Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The impact of ownership on building sustainable and responsible businesses

This article reviews what we know and do not know about the impact of ownership on building sustainable and responsible businesses. It begins by analysing why firm owners are an important driver of responsible business behaviour, and reviews whether such behaviour comes at a financial cost to owners or not. It then discusses how owners drive responsible business behaviour as compared to other stakeholders, reviewing the empirical evidence about the impact of different owner types on various forms of responsible business. My review shows that there is a fair amount of research about certain topics, such as the relation betweeen financial and social performance and about the social and enviromental impact behaviour of the two most prevalent types of owners of public corporations—families and institutional investors—although the cumulative evidence on those topics is far from conclusive. Moreover, there are also a number of gaps in our knowledge that warrant further research to inform recommendations to business leaders and policy makers. These include the relative effectiveness of different types of owners, stakeholders, and organisational forms at building sustainable and responsible businesses; the impact of the recent evolution of capital markets on CSR behaviour; and the social snd enviromental impact of the state, foundations, and employees as owners of corporations.
Preparation, characterization, and modeling of carbon nanofiber/epoxy nanocomposites

There is a lack of systematic investigations on both mechanical and electrical properties of carbon nanofiber (CNF)-reinforced epoxy matrix nanocomposites. In this paper, an in-depth study of both static and dynamic mechanical behaviors and electrical properties of CNF/epoxy nanocomposites with various contents of CNFs is provided. A modified Halpin-Tsai equation is used to evaluate the Young's modulus and storage modulus of the nanocomposites. The values of Young's modulus predicted using this method account for the effect of the CNF agglomeration and fit well with those obtained experimentally. The results show that the highest tensile strength is found in the epoxy nanocomposite with a 1.0 wt% CNFs. The alternate-current (AC) electrical properties of the CNF/epoxy nanocomposites exhibit a typical insulator-conductor transition. The conductivity increases by four orders of magnitude with the addition of 0.1 wt% (0.058 vol%) CNFs and by ten orders of magnitude for nanocomposites with CNF volume fractions higher than 1.0 wt% (0.578 vol%). The percolation threshold (i.e., the critical CNF volume fraction) is found to be at 0.057 vol%.
Commercial harvesting and regeneration of epiphytic macrolichen communities in the Western Ghats, India

SUMMARY Non-timber forest products form a substantial contribution to the livelihood of many rural communities worldwide. In the Western Ghats, India, epiphytic macrolichens are harvested by Paliyan tribes to generate supplementary income. Paliyan tribes employ two harvesting methods: shallow harvesting, with a minimum of attached bark substratum, and deep harvesting, which exposes the sapwood. To evaluate the regeneration of the lichen community in terms of species diversity, abundance and composition, 320 bark samples of up to 50 cm2 were collected from bark patches where lichens had been harvested previously, as shown by bark scars. Samples selected represented four host tree species, both harvesting methods and seven one-year intervals of time since harvesting. In each case, the field guide estimated sample age, and peer-testing proved these estimates to be reliable up to an age of seven years. Seven years after harvesting, the lichen community showed noteworthy regeneration capacity in terms of total lichen coverage and species richness. However, to assess the risk of local species loss in the long-term, any harvesting should include continuous monitoring of lichen species composition. Since shallow harvesting resulted in a swifter recovery of species abundance and richness compared with deep harvesting, harvesters should preferentially employ the shallow harvesting method.
Determinants of Users’ Satisfaction Regarding Mobile Operators in Bangladesh: An Exploratory Factor Analysis Approach on University Students

Customer satisfaction is an important issue in current marketing field. This paper basically prepared based on 444 respondents (University Students) to understand which factors make them most satisfied toward their using cell phone operator’s service. Five major cell phone operators (Grameenphone, Banglalink, Robi, Airtel, and Teletalk) have been picked up along with 28 service items (Such as call charge rate, network facility, various offers, balance transfer system etc.) The study is conducted by factor analysis to identify the major factors that influencing users’ satisfaction. The study attained 7 factors as-Various Offers, Charge Rate, Digital Services, Internet Services, Recharge Facilities, Network Coverage and Customer Care Services. The study reveals that users (University Students) have more emphasis on various offers. The findings confirmed that Various Offers, Charge Rate, Digital Services, Internet Services, Recharge Facilities, Network Coverage and customer Care Services contribute strongly to generating customer satisfaction. From the study cell phone operators of Bangladesh can get a specific view about the factors that directly influence customer satisfaction especially the University students’ demands. Keywords: Users’ Satisfaction, Cell Phone Operators, Factor Analysis, Bangladesh
REV IDENTIFICATION OF TIGHT SANDSTONE IN SULIGE GAS FIELD IN CHANGQING OILFIELD CHINA USING CT BASED DIGITAL CORE TECHNOLOGY

The representative elementary volume (REV) of porous media is one essential and necessary parameter when inferring Darcy-scale flow properties from pore-scale studies. Suitable and accurate size of REV has a great influence on the geometric-topology calculation and flow simulation. Generally different types of rock can have different REVs. In this paper, a micro-CT based digital rock technology is used to characterize the REV of sandstone from the Sulige Gas Field in the Changqing Oilfield in China. Firstly, the digital core of the sample is obtained by micro-CT scanning of rock samples with the resolution of 3. 4μm. Secondly, respective pore network models, with the voxel size from
Mother-young interactions and suckling behaviour in Blue Monkeys, Cercopithecus mitis

The infant's first months are of vital importance for establishing relations with the mother as well as with other group members. It is also a period of learning. As a part of a larger study of the blue monkey, Cercopithecus mitis stuhlmanni, my study focuses on interactions between mother and offspring and suckling behaviour. The study site was located in the forest of Kichwa Tembo Tented Camp which is a tourist lodge outside the Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya. Data collection took place in July 2006 in collaboration with two other Swedish students and with the help of Maasai field assistants. The monkeys were observed on foot between 8:00 and 18:00 with a total observation time of 330 hours evenly spread between the ten observation hours. We could not recognize the animals individually but estimated the number of focal animals as eight mothers with offspring. While suckling behaviour was recorded continuously with regard to time and duration, general behaviour, playing and grooming was recorded each minute. My results show that the mothers had feeding peaks in the early mornings, at midday and in late afternoon. This was in contrast to the offspring's feeding rhythm whose suckling meals took place mainly in the late morning and early afternoon. The time the offspring spent foraging solid food was close to zero. The offspring spent a third of their time carried by the mother and a quarter of their time playing. Most of the playing was lone play; social play with other group members did occur but was not as common. The offspring were dependent of the mothers however very active in exploring the environment which shows both in amount of time playing and moving. The individuals in the group spent about 10 % of their daylight hours grooming each other. In general these results coincide with those of others studying guenons. I suggest though that some of the behavioural differences of the group may be due to the focal animals being lactating. Furthermore I believe that the habitat they live in, i.e. close to humans and somewhat more protected, is reflected in their behaviour. This corresponds with the low levels of antagonism observed.
Extending the Repertoire of Structures in DNA Nanotechnology

DNA nanotechnology remains an active area of research and advances have been reviewed recently. DNA nanotechnology seeks to deploy molecules at an atomic level and on a small molecule scale. Other techniques in biophysics and biochemistry do not need to address the issue of the true structure of the nucleic acids at an atomic level but, rather, at a macro-atomic level such as in genetics and in immunology, for example. Accordingly, DNA nanotechnology is perhaps uniquely dependent upon exact clarity in the secondary and tertiary structures of the nucleic acids, as well as that can ever be achieved. Challenges include expanding the use of DNA in medicine, and the construction of detectors with higher sensitivity for biological and chemical settings. Though increasingly complex architectures have been constructed, novel approaches to a greater role in biological computation and data storage remain important goals. Here a repertoire of structures for DNA at an atomic level is described which offers a new conjecture with which to move forward. The DNA double helix model faces many problems which have become apparent in the 62 years of research in molecular biology that have elapsed since it was formulated by Watson and Crick in 1953. Experimental evidence is set out seeking to show that the only truly side-by-side alternative, the paranemic model, accounts better for the wide range of phenomena otherwise inexplicable with the double helix model. This paranemic model can engage in a repertoire of structural options denied to the DNA double helix model. Without the requirement to postulate unwinding of the DNA strands, the nucleotide base sequence is immediately accessible to complementary DNA sequences to promote rapid detection of specific molecules in biological and medical settings. Rapid switching between Watson-Crick and Hoogsteen base pairing and four-stranded structures can allow greater complexity in the construction of molecular switches and digital programming.
Multinational retailers and host countries’ export competitiveness

The paper investigates how the overseas activity of multinational retailers (MRs) affects the global export patters of host country firms. Recent empirical work testifies that the entry of foreign retailers leads to a productivity upgrade in the domestic upstream sectors. Combined with the main result of the new new international trade theory on firm heterogeneity, an increase in the export capacity of local firms should follow. The current paper establishes a connection between these empirically identified effects and the new theory of international trade with heterogeneous firms and intermediaries. Two mechanisms are analyzed. First, the higher productivity at industry and firm level leads to an increase in the overall export capacity of local firms. Second, the expansion of transnational retail networks reinforces trade between host countries.
ROBUST FEATURE MATCHING IN TERRESTRIAL IMAGE SEQUENCES

Abstract. From the last decade, the feature detection, description and matching techniques are most commonly exploited in various photogrammetric and computer vision applications, which includes: 3D reconstruction of scenes, image stitching for panoramic creation, image classification, or object recognition etc. However, in terrestrial imagery of urban scenes contains various issues, which include duplicate and identical structures (i.e. repeated windows and doors) that cause the problem in feature matching phase and ultimately lead to failure of results specially in case of camera pose and scene structure estimation. In this paper, we will address the issue related to ambiguous feature matching in urban environment due to repeating patterns.
Networks of scientific papers: A comparative analysis of co-citation, bibliographic coupling and direct citation

Citation analysis studies are uaed to find pattem of networking among sclent.ilic papers. The comparative merits of the three techniques, namely, direct citation, cocltatlon and blbllographic coupttng have been d iacusaed In this paper. A pattern of networking, Ilslng tJle C'O-c-itatibn mode, la presented from a sample of papers publ lshed in the Soviet periodical Gellotekhnika, The co-citation la eatabllshed aa the most 8ultable technique for netv. 'orking,
Web-based Information Systems - Infrastructures and Co-operational Patterns in a Networked Organisation

This paper contains a theoretically and empirically based analysis of infrastructures and co-operational patterns in a Scandinavian Internet consulting company. The purpose of the analysis originated from the hypothesis that Web-based Information Systems could especially facilitate work in distributed organisations, this as a platform for supporting collaboration, communication and co-ordination within and among internal offices, partners as well as customers. One major challenge drawn from the case study regarding this expected facilitation was that two quite different communities of practice were identified. The findings from the case study suggested three aspects worth drawing attention to: Firstly, in Internet consulting companies the main part of the costs is directed towards investments in human resources causing the employees to frequently set the agenda, being the force that represents the organisation’s competitive capacity. Furthermore, since sharing of knowledge is based on human networks, it is quite volatile. Secondly, a dynamic and distributed work place, with highly qualified and creative employees, is not synonymous with having a work force with preference for fast and flexible attitudes towards internal changes. Thirdly, in an Internet consulting company the work practice is dependent on the co-workers ability to co-operate from various shifting locations. Utilising Web-based Information Systems could facilitate mobility for the individual employees. Together, these suggestions give convincingly ground to conclude that universal design solutions are losing their value and the need for context specific design methods, supporting design-in-action, is strongly emerging.
A Retrospective Study of MDCT Chest Examinations with Two Different Doses of IV Contrast Media

ii Dedication.iv Acknowledgements.v Vita.vi List of Tables.vii Chapter 1: Introduction.1 Chapter 2: Literature Review.7 Chapter 3: Methods.18 Chapter 4: Results.23 Chapter 5: Discussion.27 References.37 Appendix A: Radiologist Data Collection Form and Image Quality Scale.42 Appendix B: Researcher Data Collection Form.43
Sales and the real effects of monetary policy

In the data, a sizable fraction of price changes are temporary price reductions referred to as sales. Existing models include no role for sales. Hence, when confronted with data in which a large fraction of price changes are sales related, the models must either exclude sales from the data or leave them in and implicitly treat sales like any other price change. When sales are included, prices change frequently and standard sticky price models with this high frequency of price changes predict small effects from money shocks. If sales are excluded, prices change much less frequently and a standard sticky price model with this low frequency of price changes predict much larger effects of money shocks. This paper adds a motive for sales in a parsimonious extension of existing sticky price models. We show that the model can account for most of the patterns of sales in the data. Using our model as the data generating process, we evaluate the existing approaches and find that neither well approximates the real effects of money in our economy in which sales are explicitly modeled.
Life Span Changes in Affectivity and Influence of Gender, Health Self-rate, Morbidity, Memory and Mental Stress

Background: The aim of the present study was (i) examine positive and negative affectivity, its rate of change, gender specificity and (ii) explore the association between health self-rating, number of chronic diseases, memory, and mental stress. Methods: Data obtained from the Longitudinal Study of Generation was used to assess participants in 3-year intervals from 1985 to 2000. Positive and negative affect along with health self-rating, morbidity, memory, mental stress were assessed. Results: A total of 2024 participants (aged 16-99 years; 57% Female) were considered for analysis. Linear growth models showed that both positive and negative affect decrease over generations. There was no difference between genders for positive affect; negative affect decreased in higher degree in females than in males. Health self-rates increased along the life span with no gender differences. Morbidity increased; memory did not change over generations in both genders. Mental stress didn’t change over generations, but was higher in females. Lower health self-rate was associated with higher negative affect and a deeper drop of positive affect later in life. Higher morbidity was associated with lower positive affect. Memory worsening was associated with a decrease of positive affect. Mental stress was a predictive factor for lower positive and higher negative affect. Conclusion: Possible unfavorable influence of decrease of positive affect with life progression is balanced with concomitant decrease of negative affect. Negative affect seems to be more independent from somatic morbidity than positive affect and has higher gender specificity by being lower in females.
Association of BMI with Follicular stimulating Hormone and with sperm parameters in males.

Objective: To ascertain association of raised BMI with Follicular Stimulating Hormone levels and with sperm parameters among infertile males. Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted from june 2010 to May 2011. Sample size was 300 males (147 infertile and 153 healthy fertile control subjects) aged 30 and 60 years, selected from the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center (JPMC), Aziz Medical Center and Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, Karachi. All the subjects were grouped to BMI criteria (Ascian pacific region for WHO). They were selected by purposive sampling after a detailed medical history and physical examination. Semen analysis was done and blood samples were collected for serum FSH levels. Data was analyzed via SPSS 17.0 by using Analysis of Variances (ANOVA) and independent t test to compare the means and to evaluate the significant association with in the group. Results: Strong positive correlation between FSH and BMI (r = 0.596, p<0.05) . Raised BMI appear to have an association with male infertility due to reduction in sperm count in males. Conclusion: Adiposity is confirmed as risk factor for male infertility in local population.
Evaluation of Anti-Tetanus Immunity in Haemodialysis Patients

Problem statement: The incidence of infectious diseases is increased in patients with chronic renal failure. Chronic renal failure severely influences the immune functions of the host. Approach: To evaluate the antitetanus immunity level in southern Iranian patients with end stage renal disease undergoing hemodialysis and to find its association with sex, age, blood hemoglobin and serum albumin, duration of dialysis. This cross sectional study was carried out on a total of 52 patients, who were on hemodialysis and 52 age and sex matched healthy individuals with without any underlying renal disease as a control group. Individuals in the both groups receiving antitetanus toxoid vaccine or immunoglubins a year prior to the study were excluded. The serum antitetanus IgG antibody levels were measured by an ELISA method. Results: Tetanus protected individuals in the patients and the control groups were 34.6 and 63.30% respectively. Of the evaluating factors just hemodialysis duration found to affect on tetanus immunity. Conclusion: Tetanus protected individuals in the patients group were significantly less than tetanus protected individuals in the control group (p = 0.011). Hemodialysis duration has significant effect on antitetanus immunity level.
The Three Dimensional Spiral of Sense—Training for Cultural/Institutional Autonomy or Homogenization? A Study in the Light of the “Agenda-Setting” Theory and a New Paradigm

This article is related to a new theory called “The Three Dimensional Spiral of Sense” or “Theory of the Three Interactive Levels. ” This theory is the result of 30 years of research work of National Council of Scientific Research (CONICET) and it arises from findings in six disciplinary complimentary areas: Education, Health, Science, Media, International Relations, and Interculturality. It is basically a macro-micro-meso-macro approach which consists of a kind of sui generis Systemism which recovers interactions between individuals, organizations/institutions, and macro-contexts. Such interplay does not overlook the individuals or the contexts. It consists of a comprehensive, holistic approach of the complexity, even though it lays foundation for anthropology, and is different form the traditional ones. It is the first study in Latin America. Here, we focus on a study developed in the field of the media. We test hypotheses included in the psycho-socio-communicational paradigm, which emphasizes the long-term cognitive effects of the media and the role of the psychosocial subject as recipient: the hypothesis of “Agenda-Setting. ” The methodology, on the one hand, is the one used within the context on the “Agenda-Setting” theory. The topics that are most relevant to the media and among university graduates are compared in order to detect the level of influence and homogenization of the “mind maps” of highly educated individuals who are exposed to media information. On the other hand, Dr. Aparicio’s approach, referred to above, involves an original qualitative analysis of the three levels in self-sustained interaction. The core objectives were: (a) Determining the degree of impact of the press in the mental patterns and detecting the levels of homogenization on university graduates; (b) Analyzing the relation between political-institutional ideology and the news selected by the graduates (institutional identities vs. personal identities); and (c) Ascertaining the personality and psychosocial factors that condition differential receptivity (“Filtering” of the news). The results, particularly the qualitative ones, show: 1. The rich interactions between the media agenda and individuals are mediated by institutional and personal variables; 2. The individuals are the active receiver who filter the news, yet not at the expected level for a university graduate; 3. The power of the institutional/ideological stamps in choosing what they consider to be “the news” (institutional identities vs. personal identities); and 4. The need for the universities to train is not only at the disciplinary level, but also as regards to other capacities/competences, such as critical thinking, decision-making, and innovation, rather than alignment (perpetuation of systems of institutional ideas and beliefs) within a context of abrupt macro-social changes.