Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Managing Commodity Price Risk in Developing Countries

This book provides detailed information about financial instruments for managing external commodity price risks, creating awareness of the institutional constraints that must be removed to allow full access to these instruments, and illustrating the kinds of technical assistance and education needed to enable good use of the instruments in developing countries. It indicates the importance of improved commodity risk management in developing countries and identifies the role financial instruments can play in managing commodity price risk, providing access to external finance, and lowering credit risk. It describes how domestic schemes to stabilize commodity prices work and the experience that developing countries have had with such schemes. This book presents application of financial risk management instruments within the context of traditional domestic price stabilization schemes, further demonstrating the complementarity of the two. The financial instruments that are available for external risk management are discussed, focusing on instruments that manage commodity risk. In addition, the book discusses some of the practical and regulatory constraints to using commodity risk management instruments. The second part of the book contains case studies that are drawn either from the needs assessment surveys or from analysis and are intended to demonstrate the purpose, benefits, and costs of particular instruments or hedging strategies.
Internal Control and the Issues of Independence & Confidentiality in Nigerian Local Government Auditing: An Examination

This paper seeks to examine the internal control system and the issues of independence and confidentiality in local governments auditing. Data collected for this research are purely secondary. The paper observes that the issue of auditor’s independence is only attainable in the structural control of local governments’ internal control system and not procedural control. It also observes that the ethical duty and the issue of confidentiality are mostly of the Auditor General for local government. Therefore, this paper recommends that appropriate atmosphere must be created to ensure that the internal control system is an enabling environment for the internal auditor to discharge his duties as required and the internal auditor should not only be competent but also reputably qualified to discharge his duties. These would address the issue of independence and how it affects the internal control systems of local government auditing.
Comparison of Three DNA Preparation Methods for Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction Confirmation of Mycobacterium Avium subsp. Paratuberculosis Growth in an Automated Broth Culture System

Three methods of harvesting DNA from broth culture tubes for quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qrtPCR) confirmation of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) were evaluated. A commercial DNA extraction kit, the boil method (boiling for 5 minutes), or direct addition of broth culture media to the PCR reaction mix were tested. Samples were evaluated at 8 or 11 days of incubation and at the time of instrument-signal culture-positive. In total, when tested at time to instrument signal positive, 10/10 (100%) of samples extracted by the commercial method were positive on qrtPCR, whereas 9/10 (90%) were positive after the boil method, and 6/10 (60%) were positive after the direct method. Increased volumes of egg-yolk emulsion added to the culture tubes prolonged the number of cycles to threshold positive for the samples that were not subjected to commercial extraction or boiling. Samples were not reliably positive when tested at 8 or 11 days of incubation. The boil method appears to represent a reasonable time- and money-saving method to harvest DNA for qrtPCR confirmation of MAP in broth culture at time to instrument signal positive.
SERVICE-ORIENTED ARCHITECTURE INTEGRATING ERP SYSTEMS

From the mid-90s to the present day, the Enterprise resource planning systems - ERP have become quite popular in large, medium and even small businesses, integrating their industries and making them more competitive in today's business environment. Another feature quite common today is the merger of companies in the same supply chain, making them a single large corporation, requiring the integration of their information systems, which systems such ERP. The big problem is how to do it, because there are few tools Enterprise Application Integration - EAI available, and in most cases it is chosen to implement a new ERP system and only for businesses, generating spending, waste of time and a major cultural and organizational impact. This article presents the advantages of using Service Oriented Architecture - SOA as a tool for EAI integration of ERP systems.
A Computer Simulation Model for Visitors' Recreational Behaviors at Tourism Attractions:A Case Study of the Summer Palace

With primary tourism attractions in China meeting tourist flow peaks long and short holidays which result in decreased recreational quality,and issues concerning safety and the sustainable development of environmental resources,etc.Based on the temporal and spatial distribution characteristics of visitors ' recreational behaviors,this paper used agent-based Repast Simphony modeling framework and geographic information system-ArcGIS's Shape data model as a meta model to build a simulation model which can dynamically simulate the temporal and spatial distributions of visitors' behaviors an tourism attractions.The model applied visitor data observed and tracked from Summer Palace during "May 1 " holidays to do the verification and validation.Simulation results demonstration the model's ability to analyze visitors' temporal and spatial distribution and its practical applications at tourism attractions.The model has both methodological and practical significances for visitor management at tourism attractions.
An Appraisal of Corporate Governance Issues in Enhancing Transparency and Accountability in Small and Medium Enterprises (SME)

This paper on “Corporate governance issues in enhancing transparency and accountability in small and medium enterprises” assess the to determine whether corporate governance contributes significantly in ensuring accountability and transparency in order to improve performances of an enterprise and to determine the extent at which corporate governance can facilitates the organizations in achieving their social responsibilities to the environment. The population for the paper was judgmentally selected from the management, staff of seven Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Anambra state, Nigeria. Data for the study were collected from both primary and secondary sources. The Hypotheses formulated for this paper were analyzed and tested with the Two Way ANOVA for opinion differences, using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 17.0 software package. The paper therefore conclude that corporate governance assists in provides structure through which the objectives of the SMEs are set and means of attaining those objectives and monitoring performances all to ensure effectiveness in operations and efficiency in their services.
Sanitation Policy in Ghana - Assessing Key Elements and Policy Measures

This paper presents a summary of the process, findings and proposals of an assessment of Ghana’s Environmental Sanitation Policy based on the application of EHP’s Guidelines for the Assessment of National Sanitation Policies. The findings show that while all the key elements usually listed as ingredients of a good policy framework are present in the Environmental Sanitation Policy there has been slow implementation of its strategic objectives. An important outcome of the assessment is that proposals addressing gaps in the policy were made for further review and revision of the policy to provide workinglevel application of results of the assessment. An implication of the assessment concerns how work on existing guidelines on assessing sanitation policies can be taken forward. An important dimension is the need for strengthening initiatives for building capacity of staff of technical institutions responsible for developing and implementing policies.
Opportunities for marketing researchers in international entrepreneurship

Purpose – Entrepreneurship is a growing phenomenon in world markets. In response, the past two decades have seen increasing attention given to research and theory development in the area of international entrepreneurship. However, contributions from marketing scholars have been minimal. The purpose of this paper is to define the emerging research field of international entrepreneurship and to explore opportunities for contribution to that field from marketing scholars.Design/methodology/approach – An overview of the field of entrepreneurship highlights the central notions of opportunity, human action, learning, and creativity and innovation. To this is added value exchange, a core focus of marketing theory. These concepts are then used to define international entrepreneurship and highlight opportunities for marketing researchers.Findings – There is considerable scope for marketing academics to contribute to the nascent field of international entrepreneurship which would, in turn, advance marketing theory.
An Analysis of Active Attacks on Anonymity Systems

Network security in the traditional sense consists of the following four elements: secret, integrity, availability and authenticity. Recent studies have indicated that: anonymity, as an important indicator of information security. In recent years, the research shows that: anonymity is also gradually being the important indicator of information security. With the rapid development of communication technology and the Internet, people pay more and more attention to personal privacy. As a result, the research on anonymous communication system is gradually increasing. P2P network's openness and the unpredictability of malicious nodes make the network user's privacy information more vulnerable to illegal theft. The attacker can not only get the contents of the file, but also can get the identity and other related privacy information of the sender and receiver. Anonymous technology is the best way to solve the privacy protection. Therefore, it is of important theoretical significance and application value to study the anonymous technology in P2P network environment. However, with the development of anonymous technology, P2P network attack technology has become the focus of research. This paper mainly analyzes the typical active attack technology.
A re-examination of the association of 'early pregnancy factor' activity with fractions of heterogeneous molecular weight distribution in pregnancy sera.

The association of 'early pregnancy factor' ('EPF') activity in early pregnancy sera with multiple fractions of heterogeneous molecular mass was re-examined to test whether previously perplexing observations could be explained by a new multi-factorial model of the serum components required for this activity expression. Gel permeation fractionation of human pregnancy sera revealed 'EPF' activity associated with fractions containing components ranging in MW from < or = 1 kDa to > or = 500 kDa. A significant activity peak was observed eluting on the total volume (Vt) of the column, indicating the presence of active molecules of very low molecular mass. Multiple activity peaks were also observed in the macromolecular fractionation region ranging in apparent molecular weight from 12 kDa, through 25, 70 and 250 to > or = 500 kDa. Analysis of these fractions revealed that they all contained thioredoxin and active moieties of low molecular mass, with the latter probably directly associated with the former. Adsorption with specific anti-thioredoxin antibodies removed from these fractions the capacity to display 'EPF' activity. Further analyses revealed that in these fractions thioredoxin played a permissive role allowing the low molecular mass active moieties to express activity in the bioassay in the presence of otherwise counteracting substances. The results of these studies are consistent with the proposal that 'EPF' activity expression in pregnancy sera is due to the presence of a multi-factorial system in which thioredoxin plays an essential permissive role in concert with active moieties of low molecular mass.
The effect of top management team diversity and competitive environment on the relationship between diversification strategy and performance of companies listed in the Nairobi Securities Exchange

xvi CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION . 1 1.1 Background of the Study . 1 1.1.1 Diversification Strategy . 3 1.1.2 Top Management Team Diversity . 5 1.1.3 Competitive Environment . 7 1.1.4 Organizational Performance . 10 1.1.5 Critical Analysis: Linkages of the key variables of the study . 13 1.1.6 Companies Listed at the Nairobi Securities Exchange in Kenya . 14 1.2 Research Problem . 15 1.3 Research Objectives . 20 1.4 Value of the Study . 21 1.5 Structure of the Thesis. 23 1.6 Chapter Summary . 24 CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW . 25 2.
Extracellular Distribution of Collagen II and Perifibrillar Adapter Proteins in Healthy and Osteoarthritic Human Knee Joint Cartilage

Perifibrillar adapter proteins, interconnecting collagen fibrils, and linking the collagen network with the aggrecan matrix seem to play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis (OA). Therefore, we examined immunohistochemically the extracellular distribution of collagen II and the main perifibrillar adapter proteins—collagen IX, decorin, cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP), and matrilin-3—in human samples of healthy (n=4) and OA (n=42) knee joint cartilage. Histopathology assessment was performed using an OA score. Staining patterns were evaluated in relation to the disease stage. The perifibrillar adapter proteins were uniformly distributed in the upper zones of healthy cartilage. In moderate OA (n=8; score 14.3 ± 4.7), all proteins analyzed were locally absent in the fibrillated area or the superficial and upper mid zone. In advanced OA (n=20; score 18.9 ± 5.3), they were uniformly distributed in these zones and accumulated pericellularly. Perifibrillar adapter proteins are important for the stabilization of the collagen network in the upper zones of healthy cartilage. Their degradation might be a critical event in early OA. In advanced OA, there are indications for an increased synthesis in an attempt to regenerate the lost tissue and to protect the remaining cartilage from further destruction.
A Holistic Perspective on the Performance Implications of Strategic Alignment in Knowledge Management

Recently, the importance of the information technology (IT) for effective knowledge management (KM) activities has been noted. The match of IT and KM is an important concern for executives. However, their efforts do not always yield positive organizational outcome since enough exceptions indicate that knowledge strategy and human resource management (HRM) strategy are interdependent that must be integrated with IT as a whole. Consequently, a linkage of effective IT strategy and KM strategy that are consistent with HRM strategy is the key to reduced costs, which in turn, will achieve a higher performance. Drawing on the concept of strategic alignment, this study proposes a KM strategic alignment model in the MIS area within which KM strategy, IT strategy, and HRM strategy, coexist. Survey research method is employed in this study. Empirical data for hypotheses testing are collected from top-ranking companies in Taiwan, yielding 161 valid samples. Performance implications of strategic alignment are examined using covariation approaches. The results suggest that strategic alignment among these three strategies contributes to business performance. Based on the research results, meaningful findings and conclusions are described and suggestions for future research are proposed. HRM strategy, KM strategy, IT strategy, and business performance. The fifth construct, strategic alignment, is regarded as a latent variable for the four antecedent strategies. A multiple-item method is used to develop the questionnaire. Each item is based on a 7-point Likert scales ranging from “1 = strongly disagree” to “7 = strongly agree”. For the measurement validity, this study adopts the previous well-established research instruments wherever possible with minor changes in wording. Most of the independent and dependent variables are operationalized based on related literature.
Measuring health-related quality of life in rheumatoid arthritis: validity, responsiveness and reliability of EuroQol (EQ-5D).

The EuroQol (EQ-5D) generic health index comprises a five-part questionnaire and a visual analogue self-rating scale. The questionnaire may be used as a health index to calculate a 'utility' value or as a health profile. The validity, reliability and responsiveness of EQ-5D were tested in 233 patients with rheumatoid arthritis stratified by functional class. EQ-5D demonstrated moderate to high correlations with measures of impairment and high correlations with disability measures. Stepwise regression models showed that EQ-5D utility values and visual analogue scores were explained best as a function of pain, disability, disease activity and mood (R2 approximately 70%), although other variables (side-effects, years of education) were required to explain the visual analogue scores. The EQ-5D health index and visual analogue scale are more responsive than any of the other measures, except pain and doctor-assessed disease activity. The reliability of the EQ-5D index and EQ-5D visual analogue scale is as good or better than that of all other instruments except the Health Assessment Questionnaire. Some patients with severe long-standing disease had health states which attracted utility values below zero, i.e. from a societal perspective they were regarded as being in states 'worse than death'. The practical and ethical implications of these utility valuations are discussed, and at present the utility values should be used and interpreted with caution. With this caveat, EQ-5D is simple to use, valid, responsive to change and sufficiently reliable for group comparisons. It is of potential use as an outcome measure in clinical trials, audit and health economic studies, but further work is required on its performance in other clinical contexts and on the interpretation of the utility values.
A Fuzzy-Evolutionary Algorithm for Simultaneous Localization and Mapping of Mobile Robots

This paper presents a real world application of fuzzy logic and Genetic algorithm (GA) in mobile robotics. It proposes a novel method of integrating fuzzy logic and GA to solve the Simultaneous Localization And Mapping (SLAM) problem of mobile robots. The proposed algorithm, termed as Fuzzy-Evolutionary SLAM, solves the global optimization problem of SLAM where the objective function measures the quality of a robot's pose in accommodating a local map into a partially developed global map of the environment. The search for the optimal robot's pose is performed by a GA. Knowledge on the problem domain is preprocessed by a fuzzy logic system and allows the GA to evolve within a specified region of the search space. It helps to speed-up the GA based search. The proposed algorithm processes data in an incremental fashion and follows essentially no assumption about the environment. Experimental results validate the performance of the proposed algorithm.
Evaluation Knowledge Management Processes and Identifying the Effective Factor for their Improvement: Iranian Police Case Study

This study aims to evaluation of knowledge management processes including knowledge generation & acquisition, saving & organizing, dissemination & sharing and application in the public sector especially in police through a case study based investigation and identifies factors affecting for improvement them. The evaluation was examined through 423 questionnaires provided by in different police units (Criminal Investigation department, prevention, traffic ICT, Anti- narcotics and cyber) by using descriptive method. The Delphi technique was used to determine the key factors affecting for improvement the processes. The results of evaluation of processes showed, there are a gap between the current state and the desired state of knowledge management in all units. Delphi technique identifies 14 key factors for improvement knowledge management processes. This study is conducted based on gathered data from police units in Iran, but police units in other countries were not available, and were considered as a limitation of research.
Clinically distinct subgroups of glioblastoma multiforme studied by comparative genomic hybridization.

Studies investigating genetic alterations potentially constituting prognostic factors in glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) have centered mainly around amplification events. Comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) is a recent molecular cytogenetic technique that allows the detection of chromosomal imbalances and amplification sites in tumor DNA prepared from fresh or archival material. A group of 94 patients with GBM underwent surgery followed by a standard course of radiotherapy. Neuroradiologic monitoring with gadolinium-enhanced serial magnetic resonance imaging was applied to study the radiologically progression-free interval (RPFI) and tumor regrowth velocity. These parameters provided a clinical estimate of the postoperative tumor regrowth kinetics and yielded two clinically distinct groups. The most pronounced cases were selected from each group, i.e., those with the most favorable and unfavorable prognosis. Two subgroups with a statistically significant difference in RPFI (p < 0.001, Mann-Whitney U test) containing 10 patients each were formed: Subgroup A (slow tumor regrowth kinetics) and subgroup B (fast tumor regrowth kinetics). For a search of chromosomal alterations that might be correlated with tumor regrowth kinetics, we applied CGH to formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tumor tissue from these 20 patients. Except for autosomes 18 and 21, all chromosomes were involved at least once in copy-number aberrations. Events commonly associated with GBM, i.e., gains of chromosome 7, complete and partial losses of 9p, 10, and 22q, were not distributed differently between the two subgroups. The following differences were noticeable. Gains (including amplifications) of 12q14-q21 and of 19 were observed more often in subgroup A. Losses of 6q16-qter and parts of 13, and gains of 20, were more frequent in subgroup B. RPFI was significantly shorter for patients without amplification sites than for patients with gene amplification. RPFI did not differ significantly between patients with or without 7p12 amplification, where the epidermal growth factor receptor gene is localized. New amplification sites for GEM tumors were revealed at 11q13 and 11q22-q23. Loss of chromosome 10 was restricted to bands 10q25-q26 in one case. Although differences in the copy-number karyotypes of patients with slow and fast postoperative tumor-regrowth kinetics were noted, the present CGH study did not reveal any single alteration useful as a prognostic factor. In particular, these data do not support the assumption that patients suffering from GBM with amplification events would have a poorer prognosis than others.
Preparation of the actuarial balance sheet based on the present value of assets and liabilities of the going concern

The article studies the problem of applicability in the accounting practice the going concern's assets and liabilities estimation at the present value. The drawn conclusion is that it is necessary to use the present value to estimate certain assets and liabilities of the going concern and to prepare the actuarial balance. The article is the first to consider the method of preparing the actuarial balance sheet for the purpose of estimation of the financial position and future potential of the company; it describes in detail the preparation steps of actuarial balance sheet based on certain calculations (procedures).