Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Assessment of the factors affecting the performance of micro and small scale enterprise: The case of Wolkite town, Guraghe zone, Southern Ethiopia

Currently, the Ethiopian government gives a great emphasis on the growth of micro and small-scale enterprises. Besides, some empirical studies were conducted to identify the factors affecting the performance of micro and small-scale enterprises in this town. For the sake of achieving this goal most important primary sources of data were collected through survey questionnaire from samples of 30 peoples by means of the random sampling technique. Moreover, face to face interview was also conducted with the coordinator of micro and small-scale enterprises in Wolkite town. Data collected using the questionnaire were analyzed using descriptive and econometric model (ols). This paper focuses on determining the influence of factors like age, sex, family size, access to business information, access to, access to financial services and access to managerial skills on the performance of micro and small-scale enterprises. Especially, access to infrastructure and low-level education are the main factors that are affecting the performance of micro and small-scale enterprises in this town. This implies that mainly due to this factors most of the enterprise in this town was at the initial growth stage and their performances were decreasing from time. Key words: Micro and small scale enterprises, Wolkite Ethiopia.
Dendrohydrology and water resources management in south-central Chile: lessons from the Río Imperial streamflow reconstruction

Abstract. Streamflow in south-central Chile (SCC, ∼ 37–42 ∘ S) is vital for agriculture, forestry production, hydroelectricity, and human consumption. Recent drought episodes have generated hydrological deficits with damaging effects on these activities. This region is projected to undergo major reductions in water availability, concomitant with projected increases in water demand. However, the lack of long-term records hampers the development of accurate estimations of natural variability and trends. In order to provide more information on long-term streamflow variability and trends in SCC, here we report findings of an analysis of instrumental records and a tree-ring reconstruction of the summer streamflow of the Rio Imperial ( ∼ 37 ∘ 40 ′ S–38 ∘ 50 ′ S). This is the first reconstruction in Chile targeted at this season. Results from the instrumental streamflow record ( ∼ 1940 onwards) indicated that the hydrological regime is fundamentally pluvial with a small snowmelt contribution during spring, and evidenced a decreasing trend, both for the summer and the full annual record. The reconstruction showed that streamflow below the average characterized the post-1980 period, with more frequent, but not more intense, drought episodes. We additionally found that the recent positive phase of the Southern Annular Mode has significantly influenced streamflow. These findings agree with previous studies, suggesting a robust regional signal and a shift to a new hydrological scenario. In this paper, we also discuss implications of these results for water managers and stakeholders; we provide rationale and examples that support the need for the incorporation of tree-ring reconstructions into water resources management.
Electron-state control of carbon nanotubes by space and encapsulated fullerenes

We report total-energy electronic structure calculations that provide energetics of encapsulation of various fullerenes in carbon nanotubes and electronic structures of resulting carbon peapods. We find that the electron states of the peapods depend on the space in the nanotubes and that they reflect electron states of the encapsulated fullerenes. The deep energy position of the lowest unoccupied state of fullerenes as well as hybridization between $\ensuremath{\pi}$ states of the fullerenes and the nearly free-electron states of the nanotubes causes a multicarrier character in the peapods.
Two new species of the Pterostichus macrogenys species group (Coleoptera, Carabidae) discovered in shallow subterranean habitats in northern Honshu, Japan

Shallow subterranean environments have recently received attention as a habitat for Carabidae beetles, and many new species have been discovered using collection techniques devised for this habitat. We report the discovery of two new species of the macrogenys species group of the Pterostichus subgenus Nialoe Tanaka, 1958, collected by subterranean baited traps in northern Honshu, Japan. Pterostichus shinbodakensis Sasakawa & Itô, sp. n. is described from Mt. Shinbodake, Niigata Prefecture, and P. tateishiyamanus Sasakawa & Itô, sp. n. is described from the southeastern foot of Mt. Tateishiyama, Fukushima Prefecture. Comparative male genital morphology shows that among the known species, the two new species are most closely related to P. falcispinus Sasakawa, 2005 and P. chokaisanus Sasakawa, 2009, respectively. In addition, sympatric occurrence of P. shinbodakensis with a smaller, unidentified species of the species group was also confirmed. The implications of these results for future studies of the macrogenys species group, as well as those of Nialoe, are discussed.
Inter-regional metric disadvantages when comparing country happiness on a global scale. A Rasch-based consequential validity analysis

Abstract Measurement confounding due to socioeconomic differences between world regions may bias the estimations of countries' happiness and global inequality. Potential implications of this bias have not been researched. In this study, the consequential validity of the Happy Planet Index, 2012 as an indicator of global inequality is evaluated from the Rasch measurement perspective. Differential Item Functioning by world region and bias in the estimated magnitude of inequalities were analyzed. The recalculated measure showed a good fit to Rasch model assumptions. The original index underestimated relative inequalities between world regions by 20%. DIF had no effect on relative measures but affected absolute measures by overestimating world average happiness and underestimating its variance. These findings suggest measurement confounding by unmeasured characteristics. Metric disadvantages must be adjusted to make fair comparisons. Public policy decisions based on biased estimations could have relevant negative consequences on people's health and well-being by not focusing efforts on real vulnerable populations.
Determinants of Competitiveness in Textile Industry of Pakistan

This study investigated the determinants of competitiveness in textile industry of Pakistan. Both financial (leverage, liquidity, investment, productive asset and firm size) and nonfinancial factors (exporting and market share) were collectively studied from 2002 to 2012 for 84 textile firms. Balanced panel data used for analysis. Hausman test confirmed fixed effect panel data regression model as appropriate research technique. Results proven that leverage, productive asset and firm size had negative significant relationship with competitiveness of firm while market share had positive significant relationship. Extraordinary use of debt financing, inefficient asset management and improper usage of productive asset were the point of main concern for further improvement of firm competitiveness. For capturing large market share firm desired to achieve economies of scale and economies of scope. Exporting and liquidity had positive but insignificant relationship while investment had negative insignificant relationship with competitiveness.
Stress Perfusion Imaging Of The Celiac Axis Using Turboflash MRI

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the ability of cardiac gated Turbo-FLASH MRI to measure the effect of Dipyridamole (DP) on perfusion of the stomach, spleen and liver in patients undergoing DP stress and to establish reproducibility of this technique for the eventual application in screening for mesenteric ischemia, which was briefly evaluated at the splenic flexure of the colon in this work. Turbo-FLASH can provide adequate time and spatial resolution in intra-abdominal perfusion MRI with reproducible changes in hepatic, splenic and gastric perfusion during DP stress. The changes in organ perfusion after DP appear to be intrinsic to the vascular effects of DP and may have clinical importance. Sample size calculation indicates that a controlled study with 165 normals and 165 subjects will be necessary to detect a 20% difference in perfusion between the groups with a power of 0.8. Portions of this work were funded by a 1992 RSNA research resident award. Portions of this work have been presented at the ARRS 1994, New Orleans LO. AWARDED with 1994 ARRS PRESIDENTS AWARD
Teaching Assistants’ Self‐Efficacy in Teaching Literature: Sources, Personal Assessments, and Consequences

Byrnes (2001) has suggested that the disconnection between language and literature instruction within many foreign language departments has consequences on the professionalization of graduate students. These structural issues lead to questions about graduate students' development. How do teaching assistants (TAs) perceive their competency as 'language' and 'literature' instructors? What are the sources and consequences of their self-beliefs? Teacher self-efficacy (TSE), or a teacher's perception of his or her capabilities to bring about desired objectives in student engagement and learning (), was explored to gain insight into TAs' perceptions of teaching competence. This qualitative study evaluated 10 French literature doctoral students' TSE beliefs to teach literature and their accompanying sources, personal assessments and analyses, and consequences. Results revealed that although the TAs found the graduate program to be highly effective in its formation of literary scholars and language instructors, they found that the pedagogy of literature 'falls in a gap between these two holes' (teaching assistant, study data excerpt). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Late Holocene earthquakes at the Mudurnu valley , 1967 earthquake segment of the North Anatolian Fault Zone , recorded in river channel deposits

This study provides constraints on the recurrence of recent surface-rupturing earthquakes at the southern (main) branch of the North Anatolian Fault Zone (Turkey), west of the Bolu basin. The target was the fault segment that ruptured during the 1967 Mudurnu valley earthquake (Ms 7.1), which preceded the devastating earthquakes of 1999 in the sequence of westward-migrating earthquakes since 1939. A trench was excavated on a Late Holocene terrace in the fault-line valley of the Mudurnu River, across a low fault scarp that was followed by the 1967 surface rupture. Three fault zones were exposed in river channel deposits: two recently active ones, bounding a subtle pressure ridge (push-up) superimposed on the scarp, and a sealed one inbetween them. Detailed logging of the stratigraphy revealed a minimum of three (possibly four) paleoearthquakes, preceding the 1967 earthquake. The most conservative interpretation of maximum-limiting radiocarbon ages, is that the youngest 2 (possibly 3) paleoearthquakes have occurred since AD1394 (max. average recurrence interval 286 yrs / possibly 191 yrs), whereas the older event is unconstrained. A second interpretation that is not to be excluded based on the inconclusive historical earthquake record, suggests that all three (possibly four) paleoearthquakes recognised in the trench, may have occurred since ca. AD1668 (max. average recurrence interval 100 yrs / possibly 75 yrs).
A Novel Design Technique for Variable Non-recursive Digital Filter based on FrFT

A novel technique is introduced through this paper to tune the frequency characteristics of a low-pass finite impulse response (FIR) filter. The work is based on fractional Fourier transform (FrFT) which can be used in modifying the magnitude and phase characteristics of a filter with adjustable FrFT angle as tuning parameter. The analysis of desired impulse response of filter in fractional Fourier domain establishes the dependence of its frequency response on the changeable fractional order parameter. The essence of using FrFT in variable digital filter design is that we need not to re-compute impulse response coefficients and redesign a new filter in order to bring changes in the filter characteristics. Thus it is projected in the work that fractional Fourier transform can be used in tuning window-based FIR digital filters. Ill. 4, bibl. 2, tabl. 12 (in English; abstracts in English and Lithuanian). DOI: http://dx.doi. org/10.5755/j01.eee. 121.5. 1657
Building Trust: Communication and Subordinate Trust in Public Organizations

This research explores how communication strategies of supervisors in public organizations influence subordinates’ trust in their supervisors and organization. At present, little public administration research has explored how the pattern of communication influences subordinates’ trust in their supervisors or organization (vertical trust), in detail. As such, this research constructs a conceptual framework of how supervisors’ communication with subordinates can affect vertical trust in public organizations. Using 2010 US Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey Data, this research uses structural equation modeling to empirically assess the aforementioned framework. The broad conclusion drawn is that interpersonal communication strategies are most effective in building vertical trust in public organizations.
Financial Liberalization and Allocative E ¢ ciency of Capital

Financial liberalization may have a positive e¤ect on growth not only through the increase in the quantity of the available funds, but also through a more e¢ cient allocation of resources across rms and sectors. Despite this intuitive appeal, there is little empirical evidence on the positive e¤ect of nancial liberalization on capital allocation. The main di¢ culty of investigating the linkage between liberalization of nancial markets and capital allocation e¢ ciency lies in the fact that the e¢ ciency of capital allocation is not directly observable. One way to address this issue is to evaluate the e¤ect of nancial liberalization within the Heckscher-Ohlin framework. Producing and exporting products inconsistent with a countrys factor endowments constitutes a serious misallocation of the funds, which undermines competitiveness of the economy and inhibits its long run growth. This paper tests the allocative e¢ ciency hypothesis by evaluating the e¤ect of stock market liberalization on the survival of di¤erent product categories using export data for 91 countries over the period of 1970-2003. Preliminary results suggest that stock market liberalization rebalances the composition of the countrys export according to the countrys factor endowments. After liberalization of the domestic stock market, products that lie far from the countrys comparative advantage set tend to disappear at a faster rate from the countrys export portfolio. JEL classi cation: F10, F36, G15, D61, O16
The ABC of peer mentoring – what secondary students have to say about cross-age peer mentoring in a regional Australian school

Cross-age peer mentoring is an educational model that builds on peer support and mentoring to assist young people to enhance social relationships, develop cognitive skills, and promote positive identity development. In this article, we outline the evaluation process of a cross-age peer-mentoring program implemented in an Australian secondary school. This program had a distinctive focus on blending cross-age peer mentoring, academic tutoring, and social support roles. We focus on the program's consumers – the voices of Year 7 students (mentees) and Year 10 students (mentors). Student perspectives were gathered using qualitative methods through repeated focus groups. Data were thematically analysed, and the findings show observed changes in social relationships, problem-solving skills, and engagement with literacy. We discuss the importance of this relationship for effective learning and examine the reported changes to engagement with relationship building. Implications for developing whole-of-school support and increasing wider participation are discussed.
Variation in forest fire ignition probability in Finland

We examined climate-caused spatio-temporal variation of forest fire ignition probability in Finland based on empirical ignition experiments and 37 years of meteorological data from 26 meteorological stations scattered across Finland. First, meteorological data was used in order to estimate the variation in forest fuel moisture content with the model of the Finnish forest fire risk index. Second, based on data from empirical ignition experiments, fuel moisture content was linked with forest fire ignition probability. In southern Finland average forest fire ignition probability typically peaks in late May and early June, whereas in the northern part of the country the peak occurs at the end of June. There was a three-fold difference in the average annual ignition probability between the north-eastern part (3%) and south-western part of the country (9%). The observed differences in fire ignition probability suggest that the characteristics of the natural fire regime also vary considerably in the southern versus the northern part of the country.
The role of technology in fostering creativity in the teaching and learning of mathematics

The paper looks at interrelationships between creativity and technology in the teaching and learning of mathematics. It suggests that a proper use of various technologies especially computers in the teaching and learning of mathematics has the potential of helping learners to develop their creativity. The technologies can provide an atmosphere under which mathematical skills can be extended beyond the ability to calculate or reproduce problems and enable learners to investigate, analyse and interpret problems at hand. Furthermore, with computers learners can use an experimental approach to deal with mathematical problems, which can lead to conjecture, pattern finding, examples and counter examples. In fact, if used effectively, computational aids can help in improving learners’ intellectual ability and hence mathematical achievement while fostering the requisite creativity not found in the traditional approach.
The Relationship between Spot Exchange Rate and Implied Exchange Rate Derived from NTD/USD Gold Futures on the TAIFEX

In this study, we investigate the relationship between spot and implied futures exchange rate between U.S. Dollar (USD) and New Taiwan Dollar (NTD). We are the first to discuss such relationship because only the characteristics of NTD Gold Futures (TGF) and USD Gold Futures (GDF) traded on the Taiwan Futures Exchange (TAIFEX) allow us to do so. Thus, we not only contribute on understanding of price discovery in financial markets, but also on market efficiency and market mechanism through the unique futures contracts on the TAIFEX. The unit root tests confirm that spot exchange rate and implied exchange rate are integrated of order 1, i.e. I(1). Furthermore, Johansen cointegration test, Granger causality test, and Vector Error Correction Model (VECM) shows that spot exchange rate more influences implied exchange rate. We calculate the information shares (Hasbrouck, 1995) for spot exchange rate and implied exchange rate, and the results show the information shares for spot exchange rate are higher than those for implied exchange rate. Moreover, the multivariate regression analysis demonstrates similar results. The implications of our empirical results indicate the importance of market makers in less mature markets.
The influence of dust optical properties on the colour of simulated MSG-SEVIRI Desert Dust infrared imagery

Abstract. Satellite imagery of atmospheric mineral dust is sensitive to the optical properties of the dust, governed by the mineral refractive indices, particle size, and particle shape. In infrared channels the imagery is also sensitive to the dust layer height and to the surface and atmospheric environment. Simulations of mineral dust in infrared Desert Dust imagery from the Spinning Enhanced Visible and InfraRed Imager (SEVIRI) have been performed, using the COSMO-MUSCAT (COSMO: COnsortium for Small-scale MOdelling; MUSCAT: MUltiScale Chemistry Aerosol Transport Model) dust transport model and the Radiative Transfer for TOVS (RTTOV) program, in order to investigate the sensitivity of the imagery to assumed dust properties. This paper introduces the technique and performs initial validation and comparisons with SEVIRI measurements over North Africa for daytime hours during 6 months covering June and July of 2011–2013. Using T-matrix scattering theory and assuming the dust particles to be spherical or spheroidal, wavelength- and size-dependent dust extinction values are calculated for a number of different dust refractive index databases, along with several values of the particle aspect ratio, denoting the particle shape. The consequences for the infrared extinction values of both the particle shape and the particle orientation are explored: this analysis shows that as the particle asphericity increases, the extinctions increase if the particles are aligned horizontally, and decrease if they are aligned vertically. Randomly oriented spheroidal particles have very similar infrared extinction properties as spherical particles, whereas the horizontally and vertically aligned particles can be considered to be the upper and lower bounds on the extinction values. Inputting these values into COSMO-MUSCAT-RTTOV, it is found that spherical particles do not appear to be sufficient to describe fully the resultant colour of the dust in the infrared imagery. Comparisons of SEVIRI and simulation colours indicate that of the dust types tested, the dust refractive index dataset produced by Volz (1973) shows the most similarity in the colour response to dust in the SEVIRI imagery, although the simulations have a smaller range of colour than do the observations. It is also found that the thermal imagery is most sensitive to intermediately sized particles (radii between 0.9 and 2.6 µm): larger particles are present in too small a concentration in the simulations, as well as with insufficient contrast in extinction between wavelength channels, to have much ability to perturb the resultant colour in the SEVIRI dust imagery.
A Search-Matching Model of the Two-Sided Platforms

Based on the frictional matching framework, the paper provides a theoretical model for the two-sided platform in which the number of participants on both sides of the platform and the source of network externalities are endogenously determined. The platform is shown to exhibit both positive cross-group and negative within-group networks externalities. Moreover, unlike the previous literature, a participant's utility is bounded, even if the number of participants on the other side of the platform goes to infinity. The optimal prices of the platform owner are shown to depend not only on the cost of providing service and the benefits of the participants, but also on how a new entrant (either a buyer or a seller) affects the matching probability. Because of the existence of the negative externalities, the platform never subsidizes the sellers.