Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Ownership Structure, Audit Committee and Corporate Performance

This study examines whether ownership structure and audit committee are related to corporate performance of non- financial companies enlisted in Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) of Bangladesh during the period from 2005 to 2008. The study is used ordinary least squares (OLS) regression model to examine the relationship between explanatory variables and corporate performance variables. The results of the regression analyses indicate that the Management ownership structure, Board audit committee, Independent audit committee and Higher education of CEO are positively significant on corporate performance (i.e., ROA and ROE) but Institutional ownership, Audit committee size, Qualification of audit committee and Firm size have not been founded any significant relation on corporate performance.
A Novel Deep Silicon Etching for Bulk-Micromachined RF MEMS Devices

This paper describes a new micromachinig method for deep silicon etching. Deep silicon etching is used in the realization of bulk-micromachined transducers and RF MEMS devices. The specific aim is to establish a deep silicon etch process with minimum anisotropy suitable for bulk micromachined electrostatic RF switches. The work has basically been focused on three research components: recognition of challenging areas, searching for appropriate and inexpensive deep etching methods and running preliminary experiments. Uniformity, anisotropy, mask material defects and surfactants are of the factors studied in order to establishing a reliable deep silicon etching process. Reliability has a significant influence on the long-term performance of MEMS devices and also on the final yield. In this paper, wet etching has extensively been employed to establish a new deep etching method. For the wet etching methods factors like etching solution, solution concentration, etching temperature, and agitation have been under close investigation. This paper initially describes how uniform etching was achieved for up to 0.35 mm deep silicon etching by using a new concept of alternate etch and dry steps. Then, this new micromachining technique was used to etch a full-scale 4" wafer with a 2 mm-depth. Anisotropy was at a maximum lOum lateral etching.
Executive Compensation and Corporate Financial Performance in Brazilian Companies

This survey investigated the relationship between executive compensation and corporate financial performance. It hypothesized that a company can utilize its pay system to direct executives’ efforts toward its strategic business objectives, and thereby contributes to higher levels of corporate financial performance. The survey data consisted of a secondary and non-probabilistic sample of 79 Brazilian companies. In order to operationalize the independent compensation variable, the author used monthly salary, variable salary and three indices that were created for this survey – benefits, career and development. These indices measure the access to benefits, mechanisms for stimulating and supporting careers and mechanisms to encourage education and professional development that companies offer their directors, vice presidents and chief executive officers. The compensation data is from fiscal year 2008. For the financial performance variable, three accounting indicators were used – sales growth, return on equity (ROE) and return on assets (ROA) – for fiscal year 2008. Size and industry were used as control variables. The results of multiple regression analysis do not support the hypothesis that there is a positive and significant relationship between executive compensation and corporate financial performance.
Psychological Factors Associated With Sleep Disturbance Among Perimenopausal Women

The complex nature of sleep among perimenopausal women warrants a biopsychosocial conceptualization; however, research on the psychological factors that contribute to the increased prevalence of poor sleep quality during this time is limited. We conducted a survey study of perimenopausal women (N = 168) to investigate the relations among nocturnal hot flashes, mood, dysfunctional beliefs and attitudes about sleep (DBAS), and subjective sleep quality. Self-report ratings of depressive symptoms, trait anxiety, hot flashes, and DBAS significantly correlated with poor sleep quality. Ratings on the DBAS Scale-Short Form mediated the relations both between nocturnal hot flashes and sleep quality and between mood and sleep quality. The interplay between physiological and psychological mechanisms among perimenopausal women is highlighted.
Adiposity, anthropometric measures, and plasma insulin levels of rhesus monkeys.

In order to characterize spontaneous adult-onset obesity in a non-human primate model, we have studied a group of twenty-four obese and non-obese male rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta). The monkeys, ranging in age from 12 to 27 years, were defined as obese on the basis of tritiated water estimates of body fat content exceeding 25 percent of body weight. Although the obese and non-obese monkeys had similar crown-rump lengths, they differed significantly not only in body weight (17.0 +/- 3.2 vs 11.7 +/- 1.8 kg, X +/- s.d., P less than 0.001), and average body fat content (37.8 +/- 6.6 vs 13.2 +/- 5.4 percent, P less than 0.001) but also in midgirth circumferences (57.5 +/- 8.4 vs 34.8 +/- 6.2 cm, P less than 0.001) and abdominal (but not triceps or scapular) skinfold thicknesses (22.74 +/- 5.8 vs 9.82 +/- 1.82 mm, P less than 0.001), thus, indicating the predominantly abdominal distribution of the fat mass. A new Obesity Index Rh, for rhesus monkeys, defined as body weight divided by the square of the crown-rump length, was developed as an adaptation of obesity indices used for humans and rats. The high correlation of the Obesity Index Rh with percent body fat and its relative independence of height make possible future identification of obese rhesus monkeys on the basis of anthropometric measurements. There were slight, but not significant, differences between the obese and the non-obese groups in lean body mass (10.9 +/- 2.8 vs 8.8 +/- 1.8 kg) and in fasting plasma glucose levels (87.1 +/- 31.8 vs 63.2 +/- 7.5 mg/dl). Obese monkeys had significantly larger average fat cell sizes (1.29 +/- 0.54 vs 0.61 +/- 0.29 microgram lipid/cell, P less than 0.05) and significantly greater fat cell numbers (6.1 X 10(9) vs 2.2 X 10(9), P less than 0.01). Fat cell numbers were better correlated with body weight and total body fat parameters than fat cell size, while fat cell size was more closely associated with the log of fasting plasma insulin levels than was fat cell number. The similarities to studies in humans indicate the importance of the spontaneously obese adult rhesus monkey as an animal model in the study of obesity.
How informal risk capital investors manage asymmetric information in profit/loss-sharing contracts

Islamic Banking and Finance discusses Islamic financial theory and practice, and focuses on the opportunities offered by Islamic finance as an alternative method of financial intermediation. Key features of profit-sharing (as opposed to debt-based) contracts are highlighted, and the ways in which they can facilitate improved efficiency and stability of a financial system are explored.
Comparisons of Young Renter Households' Housing Situation by Locations Reflected in the 2012 Korea Housing Survey

The purpose of this study was to investigate housing characteristics of young renter households by locations using licensed microdata of the 2012 Korea Housing Survey. There were 1,020,216 renter households (weighted count) headed by persons between 20 and 34 years of age, and their housing characteristics were compared statistically across their residential locations (Capital Region, metropolitan cities, other areas). Major findings are as follows: (1) Capital Region young renters had the worst housing quality to have the greatest proportion of households living in units failed to meet national minimum housing standards, and/or in basement or semi-basement units; (2) Capital Region young renters had the greatest proportion of households that had housing cost burdens; and (3) 37.3% of young renter households in metropolitan areas and 33.5% in Capital Region were found to receive family support in order to afford current rental costs.
Eciency, Risk, and Events in the Tehran Stock Exchange

This paper analyzes market index returns in the Tehran stock exchange (TSE) within the context of three variants of the Capital Asset Pricing Model: the static international; the constant-parameter intertemporal; and a Markov-switching intertemporal CAPM, which allows for the degree of integration with regional and international equity markets to be time-varying. We nd that TSE returns are CAPM-ecient at monthly frequency. Moreover, we nd evidence in support of international integration of the TSE. We conduct event studies for TSE returns to examine the impact of non-market events. We nd that TSE
Inhibition of 11β‐hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, the foeto‐placental barrier to maternal glucocorticoids, permanently programs amygdala GR mRNA expression and anxiety‐like behaviour in the offspring

Glucocorticoids may underlie the association between prenatal stress, low birth weight and adult stress‐associated disorders, e.g. hypertension and type 2 diabetes, increased hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) activity and affective dysfunction. Normally, 11β‐hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 (11β‐HSD2) rapidly inactivates glucocorticoids in placenta and many foetal tissues, thus acting as a ‘barrier’ to maternal steroids. We investigated the effect of inhibiting foeto‐placental 11β‐HSD in rats, using carbenoxolone (CBX), on subsequent HPA activity and regulation and stress‐induced behaviour in adult offspring. Pregnant Wistar rats were injected with CBX (12.5 mg s.c.) or vehicle daily throughout pregnancy. CBX treatment reduced birth weight. Adult offspring of CBX‐treated dams had persistently reduced body weight, increased basal corticosterone (CORT) levels, increased corticotropin‐releasing hormone (CRH) and reduced glucocorticoid receptor (GR) mRNA in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus, though hippocampal GR and mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) mRNA expression were unaltered. In addition, these animals showed less grooming and rearing in an open field and reduced immobility in a forced swim test, and had increased GR mRNA expression in the basolateral (BLA), central (CEA) and medial (MEA) nuclei of the amygdala, with unaltered MR mRNA. These data suggest that disturbance of the foeto‐placental enzymatic barrier to maternal glucocorticoids reduces birth and body weight, and produces permanent alterations of the HPA axis and anxiety‐like behaviour in aversive situations. The behavioural and HPA effects may reflect GR gene programming in amygdala and hypothalamus, respectively. Foetal overexposure to endogenous glucocorticoids (prenatal stress or reduced activity of foeto‐placental 11β‐HSD) may represent a common link between the prenatal environment, foetal growth and adult neuroendocrine and affective disorders.
The Role of Strategic Reference Points in Explaining the Nature and Consequences of Human Resource Strategy

We examine how managers use strategic reference points (SRPs) or benchmarks to guide their strategic decision making with regard to human resource (HR) issues and how these benchmarks can affect the performance-based consequences of such decisions. After describing the reference points that are relevant to the HR system, we develop propositions regarding the likely configuration of such reference points and their impact on the nature of HR policies and practices. We also explain how the management of SRP fit and consensus can reduce the likelihood that HR policies and practices will have a negative effect on a firm's performance. Organizationwide implications are discussed.
Coordinated Responses to Oxygen and Sugar Deficiency Allow Rice Seedlings to Tolerate Flooding

The protein kinase CIPK15 integrates the response to hypoxia with sugar signaling to allow submerged rice seedlings to grow. Surviving Submergence Although plants need water to survive, too much of a good thing can be devastating: Submergence in water limits the diffusion of oxygen and thereby aerobic metabolism and energy production. Therefore, flooding represents a potential disaster that can wipe out crops. Lee et al. investigated the mechanisms that allow rice seedlings to survive flooding and discovered that CIPK15 [calcineurin B–like (CBL)–interacting protein kinase]—a protein kinase previously implicated in mediating various stress responses—integrates the response to hypoxia with that to sugar depletion to regulate anaerobic carbohydrate metabolism under flooded conditions. Thus, rice seedlings survive—and continue to grow—even when submerged in water. Flooding is a widespread natural disaster that leads to oxygen (O2) and energy deficiency in terrestrial plants, thereby reducing their productivity. Rice is unusually tolerant to flooding, but the underlying mechanism for this tolerance has remained elusive. Here, we show that protein kinase CIPK15 [calcineurin B–like (CBL)–interacting protein kinase] plays a key role in O2-deficiency tolerance in rice. CIPK15 regulates the plant global energy and stress sensor SnRK1A (Snf1-related protein kinase 1) and links O2-deficiency signals to the SnRK1-dependent sugar-sensing cascade to regulate sugar and energy production and to enable rice growth under floodwater. Our studies contribute to understanding how rice grows under the conditions of O2 deficiency necessary for growing rice in irrigated lowlands.
Estimation of above ground forest biomass from airborne discrete return laser scanner data using canopy-based quantile estimators

A conceptual model describing why laser height metrics derived from airborne discrete return laser scanner data are highly correlated with above ground biomass is proposed. Following from this conceptual model, the concept of canopy-based quantile estimators of above ground forest biomass is introduced and applied to an uneven-aged, mature to overmature, tolerant hardwood forest. Results from using the 0th, 25th, 50th, 75th and 100th percentiles of the distributions of laser canopy heights to estimate above ground biomass are reported. A comparison of the five models for each dependent variable group did not reveal any overt differences between models with respect to their predictive capabilities. The coefficient of determination (r 2 ) for each model is greater than 0.80 and any two models may differ at most by up to 9%. Differences in root-mean-square error (RMSE) between models for above ground total, stem wood, stem bark, live branch and foliage biomass were 8.1, 5.1, 2.9, 2.1 and 1.1 Mg ha−1, respectively.
Efficient Data Forwarding Schemes for IEEE 802.16j Multi-hop Relay Networks

In this paper, we propose two efficient schemes, named the CID-translated forwarding scheme (CTFS) and the enhanced CID-translated forwarding scheme (E-CTFS), to forward the broadcast data in the IEEE 802.16j multi-hop relay (MR) network. Motivated by the effective CID translation, CTFS and E-CTFS primarily relay the broadcast message without appending the relay MAC header. Moreover, E-CTFS classifies the content of the broadcast message, and then uses an efficient approach for message relay. The simulation results demonstrate that the proposed CTFS scheme occupies less resources and supports fewer number of MSs than the tunnel forwarding scheme proposed in the IEEE 802.16j draft. Furthermore, E-CTFS can achieve significant resource reduction and support larger number users than CTFS.
Slotted Log Periodic Antenna with first iteration Fractal Koch technique for UHF TVWS applications

This paper proposed a compact Log Periodic Fractal Koch Antenna (LPFKA) by utilizing slots for Ultra High Frequency (UHF) Television White Space Spectrum (TVWS) bands applications. This log periodic antenna is comprised of ten radiating elements with titled slot angles and placed on both sides of the substrate in crisscross arrangement. This antenna was designed at frequency between 0.47 GHz and 0.79 GHz which focus on UHF TVWS bands. With the gains from 4.41 dBi to 7.2 dBi and reflection coefficient below than -10 dB over desired frequencies, this antenna is suitable and has a big potential for super Wi-Fi UHF TVWS applications.
Too Much of a Good Thing: Curvilinear Effects in the Evaluation of Services and the Mediating Role of Trust

The satisfaction-trust paradigm has been recently criticized regarding its ability to deliver positive consumer behavioral outcomes. This study argues that -amongst others- a reason for this unpleasant situation may be the failure of service managers to account for non-linearities in the satisfaction-trust paradigm. We posit consumer trust as an important intervening variable through which non-linear service evaluation effects translate into word-of-mouth. Findings imply that investing resources in satisfaction programs do not do a good job in building positive word-of-mouth from a point on. Economic value evaluations and trust judgments seem to be both necessary and sufficient conditions for building consumer relationships. The study extends the literature in that it investigates whether consumer trust suffers from diminishing returns. Service providers who strive to build long-term relationships with their consumers may not do a good job if they continue to invest on trust determinants that present diminishing returns to scale.
Spatial Model Predictive Control for Smooth and Accurate Steering of an Autonomous Truck

In this paper, we present an algorithm for lateral control of a vehicle—a smooth and accurate model predictive controller (MPC). The fundamental difference compared to a standard MPC is that the driving smoothness is directly addressed in the cost function. The controller objective is based on the minimization of the first- and second-order spatial derivatives of the curvature. By doing so, jerky commands to the steering wheel, which could lead to permanent damage on the steering components and vehicle structure, are avoided. A good path tracking accuracy is ensured by adding constraints to avoid deviations from the reference path. Finally, the controller is experimentally tested and evaluated on a Scania construction truck. The evaluation is performed at Scania's facilities near Södertälje, Sweden via two different paths: a precision track that resembles a mining scenario and a high-speed test track that resembles a highway situation. Even using a linearized kinematic vehicle to predict the vehicle motion, the performance of the proposed controller is encouraging, since the deviation from the path never exceeds 30 cm. It clearly outperforms an industrial pure-pursuit controller in terms of path accuracy and a standard MPC in terms of driving smoothness.
Effects of adult body size on fecundity and the pre‐gravid rate of Anopheles gambiae females in Tanzania

Abstract. The influence of adult body size on the pre‐gravid state and fecundity was studied in Anopheles gambiae Giles females hand‐caught inside houses and virgin females collected as pupae in Tanzania. Blood‐fed mosquitoes were kept for 2‐3 days before dissection and examination for insemination and ovarian condition. Those females which did not develop eggs were classified as pre‐gravid. The number of mature eggs in those mosquitoes which became gravid was counted. Virgin females were fed and kept for egg maturation in the laboratory. Wing‐length of females was measured as an index of mosquito size.
Inefficient Provision of Liquidity

We study an economy where the lack of a simultaneous double coincidence of wants creates the need for liquidity. We show that the private provision of liquidity is inefficient: the private sector invests too much in collateralizeable assets and too much in relatively safe assets. The reason is that liquidity affects prices and the welfare of others, and creators do not internalize this. The government can eliminate the inefficiency by restricting the creation of liquidity by the private sector.
Investigating electrophysiology for measuring emotions triggered by audio stimuli

Multimedia quality evaluation recently started to take into account also analysis of emotional response to audiovisual stimuli. This is especially true for quality of experience evaluation. Self-assessed affective reports are commonly used for this purpose. Nevertheless, measuring emotions via physiological measurement might be also considered as it could limit the effects of cognitive bias due to self-report following the rule that your body cannot lie. In this paper we first review in the context of emotion assessment, common physiological measurements such as cardiac and respiratory rhythms, Electroencephalography (EEG) and Galvanic Skin Resistance (GSR); more advanced techniques as infrared thermography or blood perfusion with laser Doppler flowmetry. Then we present some results of electrophysiological measures related to the evaluation of emotions triggered by sounds. H.6 - Speech, Image and Video Processing: Models for Signal and Image Processing.
The Dutch social-insurance system for self-employed

In the Netherlands the self-employed are insured against a number of social risks through social security provisions and residence-based social insurances. The selfemployed are, for example, insured against the risk of old age: like every other Dutch resident, they receive a pension under the General Old-Age Pensions Act when they turn 65. In certain situations the self-employed are like every other Dutch resident entitled to benefits under the General Supplementary Benefits Act. The self-employed also are insured for the costs of healthcare through the Health Insurance Act and the General Exceptional Medical Expenses Act. But though they probably are protected and compensated at a higher level in the Netherlands than in most other European countries, the self-employed nevertheless are protected against these risks to a lesser extent than employees are. In theory, the self-employed are even excluded from the employee insurance schemes, though in practice they do have some access to these insurances. In the past the self-employed had their own employment-based insurance schemes, such as the Act on Income Provisions for Older, Partially Disabled Formerly Self-Employed Persons and the Self-Employed Persons Disablement Insurance Act. These insurances protected them against the risks of incapacity for work due to illness, disability or old age. The self-employed were also insured against the risks of parenthood, as they enjoyed the right to a paid maternity leave under the General Work and Care Act.