected from the Radial Velocity Experiment survey. The majority of the Li-rich giants in our sample are very metal-poor ([Fe/H] ≲ -1.9), and have a Li abundance (in the form of 7Li), A(Li) = log (n(Li)/n(H)) + 12, between 2.30 and 3.63, well above the typical upper red giant branch (RGB) limit, A(Li) < 0.5, while two stars, with A(Li) ∼ 1.7–1.8, show similar lithium abundances to normal giants at the same gravity. We further included two metal-poor, Li-rich globular cluster giants in our sample, namely the previously discovered M3-IV101 and newly discovered (in this work) M68-A96. This comprises the largest sample of metal-poor Li-rich giants to date. We performed a detailed abundance analysis of all stars, finding that the majority of our sample stars have elemental abundances similar to that of Li-normal halo giants. Although the evolutionary phase of each Li-rich giant cannot be definitively determined, the Li-rich phase is likely connected to extra mixing at the RGB bump or early asymptotic giant branch that triggers cool bottom processing in which the bottom of the outer convective envelope is connected to the H-burning shell in the star. The surface of a star becomes Li-enhanced as 7Be (which burns to 7Li) is transported to the stellar surface via the Cameron–Fowler mechanism. We discuss and discriminate among several models for the extra mixing that can cause Li production, given the detailed abundances of the Li-rich giants in our sample.
Mineral determination and radiological risk caused by geological formations from Iron Ore in Wadi Sawawin, Duba, Saudi Arabia

Fifteen iron ore samples collected from Wadi Sawawin, Duba, Saudi Arabia were analysed using X-ray diffraction in order to determine mineral composition. Atomic absorption analysis was used to determine concentrations of Al, Ca, Fe, K, Mg, Bi, Pb, Th and U. Natural radioactivity concentrations were determined using gamma-ray spectrometry based on a hyper pure germanium (HPGe) detector; concentrations ranged from 1.89±0.39 to 4.50±0.53 Bq kg-1, 1.21±0.16 to 3.60±0.56 Bq kg-1 and detection level to 10.33±1.32 Bq kg-1 for 226Ra, 232Th and 40K, respectively. In order to assess the potential radiological risks to human health, the absorbed dose rate, radium equivalent activity, annual absorbed dose and external hazards were determined and compared to limits recommended by UNSCEAR. Results were within recommended safe ranges, meaning that the area under study is radiologically safe for habitation and that local iron ores are radiologically safe to be used as construction materials. Key words: Atomic absorption spectrometer, natural radioactivity, radiological hazard, X-ray powder diffraction (XRD).
Assessing national policies to support software in Europe

Purpose – Software and software‐based services (SSBS) are a major domain of the European ICT industry and are recognised as a key element in developing the information society. This article aims to shed light on the various strategies, policies and activities pursued by the EU and its member states.Design/methodology/approach – The article is based on a survey of national programmes that are aimed specifically or in substantial part at the software sector. This analysis and assessment usually faces two challenges: unlike other technologies that have the same significance and/or the same attractiveness, the SSBS industry is a very dynamic one, due to several specific characteristics; and there are increasing inter‐dependencies between the European and national levels as well as between supply‐side and demand‐side policies, which require a more detailed analysis of the different national policies for the EU member states. Therefore a comparative analytical framework is used that takes account of the differe.
Vertical structure of bottom Ekman tidal flows: Observations, theory, and modeling from the northern Adriatic

[1] From September 2002 to May 2003, fifteen bottom-mounted, acoustic Doppler current profilers measured currents of the northern Adriatic basin. Tidal fluctuations at all seven of the major Adriatic frequencies were synthesized from a response tidal analysis of these measurements. Most observed tidal current ellipses were nearly reversing, but near the bottom, tidal current ellipses all shortened and broadened, semidiurnal currents led upper water column currents, and diurnal tidal current ellipse orientations rotated counterclockwise toward the bottom. Theoretical solutions for a tidally forced, bottom Ekman layer with vertical eddy viscosity of the form Az = βz + k were least squares fit to the observations. Average values were β = 3 · 10−4 m/s and k = 5 · 10−4 m2/s. The value of k was important in matching tidal orientation and phase changes, and a nonzero β was important in matching tidal amplitude changes. The Navy Coastal Ocean Model (NCOM) and the Quoddy model were also compared to the observations. The average RMS errors for the bottom Ekman layer were 0.22 cm/s for the best fit theory, 0.35 cm/s for NCOM, and 0.36 cm/s for Quoddy. Az structures from NCOM and Quoddy show that time variation in Az is relatively unimportant for Adriatic tides. The bottom shear stresses from theory were larger in magnitude than those from the bottom drag formulations in NCOM and Quoddy.
Extreme value statistics for two-dimensional convective penetration in a pre-Main Sequence star

We examine a penetration layer formed between a central radiative zone and a large convection zone in the deep interior of a young low-mass star. Using the Multidimensional Stellar Implicit Code (MUSIC) to simulate two-dimensional compressible stellar convection in a spherical geometry over long times, we produce statistics that characterize the extent and impact of convective penetration in this layer. We apply extreme value theory to the maximal extent of convective penetration at any time. We compare statistical results from simulations which treat non-local convection, throughout a large portion of the stellar radius, with simulations designed to treat local convection in a small region surrounding the penetration layer. For each of these situations, we compare simulations of different resolution, which have different velocity magnitudes. We also compare statistical results between simulations that radiate energy at a constant rate to those that allow energy to radiate from the stellar surface according to the local surface temperature. Based on the frequency and depth of penetrating convective structures, we observe two distinct layers that form between the convection zone and the stable radiative zone. We show that the probability density function of the maximal depth of convective penetration at any time corresponds closely in space with the radial position where internal waves are excited. We find that the maximal penetration depth can be modeled by a Weibull distribution with a small shape parameter. Using these results, and building on established scalings for diffusion enhanced by large-scale convective motions, we propose a new form for the diffusion coefficient that may be used for one-dimensional stellar evolution calculations in the large Peclet number regime. These results should contribute to the 321D link.
Mungbean seed yield IV. Effect of various physiological parameters during pre and post flowering periods

Twenty-five phenologically and physiologically different mungbean genotypes were involved in field experiments during kharif seasons of 2000 and 2001 to elucidate the relative efficacies of pnenological as well as physiological parameters during pre and post flowering periods on seed yield. Through estimations of correlations, further partitioning of the correlations into direct and indirect effects, regression, and per cent association of the traits during pre and post flowering periods with seed yield it was concluded that yield structure of mungbean was related differentially with physiological traits during pre and post flowering periods. During pre flowering period, leaf area duration and relative growth rates of leaf and total plant and days to flowering had major influence on yield. During post flowering period, dry matter allocation in pods and total plant, days to podding and leaf area duration had their definite roles in influencing the seed yield mungbean genotypes.
Export Diversification: What's behind the Hump?

Abstract The paper explores the evolution of export diversification patterns along the economic development path. Using a large database with 156 countries over 19 years at the HS6 level of disaggregation (4,991 product lines), we look for action at the intensive and extensive margins. We find a hump-shaped pattern of export diversification similar to what Imbs and Wacziarg (2003) found for production. Diversification and subsequent reconcentration take place mostly along the extensive margin. This hump-shaped pattern is consistent with the conjecture that countries travel across diversification cones, as discussed in Schott (2003, 2004) and Xiang (2007).