Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
USING PASSIVE ACOUSTICS AND SHORE-BASED SURVEYS TO INVESTIGATE THE DISTRIBUTION OF SMALL ODONTOCETES IN NEARSHORE WATERS AROUND LUNDY

The use of waters around Lundy by dolphins and porpoises was measured using summer shore-based watches and passive acoustic surveillance between July 2011 and July 2012. Common dolphins (Delphinus delphis) were the only cetacean species observed during shore-based surveys. C-PODs moored on the Ethel and MV Robert wrecks close to the Lundy coast showed a peak in delphinid vocal activity during August 2011. Passive acoustic detections of harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) were highest during ebb tidal phases and most often associated with the tidal rip at the south of the island. These findings show tidal and monthly influences on odontocete behaviour and highlight the value of continuous, passive acoustic monitoring for these highly mobile marine predators around Lundy.
The Effect of Branding on Consumer Buying Behaviour among Textile Ghana Fabric Users in the Ho Municipality of Ghana

The study examined the effect of branding on consumer buying behaviour among Textile Ghana Fabric (formally known as Ghana Textile Prints) users in the Ho municipality. Three aspects of brand equity, notably brand awareness, brand loyalty and brand image were all addressed with other factors that affect the buying behaviour of consumers. The study employed a descriptive research design focusing on case study. The population of the study was 140 and the sample size was 103, 95 being customers of Textile Ghana fabric brand and 8 being retailers of textile fabrics. The method of selection was by purposive and convenience sampling. In collecting data about the phenomena, open and close ended questionnaires were used to collect data from respondents i.e. customers and structured interview guide was used for retailers. Data was analyzed using SPSS employing frequency analysis and one-way chi-square to determine the number and percentage of respondents agreeing to particular assertions and to test the significance of those responses. Findings revealed that branding (brand equity) accompanied with other factors of price, status, self-concept and lifestyle are key components in influencing a customer’s purchase decision in the fabric industry. Also the findings showed that focusing on brand features, the most important element in building a successful brand in the textile industry was design. Basing on the research findings, recommendations for intensifying promotional programs (advertisements) for other brands of Textile Ghana, constantly improving the product offering and providing a product line of the same brands to cater for price sensitive customers were made. Keywords: Branding, Textile Ghana, brand awareness, brand awareness, brand image.
Development of Second Language French Oral Skills in an Instructed Setting: A Focus on Speech Ratings

Abstract This study examined the relationship between targeted pronunciation instruction in French as a second language (L2) and listener-based ratings of accent, comprehensibility, and fluency. The ratings by 20 French listeners evaluating the speech of 30 adult L2 French learners enrolled in a 15-week listening and speaking course targeting segments, prosody, fluency, and connected speech processes (e.g., liaison, enchainment) were compared before and after instruction in read-aloud and extemporaneous (picture description) speaking tasks. Results showed that the learners improved in all speech ratings, especially in extemporaneous speaking. Results also revealed that accent ratings were linked to prosody (intonation accuracy, pitch range), while fluency and comprehensibility ratings were additionally linked to fluency phenomena (length of fluent run, hesitation rate). These findings are discussed in terms of their implications for L2 pronunciation learning and links between instruction, listener-rated dimensions of speech, and performance in different tasks. Resume Cette etude examine la relation entre l’enseignement explicite de la prononciation en francais langue seconde (L2) et l’evaluation de l’accent, de la comprehensibilite et de la fluidite par des locuteurs du francais. L’etude compare les evaluations des productions orales de 30 apprenants adultes du francais L2 avant et apres un cours de phonetique de 15 semaines ciblant les segments, la prosodie, la fluidite et les phenomenes de resyllabification tels l’enchainement. Les productions provenant d’une tâche de lecture a haute voix et d’une tâche de narration spontanee d’une histoire illustree ont donc ete soumises a l’evaluation (sur echelles de type Likert) de 20 juges naifs. Les resultats montrent que les apprenants se sont ameliores dans toutes les dimensions evaluees de leur production, particulierement en narration spontanee. On note par ailleurs une correlation entre les jugements lies a l’accent et ceux lies a la prosodie (precision des contours intonatifs, etendue de la variation tonale). On remarque aussi que les jugements de fluidite et de comprehensibilite sont en lien avec certains phenomenes de fluidite (moyenne du temps de parole entre les pauses, hesitations). On discutera de la pertinence des resultats pour l’apprentissage de la prononciation L2 et on abordera en parallele la relation entre l’enseignement, les dimensions de l’oral appreciees par des juges naifs et la performance a l’oral dans diverses tâches.
Reproductive Impairment Associated With The Ethanolic Extract Of Alstonia Boonei (De-Wild) Stem Bark In Male Rats

The aqueous ethanolic extract of Alstonia boonei stem bark was studied on the reproductive characteristics of 60 male albino rats for 2 and 4 weeks. The rats were randomly assigned to 6 groups of 10 animal each for the 2 weeks segment: group 1 received 1ml/kg normal saline, group II and III got 50 and 200mg/kg of the extracts respectively. For the 4 weeks segment, group IV received 0.5ml/kg normal saline, while groups V and VI got 50 and 200mg/kg of the extract respectively. At the end of the 2 weeks 50mg/kg extract significantly decreased the sperm count, motility, viability and adversely charged the morphology of the sperm. These results were replicated dose and time dependently in the 200mg/kg by the 4th week. However no significant changes on the blood level of testosetorone and body weight were observed. It is concluded from this study that the extract may have toxic potentials on reproductive function without the involvement of plasma testosterone. Thus the dose and duration of application of the extract in folk medicine should be regulated to forestall possible reproductive impairment. The active constituent associated with this effect and the mechanism of action are subjects to further investigation.
Black border, mask 3D effects: covering challenges of EUV mask architecture for 22nm node and beyond

Photomask is at the heart of a lithographic scanner’s optical path. It cannot be left non-optimized from the imaging point of view. In this work we provide new insights on two critical aspects of EUV mask architecture: optimization of absorber for 16 nm half-pitch imaging and a systematic approach to black border EUV and DUV reflectance specifications. Good 16 nm imaging is demonstrated on ASML NXE:3300 EUV scanner. Currently a relatively high dose resist is used for imaging and the dose reduction is desired. Optimization (reduction) of absorber height and mask CD bias can allow for up to 30% dose reduction without essential contrast loss. Disadvantages of absorber height reduction are ~7 nm increase of best focus range through pitch and tighter absorber height mean to target and uniformity requirements. A disadvantage of a smaller reticle CD (down to 14 nm 1x) is manufacturing process uniformity over the reticle. A systematic approach of black border reflections impact on imaging is established. The image border is a pattern free dark area surrounding the image field and preventing exposure of the image field neighborhood on wafer. Currently accepted design of the black border on EUV reticle is an image border where the absorber and multilayer stack are etched down to the substrate and EUV reflectance is reduced to <0.05%. DUV reflectance of such a black border is about 5%. It is shown that a tighter DUV reflectance specification <1.5% is required driven by the impact of DUV reflections from the black border on imaging. NXE:3300 and NXE:3100 experimental imaging results are shown. The need of low DUV wavelength reflectance metrology (in the range 100-300 nm) is demonstrated using an estimated NXE scanner out-of-band DUV spectrum. Promising results of low DUV reflectance of the black border are shown.
Evolutionary Competition in a Mixed Market with Socially Concerned Firms

In this paper we study an oligopoly market where profit-maximizing firms and socially concerned firms compete in quantities. Confronting remarks by Milton Friedman and Gary Becker, we are using an evolutionary setting to investigate the endogenous choice of the proper objective of business firms and the influence of product differentiation on the long run survival of firms which pursue non-profit motives. We find that firms which consider a combination of profit and consumer welfare can indeed have larger market shares and profits than their profit-maximizing rivals. One insight is that it might pay off for shareholders to consider stakeholder welfare, but that the level of social concern should not be too high. Based on a strategy׳s profitability, we consider asynchronous evolutionary updating with firms selecting Nash quantities or choosing best replies to the expected market quantity. Here we observe that the consumers׳ willingness to pay a price premium for products is crucial for the long run survival of socially concerned firms. Depending on the degrees of product differentiation and social concern, long run outcomes consist either of both types of firms or only one type of firm. If the firms׳ propensity to switch between a social or a profit-maximizing strategy is sufficiently large, steady states are unstable and even complicated dynamics can occur.
Investigation of the Growth Mechanism of Iron Oxide Nanoparticles via a Seed-Mediated Method and Its Cytotoxicity Studies

We report here the development of a seed-mediated growth method for the synthesis of iron oxide nanoparticles with tunable size distribution and magnetic properties. We have investigated the size distribution of seed as well as iron oxide nanoparticles during the growth process using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). It has been observed that the distribution of size gradually becomes narrow with time via the intraparticle ripening process and Oswald ripening process. The magnetization measurements were performed using a superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) from room temperature t o5Kt odetermine the effect of size distribution on the blocking temperature (Tb) and splitting temperature (Tsplitting). The thermogravimetric analyses exhibited the size-dependent weight loss of the magnetic nanoparticles. The in vitro cytotoxicity tests were also performed to determine the cell viability as a function of size and concentration of the magnetic nanoparticles.
PHENOLIC CONSTITUENTS AND THE BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITY OF MENTHA LONGIFOLIA

Phytochemical investigation of the constituents in acetone extract of the aerial parts of Mentha longifolia Linn. Hudson resulted in the isolation of five phenolic components. They were identified as rosmarinic acid [1], 4, 10-dihydroxy-3, 9-dimethoxy-pterocarpan (Melilotocarpan D) [2], Apigenin-4`-methoxy-7-O-glucoside (Tilianin) [3], quercetin-3-O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1→6)-β-D-glucopyranoside (Rutin) [4] and p-methoxy benzoic acid (p-anisic acid) [5]. Their structures have been identified by their MS and NMR spectral data and confirmed by comparison with reference values. Compounds [2-5] were isolated from the genus Mentha for the first time, and compound [1] was isolated from M. longifolia for the first time. The cytotoxic, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of the acetone extract were evaluated.
The Death Valley Turtlebacks Reinterpreted as Miocene-Pliocene Folds of a Major Detachment Surface

Determining the origin of extension parallel folds in metamorphic core complexes is fundamental to understanding the development of detachment faults. An excellent example of such a feature occurs in the Death Valley region of California where a major, undulatory, detachment fault is exposed along the well-known turtleback (antiformal) surfaces of the Black Mountains. In the hanging wall of this detachment fault are deformed strata of the Copper Canyon Formation. New age constraints indicate that the Copper Canyon Formation was deposited from ~6 to 3 Ma. The formation was folded during deposition into a SE-plunging syncline with an axial surface coplanar with that of a synform in the underlying detachment. This relation suggests the turtlebacks are a folded detachment surface formed during large-scale extension in an overall constrictional strain field. The present, more planar, Black Mountains frontal fault system may be the result of out-stepping of a normal fault system away from an older detachment fault that was deactivated by folding.
The Specification of Dynamic Discrete-Time Two-State Panel Data Models

This paper compares two approaches to analyzing longitudinal discrete-time binary outcomes. Dynamic binary response models focus on state occupancy and typically specify low-order Markovian state dependence. Multi-spell duration models focus on transitions between states and typically allow for state-specific duration dependence. We show that the former implicitly impose strong and testable restrictions on the transition probabilities. In a case study of poverty transitions, we show that these restrictions are severely rejected against the more flexible multi-spell duration models.
New frontiers in mental health and psychosocial wellbeing in low resource and conflict affected settings

This special, extra issue of Intervention marks the occasion of the retirement of Joop T.V. M. de Jong as a professor of cultural and global mental health at the VU University of Amsterdam. The editors of this issue are (former) PhD students and colleagues of Joop de Jong, who have been inspired by his trailblazing work. Motivated by his role in shaping the field of mental health and psychosocial support in conflict affected settings, this issue focuses on new areas of interest in research and practice that may shape the field's future. The eight articles in this special issue, while diverse, highlight major drivers of future progress for global mental health: integrating local knowledge and experiences within the larger global discourse; using multidisciplinary perspectives derived from the clinical sciences, social science and culturally informed epidemiology; attention to risk factors and disorders beyond trauma exposure and posttraumatic stress disorder; using health systems approaches; and attention to dissemination and implementation science in global mental health. The collection of papers in this issue presents new frontiers for mental health and psychosocial wellbeing in low income and conflict affected settings, and, together, point towards a potential future agenda for research and implementation of exciting new ideas to support mental health of populations affected by armed conflict and chronic adversity.
Identifying "Good" Teachers for Gifted Students

The purpose of this study is to identify the unique features that gifted students perceive to be essential in their teachers. In this qualitative, one-year study, data and responses from 15 gifted students in a high school in an Arab village in northern Israel were gathered from interviews, students’ personal diaries, and “letters of recommendation” that they were asked to write. The findings revealed that gifted students defined a good teacher through three major categories: 1) qualities in teachers; 2) excellent teaching; and 3) the unique qualities of the individual student-teacher relationship. Teachers of gifted students should ideally have unique personal, intellectual, and didactic characteristics and a unique attitude that empowers their students to realize their potential. Students place more importance on the inherent personality of the teacher than on acquired teaching skills. The findings point to a need for assessment of teachers for both personality and professional qualifications before they are assigned to the gifted classroom, and for special courses to train teachers of gifted students.
Plasma corticosterone and adrenal gland histomorphometry of heat stressed broiler chickens given supplemental electrolytes or vitamin

The effect of oral electrolytes or vitamin C (VC) on plasma corticosterone (PC) and adrenal gland (AG) histomorphology of heat stressed broiler chickens was evaluated in this study. A total of 200 one day-old Arbor Acre broiler chickens were allotted to five treatments in a completely randomized design. Each treatment comprised four replicates of ten chickens per replicate. Treatment 1 (T1) was the control with water without any supplement while treatments 2 (T2), 3 (T3), 4 (T4) and 5 (T5) had their water supplemented with 0.5 % ammonium chloride, sodium bicarbonate, calcium chloride and 300 ppm VC, respectively. The average temperature and humidity during the experimental period ranged from 30.90 oC to 36.73 oC and 58.48 % to 89.24 % respectively. No significant variation (p>0.05) was observed in PC values among treatments at week 4. However, PC (ng/mL) values of 6.1±1.3 (control), 7.4±2.1 (NH4Cl), 5.4±0.8 (NaHCO3), 15.1±5.91 (CaCl2) and 6.4±2.4 (VC) recorded at week 7 significantly differed (p<0.05). Birds on VC supplementation had increased medullary cells (0.59/μm3 x 10-6 ± 0.12) and lowered interrenal cells (0.36/μm3 x 10-6 ± 0.18) compared to birds on other treatments. Histological changes observed in the AG of birds on control and electrolyte treatment groups revealed evidence of stress at the cellular level while a relatively normal cell appearance was observed in VC group. In conclusion, the reduction in the PC values of the ammonium chloride and sodium bicarbonate groups was similar to the observations from the control group. However, ascorbic acid maintained corticosterone concentration and prevented from the hyperplasia of interrenal cells in heat stressed birds.
Determinants of Profitability in Islamic Banks: Some Evidence from the Middle East

The paper analyzes how bank characteristics and the overall financial environment affect the performance of Islamic banks. Utilizing bank level data, the study examines the performance indicators of Islamic banks across eight Middle Eastern countries between 1993 and 1998. A variety of internal and external banking characteristics were used to predict profitability and efficiency. In general, our analysis of determinants of Islamic banks’ profitability confirms previous findings. Controlling for macroeconomic environment, financial market structure, and taxation, the results indicate that high capital-to-asset and loan-to-asset ratios lead to higher profitability. The results also indicate that foreign-owned banks are likely to be profitable. Everything remaining equal, the regression results show that implicit and explicit taxes affect the bank performance and profitability negatively while favorable macroeconomic conditions impact performance measures positively. Our results also indicate that stock markets and banks are complementary to each other.
Bioactive organic/inorganic hybrids with improved mechanical performance.

New sol-gel functionalized poly-ethylene glycol (PEGM)/SiO2-CaO hybrids were prepared with interpenetrating networks of silica and PEGM through the formation of Si-O-Si bonds. Bioactive and mechanical properties were investigated for a series of hybrids containing varying organic/inorganic ratios and PEG molecular weights. In contrast to the unmodified PEG/SiO2-CaO hybrids, which rapidly dissolved and crumbled, the epoxy modified hybrids exhibited good mechanical properties and bioactivity. The compressive strength and Young's modulus were greater for higher molecular weight PEGM hybrids (PEGM600 compared to PEGM300). Compressive strengths of 138 MPa and 81 MPa were found for the 50 : 50 and 60 : 40 organic/inorganic hybrid samples respectively, which are comparable with cortical bone. Young's modulus values of ∼800 MPa were obtained for the 50 : 50 and 60 : 40 organic/inorganic hybrids. Bioactivity tests were conducted by immersing the hybrids into simulated body fluid and observing the formation of apatite. Apatite formation was observed within 24 hours of immersion. PEGM600 hybrids showed enhanced apatite formation compared to PEGM300 hybrids. Increased apatite formation was observed with increasing organic/inorganic ratio. 70 : 30 and 60 : 40 hybrids exhibited the greatest apatite formation. All PEGM hybrids samples had good cell viability and proliferation. The 60 : 40 PEGM600 hybrids displayed the optimal combination of bioactivity and mechanical strength. The bioactivity of these hybrids, combined with the enhanced mechanical properties, demonstrate that these materials have significant potential for bone regeneration applications.
The Dynamic Behavior of the Real Exchange Rate in Sticky Price Models: Comment †

In an article published in the American Economic Review, J? n Steinsson (2008) argues that two sticky price models driven by real shocks can explain the observed persistence, volatility and hump-shaped impulse response function of the real exchange rate. This comment shows, first, that correcting an error in one of Steinsson's models leads to substantially lower persistence and volatility of the real exchange rate; second, that Steinsson's models cannot match real exchange rate volatility relative to output; and, third, that reasonable variations of the model calibration or specification all lead to lower real exchange rate persistence and volatility (or both).
Inflation and Residential Property Markets: A Bounds Testing Approach

Using classical regression and cointegration approach, this study investigates the short-term and long-term inflation hedging effectiveness of residential property in Hong Kong over the period 1980-2011.The cointegration test used is the Autoregressive distributed lagged bounds testing approach of Pesaran et al. (2001) [Pesaran, M.H. , Y. Shin and R. J. Smith, “Bounds testing approaches to the analysis of level relationships”, Journal of Applied Econometrics, vol. 16, pp. 289–326, May, 2001] that based on the estimation of an unrestricted error correction model. This paper addresses one of the major problems of how to use a relatively small sample to estimate the long term relationships between variables that faced by many researchers in economic modeling. The results of actual inflation model show that the Hong Kong small and medium size residential property provides an effective short-term hedge against actual inflation. The ARDL bounds testing results provide strong evidence to support the hypothesis that residential properties (all categories) and common stock provide effective long-term hedge against inflation. This study concludes that small and medium size residential property in Hong Kong are better short term and long term inflation hedge than large and luxury residential property, common stock and time deposit.
Breeding for disease resistance in fish

This paper consists of a summary of oral contributions and discussions from a workshop conducted during the Xth EAFP Conference in Dublin, September 10-14, 2001. Results were presented from systematic breeding of Atlantic salmon for increased resistance against furunculosis, infectious salmon anaemia, and infectious pancreatic necrosis, and from attempts to breed rainbow trout for increased resistance against viral haemmorrhagic septicaemia and furunculosis. Results were also presented showing the existence of indirect markers of disease resistance in the rainbow trout and in the Altantic salmon, and the first successful attempt to employ markerassisted selection for resistance against viral diseases in rainbow trout.