Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Board gender diversity, governance and Egyptian listed firms' performance

PurposeThe study aimed to examine the effect of corporate governance mechanisms on the performance of Egyptian firms listed in the Egyptian Stock Exchange (EGX) between 2014 and 2016.Design/methodology/approachWe relied on agency theory and resource dependence theory to generate testable hypotheses and capture the empirical findings. We regressed various performance measures (Return on Assets; Asset Utilization Ratio, Tobin's Q) regarding governance mechanisms (institutional ownership, managerial ownership, board size, board frequent meetings, the presence of non-executive directors and female directors) while controlling for firm size, leverage, years of listing and market share. The study uses ordinary least square (OLS) and two stages least square (2SLS) regression analysis to address the possible endogenous impact of the firms' ownership structure.FindingsBoard gender diversity, the managerial ownership and frequent board meetings positively influence the Egyptian firms' efficiency measured by assets utilization, while the institutional ownership and board size have negative effects. When using Tobin's Q, the managerial ownership shows a negative effect while institutional ownership and board size present positive effects. When using 2SLS regression, findings remained stable whereas non-executive directors showed a significant negative association with assets utilization.Practical implicationsPolicy makers are recommended to draft policies related to limiting the number of board members, diluting the government's indirect ownership of firms, empowering women in boardrooms and developing the skills needed for non-executive directors.Originality/valueTo the best of our knowledge, our study is one of very few that address firms' performance after a period of political instability accompanied by a greater role for females in the boardrooms of Egypt.
Pattern-based and Time-Synchronised Passwords

: World has been changed; every person is using a number of software, websites, and other systems that are using text-based passwords as a method of authentication. These passwords need to be strong, hard to guess, and need to be stored in a secure environment. Major problems with passwords are caused by human limitations to remember passwords for different accounts. A trade-off between password security and human-memorability made it difficult to create passwords that are strong enough and easy to remember. No satisfactory solutions have been offered to problems associated with a password such as shoulder surfing, eavesdropping, keylogging programs, Trojan horse, brute force attacks, etc. This study suggests a new easy to use approach for creating a password that is easy to remember even for a large number of accounts. Here in this paper, we proposed two methods one is pattern-based passwords, a simple method that is solving the problem of memorability, another is the idea of Time-Synchronized Passwords (TSP), a novel method for creating passwords that are dynamic in nature and change with the passage of time. The novality of TSP is that instead of storing the passwords in database the patterns are stored, and these patterns are related linked with time. The significance of storing pattern instead of actual password is that at a specific time, the password will have only one instance known to the creator of the password, and this particular instance will be different from instances at other times and thus avoids shoulder surfing, eavesdropping, keylogging, and other problems associated with passwords. These methods are easy to implement and can be used in any system.
COVID-19 Restrictions and Variety Seeking in Travel Choices and Actions: The Moderating Effects of Previous Experience and Crowding

This article investigates how the perceived threats caused by COVID-19 affect consumers’ travel choices and actions by influencing their intentions to seek variety. Four studies show that the perceived threat of COVID-19 increases variety seeking in travel choices. Study 1 finds that travelers who perceive a greater threat of COVID-19 tend to undertake more varied activities during their travel. Study 2 shows that the main effect exists only for individuals who have previously visited the destination. Study 3 replicates the moderating effect of previous visiting experience by using a different way to manipulate the perceived threat of COVID-19. Study 4 illustrates the moderating impact of another important factor: the number of travelers included in the companies’ communication messages. The article concludes by discussing the theoretical and managerial implications of the findings.
The Role of Political Polarization on American and Australian Trust and Media Use during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Understanding citizens’ use and trust in media are essential during a global health crisis when governments need to provide reliable information to enact public measures to reduce rates of illness and death. This chapter examines these relationships through repeated surveys in two comparable liberal democracies, the USA and Australia, during the COVID-19 pandemic. It finds that news engagement increased markedly in both countries in 2020 during the pandemic with television and newspapers being the most relied upon sources. Media trust was higher for citizens who prioritized established news sources and medical experts for coronavirus information. Yet, there is clear evidence that people’s news preferences are associated with their level of concern about the virus and support for government measures to contain it. Trump supporters were more inclined to trust information from family and friends on social media than from professional journalists. They were the group least concerned about catching the virus and most dissatisfied with government lockdown measures. The chapter finds greater political and media polarization and partisan distrust of experts in the USA compared to Australia. It concludes that polarization has serious real-world consequences for governments’ capacities to protect public health in this time of crisis.
Phylogeny, species delimitation and biogeography of the endemic Palaearctic tribe Tomarini (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae)

The tribe Tomarini is represented by the sole genus Tomares, comprising about eight species distributed from the western Mediterranean to Central Asia. We carried out a multilocus phylogenetic and a biogeographical analysis to test the taxonomy of the genus by several molecular species delimitation methods and reveal patterns shaping the current distribution of Tomares. The phylogenetic analysis based on four molecular markers recovered the monophyly of the genus and recovered two deep-branching lineages: an African clade and an Asian clade. Species delimitation analyses suggested six or ten putative species depending on the method applied. The haplotype network analysis of the Tomares nogelii clade revealed no phylogeographical and taxonomic structure. We consider the taxon Tomares nesimachus (syn. nov.) a synonym of T. nogelii and reinstate Tomares callimachus dentata stat. rev. for populations from south-eastern Turkey. Tomares originated between the early Oligocene and the early Miocene, most probably in south-west Asia. The split of the most recent common ancestor of Tomares occurred between the middle-late Miocene and middle-late Pliocene, probably as a response to increasing aridification and habitat fragmentation. Differentiation of the Asian clade took place in south-west Asia during the Pliocene and Pleistocene and coincided temporally with the evolution of Tomares host plants of the genus Astragalus (Fabaceae).
New insights into the daily and symbolic use of plants during initial occupations of Formentera (Balearic Islands, Spain)

Abstract The island of Formentera, with its small extension and flat orography, was settled relatively late in Mediterranean prehistory between the third and second millennium BC. The sites presented in this paper, Cova des Fum and Cova des Riuets, offer evidence of the island’s first occupation. Cova des Fum comprises a necropolis of the Bronze Age and two sanctuary spaces (used, at least, from 2035 cal BC), with hearths and water management structures. Cova des Riuets is a habitation site from the beginning of the Bronze Age (available dates ranging from 2030 to 1760 cal BC). This landscape study, among the first on the ancient occupation of the island, focuses on the plant macro-remains from both sites, providing new data on the vegetation of the surrounding areas and the use of both wild and domesticated plant resources for various daily and ritual tasks. The firewood came from evergreen thermo-Mediterranean formations well adapted to drought and summer heat, as well as rocky environments, and could have been collected in the vicinity of the sites. The autochthonous character of some species, such as the fig tree, has also been investigated and has provided the oldest existing date for this species on the island. This study reveals some peculiarities in the island’s subsistence strategy that are relevant to the study of small islands more generally.
Galectin-1 prevents pathological vascular remodeling in atherosclerosis and abdominal aortic aneurysm

Pathological vascular remodeling is the underlying cause of atherosclerosis and abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). Here, we analyzed the role of galectin-1 (Gal-1), a β-galactoside–binding protein, as a therapeutic target for atherosclerosis and AAA. Mice lacking Gal-1 (Lgals1−/−) developed severe atherosclerosis induced by pAAV/D377Y-mPCSK9 adenovirus and displayed higher lipid levels and lower expression of contractile markers of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) in plaques than wild-type mice. Proteomic analysis of Lgals1−/− aortas showed changes in markers of VSMC phenotypic switch and altered composition of mitochondrial proteins. Mechanistically, Gal-1 silencing resulted in increased foam cell formation and mitochondrial dysfunction in VSMCs, while treatment with recombinant Gal-1 (rGal-1) prevented these effects. Furthermore, rGal-1 treatment attenuated atherosclerosis and elastase-induced AAA, leading to higher contractile VSMCs in aortic tissues. Gal-1 expression decreased in human atheroma and AAA compared to control tissue. Thus, Gal-1–driven circuits emerge as potential therapeutic strategies in atherosclerosis and AAA.
Bone marrow niches in myelodysplastic syndromes

Genetic and epigenetic lesions within hematopoietic cell populations drive diverse hematological malignancies. Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are a group of myeloid neoplasms affecting the hematopoietic stem cells characterized by recurrent genetic abnormalities, myelodysplasia (a pathological definition of abnormal bone marrow structure), ineffective hematopoiesis resulting in blood cytopenia, and a propensity to evolve into acute myelogenous leukemia. Although there is evidence that the accumulation of a set of genetic mutations is an essential event in MDS, there is an increased appreciation of the contribution of specific microenvironments, niches, in the pathogenesis of MDS and response to treatment. In physiologic hematopoiesis, niches are critical functional units that maintain hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells and regulate their maturation into mature blood cells. In MDS and other hematological malignancies, altered bone marrow niches can promote the survival and expansion of mutant hematopoietic clones and provide a shield from therapy. In this review, we focus on our understanding of the composition and function of hematopoietic niches and their role in the evolution of myeloid malignancies, with an emphasis on MDS.
ETIOLOGY OF STUDENTS FAIL TO COMPLETE DOCTORATE DEGREE WITHIN STIPULATED TIME

Doctorate degree so-called doctor of philosophy (PhD) is amiably recognized as remarkable postgraduate qualification so far. In the walk of technological advancement and globalization the demand of doctorate degree can’t be abandon and commonly, students with vivid academic background, desire to pursue challenging careers, auspicious personal traits with motivation are enrolled for this programme. When such distinctive students failed to complete the doctorate degree within stipulated time, have arise many questions for stakeholders. This study was conducted to articulate the etiology of student failure to complete doctorate degree programme within stipulated time. For this purpose, PhD students were considered population and data was collected through questionnaire. Total 268 questionnaires were distributed and 233 were received. Statistical tools such as EFA, CFA and SEM were applied. For this SPSS-20 and AMOS-24 software were used. Results of study found Institutional Support, Personality Trait and Supervisor Support have significant positive impact on PhD degree completion. It is recommended that all stakeholders need to play their role and there is dare need to develop a systematic formal organize research structure. Also establish National Research Monitoring Cell for centralization and streamline research activities. Supervisors engage students beyond odds hours also inculcate research / innovation habit.
Detection of a COVID-19 cluster by universal SARS-CoV-2 testing in a geriatric hospital and implications for infection control management

Hospital-level COVID-19 testing strategies may require rapid changes depending on the dynamics of local epidemiology. A COVID-19 outbreak in a hospital near the authors’ institution, a Geriatric Medicine centre in Berlin, Germany, prompted the implementation of comprehensive SARS-CoV-2 testing. Serial nasopharyngeal swabs were collected from all patients and staff and analysed for SARS-CoV-2 virus RNA using quantitative real-time PCR. In total, 11 of 84 patients (13.1%) and 1 of 147 employees (0.68%) tested positive. Of the 11 positive patients, 9 (81.8%) were asymptomatic at the time of testing. The data were used as the basis for adjusting local COVID-19 containment measures. Only one staff-to-staff transmission was observed, and there was no patient-to-patient, patient-to-staff or staff-to-patient transmission. Three patients infected with SARS-CoV2 died, two deaths being attributable to advanced malignant disease and one to COVID-19–associated myocarditis. In conclusion, universal SARS-CoV-2 testing revealed a cluster of predominantly asymptomatic infections, enabled appropriate local COVID-19 containment decisions and presumably contributed to the prevention of in-hospital SARS-CoV-2 transmission.
MPTP Parkinsonism and Implications for Understanding Parkinson's Disease

In 1983, Langston et al first reported chronic parkinsonism in individuals following self-injection of intravenous heroin contaminated with 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP). This astute clinical observation and subsequent work led to the discovery of MPTP as a dopaminergic neurotoxin that resulted in the development of the most validated and successful preclinical model of any neurological disease. The MPTP primate and subsequent MPTP rodent models have enabled a better understanding of basal ganglia circuitry and revolutionized translational drug discoveries and surgical treatments for Parkinson’s disease (PD). In addition, knowledge of the conversion of MPTP to 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP+) via monoamine-oxidase (MAO) B (MAO-B) inhibition opened up the notion of environmental toxins as potential causes of PD as well as the role of mitochondria in PD pathophysiology.
Students' Mathematical Critical Thinking Based on Self-Esteem Through Problem Based Learning in Geometry

This study aims to describe and determine mathematical critical thinking skills based on students' self-esteem. This type of research is a mixed method with a sequential explanatory research design. The population in this study were first year mathematics education students who took geometry courses with the sampling technique used purposive sampling. Determination of the subjects grouped based on self-esteem with high, medium, and low categories to be interviewed about students' critical thinking skills. The instruments in this study were tests and interviews. The results showed that description of mathematical critical thinking skills in terms of self-esteem of students varied. Four students indicate this with high self-esteem obtained by mathematical critical thinking skills results in the form of two students in high category and two students in medium category. From 25 students with moderate self-esteem, the results of the mathematical critical thinking skills were obtained in the form of five high category students, 14 moderate category students, and six in the low category students. From three students with low self-esteem, the results of the mathematical critical thinking ability result in the form of one student in the high category and two students in the low category. It can be concluded that there is a not too significant effect on students' critical thinking skills. Meanwhile, there are differences in students' critical thinking skills in terms of self-esteem at high, medium, and low levels.
Political electoral cycles: Are municipal elections influenced on the budget execution of Minas Gerais municipalities?

Objective: This article intends to assess whether political cycles generate impacts on the allocation of public resources ineducation, health, and infrastructure investments (works and installations) in municipalities in the State of Minas Gerais. Method: In this context, the sample consisted of 500 municipalities from 2007 to 2016, excluding cities that did not present all the data in the period studied. The Seemingly Unrelated Regression (SUR) panel model proposed by Zellner and Theil (1962) was used to elaborate a system of equations responsible for identifying the existence of electoral cycles in the expenses above, totaling three equations. Originality/relevance: Because of the locus of the study, it is admitted that the results can contribute to the understanding of the municipal budget dynamics, considering the influence of other variables, such as the binary, that refer to mesoregions and their characteristics. Results: Corroborating the literature on political-budgetary cycles, the results of this research point to the existence of influence of the electoral process in the application of public resources, with increased spending in electoral years and retraction in post-electoral years in municipalities, a fact that is well evidenced in expenses with works and installations, the most visible to the population. Theoretical/methodological contributions: In this way, the article contributes to a better understanding of the determinants of the use of public resources in municipalities in Minas Gerais.
Validity of the NIH toolbox cognitive battery in a healthy oldest-old 85+ sample

Abstract Objective: To evaluate the construct validity of the NIH Toolbox Cognitive Battery (NIH TB-CB) in the healthy oldest-old (85+ years old). Method: Our sample from the McKnight Brain Aging Registry consists of 179 individuals, 85 to 99 years of age, screened for memory, neurological, and psychiatric disorders. Using previous research methods on a sample of 85 + y/o adults, we conducted confirmatory factor analyses on models of NIH TB-CB and same domain standard neuropsychological measures. We hypothesized the five-factor model (Reading, Vocabulary, Memory, Working Memory, and Executive/Speed) would have the best fit, consistent with younger populations. We assessed confirmatory and discriminant validity. We also evaluated demographic and computer use predictors of NIH TB-CB composite scores. Results: Findings suggest the six-factor model (Vocabulary, Reading, Memory, Working Memory, Executive, and Speed) had a better fit than alternative models. NIH TB-CB tests had good convergent and discriminant validity, though tests in the executive functioning domain had high inter-correlations with other cognitive domains. Computer use was strongly associated with higher NIH TB-CB overall and fluid cognition composite scores. Conclusion: The NIH TB-CB is a valid assessment for the oldest-old samples, with relatively weak validity in the domain of executive functioning. Computer use’s impact on composite scores could be due to the executive demands of learning to use a tablet. Strong relationships of executive function with other cognitive domains could be due to cognitive dedifferentiation. Overall, the NIH TB-CB could be useful for testing cognition in the oldest-old and the impact of aging on cognition in older populations.
Empirical Correlations between the Hydraulic Properties Obtained from the Geoelectrical Methods and Water Well Data of Arak Aquifer

A number of empirical correlations have been achieved between the hydraulic properties measured through geoelectrical methods and water well data of Arak Aquifer located in Markazi province, Iran. The geoelectrical method of Vertical Electrical Sounding (VES) technique was used to calculate the hydraulic properties of the aquifer. Through the VES technique, the pivotal hydraulic properties such as porosity, hydraulic conductivity, and specific yield of the layers were calculated. The results of VES technique were compared with the data obtained from seven observation water wells that were already drilled as exploratory coring boreholes in the region. The results demonstrate that as the porosity and hydraulic conductivity of the water-bearing layer increase, the results of VES technique appear much identical to the water well records. Furthermore, the specific yield was calculated as 4.6% that was very close to the value of 3.5% measured through the previous pumping tests. Moreover, VES technique predicted the water table of the aquifer very close to the water level monitored in the observation water wells. The obtained correlations can be used as an alternative for drilling of new observation wells that are inefficient in time and expense, and may encounter environmental limitations of drilling and site construction.
Fiscal Relief during the COVID-19 Pandemic

In response to the sharp economic downturn during the COVID-19 pandemic, Congress passed unprecedented policy relief measures to support households, businesses, and the broader economy. Compared with previous fiscal stimulus responses, these relief programs have been unmatched in size and scope, speed of response, and novelty of design. Huixin Bi and Chaitri Gulati review recent empirical research on three fiscal relief programs—stimulus checks, augmented unemployment insurance (UI) benefits, and the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP)—to understand their effects on the broader economy as well as their effectiveness. Bi and Gulati find that stimulus checks provided direct income support to liquidity-constrained and lower-income households, but because households who did not suffer income losses put the money into personal savings, the full boost to consumption has yet to be seen. Augmented UI benefits fully replaced earnings for the majority of recipients who lost jobs. And the PPP aided the continuity of the small business sector and boosted employment at a modest pace. Overall, Bi and Gulati find that the fiscal policy response to the pandemic largely benefitted segments of the economy most in need, but the long-term effects from these programs remain to be seen.