Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Mediating Role of Psychological Empowerment in the Relationship Between Transformational Leadership and Organizational Identification of Employees

The study examined the association between transformational leadership and organizational identification of employees. The relationship between transformational leadership and psychological empowerment and the possible mediating role of psychological empowerment in the relationship between transformational leadership and organizational identification of employees was also studied. A hypothesized model was developed to examine the relationship between the constructs. Sample for the study comprised 199 employees from the IT sector. Instruments used were Multi-factor Leadership Questionnaire, Smidts et al.’s (2001) Organizational Identification Questionnaire and Spreitzer’s (1995) Psychological Empowerment Questionnaire. Data were analyzed using SPSS and structural equation modeling in AMOS. It was indicated that transformational leadership had positive and significant impact on organizational identification as well as psychological empowerment of employees. Psychological empowerment acting as a mediator between these two constructs was established. It was found that the developed model would pave way for more attention toward psychological empowerment among leaders and employees in organization.
ASSESSMENT OF SURFACE WATER RESOURCES FOR IRRIGATION PURPOSES IN ASSIUT GOVERNORATE, UPPER EGYPT

Water from some sources may contain so much salt that it is unsuitable for irrigation because of potential danger to the soil or crops. Irrigation water quality can best be determined by chemical laboratory analysis. The main objectives of this study are to assess the surface water quality for irrigation, and to present solutions for managing and protecting these resources in Assiut area. To achieve that, thirty surface water samples were collected from River Nile and main irrigation canals. Chemical analysis was carried out and analyzed for major and trace elements according to the irrigation water guidelines of (FAO 1985), and (Rowe, et al. 1995), taking into account the spatial variations and the representation of the hydro chemical data. The results show that 97% of surface water samples lie within no restriction on use level and 3% is represent slight to moderate restoration on use according to TDS concentrations. 97 % of surface water samples belongs to (C2-S1) good water for irrigation all crops in all soils and 3 % belongs to (C3 -S1) good water for irrigation all crops in all soils under ordinary and specific condition like adequate drainage and leaching According U.S. salinity laboratory staff classification depend on (EC, TDS and SAR). Where 87% Excellent water for irrigation sensitive all crops and low likelihood of soil problems According Boron content. Consequently, it is recommended to prevent the sewage and domestic waste water, and the industrial waste water from direct disposal without treatment to the irrigation canals and River Nile; controlling the use of fertilizers and pesticides in the agriculture purposes; selected the suitable crops for every sector (area) according to the chemical characters of the available irrigation water and soil properties.
Research Study : Periodontal Tissue Regeneration Following Er : YAG and Nd : YAG Laser Treatments

In periodontal therapies, healing typically occurs through the formation of a long junctional epithelium or a new connective tissue attachment to the previously diseased root surface. Certain procedures have the potential to also induce the restoration of lost alveolar bone, periodontal ligament and cementum. Nd:YAG and Er:YAG lasers have been found to be useful for periodontal debridement, ablation, vaporization, hemostasis, and disinfection effects as well as biological effects such as image-biomodulation. In this paper we present evidence, based on the review of the published scientific literature, that periodontal tissue regeneration may be expected to be induced when the LightWalker laser is used to perform Er:YAG and Nd:YAG periodontal procedures which are FDA-cleared for the device. The review follows the guidelines for obtaining the US FDA 510(k) clearance for a medical device, and the guidelines of the European Medical Device Directives.
Fc g RIIb-SHIP 2 axis links A b to tau pathology by disrupting phosphoinositide metabolism in Alzheimer ’ s disease model

Amyloid-b (Ab)-containing extracellular plaques and hyperphosphorylated tau-loaded intracellular neurofibrillary tangles are neuropathological hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Although Ab exerts neuropathogenic activity through tau, the mechanistic link between Ab and tau pathology remains unknown. Here, we showed that the FcgRIIb-SHIP2 axis is critical in Ab1-42induced tau pathology. Fcgr2b knockout or antagonistic FcgRIIb antibody inhibited Ab1-42-induced tau hyperphosphorylation and rescued memory impairments in AD mouse models. FcgRIIb phosphorylation at Tyr273 was found in AD brains, in neuronal cells exposed to Ab1-42, and recruited SHIP2 to form a protein complex. Consequently, treatment with Ab1-42 increased PtdIns (3,4)P2 levels from PtdIns(3,4,5)P3 to mediate tau hyperphosphorylation. Further, we found that targeting SHIP2 expression by lentiviral siRNA in 3xTg-AD mice or pharmacological inhibition of SHIP2 potently rescued tau hyperphosphorylation and memory impairments. Thus, we concluded that the FcgRIIb-SHIP2 axis links Ab neurotoxicity to tau pathology by dysregulating PtdIns(3,4)P2 metabolism, providing insight into therapeutic potential against AD. DOI: 10.7554/eLife.18691. 001
Which spectral distortions does ΛCDM actually predict

Ever refined cosmological measurements have established the ΛCDM concordance model, with the key cosmological parameters being determined to per cent-level precision today. This allows us to make explicit predictions for the spectral distortions of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) created by various processes occurring in the early Universe. Here, we summarize all guaranteed CMB distortions and assess their total uncertainty within ΛCDM. We also compare simple methods for approximating them, highlighting some of the subtle aspects when it comes to interpreting future distortion measurements. Under simplified assumptions, we briefly study how well a PIXIE-like experiment may measure the main distortion parameters (i.e. μ and y). Next-generation CMB spectrometers are expected to detect the distortion caused by reionization and structure formation at extremely high significance. They will also be able to constrain the small-scale power spectrum through the associated μ-distortion, improving limits on running of the spectral index. Distortions from the recombination era, adiabatic cooling of matter relative to the CMB and dark matter annihilation require a higher sensitivity than PIXIE in its current design. The crucial next step is an improved modelling of foregrounds and instrumental aspects, as we briefly discuss here.
Tell-Tale Tails A data driven approach to estimate unique market information shares

The trading of securities on multiple markets raises the question of each market's share in the discovery of the informationally efficient price. We exploit salient distributional features of multivariate financial price processes to uniquely determine these contributions. Thereby we resolve the main drawback of the widely used Hasbrouck (1995) methodology which merely delivers upper and lower bounds of a market's information share. When these bounds diverge, as is the case in many applications, informational leadership becomes blurred. We show how fat tails and tail dependence of price changes, which emerge as a result of differences in market design and liquidity, can be exploited to estimate unique information shares. The empirical application of the new methodology emphasizes the leading role of the credit derivatives market compared to the corporate bond market in pricing credit risk during the pre-crisis period.
Modelling of the circulation, water exchange and water age properties of the Gulf of Bothnia

To estimate the mean circulation, water exchange and water age in the Gulf of Bothnia a ten-year simulation using a three-dimensional numerical model was carried out. The results confirmed the early findings by Witting (1912) and Palmen (1930) that a mean cyclonic circulation takes place both in the Bothnian Sea and in the Bothnian Bay. However, the modelling results showed clearly that there exist meso-scale circulation features including coastal 'jets', not reported in the Witting-Palmen results. The simulated mean currents were also higher than those found earlier, while the persistency of this circulation is typically between 20 and 60%, which is similar to the earlier results. There is a large difference between the various model-based water-exchange estimates: these are strictly dependent on the time-averaging used. Water age proved to reflect properties of the mean circulation system, and the highest water age (of around 7.4 years) was found in the central part of the Bothnian Bay. The water age was found to be rather high also in the entire Gulf of Bothnia, which provides evidence of the rather slow water exchange between the Gulf and the Baltic Sea. This leads to the conclusion that, from the physical point of view, the Gulf of Bothnia is vulnerable to eutrophication.
Experiences and Perceptions of the Parents of Children with Autism in Relation to Involvement in Kindergarten and the Impact on Them Dr .

The aim of this study was to explore the experiences dhe perceptions of the parents of children with autism in relation to involvement in kindergarten and the impact on them. The qualitative method was used in the study. Semi-structured interview with open-ended questions was the instrument for data collection. Data collections were made possible by interviewing 21parents of children with autism in Tirana, Albania. Through data analyses it came out that: (i) Most of children with autism attended kindergartens, in most cases private ones. The reasons that children with autism did not attend public kindergartens were because their staff didn't welcome them, they were considered as problematic, the highest number of children in the group, and a lack of specialized staff. For most parents private kindergarten remain the only option; (ii) The involvement of autistic children in kindergartens had a positive impact on them. Kindergarten had many influences especially on their child's socialization, on collaboration with others, on the structuring behavior, on the child cognitive development, on reducing aggression, increase cooperation between each other and in the ability to understand the context and to learn to work with others; (iii) The problem remains the lack of specific knowledge and information on autism from kindergarten staff.
Natural Amenities and Rural Development: The Role of Land-Based Policies

Although natural amenities are generally not considered as a program outcome in the US (at least not formally at the Federal level), environmental and ecological programs have important socioeconomic consequences that need to be identified. This paper examines, in the context of land use more broadly, how one would assess the socioeconomic outcomes of land-focused programs, and the barriers to such an assessment. We first summarize the pertinent literature on the effects of various amenities – including those subject to public policy change and those that are not – on socioeconomic factors. Then we describe the myriad State and Federal programs that affect land use as an amenity. One problem in evaluation is the large and diverse number of actors involved in land use policy, including State, local and private conservancy programs. A further gap in knowledge is the extent to which States see land-use programs as having socioeconomic impact, and the sizes of these State/local/nonprofit programs. We conclude with a discussion of key factors that need to be taken into account and a proposed framework to evaluate the effects of land-based policies on the provision of amenities and on socioeconomic conditions. 1 A version of this paper was presented at the OECD Expert Consultation on “Aiding the Process of Agricultural Policy Reform: Evaluation of Public Policies for Rural Development”. OECD Headquarters, Paris. June 15-16, 2009. 2 The Pennsylvania State University, Economic Research Service (USDA) and The Pennsylvania State University/Northeast Regional Center for Rural Development, respectively. The views expressed here are those of the authors and may not be attributed to the Economic Research Service or the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Charging-Based PN Sensing of Automotive Exhaust Particles

Mobile measurement of particle number concentration (PN) in the exhaust of motor vehicles has recently become an integral part of emission legislation. Charge-based sensing techniques for the examination of PN, like Diffusion Charging (DC), represent a promising alternative to condensational particle counters (CPCs) as established PN sensors, because they enable to build robust, compact and energy efficient systems. However, due to the charging process, particle properties like size and morphology have a big impact on the sensor’s PN response. For particles of different size and shape we experimentally investigated those impacts using own-built charging-based sensors. The PN response of the DC sensor showed desired behavior for compact NaCl particles, but less satisfying behavior for combustion aerosol standard (CAST) particles, which is a widely used test aerosol for automotive applications. With a photoelectric charger, the PN response of CAST particles was significantly better.
The Advantage and Disadvantage of Implicitly Stratified Sampling

Explicitly stratified sampling (ESS) and implicitly stratified sampling (ISS) are well-established alternative methods for controlling the distribution of a survey sample in terms of variables that define the strata. If these variables are correlated with survey estimates, the estimates will benefit from improved precision. With ESS, unbiased estimation of the standard errors of survey estimates is possible, provided that sampling strata membership is identified on the survey dataset. With ISS this is not possible and usual practice is to invoke an approximation that tends to result in systematic over-estimation of standard errors. This can be perceived as a disadvantage of ISS. However, this article demonstrates, both theoretically and through a simulation study, that true standard errors can be smaller with ISS and argues that this advantage may be more important than the ability to obtain unbiased estimates of the standard errors. The simulation findings also suggest that the extent of over-estimation with the usual approximate variance estimator may be modest.
Anthropogenic influence on recent circulation‐driven Antarctic sea ice changes

Observations reveal an increase of Antarctic sea ice over the past three decades, yet global climate models tend to simulate a sea ice decrease for that period. Here we combine observations with model experiments (MPI‐ESM) to investigate causes for this discrepancy and for the observed sea ice increase. Based on observations and atmospheric reanalysis, we show that on multidecadal time scales Antarctic sea ice changes are linked to intensified meridional winds that are caused by a zonally asymmetric lowering of the high‐latitude surface pressure. In our simulations, this surface pressure lowering is a response to a combination of anthropogenic stratospheric ozone depletion and greenhouse gas increase. Combining these two lines of argument, we infer a possible anthropogenic influence on the observed sea ice changes. However, similar to other models, MPI‐ESM simulates a surface‐pressure response that is rather zonally symmetric, which explains why the simulated sea ice response differs from observations.
Development and Validation of Cultural and Academic Experience Questionnaire: A study of East Asian Research Students at Australian Universities

This article documents the development of a questionnaire designed to measure the cultural and academic experiences (CAEQ) of East Asian research students enrolled at Australian universities. The CAEQ comprises three subscales: sense of belonging, learning strategies and perception of progress. The scale was designed based on literature studies and ideas from previous scales. The target groups were doctoral students from Bangladesh, China, India, and Pakistan enrolled at Australian universities. Initially, 295 students responded to an online survey and 211 research students completed it. A factor analysis was conducted to explore the components of each scale. Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed that there are 2–4 significantly correlated components of each subscale. The developed scales in this study can be used by universities to monitor the academic progress and research progress of their international students from the East Asian region, along with ensuring that these students have improved cultural and academic experiences in the Australian higher education sector.
Broad spectrum β-lactam resistance in faecal Escherichia coli isolated from severely malnourished and nourished children attending Mbagathi district hospital, Nairobi: A case-control study

Context: Severely malnourished children have increased risk of being put on antibiotics due to co-morbidities. Aim: The study's objective was to characterize the Escherichia coli β-lactamase mediated resistance to the broad spectrum β-lactam antimicrobials among this population and compare them with nourished children as controls. Settings and Design: In this case-control, hospital-based setup, 109 E. coli isolates were obtained from each group, one isolate per subject. Materials and Methods: Stool or anal swabs were collected, enriched in buffered peptone water and cultured on MacConkey and eosin methylene blue agars. Biochemical test were used to identify E. coli . antibiograms to determine phenotypic resistance were determined using a panel of 14 drugs. Only the isolates showing synergy between ampicillin-calvulanic acid and one or more third generation cephalosporins were picked as extended spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) producers. Statistical Analysis: Differences in ESBL rates and susceptibility percentages between cases and controls were evaluated for significance using 2-tailed Fisher's exact test. Results: Prevalence of ESBL phenotype was higher in severely malnourished children (39%) as compared to the controls (7%). The plasmid-encoded AmpC's (pAmpC)-like phenotype was observed in 11% isolates. Conclusions: Isolation of ESBL- E. coli among severely malnourished children is high. Surveillance of ESBL producers, both in the community and hospital settings needs to be stepped up in Kenya.
Financial Inclusion, Community Capacity Building and Pro-Wildlife Conservation Behavior around the Northern Periphery of Dja Biosphere Reserve, Cameroon

The study examines the contribution of financial inclusion and community capacity building on pro-wildlife conservation behavior among rural households at the Northern Periphery of Dja Biosphere Reserve, the east region of Cameroon. The data were elicited through the survey questionnaire administered on a sample of 279 households involved in the program of conservation in the areas. The study used a cluster sampling approach in grouping proximity villages into four zones and a purposive sampling technique was used in selecting the households. The objective was achieved empirically using three-stage maximum likelihood estimation techniques; factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling. The result shows that financial inclusion and community capacity building had a significant positive effect on pro-wildlife conservation behavior. The magnitude of the effect of financial inclusion on pro-wildlife conservation behavior was even larger than the magnitude of the effect of community capacity building. The findings suggest that financial inclusion and community capacity building had the tendency to reduce the decline in wildlife stocks as it promoted friendly behavior towards wildlife and its habitats. The study, therefore, recommends policies that support financial inclusion and community capacity building that are essential for sustainable conservation since it promotes pro-wildlife conservation behavior.JEL Classification: G20, O15, Q57
Cement-wood composites : effects of wood species, particle treatments and mix proportion

The aim of this research was to investigate the effects of wood species, particle treatments and mix proportion on the physical (density) and mechanical (compressive strength and dynamicmodulus of elasticity) properties of cement-wood composites. Different mix proportions were investigated, based on the cement: wood ratio of 0.3:0.7, in volume, with Pinus elliottii and Eucalyptus grandis sawdust percentages of 0-100, 25-75, 50-50, 75-25 or 100-0. Sawdust particles were pre-treated with either lime or cement coating to improve cement and wood compatibility. Results show that wood species, particle treatments and mix proportions may influence the physical and mechanical properties of cement-wood composites. In general, results confirm that Eucalyptus sawdust and cement are naturally compatible and do not require any previous particle treatment to avoid compatibility problems.
Orchestrating of Learning in Higher Education Through Internships

Education programs with internship components have been around for hundreds of years and are expected to provide knowledge and skills that students need for their future profession and future requirements in a changing environment and market, to move from being peripheral to being a master. The expectation that an internship can bridge different forms of knowledge systems, and thus, contribute to synthesizing knowledge, can easily be taken for granted. However, we need more knowledge about how the relationship between different forms of work and knowledge domains can be understood. The aim of the study is to develop knowledge about the relationship between various models of work and knowledge domains. We examined the organization and implementation of internships in two programs at a university in Sweden, which have internships and state that they see workplace setting as a point of departure to reflect and synthesize knowledge in science and theory. The data consists of policy documents, curricula, and student assessment work and written reflections on internships. The results show the programs have somewhat different conceptions of scientific knowledge, practice, knowledge, and the relationship between. Documents from one program are based on theoretical perspectives, but those from the other program have a practical perspective. In some texts, an internship is viewed as a means of developing professional skills and in others, as a means of theoretically analyzing practice. These differences have implications for pedagogical design, and how students understand and make meaning and what knowledge is developed. We conclude that ambiguity and the formulation of different perspectives may confuse students. To further develop internships pedagogically, increased clarity and transparency are needed at ontological and epistemological starting points and perspectives.