Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Entrepreneurial Orientation as a main Resource and Capability on Small Firm’s Growth

This research provides a useful framework for identifying a small firms’ propensity to engage in entrepreneurial orientation. We examine the impact of the Entrepreneurial Orientation (EO) as a main resource and capability on small firm' growth. The growth seems to come out as an important demonstration of the entrepreneurial orientation of small firms (Davidsson, 1989; Green and Brown, 1997; Janney and Gregory, 2006). Thus, this research builds on prior conceptual research that suggests a positive integration between entrepreneurial orientation and resource-based view. In the first instance, the research will focus on reviewing literature in the emerging area of entrepreneurial orientation as it applies to growth oriented small firms and resource-based view of the firm. Secondly, an empirical study was developed based on a stratified sample of small firms of manufacturing industry. Data were submitted to a multivariate statistical analysis and a linear regression model was performed in order to predict the influence of the resources and capabilities on small firms' growth. In this sense, we consider the construct growth as a dependent variable and the ones relates with resources and capabilities (entrepreneur resources, firm resources, networks and EO) as independent variables. The research results suggest a set of resources and capabilities that promote the growth of the small firms. Also, the EO seems to have a predictive value on growth. Explaining variables related with resources and capabilities and EO were identified as essential in growth oriented small firms. It was still possible to conclude that the entrepreneurial firms which grew seem to have resources and develop more capabilities and take advantage in the search for those competences. This attitude reflects on the EO of the firm. This study has important implication for both researchers and practitioners. It highlights the necessity of firms to develop superior EO of all their members and also to invest on better resources and consequently superior capabilities as a way of reaching higher levels of growth. While previous authors have attempted to analyse certain aspects of this process (linkage between entrepreneurial orientation and growth), this research developed a framework that combines these and others factors (resource-based view) pertinent to growth oriented small firms. The results support the necessity to identify explicative variables of multiple levels to explain the growth of small firms. The adoption of an entrepreneurial orientation as an indispensable variable to the growth oriented small firms seems pertinent.
Microwave-enhanced synthesis of biodegradable multifunctional chitosan hydrogels for wastewater treatment

Chitosan, a derivative of chitin, is a biodegradable polymer known of its favorable properties, applicable in medicine and industry. Commonly obtained chitosan hydrogels are of various swelling capacity, and may bind only anions losing their susceptibility to biodegradation. Hydrogels are mostly obtained using toxic crosslinkers, which pollute environment due to waste generation during their synthesis. In the present article a novel, waste-free method for obtaining chitosan hydrogels under microwave irradiation, is described. Their chemical and morphological structure, swelling properties, sorption capability of a model dye and cadmium ions are described, and kinetic studies, were carried out. Biodegradability of the obtained hydrogels was investigated with the Sturm Test method. As a result, multifunctional chitosan hydrogels with both negative and positive surface charges and increased ability of anions and cations binding, were obtained. Materials were fully biodegradable, capable to absorb high amounts of water, as well as to remove various water contaminants.
The Tissue Responses to Tricalcium Phosphate Ceramics in Bone and Marrow

Calcium phosphate ceramics are described as "bioactive". Evidence of biological activity associated with calcium phosphate implanted in bone and marrow can be seen as changes in the morphology of the interfaces. In this in vivo model the sequence of progressive bone growth and bone merger with a dense calcium phosphate ceramics were examined by light and transmission electron microscopy. A spectrum of tissue responses to dense tricalcium phosphate ceramics was observed at intervals over a six week period. It is now well established that calcium phosphate ceramics permit bone ingrowth with little or no immunological response; however, a layer of fibroblasts in a collagenous matrix had formed on the ceramic surface within one week. At the ceramic-bone interface collagen associated with ceramic particles did not mineralise into bone until the natural calcification front had advanced up to the ceramic surface. In the marrow a bony coating formed over the surface of the ceramic implant.
Introduction Latent Variables for Estimating Airline Assessment

This paper focuses on the application of latent variables in assessing airline performance. There is a gap in literature of airline performance modelling. This paper, based on latent variable model attempts to introduce a new framework for airline assessment modelling. In this regard, organisational assessment was used as theoretical framework. Four constructs and thirteen measurements are illustrated for airline assessment model.
Corporate Governance, Ownership Structure and Stock Market Liquidity in Saudi Arabia: A Conceptual Research Framework

This paper aimed to provide a review of the literature concerning the effects of corporate governance and ownership structure on the devices of market microstructure. It provided a clear overview of empirical archival studies in literature regarding the way corporate governance and ownership structure mechanisms influence market liquidity, with focusing on the Saudi institutional setting. It aimed to pinpoint the differences and similarities in empirical outcomes of studies and determine the areas that call for further exploration. On the basis of the thorough review of literature and the theoretical basis, our study proposed a conceptual research framework. The framework is based on the premise that effective corporate governance can lead to enhanced disclosure quality, which in turn, lead to mitigating the information asymmetry and ultimately, enhanced market liquidity. Although theoretical studies argued the presence of the relationship between corporate governance, ownership and liquidity, we find that outcomes from empirical studies are still mixed. Majority of extant studies, with majority in the context of the U.S. firms, provide ambiguous results, making it challenging to reconcile the differences among them. Our paper provides important guidance for both new and experienced researchers, and it has implications for stock exchange authorities in terms of adopting effective regulatory policies and efficient trading systems to tackle information asymmetry.
Response of small mammals to clear-cutting and precommercial thinning in mixed forests of southeastern Quebec

The impacts of forest management on habitat characteristics, species richness, and population dynamics of small mammals remain ambiguous. We studied the response of small-mammal populations, including snowshoe hares, to clear-cutting with protection of advanced regeneration and soils (CPRS) and precommercial thinning (PCT). We compared stands recently treated by CPRS or PCT with established stands dominated by deciduous or coniferous trees in two large blocks of mixed forests. We measured habitat components and abundance of small mammals in the four stand types. Trees (DBH ≥ 9 cm) became very rare in CPRS stands and remained at low density in PCT stands, which stimulated the growth of herbs and seedlings, resulting in increased lateral cover. Tree harvest also generated coarse woody debris in CPRS stands, which did not persist in PCT stands. Small mammals responded to these disturbances in a species-specific manner but, overall, relative abundance and species richness of small mammals were lower in PCT st.
Visual location recognition in man-made and natural environments

This thesis addresses the problem of estimating the position where a given photograph has been taken. The first system targets images taken in inhabited areas. Building facades, which cover a significant proportion of the field of view, are used to recognize the building, and thus the location. The presented approach builds on panoramic images captured by a surveying vehicle systematically driving through all streets and coarse geometric models of the buildings. Both database and query images are warped into canonical views to reduce the variations that images from arbitrary viewpoints naturally exhibit: The photos are warped into orthographic views and rotated such that the real-world vertical coincides with the picture’s vertical. For the survey imagery this can readily be done using the building models, and for the queries it is achieved with the help of vanishing points. Undistorting the images simplifies similarity calculations significantly, and allows for further improvements such as more discriminative features and a geometric verification stage that is both stricter and faster. The system is validated on a city-scale database. Experiments show that the proposed approach reaches a performance comparable to earlier systems, that could only handle much smaller datasets. A second system deals with photographs of landscapes. The skyline, i.e. the apparent boundary between sky and ground is characteristic to the location and is the basis for localization. The reference data consists of a digital elevation map, which can predict
USING AN ECOLOGICAL LAND HIERARCHY TO PREDICT SEASONAL-WETLAND ABUNDANCE IN UPLAND FORESTS

Hierarchy theory, when applied to landscapes, predicts that broader-scale ecosystems constrain the development of finer-scale, nested ecosystems. This prediction finds application in hierarchical land classifications. Such classifications typically apply to physiognomically similar ecosystems, or ecological land units, e.g., a set of multi-scale forest ecosystems. We speculated that hierarchical constraint also controls the development of small, nested ecosystems that are structurally distinct from the constraining matrix. We tested this hypothesis using seasonal wetlands in upland forest. Specifically, we related seasonal-wetland abundance in upland forest stands to multi-scale terrestrial ecological units, as defined by hierarchical combinations of regional physiography, glacial landform, soils, and forest cover. Moreover, we determined the spatial scale of terrestrial ecological unit that is the best predictor of seasonal-wetland abundance. Our study area is mapped into a set of nested terrestrial ecological units, including two subsections (differing in physiography), four land-type associations (glacial landforms), and 11 land types (forest vegetation, soil). We used a geographic information system to determine seasonal wetland densities in 16-ha plots located within the nested terrestrial ecological units. Cumulative plot frequency distributions of wetland density did not differ between subsections; 50% of plots contained no wetlands, 38% contained 1-3 wetlands, and 12% contained ! Y4 wetlands. Frequency distributions differed among land-type associations (LTA). Ninety percent of plots on a glacial lake plain contained no wetlands, compared to 63%, 42%, and 38% for outwash, end moraine, and ground moraine LTAs, respectively. Ten percent of plots on the lake plain contained 1-3 wetlands, compared to 32%, 48%, and 43% for the outwash, end moraine, and ground moraine, respectively. The remaining plots on the latter three LTAs contained >3 wetlands. Frequency distributions rarely differed among land types. Compared to occurrence, identity and scale of the ecological unit were poorer predictors of actual wetland densities. Regression tree analysis, while significant, explained only 11.6% of variation in wetland density among plots. Still, the leaves of the regression tree differed in densities primarily based on LTA. Our results demonstrate that identity of constraining upland forest ecosystem explains significant amounts of variation in seasonal wetland abundance. We identify glacial landform as the scale of ecological unit having the greatest control over seasonal wetland abundance. We focus on seasonal wetlands in forests, yet our approach should apply to other small, nested ecosystems. This approach may facilitate conservation management of small, nested ecosystems by providing likelihood estimates of occurrence within mapped terrestrial ecological units.
Dam Performance And Safety In Tropical Climates – Recent Developments On Field Monitoring And Computational Analysis

Earth dams are massive water-retaining structures that are used widely in the world for irrigation, water supply and hydroelectric energy generation. Many such dams are built every year and the International Committee on Large Dams (ICOLD) has gathered together experts from the world to work on preparing guidelines for design, construction and monitoring of such massive infrastructure. A potential failure of a large dam may potentially have significant effects on a huge area downstream, as the sudden release of the large volume of retained water can travel for large distances and destroy entire cities and even result in unfortunate fatalities. It is therefore important to recognise the potential causes of failure of such dams and provide timely and effective measures to prevent any degradation or loss of stability. The main threats for dams are seismic activity, internal erosion, faulting and seasonal climate variations. The latter factor, i.e. climate changes, has not been studied widely and therefore there is a need for further understanding of the problem. In arid and tropical climates, e.g. the Mediterranean, Middle East, south Asia, large changes in the temperature and rainfall cause significant variations in the upstream reservoir level. This results in the dam rockfill undergoing cycles of wetting and drying which further causes permanent displacements and potentially cracking. Such structural response needs to be closely monitored, so that any potential leakage (and therefore erosion) is prevented. This keynote paper presents an experimental study to investigate the effects of seasonal climate variations on the deformations of earth dams. A well-instrumented dam in Cyprus, the Kouris earth dam, which is the largest dam in the country is used as a case study. Long-term monitoring data from three-independent and different instrumentation sets are collected, processed and analysed. A periodic variation in the crest settlements is identified and thus relevant statistical analysis is performed to identify the dominant frequencies of fluctuations and to examine any relation between the dam crest settlements and the reservoir level changes. Subsequently, a nonlinear coupled hydro-mechanical finite element analysis is performed which models the entire stress history of the dam, i.e. layered construction, reservoir impoundment, consolidation and reservoir level changes. The latter finite element analysis attempts to identify the relative effects of soil consolidation and reservoir level changes on the induced dam displacements.
Tests of transilient versus flux-gradient turbulence parameterizations for the prediction of surface layer wind profiles

1. MOTIVATION AND LAYER OF INTEREST Turbulence models, based on the Reynolds averaging of the Navier-Stokes equations (RANS) have become the standard for incorporating vertical diffusion of scalars in NWP models. The two most common implementations of turbulence models are the first order models, in which the gradients of horizontally averaged, first-order flow variables are used to predict the eddy exchange coefficients, and 1.5-order, TKE based models, which numerically integrate a prognostic equation for TKE and use the TKE values to calculate eddy exchange coefficients. In both cases, the vertical turbulent fluxes are calculated according to a flux-gradient hypothesis, in which the turbulent fluxes are assumed to be proportional to the negative of the gradient of the mean quantity:
EVALUATING MATE PREFERENCE IN ADULT FEMALE SEA LAMPREY AND APPLICATION OF THE GROWING DEGREE DAY METRIC TO REVEAL PATTERNS OF GROWTH AMONG LARVAL SEA LAMPREYS

ii DEDICATION. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS . v INTRODUCTION.1 EVALUATING MATE PREFERENCE IN ADULT FEMALE SEA LAMPREYS . 3 Abstract . 3 Introduction . 4 Methods . 6 Study Area . 6 Collecting sea lamprey . 7 Determination of size classes of sea lamprey . 8 Experimental setup.9 Experimental Trials . 10 Audio recordings . 12 Data Analysis . 12 Results . 13 Discussion. 14 APPLICATION OF THE GROWING DEGREE DAY METRIC TO REVEAL PATTERNS OF GROWTH AMONG LARVAL SEA LAMPREY . 23 Abstract . 23 Introduction . 24 Methods . 26 Results . 30 Discussion. 31 MANAGEMENT IMPLICATIONS . 42 REFERENCES . 44
The State of Postsecondary Education for Persons with Intellectual Disabilities: What Are the Perceptions of Key Stakeholders?

Evidence indicates that post-high school outcomes for students with disabilities look different from the post-high school outcomes of a traditional high school graduate and vastly different from a student without disabilities who has the opportunity to go to college. In fact, these statistics are widely used to advocate for increased efforts to providing access to higher education opportunities for students with and without disabilities. Beyond descriptive literature, little information is available on the current state of knowledge in the field of post secondary education for students with ID. This qualitative investigation examined transcripts generated from presentations by a variety of experts in the field of PSE-providing an overview of knowledge on PSE for students with ID. Among other important findings, this study indicates that there is limited clarity on the outcomes of participating in PSE, economics of higher education and foundation of evidence on providing PSE for students with intellectual disabilities. The implications of these findings for future research, policy and practice are also presented.
A New Measure of σ8 Using the Lensing Dispersion in High-z Type Ia Supernovae

The gravitational lensing magnification or demagnification due to large-scale structures induces a scatter in peak magnitudes of high-redshift Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia). The amplitude of the lensing dispersion strongly depends on that of density fluctuations characterized by the σ8 parameter. Therefore the value of σ8 is constrained by measuring the dispersion in the peak magnitudes. We examine how well SN Ia data will provide a constraint on the value of σ8 using a likelihood analysis method. It is found that the number and quality of SN Ia data needed for placing a useful constraint on σ8 is attainable with the Next Generation Space Telescope.
Toll-like Receptor 3 contributes to inflammatory Schwann cell activation and Wallerian degeneration after peripheral nerve injury

Toll-like receptor 3 contributes to inflammatory Schwann cell activation and Wallerian degeneration after peripheral nerve injury Jiyeon Baek Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Genetic Engineering The Graduate School Seoul National University It is well known that Schwann cells play an important role in Wallerian degeneration after peripheral nerve injury. Recently, it was reported that toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling contributes to Wallerian degeneration. Moreover, previous studies had found that TLR ligands-induced inflammatory Schwann cell is activated via TLR2 and 3. However, the role of TLR3 in Wallerian degeneration after peripheral nerve injury is still poorly understood. Hence, the objective of this study is to establish a clearer understanding of the role of TLR3 in Wallerian degeneration after a peripheral nerve injury. It was found that sciatic nerve crush injury reduced the number of degenerating myelin axons in TLR3 knock-out mice. After 7 days, TLR3 knock-out mice showed delayed sciatic nerve degeneration compared with WT mice. In addition, macrophage infiltration into injury site was significantly increased in WT mice, but not in TLR3 knock-out mice. The nerve injury-induced expression of macrophage infiltrated-related chemokines such as CC-chemokine ligand (CCL)2/MCP-1, CCL3/MIP-1α, CCL4/MIP-1β and CCL5/RANTES was compromised in Schwann cells of TLR3 knock-out mice in vitro and in vivo. Similarly, the TLR3 ligandsinduced chemokine expression was reduced in Schwann cells derived from TLR3 KO mice. Finally, polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (poly(I:C)), a synthetic TLR3 agonist, injection into the sciatic nerve of the rat induced macrophage infiltration in vivo. Taken together, these data show that TLR3 is required for the inflammatory Schwann cell activation and contributes to Wallerian degeneration after peripheral nerve injury. `
The laminar flow velocity profile over close-packed spherical roughness elements

Laminar bounded shear flows are usually considered only with regard to flow over smooth surfaces, without roughness elements of any kind. To the author's knowledge, Uttle attention has been given to the case of laminar flow over a surface with roughness elements, even though this is a situation that arises fairly often in connection with the movement of very viscous fluids through conduits of different kinds, and specifically in the experimental study of low Reynolds number flow over sediment beds [Shields, 7; Bagnold, 1; Coleman, 4].
In vivo mucoadhesive strength appraisal of gum Manilkara zapota

The mucilage (MMZ) extracted from the seeds of Manilkara zapota(Linn.) P. Royen syn. using maceration techniques was evaluated for mucoadhesive strength by various in vitro and in vivo methods. The result showed that mucoadhesive strength of seeds mucilage have comparable property toward natural and synthetic polymers such as Guar Gum and hydroxyl propyl methyl cellulose (HPMC E5LV) under the experimental conditions used in this study. Briefly, it could be concluded that the seed mucilage of Manilkara zapota can be used as a pharmaceutical excipient in oral mucoadhesive drug delivery systems. Further, it may be appropriate to study the changes in these properties after chemical modifications.
A Colorful Report: Color Associations in Synesthesia

In recent years, academic research on synesthesia, a curious neurological condition, has gained popularity again. Most studies are focusing on its biological evidences, common characteristics and general trends over a population. However, individual special cases are often ignored, in spite of the fact that diversity is one important feature of synesthesia. In this report, we carry out case studies of three participants having color-related synesthesia. By presenting the details of their experiences and analyzing numerical data, we illustrate the uniqueness of their ? settings? , and investigate the underlying principles beneath their coloring schemes. Several key findings are: special lighting and pattern properties, categorization of colors, and localization of colors over color space. We also discuss the concept of ? absolute color? , synesthesia and qualia, and the origin of synesthetic colors.