Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
An evaluation of miller and Modigliani dividend policy irrelevance theory in selected firms in the Cameroon telecommunication industry

This study empirically evaluates the claim that dividend policy is irrelevant in selected companies in the Cameroon telecommunications sector. Time series data for sixteen years (2007-2022) was gotten from the financial records of the studied companies (Orange and MTN). The market price of a share was modelled as a linear function of dividend per share, dividend yield, dividend payout ratio and retention ratio. The Auto-regressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) model is applied in the investigation. According to the findings, dividend per share has a positive significant short-and long-run effect on the share price. Dividend yield has a short-and long-run negative and significant impact on share price. The research concludes that dividend policy influences share price. Therefore, the argument made by Modigliani and Miller that dividend policies are irrelevant is false in telecommunication companies in Cameroon. Hence, the study suggests that companies in the telecommunication sector adopt a constant dividend payout ratio policy.
Liquefaction of Soils During Earthquakes.

Abstract : To provide a general view of liquefaction, some of the larger earthquakes occurring in the alluvial plains of Japan are discussed as case history studies. Among the subjects discussed are the sand deposits in the lowland areas, and the damage directly associated with the liquefaction of this loose sand deposits, the upward movement of underground structures such as storage tanks, sewage conduits and septic tanks, the volcanic ejection of water and sand, and the like; also discussed are structural damages to modern bridges, and the importance of the study of liquefaction as a potential hazard, especially sandy areas.
Culture Representations Incorporated within the English Textbook Used for Teaching Seventh-Grade Students in Indonesia

This study aims to examine the cultural representation incorporated within the English textbook that the teachers utilized for instructing seventh-grade students in Indonesia. The Study employed qualitative content analysis techniques. The study utilized documentation and a checklist table containing criteria to assess the presence of cultural aspects in the textbook recommended by experts in teaching English as a foreign language. The results indicated that the textbook has successfully fulfilled specific criteria for including cultural information. A distinct and well-defined learning objective accompanies every chapter within this English textbook. The textbook organizes its content into individual chapters, each exploring diverse topics about various cultural aspects. The introduction of vocabulary on the topic of each unit occurs exclusively within the respective unit, without subsequent repetition in subsequent chapters. The content covered in Chapters 1 to 5 of the textbook has encompassed a wide range of cultural elements, exhibiting significant diversity. The material has been tailored to suit the student's age group. Every chapter within this English textbook also presents four distinct categories of language skills. However, the learning materials primarily emphasize Indonesian culture through the inclusion of cultural materials. The chapters within the textbook need to cultivate students' awareness of intercultural understanding. There need to be more activities that facilitate students' engagement in intercultural understanding and cross-cultural communication
REFORESTATION GUIDELINES FOR UNUSED SURFACE MINED LANDS: DEVELOPMENT, APPLICATION AND ADOPTION 1

More than 600,000 hectares of mostly forested land in the Appalachian region were surface mined for coal under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act. Today, these lands are largely unmanaged and covered with persistent herbaceous species, such as fescue and serecia lespedeza, and a mix of invasive and native woody species with little commercial or ecological value. Some landowners and surrounding residents would like to restore native forests on some of these lands for the valuable products and services they provided prior to mining. For these lands to become productive forests, intervention is needed to loosen compacted mine soils, correct chemical or nutrient deficiencies, and replace the current vegetation. Reforestation guidelines to restore native forests on mined lands that are unoccupied, unmanaged, and unproductive were developed. Practices include land clearing, mine soil tillage, fertilization, tree planting, weed control and monitoring. The recommended practices were tested on a 35-ha mine site, originally reclaimed to grassland and bond-released in 1997. After the second growing season mean stocking of 885 ha -1 was achieved. Five of the six primary planted species (black, white, and red oak, tulip poplar, black cherry) had statistically equivalent stocking, but tulip poplar and black cherry had the highest mean height and biomass. Volunteer trees occurred on most measurement plots; most volunteer trees were native but invasive shrubs were also present. The pre-existing vegetation proved to be persistent and competitive, demonstrating the importance of vegetation control and strategic nutrient application to reforestation success. Under leadership provided by the Appalachian Regional Reforestation Initiative, a group formed by the Office of Surface Mining and seven state regulatory authorities, these procedures have been adopted and applied by watershed improvement groups, forestry and fish/wildlife agencies, coal companies, environmental groups, and an electrical generating company pursuing carbon credits.
Treatment of Active Crohn’s Disease in Children Using Partial Enteral Nutrition Combined with a Modified Crohn’s Disease Exclusion Diet: A Pilot Prospective Cohort Trial on Clinical and Endoscopic Outcomes

Background: Partial enteral nutrition (PEN) coupled with the Crohn’s disease (CD) exclusion diet (CDED) was shown to be effective in inducing clinical remission in paediatric CD. There are currently no robust data on the endoscopic outcomes of PEN. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical and endoscopic rates of remission after PEN combined with a modified CDED (mCDED) adjusted to the local cuisine in comparison with exclusive enteral nutrition (EEN) for the induction of remission. Methods: Between June 2017 and February 2021, a prospective cohort study on children with active CD, treated with PEN + mCDED or EEN, was performed at a single tertiary centre. Results: During the study period, 54 patients were screened and 15 were excluded according to the exclusion criteria, with six patients excluded in the first two days due to intolerance of the enteral formula. Fourteen patients were included in the PEN and 19 in the EEN group. They were assessed at Weeks 0, 1, 3 and 6, using clinical and laboratory parameters. Endoscopy was performed at Weeks 0 and 6. Clinical remission rates per protocol analysis were 84.6% in the PEN group and 81.3% in the EEN group (p = 0.99). At Week 6, an endoscopic response (a decline in the Simple Endoscopic Score for CD (SES-CD) > 50%) was observed in 84.6% of patients on PEN and in 68.8% on EEN treatment (p = 0.41). Endoscopic remission (SES-CD ≤ 2) was achieved in 53.8% of patients in the PEN group and in 50.0% in the EEN group (p = 0.99), while the mucosal healing rates (SES-CD = 0) were 38.5% with PEN and 43.8% with EEN (p = 0.99). A significant decline in the clinical and endoscopic activity scores was observed in both groups. Conclusion: Our study suggests that PEN + mCDED could be effective in inducing endoscopic remission and mucosal healing in active paediatric CD patients. Here, we present an analysis of the data from our cohort of patients and our real-world experience with PEN + mCDED.
Features of Tat Protein in HIV-1 Sub-Subtype A6 Variants Circulating in the Moscow Region, Russia

Tat, the trans-activator of transcription, is a multifunctional HIV-1 protein that can induce chronic inflammation and the development of somatic diseases in HIV-infected patients. Natural polymorphisms in Tat can impact the propagation of the inflammatory signal. Currently, Tat is considered an object for creating new therapeutic agents. Therefore, the identification of Tat protein features in various HIV-1 variants is a relevant task. The purpose of the study was to characterize the genetic variations of Tat-A6 in virus variants circulating in the Moscow Region. The authors analyzed 252 clinical samples from people living with HIV (PLWH) with different stages of HIV infection. Nested PCR for two fragments (tat1, tat2) with subsequent sequencing, subtyping, and statistical analysis was conducted. The authors received 252 sequences for tat1 and 189 for tat2. HIV-1 sub-subtype A6 was identified in 250 samples. The received results indicated the features of Tat1-A6 in variants of viruses circulating in the Moscow Region. In PLWH with different stages of HIV infection, C31S in Tat1-A6 was detected with different occurrence rates. It was demonstrated that Tat2-A6, instead of a functional significant 78RGD80 motif, had a 78QRD80 motif. Herewith, G79R in Tat2-A6 was defined as characteristic amino acid substitution for sub-subtype A6. Tat2-A6 in variants of viruses circulating in the Moscow Region demonstrated high conservatism.
Mediterranean ridge structure: Results from IMERSE

As the African plate is subducted beneath Eurasia at the Mediterranean Ridge (Figure 1), part of its sediment cover is scraped off to form an accretionary wedge. The International Mediterranean Ridge Seismic Experiment (IMERSE) project has collected over 2650 km of high-quality seismic reflection data and a grid of wide-angle recordings to investigate the structure of this wedge. The data show that offscraped sediments include the thick Messinian evaporites which were deposited about 5–6 million years ago during desiccation of the Mediterranean Sea (Figure 2). The presence of these evaporites distinguishes the Mediterranean Ridge, which is characterized by an extremely broad and flat wedge, short wavelength folding at the seafloor, and large-scale evaporite dissolution, from other accretionary systems.
Signatures of large‐scale soil moisture dynamics on streamflow statistics across U.S. climate regimes

In this paper we address an observational validation of recent theoretical results on the structure of the probability density function (pdf) of daily streamflows through the analysis of data pertaining to several catchments covering various sizes, climatic regimes, and topographic features across the United States. Seasonal streamflow pdfs obtained from recorded time series are directly compared with the theoretical distribution derived by Botter et al. (2007a) by coupling a suitable transport model with a stochastic description of runoff production through soil moisture dynamics. The ecohydrological and morphological parameters defining the theoretical streamflow pdf are inferred for each watershed on the basis of easily gathered land use information and incorporate directly measured hydrologic and climatic data. An excellent agreement is shown with the corresponding observed distribution in variably sized and widely heterogeneous catchments across different climate regimes. In particular, our data confirm that the shape of the daily streamflow pdf shows different regimes well described by a Gamma distribution. Such regimes, roughly termed wet and dry, are controlled by the ratio between the runoff frequency and the inverse of the mean residence time of subsurface flow, which in turn controls the behavior of the basins for low‐stage streamflows.
The Use of Two Locally Sourced Bio-Inocula to Improve Nitrogen and Phosphorus Cycling in Soils and Increase Macro and Micronutrient Nutrient Concentration in Edamame (Glycine max. L.) and Pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima)

Soil macro- and micronutrient nutrient availability and their uptake by plants are critically reliant upon an active presence of the soil microbiome. This study investigated the effect of two locally sourced bio-inocula, local effective microorganisms (LEMs) and false-local effective microorganisms (F-LEMs), on plant available nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), and the uptake of calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), potassium (K), and zinc (Zn) content in edamame (Glycine max. L.) and pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima) grown in a randomized complete block design with four reps, summer 2017 and 2018, respectively. LEM plots showed greater plant-available N during the first week (edamame season) and fourth week (pumpkin season) after treatment applications. During the pumpkin season, post-treatment plant-available P was greater in both summers in LEM plots. Edamame bean had 19%, 3%, 5%, and 16% greater Ca, Mg, K, and Zn content in LEM plots compared to the Control, respectively. The concentration of K in pumpkin pulp at harvest was 31% higher in LEMs than in F-LEMs, while Mg concentration was 42% higher. Pumpkin pulp and seeds also had 27% and 34% greater Ca and Zn concentrations compared to the Control. Our study suggests that LEMs were effective in solubilizing macro- and micronutrients, which led to increased plant uptake.
Bimodality of Lavas in the Teide–Pico Viejo Succession in Tenerife—the Role of Crustal Melting in the Origin of Recent Phonolites

In Tenerife, lavas of the recent Teide-Pico Viejo central complex show a marked bimodality in composition from initially mafic lavas (200-30 ka) to highly differentiated phonolites (30-0 ka). After this abrupt change, the bimodality of the lavas continued to manifest itself between the now felsic Teide-Pico Viejo central complex and the adjacent, but exclusively mafic, rift zones. Whole-rock trace element fingerprinting distinguishes three compositional groups (mafic, transitional, felsic). Groundmass Sr-Nd-Pb-O and feldspar δ. 18O data demonstrate open-system behaviour for the petrogenesis of the Teide-Pico Viejo felsic lavas by high. 87Sr/. 86Sr ratios of up to 0·7049, uniform. 206Pb/. 204Pb (19·75-19·78), variable. 207Pb/. 204Pb (15·53-15·62) and heterogeneous δ. 18O values (5·43-6·80‰). However, ocean sediment contamination can be excluded because of the low. 206Pb/. 204Pb ratios of North Atlantic sediments. Isotope mixing hyperbolae reproduce the entire Teide-Pico Viejo succession and require an assimilant of predominantly felsic composition. Unsystematic and heterogeneous variation of δ. 18O in fresh and unaltered feldspars across the Teide-Pico Viejo succession indicates magmatic addition of diverse δ. 18O assimilants, altered near surface at high and low temperatures. The best fit for these requirements is provided by nepheline syenite that occurs as fresh or altered lithic blocks in voluminous pre-Teide ignimbrite deposits and is similarly heterogeneous in oxygen isotope composition. Nepheline syenite blocks are considered to represent deep remnants of associated earlier eruptions and were thus available for assimilation at depth. Rare earth element modelling indicates that nepheline syenite needs to be melted in bulk to form a suitable end-member composition. Using this assimilant, energy-constrained assimilation fractional crystallization (EC-AFC) modelling reproduces the bulk of the succession, which leads us to suggest that Teide-Pico Viejo petrogenesis is governed by assimilation and fractional crystallization. Both mixing hyperbolae and EC-AFC models indicate that assimilation is more pronounced for the more felsic lavas. The maximum assimilation is evident in the most strongly differentiated (and the most radiogenic in Sr) lava and computes to g97·8% of the assimilant. This most evolved eruption probably represents nepheline syenite bulk melts that formed spatially decoupled from juvenile material. This study therefore recognizes a wider variability of magmatic differentiation processes at Teide-Pico Viejo than previously thought.
Water Chemical Characteristics of the Red Sea Coastal Sabkhas and Associate Evaporite and Carbonate Minerals

Abstract “Sabkha” is a term used to describe the coastal flats and salt marches deposited in lagoonal areas under arid conditions. In this study, water and sediment samples (n = 51 and 182, respectively) were collected from sabkhas systems of the Red Sea coast, which extends between Jeddah city and the town of Yanbu Al-Bahar and is bounded by latitudes 21°30′ and 24°00′N and longitudes 38°00′ and 39°30′E. The collected sediment samples were subjected to sedimentological and mineralogical analyses using grain size and X-ray diffraction techniques. The water samples were subjected to hydrochemical analyses using several standard procedures. The study found that climatic conditions in the Red Sea coastal plain sabkhas lead to the formation of marine brines of magnesium-sodic to chloride type with neutral pH value. Because of the evaporation of the groundwater, the evaporite minerals, especially aragonite, halite, and gypsum, were precipitated. The present study shows that this resulted in an increase in the Mg+2/Cl−1 ion concentrations and the formation of protodolomite mainly in the sediments of the supratidal flats. The reported results indicate that the precipitation of the evaporite minerals and the early diagenetic dolomitization caused decrease in sulfate concentration and the Mg+2/Ca+2 ratios in the water of the supratidal flats. The study also found that more than 50% of the Na+1 ions were precipitated as halite as indicated from the average value of Na+1/Cl−1 ratios, which is lower than 0.75. The absence of clay beds in the sediments overlying the water table is probably the reason for the similar potassium ion concentrations in both upper intertidal and supratidal flat waters in addition to the Red Sea water. The relatively low concentrations of sulfates in the water of the supratidal flats of the studied sabkhas in comparison with their concentrations in the water of the upper intertidal flats are probably due to the precipitation of gypsum in the sediments of the supratidal flats of these sabkhas. The slightly high concentrations of bicarbonates in the water of the studied sabkhas are due mainly to the precipitation of carbonates, especially aragonite, as well as to the low pH values of these waters. The reported results can be considered as documentation of the hydrogeochemical characteristics of the Red sea sabkhas and could be useful for planners and researchers interested in the Red Sea coastal systems.
Exploratory Factors and Reliability Analysis of Active Learning Techniques Instruments to Assess Business Subjects of Secondary School Students in Malaysia

Active learning (AL) techniques invite students to participate actively, either physically or mentally, in the learning process so that they can change their behavior efficiently to achieve great achievement. Still, there is insufficient knowledge concerning the dimensions of AL techniques for business subjects of secondary school students in Malaysia. Thus, the research’s goal is to assist in the determination of the instruments’ reliability to measure the AL techniques measurement scale for business subjects’ students using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) as well as reliability analysis. Moreover, this research conducted a self-administered survey among secondary school students who have taken business subjects as their elective subjects. From secondary schools in Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia, 123 respondents were randomly chosen for the sample. To measure the AL constructs, the study retained 30 items developed because no items have been omitted since the factor loading turned out higher than the 0.50 cut-off point and was used as a tool for data collection. Essentially, this research empirically validates the dimension which helps lead to AL techniques in business subjects that are improved, and the findings are particularly beneficial to secondary school students in Malaysia.
Peripheral Nerve Blocks for Cesarean Delivery Analgesia: A Narrative Review

Effective postoperative analgesia using multimodal approach improves maternal and neonatal outcomes after cesarean delivery. The use of neuraxial approach (local anesthetic and opioids) and intravenous adjunctive drugs, such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and acetaminophen, currently represents the standard regimen for post-cesarean delivery analgesia. Peripheral nerve blocks may be considered in patients who are unable to receive neuraxial techniques; these blocks may also be used as a rescue technique in selected patients. This review discusses the relevant anatomy, current evidence, and advantages and disadvantages of the various peripheral nerve block techniques. Further research is warranted to compare the analgesic efficacy of these techniques, especially newer blocks (e.g., quadratus lumborum blocks and erector spinae plane blocks). Moreover, future studies should determine the safety profile of these blocks (e.g., fascial plane blocks) in the obstetric population because of its increased susceptibility to local anesthetic toxicity.
The Influence of Commitment, Quality of Work, and Organizational Culture to Employee’s Achievement

ABSTRACT This research was conducted with the aim to study and analyze the Commitment, Quality of Work, and Organizational Culture of Employee Job Performance at the Secretariat of the Film Censorship Institution of the Ministry of Education and Culture. The population in this study were all employees of the Film Censorship Institution Secretariat and the sample used was 121 saturated newspaper reports. In conducting this research, the authors used a quantitative method using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) with the help of Lisrel 8.8 software. and Annova. There is a significant difference and there is a positive difference between the variable Work Quality with Work Performance (t value> 1.96) and there is a significant difference but there is no difference between Organizational Culture and Work Performance variables (t value <1.96).
Physico-chemical studies on surface water quality in the Jia-Bharali River Basin, North Brahmaputra Plain, India

The lower catchment of Jia Bharali river basin and adjoining areas defined by the Arunachal Himalaya towards north, Brahmaputra river towards south, Jia Gabharu river and Ghiladhari river towards west and east respectively, is characterized by a network of foothills fed rivers and numerous static water bodies linked to fluvial activities. The surface water regime is primarily monsoon dependent, although the trunk channels receive significant contribution from ground water during lean season. This study presents a comprehensive assessment of surface water quality of the area based on analysis of six datasets representing thirty five point sources and three consecutive years (2008 – 2010). The physico- chemical parameters show variable spatial and temporal relationships. The major ion contents show the trend Ca>Na>Mg>K while anion composition follow the trend HCO3>Cl>SO4>>PO4>NO3 in both the wet and the dry season. With respect to the physico – chemical parameters, the surface water sources of the Jia- Bharali catchment and adjoining area are found to be suitable for domestic, agricultural and industrial use.
Validation of a leg-mounted pedometer for the measurement of steps in lactating Holstein cows

Graphical Abstract Summary: This study was conducted to validate a commercial pedometer for the measurement of steps in pregnant, nonlame, lactating Holstein cows housed in a freestall design. The validation was conducted by assessing the agreement between the technology and visual observation of step counts. Visually observed steps were categorized as walking and stationary steps, and their sum was considered total steps. We demonstrated that the measurements from the commercial pedometer had high agreement with visual observations of step counts whether the steps were measured while the animal was walking or in a stationary position. In addition, an overestimation of step counts by the pedometer in comparison to visual observation was observed.