Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Improved financial performance without improved operational efficiency:The case of Nigerian firms

Is the financial performance of Nigerian companies really improving? If so, what about the operational efficiency of these firms? Though profits are on the rise, can these companies possibly be efficient, in spite of the problems inherent in the economy? In order to answer these questions, this study uses four different panel unit root tests to establish the stationarity of financial performance and operational efficiency in Nigeria, using one key performance variable (i.e. profit after tax) and three efficiency variables (i.e. return on assets ratio, asset turn ratio and portfolio activity & resilience) with a cross section of the 20 most quoted companies on the Nigerian Stock Exchange. The study shows that profit after tax is non-stationary while return on assets, portfolio activity & resilience and asset turn ratio are stationary. In other words, while financial performance (measured as profit after tax) is improving in Nigeria, operational efficiency (measured as return on assets, portfolio activity & resilience and asset turn ratio) is stagnant. What this means is that while corporate profits are on the rise, the companies are not operationally efficient.
Accommodation of plate motion in an incipient strike-slip system : the Central 1

19 Geodetic studies in the Central Walker Lane report that ~7–8 mm/yr of right-lateral shear is 20 accumulating across the region. The rates and patterns of active faults bounding and within the 21 Walker Lake basin and Antelope, Smith, and Mason valleys in the western part of the Central 22 Walker Lane are the focus of this study. Lidar data and geomorphic mapping show geomorphic 23 and geometric characteristics consistent with the accommodation of oblique-slip motion along 24 the Wassuk and Smith Valley rangefront faults, while the Mason and Antelope valley rangefront 25 faults appear to be primarily dip-slip. A separate active dextral strike-slip fault in the 26 southernmost part of Mason Valley has likely produced earthquakes in the Holocene. Vertical 27 displacement rates based on cosmogenic ages of displaced alluvial fans for the range-bounding 28 faults in Antelope, Smith, and Mason valleys are 0.5 /-0.3, 0.5 /-0.4, and 0.04 /-0.03 mm/yr, 29 respectively. The vertical rates correspond to dip-parallel slip rates of 0.6 /-0.3, 0.7 /-0.4, and 30 <0.05 mm/yr, for the same three faults, respectively, assuming dips on each fault are 55 ± 10°. 31 The along-strike distribution of scarp heights indicates that the most recent and penultimate 32 earthquakes along the range bounding faults of Smith and Antelope valleys produced ~3 m 33 vertical displacements during ~Mw 7 earthquakes. The pattern of faults described here forms a 34 200-km-long left-stepping en-echelon series of dextral, oblique, and normal faults extending 35 from south of Walker Lake to north of Lake Tahoe, similar to observations of laboratory models 36 of dextral shear. 37
1 Probabilistic Turkish Word Root Generation

In this paper, a new methodology that facilitates the generation of Turkish counterparts of newly emerging terms or concepts in foreign languages is introduced. The rules of Turkish word letter sequences are investigated. In the generation process, these rules and the bi-gram letter probabilities of Turkish words are used in cooperation. Only the generation of word roots is considered, the generation with the derivational suffixes is out of scope of this paper. The results are evaluated by making statistical comparisons between the generated words and a word lexicon and by carrying out a survey measuring the likelihoods of the generated words. As a result of this evaluation, it is seen that generation of word roots in a probabilistic and rule-based manner gives promising results and the newly generated roots are likely to be used.
Management Representations and Approaches : exploring issues surrounding frameworks

Glossary 1.0 Introduction 1.1 Background to paper 1.2 Purpose and structure of paper 2.0 Paradigm as a School of Thought 3.0 Means of Representing Management Issues 3.1 Understanding ‘systems’ 3.2 Understanding ‘frameworks’ 3.2. 1 What is a framework? 3.2. 2 Types of frameworks 3.2. 3 Uses of frameworks 3.3 Understanding ‘maps’ 3.4 Understanding ‘models’ 4.0 Means of Approaching Management Issues 4.1 Understanding ‘process’ 4.2 Understanding ‘procedure’, ‘technique’, and ‘tool’
Hysterosalpingo-contrast-sonography ( HyCoSy ) – a novel approach to female upper genital tract imaging and tubal patency assessment in outpatient clinic

Approximately 15% of couples in reproductive age are affected by the inability to conceive and bear a child. Anatomical disturbances are responsible for 35-40% of female subfertility. Frequent organic causes of sterility and infertility are linked to the fallopian pathology. Standard female screening procedures of infertility include imaging techniques. Tubal patency is routinely assessed by hysterosalpingography (HSG) and diagnostic hysteroscopy and/or laparoscopy. Other technologies are nowadays intensively investigated to obtain the satisfactory balance of diagnostic/therapeutic accuracy and cost-effectiveness. Such a promising novel method seems to be hysterosalpingo-contrast-sonography (HyCoSy), which is based on the ultrasonographic (US) evaluation of a female pelvis with contrast media substances infused intrauterine. It could be performed on outpatient basis in many cases, reducing the need for a diagnostic hysteroscopy and/or laparoscopy. However, distention of uterine cavity with contrast medium used during HyCoSy procedure may be associated with a kind of unpleasant sensation, discomfort or even unacceptable pain. The superiority of ultrasonographically based HyCoSy occurs in terms of the lack of ovarian irradiation and avoiding allergy due to iodinated contrast used during HSG. Additionally HyCoSy enables scanning of the uterus and ovaries at the same time which is not available in HSG. HyCoSy showed concordance with laparoscopy in 85.2% while HSG in 84.1%. New contrast media for ‘harmonic imaging’ in contrast-specific scanning and organ-specific contrast agents will significantly improve diagnostic possibilities in the nearest future.
athematical and kinetic modeling of biofilm reactor based on nt colony optimization

Inverse estimation of model parameters via mathematical modeling route, known as inverse modeling (IM), is an attractive alternative approach to the experimental methods. This approach makes use of efficient optimization techniques in the course of solution of an inverse problem with the aid of measured data. In this study, a novel optimization method based on ant colony optimization (ACO), denoted by ACO-IM, is presented for inverse estimation of kinetic and film thickness parameters of biofilm models that describe an experimental fixed bed anaerobic reactor. The proposed optimization method for athematical model nt colony optimization elder–Mead algorithm nverse modeling inetic parameters parameter estimation emulates the fact that ants are capable of finding the shortest path from a food source to their nest by depositing a trial of pheromone during their walk. The efficacy of the ACO-IM for numerical estimation of bio-kinetic parameters is demonstrated through its application for the anaerobic treatment of industry wastewater in a fixed bed biofilm process. The results explain the rigorousness of mathematical models, the form of kinetic and film thickness models and the type of packing to be used with the biofilm process for accurate determination of kinetic and film thickness parameters so as to perf ensure reliable predictive
2 Responding to HIV / AIDS : Mobilisation through partnerships in a public health crisis

As incoming Minister for Health, I was presented with a ministerial briefing, a fat folder with health issues roughly organised in order of priority. Well down the list, at 34 or 35, there was a reference to a phenomenon entitled GRID—gay-related immune deficiency. I was informed that this was a fatal immune disorder affecting homosexuals in the conditions or ‘life styles’ of American gays. It was not, I was assured, likely to be of any immediate priority for an Australian minister. Within two years, we had close to 1000 cases of human immunodeficiency virus [HIV] infection in Australia. AIDS, as it was by then called, had moved near the top of the national agenda. (Blewett 1996: 343)
ANNOTATION OF SEARCH RESULT RECORDS FROM WEB DATABASES USING AN EFFICIENT FREQUENT PATTERN CLUSTERING ( EFPC )

An astonishing system used for storing data which can be accessed through a website is referred to as a ‘web database’. A flexible range of activities are carried out through web database. Therefore, it is important to design a proper database which involves choose the accurate data type for each field in order to reduce memory use and to add to the speed of access. Since, tiny databases do not cause any important problems, enormous web databases can grow to millions of entries and hence need to be well designed to work effectively. Thus the motive of our research is to decrease the memory and add to the speed of access in a web database. In this paper, we have introduced a machine learning technique based annotation to increase the speed of search result records in web database and give meaningful labels. The proposed technique is capable to efficiently reduce the recollection and add to the speed of access in a website.
AUTOMATIC RECOGNITION OF MICROSLEEP EVENTS

⎯ Short segments of EEG, EOG and pupil diameter signals recorded in overnight driving simulation sessions of 21 young subjects were extracted during microsleep events and during fatigue states, where driving is still possible. Both classes were found by video based subjective scoring of experts. Estimated spectral power densities were used as input vectors of several classification methods. Results of multiple hold-out method of cross validation are compared. Support-Vector Machines show lowest mean and standard deviation of estimated test errors of (9.7±0.8) % by processing 6 channels of EEG and EOG. With same methods but with only one pupillometric channel errors are about 10 % higher. Shifting signal segments in time leads to rapidly increasing test errors; pure prognosis of ongoing events is possible, but with mean errors higher than 27.5 %. Keywords⎯ EEG, Pupil, Microsleep, Neural Networks
Methods of accuracy improvement based on binocular calibration system

For the improvement of accuracy of binocular calibration system,several methods and the theory of camera calibration,and the process of binocular calibration system were introduced.By experiment using 2-step binocular calibration method of Zhang Zheng-you,several factors which influence the accuracy of calibration system were summarized and methods were proposed to improve the accuracy.By experiment within minimizing the influence of the factors,the result showed that the re-projection error was less than 0.2 pixel and the methods could satisfy the practicality of binocular calibration system.
INVESTIGATING STUDENTS’ SELF-EFFICACY OF PUBLIC SPEAKING

Students in English Department have to master speaking skill in order to communicate with others. Public speaking is a place to help students enhance their speaking skill. This study aims to investigate students’ self-efficacy of public speaking. This study was conducted to 43 students of Public Speaking Class in English Language Education Study Program of Sanata Dharma University from academic year 2016/2017. The data were obtained from the questionnaire and interview. The results showed that 1) the students are aware of their self-efficacy while doing public speaking (81.4%), 2) the students have a higher self-efficacy in public speaking (79%), and 3) four factors from Bandura (1997) namely mastery experience, vicarious experience, verbal or social persuasion, and emotional state influence students’ self-efficacy. Seemingly, the students have a positive self-efficacy in speaking English.
Project Management and Maintenance on Information Systems Departments

It is proposed a generic process for dealing with requests for new projects or for evolutionary maintenance in an information systems department of an organization. Assuming the information systems department's organization as the main stakeholder, the proposal considers the alignment of three views: the processes, the responsibilities and the information. Information systems management on an organization requires handling these requests in alignment with business expectations and several other criteria (risk, priority, team capabilities). These requests must then be managed accordingly to a set of defined processes until its fulfillment, stating what activities must be executed and who must be the entities involved in those activities. This process architecture was developed using the Design Science Research Method, first considering the real case scenario of a real organization, and after generalized in order to make it reusable for any potential organization. An assessment of the proposal concerning the real case also was performed by stakeholders of the real organization.
Laboratory Activities to Illustrate the Importance of Low Cycle Fatigue

Laboratory Activities to Illustrate the Importance of Low Cycle Fatigue Dr. Stephen Boedo, Rochester Institute of Technology (COE) Dr. Elizabeth A. DeBartolo, Rochester Institute of Technology (COE) Elizabeth A. DeBartolo is an Associate Professor in the Mechanical Engineering Department at the Rochester Institute of Technology. She earned her B.S.E. at Duke University in 1994 and her Ph.D. at Purdue University in 2000. She works with students on assistive device design and determining mechanical properties of materials. DeBartolo serves on her college’s leadership teams for both multi-disciplinary capstone design and outreach program development. Matthew Kasemer, Rochester Institute of Technology
Gender Issues in Video Games June 2017 24-53 Bridging Game Studies and Feminist Theories

Starting from the premise that feminist theory remains underutilized in game studies, the authors demonstrate that mobilizing concepts from feminist pioneers such as Simone de Beauvoir, Luce Irigaray, Betty Friedan, and Laura Mulvey contributes to a better understanding of how and why gender stereotypes in video games (such as Ms. Male, Smurfette, Damsel in Distress, NaturalBorn Happy Homemaker and Sexy Action Heroine) are problematic. They also provide an overview of concepts developed by more recent feminist authors, such as Karen Boyle, Barbara Creed and Martine Delvaux, which highlight the damage caused by constant victimization of women in games, the abjection of their sexuality, and the serial reproduction of stereotypical female bodies. On a more positive note, the authors offer a glimpse of how feminist theories can inspire promising new game characters that undermine patriarchal and heteronormative schemes.
The use of immersive virtual reality during robot-assisted walking in healthy adults : a study protocol Effect of changing the optic flow speed in two different virtual environments on active participation during robot-assisted walking

The aim of this study will be to investigate the effect of changing the optic flow speed on active participation during robot-assisted walking with the Lokomatsystem in healthy adults. Second, the aim is to investigate the effect of two different virtual environments on active participation. The Lokomat is a gait exoskeleton that comprises two actuated leg orthoses and is used in conjunction with a body-weight support and treadmill. 28 participants, divided equally into 2 groups, will be tested in the rehabilitation center TrainM (Antwerp). Participants will perform one virtual-reality (VR) enhanced robot-assisted gait training (RAGT) session under three conditions for 7 minutes each: 1) walking with slower optic flow speed, 2) walking with matched optic flow speed, and 3) walking with fast optic flow speed. The virtual environment will be different for both groups: the experimental group will walk in a more interactive virtual environment such as a park or city street whereas the control group will walk in a virtual environment representing an endless hallway. Active participation will be assessed with the use of electromyography (EMG) and the position and force sensors of the Lokomat.
ARE THERE ANY LINKAGES BETWEEN COGNITIVE DIVERSITY WITHIN THE TOP MANAGEMENT TEAMS AND STRATEGIC DECISION SPEED ?

In the strategic management literature, top management teams (TMTs) and their strategic decisions have been considered very important components for the firms’ overall success. There is a great deal of research on this subject, designed to determine how TMTs make their decisions including antecedents and consequences of those decisions. Top managers in organizations are responsible for making critical decisions to increase firm performance; and the upper echelons perspective (UEP) predicts that having a diverse structure in TMTs may affect those strategic decisions either in a positive or negative way. In this paper, I explore how some of the observable characteristics of TMTs make an impact on cognitive diversity and how this diversity affects the executives’ strategic decision speed (SDS) depending on the dynamism of the environment. More specifically, I focus on the linkages between heterogeneity in team tenure and functional background and the two important components of cognitive diversity, which are value and goal preference diversity. Then, I explain how cognitive diversity relates to strategic decision speed and how this relationship may be affected by environmental dynamism.
Minimalist Cryptography : Excerpt from an NSF Proposal

This is part of a proposal submitted to NSF together with Allison Bishop Lewko in 2014 (and subsequently awarded). This part was written by Tal Malkin, influenced by discussions with various people (most notably Christina Brzuska, Siyao Guo, Igor Carboni Oliveira, and Alon Rosen). I reproduce it here for students in my advanced cryptography class, to give some possible ideas for a project combining cryptography and complexity (among other suggestions given to students). Note that some progress on the problems described here has been achieved, and I give some pointers in the last “addendum” section. However, most of the directions here remain open and interesting to explore. Finally, note that this, by nature of being a proposal, was written in a more informal and optimistic way than a research paper describing completed work would be written. 1 Complexity of Pseudorandom Primitives Pseudorandom generators (PRG) and pseudorandom functions (PRF) are fundamental cryptographic primitives, well studied in the theoretical community, and widely used (often under the names “stream ciphers” and “block ciphers”) in practice. Classic results in cryptography prove that PRG and PRF are equivalent to each other, and to many other fundamental cryptographic primitives such as one way functions (OWF), signatures, symmetric encryption, authentication, and more, where equivalence is defined by the existence of a polynomial time reduction. However, these primitives are not all created equal. For example, if G is a PRG, it is immediately also a OWF, while constructing PRG from OWF is much more complex in various ways. As another example, given a PRF it is easy to construct a PRG of the same parallel-time complexity, while the GGM construction of PRF from PRG [13] incurs a multiplicative linear blow up in the circuit depth (as the PRG is applied sequentially for each bit of the input). There is also a wide gap between the efficiency of theoretical implementations of PRF and the corresponding designs used in practice (e.g., AES). The former have provable security based on well studied computational assumptions, but with a high price in performance. This motivates the following. Research Goals: minimize the complexity of pseudorandom primitives while keeping assumptions minimal, explore how large the complexity gap between PRG and PRF must be, and understand whether one can get some of the benefits of PRF at a lower price. Progress on these goals will help us gain a deeper theoretical understanding of these fundamental primitives, and may also serve as a step towards more practical provably secure pseudorandom primitives (for example, low depth circuits admit faster hardware and parallel implementations).
SAware : Sensor-based Context Awareness for Smartphone Access Control

In this paper, we proposed a sensor-based context aware-ness system for access control of smarphone, named SAware. With sensors analysis and inferring, such as Wi-Fi-based and GPS-based location,SAware system can locate the coarse locations of user holding the smartphone during identity verification or data/application access control.Based on predefined role-based access control policies, SAware grandsthe user with corresponding authorization, such as reading, writing orpriority. In order to evaluate proposed SAware system, we implementedour experiments on Android mobiles (i.e., Google Nexus 5X). Experimental results show that proposed SAware system is efficiency, security,and valuable for user access control.
Import Competition and Policy Diffusion 1 Online Appendix : Import Competition and Policy Diffusion

Alternative Explanations of Welfare State and Social Policies Compensation hypothesis: Welfare expansion can result as a function of government compensation efforts due to increased trade exposure and the associated popular demand for governments to compensate those who lose from the globalization process. In the paper “Import Competition and Policy Diffusion”, we use trade openness to control for this compensation hypothesis in order to better isolate the competitive, cost-cutting effect associated with our welfare state policy interdependence variables. Yet, trade openness (measured as the sum of imports and exports as a percentage of GDP) is only a first step to capture compensation pressures. Here, we present robustness checks to further test the effects of the levels and changes in imports and exports. More specifically, first, we included both imports and exports as a percentage of GDP and the results are presented in Table 1 of this online appendix. When only the lag levels of imports and exports are included, they are often not statistically associated with welfare efforts measured either by social insurance or progressive social spending. 1 In Table 1, model 1 and 3 show that only the effect of exports on social insurance is significant at the 90% confidence level. Second, given the non-finding for the import and export level variables, we further tested the effects of import and export change variables: this is measured as the first difference between imports (exports) of year t and t-1. We actually find statistically significant effects associated with changes in imports and exports (models 2 and 4 from Table 1). Moreover, now, both lagged levels and the first differences appear to have significant effects on the welfare state. While imports increase welfare spending, exports exert an effect of similar magnitude but in the opposite direction. This finding seems to support the intuition that import increase creates pressures of the government to compensate as it erodes the market share of domestic, import competing firms; export increase, on the other hand, reduces welfare pressures for the government as exporting sectors of the economy expand their global market shares. However, the inclusion of these variables does not change the point estimate of our policy interdependence variable based on import competition; neither does it reduce the efficiency of our estimation.