Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Role of Normative CSR‐Promoting Institutions in Stimulating CSR Disclosures in Developing Countries

This paper provides evidence that CSR forums and networks such as the UNGC local network, NGOs such as the WWF and CSR standards such as ISO14000 play a significant role in driving CSR disclosure, using data from publicly quoted companies in Pakistan. The role of CSR promoting institutions in enhancing capacity can provide a key explanation for the previously noted differences in disclosure patterns between developed and developing countries, on the one hand, and the improved disclosure in developing countries linked to the development of such institutions, on the other. Academically, this research demonstrates the vital importance of CSR promoting institutions, and the related normative isomorphism logics, for CSR disclosure in lower income countries, which have previously been assumed to largely lack such institutions. In practical terms, the significant relationship between CSR promoting institutions and CSR disclosure suggests that we need stronger policies to encourage the development of such institutions.
Factors influencing success rate of contractors in competitive bidding for construction works in South-East, Nigeria

The focal point of this study was to assess the perspectives of construction professionals on factors influencing tender prices of construction works and the contribution of the factors to the success rate of contractors. Using literature review and questionnaire survey, 15 factors were identified in respect to contractors' tender price and success rate in Nigeria. The findings of this study based on the results of statistical analyses (mean score and chi-square) reveal that all the construction professionals (architects, builders, engineers and quantity surveyors) are of the opinion that material availability, labour productivity and level of profit are the most significant factors that highly influence tender price of construction works and consequently affect the success rate of contractors in competitive bidding. Project definition and construction plan have least influence on contractors' tender price. Also, it was found that government policy does not have significant effect on contractors' success rate in competitive bidding in Nigeria. It is hoped that the information presented in this paper will be of interest to all parties concerned, including Nigerian construction companies and foreign companies planning to enter the Nigerian construction market. In addition, while the research focused on a particular country, Nigeria, the study can be replicated in other countries particularly developing countries and the results can be compared.
Venture Capitalists’ Evaluations of Start–Up Teams: Trade–Offs, Knock–Out Criteria, and the Impact of VC Experience

The start–up team plays a key role in venture capitalists’ evaluations of venture proposals. Our findings go beyond existing research, first by providing a detailed exploration of VCs’ team evaluation criteria, and second by investigating the moderator variable of VC experience. Our results reveal utility trade–offs between team characteristics and thus provide answers to questions such as “What strength does it take to compensate for a weakness in characteristic A? ” Moreover, our analysis reveals that novice VCs tend to focus on the qualifications of individual team members, while experienced VCs focus more on team cohesion. Data were obtained in a conjoint experiment with 51 professionals in VC firms and analyzed using discrete choice econometric models.
Much Ado About Aha!: Insight Problem Solving Is Strongly Related to Working Memory Capacity and Reasoning Ability

A battery comprising 4 fluid reasoning tests as well as 13 working memory (WM) tasks that involved storage, recall, updating, binding, and executive control, was applied to 318 adults in order to evaluate the true relationship of reasoning ability and WM capacity (WMC) to insight problem solving, measured using 40 verbal, spatial, math, matchstick, and remote associates problems (insight problems). WMC predicted 51.8% of variance in insight problem solving and virtually explained its almost isomorphic link to reasoning ability (84.6% of shared variance). The strong link between WMC and insight pertained generally to most WM tasks and insight problems, was identical for problems solved with and without reported insight, was linear throughout the ability levels, and was not mediated by age, motivation, anxiety, psychoticism, and openness to experience. In contrast to popular views on the sudden and holistic nature of insight, the solving of insight problems results primarily from typical operations carried out by the basic WM mechanisms that are responsible for the maintenance, retrieval, transformation, and control of information in the broad range of intellectual tasks (including fluid reasoning). Little above and beyond WM is unique about insight.
Comparison of commercial diagnostic tests for identification of serogroup antigens of Neisseria meningitidis

In the study that is described the sensitivities and specificities of three commercial tests and the standard Reference Laboratory test, used since 1961, to identify Neisseria meningitidis serogroups were compared. The tests marketed by Difco, Murex/Wellcome, and Sanofi/Pasteur showed overall sensitivities of 92, 95, and 100%, respectively, and specificities of 67, 88, and 82%, respectively. When limited to the common serogroups A, B, and C, the three tests yielded sensitivities of 93, 97, and 100%, respectively, and specificities of 98, 100, and 98%, respectively. However, determination of the uncommon serogroups X, W-135, Y, Z, and 29E with these tests is either unreliable or not possible.
Transmission of Human Papillomaviruses from Mother to Child

Summary: Exfoliated cervical epithelial cells from women 6 weeks postpartum were analyzed for human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA using the polymerase chain reaction, and results were compared with those from buccal mucosal smears from their babies. Eleven mothers had genital genotypes of HPV in their cervical smears, and the children of 8 of these had HPV of the same genotype in buccal mucosal cell samples. Nineteen mothers had no HPV DNA detected in their cervical smears, and 1 of the buccal mucosal cell samples from their children was positive for HPV DNA (p< 0.0001). Contamination of a child's mouth with ‘genital’ HPV from a mother's cervix appears to occur commonly at birth or in the perinatal period, and to persist for at least 6 weeks. This observation has implications for the epidemiology and management of HPV associated cancer and precancerous conditions in the cervix and the mouth.
Diversity, adaptation, and endemism in neotropical Ericaceae: biogeographical patterns in the Vaccinieae

In the Neotropics, the Ericaceae are an Andean-centered family, adapted to moist, open, cool montane environments. Overall species richness increases nearer the Equator, with the highest species numbers concentrated in Colombia and Ecuador between 1000 m and 3000 m. There are 46 genera (70% endemic) and about 800 species (ca. 94% endemic) of Ericaceae native to the Neotropics. Five biogeographical regions are recognized for the neotropical Ericaceae, with the greatest species diversity found in the Andes of northwestern South America. Following Pliocene/Pleistocene mountain-building and climatic events, neotropical Ericaceae underwent dynamic speciation and extensive adaptive radiation due to their ecological and life-form plasticity, colonization abilities, adaptation to epiphytic habits, and coevolution with hummingbirds. Given high diversity and singularity within neotropical Ericaceae, along with high levels of habitat alteration, protection of Andean montane ecosystems should become a priority for the conservation of Ericaceae in the Neotropics.ResumenLa familia de las Ericáceas en el Neotrópico se concentra en los Andes, adaptada a los ambientes montanosos humedos, de vegetación abierta y fríos. La riqueza total de especies se incrementa a medida que se acerca a la línea ecuatorial, encontrándose el mayor número de especies en Colombia y Ecuador entre 1000 y 3000 msnm. Existen 46 géneros (70% endémicos) y aproximadamente 800 especies (ca. 94% endémicas) de Ericáceas nativas en el Neotrópico. Se reconocen cinco regiones biogeográficas para las Ericáceas neotropicales, siendo los Andes del noroeste de Sur América el lugar de mayor diversidad de especies. Después del levantamiento de las cordilleras y de los eventos climáticos del Plioceno y Pleistoceno, las Ericáceas neotropicales sufrieron una dinámica de especiación y una radiación adaptativa debido a la plasticidad ecológica y de formas de vida, a la capacidad de colonización, de adaptación al epifitismo y a la coevolución con colibríes. Dada la alta diversidad y la singularidad de las Ericáceas neotropicales, así como también los altos niveles de alteración de su hábitat, la protección de los ecosistemas alto-andinos debería ser prioridad en los esfuerzos de conservación en el Neotrópico.
Antecedents and Consequences of Export Intermediaries’ Customer Orientation: Conceptualization and Propositional Development

Export Intermediaries involve transactions with exporters and importers, both of which are these intermediaries’ customers. Therefore, dyadic perspectives implicit in conventional theories of customer orientation should be revised to apply to a triadic relationship framework in indirect export contexts. The present manuscript proposes that an export intermediary’s customer orientation consists of summated customer orientation (customer orientation toward both the exporter and importer sides) and asymmetrical customer orientation (customer orientation in favor of the exporter relative to the importer side), and examines the antecedents and outcomes of these orientations. It is posited that importer- (exporter-) side concentration increases summated customer orientation and asymmetrical customer orientation toward exporters (importers). It is also posited that these positive effects are weaker when importers and exporters interact directly versus indirectly and are stronger when the offering prices vary versus remaining stable during negotiations. Finally, it is posited that summated customer orientation increases export intermediaries’ performance by itself and in conjunction with customer concentration, but asymmetrical orientation enhances their performance only interaction with customer concentration.
The response of gene expression associated with lipid metabolism, fat deposition and fatty acid profile in the longissimus dorsi muscle of Gannan yaks to different energy levels of diets

The energy available from the diet, which affects fat deposition in vivo, is a major factor in the expression of genes regulating fat deposition in the longissimus dorsi muscle. Providing high-energy diets to yaks might increase intramuscular fat deposition and fatty acid concentrations under a traditional grazing system in cold seasons. A total of fifteen adult castrated male yaks with an initial body weight 274.3 ± 3.14 kg were analyzed for intramuscular adipose deposition and fatty acid composition. The animals were divided into three groups and fed low-energy (LE: 5.5 MJ/kg), medium-energy (ME: 6.2 MJ/kg) and high-energy (HE: 6.9 MJ/kg) diets, respectively. All animals were fed ad libitum twice daily at 08:00–09:00 am and 17:00–18:00 pm and with free access to water for 74 days, including a 14-d period to adapt to the diets and the environment. Intramuscular fat (IMF) content, fatty acid profile and mRNA levels of genes involved in fatty acid synthesis were determined. The energy levels of the diets significantly (P<0.05) affected the content of IMF, total SFA, total MUFA and total PUFA. C16:0, C18:0 and C18:1n9c account for a large proportion of total fatty acids. Relative expression of acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACACA), fatty acid synthase (FASN), stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD), sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) and fatty acid-binding protein 4 (FABP4) was greater in HE than in LE yaks (P<0.05). Moreover, ME yaks had higher (P<0.05) mRNA expression levels of PPARγ, ACACA, FASN, SCD and FABP4 than did the LE yaks. The results demonstrate that the higher energy level of the diets increased IMF deposition and fatty acid content as well as increased intramuscular lipogenic gene expression during the experimental period.
The Australian Twittersphere in 2016: Mapping the Follower/Followee Network

Twitter is now a key platform for public communication between a diverse range of participants, but the overall shape of the communication network it provides remains largely unknown. This article provides a detailed overview of the network structure of the Australian Twittersphere and identifies the thematic drivers of the key clusters within the network. We identify some 3.72 million Australian Twitter accounts and map the follower/followee connections between the 255,000 most connected accounts; we utilize community detection algorithms to identify the major clusters within this network and examine their account populations to identify their constitutive themes; we examine account creation dates and reconstruct a timeline for the Twitter adoption process among different communities; and we examine lifetime and recent tweeting patterns to determine the historically and currently most active clusters in the network. In combination, this offers the first rigorous and comprehensive study of the network structure of an entire national Twittersphere.
Electronic Authentication Guideline

This recommendation provides technical guidelines for Federal agencies implementing electronic authentication and is not intended to constrain the development or use of standards outside of this purpose. The recommendation covers remote authentication of users (such as employees, contractors, or private individuals) interacting with government IT systems over open networks. It defines technical requirements for each of four levels of assurance in the areas of identity proofing, registration, tokens, management processes, authentication protocols and related assertions. This publication supersedes NIST SP 800-63-1.
Information System Capabilities and Organizational Performance: Comparing Three Models

How information system capabilities affect firm performance is an important issue. However, different research approaches often result in inconsistent results. This study compares three conceptual (knowledge-based view, resource-based view, and contingency-based view) and two modeling approaches (antecedents versus moderators) that can be used to assess the strategic value of information systems. The goal is to examine different ways to model various organizational factors. We also provide three different views to buttress arguments about the need for different types of moderator analyses. The advantage of such an approach is that managers and researchers can better differentiate potential influential factors into antecedents and moderators, and understand their different roles in KM implementation. This study uses data collected from 274 organizations to compare different prevailing views in KM research. The result indicates that the contingency approach can provide more insight into the role of different contextual variables. Some variables, such as the business process complexity and market orientation, found insignificant in the contingency-based model are found to be significant antecedents for improving managerial performance. Some variables that are found insignificant in the resource-based model are found to be significant moderators. For example, business process complexity and information technology (IT) support are not significant, as enablers proved to moderate the relationship between KMC and financial performance as homologizer and suppressor, respectively. The relationship between KM capabilities and financial performance is also moderated by leadership style and IT readiness of an organization. The results of this analysis show that the contingency model, with moderating effect, is more comprehensive and meaningful for future research.
Benefits, Shortcomings, and Costs of EEG Monitoring

A 5-year experience with 562 carotid endarterectomies, using electroencephalogram (EEG) monitoring and selective shunting, was reviewed. EEG changes occurred in 102 patients (18%). The frequency of EEG changes, as related to cerebral vascular symptoms, was as follows: transient ischemic attacks, seven per cent (19/259); completed strokes, 37% (36/98); vertebral basilar insufficiency, 24% (32/135); asymptomatic, 21% (15/71). Patients with contralateral carotid occlusion exhibited EEG changes in 37% (28/76) of operations. Fifteen patients suffered perioperative strokes (2.6%). Nine of the 15 were associated with a technical problem of either thrombosis of the internal carotid artery (five) or emboli (four). Technical problems were more common when shunts were used (five per cent) than when they were not (0.9%). Patients who suffered strokes prior to surgery were more at risk to develop a perioperative stroke (three per cent) than those not suffering prior strokes (0.3%). The EEG did not change in three patients who had lacunar infarcts prior to surgery and who awoke with a worsened deficit. Our series does not clearly establish the advantages of EEG monitoring, which is expensive (+375/patient) and may not detect ischemia in all areas of the brain. However, the use of shunts may introduce a risk of stroke due to technical error that is equal or greater than the risk of stroke due to hemodynamic ischemia. Since the need for protection is unpredictable by angiographic or clinical criteria, the benefit of EEG monitoring may be in reducing the incidence of shunting in those patients whose tracing remains normal after clamping. The decision to shunt, however, when there is electrical dysfunction after carotid clamping should be based not only on the EEG but also on the clinical signs and computed tomography (CT) scan. Our data does not show a net benefit in selective shunting unless the patient has sustained a stroke prior to surgery.
Capital structure determinants for family business in MENA region

The aim of this thesis is to explore the determinants of capital structure of listed firms in the Middle East and North Africa. There is a large strand of literature that explains capital structure decisions in firms with the main theories explaining financing choices being: Pecking Order theory, Trade-off theory, Agency theory. The main contribution of the thesis is to explore whether family ownership concentration influences the capital structure. Family Owned businesses constitute around 22% of all business in the MENA region and the effect of such ownership structure on financing decisions has not been explored. The thesis relies on hand collected cross sectional data for 2015 a sample of firms from the region where family ownership ranges from 10% to 90%. The main methodology involves estimating a model, similar to previous papers’, where leverage is the dependent variable and family ownership, profitability, growth, size, tangibility, non-debt tax shield, and other institutional and macroeconomic factors are independent variables. The main result of the thesis are that family ownership concentration has no effect on the capital structure decisions showing that financing decisions do not vary between family and non-family owned business. The Pecking Order Theory seems to explain the managers’ behaviour of these firms from 11 MENA countries with five GCC economies, with negative influence of profitability and liquidity on leverage. Wedad Mohamed Thesis Dr. Aliaa Bassiouny Page 3 of 61 Table of
A Survey of Multicasting over Wireless Access Networks

In this paper a survey of the research effort invested in the analysis of multicasting over wireless access networks from the late nineties onwards is presented. The analysis is dedicated although not limited to video multicasting both of live events and pre-stored video streaming. This investigation was not limited to a particular access network but focused on infrastructure topologies, including ad-hoc networks only when the latter was used to aid the former, which is a method frequently used in cooperative networking. We were interested in proposals aiming to decrease the packet error rate, in order to overcome the bursty error-prone wireless medium, since multicasting cannot simply receive feedback from the users as these will reply simultaneously causing a collision at the source. Hence, in this survey a review is presented showing how researchers proposed to solve this constraint using both modified unicast data transmission and also error correction techniques at various levels of the network protocol stack. However, a survey of multicasting over IEEE 802.16 and 3G radio access networks shows that reliability and resilience was not the only interest in which researchers have shown. There was in fact significant work dedicated to resource allocation as shall also be presented hereafter.
Aspects of Optimal Capital Structure and Default Risk

In this thesis, we have dealt with two modeling approaches of the credit risk, namely the structural (firm value) and the reduced form. In the former one, the firm value is modeled by a stochastic process and the first hitting time of this stochastic process to a given boundary defines the default time of the firm. In the existing literature, the stochastic process, triggering the firm value, has been generally chosen as a diffusion process. Therefore, on one hand it is possible to obtain closed form solutions for the pricing problems of credit derivatives and on the other hand the optimal capital structure of a firm can be analysed by obtaining closed form solutions of firm's corporate securities such as; equity value, debt value and total firm value, see Leland(1994). We have extended this approach by modeling the firm value as a jump-diffusion process. The choice of the jump-diffusion process was a crucial step to obtain closed form solutions for corporate securities. As a result, we have chosen a jump-diffusion process with double exponentially distributed jump heights, which enabled us to analyse the effects of jump on the optimal capital structure of a firm. In the second part of the thesis, by following the reduced form models, we have assumed that the default is triggered by the first jump of a Cox process. Further, by following Schonbucher(2005), we have modeled the forward default intensity of a firm as a geometric Brownian motion and derived pricing formulas for credit default swap options in a more general setup than the ones in Schonbucher(2005).
The Effects of Sport Organizations’ Communication of Corporate Social Responsibility on Consumers

The traditional values of sport are undermined by the increasing commercialization and unethical behavior of sport organizations across different contexts (here: professional sport teams, sport-governing bodies and sporting goods retailers). The findings of this thesis provide evidence that corporate social responsibility (CSR) represents a promising instrument for organizations in order to position themselves as socially responsible and to generate more favorable responses among consumers. Moreover, CSR can be used to counter negative effects of sport organizations’ unethical behaviors and to reduce negative effects on the organizations themselves as well as on their stakeholders. These results are particularly relevant for sport organizations across different situational peculiarities who aim to implement CSR communication strategies in the future.