Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Impact of Board Size and Firm's Characteristics on the Profitability of Listed Companies in Nigeria

The impact of board size on the profitability of firm was empirically examined in this study for the listed companies in Nigeria for a period of ten years ranginging from 2004 to 2013. Specifically, the study investigated the impact of board size, firm size and firm age on return on capital employed of the selected companies. The study relied on the secondary data extracted from the audited financial statement of a sample of 70 companies purposefully selected from the 198 listed companies in Nigeria. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were carried out. The results revealed that a significant positive relationship exists between the board size, firm size and return on capital employed. It was therefore recommended that listed companies should adopt the use of large board (12 members) to improve the profitability. It is also needful for the listed companies to increase the capital based as this was found to have positive impact on the profitability of listed companies in Nigeria while the policy makers are encouraged to provide adequate guidelines on the selection of board members. Keywords : Return on Capital Employed, Board Size, Firm Size, Firm Age, Profitability
Institutions and Development in MENA Region: Evidence from the Manufacturing Sector

This paper examines the role of institutions (including civil law origin), financial deepening and degree of regime authority on growth rates in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region using panel data through a fixed effect model. The results reveal that English civil law origin and the establishment of the rule of law work with the development of financial institutions to increase economic growth in these economies; however, the democratization of the political institutions and foreign direct investment do not assist financial development in promoting economic growth. The findings emphasize the prominence of overcoming institutional weaknesses and establishing transparent public policy governing businesses as a pre-requisite for successful universal integration in developing countries.
Influence of water depth and seedling rate on the performance of late season lowland rice (Oryza sativa L) in a Southern Guinea Savanna ecology of Nigeria

A three year field experiment was conducted between 2010 and 2012 at the irrigated lowland experimental field of National Cereals Research Institute in Edozhigi (9°04N, 6°7E) of the Southern Guinea savannah ecological zone of Nigeria, to determine the effect of different water depths and seedling rates on yield and yield components of lowland rice. The trial was laid out in a split plot and arranged in a randomized complete block design by six regimes of water depths (5 cm, 10 cm, 15 cm, 20 cm, saturated soil and continuous flow of water at 2 cm depth) was accommodated in the main plot while the seedling rate of 2, 4 and 6 per stand constituted the sub-plots. The results indicated that both grain yield and yield components of rice were enhanced while the water level increased to 20 cm, although both tiller and height were negatively affected by higher water level at the early stage of growth but it was later compensated at later stage. Water depth of 15 - 20 cm revealed higher grain yield of 5051.8, 4700.4 and 4066.0 kg ha-1 which was 84.4%, 85.2% and 84.7% higher than yields obtained from saturated plot in 2010, 2011 and 2012 respectively. Rice yield and yield components were significantly affected by different seedling rates and six seedlings per stand gave grain yield that is 13.1%, 27.8% and 14.4% higher than 2 seedling rate in 2010, 2011 and 2012, respectively. It is therefore concluded that maintaining water depth between 15 to 20 cm and seedling rate of 4 to 6 enhanced yield and yield components of lowland rice
Forage mass and the nutritive value of pastures mixed with forage peanut and red clover

The objective of this research was to estimate three pasture-based systems mixed with elephantgrass + spontaneous growth species, annual ryegrass, for pasture-based system 1; elephantgrass + spontaneous growth species + forage peanut, for pasture-based system 2; and elephantgrass + spontaneous growth species + annual ryegrass + red clover, for pasture-based system 3. Elephantgrass was planted in rows 4 m apart from each other. During the cool-season, annual ryegrass was sown in the alleys between the rows of elephantgrass; forage peanut and red clover were sown in the alleys between the elephantgrass according to the respective treatment. The experimental design was totally randomized in the three treatments (pasture-based systems), two replicates (paddocks) in completely split-plot time (grazing cycles). Holstein cows receiving 5.5 kg-daily complementary concentrate feed were used in the evaluation. Pre-grazing forage mass, botanical composition and stocking rate were evaluated. Samples of simulated grazing were collected to analyze organic matter (OM), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), crude protein (CP) and organic matter in situ digestibility (OMISD). Nine grazing cycles were performed during the experimental period (341 days). The average dry matter values for pre-grazing and stocking rate were 3.34; 3.46; 3.79 t/ha, and 3.28; 3.34; 3.60 AU/ha for each respective pasture-based system. Similar results were observed between the pasture-based systems for OM, NDF, CP and OMISD. Considering forage mass, stocking rate and nutritive value, the pasture-based system intercropped with forage legumes presented better performance.
Reply of mulch systems on weeds and yield components in potatoes.

Surface mulch is an important factor of soil protection technology in the cultivation of potatoes. Presented herein are the results of three years (2009–2011) of field trials at two sites (Leskovice and Uhřiněves), where two cultivars (Finka and Katka) were grown. Three mulching treatments (grass mulch after planting, grass mulch before germination and black polypropylene mulch textile) were used in the study. The weight of marketable tubers (tuber over 40 mm) and tuber size distribution were influenced significantly by mulching. The application of grass mulch on surface of the row ensured a 20.5–24.8% increase of weight of marketable tubers and higher occurrence of tubers over 56 mm (resp. tubers 56–60 mm and over 60 mm). There was no consistent effect of grass mulch on the aboveground biomass of weeds. Higher occurrences of larvae of Colorado potato beetle was found on the plots with black polypropylene textile in warmer site Uhřiněves.
The Determinants of Dividend Payout: Evidence from the Malaysian Property Market

The paper aims to investigate the determinants of dividend payout among the Malaysian property companies. The sample size consists of 30 property listed companies on Bursa Malaysia. The data are generally obtained from the company’s annual report for the period of 2012 to 2016. The study employs multiple regression analysis to examine the influence of firms specific and macroeconomic variables on dividend payout. Result of the test shows that the dividend payout has a significant negative relationship with ownership structure and positive relationship on return on equity, quick ratio and GDP. The study instigates to enrich the literature on dividend determinants especially in the context of Malaysia.
A study of L-dependent Pc3 pulsations observed by low Earth orbiting CHAMP satellite

Abstract. Field line resonances (FLR) driven by compressional waves are an important mechanism for the generation of ULF geomagnetic pulsations observed at all latitudes during local daytime. References to observations of toroidal standing Alfven mode oscillations with clearly L-dependent frequencies from spacecraft in the outer magnetosphere for L >3 are limited in the literature. Such observations in the inner magnetosphere for L L L =1.6 and then decreasing as a result of the larger plasma density of the upper ionosphere. The L-dependent frequency oscillations were observed in the presence of a broadband compressional wave spectrum. Our observations thus confirm the well-known magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) wave theoretical prediction of a compressional wave being the driver of the field line resonance.
Scots pine transfer effect models for growth and survival in Sweden and Finland

In this study, we developed models of transfer effects for growth and survival of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) in Sweden and Finland using a general linear mixed-model approach. For model development, we used 378 provenance and progeny trials with a total of 276 unimproved genetic entries (provenances and stand seed check-lots) distributed over a wide variety of climatic conditions in both countries. In addition, we used 119 progeny trials with 3921 selected genetic entries (open- and control pollinated plus-tree families) for testing model performance. As explanatory variables, both climatic indices derived from high-resolution gridded climate datasets and geographical variables were used. For transfer, latitude (photoperiod) and, for describing the site, temperature sum were found to be main drivers for both survival and growth. In addition, interaction terms (between transfer in latitude and site altitude for survival, and transfer in latitude and temperature sum for growth) entail changed reaction patterns of the models depending on climatic conditions of the growing site. The new models behave in a way that corresponds well to previous studies and recommendations for both countries. The model performance was tested using selected plus-trees from open and control pollinated progeny tests. Results imply that the models are valid for both countries and perform well also for genetically improved material. These models are the first step in developing common deployment recommendations for genetically improved forest regeneration material in both Sweden and Finland.
NANNOCHLOROPSIS OCULATA GROWTH IN PRODUCED WATER: AN ALTERNATIVE FOR MASSIVE MICROALGAE BIOMASS PRODUCTION

Produced water (PW), extracted as a petroleum byproduct, presents high contents of impurities and, therefore, must be treated before being released into the environment. This clean-up process increases oil production costs. Microalgae are photosynthetic microorganisms that can produce biofuels and treat effluents. This work tested the viability of growing marine microalgae species in culture medium with PW. In the first experiment, the marine microalgae Nannochloropsis oculata was inoculated in culture media containing different concentrations (0, 50, and 100%) of PW. In the second experiment, the N. oculata adapted to grow in PW was re-inoculated into media with different proportions of this effluent (0, 50, and 100%) to evaluate a possible adaptation. N. oculata presented significant growth in diluted and pure PW. However, pre-adaptation did not result in higher biomass production. These results indicate that N. oculata can grow in this effluent and generate bio-products.
Rhetorical Strategies in Advertising: The Rise and Fall Pattern

Throughout the decades, there have been changes in persuasive strategies used by advertisers. A study was carried out on 500 advertising slogans dating from the late 19th century till the early 21st century, spanning a period of over a hundred years. The slogans were selected from 13 multinational and established companies and arranged according to the year they were created. The companies selected were ones that existed from the late 1800s and which still exist today. A cross-section of the slogans were analysed qualitatively for the presence of rhetorical figures and various persuasive strategies in a pilot study. The trend of the use of rhetorical figures and communicative and stylistic strategies used throughout this period was also calculated using quantitative analysis. The findings reveal a rise and fall pattern throughout the decades of both rhetorical figures and communicative and stylistic strategies used in advertising slogans. The pattern is also present in the layering of the rhetorical figures throughout the decades. Therefore the study has discovered the presence of a cyclical continuum that involves the selection of certain rhetorical figures and persuasive strategies in a particular period but not in others. DOI: 10.5901/ajis.2013. v2n8p773
UNIVERSITY OF TWENTE SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT AND GOVERNANCE THE EFFECT OF FINANCIAL LEVERAGE ON FIRM VALUE: EVIDENCE FROM THE NETHERLANDS

In this master thesis author examines how financial leverage affects firm value of 78 Dutch companies listed on Amsterdam Euronext Stock Exchange in the period of 2007-2011, taking into account reciprocal relationship between these variables and involvement of corporate governance into the key relationship. The empirical results, provided by different estimation techniques, demonstrate a negative relationship between leverage and value, suggesting that by increasing total debt to capital ratio, companies damage their performance measured by Tobin’s Q. Overinvestment, when company has substantial amount of cash and low growth potential is a relevant problem for Dutch listed companies that influences value negatively. As known from prior studies, debt may alleviate it due to its disciplinary effect thereby increasing value. However, such an effect of debt on value of overinvesting companies was not evidenced. Another effect of debt – negative on value of underinvestment companies (those with high growth potential, but with few cash) was discovered in the results. However, underinvestment problem by itself occurred to be irrelevant for Dutch listed companies. These findings correspond to evidence from the Netherlands provided in prior literature. It was assumed that disciplinary effect of debt on overinvestors vanishes due to the presence of value-maximizing corporate governance mechanisms (among them are ownership by insiders, financial institutions and largest blockholders, and size of the board). However, neither value-maximizing role of such mechanisms, nor their influence on leverage were observed. In addition, mediatory role of corporate governance was tested regardless of investment behavior. The obtained empirical results did not allow author to conclude whether considered corporate governance variables had an impact on leverage-value relationship.
ASSESSMENT OF DRYER PERFORMANCE UNDER INTERMITTENT DRYING OF GRAINS IN FIXED BED

Intermittent drying is an operation that aims to improve drying process performance with modulations of inlet air conditions such as its temperature and velocity, contrary to the conventional operation, in which air conditions are constant. This alternative operation aims to determine the best modulation pattern of air conditions to minimize energy consumption, maximize dryer performance or improve material quality. In this context, the objectives of this work are to simulate the drying process of some grains in fixed bed and assess if it is possible to enhance the dryer performance in terms of drying rates under intermittent operation in comparison with results obtained with conventional operation. Both intermittent and conventional operations were simulated with the same energy consumption related to the energy supplied by the air at the dryer entrance. Results revealed that the drying rates were higher under intermittence of inlet air temperature in comparison with results obtained under conventional operation with constant inlet air temperature. In addition, it was observed in some simulations that the amplitude and period values related to modulations can impact on drying rates.
Factors determining intercropping by rubber smallholders in Sri Lanka: a logit analysis

Variables related to farmers' awareness and attitudes towards intercropping of immature rubber (Hevea brasiliensis) stands, extension contacts, education level, and experience with farming other crops are positively associated with the probability of adoption. Higher levels of off-farm income are associated with reduced intercropping in immature rubber stands. Farmers who are sole owners of the land and engaged in full or part-time rubber farming show lower adoption rates than other land ownership groups. Social participation, family size, experience with farming rubber, immature and mature rubber stands size, and the nature of the land (fiat/sloped) do not significantly influence adoption. These conclusions were obtained from a logit model estimated by employing the results of a survey of 588 smallholder rubber farmers from five major rubber-growing regions in Sri Lanka. © 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Neuraminidase A exposed galactose promotes Streptococcus pneumoniae biofilm formation 1 during colonization 2 3 RUNNING TITLE : Galactose promotes pneumococcal biofilms in vivo 4 5

TITLE: Neuraminidase A exposed galactose promotes Streptococcus pneumoniae biofilm formation 1 during colonization 2 3 RUNNING TITLE: Galactose promotes pneumococcal biofilms in vivo 4 5 AUTHORS: Krystle A. Blanchette, Anukul T. Shenoy , Jeffrey Milner II, Ryan P. Gilley, Erin 6 McClure, Cecilia A. Hinojosa, Nikhil Kumar, Sean C. Daughtery, Luke J. Tallon, Sandra Ott, 7 Samantha J. King , Daniela M. Ferreira, Stephen B. Gordon, Hervé Tettelin, and Carlos J. 8 Orihuela 2 # 9 10 * K.A. B. and A.T. S. contributed equally to this work. 11 12 AUTHOR AFFILIATIONS: 13 1 Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San 14 Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229-3900, USA. 2 Department of Microbiology, The University of Alabama 15 at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA. 3 Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Institute 16 for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA. 17 Center for Microbial Pathogenesis, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, 18 Columbus, Ohio, USA. 5 Department of Pediatrics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43205, 19 USA. Department of Clinical Sciences, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, L3 5QA Liverpool, UK. 20 21 22 #CORRESPONDING AUTHOR: 23 Carlos J. Orihuela, PhD 24 Associate Professor 25 Department of Microbiology 26 The University of Alabama at Birmingham 27 Bevill Biomedical Research Building – BBRB 669 28 845 19th Street South 29 Birmingham, Alabama 35294-2170 30 Office phone: (205)-975-2536 31 Fax: (205)-996-4008 32 Email: corihuel@uab.edu 33 34 35
A largely self-contained and complete security proof for quantum key distribution

In this work we present a security analysis for quantum key distribution, establishing a rigorous tradeoff between various protocol and security parameters for a class of entanglement-based and prepare-and-measure protocols. The goal of this paper is twofold: 1) to review and clarify the state-of-the-art security analysis based on entropic uncertainty relations, and 2) to provide an accessible resource for researchers interested in a security analysis of quantum cryptographic protocols that takes into account finite resource effects. For this purpose we collect and clarify several arguments spread in the literature on the subject with the goal of making this treatment largely self-contained. More precisely, we focus on a class of prepare-and-measure protocols based on the Bennett-Brassard (BB84) protocol as well as a class of entanglement-based protocols similar to the Bennett-Brassard-Mermin (BBM92) protocol. We carefully formalize the different steps in these protocols, including randomization, measurement, parameter estimation, error correction and privacy amplification, allowing us to be mathematically precise throughout the security analysis. We start from an operational definition of what it means for a quantum key distribution protocol to be secure and derive simple conditions that serve as sufficient condition for secrecy and correctness. We then derive and eventually discuss tradeoff relations between the block length of the classical computation, the noise tolerance, the secret key length and the security parameters for our protocols. Our results significantly improve upon previously reported tradeoffs.
Extending Shelf Life of Guava Fruits by Mint oil and UVC Treatments

A lot of quarantine methods have been developed to replace fumigants in the control of arthropods and microorganisms in post–harvest management of fruits and vegetables. That is, guava fruit is infested in Sudan by a number of hexapods which include Ceratitis capitata Weid. , Ceratitis quinaria (Bez.), Certatitis cosyra WLK. , Bactrocera invadens Drew, Trusta & White and Bactrocera zonata (Saunders). This study aims at using some uncommonly used treatments in improving the storability of guava fruits in Sudan. That is, UVC (ultraviolet rays type C) and coating with mint oil were used to disinfest guava from fruit flies at ambient temperature. The results, after 9 days bench storage, showed an infestation percentage of 20, 33 and 38% for mint, UVC and the control, respectively. The corresponding data for the range of infestation were 18, 20 and 48 and for the mean number of insects in infested fruits were 8.3, 8.8 and 15.2. The quality indexes studied reflected 9.5, 20.5 and 22.6% weight loss, for the mint oil, UVC and the control lots, respectively. The corresponding data for marketable retention (%) were 100, 10 and 13; the fruit firmness, 1.6, 0.3, and 0.1; acidity (%), 0.2 for all; ascorbic acid (mg/ 100 g pulp), 196, 190, and 194; reducing sugar (g/ 100g), 8.2, 7.6, and 7.6; sensory quality includes appearance (%), 84, 42, and 30; taste (%), 79, 41, and 34; flavor (%), 88, 42, and 40, respectively. These results revealed the edge of mint oil coating over UVC and the untreated lots.
AGN counts at 15µm XMM observations of the ELAIS-S1-5 sample

Context. The counts of galaxies and AGN in the mid infra-red (MIR) bands are important instruments for studying their cosmological evolution. However, the classic spectral line ratios techniques can become misleading when trying to properly separate AGN from starbursts or even from apparently normal galaxies. Aims. We use X-ray band observations to discriminate AGN activity in previously classified MIR-selected starburst galaxies and to derive updated AGN1 and (Compton thin) AGN2 counts at 15 µm. Methods. XMM observations of the ELAIS-S1 15 µm sample down to flux limits ∼2 × 10 −15 erg cm −2 s −1 (2–10 keV band) were used. We classified as AGN all those MIR sources with a unabsorbed 2–10 keV X-ray luminosity higher that ∼10 42 erg s −1 . Results. We find that at least about 13 ± 6% of the previously classified starburst galaxies harbor an AGN. According to these figures, we provide an updated estimate of the counts of AGN1 and (Compton thin) AGN2 at 15 µm. It turns out that at least 24% of the extragalactic sources brighter than 0.6 my at 15 µ ma re AGN (∼13% contribution to the extragalactic background produced at fluxes brighter than 0.6 mJy).
Equal access for all? Issues for people with HIV and with disabilities in Ethiopia

This paper challenges the assumption that once water and sanitation facilities are provided, everyone in the community has access to them. Drawing on detailed case studies from Ethiopia, the paper shows how two groups with critical needs for safe water and sanitation: those with HIV (PLWHA) and those with physical disabilities (PWDs), face severe access constraints. Findings revealed that both groups need more water, and need latrines more than others, yet their access to available facilities is restricted. PLWHA need more water and latrines due to vulnerability to and treatment of symptomatic infections, but face discrimination in access. PWDs need more water and latrines due to increased exposure to dirt from crawling, and increased vulnerability to the dangers of open defecation, but physical limitations and inappropriate designs limit their access. Since the underlying causes of their access constraints are different, separate programming and policy solutions are required for each group.