Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Role of Inventory Visibility on Performance of Manufacturing Sector in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Study in Kenya

Inventory visibility is the ability of an organization to streamline its inventory tracking methods so as to ensure the right amount inventory is stocked based on the customers’ needs and the supply rates of the suppliers. Having a high degree of inventory visibility is increasingly seen as a competitive advantage in modern supply chain management, as it allows for greater agility and responsiveness to market changes. One of the compelling issues that have been facing the manufacturing industry in Kenya is the inability to meet customer demands and high waiting times. Previous literature has shown that with a visible inventory, manufacturing firms could enhance their delivery effectiveness and significantly reduce waiting time. This however lacks empirical backing from a Kenyan perspective, hence the subject of the study. The study was anchored on the transaction cost theory. Descriptive research design was adopted, and the large manufacturing firms in Kenya were targeted. A sample of 160 firms was selected. Through a structured questionnaire, primary data was collected from the heads of supply chain in the 160 companies. The findings revealed that inventory visibility is an instrumental determinant of the performance of the manufacturing industry in Kenya. It was established that inventory visibility enabled manufacturing companies to have real-time or near-real-time information about the quantity, location, and status of its products or goods throughout the supply chain. This allowed for accurate tracking and management of inventory levels, which is crucial for efficient operations and customer satisfaction.
Do Economic Growth, Income Distribution, and Investment Reduce Poverty Level?

Poverty is a condition of the population's inability to meet a decent standard of living. Poverty is also a measure of success in the development of a country or region. This study proposes a hypothesis where economic growth, income distribution, and investment are considered to have a large enough impact on reducing poverty in Enrekang Regency. The data used in this study is secondary data in the form of time series data for the period 2011-2020. The data analysis technique used multiple linear regression analysis. The results of this study indicate that economic growth and income distribution have no significant effect on the poverty level in Enrekang Regency. Meanwhile, investment has a significant negative effect on the poverty level in Enrekang Regency, which means that an increase in multisectoral investment can reduce poverty in this region. So that one of the important things in this study is the hope that the level of labor-intensive investment in Enrekang Regency can continue to be increased in various economic sectors.
Profitability of momentum investing strategies in an emerging market

This paper examines the profitability of momentum strategies on the Nigerian stock market over a 20-year period, from 1996 to 2016, using all listed equities on the Nigeria Exchange Limited (NGX) All Share Index. It also evaluates whether or not the profitability of momentum strategies is conditional upon the state of the market. A momentum strategy creates and buys a portfolio of past winners and short-sells a portfolio of past losers to generate excess profit. Our result shows that the Nigerian stock market exhibits medium-term price momentum, with eight out of sixteen strategies recording statistically significant excess momentum returns. The main contribution to the profit is from investing in winner portfolios, all of which recorded positive returns, and mostly significant. Evidence also shows that momentum profits depend on the state of the market. The momentum effect follows the UP market with a mean return of 0.2938%, while it is insignificant in the DOWN market with a mean return of -0.0237%. This paper offers valuable insight into market behavior, highlights the opportunities for alpha generation, and contributes to our understanding of market efficiency in emerging markets.
Long Memory in Eastern European Financial Markets Returns

Abstract The paper examines the long memory property of stock returns and its implications using daily index returns for eight CEE emerging markets: Romania, Hungary, Czech Republic, Poland, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Slovakia, and Croatia. Several nonparametric methods for testing for long memory are employed, as well as parametric long memory models. The ARFIMA-FIGARCH model seems the most appropriate specification since the nonlinearity tests can not reject the null of independent and identically distributed residuals, implying that this specification accounts for the nonlinearity in the data. The estimated fractional differencing parameter is statistically significant in seven of the eight emerging economies employed in the study, suggesting the presence of long memory in the returns in these financial markets.
Effects of Roasting on the Quality of Moringa oleifera Leaf Powder and Loaf Volume of Moringa oleifera-Supplemented Bread

Although a decrease in bread volume on adding nutrient-rich Moringa oleifera leaf powder (MLP) is known, to our knowledge, improving the swelling of MLP-added bread has not been attempted. This study aimed to investigate the effects of MLP and roasted MLP (RMLP) on bread quality. Bread was supplemented with MLP and RMLP treated at varying temperatures and times; the baked bread was then biochemically evaluated relative to the control. The specific volume of MLP-supplemented bread was 2.4 cm3/g, which increased to >4.0 cm3/g on using MLP roasted at 130 °C for ≥20 min, demonstrating remarkable swelling. The specific volume of bread supplemented with MLP roasted at 170 °C for 20 min was 4.6 cm3/g, similar to that of the control. Additionally, MLP interfered with carbon dioxide production in bread, thus decreasing the abundance of yeast cells; however, RMLP had no such effect and allowed normal fermentation. Scanning electron microscopy revealed gluten formation independent of MLP roasting. Thus, MLP-containing breads generally exhibit suppressed fermentation and expansion due to the bactericidal properties of raw MLP, but these effects are alleviated by heat treatment. These findings highlight the importance of heat treatment in mitigating the effects of MLP on bread fermentation and swelling.
Trends in the F2 layer parameters at the end of the 1990s and the beginning of the 2000s

The behavior of the critical frequency foF2 of the ionospheric F2 layer is considered for the period 1990–2010. Various available databanks of ionospheric vertical sounding data are described and compared. The analysis is performed in terms of comparison of the foF2 data for the period 1958–1980 to the data for 1990–2010. Two moments of the day (14:00 LT and the after‐sunset moment) and two seasons (winter and summer) are considered for 12 stations for which the necessary data were available. The scatter of the foF2 values (in terms of the standard deviation, SD) relative to the dependence on the solar activity index F10.7 is considered. It is demonstrated that the values of SD for the period 1998–2010 are much higher than for the period 1958–1979. This increase in the SD includes two factors: real increase in the foF2 scatter and systematic decrease (negative trend) in foF2. This systematic decrease makes it possible to provide an independent evaluation of the trend in foF2: −0.03 MHz per year. Analysis of foF2 behavior for each of all 12 stations is performed. The obtained linear trends are negative for all stations, but the trend magnitude varies from one station to another. The trends for two moments of time are found of the same order of magnitude: −0.024 and −0.054 MHz per year for the summer and winter seasons, respectively. Some conclusions on the behavior of the hmF2 trends for the same period are presented. Possible causes of the changes in the trends in the F2 layer parameters are discussed.
100 Myr record of sequences, sedimentary facies and sea level change from Ocean Drilling Program onshore coreholes, US Mid‐Atlantic coastal plain

We analyzed the latest Early Cretaceous to Miocene sections (∼110–7 Ma) in 11 New Jersey and Delaware onshore coreholes (Ocean Drilling Program Legs 150X and 174AX). Fifteen to seventeen Late Cretaceous and 39–40 Cenozoic sequence boundaries were identified on the basis of physical and temporal breaks. Within‐sequence changes follow predictable patterns with thin transgressive and thick regressive highstand systems tracts. The few lowstands encountered provide critical constraints on the range of sea‐level fall. We estimated paleowater depths by integrating lithofacies and biofacies analyses and determined ages using integrated biostratigraphy and strontium isotopic stratigraphy. These datasets were backstripped to provide a sea‐level estimate for the past ∼100 Myr. Large river systems affected New Jersey during the Cretaceous and latest Oligocene–Miocene. Facies evolved through eight depositional phases controlled by changes in accommodation, long‐term sea level, and sediment supply: (1) the Barremian–earliest Cenomanian consisted of anastomosing riverine environments associated with warm climates, high sediment supply, and high accommodation; (2) the Cenomanian–early Turonian was dominated by marine sediments with minor deltaic influence associated with long‐term (107 year) sea‐level rise; (3) the late Turonian through Coniacian was dominated by alluvial and delta plain systems associated with long‐term sea‐level fall; (4) the Santonian–Campanian consisted of marine deposition under the influence of a wave‐dominated delta associated with a long‐term sea‐level rise and increased sediment supply; (5) Maastrichtian–Eocene deposition consisted primarily of starved siliciclastic, carbonate ramp shelf environments associated with very high long‐term sea level and low sediment supply; (6) the late Eocene–Oligocene was a starved siliciclastic shelf associated with moderately high sea‐level and low sediment supply; (7) late early–middle Miocene consisted of a prograding shelf under a strong wave‐dominated deltaic influence associated with major increase in sediment supply and accommodation due to local sediment loading; and (8) over the past 10 Myr, low accommodation and eroded coastal systems were associated with low long‐term sea level and low rates of sediment supply due to bypassing.
Response of the Surface Ocean CO2 System in the Nordic Seas and Northern North Atlantic to Climate Change

Using mixed-layer salinity and temperature output from the Bergen Climate Model and empirical relationships between sea surface temperature and surface water CO 2 fugacity, and between sea surface salinity and total alkalinity, we predict modifications in the winter and springtime CO 2 system condition in the Nordic Seas (Greenland, Norwegian, and Iceland Seas) and the northern North Atlantic, using both contemporary and 2x present-day atmospheric CO 2 simulations. The model shows that over the next 70 years there will be only very small changes in total alkalinity with the influence of the North Atlantic Current responsible for increases of between 6 and 14 μmol. kg -1 in the northern North Atlantic and Norwegian Sea. The East Greenland Current and the Iceland Sea show small reductions in mixed-layer salinity and statistically insignificant reductions in total alkalinity. The total dissolved inorganic carbon (C T ) content in the mixed layer increases between the two simulations. However, the increase is not uniform, with a strong south to north decrease in the content of C T (88 to 76 μmol.kg -1 ), showing that the surface waters of the Nordic Seas will continue to be a partial return source of anthropogenic carbon, previously taken up to the south, to the atmosphere in agreement with recent findings. Mixed-layer pH T is shown to decrease by 0.335 pH units in the western Greenland Sea and East Greenland Current. A minimum decrease of 0.285 pH units is seen in the North Atlantic. The greatest uncertainty within the model is the extent of CO 2 disequilibria between the atmosphere and the ocean in the future scenario. The Bergen Climate Model shows large changes in mixed-layer depth, and the implications of this on changes in carbon air-sea equilibria and future changes in seawater pH T are discussed.
Non- Segmental Vitiligo Treatment using Narrow Band Ultraviolet B Alone versus Topical Psoralen- Narrow Band Ultraviolet B

Background: With a frequency of 0.5–2% in the general population, vitiligo is a chronic acquired depigmentary condition that manifests as single or clusters of achromic macules and patches on various body parts. Objective: This study aimed to e valuate the efficacy of topical psoralen-narrow band ultraviolet B (NB-UVB) treatment of non-segmental vitiligo patients in comparison with NB-UVB alone. Patients and Methods: This prospective interventional study included forty non-segmental vitiligo (NSV) patients, divided into two equal groups. Group I received only NB-UVB sessions while group II treated with topical psoralen plus NB-UVB. Vitiligo extent tensity index (VETI) was used for disease severity evaluation. All patients received three sessions weekly for sixteen weeks. The participants were recruited from the Dermatology Outpatient Clinic of Vitiligo, Ain-Shams University Hospitals. Results: Group I and II were statistically matching as regards age, sex, special habits, vitiligo family history, disease activity or duration and associated diseases. VETI scores showed highly statistically significant post-treatment improvement in both groups. However, no statistically significant difference could be detected in those receiving NBUVB alone versus psoralen plus NBUVB. Conclusion: The combination of topical psoralen and narrow band UVB is a successful treatment option for non-segmental vitiligo that is well tolerated. Its effectiveness is comparable to narrow band UVB alone, but not better.
[Cardiovascular calcification and five-years mortality in patients on maintenance hemodialysis].

The very high cardiovascular mortality and morbidity in hemodialyzed patients (HD) is strongly associated with cardiovascular calcification. The aim of the study was to find the predictors of mortality in HD patients during 5-years observation period. The study group was composed of 64 patients (35 F, 29 M) aged 25-75 years (mean 48.9) hemodialyzed three times a week for 12-275 months (mean 77.8). The levels of hemoglobin, total protein, albumin, Ca, P, Ca x P, iPTH, cholesterol, triglycerides, fibrinogen, insulin, homocysteine, leptin, procalcitonin, CRP, IL-6, TGF-beta, PDGF were assessed and all patients underwent Calcium Score (CS) of coronary arteries (CACS) calculation using MSCT and B-mode ultrasound of carotid arteries for intima-media thickness (CCA-IMT), as well as echocardiographic assessment with LVMI calculation and heart valves evaluation at the start of observation. The self-elaborated Cumulative Calcification Index (CCl) was calculated as a sum of CACS Index according to Rumberger et al. (CS<10-0, 10400 - 3 points); number of calcified plaques in carotid arteries (0-0, 1 - 1, 2 - 2, 3 and more - 3 points) and the number of calcified heart valves. At the start of the study the median value of CCl was 4 and interquartile range 4. Only 2 (3%) patients were free of any type of cardiovascular calcification (CCl =0), 15 (23%) patients had minimal calcification (CCl 1 to 2 points), 33 (52%) average (2 - 6 points) and 14 (22%) patients had severe calcification (CCl>6). 21 (32,8%) patients died during observation period. Patients who died were older (56.9 vs. 45.3 yrs.) and had higher CS at the start (1275 vs. 356), higher CCA-IMT (0.948 vs. 0.687 mm) and CCl (6.15 vs. 3.63) values. Those patients had also higher CRP (0.645 vs. 0.245 mg/dl) and IL-6 (10.16 vs. 4.15 pg/ml) levels (p<0.05). LVMI and mean: hemoglobin, total protein, albumin, Ca, P, Ca x P, iPTH, cholesterol, triglycerides, fibrinogen, insulin, homocysteine, leptin, procalcitonin, TGF-beta as well as PDGF levels did not differ between the groups. In logistic regression model (p<0.00002), among tested parameters only CCl was an independent and statistically significant factor of mortality with OR=1.82 per every point of CCl (p<0.0003). Cardiovascular calcification expressed as CCl confirmed to be a strong predictor of mortality in HD patients.
Late Triassic‐Jurassic bivalves from volcanic sediments of the Lhasa block, Tibet

Abstract Mesozoic volcanic sediments known as the Yeba Formation are widespread in the northeastern region of Lhasa. Recent fossil collections in the formation allow the establishment of a biostratigraphic framework for the volcanic sediments; bivalves are assigned to 21 genera and 22 species including a new genus and 5 new species: Lhasanella lhasaensis (gen. et sp. nov.), Trigonodus xiabolangensis (sp. nov.), Isocyprina lhasaensis (sp. nov.), Gervillaria tibetica (sp. nov.), and Jurassicorbula fuersichi (sp. nov.). Three benthic assemblages have been recognised: the Trigonodus‐Isocyprina assemblage (Rhaetian‐Hettangian), the Lhasanella‐Propeamussium assemblage (Toarcian‐Bajocian), and the Jurassicorbula‐Neomiodon assemblage (Middle Jurassic). The Yeba Formation ranges in age from latest Triassic to Middle Jurassic. Volcanism in the Lhasa block occurred frequently during this period, corresponding to the fragmentation episode in eastern Gondwanaland and to the northwards drift of the Lhasa block. A strong faunal affinity between the Lhasa block and southern Qinghai, Japan, and Vietnam suggests that the Lhasa block had been located within the northern marginal region of the East Tethys since Toarcian times. The existence of a deep ocean which might serve as a barrier to fauna dispersal between the Lhasa and Qingtang blocks remains questionable.
Changes in alpha, theta, and gamma oscillations in distinct cortical areas are associated with altered acute pain responses in chronic low back pain patients

Introduction Chronic pain negatively impacts a range of sensory and affective behaviors. Previous studies have shown that the presence of chronic pain not only causes hypersensitivity at the site of injury but may also be associated with pain-aversive experiences at anatomically unrelated sites. While animal studies have indicated that the cingulate and prefrontal cortices are involved in this generalized hyperalgesia, the mechanisms distinguishing increased sensitivity at the site of injury from a generalized site-nonspecific enhancement in the aversive response to nociceptive inputs are not well known. Methods We compared measured pain responses to peripheral mechanical stimuli applied to a site of chronic pain and at a pain-free site in participants suffering from chronic lower back pain (n = 15) versus pain-free control participants (n = 15) by analyzing behavioral and electroencephalographic (EEG) data. Results As expected, participants with chronic pain endorsed enhanced pain with mechanical stimuli in both back and hand. We further analyzed electroencephalographic (EEG) recordings during these evoked pain episodes. Brain oscillations in theta and alpha bands in the medial orbitofrontal cortex (mOFC) were associated with localized hypersensitivity, while increased gamma oscillations in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and increased theta oscillations in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) were associated with generalized hyperalgesia. Discussion These findings indicate that chronic pain may disrupt multiple cortical circuits to impact nociceptive processing.
Deep geothermal groundwater flow in the Seferihisar–Balçova area, Turkey: results from transient numerical simulations of coupled fluid flow and heat transport processes

The Seferihisar–Balcova Geothermal system (SBG) is characterized by complex temperature and hydrochemical anomalies. Previous geophysical and hydrochemical investigations suggest that hydrothermal convection in the faulted areas of the SBG and recharge flow from the Horst may be responsible for the observed patterns. A numerical model of coupled fluid flow and heat transport processes has been built in order to study the possible fluid dynamics of deep geothermal groundwater flow in the SBG. The results support the hypothesis derived from interpreted data. The simulated scenarios provide a better understanding of the geophysical conditions under which the different fluid dynamics develop. When recharge processes are weak, the convective patterns in the faults can expand to surrounding reservoir units or below the seafloor. These fault-induced drag forces can cause natural seawater intrusion. In the Melange of the Seferihisar Horst, the regional flow is modified by buoyant-driven flow focused in the series of vertical faults. As a result, the main groundwater divide can shift. Sealing caprocks prevent fault-induced cells from being overwhelmed by vigorous regional flow. In this case, over-pressured, blind geothermal reservoirs form below the caprocks. Transient results showed that the front of rising hot waters in faults is unstable: the tip of the hydrothermal plumes can split and lead to periodical temperature oscillations. This phenomenon known as Taylor–Saffman fingering has been described in mid-ocean ridge hydrothermal systems. Our findings suggest that this type of thermal pulsing can also develop in active, faulted geothermal systems. To some extent, the role of an impervious fault core on the flow patterns has been investigated. Although it is not possible to reproduce basin-scale transport processes, this first attempt to model deep groundwater geothermal flow in the SBG qualitatively supported the interpreted data and described the different fluid dynamics of the basin. Geofluids (2010) 10, 388–405
HYA and Others: Reshaping participation at criminal trials in Europe

The recent decision of the Court of Justice of the European Union in HYA and Others has a significant impact on the use of untested witness statements in criminal proceedings. The case concerned the right to examine witnesses, which is protected under 6(3)(d) of the European Convention on Human Rights. The CJEU established a three-step test to determine whether the use of untested evidence violates the right to a fair trial and ruled out the use of ‘sole or decisive’ untested evidence in criminal proceedings. The Court also held that the right to examine witnesses is a fundamental right in criminal proceedings and falls within the scope of Article 8(1) of Directive 2016/343. The HYA and Others judgment sets a higher standard than that guaranteed by the ECtHR, preventing the use of sole or decisive witnesses in reaching a final conviction decision. Finally, the judgment extends the scope of defence rights in EU law and enhances the effectiveness of fundamental rights in criminal proceedings.
Application of the Focussed Rainfall Growth Estimation Technique in Tasmania

This paper details the technical work carried out in the application of the CRC-FORGE procedure, an analytical methodology to produce estimates of extreme rainfall events, in Tasmania. Completion of the analytical stages of the procedure in Tasmania has indicated: - that there are two distinct homogeneous regions for extreme rainfall estimation in Tasmania, a West coast and central plateau region, and an East coast region; - New ARFs obtained during this analysis are consistently lower than the currently accepted ARR87 values, by approximately 4% at low AEPs; and - CRC-FORGE results were on average 12% lower than the currently accepted ARR87 estimates for the 24 hour duration 1 in 2,000 AEP event.