Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The adoption of artificial intelligence in employee recruitment: The influence of contextual factors

Abstract Artificial intelligence (AI) has been presented as a powerful tool in human resource management (HRM), but little academic research exists on the topic. The present study introduces the technology, organization, and environment (TOE) model from information systems research and integrates it with the transaction cost theory to better understand the facilitators and the constraints of companies’ AI adoption behavior during employee recruitment. Survey results from 297 Chinese companies suggest that companies’ perceived complexity toward AI constrains AI adoption, while technology competence and regulatory support encourage AI adoption. Relative advantages of AI technology, company size, and industry have no significant impact on AI usage. The findings also demonstrate the moderating effects of transaction costs on the influential power of technological complexity and organizations’ technology competence.
The effect of synchronous and asynchronous computer-mediated communication (CMC) on learners’ pronunciation achievement

Abstract Within the field of second language acquisition, pronunciation has received relatively little attention. This lack of research can also be seen in the general lack of systematic pedagogical materials for pronunciation training, effectively reinforcing the “marginalized” nature of pronunciation in the second language classroom (Lee, Plonsky & Saito, 2019). Accordingly, the current study investigated the use of synchronous/asynchronous computer-mediated communication as a method of L2 pronunciation instruction for the phonemic and lexical features of pronunciation. Broadly, the current study examined the effectiveness of face-to-face, synchronous, and asynchronous voice computer-mediated communication on EFL learners’ pronunciation achievement. In so doing, the study utilized an experimental design with 15 participants in the control group and 30 participants in two experimental groups. There were two types of tests in this study: lexical stress test, and phonemic discrimination test. The results showed the positive effect of CMC-oriented instruction compared with F-F instruction on EFL learners’ pronunciation development; however, not a significant difference was found between the two CMC instructional modes. The Syn group, on the other hand, tended to vary their pronunciation achievements more than the other groups. Indeed, technology holds great potential for pronunciation training, particularly in terms of maximizing opportunities for practice and exposure to oral language.
Do the characteristics of new green space contribute to gentrification?

A number of recent studies have examined the socioeconomic functions and side effects of environmental amenity in urban development. In this study, an urban green space is viewed as both a positive and negative environmental externality because it could be a potential contributor to gentrification. Employing the difference-in-differences method at the public use microdata areas and census-tract level, this study examines the effects of new green space characteristics on multiple gentrification indicators in New York City. Unlike previous studies, we examine the causal inference of multiple green space types and characteristics on gentrification indicators jointly, estimating a relatively short- and mid-term gentrification effect in a homogeneous institutional and geographical setting. The empirical results indicate that newly added green spaces potentially foster gentrification, influencing the replacement of the poor with wealthier inhabitants; more importantly, the gentrification effects differ depending on the type and characteristics of green spaces. A strong green gentrification effect has been observed in passive, natural and medium-sized green spaces. Taking these short-term and local-level gentrification effects of green space characteristics into consideration allows for more inclusive development and equitable outcomes.
Effects of dry heat cookery method on beef strip loin steaks of two quality grades following sous vide preparation

The objective of this study was to determine the influence of dry-heat cookery method on beef flavor development in strip loin steaks from 2 USDA quality grades following sous vide preparation. Beef strip loins were selected from 2 USDA quality grades: upper 2/3 Choice (Modest00–Moderate100) and Select (Slight00–Slight100 marbling, n= 20/grade). Following 21 d of wet aging, strip loins were fabricated into 2.54-cm thick-steaks and randomly assigned to one of 4 dryheat cookery methods: charbroiler grill (CHAR), clamshell grill (CLAM), convection oven (OVEN), and salamander broiler (SALA). Prior to untrained consumer panel and volatile compound analysis via gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, steaks were cooked under sous vide conditions for 1.5 h, then finished on the assigned cookery method. There were no cooking method × quality grade interactions (P≥ 0.076) for all consumer traits evaluated. Overall, SALA steaks received higher (P< 0.05) ratings by consumers than CLAM steaks for all palatability traits. OVEN steaks had greater scores (P< 0.05) than CLAM steaks for juiciness, tenderness, and overall liking but were similar to CLAM steaks (P> 0.05) for flavor. CHAR steaks were similar (P> 0.05) to CLAM steaks for flavor but were rated higher (P< 0.05) for tenderness, juiciness, and overall liking. Steaks cooked using the OVEN method produced a greater concentration of lipid-derived volatiles, such as alcohols, aldehydes, and carboxylic acids. In direct contrast, CHAR steaks produced a higher concentration of pyrazines and Strecker aldehydes, which are derived from theMaillard reaction. These data indicate that cookery method, and therefore heat transfer method, has a substantially stronger influence on consumer ratings and flavor development than USDA quality grade in this study when steaks are prepared using sous vide methods.
Effect of subsurface water level on gully headcut retreat in tropical highlands of Ethiopia

Gully erosion is a major cause of soil loss and severe land degradation in sub‐humid Ethiopia. The objective of this study was to investigate the role and the effect of subsurface water level change on gully headcut retreat, gully formation and expansion in high rainfall tropical regions in the Ethiopian highlands. During the rainy seasons of 2017–2019, the expansion rate of 16 fixed gullies was measured and subsurface water levels were measured by piezometers installed near gully heads. During the study period, headcut retreats ranged from 0.70 to 2.35 m, with a mean value of 1.49 ± 0.56 m year−1, and average depth of the surface water level varied between 1.12 and 2.82 m, with a mean value of 2.62 m. Gully cross‐section areas ranged from 2.90 to 20.90 m2, with an average of 9.31 ± 4.80 m2. Volumetric retreat of gully headcuts ranged from 4.49 to 40.55 m3 and averaged 13.34 ± 9.10 m3. Soil loss from individual gullies ranged from 5.79 to 52.31 t year−1 and averaged 17.21 ± 11.74 t year−1. The headcut retreat rate and sediment yield were closely related over the three study seasons. Elevated subsurface water levels facilitated the slumping of gully banks and heads, causing high sediment yield. When the soil was saturated, bank collapse and headcut retreat were favoured by the combination of elevated subsurface water and high rainfall. This study indicates that area exclosures are effective in controlling subsurface water level, thus reducing gully headcut retreat and associated soil loss.
Morphology of Jupiter's Polar Auroral Bright Spot Emissions via Juno‐UVS Observations

Since 2016, the Juno‐UVS (Ultraviolet Spectrograph) instrument has been taking spectral images of Jupiter's auroras in their full extent, including the nightside, which cannot be viewed from Earth. We present a systematic analysis of features in Jupiter's polar auroras called auroral bright spots, which were observed by Juno‐UVS during the first 25 orbits of the spacecraft. An auroral bright spot is an isolated localized and transient brightening in the polar region. Bright spots were identified in 16 perijoves (PJ) out of 24, mostly in either the northern or the southern hemisphere but rarely in both during the same PJ. The emitted power of the bright spots is time variable with peak power ranging from a few tens to a hundred of gigawatts. Moreover, we found that, for some PJs, bright spots exhibit quasiperiodic behavior. The spots, within PJ4 and PJ16, each reappeared within <2,000 km from the previous position in System III with periods of 28 and 22 min, respectively. This period is similar to periods previously identified in X‐rays and various other observations. The bright spot positions are in a specific region in the northern hemisphere in System III, but are scattered around the magnetic pole in the southern hemisphere, near the edge of the swirl region. Furthermore, the bright spots can be seen at any local time, rather than being confined to the noon sector as previously thought from Earth‐based observations. This suggests that the bright spots might not be firmly connected to the noon facing magnetospheric cusp processes.
A Comparison of FIML- versus Multiple-imputation-based methods to test measurement invariance with incomplete ordinal variables

ABSTRACT To ensure meaningful comparison of test scores across groups or time, measurement invariance (i.e., invariance of the general factor structure and the values of the measurement parameters) across groups or time must be examined. However, many empirical examinations of measurement invariance of psychological/educational questionnaires need to address two issues: Using the appropriate model for ordinal variables (e.g., Likert scale items), and handling missing data. In two Monte Carlo simulations, this study examined the performance of one full-information-maximum-likelihood-based method and five multiple-imputation-based methods to obtain tests of measurement invariance across groups for ordinal variables that have missing data. Our results indicate that the full-information-maximum-likelihood-based method and one of the multiple-imputation-based methods generally have better performance than the other examined methods, though they also have their own limitations.
Sustainability as a “New Normal” for Modern Businesses: Are SMEs of Pakistan Ready to Adopt It?

While in developed countries, the concept of sustainability is being recognized as a “new normal” for modern businesses, the situation is entirely different in the context of developing and underdeveloped regions of the world. Shockingly, most of the developing nations do not consider the environmental dimension of CSR as their priority, and this is one of the reasons that the issue of climate change is a hot topic of debate among contemporary researchers and policymakers from developing economies. The present study aims to explore the type and level of CSR engagement among different organizations of the SME sector in Pakistan. Further, the study also intends to uncover any potential difference between medium-sized enterprises and small-sized enterprises in terms of their CSR preferences and engagements. The study uses a qualitative approach in order to get deeper insights to meet study objectives through in-depth semi-structured interviews. In this regard, the data were collected from nine SMEs belonging to different sectors in Lahore city of Pakistan. The authors used thematic analysis in order to analyze in-depth interviews, and three main themes were extracted, including social CSR, economic CSR, and environmental CSR. The results revealed that most of the medium-sized enterprises prefer the social dimension of CSR, whereas small-sized enterprises are largely concerned with the economic dimension of CSR. It has also been revealed that the environmental dimension of CSR is non-existent in the case of small-sized enterprises. The results of the present study will help policymakers to better understand the phenomenon of CSR and to rethink their CSR policies for a better and sustainable future.
Ownership structure and corporate financial performance in an emerging market: a dynamic panel data analysis

PurposeThis study examines the impact of ownership structure on firm financial performance, for 146 manufacturing firms listed at the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) for the period 2003–2012.Design/methodology/approachThe theoretical background of the present study is based on the agency theory. Ownership structure is measured by institutional shareholdings, insider shareholdings, foreign shareholders and government shareholdings, while return on assets (ROA), return on equity (ROE), market-to-book ratio (MBR) and Tobin's Q (TQ) are used as proxies of corporate financial performance. The dynamic panel generalized method of moments (GMM) method is employed to cater for the issue of endogeneity.FindingsWe find that institutional ownership exerts a significant positive impact on ROE and MBR, which suggests that institutional investors play a significant role in improving the financial performance of the sample Pakistani. Furthermore, the results reveal a significant positive relationship of insider ownership with ROA, ROE, MBR and TQ, which is consistent with the prediction of agency theory that concentration of insider ownership aligns the interest of shareholders with those of the managers and hence improves performance. A significant positive association of government shareholdings with ROA and ROE was also found. Therefore, policymakers may encourage government ownership in firms, which can help to improve corporate financial performance.Originality/valueThe present study contributes to the existing literature on ownership structure and corporate financial performance in an emerging market like Pakistan. It is worth mentioning that the institutional setup and corporate governance structure in Pakistan is yet at an evolving stage. Findings of this study may provide useful insights to corporate managers and investors about the relationship between ownership structure and financial performance of firms from the manufacturing sector in Pakistan.
A phenomenographic outcome space for ways of experiencing lecturing

ABSTRACT After decades of increasing evidence in favour of active learning, lecturing remains the dominant face-to-face teaching mode. Just as a rigorous research approach is required to understand how to improve student learning outcomes, we also need research about how to reform teaching practice. Some initial steps in this direction have shown that successful pedagogical reforms are long-term, contextualised, and address teachers’ beliefs about teaching. It is not enough to put in place overarching policy directives about active learning, nor to simply share best practice, because these strategies do not engage with the particular teaching contexts and beliefs of individual academics. Professional development programs to shift academics away from the traditional lecture must incorporate academics’ conceptions of lecturing. Although there has been some research into conceptions of university teaching in general, there is a dearth of literature focusing on conceptions of lecturing in particular. This article addresses that gap, by using a phenomenographic approach to interview 30 academics about their lecturing experiences. From analysing the transcripts, a hierarchy of five ways of experiencing lecturing was identified: (1) Lecturing as soliloquy, (2) Lecturing as connecting meaning, (3) Lecturing as cultivating individuals, (4) Lecturing as transformatively co-creating, (5) Lecturing as enacting research. Three themes of expanding awareness framed this hierarchy: interaction, student diversity, and lecture purpose. By extrapolating these themes downwards, a zeroth category was conjectured: Lecturing as reading. Implications for educators are discussed, along with potentially fruitful avenues of future research.
Removal of gold(III) from hydrochloric acid solutions using N-(diethylthiophosphoryl)-aza[18]crown-6 immobilized into membranes and Amberlite XAD-4 resin

ABSTRACT In this study experiments were performed to evaluate the Au(III) removal efficiency using a novel ion carrier – N-(diethylthiophosphoryl)-aza[18]crown-6 immobilized into polymer inclusion membranes (PIMs) and Amberlite (XAD-4) resin. This lariat ether, applied in the membrane and in solid phase extraction (SPE) systems, was used for the transport and removal of gold(III) from chloride solutions. Several influencing factors, such as solution acidity, the amount of extractant, the concentration of Au(III) ions, stripping agents and metal ions’ recovery behaviour, were investigated. It was found that the lariat ether immobilized in membranes and Amberlite XAD-4 resin effectively extracted gold from chloride aqueous media. Under optimal conditions, the Au(III) removal efficiencies for PIM and impregnated resin were 98.9 and 92.9%, respectively.
Conceptualising inclusive education: the role of teacher training and teacher's attitudes towards inclusion of children with disabilities in Ethiopia

ABSTRACT Although there is widespread support for inclusion at a philosophical level, there are some concerns that teachers lack the necessary knowledge and skills to educate students with disability in inclusive classrooms. Utilising a data set of 125 teachers from 3 teacher education institutions and 6 secondary schools in Ethiopia, this study reports the effects of teacher training on understanding inclusive education, teachers’ attitudes towards inclusion and their feelings towards students with a disability. The results show that there are two positions reflected in conceptualising inclusive education, i.e. the concept that is placing children with disability in the regular class, while another concept is just providing support to children with disability. This study reports 81–85% of the participants’ positive understanding of the overall purpose of inclusive education. Teachers reported a more positive attitude towards inclusion than those who had negative experiences implementing inclusive pedagogy and working with children with disabilities in inclusive classrooms. The main concerns regarding the implementation of inclusive education include very little readiness (62%), inadequate teacher preparation (38%), lack of instructional materials (25%), less attention being paid to teacher preparation for inclusive education (20%), etc. The implications discussed and suggestions made for future studies.
Temporal interactions and moon illumination effect on mammals in a tropical semievergreen forest of Manas National Park, Assam, India

Species interactions play a vital role in structuring mammalian communities by stimulating behavioral responses in varied niche dimensions that affect sympatric associations and predator–prey relationships. We determined temporal overlap and effects of the moon cycle on dominant and sub‐dominant mammalian assemblages in Manas National Park, India. A total of 36 species were captured, with 24,865 independent records over 11,294 trap nights. We collected 1,130 photographs of five large‐ and medium‐sized carnivores and 1,541 photographs of 12 small carnivores. Fifty‐one percent of records were detected during diurnal period, followed by 38% in nocturnal phase, and 11% during twilight. Small carnivores such as Prionailurus bengalensis and Viverridae spp. were strictly nocturnal, whereas Martes flavigula and Herpestidae spp. were diurnal. Medium‐sized carnivores were either nocturnal (Neofelis nebulosa) or diurnal (Cuon alpinus), whereas large‐sized carnivores (Panthera tigris, Panthera pardus, and Ursus thibetanus) were cathemeral. A high degree of temporal overlap (>0.75) was found between most sympatric carnivores with distinct activity peaks, while a low overlap (<0.50) was observed between different body‐sized carnivores. Viverrids’ activity was negatively correlated (r = −0.44, p < 0.01) with lunar cycles, perhaps to increase foraging efficiency or as an anti‐predator strategy. Large prey (μ = 133.23°) and small prey (μ = 131.35°) activity were high during brighter nights due to better visual detection in detecting or avoiding predators. Dominant species activity was least affected by the lunar cycle among forest‐dependent mammals, whereas subdominant species activity was either lunarphobic or lunarphilic. The study demonstrates the use of passive camera traps in understanding the behavioral rhythms of tropical mammals.
Co-opted boards and earnings management: Evidence of reduced short-termist behavior

This study contributes to the emerging literature on board co-option by examining how and to what extent co-opted directors influence managers’ attitudes about earnings management. We find robust evidence that co-option mitigates both real activities and accrual-based earnings management. Our findings support the view that higher co-option reduces managerial short-termism because it enhances managers’ job security as co-opted directors are known to be less likely to remove managers from office. Our results are robust to different measures of both co-option and earnings management, and they continue to hold after accounting for endogeneity and selection concerns. Finally, we provide additional evidence showing that a higher degree of co-option lowers the likelihood of the chief executive officer (CEO) being forcefully removed from the office for managing earnings in the previous year. JEL CLASSIFICATION G30; G34; G39
Optimization of Enzymatic Synthesis of n-Propyl Acetate (Fruit Flavor Ester) – Effect of the Support on the Properties of Biocatalysts

The present study deals with the optimization of the enzymatic synthesis of n-propyl acetate using response surface methodology (RSM). The biocatalysts were prepared by physical adsorption of lipase from Thermomyces lanuginosus (TLL) on mesoporous hydrophobic supports – poly-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) and poly-methacrylate (PMA) particles. Their catalytic properties were also assayed in the hydrolysis of olive oil emulsion. The biocatalyst TLL–PMA presented the highest immobilization yield (IY, 90.6 ± 2.8%), immobilized protein concentration (36.5 ± 0.4 mg/g of PMA), and catalytic activity in esterification reaction. TLL–PHB was more active in the hydrolysis of olive oil emulsion by a four-fold factor (1240.5 ± 29.2 IU/g of PHB). Maximum acid consumption percentage of 84.3% was observed after 50 min of reaction catalyzed by TLL–PMA using 2000 mM of each reactant (n-propanol and acetic acid) in heptane medium. The purified ester was confirmed by gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC–MS) analysis. After six consecutive cycles of esterification reaction, the biocatalyst retained around 50% of its initial activity. The results show that PMA may be an interesting support to prepare active biocatalysts in the synthesis of fruit flavor ester by esterification reaction.
Perceived impact of automation on university library services by library personnel in South West, Nigeria

This study aimed at assessing the status of library automation, the impact of automation on library services and challenges university library is facing in maintaining automated system towards effective library services delivery. The population in this study consists of 697 library personnel in 9 university libraries in Southwest Nigeria. A structured questionnaire Appendix A) was used for data collection. In all, 335 questionnaires were distributed but only 309 were found usable, which gave a response rate of 92.2%. Findings revealed that library automation in university libraries in South West Nigeria was partial. Library automation has a positive impact on library services. Lack of technical support from the vendor, lack of funding, attitude of library personnel and technophobia among were among the challenges faced.