Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
X-rays from Saturn: A study with XMM-Newton and Chandra

Aim. We approach the study of Saturn and its environment in a novel way using X-ray data, by making a systematic and uniform spectral analysis of all the X-ray observations of the planet to date.Methods. We present the results of the two most recent (2005) XMM-Newton observations of Saturn together with the re-analysis of an earlier (2002) observation from the XMM-Newton archive and of three Chandra observations in 2003 and 2004. While the XMM-Newton telescope resolution does not enable us to resolve spatially the contributions of the planet's disk and rings to the X-ray flux, we can estimate their strengths and their evolution over the years from spectral analysis, and compare them with those observed with Chandra.Results. The spectrum of the X-ray emission is well fitted by an optically thin coronal model with an average temperature of 0.5 keV. The addition of a fluorescent oxygen emission line at similar to 0.53 keV improves the fits significantly. In accordance with earlier reports, we interpret the coronal component as emission from the planetary disk, produced by the scattering of solar X-rays in Saturn's upper atmosphere, and the line as originating from the Saturnian rings. The strength of the disk X-ray emission is seen to decrease over the period 2002-2005, following the decay of solar activity towards the current minimum in the solar cycle. By comparing the relative fluxes of the disk X-ray emission and the oxygen line, we suggest that the line strength does not vary over the years in the same fashion as the disk flux. We consider possible alternatives for the origin of the line. The connection between solar activity and the strength of Saturn's disk X-ray emission is investigated and compared with that of Jupiter. We also discuss the apparent lack of X-ray aurorae on Saturn; by comparing the planet's parameters relevant to aurora production with those of Jupiter we conclude that Saturnian X-ray aurorae are likely to have gone undetected because they are below the sensitivity threshold of current Earth-bound observatories. A similar comparison for Uranus and Neptune leads to the same disappointing conclusion, which is likely to hold true also with the planned next generation International X-ray Observatory. The next step in advancing this research can only be realised with in-situ X-ray observations at the planets.
Proteomic analysis of flowers at two developmental stages in Thermopsis turcica (Fabaceae)

Flower development is a complex physiological phenomenon that is affected by environmental stimuli and endogenous signals. Several molecular approaches have provided a comprehensive view of the physiological processes associated with flower development, but little is known about proteomic changes. Therefore, we investigated the proteomic alterations during flower development in endemic Thermopsis turcica (Vuralia turcica), an unusual legume species with 3-4 free carpels in a single flower. A comparative proteomic analysis to identify proteins involved in flower development was carried out in T. turcica. Alterations in proteomes of the flower buds and fully opened flowers were studied by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. A total of 66 proteins were differentially expressed during flower development. Among them, 32 protein spots were identified by mass spectrometry. Functional annotation of these flower proteins revealed their involvement in transcription and protein metabolism, energy and carbohydrate metabolisms, plant defense, cell walls, photosynthesis, secondary metabolism, and amino acid metabolism. Moreover, most of these proteins were downregulated at the later stage of flower development. Proteins involved in protein metabolism, sugar metabolism, and stress defense are regulated during flower development, suggesting that they have possible roles in developmental regulation. These results have given new insights into the proteome alterations during flower development.
Is attack the best form of defence? A competing risks analysis of acquisition activity in the UK

The primary purpose of this paper is to investigate whether companies can use acquisition as a strategy to reduce their likelihood of take-over. The determinants of making an acquisition and being taken over are modelled for the first time within a competing risks framework using two large samples of UK manufacturing companies which together cover most of the post-World War II period up to 1990. Our results indicate that, ceteris paribus, companies which make acquisitions can significantly reduce their conditional probability of being taken over by around one-third, largely through the impact that acquisition has on corporate size. In this sense, attack, through acquisition, is the best form of defence against take-over. Copyright 2003, Oxford University Press.
AS BOUNDARY OBJECT FOR TRANSFORMATIONAL LEARNING

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Microfinance in Vietnam - A Survey of Schemes and Issues

This report follows up on a 1996 UNDP survey of microfinance activity in Vietnam. The need was not simply because of the five-year time lapse, but also because the larger multilateral donors were showing interest in funding microfinance activity, and it was therefore a good time to survey the sector and identify strategic issues and "lessons learned" for their benefit. This report had highlighted a number of problems concerning microfinance in Vietnam. These concerns, however, should not cloud the general picture of substantial progress during the past decade. The move by the government to allocate significant funds for the rural banking system is the most notable achievement. The government has also been active in developing experiments with new forms of credit cooperatives, and it is now seeking to mobilise savings through post offices. The missing element is the lack of a clear legal status and a prudential regulatory framework to encourage development of the non-state sector to provide microfinance services. The lack of institutional support has frustrated the NGO community. The conditions of “social capital” in Vietnam are ripe for the rapid expansion of microfinance schemes along the lines of those in Indonesia and Bangladesh . But the NGO schemes have also constrained themselves. NGO activity in microfinance may be characterised as “variations around a theme”, that theme being an acquiescence to government interest rate policies and a subsequent neglect of savings mobilisation. There are exceptions, but they are few, and there are many more schemes that are just “door opening” subsidies for other project objectives. There is a need for some schemes to aggressively strive for financial sustainability based upon mobilising savings. The donor community in general has relatively neglected Microfinance. The multi-lateral and some bilateral donors are showing renewed interest, but only in recent years. There is great scope for expansion into Vietnam’s segmented and inefficient rural financial markets. A detailed understanding of these markets, and in particular the role of the government banks, is needed to guide scheme designs and to enable targeting of the poor. A pro-active Microfinance Forum could play a central role in the whole process, both as a source of information and research, and as a focal point for policy advocacy.
A grouping journals using multi-dimensional perceptual criteria of North American marketing academics

This paper seeks to develop groupings of journals (A, B, C) using multi-dimensional perceptual rankings, based on North American respondents’ evaluation of a journal’s prestige, contribution to theory, contribution to practice and contribution to teaching. Nonparametric comparisons of criterion mean values indicate that there are generally statistically significant correlations between criteria. Cluster analysis identifies A, B, and C 'categorisations' of journals are different in regards to all four evaluative criteria.
From violence to justice and security in cities

This paper describes the growth in crime, especially violent crime, in cities around the world. It also describes the underlying causes or contributory factors to this growth and the responses of citizens and governments -most of which are largely ineffective. The final section describes new approaches which centre on more effective partnerships between communities, municipal authorities, the police and the judicial system, and on special programmes for young people who are unemployed and excluded from many aspects of society.
Public Procurement Systems: Unpacking Stakeholder Aspirations and Expectations

Around the world, governments are increasingly becoming focused on improving their public procurement regimes. Significant developments include the establishment of internationally shared norms for public procurement systems, while, at the national level, a number of countries have adopted dramatically new public procurement regimes, and others are experimenting with new procurement vehicles, such as framework agreements and electronic reverse auctions, and new procurement schemes, including public-private partnerships. As each of these changes is contemplated, planned, implemented, and then assessed, government leaders and policy makers need a framework of analysis for decision making - a framework based on public procurement goals and understanding stakeholder interests. In this condensed working paper (being delivered at the Naval Postgraduate School Acquisition Symposium), we offer such a framework, building on the ideas in Steve Schooner's 2002 article, 'Desiderata: Objectives for a System of Government Contract Law. ' In that article, Schooner outlined nine objectives, or desiderata, of public procurement systems: competition, integrity, transparency, efficiency, customer satisfaction, best value, wealth distribution, risk avoidance, and uniformity. From that starting point, we use stakeholder analysis to further develop the desiderata into a two-part framework to give policy makers and government leaders a tool for public procurement decision making. Just as 'Desiderata' has contributed to public procurement decision making, this analytical framework can help clarify, and perhaps inform, many of the debates raging around procurement reform.
Few problems with regularized Coulomb law

The main idea is to present some problems where the friction obeys to regularized Coulomb law. Mathematically, it is usual that the friction law is supposed to be the Coulomb law which is controlled by a function “sign” with discontinuity at the origin. In reality, friction phenomenon corresponds to an average continuous behavior. From a modelling point of view, the simplest way to get this continuity is to regularize friction law. Obviously, friction problems become more complicated due to the fact that the friction law exhibits two phases of behavior. Solving problems with this friction law could bring some special results. To present them, the problems considered in this paper are related to the bending of two beams in contact under a certain pressure and to the transversal strain of an elastic thin strip in contact with a rigid body. For these two problems, analytical solutions are presented and also some finite element simulations for comparison.
Exchange Rate –Oil Price Nexus: The Role of Asymmetries

Using the case of the Nigerian economy, this paper utilize both the linear and nonlinear ARDL frameworks to investigate the short and long run symmetric and asymmetric response of exchange rate to oil price changes. We fail to reject the null hypothesis of no asymmetry though, the fact that the empirical evidence as established in the context of this study reveals the response of exchange rate to oil price shocks as more significantly pronounced when the changes in oil price is positive is quite instructive not to entirely ignores possible asymmetric implications of exchange rate –oil price relationship in Nigeria. JEL Classification: C22, F30, F31 Keywords: Oil price; Exchange rates; Asymmetries; Nonlinear ARDL
Conservation genetics of the Bengal tiger ( Panthera tigris tigris ) in India

Tigers are endangered in the wild and face increasing threats from habitat loss and fragmentation. The majority of their range occurs in the Indian subcontinent, which is therefore a critical area for tiger conservation. Bengal tigers are distributed across many small protected areas in India. Two important Bengal tiger landscapes – Terai Arc Landscape (TAL) and Sundarbans in India were lacking in basic genetic information and needed to address the impact of anthropogenic pressure and climate change on their genetic makeup in order to identify conservation units. Therefore, I employed nuclear and mitochondrial genetic markers on TAL and Sundarbans tiger individuals to respond these demands for the first time. Thirty-nine heterologous microsatellite loci were screened on Bengal tigers and thirteen of these loci were selected to genotype Bengal tiger samples from western TAL (WTAL) and Sundarbans. After I had genotyped seventy-one Bengal tiger individuals from WTAL, I found cryptic population genetic structure, moderate gene flow and asymmetric migration among the subpopulation. Genetic diversity was moderate and there were no signs of population bottlenecks. In order to maintain the connectivity of subpopulations and avoid human–wildlife conflict, relocation of villages is necessary. Preventive measures against habitat encroachment and a ban on sand and boulder mining in the corridor area should also be implemented. Noninvasively-collected tiger samples from Sundarbans were analyzed for mitochondrial and microsatellite markers and compared with mainland (northern and peninsular) Bengal tiger populations in India. Sundarbans tigers were found to be genetically distinct and had lower genetic variation in comparison to other mainland tiger populations. Demographic analysis indicated recent historical isolation (600–2000 years ago) of the Sundarbans tiger from the mainland. Both historical and genetic evidence supported that the Sundarbans tiger was genetically connected to other mainland tigers until recently. Conclusively, genetic isolation from the mainland tiger population and adaptation to the mangrove ecosystem might have jointly shaped the genetic architecture of the Sundarbans tiger. Hence, the Sundarbans tiger needs special conservation attention for the preservation of its unique ability to adapt and for its genetic individuality. It should be managed as an evolutionary significant unit (ESU) under the adaptive evolutionary conservation (AEC) criteria. I also addressed a problem in the previously suggested sex-specific gene flow estimation method and recommended an alternative approach for a more precise estimation.
Comparison of Models for the Prediction of Hydrodynamic Parameters in Structured Packing Columns for Biogas Purification

This work compares three existing models used for the prediction of hydrodynamic parameters in structured packing columns. These models are used to evaluate pressure drop, liquid holdup, effective interfacial area, mass transfer coefficients and transition points. The results of these models are compared to experimental data in order to choose the one with the best fit. The comparisons were made using Flexipac 350Y structured packing and two systems: Air – Water and Air – Kerosol 200. The model chosen is based on semi-empirical correlations using constants and exponents defined according to experimental measurements. To make the model more representative of the system of interest, these constants were modified and some exponents have been adjusted based on the superficial liquid velocity and density. Once the model modified, the results of pressure drop were compared to data from an industrial pilot plant treating 85 Nm 3 /h of biogas which contains about 30 ppm of hydrogen sulfide treated in a structured packing column.
Influence of Inflammation on Voriconazole Metabolism

Voriconazole pharmacokinetics shows a large inter- and intrapatient variability. Inﬂammation is associated with changes in the expression of CYP isoenzymes. Here, we evaluated the inﬂuence of inﬂammation, marked by C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in blood, on the metabolism of voriconazole. Observational data showed an association between CRP level and the ratio of voriconazole N -oxide to voriconazole.
MEASURING THE ANTECEDENT EFFECTS OF SERVICE COGNITION AND INTERNET SHOPPING ANXIETY ON CONSUMER SATISFACTION WITH E-TAILING SERVICE

Internet shopping anxiety (ISA), or the negative emotion that results from an individual’s experiences with online shopping in particular, is an important factor to explain the consumer’s emotion in ecommerce usage experience, such as e-tailing service usage experience. In this study, we introduce Internet shopping anxiety (ISA) as a new factor that reflect the consumer’s emotion in e-tailing service usage. We explore and empirically validate the relationships among Internet shopping anxiety, perceived risk and consumer satisfaction under the online retailing context. This study surveyed and collected the responses of 239 survey participants with online shopping experience. The results indicated that E-tailing service quality and trust in website have significant negative effects on Internet shopping anxiety. Further, the results showed that Internet shopping anxiety have a significant positive effect on perceived risk. Finally, perceived risk is found to have a significant negative effect on consumers’ satisfaction.
Island biogeography is not a single‐variable discipline: the small island effect debate

In some island systems, an ‘anomalous’ feature of species richness on smaller islands, in comparison with larger ones, has been observed. This has been described as the small island effect (SIE). The precise meaning of the term remains unresolved, as does the explanation for the phenomenon and even whether it exists. Dengler (2010 ; Diversity Distrib, 16, 256–266.) addresses a number of conceptual and methodological issues concerning the nature and the detection of the SIE but fails to settle conclusively most of the issues he raises. We contend that his approach is theoretically flawed, especially in its treatment of habitat diversity. We offer a few suggestions of what is needed to advance understanding of the SIE.
Financial performance of scheduled commercial banks in India: an analysis

The financial structure in the whole world has been change due to slow down. Banking sector is also affected by the crisis. Banking sector is the main component of financial sector, hence measuring the performance of banking institution has become a major task of all economies. The major objective of the study is to measure the efficiency, profitability and overall performance of banks and bank groups in public and private sector banks during the study period 2007-08 to 2012-13. CAMEL and DEA methods are used to measure the performance of banks. The financial performance analysis of public and private sector banks using CAMEL approach reveals that on an average private sector banks are much ahead of public sector banks. In the present study CAR is considered ICICI Bank, Axis Bank and Yes Bank are much stronger than other banks. On the basis of asset quality again new private sector banks are performing better than other banks. From the business per employee point of view, public sector banks are performing will than new private sector bank. When profit per employee is considered new private sector banks are earning more than private sector banks. Again from the earning present of view new private sector banks are better performer in comparison to other banks. This shows that new private sector banks are giving importance to their earning capacity and efficiently utilizing their asset. When liquidity is considered most of new private sector banks are again in batter position in comparison to public sector banks. The analyses on the basis DEA reveals that SBI, HDFC, ICICI banks are best DMUs. They are using their inputs and outputs more efficiently than other banks. Inter bank group analysis indicate that performance of new private sector banks, on an average, is better than old private sector banks, public sector banks. The performance of old private sector banks on TE and SE basis consider to be weak when compared to other groups. It appears that all public sector banks have not responded after crisis in the same degree and speed. Some of them, for instance, SBI, PNB and Corporation banks recoded a remarkable improvement while other banks like Central Bank Of India, Vijaya Bank, Punjab and Sind Bank failed to so any significant improvement. Similarly, private sector banks have also shown lower improvement in the efficiency in comparison new private sector banks.
Kidney Transplantation Techniques

First successful kidney transplantation was done over 60 years ago and now because of major advances in immunosuppressive medicine, this represents the treatment of choice for patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). The kidney was the first organ to be transplanted regularly, and it remains the most common organ transplanted today but the surgical technique has changed very little from the original pelvic operation during this long period.
Applying Escape Theory to non-clinical overeating

The aim of the current study was to investigate an application of Heatherton and Baumeister’s (1991) Escape Theory to non-clinical overeating. The sample comprised 178 female student and community members. As hypothesised the Concern over Mistakes and Doubts about Actions (CMDA) aspect of perfectionism (Khawaja and Armstrong, 2005) was positively related to negative affect. Further as predicted, each of the stages of Escape Theory, as operationalised in the current study: the CMDA aspect of perfectionism; aversive self-awareness (a combination of self-esteem and self-awareness); negative affect; and cognitive narrowing (avoidant coping), were all related to overeating. Escape Theory was examined in two parts, using multiple regression, testing for mediation effects. As predicted, aversive self-awareness mediated the relationship between the CMDA aspect of perfectionism and negative affect. Further, as hypothesised, cognitive narrowing mediated the relationship between negative affect and overeating. The theoretical and practical implications of the findings, together with limitations and directions for future research were discussed.