Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Multidecadal change in streamflow associated with anthropogenic disturbances in the tropical Andes

Andean headwater catchments are an important source of freshwater for downstream water users. However, few long-term studies exist on the relative importance of climate change and direct anthropogenic perturbations on flow regimes in these catchments. In this paper, we assess change in streamflow based on long time series of hydrometeorological data (1974–2008) and land cover reconstructions (1963–2009) in the Pangor catchment (282 km 2 ) located in the tropical Andes. Three main land cover change trajectories can be distinguished during the period 1963–2009: (1) expansion of agricultural land by an area equal to 14 % of the catchment area (or 39 km 2 ) in 46 years' time, (2) deforestation of native forests by 11 % (or −31 km 2 ) corresponding to a mean rate of 67 ha yr −1 , and (3) afforestation with exotic species in recent years by about 5 % (or 15 km 2 ). Over the time period 1963–2009, about 50 % of the 64 km 2 of native forests was cleared and converted to agricultural land. Given the strong temporal variability of precipitation and streamflow data related to El Nino–Southern Oscillation, we use empirical mode decomposition techniques to detrend the time series. The long-term increasing trend in rainfall is remarkably different from the observed changes in streamflow, which exhibit a decreasing trend. Hence, observed changes in streamflow are not the result of long-term change in precipitation but very likely result from anthropogenic disturbances associated with land cover change.
The level of emotional intelligence of nurses providing care for older people in retirement hom

Introduction: Facilities providing care for older people host more and more people with increasingly complex care needs. Nurses are educated in theory and trained for practice but their workload is high and their attitude often seemingly cold and impersonal. Nurses should be able to use their emotions as their ‘wise guides’ instead of concealing them. Aim and methods: The aim of this study was to identify the emotional intelligence (EI) of nurses and determine EI differences with regard to age, years of work experience and education. The research sample comprised of 208 nurses working in nursing homes in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Their average age was 42.82 (SD ± 9.17) and average years of work experience were 19.27 (SD ± 9.87). Their EI was measured using questionnaires representing temporary notions of EI. The STEU (Situational Test of Emotional Understanding) questionnaire determines EI as an ability and provides a sum of correct answers that represents the total EI score. The SEIS (Schutte EI Scale) questionnaire determines the level of EI as a trait. The data was processed by statistical software SPSS 15.0. Conclusion: Nurses achieved adequate EI scores using both tools. SEIS provided statistically significant differences related to the age and length of work experience (older and more experienced nurses achieved higher scores). STEU provided statistically significant differences related to the level of education (university graduates achieved higher scores p < 0.05). Our findings are supported by other evidence which states that the ability of dealing with emotions is a significant part of providing health and social services. EI is an ability which can be influenced by education and is important in the care of older people.
Financial stability, wealth effects and optimal macroeconomic policy combination in the United Kingdom: A new-Keynesian dynamic stochastic general equilibrium framework

Abstract This study derives an optimal macroeconomic policy combination for financial sector stability in the United Kingdom by employing a New Keynesian Dynamic Stochastic General Equilibrium (NK-DSGE) framework. The empirical results obtained show that disciplined fiscal and accommodative monetary policies stance is optimal for financial sector stability. Furthermore, fiscal indiscipline countered by contractionary monetary stance adversely affects financial sector stability. Financial markets, e.g. stocks and Gilts show a short-term asymmetric response to macroeconomic policy interaction and to each other. The asymmetry is a reflection of portfolio adjustment. However in the long-run, the responses to suggested optimal policy combination had homogenous effects and there was evidence of co-movement in the stock and Gilt markets.
Research Article Use of modern family planning methods among Saudi women in Taif, KSA

Background: Contraception is said to improve reproductive health so women should have access to the different methods of family planning and should be empowered to decide the use of contraceptives. A cross sectional study was carried out to identify the prevalence of contraceptive use and its methods among Saudi women in Taif region, KSA. Methods: A structured questionnaire designed to obtain the necessary information from a convenient sample of 250 women of reproductive age, attending the gynecology and obstetrics outpatient clinics of king Abdul Aziz Specialized Hospital in Taif. Results: The results revealed that 55.2 % of them aged between 30 and 40 years old, two-fifths (40.4 %) of them had 3 or 4 living children. 67.7 % of the study subjects was using contraception. The most common contraceptive used was oral contraception (53.8 %) followed by intrauterine device and injectable hormonal contraception respectively (34.3 % and 8.3 %). Religious believes was the most given reason for not using any method of contraception reported by 53.8 % of those not using any method of contraception among 81 (32.3 %) Saudi women out of 250 of the study subjects. Conclusions: It can be concluded that the prevalence of contraception use among Saudi women of reproductive age between 15-49 years was 67.7 %. Oral contraception (53.8 %) was the most used contraceptive method followed by intrauterine device and injectable hormonal contraception respectively (34.3 % and 8.3 %). A further study is needed on a larger study sample to examine the effect of different demographic, social and economic determinants on the fertility behavior of Saudi women in Taif region.
Explaining Constitutional Review in New Democracies: The Case of Taiwan

This paper extends the empirical analysis of the determinants of judicial behavior by considering the Taiwanese case. Taiwan is a particularly interesting case because the establishment and development of constitutional review corresponds to a political transition from an authoritarian regime dominated by one party to an emerging democracy. We test the attitudinal hypothesis by making use of a new dataset of ninety-seven decisions issued by the Taiwanese constitutional court in the period 1988-2008. The attitudinal hypothesis is that the Taiwanese constitutional judges respond to party interests, either because their preferences coincide with the appointer or because they want to exhibit loyalty to the appointer. Our econometric analysis does not provide strong evidence for the attitudinal hypothesis. We provide an explanation. Faced with a transition from a one-party political regime to a democracy, the Taiwanese Grand Justices needed to assert their independence from the other branches of government and gain credibility, thus dissenting more often, periodically and individually voting against the interests of the dominant party.
The mediating role of perceived competence: testing a motivational sequence in university students

In order to test the mediating role of perceived competence between each goal orientation (i.e. task and ego orientations) and intrinsic motivation in a motivational sequence in the context of university education, two models based on the cognitive evaluation theory and the achievement goal theory were tested with 276 Bolivian undergraduate students (138 males, 138 females), who completed Spanish versions of instruments designed to assess motivation, perceived competence, and positive emotions and interest. Two models were found with structural equation modeling techniques, one for ego orientation and one for task orientation. Results showed that perceived competence acts as a good mediator in the relation between ego orientation and intrinsic motivation, and as a partial mediator in the relation between task orientation and intrinsic motivation.
Exploring the Constructed Corporate Governance Index’s Effect on the Firm Performance and Firm Value: An Empirical Study on Service and Industrial Companies Listed in Amman Stock Exchange

The purpose of this study is to investigate corporate governance’s quality for Shareholding Companies Listed on the Amman Stock Exchange; to see how corporate governance index (CGI) and firm performance and firm value are associated; and last but not the least is to check how CGI affects firm performance and firm value. A comprehensive CGI containing 112 points was constructed and analyzed for years 2010 and 2015. It reported that the Jordanian industrial and service companies have a good CGI during these two years. Pearson correlation has showed positive but weak relationships between CGI and all variables in the two years. Multiple regression analysis was performed to evaluate corporate governance index effects on the performance and the value of firm. The results did not support the hypotheses that CGI significantly affects these two variables. To reach to better corporate governance in Jordanian industrial and service companies, the Jordanian authorities might need to modify the inconsistence between laws and corporate governance rules.
Surmounting Solo Status: Beliefs and Previous Experience Buffer Solo Women's Learning

Solo status, defined as being the only member of one’s social category in an otherwise homogenous group, has been shown to have detrimental effects on performance, independent of a stereotype being salient, and persists until the minority has breached the 33% mark. While previous research has fully explored performance and perception aspects of solo status, little research has examined its effect on learning or on potential moderating variables. The current study examined white female college students’ (n=120) ability to learn and perform when placed in a solo status group (i.e., three white males) or a control group (i.e., two white males and one white female). Participants completed two learning stages and a performance stage, throughout which participants were taught and tested on shorthand, an un-stereotyped, academic task. Participants also completed measures of previous experience with solo status and endorsement of traditional gender roles. Results revealed that the performance of participants in the solo condition during testing was better when they reported having frequently presented as a solo in social and academic settings compared to those with less solo experience. Further, results also revealed that when presenting as a solo, the learning and subsequent performance of material was better for participants who denied traditional gender roles compared to those who endorsed them, while participants in the control condition revealed the opposite effect, with learning and performance decreasing as rejection of traditional gender roles increased. Combined, these results suggest that previous solo status experience as well as a rejection of traditional gender roles may allow women to overcome the detrimental effects of presenting as a solo during learning and testing, possibly providing participants with an ability to cope when learning and performing as a solo member.
Precise soil management as a tool to reduce CH4 and N2O emissions from agricultural soils

Landbouwgronden zijn een belangrijke bron van de relatief sterke broeikasgassen lachgas (N2O) en methaan (CH4). Bodemverdichting als gevolg van het gebruik van zware machines op het land stimuleert de emissie van N2O en CH4. In dit rapport worden de gegevens gepresenteerd over emissies uit een akkerbouwgrond waar bodemverdichting gereduceerd werd door het gebruik van het rijpadensysteem. De emissie van N2O en CH4 bij rijpaden en minder bodemverdichting was aanzienlijk lager dan de emissie uit controlevelden waar het land op traditionele wijze bewerkt werd. Op grond van veld- en laboratorium waarnemingen hebben we een eenvoudig model opgesteld waarin de emissie van N2O beschreven wordt als functie van het gasgevulde poriegehalte en de bodemrespiratie. De landbouwers op kleigronden hebben (naar verwachting) het meeste voordeel van toepassing van het rijpadensysteem: ze kunnen zo na een natte periode eerder het land op, kleigrond is gevoeliger voor verdichting dan zand, en de vermeden emissie is op klei het grootst. De invoering van het rijpadensysteem zal kunnen leiden tot een vermindering van de N2O emissie vanuit de Nederlandse akkerbouw van ~169 ton N2O-N per jaarSoil compaction stimulates the emission of nitrous oxide (N2O) and methane (CH4) from agricultural soils. N2O and CH4 are potent greenhouse gases, with a global warming potential respectively 296 times and 23 times greater than CO2. Agricultural soils are an important source of N2O. Hence there is much interest in a systematic evaluation of management options that are available to minimize agricultural greenhouse gas emissions, in particular N2O soil emissions. One such option would be to minimize soil compaction due to the use of heavy machinery. Soil compaction in arable land is relatively general. In this report it is discussed that emissions of N2O and CH4 from an arable field where soil compaction was minimized through application of the so-called ‘riding track’ (rijpaden) system was substantially lower than from plots where a traditional system was used. Laboratory experiments were used to underpin these observations. From these observations we developed a simple calculation model that relates N2O emission to gas filled pore space and soil respiration as input parameters. We suggest implementing the ‘riding track’ system on clay rather than sand as farmers benefit from lower compaction in terms of lower risk of compaction and better accessibility of fields for work. The potential reduction of the N2O emission from arable farming in the Netherlands is estimated at ~169 ton N2O-N per year
Long Memory on the German Stock Exchange

In this study, the contributors present the results of their investigations into the long-memory properties of trading volume and the volatility of stock returns (given by absolute returns and alternatively by square returns). Their database is daily stock data of German companies in the DAX segment of the German Stock Exchange. The purpose of these investigations is the calculation of memory parameters and to determine whether there exists the same degree of long memory for trading-volume and return-volatility data. Calculations are performed on daily results from January 1994 to November 2005 and in three sub-periods: January 1994 to December 1997, January 1998 to December 2001, and January 2002 to November 2005.
Economic Impacts of Professional Training in the Informal Sector: The Case of the Labor Force Training Program in Cote D'Ivoire

This brief summarizes the results of a gender impact evaluation study, entitled Economic impacts of professional training in the informal sector : the case of the labor force training program in Cote d'Ivoire, conducted in 1994 focusing on participants who started in 1999 in Cote d'Ivoire. The study observed the impact of the labor force training program (PAFPA) developed for the informal sector in Cote d'Ivoire on the individual and business level. Overall, the program does not have a significant positive impact on revenue. There are positive economic impacts as a result of training received for some groups, namely women, the agricultural and electronics sectors, firms employing 1 to 3 individuals, and firms with 10 or more employees.
Cross-Gender Brand Extensions: Effects of Gender of Brand, Gender of Consumer and Product Type on Evaluation of Cross-Gender Extensions

Many brands can possess strong gender identity: Marlboro for masculine images and Channel for feminine images. Over the years, there has been a growing trend of cross-gender extensions among brands, partly due to the unisex trend in consumer goods. This study examines consumers’ evaluations of cross-gender extensions in an attempt to identify conditions for successful crossgender extensions. The results show that the gender of a brand, gender of consumers, and product type influence the evaluation of cross-gender extensions.
Wages and Subjective Assessments of Regional Labour Market Pressure

We utilise a rich set of regional labour market variables to explain regional variation in Norwegian manufacturing wages. In particular, regional indicators of labour market pressure are computed from survey data in which respondents are asked to evaluate local job prospects. We find that average reported satisfaction with local job prospects and other survey-based indicators perform better in regional wage equations than traditional labour market variables, including the regional unemployment rate. Our results suggest that surveys may provide useful information about regional labour markets.
On the impact of helium abundance on the Cepheid period–luminosity and Wesenheit relations and the distance ladder

This work analyses the effect of the Helium content on synthetic Period-Luminosity Relations (PLRs) and Period-Wesenheit Relations (PWRs) of Cepheids and the systematic uncertainties on the derived distances that a hidden population of He-enhanced Cepheids may generate. We use new stellar and pulsation models to build a homogeneous and consistent framework to derive the Cepheid features. The Cepheid populations expected in synthetic color-magnitude diagrams of young stellar systems (from 20 Myr to 250 Myr) are computed in several photometric bands for Y = 0.25 and Y = 0.35, at a fixed metallicity (Z = 0.008). The PLRs appear to be very similar in the two cases, with negligible effects (few %) on distances, while PWRs differ somewhat, with systematic uncertainties in deriving distances as high as about 7% at log P < 1.5. Statistical effects due to the number of variables used to determine the relations contribute to a distance systematic error of the order of few percent, with values decreasing from optical to near-infrared bands. The empirical PWRs derived from multi-wavelength datasets for the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) is in a very good agreement with our theoretical PWRs obtained with a standard He content, supporting the evidence that LMC Cepheids do not show any He effect.
The Relationship between Stress and Bullying among Secondary School Students.

Background: In Hong Kong, secondary school students face high levels of stress due to the examination oriented curricula. According to Sun (2006), some secondary school students cannot bear the pressure when facing the examinations, and some of them may exhibit destructive behaviors such as suicide and bullying. Therefore, cases of school bullying break out frequently (Ming Pao, 2003, 2004). Moreover, school alienation contributes to the risk of bullying while support from teachers and peers decreases one’s tendency towards bullying (Natvig et al., 2001). Aims: The objective of this study is to investigate the relationship between students’ stress and bullying. Based on an insight into prevention of bullying in school, some applicable strategies to prevent students’ academic and interpersonal stress will be suggested. Sample: Altogether 340 Fung Kai No. 1 Secondary School students, 200 boys and 140 girls, participated in the present study. Methods: Students completed and returned two questionnaires: the Subjective Stress Scale (Li and Ng, 1992) and the Bullying Checklist (Chui, 2001), in class. Results: The results show that girls felt more stressed than boys in the family, and they also exhibited more social bullying than boys did. Both interpersonal and personal stress are factors leading to bullying. Conclusion: In the present study, girls felt more stressed than boys in the family. They were eager to be more independent from the family. This arouses conflict between parents and daughter. It was found that Form 3 perceived higher levels of academic and personal stress than Form 1 students. It is understood that they were experiencing identity formation and making decisions on future study in art or science. Provision of a one-week orientation program for Form 1 students before the commencement of the school term is recommended. Finally, workshops for parents were introduced to enhance parent-child relationships and to help them communicate effectively with their children.
A Survey on Gain-Scheduled Control and Filtering for Parameter-Varying Systems

This paper presents an overview of the recent developments in the gain-scheduled control and filtering problems for the parameter-varying systems. First of all, we recall several important algorithms suitable for gain-scheduling method including gain-scheduled proportional-integral derivative (PID) control, , and mixed gain-scheduling methods as well as fuzzy gain-scheduling techniques. Secondly, various important parameter-varying system models are reviewed, for which gain-scheduled control and filtering issues are usually dealt with. In particular, in view of the randomly occurring phenomena with time-varying probability distributions, some results of our recent work based on the probability-dependent gain-scheduling methods are reviewed. Furthermore, some latest progress in this area is discussed. Finally, conclusions are drawn and several potential future research directions are outlined.
Reaction of acetylenedicarboxylic acid made easy: High-pressure route for polymerization

A breakthrough has been achieved in improving the efficiency of solid-state polymerization of acetylenedicarboxylic acid (ADCA). Traditional solid state polymerization of ADCA is marked by long exposure times of γ-radiation (>10 days) and very low yields (around 5.5%). We have been able to perform a reaction to an n=8 oligomer, as confirmed by MALDI-TOF, in less than 2 minutes by employing ~6 GPa of pressure. We have determined the crystal structure of ADCA on increasing pressure to (5.2 GPa) to provide insight into the process of polymerization with Pixel calculations supporting our evaluation of the polymerization process.
Beyond Grids: Learning Graph Representations for Visual Recognition

We propose learning graph representations from 2D feature maps for visual recognition. Our method draws inspiration from region based recognition, and learns to transform a 2D image into a graph structure. The vertices of the graph define clusters of pixels ("regions"), and the edges measure the similarity between these clusters in a feature space. Our method further learns to propagate information across all vertices on the graph, and is able to project the learned graph representation back into 2D grids. Our graph representation facilitates reasoning beyond regular grids and can capture long range dependencies among regions. We demonstrate that our model can be trained from end-to-end, and is easily integrated into existing networks. Finally, we evaluate our method on three challenging recognition tasks: semantic segmentation, object detection and object instance segmentation. For all tasks, our method outperforms state-of-the-art methods.