Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Retrospective Analysis of Land Cover and Use Dynamics in Gilgel Abbay Watershed by Using GIS and Remote Sensing Techniques, Northwestern Ethiopia

This study was aimed at examining land cover changes for the last 35 years and its causative factors in Gilgel Abbay watershed by using GIS and remote sensing, survey and population data. The land use and cover changes study will help to apply the appropriate land use. The land cover/use status for the years 1973, 1986, 1995 and 2008 were examined using land sat images. The changes in different land cover units such as forest, wood and bush lands, grass, wetlands and water bodies, and farm and settlements were analyzed. Population change, tenure, poverty and lack of market and credit facilities in the watershed area were analyzed as causes of land cover changes. The results of the study have shown that during the last 35 years forest, grass lands, wetlands and lake areas were converted to farm and settlement areas. There was rapid increase of population with growth rates of 4.9% and 3.5% (1984-1994 and 1994-2007), respectively per annum which caused more land cover changes.
Possible chemical mechanism and determination of inhibitory effects of 1-MCP on superficial scald of the Granny Smith apple variety

The effects of postharvest 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) treatments on α-farnesene content, incidence of scald, and ethylene content of the Granny Smith apple were evaluated in this study. Harvested apples were treated with 1-MCP at concentrations of 312.5, 625, and 1250 ppb. The 625 and 1250 ppb doses were found to be the most effective in terms of quality protection during storage. For untreated fruits, symptoms of scald development appeared after 8 weeks in cold storage, whereas 1-MCP doses of 625 and 1250 ppb were effective in decreasing superficial scald in fruit after 24 weeks of cold storage. 1-MCP can inhibit oxidation of α-farnesene, which synthesizes during storage. This induces reactive oxygen species metabolism. 1-MCP introduces competitive behavior by breaking the balance between α-farnesene production and the antioxidative defense system, due to the Schenck ene reaction.
Revisiting the contention of exchange rate misalignment in Nigeria: Is the country in currency crisis?

Several pioneering studies have established that the period of exchange rate misalignment is characterized by currency appreciation and depreciation. These studies conclusively assert that if currency overvaluation occurs beyond a minimum threshold it can render an economic system vulnerable to currency crisis, in view of this, is the Nigerian economy in a state of currency crisis? What impact does the period of currency crisis have on a developing economy and what factors are responsible in aggravating the crisis within the context of the Nigerian economy? To ensure this, we applied the permanent equilibrium exchange rate (PEER) and the behavioral equilibrium exchange rate (BEER) approaches. While the Logit and Probit models were used to determine the position of the effect of the crisis. The study used quarterly data from 1980Q1 to 2011Q4. The findings of the study established the existences of high degree of currency overvaluation reaching an unprecedented level above 46% in the last quarter of 2011. A similar worsening trend was observed in the case of undervaluation. The results of the Logit and Probit models, on the other hand, reveal that the Nigerian economy is in a state of currency crisis. The study discovered how the existing mono-economic dependence of the Nigerian economy on one product as well the low productivity level in the country, to be the persisting factors that pave the way to the absence of strong exogenous risk cushioning effects, which in turn precipitate into persistent deterioration in reserve and output failure as the aggravating agents of the crisis in Nigeria. We recommend the establishment of frameworks that are consistent with boosting productivity and synergistic monetary policy models that will not only ensure a sustainable and improved value of the local currency, but that could also create its foreign demand, among other
Investment and Financing Constraints

We investigate whether the sensitivity of corporate investment to internal cash flows is related to financing constraints. Besides financing constraints, measurement error in Tobin's q is another competing explanation for the sensitivity, suggested in the literature. Controlling for measurement errors in Tobin's q and using a parsimonious model specification, we find that investment-cash flow sensitivities are positive and vary with financing constraints. Measurement errors in Tobin's q do not explain away the sensitivities for firms facing financing constraints. Evidence of this first-order linear relationship between investment and internal funds are consistent with the larger literature documenting the effects of financing frictions on investment.
The clinical research on pathology classification and gene expression of breast cancer

To study the expression of breast cancer susceptibility gene 1 (BRCA1) and Ki-67 in young patients with breast cancer and the clinical research significance, and discuss the pathology classification of breast cancer. And a total of 218 patients are investigated as experiment for clinical study. Patients with early clinical stages I and II breast cancer were recruited across the West Midlands, and were randomized to immediate postoperative radiotherapy or follow-up only, as results of the expression of BRCA1 in breast cancer tissue and clinical pathological indicators of positive are 6, 28, 5, while the expression of negative are 3, 34 and 21, respectively. And it was found that alcohol consumption did not increase the risk of breast cancer among women with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation. Increasing consumption of wine was associated with a modest reduction in the risk of breast cancer among women with a BRCA1 mutation.
DOES INVESTOR SENTIMENT AFFECT LARGE-CAP AND SMALL-CAP STOCK RETURN? (Study on Companies Listed in Indonesia Stock Market Period 2012-2016)

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menguji pengaruh sentimen investor terhadap return saham di pasar modal Indonesia. Pengujian dilakukan pada dua kelompok sampel yang dibedakan berdasarkan nilai kapitalisasi pasarnya, yakni kelompok large-cap dan small-cap. Sentimen investor diukur melalui tingkat perputaran saham, dividen premium, price earning ratio dan advance decline ratio . Penelitian ini menggunakan data time series bulanan dari Januari 2012 hingga Desember 2016. Data time series merupakan rata-rata perbulan dari seluruh individual saham pada tiap kelompok. Jumlah seluruh individual saham adalah 91 perusahaan kelompok large-cap dan 95 perusahaan kelompok small-cap . Hasil penelitian menunjukkan tiga temuan utama. Pertama, sentimen investor memiliki pengaruh yang signifikan terhadap return saham di kedua kelompok, namun sentimen investor menunjukkan pengaruh yang lebih kuat terhadap return saham kelompok small-cap . Kedua, secara parsial seluruh variabel sentimen investor memiliki pengaruh signifikan terhadap return saham kelompok small-cap. Akan tetapi, hanya dividen premium dan advance decline ratio yang memiliki pengaruh signifikan terhadap return saham large-cap. Terakhir, hasil penelitian menemukan bahwa dividen premium memiliki pengaruh positif yang signifikan terhadap return saham kelompok large-cap namun memiliki pengaruh negatif yang signifikan terhadap return saham kelompok small-cap. Kata Kunci : Behavioral Finance, Emerging Market, Return Saham, Sentimen Investor. ABSTRACT This research aims to examine the effect of investor sentiment on monthly stock return in Indonesia Stock Market. The analysis was performed on two different group based on stock market capitalization which is large-cap and small-cap group. Each group consisted of 91 large-cap companies and 95 small-cap companies. Implicit proxies were used to measure investor sentiment, namely share turnover, dividend premium, price earning ratio and advance decline ratio. This study used monthly time series data from January 2012 to December 2016. Time series data was calculated from monthly average data of all individual stock on each group. The result shows three main findings. First, although investor sentiment have significant effect on stock return in both groups, investor sentiment exhibits stronger effect on small-cap stock return. Second, all of sentiment proxies denote a significant effect on small-cap stock return whereas only dividend premium and advance decline ratio which indicate significant effect on large-cap stock return. Finally, this study evidences that dividend premium shows positive effect on large-cap stock return while indicating negative effect on small-cap stock return. Keywords: Behavioral Finance, Emerging Market, Investor Sentiment, Stock Return
Genotoxic Effect of Chlorpyrifos and Cypermethrin in Albino Rats

This study was designed to evaluate genotoxic effect of chlorpyrifos and cypermethrin, singly and in combination, in albino rats. Thirty-six albino rats were randomly divided into three groups (A, B and C) of four rats per treatment (chlorpyrifos, cypermethrin and chlorpyrifos+ cypermethrin). Group A was the control and received distilled water and feed only. Groups B and C received 5 and 10 mg kgG b.wt. of each treatment, respectively. Treatment was administered via oral gavage and lasted for a period of 65 days. The 24 h after administering the last dosage, rats were sacrificed and bone marrow samples were collected for evaluation. The result revealed that pesticide treatment reduced polychromatic erythrocytes and the ratio of polychromatic erythrocytes to normochromatic erythrocytes significantly, while normochromatic erythrocytes and micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes increased significantly (p<0.05) compared with the control. However, the treatment had no significant (p>0.05) effect on micro-nucleated normochromatic erythrocytes. These findings therefore indicate that chlorpyrifos and cypermethrin, singly and especially in combination, could be mutagenic.
Antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of extracts from medicinal plant ginger (Zingiber officinale) and identification of components by gas chromatography

The present study was conducted to investigate antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of Zingiber officinale, and detected possible chemicals existence in the plant. Phytochemical screening was carried out using the standard test methods of different chemical groups. Investigating the antioxidant activity, one complementary test method namely 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging assay was carried out. Disc diffusion method, with minor modifications was used for the evaluation of in vitro antimicrobial activity. The extracts were a rich source of phytochemicals. In DPPH free radical scavenging test, the ethanol, acetone and cyclohexane extracts show the highest free radical scavenging activities, although the extracts revealed good antimicrobial activities. Finally, the bioactive compounds of Zingiber officinale rhizomes have been evaluated by using GC-spectroscopy. Key words: Zingiber officinale, GC spectroscopy antimicrobial, antioxidant, agar-well diffusion, phytochemical screening.
Retirement Financing: An Optimal Reform Approach

We study Pareto optimal policy reforms aimed at overhauling retirement financing as an integral part of the tax and transfer system. Our framework for policy analysis is a heterogeneous‐agent overlapping‐generations model that performs well in matching the aggregate and distributional features of the U.S. economy. We present a test of Pareto optimality that identifies the main source of inefficiency in the status quo policies. Our test suggests that lack of asset subsidies late in life is the main source of inefficiency when annuity markets are incomplete. We solve for Pareto optimal policy reforms and show that progressive asset subsidies provide a powerful tool for Pareto optimal reforms. On the other hand, earnings tax reforms do not always yield efficiency gains. We implement our Pareto optimal policy reform in an economy that features demographic change. The reform reduces the present discounted value of net resources consumed by each generation by about 7 to 11 percent in the steady state. These gains amount to a one‐time lump‐sum transfer to the initial generation equal to 10.5 percent of GDP.
An aggregate import demand function for Turkey: The bounds testing approach

This study investigates the aggregate import demand behavior for Turkey using the bounds test procedure by Pesaran et. al. (2001) which is based on the estimate of an Unrestricted Error Correction Model (UECM). This technique generates robust short and long run estimates in small samples, where the integration of the variables are unknown. Using annual data over the period 1982-2002, the results of the bounds test indicate that there is a long run relationship among import demand, real income and relative prices for Turkey. Moreover, the dummy variable employed to investigate the effect of Turkey’s European Customs Union membership on import demand. The results showed the dummy variable is statistically significant and positive. The findings suggest that Customs Union has increased the import demand of Turkey.
Effects of spruce, beech and mixed commercial stand on humus conditions of forest soils.

Abs Tr AcT: A pedological survey was carried out in a spruce monoculture, beech stand, and in a mixed stand at a field research station in Rajec-Němcice of the Institute of Forest Ecology (IFE), Mendel University of Agriculture and Forestry (MUAF) in Brno in the region of the Drahanska Upland in 2004-2006. The aim of the paper was to evaluate (i) humus reserves and forms, ( ii) soil reaction, ( iii) reserves of total carbon and nitrogen for the forest floor layers and () carbon/nitrogen ratio. Soil analyses were carried out on samples taken at the end of the growing season in a spruce, beech and mixed stand. The highest reserves of forest floor were found in the spruce stand (71.8 t/ha), which also corresponded to the exchangeable soil reaction 3.3 ± 0.4, the C/N ratio being 27.3 ± 3.0. The lowest reserves were found in the beech stand (46.7 t/ha), the soil reaction was 3.6 ± 0.5 and the C/N ratio was 26.0 ± 5.2. The mixed stand represented an intermediate value between extreme positions.
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PARENTAL DEMOGRAPHICS, PARENTING STYLES AND STUDENT ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT

This study aims to explore the relationship between demographic characteristics, parenting styles and academic achievement involving elementary school students. Participants in this study are the parents of students in fifth and sixth grades of public schools in Tirana. A measuring instrument, which was adapted from the literature (Robinson, Mandleco, Olsen and Hart, 1995), was applied (N = 220). Quantitative methods were used and data were processed with SPSS. The study finds that parenting styles and demographic characteristics were associated primarily with the educational level of parents. Children’s academic achievements are related to parenting styles. Demographic characteristics showed a relationship with parenting style. The dominating parenting style is authoritarian, which is connected with the family’s low social status and economic level. Parenting with an authoritative style, which is different from the more severe authoritarian style, shows more successful results in terms of high academic achievement.
Pharmacognostic standardization of chaetomorpha antennina and Ulva lactuca, green seaweeds from Gujarat coast

Chaetomorpha antennina (Bory) Kutzing and Ulva lactuca Linnaeus are two green marine seaweeds (algae) belonging to the families cladophoraceae and Ulvaceae respectively. They are known for biological activities like antibacterial, antioxidant, antiplasmodial, antifouling, etc. They ae rich in various secondary metabolites.Pharmacognostic, physicochemical and phytochemical parameters of plants are the identity of a particular plant and they are very useful to authenticate the plant under study and prevent it from adulteration and substitution. Hence, in the present study, macroscopic, microscopic, phytochemical and physicochemical parameters of both the algae were evaluated. All the standard procedures were followed. They were rich in phytoconstituents like alkaloids, steroids, cardiac glycosides and saponins. The extractive values were maximum in methanol and minimum in petroleum ether in both the algae. The different salient diagnostic features established in this study will help for proper identification and standardization of crude drug in powder form. They may also be useful in preparation of monograph of them.
Effects of corporate social responsibility on consumer retention in the cellular industry of Pakistan

Numbers of researches have been conducted to investigate the interrelationship among corporate sustainability, corporate social responsibility and consumer purchase intentions. However conflicting results were found regarding effects of corporate social responsibility on consumer behavior. This research has investigated the effects of product/service quality and consumer satisfaction along with corporate social responsibility actions on consumer purchase intentions and further on consumer loyalty. This was an exploratory research based on primary and secondary data with some experimentation to manipulate respondents’ attitude towards organization and its corporate social responsibility actions. The primary data has been collected from university students, whereas secondary data was collected from newspapers and website of corporation. The data has been analyzed using structural equation modeling through AMOS 7.0 version. The study found no relationship between awareness of corporate social responsibility activities and consumer purchase intention. However significant relationship was observed between service quality and customer satisfaction. Moreover the study noted no relationship between consumer satisfaction and purchase intentions and purchase intention and consumer retention for cellular industry of Pakistan. The findings of this study are important for corporations and future researchers on corporate social responsibility and consumer behavior. Key words: Corporate social responsibility, corporate sustainability, consumer behavior, consumer satisfaction, consumer retention.
Evaluation of compensatory gain, standardized ileal digestible lysine requirement, and replacing specialty protein sources with crystalline amino acids on growth performance of nursery pigs.

A total of 5,212 nursery pigs were used in 11 experiments to evaluate amino acids in nursery pig diets. Experiments 1 and 2 were conducted to determine whether the Lys level fed during one phase of the nursery influenced the response to Lys during subsequent phases. Experiment 1 tested a wide range of dietary Lys in 2 phases and reported that pigs fed high Lys during each period had increased growth performance; however, compensatory growth occurred for the pigs previously fed low Lys diets, resulting in no impact on overall ADG or final BW. Experiment 2 tested a narrow range of dietary Lys in 3 phases and found that marginally deficient diets can be fed in the early nursery phases without influencing final BW or the response to Lys levels in subsequent phases. Both experiments demonstrate that the low dietary Lys levels used in each can be fed in the early nursery phases with no negative impact on overall nursery growth rate provided that adequate levels are fed thereafter. Experiments 3 to 6 were conducted to determine the standardized ileal digestible (SID) Lys requirement of nursery pigs from 7to 14-kg. Data from all experiments were combined and break-point and quadratic broken-line analysis was used to determine the estimated SID Lys requirement. The SID Lys requirement for optimal growth was at least 1.30% for ADG and 1.37% for G:F, or at least 3.86 and 4.19 g SID Lys/Mcal ME, respectively. Experiments 7 to 11 were conducted to evaluate the effect of replacing specialty protein sources with crystalline AA and AA requirements for 7to 12-kg pigs. Experiment 7 demonstrated that crystalline AA can be used to replace fish meal in diets with no negative effects on growth performance. Experiment 8 demonstrated that L-Trp, L-Val, and a source of non-essential AA were needed in low-CP, AA-fortified nursery diets to achieve maximum growth performance, whereas the addition of L-Ile was not required. Experiment 9 indicated that feeding greater than 7.35% total Lys:CP decreased growth performance and Exp. 10 indicated that a SID Val:Lys ratio of 65% was sufficient for optimal growth of early nursery pigs. Implementing the results from the previous experiments, Exp. 11 determined that crystalline AA in nursery pigs diets can replace high amounts of fish meal, meat and bone meal, and poultry meal when balanced for minimum AA ratios and maximum Lys:CP with no negative effect on growth performance.
Interrogation of distributional data for the End Ordovician crisis interval: where did disaster strike?

The uppermost Ordovician–lowermost Silurian (Upper Katian–Rhuddanian) is surveyed with respect to the α‐ and β‐diversity of rhynchonelliformean brachiopods. The survey is based on new collections as well as existing literature, compiled in a large, georeferenced database. The brachiopod faunas are plotted using a Geographical Information System (GIS) and subjected to density analysis to display fluctuations within the different faunas through time. In addition, an analysis is performed on the preferred relative depth ranges of the brachiopod communities through the latest Ordovician–earliest Silurian crisis interval, following the concept of Benthic Assemblage zones. Both analyses support the view of a two‐phased late Ordovician (Hirnantian) decline in diversity followed by a radiation in the early Silurian (Rhuddanian). These data show that the main taxonomic loss was geographically located on the peri‐Laurentian terranes, in the Laurentian epicratonic seas and on the margins of the Ægir Ocean. Refuges during the survival interval were probably located in the shallow‐water zones of especially Baltica, but also Gondwana, the peri‐Laurentian terranes and the Kazakh Terranes. Except for Baltica, these refuges may to a large extent be obscured by the success of the Hirnantia fauna and, thus, may not contain many true survivor taxa. South China apparently operated as a refuge for the mid‐shelf to deeper‐water faunas. Avalonia, Baltica, Laurentia and South China experienced increased diversity in shallow‐water settings in the recovery interval. Most regions experienced increased diversity among deeper‐water faunas, although this appears to have been delayed until the late Rhuddanian on Laurentia. At this time the deeper‐water faunas disappeared from the peri‐Laurentian terranes (as did the terranes themselves) probably as a consequence of the progressively narrowing Iapetus Ocean. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.