Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Deregulation of Foreign Exchange Market and its Effect on Industrial Produce in Nigeria

The problem of the effect of high regulation in the foreign exchange market which in advertently have a determining factor on the performance of business organizations is an issue of concern most especially in industries in Nigeria. Data on variables which are relevant to this study like industrial produce, exchange rate, and inflation rate, labour force per time, capital stock and political regulations/ instability were gathered from secondary source like the Central Bank of Nigeria statistical bulletin. The data were analyzed using the ordinary least square econometric technique and the result showed that while both labour and capital are positively significant in explaining industrial produce, inflation was negatively significant in explaining it. This paper thus recommended amongst others that the educational sector should be prioritized by the government in order to have a strong labour force, and also long term funds should be provided for the growth of the manufacturing sector.
Macro- and micro-geographic variation in pantophysin (PanI) allele frequencies in NE Atlantic cod Gadus morhua

Using samples of Atlantic cod Gadus morhua L. from the North Sea, and previously pub- lished genetic data from the Irish and Celtic Seas, Iceland, and Norwegian fjord and offshore popu- lations, we describe striking macro- and micro-geographic patterns in pantophysin (PanI) allele fre- quencies. The relatively abrupt discontinuity in PanI allele frequency distribution at 2 different locations is not congruent with standard patterns of isolation by distance and could arise from popu- lation admixtures, historical or contemporary natural selection, behavioural segregation or a combi- nation of these factors. Here, we examined the relationships between the distributions of PanI alleles and temperature, salinity and depth. In the northeast Atlantic, temperature was highly correlated with PanI allele frequency, even when the effect of geographic distance was removed. In the Norwe- gian fjords, partial Mantel tests indicated that temperature, salinity and depth all had a significant effect on PanI allele frequency in juvenile fish. However, a sample from the brackish waters of the eastern Baltic Sea suggested that salinity may be linked to PanI allele frequency distribution and that the relationship with temperature was weaker in areas of low salinity. Strong correlations between PanI allele frequencies and key environmental variables, together with evidence from the available literature, suggested that environmental conditions play an important role in determining the distri- bution of different PanI genotypes. The combined use of environmental data, PanI genotyping and neutral markers may provide a valuable approach to examine local adaptation, levels of gene flow and stock structuring.
An Analysis of Wushu's Theoretical Concept and its Reflection in Wushu's Practice

Wushu is an essential part of Chinese culture. It is highly valued for its defensive, health-preserving, entertaining and educational functions. It has a rich history and its development can be traced from the dawn of the Chinese civilization till its present status as a sports discipline aiming to enter the Olympic Games. The internationalization of Wushu being one of the main concerns in the context of its present development suggests the existence of comprehensible literature that can provide the non- Chinese reader with a better understanding of Wushu. Therefore, this paper introduces health-preserving, social-regulating and harmonizing functions of Wushu,the way they are reflected in its practice.
DIAGNOSTIC INVESTIGATIONS OF DIESEL ENGINE TURBOCHARGERS AT LABORATORY STANDS TURBOCHARGERS AT LABORATORY STANDS

Turbochargers caused significant number of marine diesel engines malfunctions especially when engine is fueled by heavy fuel oil. Vibro-acoustic diagnostic methods which could be used on marine diesel engines with turbochargers are presented in the paper. Vibration signals generated by turbochargers need different signal processing methods to be effective and faultless in turbochargers diagnostics. Diagnostic methods which based on vibration signals analysis are sensitive on engine load and speed changes. Some results of turbocharger tests which were carried out in the Polish Naval Academy Technical Institute of Ship Maintenance laboratory are presented in the paper with special attention given to the practical aspects in processing the vibration signal and diagnostic effectiveness.
A New Hybrid Collaborative Recommender Using Semantic Web Technology and Demographic data

Recommender systems are gaining a great importance with the emergence of E-commerce and business on the internet. Collaborative Filtering (CF) is one of the most promising techniques in recommender systems. It uses the known preferences of a group of users to make recommendations for other users. Regardless of its success in many application domains, CF has main limitations such as sparsity, scalability and new user/item problems. As new direction, semantic-based recommenders have emerged that deal with the semantic information of items. Such systems can improve the performance of classical CF by allowing the recommender system to make inferences based on an additional source of knowledge. Moreover, the incorporation of demographic data in recommender systems can help to improve the quality of recommendations. In this paper, we present a new hybrid CF approach that exploits Semantic Web Technology as well as demographic data to alleviate all the problems mentioned above. The experimental results on the MovieLens dataset verify the effectiveness and efficiency of our approach over other benchmarks.
EFFECT OF WASHING CYCLES ON THE QUALITY OF SURIMI-LIKE MATERIAL OBTAINED FROM MECHANICALLY DEBONED

The appropriate number of washing cycles for obtaining most of the surimi-like materials is not well defi ned in literature. The aim of this work was to investigate the infl uence of the number of washing cycles (one, two, or four) on the quality of surimi-like material obtained from mechanically deboned chicken meat (MDCM) using the bleaching method with sodium bicarbonate. The product was evaluated based on its chemical and physical characteristics. The chemical compositions of samples showed an increase in protein (45.7 to 89.9%, dry basis) and decrease in fat (49.1 to 7.0%, dry basis) contents, while the moisture content increased from 69.5 to 79.1% after four washing cycles. Washing diminished yield. Gel prepared with MDCM washed once showed the lowest gel strength (507.1 g.cm). It thereafter increased to 546.0 and 602.7 g.cm after double and quadruple washings, respectively. Higher content of myofi brillar proteins and higher whiteness were also obtained after successive washings. It was concluded that four washing cycles was the most appropriate method for producing surimi-like material from MDCM.
A Morphometric Study of the Right Atrioventricular Valve in Cadavers

The left atrioventricular (mitral) complex comprises of the annulus, the leaflets, the chordae tendineae muscles. The mitral valve is involved in many conditions such as stenosis, regurgitation, prolapse, rheumatic heart disease, endocarditis etc. Hence, detailed information of the dimensions of the valve is essential especially in surgical interventions such as reconstruction or replacement. The study aimed at measuring the various dimensions of the mitral valve complex. The study was conducted over a period of one year. Thirty adult hearts obtained from embalmed cadavers were used for the study. The mean width and height of anterior leaflet were 37.0 mm and 23.0 mm respectively. The mean width and height of posterior leaflet were 56.7 mm and 13.8 mm respectively. The mean circumference of annulus was 97.0 mm. The mean lengths of anterior and pos
DOES THE iHGOLDILOCKS CONJECTURElS APPLY TOSOFTWARE REUSE? AN EXPLORATORY STUDYUSING A DOMAIN-SPECIFIC REUSE MODEL

The Goldilocks Conjecture represents a speculation that there exists an optimal module size and is based upon behavior observed in software defect prediction models. While some data sets suggest that the Goldilocks Conjecture may apply to defect density prediction, the effect of module size on software reuse effectiveness is not fully understood. Breakeven analysis represents an important aspect of software reuse. This paper examines the breakeven point for repositories of reusable software modules, in relation to both module size and repository size, using a domain-specific model of software reuse. The findings suggest that a variant of the Goldilocks Conjecture may apply, but prescriptions for software reuse practitioners must be made with caution.
Does Participation in the Conservation Reserve Program and/or Off-Farm Work Affect the Level and Distribution of Farm Household Income?

Using a national survey of U.S farm households, this paper investigates the interrelationship among the decisions to work off the farm by the operator and the spouse, and participation in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). The effects of these three decisions on farm household income are also examined. By estimating a heteroscedastic household income function, we identify the effects of participating in these activities on the average level of farm household income and its variation within each sub-group of farms involved in the several combinations of activities. Our empirical results support the hypothesis that participation in the CRP and decisions to work off the farm by the operator and the spouse are made jointly rather than independently. The operators' decisions to work off the farm and to participate in CRP increase the mean level of the household income, while the spouses' decisions to work off the farm help decrease the variation in household income among households in that sub-group.
Probabilistic tsunami hazard assessment for the Makran region with focus on maximum magnitude assumption

Abstract. Despite having been rather seismically quiescent for the last decades, the Makran subduction zone is capable of hosting destructive earthquakes and tsunami. In particular, the well-known thrust event in 1945 (Balochistan earthquake) led to about 4000 casualties. Nowadays, the coastal regions are more densely populated and vulnerable to similar events. Furthermore, some recent publications discuss rare but significantly larger events at the Makran subduction zone as possible scenarios. We analyze the instrumental and historical seismicity at the subduction plate interface and generate various synthetic earthquake catalogs spanning 300 000 years with varying magnitude-frequency relations. For every event in the catalogs we compute estimated tsunami heights and present the resulting tsunami hazard along the coasts of Pakistan, Iran and Oman in the form of probabilistic tsunami hazard curves. We show how the hazard results depend on variation of the Gutenberg–Richter parameters and especially maximum magnitude assumption.
HIDDEN FEATURES DETECTION USING HISTOGRAM MODIFICATION IN MRI IMAGES

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) uses magnetization and radio waves, rather than x-rays to make very detailed, cross- sectional pictures of the brain. In this work we are going to explain some procedures belongs contrast and brightness improvement which is very important in the improvement the image quality such as the manipulation with the image histogram. Its has been explained in this worked the histogram shrink i.e. reducing the size of the gray level gives a dim low contrast picture is produced, where, the histogram stretching of the gray level was distributed on a wide scale but there is no increase in the number of pixels in the bright region. The histogram equalization has also been discuss together with its effects of the improvement of the image clarity.
α-Lipoic Acid Exerts a Primary Prevention for the Neointimal Hyperplasia in Balloon-Injured Rat Carotid Arteries.

Background: It has been reported that α-lipoic acid is an anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory agent, and exhibits beneficial effects in experimental disease models such as hypertension and acute kidney injury. In the present study, we examined effects of α-lipoic acid on neointimal hyperplasia in balloon-injured carotid arteries. Methods: Male rats underwent balloon injury of the right carotid artery with a 2F Fogarty balloon catheter. α- Lipoic acid was administrated to balloon-injured rats in the following treatment schedules; (1) days -3 to 14, (2) days -3 to 3, (3) days 7 to 14 and (4) vehicle. We evaluated the neointimal formation, NADPH oxidase-dependent superoxide production, nitrotyrosine expression and p50 subunit of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB p50) expression in balloon-injured and uninjured carotid arteries. Results: In vehicle-treated rats, a significant neointimal formation was observed at 14 days after balloon injury in the carotid artery, and NADPH oxidase-dependent superoxide production, nitrotyrosine expression and NF-κB p50 expression in injured right carotid arteries significantly increased at 2 days after balloon injury as compared with uninjured left carotid arteries. The long-term treatment (initiated 3 days before surgery and continued for 14 days after balloon injury; days -3 to 14) with α-lipoic acid (100 mg/kg/day) markedly reduced the neointimal formation, NADPH oxidase-mediated superoxide production, nitrotyrosine and NF-κB p50 expression. The superoxide production, nitrotyroeine and NF-κB p50 expression at 2 days after balloon injury were significantly inhibited by the short-term treatment with α-lipoic acid (days -3 to 2). The short-term treatment (days -3 to 3) also could suppress the neointimal formation at 14 days after balloon injury. Conclusion: The present study suggests that the treatment with α-lipoic acid leads to a reduction of neointimal formation, probably by inhibiting enhanced superoxide production, nitrotyrosine and NF-κB p50 activation in an early phase after balloon injury.
The Brexit Vote and Trade

The Brexit vote created a lot of economic uncertainty in Great Britain. Since uncertainty affects the decisions of businesses, it also affects those of traders. This paper provides evidence that the uncertainty created by the Brexit vote affected the international trade of the United Kingdom. The descriptive analysis points out that imports and exports from and to the European Union did decline. The general effect, however, is negligible. It turns out that there is no difference in effect between different kinds of goods. These results highlight that the economic impact of the Brexit is not perceived positively by businesses, though the negative sentiment is not strong enough to have significant impacts.
Thyroid Hormones, Insulin, Body Fat, and Blood Biochemistry Indices in Dairy Cows During the Reproduction/Production Cycle

Abstract This study investigated the changes in: thyroid hormones, amount of subcutaneous fat, and selected indices of blood biochemistry in dairy cows in relation to the reproduction/production cycle. The blood samples were collected both ante- and post-partum every two weeks. When evaluating the mean values of the investigated indices, the major changes were recorded in dairy cows 3 to 14 days after calving. During this period, we observed a significant decrease in the mean serum levels of T3 (P < 0.05), T4 (P < 0.01), and triglycerides (P < 0.01). An opposite trend was observed with a significant increase after calving in the: mean serum levels of β-hydroxybutyrate (P < 0.05), urea (P < 0.01), and mean AST activities (P < 0.05). A significant increase over the normal range was recorded in the average levels of non-esterified fatty acids (P < 0.01) and total bilirubin (P < 0.01). From the next sampling (28 days after calving) onwards we recorded a significant increase in the blood serum levels of cholesterol (P < 0.01), total lipids (P < 0.01), total protein (P < 0.01), as well as a significant decrease in the insulin levels (P < 0.05) and a reduced layer of subcutaneous fat (P < 0.01). The blood serum iodine concentration showed only slight significant changes (P < 0.05) during the observation. Blood serum levels of glucose did not show any significant changes during the whole observation period. Within the whole observation period we found a negative correlation between T3 levels and the layer of subcutaneous fat (r = −0.2606; P < 0.05). This correlation was much more marked in cows 3 to 14 days after calving (r = −0.5077; P < 0.05), which may indicate a possible relationships between the thyroid status, body condition, and post partum negative energy balance.
The Mean Variance Mixing GARCH (1,1) model

Here we present a general framework for a GARCH (1,1) type of process with innovations with a probability law of the mean- variance mixing type, therefore we call the process in question the mean variance mixing GARCH \ (1,1) or MVM GARCH\(1,1). One implication is a GARCH\ model with skewed innovations and constant mean dynamics. This is achieved without using a location parameter to compensate for time dependence that affects the mean dynamics. From a probabilistic viewpoint the idea is straightforward. We just construct our stochastic process from the desired behavior of the cumulants. Further we provide explicit expressions for the unconditional second to fourth cumulants for the process in question. In the paper we present a specification of the MVM-GARCH process where the mixing variable is of the inverse Gaussian type. On the basis on this assumption we can formulate a maximum likelihood based approach for estimating the process closely related to the approach used to estimate an ordinary GARCH (1,1). Under the distributional assumption that the mixing random process is an inverse Gaussian i.i. d process the MVM-GARCH process is then estimated on log return data from the Standard and Poor 500 index. An analysis for the conditional skewness and kurtosis implied by the process is also presented in the paper
FACTORS INFLUENCING PAYMENT OF IRRIGATION SERVICE FEES

This article attempts to identify factors affecting participation in payment of irrigation service fees. There are five variables comprising demographic and economic of land variables were tested to find the variables that influenced the participation significantly. The five variables tested consisted of age and formal education as demographic variables; land productivity, land size, and land tenure as the economic of land variables. The results showed that formal education (demographic variable) had positive relationship and land size (economic of land variable) had negative relationship with the participation. Positive relationship between formal education and participation in payment of irrigation service fees meant that the participation increased as farmers' education increased. Meanwhile, negative relationship between land size and the participation in payment of irrigation service fees showed that the farmers' participation would increase as the land size owned by farmers decreased. In other words, participation in payment of irrigation service fees was higher among farmers with small lands rather than that among farmers with large lands. keywords: pump irrigation, factor influencing participation, logistic model
Macro-Economic Variables and Their Impact on Stock Exchange: A Study of Pakistan (KSE 100 Index)

This study examines the relationship between the Karachi stock exchange and macro-economic variables. Monthly data for the time period July 2005 to April 2014 has been considered. CPI, FX, GDP, INT, Gold prices and oil prices in Pakistan are chosen as the macroeconomic variables. Unit root tests, Johansen and Juselius 1990 Cointegration, long & Short term granger causality under VECM framework along with the Sims 1980 variance decomposition and Pulse impulse response function has been employed. The analysis suggest that there is the long run cointegration among the variables and KSE and all the variables granger cause the KSE 100 index in the long run whereas in short run only forex granger cause KSE. An interesting finding is the significant explanation of variance in KSE 100 Index by the oil prices in Pakistan and the adverse response of the KSE on the one standard deviation shock to the oil prices.
Importance of Biofilms in Urinary Tract Infections: New Therapeutic Approaches

Bacterial biofilms play an important role in urinary tract infections (UTIs), being responsible for persistence infections causing relapses and acute prostatitis. Bacterial forming biofilm are difficult to eradicate due to the antimicrobial resistant phenotype that this structure confers being combined therapy recommended for the treatment of biofilm-associated infections. However, the presence of persistent cells showing reduced metabolism that leads to higher levels of antimicrobial resistance makes the search for new therapeutic tools necessary. Here, a review of these new therapeutic approaches is provided including catheters coated with hydrogels or antibiotics, nanoparticles, iontophoresis, biofilm enzyme inhibitors, liposomes, bacterial interference, bacteriophages, quorum sensing inhibitors, low-energy surface acoustic waves, and antiadhesion agents. In conclusion, new antimicrobial drugs that inhibit bacterial virulence and biofilm formation are needed.
Oceanic Kelvin waves and tropical Atlantic intraseasonal variability: 1. Kelvin wave characterization

[1] Oceanic Kelvin waves from the equator to the West African coast are investigated in the framework of tropical Atlantic intraseasonal variability. In order to better highlight the wave propagations, a 25–95 day band-pass filter was applied to the sea surface height (SSH) product derived from the TOPEX/POSEIDON altimeter and an ocean general circulation model simulation for the 1993–2000 period. In addition to equatorial eastward propagations, our analysis reveals recurrent and continuous propagations distinguishable over thousands of kilometers poleward along the coasts as far as about 10°–15° latitude, a novel result with altimeter data. The variance of the filtered SSH signal goes from 1 cm at the equator to 2 cm at the African coast. Estimates of the phase speed range from 1.5 to 2.1 m/s along the equator and the West African coastline. Such values are very close to those of equatorial Kelvin wave propagations, likely dominated by the first two baroclinic modes, supporting the fact that the coastal propagations are coastally trapped Kelvin waves. In order to simplify the description of these Kelvin waves, we present an intraseasonal climatology which reveals regular boreal autumn–winter equator to coast propagations. An improved description is achieved thanks to the computation of an extended empirical orthogonal function for the boreal autumn–winter propagations. Lag correlation of SSH signals allows for a twofold quantification: the phase speed and the importance of remote forcing along the coast. The remote forcing effect of intraseasonal Kelvin waves is clearly evidenced over coastal upwelling regions as far as 10°–15° latitude. The physical mechanism associated with the forcing of the Kelvin waves and its impacts will be investigated in a future paper.
An Empirical Analysis of Performance Impacts Resulting from Conversion to Franchise Operations

Franchising is an important form of organizational control. Possible benefits of franchising include its ability to reduce agency costs that increase with costly monitoring, and provide incentives for the use of local information by onsite managers. However, these benefits may come at a cost, as franchisees may reduce quality by choosing to free ride. While many studies have investigated the reasons for franchising, few studies have documented the impacts of franchising on unit level operating performance. Using time-series data from a number of lodging properties that were converted to franchisee control from company control, this study documents the performance impacts of franchising. The analysis reveals that conversion results in a modest decline in financial performance and an immediate sharp decline in quality.