Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The impact of servant leadership on organizational citizenship behaviors with the mediating role of trust and moderating role of group cohesiveness; A Study of public Sector of Pakistan

The current study investigated the relationship between servant leadership and organizational citizenship behavior along with the role played by trust in leadership and group cohesiveness. The study is causal, cross sectional and quantitative in nature. Sample comprised of 202 employees from three public organizations i.e. banking, education and transport. The data was analyzed through descriptive statistics, simple and multiple, mediated and moderated regression tests. Findings showed a positive association between servant leadership, trust and organizational citizenship behavior. Findings further concluded trust as a mediator and group cohesiveness as a moderator.
Using vulnerability and resilience concepts to advance climate change adaptation

Adaptation is necessary if we are to minimize risks associated with climate change impacts. Vulnerability and resilience are two important concepts in the literature on hazards and climate change but have been used in a variety of ways to investigate human interaction with a hazardous environment. The result is widespread adoption of the terms but confusion about their relationship and how best they can advance work on climate change adaptation. This paper critically reviews the different understandings of the concepts and how they relate, and then proposes a framework that integrates vulnerability and resilience in order to advance adaptation thinking, planning and implementation. The paper concludes with a description of how the framework will apply findings on unequal social vulnerability to inform adaptation options that increase resilience in coastal cities.
Lawyers in Venture Capital Contracting: Theory and Evidence

type="main" xml:id="ecin12088-abs-0001"> Real-world financial contracts are sometimes so complex that it can be difficult to understand their exact payoff consequences. We develop and test a theoretical model of a venture capitalist (VC) negotiating with an entrepreneur who may overweigh or underweigh the payoff consequences of contractual downside protection (DP). A lawyer with expertise in venture capital can inform the entrepreneur about these consequences, but less expert (but otherwise high quality) lawyers cannot. We determine how a VC's decision to include DP is affected by the expected quality of the entrepreneur's project, the entrepreneur's experience, and the VC expertise of his/her legal counsel. We show that the VC's incentive to include unnecessary DP declines in expected project quality. Indeed, for inexperienced entrepreneurs involved with high-quality projects, VCs prefer that the entrepreneur's counsel has VC expertise. This implies that, when negotiating with inexperienced entrepreneurs, VCs who invest in high-quality companies should be more likely to negotiate with entrepreneurs who employ lawyers with VC expertise. We document broad empirical support for the model, and provide evidence against competing explanations. ( JEL L24, G24, K12, L14, L24)
Fair Scheduling Mechanisms with QoS Consideration for the IEEE 802.11e Wireless LAN

Two scheduling mechanisms called enhanced distributed deficit round robin with backoff interval (EDDRR-BI) and enhanced distributed elastic round robin with backoff interval (EDERR-BI) are proposed in this paper for the IEEE 802.11e wireless LAN. EDDRR-BI and EDERR-BI take both priority which is a mean to guarantee quality of service (QoS) and fairness simultaneously into account so that QoS and fairness can be well taken care. The idea behind the proposed mechanisms mainly relies on dynamic adjustment of the backoff interval according to priority, collision rate, and deficit count or allowance. Through numerical experiments, we demonstrate that the proposed mechanisms can reach station-level fairness as well as flow-level fairness within the same (among different) access category (categories). Of course, these mechanisms outperform the related schemes in the literature.
Predictable Corporate Distributions and Stock Returns

Corporate managers frequently announce corporate distributions, including stock splits, stock dividends, special dividends, and increases in regular dividends, on the anniversary of a like announcement at the same firm. The market appears to not fully appreciate the implications of current distributions for future distributions and stock returns, as a simple strategy that involves purchasing firms with high predicted probabilities of distribution announcements earns significant abnormal monthly returns. These results are distinct from previously documented return regularities related to regular earnings and dividend announcements and return seasonality.
On ochratoxin A and fungal flora in Polish cereals from conventional and ecological farms. Part 2: Occurrence of ochratoxin A and fungi in cereals in 1998

Over 200 samples of Polish cereal grain from the 1998 harvest obtained from conventional and ecological farms were investigated for the presence of ochratoxin A and for contamination by microscopic fungi. The frequency of contamination of rye and barley grains from conventional and ecological farms was similar in most cases; it varied from nearly 5 to 12%, respectively, for both types of farming. However, in samples from ecological farms, higher maximum concentrations of ochratoxin A were observed (35 μg kg-1, overall range 1.4–35.3 μg kg-1) for both cereals rye and barley in comparison with rye and barley from conventional farms (maximum levels of 8.8 and 9.7 μg kg-1, respectively). However, wheat grain from the conventional farms showed ochratoxin A concentrations in a very wide range from 0.6 to 1024 μg kg-1 and the average frequency of contaminated samples was about 48%. In contrast, in wheat samples from ecological farming, the presence of ochratoxin A ranged from 0.8 to 1.6 μg kg-1 (mean 1.2 μg kg-1) and the frequency of contamination was 23%. From samples containing detectable amounts of ochratoxin A, fungi producing ochratoxin A under laboratory conditions were isolated. They were classified as belonging to the species Penicillium cyclopium, P. viridicatum, Aspergillus ochraceus group, A. glaucus> and A. versicolor. Penicilliumstrains—species known to be producers of ochratoxin A—were isolated from 71% of the samples in 28% of samples, only Aspergillus strains (species known to be producers of this mycotoxin) were noted. These results have been compared with those obtained in 1997.
Welfare Benefits and the Rate of Unemployment: Some Evidence from the European Union in the Last Thirty Years

Our objective in this paper is to re-examine the hypothesis that welfare benefits may be responsi-ble for the observed differences in cross- country unemployment rates and test its validity by using panel data from 19 countries over the 1970-2000 period. For this purpose, we set up a general equi-librium model encompassing the private and public sectors of the economy, where the government comes to the relief of the unemployed by increasing the welfare benefits per man. From this model, we extract an unemployment rate equation. The results that emerge from the empirical analysis sug-gest that social benefits per man may indeed adversely influence the rate of unemployment in EU-15. But the results change significantly when the EU member states are classified as high-, low- and average unemployment countries. In particular, we find that, whereas unemployment benefits exert perceptible positive influences in the high and average unemployment sub-groups, their influence in the low unemployment sub-group is nil. This finding, in conjunction with the evi-dence that the unemployment rate is invariant with respect to social benefits in USA and Canada, leads us to the conclusion that some EU countries may have to restructure their welfare systems, so as to reduce welfare benefits in favour of greater labour market flexibility and self-reliance on the part of workers.
An interest-rate-spread-based measure of Turkish monetary policy

A coherent method to measure the effectiveness of a monetary policy improves the monetary authority’s management capacity and renders the possibility of applying sound policies prior to and during a crisis. The trend in employing complicated and ambiguity-bearing unconventional monetary tools in the aftermath of the 2008 crisis has increased the value of such a method. The aim of this article is to introduce a coherent and consistent monetary policy evaluation method for Turkey. Accordingly, we suggest that innovations in the spread between overnight interest rates and Treasury auction interest rates are informative for exchange rate, output, and prices. Empirical evidence for this identification reveals that positive innovation in spread (implying a tight monetary policy measure) decreases output temporarily, permanently decreases prices, and appreciates local currency. This result is also robust to alternative specifications.
The Effect of Insulin Infusion Upon Protein Metabolism in Neonates on Extracorporeal Life Support

Objective:Critically ill neonates on extracorporeal life support (ECLS) demonstrate elevated rates of protein breakdown that, in turn, are associated with increased morbidity and mortality. This study sought to determine if the administration of the anabolic hormone insulin improved net protein balance in neonates on ECLS. Methods:Twelve parenterally fed neonates, on ECLS, were enrolled in a randomized, prospective, crossover trial. Subjects were administered a hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp and a control saline infusion. Protein metabolism was quantified using ring-D5-phenylyalanine and ring-D2-tyrosine stable isotopic infusions. Statistical comparisons were made by paired sample t tests (significance at P < 0.05). Results:Serum insulin concentration increased 20-fold during insulin infusion compared with saline infusion control (P < 0.0001). Protein breakdown was significantly decreased during insulin infusion compared with controls (7.98 ± 1.82 vs. 6.89 ± 1.03 g/kg per day; P < 0.05). Serum amino acid concentrations were significantly decreased by insulin infusion (28,450 ± 9270 vs. 20,830 ± 8110 μmol/L; P < 0.02). Insulin administration tended to decrease protein synthesis (9.58 ± 2.10 g/kg per day vs. 8.60 ± 1.20; P = 0.05). For the whole cohort, insulin only slightly improved net protein balance (protein synthesis minus protein breakdown) (1.60 ± 0.80 vs. 1.71 ± 0.89 g/kg per day; P = 0.08). In neonates receiving ≥2 g/kg per day of dietary amino acids insulin significantly improved net protein balance (2.17 ± 0.34 vs. 2.40 ± 0.26 g/kg per day; P < 0.01). Conclusions:Insulin effectively decreases protein breakdown in critically ill neonates on ECLS. However, this is associated with a significant reduction in plasma amino acids and a trend toward decreased protein synthesis. Insulin administration significantly improves net protein balance only in those ECLS neonates in whom adequate dietary protein is provided.
The ‘expat factor’: the influence of working time on women's decisions to undertake international assignments in the oil and gas industry

This article examines the effect of working time on women's willingness to go on expatriate assignments in the oil and gas exploration and production sector. The research draws upon an analysis of two case study firms' international assignment and working time policies, semi-structured interviews with 14 human resource staff responsible for policy design and implementation, and a survey of the views of 71 women expatriates, supported by in-depth interviews with 26 of the survey respondents. The research identifies an ‘expat factor’: assignees state that long hours are inherent in expatriation and necessary to further their careers. However, in practice, working time is not excessive and flexible working practices are utilised. Hours of work have little effect on women's decisions to undertake long-term assignments but alternatives such as short-term and commuter assignments are unpopular as their working patterns are disruptive to family life. This article contributes to theory development by linking two discrete frameworks that explain women's career choices when they strive to balance their career goals with their families and by identifying a career compromise threshold when expatriation is rejected in favour of family considerations. A model is proposed to link working time/patterns to women's international assignment participation.
Tenascin‐C in the pathobiology and healing process of musculoskeletal tissue injury

Tenascin‐C (TN‐C) is a hexabrachion‐shaped extracellular matrix (ECM) protein which has very restricted expression in normal musculoskeletal tissues, but is expressed in large quantities in these tissues during embryogenesis as well as during regenerative and healing processes. TN‐C is an elastic protein which has a number of binding sites for other extracellular matrix proteins as well as for cell membrane adhesion receptors. In addition, it can be stretched to several times its resting length, the ability of which is attributed to the stretch‐induced unfolding of its fibronectin type III domains. In the musculoskeletal tissues, TN‐C is present in the regions where high mechanical forces are transmitted from one tissue component to another, such as the myotendinous and osteotendinous junctions. Not surprisingly, it was recently presented that the expression of TN‐C in the musculoskeletal tissues is regulated by the mechanical strain applied to their cells. Thus, taking into account the flexible structure of the TN‐C and its site‐specific expression pattern at sites exposed to heavy mechanical loads, TN‐C is likely to play an important role in providing elasticity to the musculoskeletal tissues. This feature has a special significance in the degenerative and regenerative processes where the normal biomechanical environment of the musculoskeletal tissue is temporarily interrupted by injury. The rapidly increasing understanding of the structure and function of the ECM protein TN‐C may well bring important insights into the clinical treatment of sports injuries in the future.
The Effect of Regulation Fd on Transient Institutional Investors' Trading Behavior

We assess the impact of Regulation Fair Disclosure (Reg FD) on the trading behavior of transient institutional investors in the quarter prior to a bad news break in a string of consecutive earnings increases. Bad news breaks are defined as breaks that are by growth firms, preceded by longer strings of consecutive earnings increases, followed by longer strings of consecutive earnings decreases, and associated with larger declines in earnings. Pre–Reg FD transient institutions have abnormal selling of stocks in the quarter immediately preceding a bad news break. This abnormal selling is confined to firms that hold conference calls in the pre–Reg FD period. However, in the post–Reg FD period transient institutions do not exhibit similar abnormal selling of stocks in the quarter before a bad news break. Furthermore, after Reg FD transient institutions allocate less of their stock portfolios to conference call firms relative to non–conference call firms in the quarters prior to a bad news break. These results demonstrate that Reg FD has had an impact on management's selective disclosure behavior and significantly changed the trading behavior of transient institutions.
An Empirical Analysis of momentum profitability, seasonality, and reversibility at Nairobi stock exchange

In this thesis, we employed data from the NSE to investigate the existence of the price momentum effect, the profitability of momentum trading strategies, and the possibility of seasonal and reversal patterns in the profitability. We formed relative strength strategies for all stocks listed over the period (and sub-periods) 1996 to 2007. The initial unrestricted tests revealed the existence of significant momentum, which could be the basis of profitable investment strategies. When the momentum profits are analyzed further, we found; that there was absence of a calendar regularity to the profits, and that there was mild reversal of profitability in the medium term.
CpG methylation of half-CRE sequences creates C/EBPα binding sites that activate some tissue-specific genes

DNA methylation of the cytosine in the CpG dinucleotide is typically associated with gene silencing. Genomic analyses have identified low CpG promoters that are both methylated and transcriptionally active, but the mechanism underlying the activation of these methylated promoters remains unclear. Here we show that CpG methylation of the CRE sequence (TGACGTCA) enhances the DNA binding of the C/EBPα transcription factor, a protein critical for activation of differentiation in various cell types. Transfection assays also show that C/EBPα activates the CRE sequence only when it is methylated. The biological significance of this observation was seen in differentiating primary keratinocyte cultures from newborn mice where certain methylated promoters are both bound by C/EBPα and activated upon differentiation. Experimental demethylation by either 5-azacytidine treatment or DNMT1 depletion diminished both C/EBPα binding and activation of the same methylated promoters upon differentiation suggesting that CpG methylation can localize C/EBPα. Transfection studies in cell cultures using methylated tissue-specific proximal promoters identified half-CRE (CGTCA) and half-C/EBP (CGCAA) sequences that need to be methylated for C/EBPα mediated activation. In primary dermal fibroblasts, C/EBPα activates a different set of methylated tissue-specific promoters upon differentiation into adipocytes. These data identify a new function for methyl CpGs: producing DNA binding sites at half-CRE and half-C/EBP sequences for C/EBPα that are needed to activate tissue-specific genes.
The influence of dietary fibre and environmental temoperature on the development of the gastrointestinal tract, digestibility, degree of fermentation in the hind-gut and energy metabolism in pigs

Abstract The present study was undertaken to provide detailed information about the effect of dietary fibre (DF)level on the development of the digestive tract, on nutrient digestibility and on energy and protein metabolism of pigs housed in low (13°) or high (23°) thermal environments. Low- and high-fibre diets (59 v. 268 g DF/kg DM) were studied in three balance periods with fistulated pigs in the weight range 45-120 kg. Heat production was measured using open-circuit respiration chambers. Pea fibre and pectin were used to adjust theDF level in the high-fibre diet. Per kg empty body weight the stomach, caecum and colon and the length of colon were significantly greater in pigs consuming the high-fibre diet than in those on the low-fibre diet. Pigs kept at low temperature had significantly heavier caecums than those kept at the high temperature. Digestibilities of protein, DM and energy were lowest for the high-fibre diet. Only minor amounts of NSP and its constituent sugars were degraded anterior to the ileum, whereas in the hind-gut the fermentation of the total NSP fraction was high, being 0·77 for the high-fibre diet and 0·59 for the low-fibre diet. Feeding the high-fibre diet increased the flow of digesta through the terminal ileum 5-6-fold and an extra 460 g organic matter was fermented daily in the hind-gut compared with pigs fed on the low-fibre diet. The amount of retained energy as a proportion of metabolizable energy decreased in relation to the amount of energy fermented in the hind-gut. Based on the present data it was estimated that the relative value of energy derived from hind-gut fermentation was 0·73 in comparison with energy enzymically digested in the small intestine. There was negligible effect of the temperature –fibre interaction on energy metabolism. However, it could be calculated that the decrease in temperature from 23° to 13° was associated with an increase in heat production by 2.9 MJ/pig per d.
The epidemiology of HIV‐1 infection in urban areas, roadside settlements and rural villages in Mwanza Region, Tanzania

ObjectiveTo determine the prevalence of HIV-1 infection and to identify the most important risk factors for infection. DesignA cross-sectional population survey carried out in 1990 and 1991 in Mwanza Region, Tanzania. MethodsAdults aged 15–54 years were selected from the region (population, 2 million) by stratified random cluster sampling: 2434 from 20 rural villages, 1157 from 20 roadside settlements and 1554 from 20 urban wards. Risk factor information was obtained from interviews. All sera were tested for HIV-1 antibodies using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA); sera non-negative on ELISA were also tested by Western blot. ResultsThe response rate was 81%. HIV-1 infection was 1.5 times more common in women than in men; 2.5% of the adult population in rural villages, 7.3% in roadside settlements and 11.8% in town were infected. HIV-1 infection occurred mostly in women aged 15–34 years and men aged 25–44 years. It was associated with being separated or widowed, multiple sex partners, presence of syphilis antibodies, history of genital discharge or genital ulcer, travel to Mwanza town, and receiving injections during the previous 12 months, but not with male circumcision. ConclusionThis study confirms that HIV-1 infection in this region in East Africa is more common in women than in men. The results are consistent with the spread of HIV-1 infection along the main roads. There is no evidence that lack of circumcision is a risk factor in this population.
Massive MIMO channels — Measurements and models

Spatial multiplexing using Massive MIMO has been shown to have very promising properties, including large gains in spectral efficiency and several orders of magnitude lower transmit power, as compared to today's access schemes. The properties of massive MIMO have been studied mostly for theoretical channels with independent and identically distributed (i.i.d.) complex Gaussian coefficients. To efficiently evaluate massive MIMO in more realistic scenarios, we need channel models that capture important massive MIMO channel characteristics. We pursue this by analyzing measurement data from a measurement campaign in the 2.6 GHz frequency range, using a physically large array with 128 elements. Key propagation characteristics are identified from the measurements. We use the cluster-based COST 2100 MIMO channel model as a basis, and propose an extension to include those important propagation properties for massive MIMO. Statistical models of the total number of clusters, their visibility regions and visibility gains at the base station side are found based on the measurement data.