Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
An empirical study on factors affecting customers’ acceptance of internet-only banks in Korea

Abstract Internet-only banks have recently emerged in the financial industry because of the rapid development of fintech, which combines information and communication technologies with finance. This study investigated the factors affecting customers’ acceptance of internet-only banks in Korea. A research model was developed in which relative advantage, complexity, compatibility, image, trialability, perceived critical mass, personal innovativeness, and computer self-efficacy influence perceived usefulness; image, trialability, perceived critical mass, personal innovativeness, and computer self-efficacy influence perceived enjoyment; and perceived usefulness, perceived enjoyment, and subjective norms influence the intention to use internet-only banks was developed. A total of 305 valid data were collected through questionnaires and analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis and path analysis through structural equation modeling. Results showed that relative advantage, image, perceived critical mass, and personal innovativeness influence perceived usefulness; image, trialability, perceived critical mass, personal innovativeness, and computer self-efficacy influence perceived enjoyment; and perceived usefulness, perceived enjoyment, and subjective norms influence the intention to use internet-only banks. This study suggests practical implications for research on the factors affecting customers’ acceptance of internet-only banks in Korea.
Comparative herbaceous phytosociology in agroforestry and Calophyllum brasiliense monoculture on a river terrace

Invasive forage grasses, especially the Urochloa genus, impact reforestation worldwide. The aim of this study was to evaluate management influence on phytosociology of the herbaceous layer, defined as the layer of herbs, sub-shrubs, shrubs and vines, in two agroforestry systems (AFS) (Simple and Biodiverse) in succession to a reforestation of guanandi ( Calophyllum brasiliense ), compared to monoculture of this specie taken as control. The experiment was conducted in Pindamonhanga (SP), Brazil, from 2011 to 2014, in a randomized block design with eight replications and 144.0 m² plots. In Simple SAF area, food crops were grown alongside C. brasiliense rows: sweet cassava ( Manihot esculenta ) in rotation with arrowroot ( Maranta arundinacea ), pigeon pea ( Cajanus cajan ), banana shrub ( Musa sp.), and jucara palm ( Euterpe edulis ). In Biodiverse AFS, fourteen native tree species were also planted alongside the food crops. Altogether 41 non-stratified species, 38 genera and 24 botanical families were identified; the most abundant families were: Asteraceae, Poaceae e Cyperaceae. The similarity between the areas diverged after three years of management, with the predominance of Commelina benghalensis and M. arundinacea in the AFS areas and Urochloa decumbens in the monocultive, mainly, due to the shadow gradient established for the three systems.
Stress-testing groundwater and baseflow drought responses to synthetic climate change-informed recharge scenarios

Abstract. Groundwater is the main source of freshwater and maintains streamflow during drought. Potential future groundwater and baseflow drought hazards depend on systems' sensitivity to altered recharge conditions. We performed groundwater model experiments using three different generic scenarios to estimate the groundwater- and baseflow drought sensitivity to changes in recharge. The scenarios stem from a stakeholder co-design process that specifically followed the idea of altering known drought events from the past, i.e. asking whether altered recharge could have made a particular event worse. Across Germany groundwater responses to the scenarios are highly heterogeneous with groundwater heads in the North more sensitive to long-term recharge and in the Central German Uplands to short-term recharge variations. Baseflow droughts are generally more sensitive to intra-annual dynamics and baseflow responses to the scenarios are smaller compared to the groundwater heads. The groundwater drought recovery time is mainly driven by the hydrogeological conditions with slow (fast) recovery in the porous (fractured rock) aquifers. In general, a seasonal shift of recharge (i.e. less summer recharge and more winter recharge) will therefore have low effects on groundwater and baseflow drought severity. A lengthening of dry spells might cause much stronger responses, especially in regions with slow groundwater response to precipitation. As climate models suggest such directional changes for Germany in the future, the results of the stress tests suggest that groundwater resources in Germany may not decrease in general, but water management may need to consider the potential for more severe groundwater droughts in the large porous aquifers following prolonged meteorological droughts.
The complete mitogenome of Qingyuan chicken (Gallus gallus) by next-generation sequencing and phylogenetic analysis

Abstract In this study, the complete mitochondrial genome sequence of the Qingyuan chicken (Gallus gallus) was reported for the first time by using the high-throughput sequencing technology. The complete mitogenome sequence of Qingyuan chicken exhibits a typical genetic structure of vertebrate double-strands circular genome, containing a D-loop region, 2 ribosomal RNA genes, 13 protein-coding genes and 22 transfer RNA genes. Our work provides a source of useful data for mitochondrial researches and chicken phylogenetic studies.
COMPARISON BETWEEN KELVIN RADII AND BULK HYGROSCOPICITY OF MASS AND VOLUME BASED HYGROSCOPICITY PARAMETER FOR ATMOSPHERIC AEROSOLS

A mass based and volume based hygroscopicities models were applied to the data extracted from Optical Properties of Aerosols and Clouds (OPAC). The microphysical properties obtained were radii, density, refractive index, mass and volume of the atmospheric aerosols of continental average, continental clean, continental polluted, maritime tropical, maritime polluted, maritime clean, at eight different relative humidity of 0%, 50%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 95%, 98% and 99%. Using the microphysical properties, hygroscopic growth factors and effective radii of the mixtures were determined while the parameters Av and Bv for volume based and Am and Bm for mass based of the aerosols were determined using multiple regression analysis with SPSS 16.0 at each relative humidity. Although it was discovered that Bv is more dominant than Av, the R2 for all the models are greater than 90%. The significances are less than 0.05, Am>Av and Bm
When do European election campaigns become about Europe?

Abstract This article examines which parties included European issues in their 2014 European Parliament campaigns, and what influenced whether they did so, based on innovative data from the content analysis of 9,100 press releases in seven countries. Overall, established and especially governing parties no longer shied away from EU issues, referring to them as often as challenger parties did. The likelihood of EU issues in campaigns derives from a combination of predictors from the selective emphasis and co-orientation approaches. In general, parties with high internal dissent on EU integration avoid European issues, and weak leaders will only dare talk about the EU if internal dissent is low. However, between-party-type comparisons indicate that successful leaderships of governing parties facing strong internal divisions are even less likely to put EU issues on the agenda. With respect to the co-orientation model, parties’ EU focus seems to be mainly determined by the communication of (other) opposition parties.
Annual report readability and trade credit

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine the influence of the readability of annual reports on firms’ ability to obtain trade credit from suppliers. Particularly, the authors conjecture that annual report readability helps firms obtain more trade credit from suppliers. Design/methodology/approach The authors use the Gunning Fog Index as the primary measure of annual report readability and the ratio of accounts payable to the book value of total assets as the measure of trade credit. Findings Results from the study of 4,754 firms during the 2004–2016 period indicate that suppliers extend more trade credit to firms with more readable financial reports. The authors’ results are robust to alternative measures of trade credit and annual report readability. The authors’ results remain robust when we control for firm fixed effects and potential endogeneity problems using the instrumental variable approach. A further test shows that the level of trade credit is higher for firms in business service industries, and that this relation is weakened when firms disclose less readable 10-K filings. Originality/value The authors’ findings provide new insight into the role of financial report readability in firms’ ability to obtain trade financing from suppliers. The authors’ results are also in line with the SEC’s encouragement that firms use plain English and easy language in financial reporting.
Small Reservoirs, Landscape Changes and Water Quality in Sub-Saharan West Africa

Small reservoirs (SRs) are essential water storage infrastructures for rural populations of Sub-Saharan West Africa. In recent years, rapid population increase has resulted in unprecedented land use and land cover (LULC) changes. Our study documents the impacts of such changes on the water quality of SRs in Burkina Faso. Multi-temporal Landsat images were analyzed to determine LULC evolutions at various scales between 2002 and 2014. Population densities were calculated from downloaded 2014 population data. In situ water samples collected in 2004/5 and 2014 from selected SRs were analyzed for Suspended Particulate Matter (SPM) loads, an integrative proxy for water quality. The expansion of crop and artificial areas at the expense of natural covers controlled LULC changes over the period. We found a very significant correlation between SPM loads and population densities calculated at a watershed scale. A general increase between the two sampling dates in the inorganic component of SPM loads, concomitant with a clear expansion of cropland areas at a local scale, was evidenced. Results of the study suggest that two complementary but independent indicators (i.e., LULC changes within 5-km buffer areas around SRs and demographic changes at watershed scale), relevantly reflected the nature and intensity of overall pressures exerted by humans on their environment, and locally on aquatic ecosystems. Recommendations related to the re-greening of peripheral areas around SRs in order to protect water bodies are suggested.
Postdoctoral scholars’ perceptions of a university teaching certificate program

PurposeThis study aims to explore postdoctoral scholars’ experiences and perceptions of a teaching certificate program and identify how they use the knowledge and skills developed through the certificate program to improve their teaching practices.Design/methodology/approachIn this case study, the authors explored postdoctoral scholars’ experiences and perceptions of a teaching certificate using a multiple methods and data sources including documents, course evaluations, interviews and surveys.FindingsThe teaching certificate program helped postdocs learn the language and theory of teaching and learning in post-secondary education; practice specific strategies and develop confidence in how to teach; network with colleagues about teaching and learning; develop a reflective teaching practice; and contribute to the scholarship of teaching and learning.Practical implicationsThe findings from this study will inform efforts to develop new or refine existing approaches to promote teaching and learning professional development opportunities for postdoctoral scholars.Originality/valueThis paper fulfills an identified need to study teaching and learning development for postdoctoral scholars.
Bandwidth enhancement in damping control for piezoelectric nanopositioning stages with load uncertainty: Design and implementation

High bandwidth and fast tracking of desired trajectories are eagerly required in various applications that use piezoelectric nanopositioning stages, especially in atomic force microscopes where the vibration stemming from lightly damped modes of stages is a challenging control problem. In this study, a bandwidth-enhanced positive acceleration, velocity, and position feedback damping controller is presented to achieve the tracking bandwidth exceeding the first resonant frequency through using a novel pole-shift method. The stability of the positive feedback damped loop is examined by a mixed passivity, small-gain approach, and Nyquist theorem framework. Also, in conjunction with a proportional–integral tracking controller, robust stability is addressed for load uncertainties. Experimental application to a piezoelectric nanopositioning stage demonstrates that a closed-loop bandwidth of 282.5 Hz is achieved, which exceeds the dominating resonance of the stage at 210 Hz. The achieved bandwidth is 1.35 times larger than the dominating resonance, which is a competitive result among most existing damping control approaches. Comparative tracking results verify the effectiveness of the proposed control scheme on the suppression of low-frequency hysteresis and tracking performance of high-speed triangular waves under load variations.
Agricultural land cover does not affect the diet of Tree Swallows in wetland-dominated habitats

ABSTRACT Agricultural practices have intensified during the past 50 yr, increasing crop production and altering the Canadian prairie landscape by removing or degrading uncropped habitats, including wetlands. We predicted that agricultural practices would alter invertebrate communities and the diets of consumers such as insectivorous birds. Using stable isotope analysis (δ13C and δ15N), we tested for differences in the assimilated diets and isotopic niche widths of adult and nestling Tree Swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) in grassland and cropland sites with similar wetland densities in Saskatchewan, Canada. We also assessed relationships between swallow diet and body size, mass, and condition. Dietary composition and niche width differed between years and age classes but were not consistently related to agricultural land cover. Aquatic insect prey (Diptera and Odonata) made up 75% of all swallow diets, but nestlings consumed a larger proportion of terrestrial Diptera, resulting in broader isotopic niche widths compared with adults. Age-specific dietary differences could have been related to temporal shifts in the insect community or distinct foraging by adults when feeding nestlings. The body mass and condition of adult and nestling swallows were unrelated to diet, but were higher on average in grassland than cropland habitat. Overall, Tree Swallows specialized in feeding on aquatic insects, regardless of agricultural land cover, at least in wetland-dominated habitats. Food resources originating from wetlands may play a critical role in supporting insectivorous bird populations in agricultural landscapes.
MOTIVATIONS TO PARTICIPATE IN COLLABORATIVE CONSUMPTION

Collaborative consumption is a kind of peer-to-peer-based activity of providing, exchanging, or sharing access to goods and services. It is an emerging phenomenon that is triggered by developing technologies and increasingly getting attention from consumers. This study adds value with an empirical approach that investigated relationships among economic benefit, environmental benefit, psychological benefit, attitude, and behavioral intentions. Data was gathered through face to face questionnaires. Results show that economic, psychological, and environmental benefits are important factors to explain attitudes and behavioral intentions and so participating in collaborative consumption.
Identification of Functional Targets Reveals that the Suppression of Pumilio-mediated mRNA Decay Increases Cell Resistance to DNA Damage in Human Cells

RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) play a pivotal role in gene expression by modulating the stability of transcripts; however, the identification of functional targets remains difficult, even for RBPs with a high specific binding ability, such as mammalian PUMILIO proteins (PUMs). To understand the role of RBPs in biological processes and diseases, we present a systematic approach to define the functional targets of an RBP and determine the stimulus that modulates RBP-mediated mRNA decay. We applied our method to investigate PUM function and identified 49 functional target mRNAs of PUM1. Moreover, in silico screening indicated that DNA damage reagents inhibit PUM1-mediated mRNA decay, thus enhancing cell viability. Finally, we applied our method to UPF1 and showed that UPF1-mediated mRNA decay was activated by rapamycin. Thus, our study establishes a systematic and un-biased strategy to identify the biological role of RBPs through the identification and analysis of transcripts directly regulated by RBPs.
Relevancia valorativa de los intangibles: Análisis pre-NIIF y NIIF en el mercado de capitales argentino

El objetivo de este trabajo es analizar el efecto de la adopcion de las NIIF en la relevancia que el mercado de capitales argentino asigna a la informacion financiera sobre activos intangibles y a la informacion no financiera referida al capital intelectual de las empresas que cotizan en el mismo. El analisis se realiza aplicando modelos de precios basados en Ohlson (1995), con datos recolectados directamente de fuentes originales y correspondientes al periodo 2009-2015. Los resultados revelan que la adopcion de las NIIF produjo cambios en la relevancia valorativa de los activos intangibles, pero no ha impactado en la relevancia valorativa del capital intelectual. Ademas, muestran que las dimensiones humana y estructural no son consideradas por los inversores, en ninguna de las dos etapas (NIIF y pre-NIIF), mientras que el capital estructural tiene un impacto negativo en los precios en ambos periodos. Estos hallazgos son acordes a los aportados por los estudios previos y, en particular, los referidos al capital intelectual, son similares a los obtenidos para paises de bajo desarrollo, donde no se han logrado evidencias que apoyen su relevancia valorativa. Contribuyen, de este modo, a acrecentar la evidencia existente en torno al papel de los intangibles en la valoracion externa de las empresas y a las implicaciones que en ello ha tenido la aplicacion del marco normativo del IASB, la cual es particularmente limitada para mercados poco desarrollados.
STUDY OF APPROACHES, METHODS, SOURCES AND INTERPRETATION INSTRUMENTS OF MULLA SADRA

This research is carried out on some uniqueness found in the interpretation of the Al-Qur'an by Mulla Sadra, including: he is a philosopher who is the foremost in interpreting the Al-Qur'an and productive writers who have produced many works. In the hands of Mulla Sadra, the synthesis of the three Islamic intellectual schools, namely Sufi makrifat, philosophy or theosophy, and Shiite theology was finally reached, and directly reflected in the field of esoteric interpretation of the Al-Qur'an. Based on the uniqueness, the author is interested in examining it with the title: "Mulla Sadra's Interpretation Methodology (Study of Approaches, Methods, Sources and Instruments of Interpretation)". The purpose of this study is to find out and explore the methodology of the interpretation of Al-Quran Mulla Sadra, as well as describe how the approach, methods, sources and instruments of interpretation of the Al-Quran that he initiated. And to find out and criticize the application of the interpretation methodology of Al-Quran Mulla Sadra in its interpretation product. This type of research is a library research based on the book of Tafsir al-Qur'an al-Karim as a primary data source. Based on this research, we can draw the conclusion that Sadra's work is a combination of approaches and interpretive methods that have developed in the Islamic world. The advantage is that it combines two approaches, namely f irfani and philosophy. This is then considered a bridge from the different interpretive traditions in the Islamic world. Keyword: Interpretation, Methodology, Mulla Sadra
Piezoelectric Electro-Mechanical Impedance (EMI) Based Structural Crack Monitoring

To detect small cracks in plate like structures, the high frequency characteristics of local dynamics were studied with the piezoelectric electro-mechanical impedance (EMI) method, and damages were monitored by the changes of the EMI. The finite element simulation model of EMI was established, and numerical analysis was conducted. The simulation results indicated that the peak frequency of the piezoelectric admittance signal is a certain order resonance frequency of the structure, and the piezoelectric impedance method could effectively detect the dynamic characteristics of the structure. The piezoelectric admittance simulation and experimental study of aluminum beams with different crack sizes were performed. Simulation and experimental results revealed that the peak admittance frequency decreases with the increase of crack size, and the higher resonance frequency is more sensitive to the small-scale damage. The proposed method has good repeatability and strong signal-to-noise ratio to monitor the occurrence and development of small-scale crack damage, and it has an important application prospect.
Did wage inequality increase in Portugal? Yes, and for good reasons

ABSTRACT As in Anglo-Saxon countries, wage inequality increased in Portugal from the beginning of the 1980s to the end of the 2000s. Using data from a matched employer-employee data set and reweighting methods, we show that the increased wage inequality in Portugal is fundamentally explained by compositional changes in the employment structure related to the modernization of the labour market.
The Effectiveness of Input on Voiced and Unvoiced Consonant Sounds in a Native Arabic Speaking Context: An Action Research Project

The paper describes the process and outcomes of an action research project with the aim of determining whether focusing classroom input on voiced and unvoiced consonant sounds has a positive effect on their production. Statistics were derived from English-speaking respondents listening to native Arabic speaking participants from an experimental group, who had received input on the difference between these sounds, and practiced their production, as well as to speakers from a control group who had received neither input nor practice. The rates of intelligibility were compared, with the conclusion being that the provision of limited input on this pronunciation issue does not, generally speaking, result in the ability to produce the sounds with greater clarity.