Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Enterprise Risk Management Determinants and Operational Excellence: A Structural Modelling Approach

Operational excellence as a strategy had helped improve the performance of firms across industries. This paper is aimed at determining the role of some enterprise risk management determinants in the implementation of operational excellence in the oil and gas sector. The study provides an improved framework that could help oil firms increase productivity, reduce health and safety issues, and enhance environmental performance. A survey research design was adopted and a structural equation modelling, specifically PLS-SEM was employed in the analysis of data collected from seven subsidiary firms of Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, purposively selected. The findings suggest that regulatory framework, staff capacity, information technology and firm characteristics could have a significant effect on operational excellence implementation in the oil and gas sector. The findings prepare the firms on how to improve health and safety, operational efficiency by reducing cost and wastage, enhance assets and process reliability and improve environmental performance. The study fills a knowledge gap in the field of operational excellence by exploring a hybrid conceptual model that combine technology and people to explain operational excellence, especially in the Nigerian oil and gas industry. The limitation of the study was its inability to generalise findings because of the purposive sampling technique employed.
CAUSES OF LOAN DEFAULTS IN PAKISTANI BANKS: A CASE STUDY OF DISTRICT

May-June CAUSES OF LOAN DEFAULTS IN PAKISTANI BANKS: A CASE STUDY OF DISTRICT D.G. KHAN Abdul Ghafoor Awan*, Nasir Nadeem** Falak Sher Malghani*** *Institute of Southern Punjab, Multan. Email: ghafoor70@yahoo.com cell. No. 03136015051 ** University of Agriculture, Faisalabad. Sub-Campus Burewala. Email: nasir_nadeem2001@yahoo.com Cell. No. 03338382134 ***LUAWMS Uthal, Baluchistan. Email: falak.malghani@gmail.com Corresponding author Email: ghafoor70@yahoo.com Cell. No. 03136015051 ABSTRACTThis study investigates the causes of loan default, and its impact on the profitability of the Pakistani banking sector. To find the answers of the questionnaires 100 respondents were selected through purposive sampling. The results of the study show that major causes of client’s loan default are Lack of business management knowledge, ineffective monitoring, delayed loan approvals, poor weather conditions, poor credit appraisals, and unwillingness of clients to repay the loans. These loan defaults negatively affect the profitability and interest income of Pakistani commercial banks. The study also identifies that the major categories of clients who normally defaulted are traders and farmers. The study suggests that effective borrower’s screening, preparation of simple project appraisal reports, providing business advisory services to customers, reduction of interest rates can be helpful to mitigate the loan defaults in Pakistani commercial banks.
Chemical warfare agents

Sociopsychological perspective of chemical warfare, V.P. Singh toxicokinetics and toxicodynamics of mustard, S.M. Somani clinical considerations in mustard poisoning, F.R. Sidell and C.G. Hurst toxicodynamics of nerve agents, S.M. Somani, et al behavioural effects of low dose nerve agents, S.L. Hartgraves and M.R. Murphy clinical considerations in nerve agent intoxication, F.R. Sidell use of enzymes as pretreatment drugs for organophosphate toxicity, D.M. Maxwell and B.P. Doctor toxicodynamics of cyanide, J.L. Borowitz, et al toxicodynamics of phosgene, B.B. Mathur and G. Krishna toxicodynamics or organoarsenics, G.L. Trammell toxicodynamics of riot control agents (lacrimators), H.Hu toxicodynamics of herbicides (defoliating agents), C.N. Corder, et al public health aspects of chemical warfare agents, S.S. Leffingwell civil emergencies involving chemical warfare agents - medical considerations, F.R. Siddell protecting civilian populations during chemical agent emergencies, G.O. Rogers, et al biological warfare agents - an overview, D.L. Bunner.
No Strings Attached: An Empirical Study of String-related Software Bugs

Strings play many roles in programming because they often contain complex and semantically rich information. For example, programmers use strings to filter inputs via regular expression matching, to express the names of program elements accessed through some form of reflection, to embed code written in another formal language, and to assemble textual output produced by a program. The omnipresence of strings leads to a wide range of mistakes that developers may make, yet little is currently known about these mistakes. The lack of knowledge about string-related bugs leads to developers repeating the same mistakes again and again, and to poor support for finding and fixing such bugs. This paper presents the first empirical study of the root causes, consequences, and other properties of string-related bugs. We systematically study 204 string-related bugs in a diverse set of projects written in JavaScript, a language where strings play a particularly important role. Our findings include (i) that many string-related mistakes are caused by a recurring set of root cause patterns, such as incorrect string literals and regular expressions, (ii) that string-related bugs have a diverse set of consequences, including incorrect output or silent omission of expected behavior, (iii) that fixing string-related bugs often requires changing just a single line, with many of the required repair ingredients available in the surrounding code, (iv) that string-related bugs occur across all parts of applications, including the core components, and (v) that almost none of these bugs are detected by existing static analyzers. Our findings not only show the importance and prevalence of string-related bugs, but they help developers to avoid common mistakes and tool builders to tackle the challenge of finding and fixing string-related bugs.
Neuroprotective expression of turmeric and curcumin

Turmeric (Curcuma longa) is extensively used as a spice and a coloring agent in Southeast Asia. Turmeric is used as a traditional remedy for cough, diabetic wounds, hepatic disorders, and rheumatism due to its antiseptic, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties. Since the last few decades, extensive work has been done on turmeric and its constituents to explore its pharmacological actions. Curcumin is the main constituent of turmeric and is well demonstrated for its anti-inflammatory, hypoglycaemic, antioxidant, wound-healing, and antimicrobial activities. The functional neurons of the brain and synapses are lost in neurodegenerative disorders for which there is no permanent cure. Oxidative damage and inflammation play a role in age-related neurological disorders. The antioxidants have the ability to prevent different neurological disorders. Recent studies have shown that both turmeric and curcumin possess neuroprotective and cognitiveenhancing properties that help to prevent neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson’s disease. Different experimental studies have indicated the antioxidant and anti-ageing properties of turmeric and curcumin. Various studies have shown that curcumin acts as a strong barrier against neurological disorders and, hence, it may be a potential drug candidate for the prevention of neurodegenerative diseases. The aim of this review was to present the current pieces of evidence in the literature regarding the neuroprotective effects of turmeric and curcumin.
Treatment of Multi-level Discogenic Low Back Pain with Bone Marrow Concentrate

Background: Fusion and disc replacement surgeries are common surgical procedures to treat discogenic low back pain affecting one or two lumbar levels, however there remains millions of patients with significant degenerative pathologies at 3 or more levels. Surgery to repair 3 or more degenerated levels is typically unsuccessful and virtually always avoided by surgeons and insurance companies alike Purpose/Hypothesis: Many animal studies, and limited human trials have demonstrated the safety and efficacy of mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) based treatments for discogenic low back pain. Providing a biologic intervention for patients with 3 or more degenerated discs rather than typical palliative (pain control, physical therapy) measures could change the way discogenic back pain is treated. Study Design: Prospective, non-randomized, open label Methods: Patients included male and female participants ranging in age from 17-80 years old (average 53), and BMI ranging from 18.6 to 46.6 Kg/m (average 27). One hundred forty six patients were studied based on having MRI documented disc degeneration at three or more lumbar levels (modified Pfirmann grade of 5-7) and at least 6 months of attempted conservative care. MSCs were harvested in the form of bone marrow aspirate from the iliac crest to obtain bone marrow concentrate (BMC). The average patient had 3.6 levels treated. Outcomes were measured by Oswestry Disability Index scores (ODI) and Visual Analog Scale pain scores (VAS) pre-treatment, and at 3,6, and 12 months. Adverse events were monitored throughout the study. Results: There were no serious adverse events reported. Patient average pre treatment scores (ODI / VAS) were 41.81 / 63.29, for 3 month patients 14.52/21.06, for 6 month patients 16.04/22.16 and 14.08/19.65 at 12 months. At 3 months the average patient improved by 65.3% / 66.7% respectively, at 6 months by 59.8% / 63.8%, and at 12 months improved by 64.7% / 69% (all values p < 0.001). There were no serious adverse events reported, and no patient had increased pain or disability following the injections. Two patients went on to have surgery during the study, both for indications other than discogenic low back pain (one had a foraminotomy, one a fusion for retrospondylolisthesis from a new injury at a level adjacent to the treatment levels) Conclusions: These results are superior to reported results of one or two level surgical treatments (average improvement 35 to 40%) and conservative measures (20 to 25%) for the same diagnosis. The BMC injection patients had a higher percentage improvement and there were fewer complications (revisions, infections etc.). Patient improvement was maintained from 3 months through the twelve month follow up (from 3 to 12 months p = 0.76). Utilizing MSCs derived from BMC, based on these preliminary results, may offer patients with multi-level discogenic back pain a viable treatment option.
Effects of trehalose supplementation on post-thaw sperm quality of honey bee drones

Sperm cryopreservation has led to an increase in widespread use and has it made it more practical to use artificial insemination not only for domestic animals but also for non-mammalian species and humans. Dimethyl Sulfoxide (DMSO) was the most frequently used cryoprotectant by protecting honey bee drone semen when freezing it. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of Trehalose (0.05M, 0.1M or none at all) on extending the viability of semen with 12% DMSO that was based on sperm motility and plasma membrane functional integrity of frozen drone semen. Three different freezing extender solutions were designated as follows; the 0.05M Trehalose, 0.1M Trehalose and Trehalose free (control group). Semen motility and plasma membrane functional integrity were evaluated under phase-contrast microscopy (400X). We found that in control group, DMSO is a critical substance in freezing extender and supports post-thaw sperm motility (53%) and plasma membrane functional integrity (79%) to some extent. Addition of 0.05M Trehalose to the extender leads to a small recovery of post-thaw motility (55%) and plasma membrane integrity (89%), but when Trehalose is added at 0.1M concentration, this led to significantly better post-thaw motility (62%) and plasma membrane integrity (91%). In conclusion, the freeze-thaw process is detrimental to post-thaw drone semen viability. The addition of 0.1 or 0.05M Trehalose to the freezing media containing 12% DMSO has been seen better post-thaw cell motility and plasma membrane integrity of spermatozoa.
Vaccination DTP - Coqueluche et Haemophilus influenzae type b du grand prématuré

Contexte. L'immaturite de leur systeme immunitaire rend les enfants nes prematurement particulierement vulnerables aux risques infectieux. Le schema de primo-vaccination contre la diphterie, le tetanos, la poliomyelite, la coqueluche et l’Haemophilus influenzae b (Hib) comportant 3 doses realisees a l’âge de 2, 3 et 4 mois a prouve son efficacite. Bien que non teste chez les prematures, le schema simplifie a 2 doses a 2 et 4 mois de vie est recommande en France depuis 2013. Objectif. Comparer l’efficacite du schema de primo-vaccination a 3 doses versus 2, pour l’acquisition d’une immunite biologique pour l'Hib et la coqueluche, chez le premature ne avant 33 semaines d'amenorrhee (SA). Etude interventionnelle, prospective, bicentrique, randomisee. Resultats. 183 prematures d'âge gestationnel moyen de 29,1 SA ont ete randomises. A 5 mois de vie, le titre moyen d'anticorps anti-Hib etait de 1,2 versus 1,6 ? g/mL chez les enfants ayant recu 3 doses (groupe A) vs 2 doses (groupe B), p=0,52 : soit respectivement 38 et 28% d’enfants ayant acquis une immunite a long-terme, p=0,54. 7% n'avaient pas produit d'anticorps anti-coqueluche dans le groupe A versus 10% dans le groupe B, 42 vs 43% respectivement avaient un taux faible, 51 vs 47% avaient un taux correct ; p=0,77. Les nourrissons les plus immatures avaient une reponse immunitaire anticoqueluche plus faible (r=0,18, p=0,03). Conclusion. Apres une primo-vaccination en 3 doses, les grands prematures ne developpaient pas une immunite vaccinale biologique anti-Hib et anti-coqueluche superieure a ceux n'ayant recu que 2 doses
THE EFFECT OF DIETARY SUPPLEMENTATION OF ORGANIC CHROMIUM, ORGANIC SELENIUM AND VITAMIN E ON PHYSIOLOGICAL RESPONSES IN BROILERS UNDER NATURAL SUMMER CONDITIONS

An experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of increasing dietary levels of organic chromium, organic selenium and vitamin E for deleterious impacts of heat stress on broilers. A total of 120 1-d old commercial broiler chicks (Cobb) were obtained from a local hatchary. Upon arrival the chicks were divided into four groups with six replications, each of five chicks. The first group was the control group, while the second group was fed the basal diet supplemented with organic chromium (0.8 mg/kg diet), the third group was fed the basal diet supplemented with organic selenium (0.3 mg/kg diet) and the fourth group was fed the basal diet supplemented with vitamin E (200 IU/kg diet). Body weight (BW); body weight gain (BWG); feed intake (FI) and feed conversion ratio (FC) were significantly (P≤0.05) improved in treatment groups compared to the control at 21 and 42 days of the age. Red blood cell count (RBSc), hematocrit (HT), hemoglobin (Hb), hemoglobin mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC), hemoglobin mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and heterophils lymphocytes ratios (H/l ratio) were significantly (P≤0.05) different in vitamin E; organic selenium and organic chromium compared to the control at 21 and 42 days of the age, but RBSc count at 21 days of age were not significant. Moreover, it has been noticed a significant (P≤0.05) increase occurrence in values of glutathione peroxidase (GPX), Super-oxide dismotase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) but the level of malondiadehyde (MDA) was significantly (P≤0.05) decreased by supplementing broiler diets with vitamin E; organic selenium and organic chromium, respectively compared to the control. Supplementing broiler diets with vitamin E; organic selenium and organic chromium improved (P≤0.05) the carcass characteristics, respectively compared to the control. However, these improvements were insignificant in abdominal fats, thymus, bersa and spleen. The present results indicate that the supplementation of diets with vitamin E; organic selenium and organic chromium, especially vitamin E, is necessary to overcome the deleterious effects of heat stress on broilers.
Impact of Seaport Infrastructure, Logistics Performance, and Shipping Connectivity on Merchandise Exports

The aim of this paper is to study the determinants of merchandise exports of maritime countries based on panel data models during the period from 2007 to 2014. We investigate particularly the relationship between countries' merchandise exports and quality logistics performance, seaport infrastructure quality, and liner shipping connectivity. Regarding to the existing literature of merchandise exports this paper has the originality to introduce some logistics and infrastructure variables in addition to the traditional used factors, such as: cost to export, the official exchange rate, consumer price index, and gross of domestic product. Results suggest that the quality of seaport infrastructure, customs clearance processes, as well as time to export and maritime connectivity, could be explanatory factors of countries' merchandise exports. The empirical results confirm that there exists a significant relationship among the merchandise exports and the aforementioned variables except the cost to export.
Body mass aging trajectory is modulated by environmental conditions but independent of lifespan

How lifespan associates with aging trajectories of health and disease is an urgent question in societies with increasing lifespan. Body mass declines with age are associated with decreased organismal functioning in many species. We tested whether two factors that decreased lifespan in zebra finches, sex and manipulated environmental quality, accelerated the onset and/or rate of within-individual body mass declines. We subjected 597 birds for nine years to experimentally manipulated foraging costs (harsh = H, benign = B) during development and in adulthood in a 2×2 design. This yielded four treatment combinations (HH, HB, BH, BB). Harsh environments during development and in adulthood decreased average body mass additively. In males, the aging trajectory was quadratic, with a maximum between 3.5 and 4 years, and independent of the environment (HH=HB=BH=BB). In females, the shape of the aging trajectory differed between environments: a quadratic trajectory as in males in the benign adult environment (HB=BB), a linear decline when benign development was followed by harsh adulthood (BH) and a linear increase when in a lifelong harsh environment (HH). We found no evidence for an association between lifespan and body mass aging trajectories either between or within experimental groups. However, females lived shorter than males, and their body mass decline started earlier for most treatment combinations. Thus, we conclude that foraging conditions can affect the shape of body mass aging trajectories, but these are independent of lifespan.
Devenir post-opératoire du langage après résection de l’aire temporo-basale du langage, identifiée par des stimulations corticales électriques

Les stimulations corticales electriques de la region temporo-basale du cote de l’hemispheredominant produisent souvent des troubles transitoires du langage en denomination orale d'objets. Cette region est communement appelee ‘’aire temporo-basale du langage (BTLA)’’. Cependant, le risque d’avoir un deficit du langage apres une resection de cette region reste encore debattu. L’objectif principal de cette etude a ete d’evaluer et de comparer l’effet de la resection de la BTLA, pre-identifiee par des stimulations corticales electriques, dans le devenir postoperatoire du langage en denomination orale. 29 patients souffrant d’une epilepsie temporale pharmaco-resistante ont ete inclus dans notre etude. Une cartographie fonctionnelle du langage de la region temporo-basale par des stimulations corticales electriques a ete realisee chez tous les patients. Un bilanneuropsychologique avant et 6 mois apres l’intervention chirurgicale a ete realisee. La denomination orale a ete evaluee en utilisant un test de denomination orale d’objets (DO 80) et des tests de fluence verbale comme tests de controle. Une comparaison de ces tests avant et apres chirurgie a ete realisee en fonction de la resection (BTLA+) ou non (BTLA-) de la BTLA. 83% des patients ont presente durant les stimulations au moins un trouble transitoire du langage en denomination orale. Le deficit du langage le plus souvent observe a ete une anomie. La BTLA a ete localisee principalement dans le gyrus fusiforme gauche et s’etait etendue de 13 a - 66 selon les coordonnees de Talairach, autrement dit, du pole temporal a la jonction temporo-occipitale. Aucun gradient antero-posterieur n’a ete retrouve. Treize patients dont la BTLA etait clairement identifiee durant la SEEG, ont ete finalement operes. 3 des 4 patients BTLA + ont eu un declin postoperatoire significatifen DO 80 tandis qu’aucun des patients BTLA – n’en a eu. Les resultats des tests de fluence verbale sont restes stables dans les deux groupes. Une correlation statistiquement significative entre le declin postoperatoire en denomination orale (DO 80) et la resection de la BTLA a ete retrouvee (P=0.01). Les resultats indiquent clairement un effet specifique de la resection de la BTLA sur la denomination orale d’objets
REAL-TIME SOOT CONCENTRATION MEASUREMENT TECHNIQUE FOR ENGINE EXHAUST STREAMS

A new real-time soot concentration measurement technique for engine exhaust flows is presented. The technique uses a pulsed laser to illuminate the soot particles, with subsequent detection of the incandescence from the particles. Results are presented which show the detection limit, dynamic range, and dependence on operating conditions (i.e. size distribution and particle composition). The main advantages of the technique are its ability to detect small concentrations of soot such as those which would be present in the new clean diesel engines, its ability to give time-resolved measurements during the exhaust stroke, and its relative insensitivity to variable operating conditions. (A) For the covering abstract see IRRD 858138.
Scorpionates: The Coordination Chemistry of Polypyrazolylborate Ligands

This work deals with polypyrazolylborates (scorpionates), a class of ligands known since 1966, which have become increasingly popular with inorganic, organometallic and co-ordination chemists since 1986, because of their versatility and user-friendliness. They can be readily modified sterically and electronically though appropriate substitution on the pyrazole ring and on boron, and have led to a number of firsts in co-ordination chemistry (first stable CuCO complex, first monomeric MgR complex). Over 170 different scorpoinate ligands are known today. This book is intended as a reference work, placing at the researcher's command almost all of the 1500 or more references on the subject up to 1999, organized both according to the ligand type and according to the metal or metalloid being co-ordinated. It acquaints the reader with the special features of this ligand system and permits an assessment of what has been done in a given sub-area, and of which areas remain relatively unexplored. It presents procedures for ligand synthesis, and also covers their use in catalysis and in the modelling of biologically active substances.
Structure of water and aqueous solutions : proceedings of the Internat. Symposium held at Marburg in July 1973

Introducing a new hobby for other people may inspire them to join with you. Reading, as one of mutual hobby, is considered as the very easy hobby to do. But, many people are not interested in this hobby. Why? Boring is the reason of why. However, this feel actually can deal with the book and time of you reading. Yeah, one that we will refer to break the boredom in reading is choosing structure of water and aqueous solutions proceedings of as the reading material.