Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The development of a scale for measuring voluntary simplistic clothing consumption in the South African emerging market context

The first scale purification procedure involved the elimination of two items that exhibited corrected item-total correlations lower than . 30. The remaining twenty items were subjected to exploratory factor analysis (EFA), whereby four factors with eigenvalues ≥ 1 were retained and criteria for further elimination of six items included high cross-loadings (>.40) or low factor loadings (<.40) to retained factors. The resulting four factor solution accounted for 47,88% of the total variance. Further confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) however led to the pursuit of a three-factor solution with the elimination of two additional items due to low factor loadings. The final confirmatory model (NFI = 0.91; CFI = 0.93; RMSEA = 0.079) was thus estimated on 12 items that parsimoniously represented three dimensions of voluntary simplistic consumption practices namely, (1) supporting local and ethically responsible clothing brands, (2) demonstrating preference for unique handcrafted clothing and (3) reducing clothing consumption by (among other) extending the lifespan of existing products. This factor solution was re-confirmed through subsequent CFA procedures that was performed on the separate sample ( n = 501). The final confirmatory model achieved acceptable fit (NFI = 0.90; CFI = 0.92; RMSEA = 0.080) with factor loadings ranging from 0.48 to 0.86. It is envisaged that this scale may serve as an important foundation for much needed future empirical research into voluntary simplistic clothing consumption behavior in emerging market contexts such as South Africa.
Assessment of Performance Management Practice of World Vision Ethiopia

vii CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION . 1 1.1 Background of the Study . 1 1.2. Statement of the Problem . 5 1.3. Research Questions . 6 1.4. Objectives of the Study . 7 1.5. Significance of the Study . 7 1.6. Scope of the Study . 7 1.7. Limitation of the Study . 8 1.8. Definition of terms . 8 1.9 Organization of the study . 8 CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW . 9 2.
The Determinants Of Management Provisions After The Introduction Of Ias / Ifrs Standards In France [Les Determinants De La Gestion Des Provisions (Prc) Apres L’Introduction Des Normes Ias/Ifrs En France]

This study examines determinants of the management of provisions among French listed companies after the introduction of IAS/IFRS in Europe in 2005. Provisions for non-current risks and charges used by companies to manage the SBF 120 results are evaluated to 7.2 billion € in 2005, 3.1 billion € in 2006 and 8.9 billion € in 2007. To meet this objective, the positive accounting approach have been mobilized. It uses the politico-contractual motivations and governance mechanisms. Testing hypotheses by structural equation modeling of 91 companies in the SBF 120 index during the period 2005-2007 validate the size of the company and the industry as incentives ; confirm the concentration of capital and the effectiveness of the Board as constraints ; and invalidates the assumptions of debt, smoothness and the quality of the external audit.
Plasma Enhanced Atomic Layer Deposition Passivated HfO2/AlN/In0.53Ga0.47As MOSCAPs With Sub-Nanometer Equivalent Oxide Thickness and Low Interface Trap Density

The impact of in situ plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition passivation on the electrical properties of HfO<sub>2</sub>/In<sub>0.53</sub>Ga<sub>0.47</sub>As metal-oxide-semiconductor capacitors (MOSCAPs) has been studied. Excellent interface quality of high-<i>k</i>/III-V is achieved by aluminum nitride (AlN) interfacial passivation layer, including strong inversion behaviors and unpinned Fermi level. The band alignment of HfO<sub>2</sub>/AlN/In<sub>0.53</sub>Ga<sub>0.47</sub>As structure with the valence band offsets of 2.81 ± 0.1 eV and the conduction band offsets of 1.9 ± 0.1 eV was obtained. Better interface and optimized high-<i>k</i> dielectric qualities are achieved using post remote-plasma treatment with either N<sub>2</sub>/H<sub>2</sub> or NH<sub>3</sub> gases. Sub-nanometer equivalent oxide thickness HfO<sub>2</sub>/AlN/In<sub>0.53</sub>Ga<sub>0.47</sub>As MOSCAPs with low interface trap density and low leakage current density have been characterized.
The First HxRxG Motif in Simian Immunodeficiency Virus mac239 Vpr Is Crucial for G2/M Cell Cycle Arrest

ABSTRACT The highly conserved Vpr protein mediates cell cycle arrest, transcriptional transactivation, and nuclear import of the preintegration complex in human immunodeficiency virus type 1. To identify functional domains in simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) mac239 Vpr, we mutagenized selected motifs within an α-helical region and two C-terminal HxRxG motifs. All Vpr mutants located to the nucleus. Substitution of four amino acids in the α-helical domain did not interfere with cell cycle arrest, while a single substitution abolished cell cycle arrest function. Mutation of the first HxRxG motif to AxAxA also resulted in loss of cell cycle arrest, while mutation of the second motif had no effect. Interestingly, both Vpr mutants impaired in cell cycle arrest function also showed reduced transactivation of the SIV long terminal repeat, suggesting that arrest of cells at G2/M mediates or contributes to transactivation by Vpr.
A systematic review and meta-analysis on the incubation period of Campylobacteriosis

Abstract Accurate knowledge of pathogen incubation period is essential to inform public health policies and implement interventions that contribute to the reduction of burden of disease. The incubation period distribution of campylobacteriosis is currently unknown with several sources reporting different times. Variation in the distribution could be expected due to host, transmission vehicle, and organism characteristics, however, the extent of this variation and influencing factors are unclear. The authors have undertaken a systematic review of published literature of outbreak studies with well-defined point source exposures and human experimental studies to estimate the distribution of incubation period and also identify and explain the variation in the distribution between studies. We tested for heterogeneity using I 2 and Kolmogorov–Smirnov tests, regressed incubation period against possible explanatory factors, and used hierarchical clustering analysis to define subgroups of studies without evidence of heterogeneity. The mean incubation period of subgroups ranged from 2·5 to 4·3 days. We observed variation in the distribution of incubation period between studies that was not due to chance. A significant association between the mean incubation period and age distribution was observed with outbreaks involving only children reporting an incubation of 1·29 days longer when compared with outbreaks involving other age groups.
Purification and characterization of the tricarboxylate carrier from eel liver mitochondria.

The tricarboxylate carrier from eel (Anguilla anguilla) liver mitochondria was solubilized with Triton X-100 and purified by sequential chromatography on hydroxyapatite and Matrex Gel Blue B. On SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, the purified fraction showed a single polypeptide band with an apparent molecular mass of 30.4 kDa. When reconstituted into liposomes, the tricarboxylate transport protein catalyzed a very active 1,2,3-benzenetricarboxylate-sensitive citrate/citrate exchange. It was purified 641-fold with a recovery of 13.3% and a protein yield of 0.02% with respect to the mitochondrial extract. The properties of the reconstituted carrier, i.e., requirement for a counteranion, substrate specificity and inhibitor sensitivity, were similar to those of the tricarboxylate carrier purified from rat liver mitochondria. These studies provide the first information on the mitochondrial tricarboxylate transport protein of a fish.
Dietary calcium.

during dives, together with a daily supply of clean bedding, reduced the extent of contamination. Only a very restricted range of chemical disinfectants can be used in a pressurised chamber, so not surprisingly contamination could not be completely controlled. P aeruginosa is a commensal in the bowel and on the skin of a variable number of healthy people and it would be impossible to eliminate all sources of infection among divers. By serotyping the pseudomonads isolated in one dive Alcock found that type II strains accounted for 16 of 18 isolates from the men's ears and 11 out of 12 isolates from the chamber. A single diver with type II in his ears had entered this dive; phage typing showed that all the strains isolated were indistinguishable. In other dives, too, the strains of P aeruginosa isolated belonged to a few serotypes, suggesting that a single diver may often be the source of organisms which spread throughout the chamber complex. Screening may reduce the chances of divers suffering from acute infection early in the dive, but it has not been effective in reducing the number who eventually harbour Pseudomonas in their ears. The usually recommended prophylactics have given disappointing results. Skin sensitisation and the risk of spreading resistant bacteria are among the dangers associated with topical antibiotics, and drugs such as gentamicin should not be used without clear indications. In practical terms, however, Alcock's study was a success: he had no problems with sensitisation, and resistant strains of P aeruginosa were rarely and briefly found only during an early trial with antibiotic cream. Treated divers rarely suffered from pain in the ears, dives were no longer disrupted, and the operational demands of a highly organised and essential industry were met.
Controlling system dimension: A class of real systems that obey the Kaplan–Yorke conjecture

The Kaplan–Yorke conjecture suggests a simple relationship between the fractal dimension of a system and its Lyapunov spectrum. This relationship has important consequences in the broad field of nonlinear dynamics where dimension and Lyapunov exponents are frequently used descriptors of system dynamics. We develop an experimental system with controllable dimension by making use of the Kaplan–Yorke conjecture. A rectangular steel plate is driven with the output of a chaotic oscillator. We controlled the Lyapunov exponents of the driving and then computed the fractal dimension of the plate's response. The Kaplan–Yorke relationship predicted the system's dimension extremely well. This finding strongly suggests that other driven linear systems will behave similarly. The ability to control the dimension of a structure's vibrational response is important in the field of vibration-based structural health monitoring for the robust extraction of damage-sensitive features.
Occurrence of ica genes for slime synthesis in a collection of Staphylococcus epidermidis strains from orthopedic prosthesis infections

Staphylococcus epidermidis is a frequent pathogen in infections associated with orthopedic implants. We studied 123 S. epidermidis strains from infections related to orthopedic implants, as regards their ability to express a factor of virulence, namely the slime, an extracellular polysaccharide, which mediates adherence to implants and bacterial colonization. The slime-producing ability was determined by PCR detection of icaA and icaD genes responsible for slime synthesis, and by culture on Congo red agar plates in which slime-producing strains form black colonies, while nonslime-forming ones develop red colonies. 56% of the S. epidermidis isolates were icaA- icaD-positive and grew to become black colonies. In the evaluation of the distribution of slime-forming strains in different sites and types of implants, we found a slight, but not statistically significant, increase in slime-forming strains in total joint prostheses, where tissue compression near the articular faces can form niches in which bacteria crowd, sheltered by the slime. Our findings confirm the role of ica genes as a virulence marker in the pathogenesis of implant-associated orthopedic infections. However, they do not show the existence of a higher frequency of slime-positive strains in a specific type of implant.
Adoption of cleaner production practices by dairy farmers in southern Chile

Rising concerns about the environmental costs of dairy production have resulted in an increasing use of farm practices that diminish negative production externalities. Yet, little empirical evidence exists regarding the factors infl uencing the adoption of pollution-reducing strategies by dairy farmers. In this study, we estimate a logit probability model to explain fi rststage adoption of capital-intensive cleaner production (CP) practices, using a sample of 100 medium and large-size dairy farms located in southern Chile. Voluntary approaches to pollution control in agriculture are relatively recent in Chile and diffusion has been slow and uneven among farmers. Only 43% of the farmers surveyed were using some CP practices at the time of the interview. The probability of adoption was found to be positively correlated with farmer’s education and age, awareness of environmental regulations, the type of milk buyer, and the use of complementary CP management practices. Conversely, farm structure variables were not signifi cant, which suggests that the adoption of CP practices could be responding to noneconomic motivations. La creciente preocupacion por los costos ambientales generados por la produccion lechera, se ha traducido en un mayor uso de practicas que disminuyan la generacion de externalidades negativas. Sin embargo, existe escasa evidencia empirica en relacion con los factores que determinan el nivel de adopcion de tales practicas en el caso de predios lecheros. En este estudio se estimo un modelo de probabilidad (logit) para explicar la adopcion de practicas de produccion limpia (PL) intensivas en capital, para una muestra de 100 explotaciones lecheras de mediano y gran tamano del sur de Chile. En Chile, los enfoques voluntarios para el control de la contaminacion en la agricultura, como es el caso de la PL, son relativamente recientes y su difusion ha sido lenta y desigual entre los agricultores. Para el caso de esta muestra, solo el 43% de los agricultores utilizaba practicas de PL en el momento de la entrevista. Los resultados indican que la probabilidad de adopcion presenta una correlacion positiva con la educacion del agricultor y la edad, el conocimiento de las normativas ambientales, el tipo de comprador de leche, y el uso de practicas complementarias de PL basadas en manejo. Por el contrario, las variables relacionadas con la estructura predial no fueron estadisticamente signifi cativas, lo que sugiere que la adopcion de practicas de PL puede responder a motivaciones no economicas.
Fast Scans on Key-Value Stores

Key-Value Stores (KVS) are becoming increasingly popular because they scale up and down elastically, sustain high throughputs for get/put workloads and have low latencies. KVS owe these advantages to their simplicity. This simplicity, however, comes at a cost: It is expensive to process complex, analytical queries on top of a KVS because today's generation of KVS does not support an efficient way to scan the data. The problem is that there are conflicting goals when designing a KVS for analytical queries and for simple get/put workloads: Analytical queries require high locality and a compact representation of data whereas elastic get/put workloads require sparse indexes. This paper shows that it is possible to have it all, with reasonable compromises. We studied the KVS design space and built TellStore, a distributed KVS, that performs almost as well as state-of-the-art KVS for get/put workloads and orders of magnitude better for analytical and mixed workloads. This paper presents the results of comprehensive experiments with an extended version of the YCSB benchmark and a workload from the telecommunication industry.
An ethical framework for the disposal of autologous stem cells

Abstract The disposal of haematopoietic stem cells stored for autologous transplantation purposes becomes a problem for hospitals when the conditions for their preservation cease to exist. When these cells have been stored for a considerable time the problem often becomes an ethical one involving informed consent and is linked to at least two simultaneous circumstances: (i) the indications regarding disposal contained in available informed consent papers are either absent or too generic; (ii) the person who provided the sample can no longer be traced. This article proposes and discusses some of the ethical criteria for addressing this problem on the basis of the so-called “principles” of North American bioethics, and compares them with some of the principles and values proposed in other models of bioethics.
The Timed “Up & Go”: A Test of Basic Functional Mobility for Frail Elderly Persons

This study evaluated a modified, timed version of the “Get‐Up and Go” Test (Mathias et al, 1986) in 60 patients referred to a Geriatric Day Hospital (mean age 79.5 years). The patient is observed and timed while he rises from an arm chair, walks 3 meters, turns, walks back, and sits down again. The results indicate that the time score is (1) reliable (inter‐rater and intra‐rater); (2) correlates well with log‐transformed scores on the Berg Balance Scale (r = −0.81), gait speed (r = −0.61) and Barthel Index of ADL (r = −0.78); and (3) appears to predict the patient's ability to go outside alone safely. These data suggest that the timed “Up & Go” test is a reliable and valid test for quantifying functional mobility that may also be useful in following clinical change over time. The test is quick, requires no special equipment or training, and is easily included as part of the routine medical examination.
Aortic Allograft Valve lmplantation: Freehand or Root Replacement?

Allograft aortic valve failure is almost always the result of regurgitation. Excluding endocarditis and perivalvar leak, both of which are rare, there are four interrelated mechanisms,' namely, structural valve degeneration (cusp rupture usually in the belly but sometimes at the commissure), leaflet prolapse or distortion (technical error), central leak from progressive aortic root dilatation (without leaflet rupture or technical error), and progressive loss of leaflet extensibility.2 Most authors have excluded technical error from the other mechanisms when considering the incidence of tissue failure. In my view, all four should be lumped together. Failure due to surgical error is a potential feature of every operation when using freehand subcoronary insertion. If the error is major, incompetence is early and severe; if minor, it may only become severe when the increased stresses in the leaflet finally precipitate cusp rupture. Progressive loss of leaflet extensibility is peculiar to all forms of allograft valves, both viable and nonviable (and glutaraldehyde treated xenografts). Its influence on incompetence will depend on the degree of leaflet coaptation present at the end of operation and the degree of subsequent aortic root dilatation. Recently, in an attempt to lessen the incidence of tissue failure, attention has been focused on the technique of implantation with the intent of avoiding the effects of geometrical distortion.3 The articles presented at this symposium on aortic valve replacement using an aortic allo-
Festival community networks and transformative place-making

Purpose Festivals are often explicitly connected to the destinations in which they take place, explored here as contributing to broader processes of place-making and engagement with local communities. Place is defined at a local scale, primarily as experienced by volunteer contributors to an arts and cultural festival in urban Scotland. Networked relationships between festival volunteers inform the research methods and analysis, reflecting both observer and insider perspectives. This paper aims to comment on varying attitudes among the contributors, relating these findings to their positions in the festival’s social network. Design/methodology/approach Social network analysis methods were used to capture and examine data from a sample of festival volunteers: a survey instrument was distributed among individuals identified by the creative director, acting as a key informant. These data generated information on connections between the respondents, as well as demographic and opinion-based attribute data. Network centrality measures were used to sample the respondents for four follow-up interviews with festival volunteers. Findings The resulting network revealed a core-periphery structure to the festival’s organising team. The influential core group members were more established volunteers, recognised for their value to the team. The festival was widely endorsed as contributing to local place-making, though not uncritically. Management implications were identified for the dual nature of the festival organisation: a formal hierarchy with clear functional departments, acting as a platform for an intangible yet vital social network. Originality/value Social relationships are shown to have profound implications for the management and identity of this volunteer festival, in relation to its host neighbourhood. Combining social network analysis with semi-structured interviews has demonstrated the value of this mixed methods approach.
Estimation of pure-tone thresholds in adults using extrapolated distortion product otoacoustic emission input/output-functions and auditory steady state responses

Pure-tone thresholds were used as the reference and compared with extrapolated distortion product otoacoustic emission input/output-functions and auditory steady state responses (ASSR) in hearing-impaired adults, using the Cochlea-Scan and Audera devices. Fifty-three subjects presenting sensorineural deficits were included in the study. The DPOAE data were recorded using the detailed Cochlea-Scan threshold modality, and ASSR responses were assessed at 1.0, 2.0, and 4.0 kHz. The comparison between DPOAE and ASSR threshold values indicated significant mean differences across all tested frequencies. Significant relationships were observed between the behavioral and the DPOAE measurements in the lower frequencies (1.5 and 2.0 kHz). The Cochlea-Scan algorithm seems to overestimate hearing threshold. Logistic regression models (probability of DPOAE response p = 0.9), suggested that the identifiable hearing levels are less than 34 dB HL (at 2.0 and 4.0 kHz) and less or equal to 38 and 40 dB HL at 1.5 and 6.0 kHz respectively. The Cochlea-Scan DPOAE protocols can be used in cases presenting mild hearing deficits (i.e.<40 dB HL).
Determinants of Financial Literacy Among Indian Youth

The purpose of this study is to examine which factors actually determine the level of personal financial literacy among the youth in India's financial capital city. A total of 650 completed and returned questionnaires have been used for the purpose of this study. The data analysis uses descriptive statistics and multivariate analysis. The explanatory variables are gender, district of residence, educational level, father's educational level, employment, marital status, and parenthood. Findings of the study depict that having children is the most positively correlated (+0.327) with financial literacy. Education (+0.245) and employment (+0.140) are positively correlated with financial literacy. It is also concluded that females are less likely to have a high level of financial literacy (-0.271) compared to males.