Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Characterization of Lightning Occurrence in Alaska Using Various Weather Indices for Lightning Forecasting

Alaska lost 10% of its boreal forest area due to vigorous forest fires in 2004 and 2005. Repeated lightningcaused forest fires adversely impact residents and influence earth’s atmosphere in every fire season. The authors have reported on the weather conditions of Alaska’s most severe lightning occurrence in mid June 2005. This paper examines a range of weather indices like soar, instability, ‘dry lightning’ and other factors that could clearly explain lightning characteristics in Alaska. First, lightning occurrence days from May to September were classified into ‘non or small lightning’ days and ‘lightning’ days to determine threshold values. Second, ‘lightning’ days were categorized into ‘less severe,’ ‘severe,’ ‘very severe,’ and ‘extremely severe’ to notice controlling factors on the lightning severity. Based on this analysis, the lifted index (LIFT) was selected as sensitive to assess upper air instability, and Tee88550 (environmental temperature at 850 hPa) was selected as sensitive to assess warm and moist air masses. Finally, the possibilities of lightning forecasts in Alaska arediscussed using lightning occurrenceand LIFT and TTe8850 in 2005. As there is a time-lag between LIFT measurements (14:00) and the lightning peak (-17:00), and around one day time-lag between Tee85500 and lightning occurrence, lightning forecasts using LIFT and Tee850 could provide a simply applicable forecast index for Alaska.
Beware More than Just the Yellow Snow! A Norovirus Outbreak Associated with a Ski Resort

A laboratory-confirmed Norovirus outbreak occurred at an Arizona ski resort February 2013. A case-control study was performed by the University of Arizona’s student outbreak response team (SAFER) in collaboration with county and state health departments. 46 cases and 25 controls were interviewed quickly. Having eaten at a restaurant at the ski resort was significantly associated with being a case (odds ratio [OR]=9.7) and in particular, the base restaurant (OR=24.9). While the outbreak was likely the result of environmental contamination in the restaurant, the consumption of French fries may have played a significant role. This investigation highlights a successful collaboration between academic and applied public health.
CReAM Discussion Paper No 14 / 11 Referral-based Job Search Networks

This paper develops a model and derives novel testable implications of referral-based job search networks in which employees provide employers with information about potential job market candidates that they otherwise would not have. Using unique matched employer-employee data that cover the entire workforce in one large metropolitan labor market over a 20 year period, we find strong support for the predictions of our model. We first show that firms are more likely to hire minority workers from a particular group if the existing share of workers from that group employed in the firm is higher. We then provide evidence that workers earn higher wages, and are less likely to leave their firms, if they were hired by a firm with a larger share of minority workers from their own group and are therefore more likely to have obtained the job through a referral. The effects are particularly strong at the beginning of the employment relationship and decline with tenure in the firm. These findings have important implications in suggesting that job search networks help to reduce informational deficiencies in the labor market and lead to productivity gains for workers and firms.
Dominància i ocupació de l'espai en grups de primats no-humans: un model basat en conducta adaptativa

L�estructura jerarquica es una de les caracteristiques fonamentals de les societats de primats, que condiciona en gran mesura el comportament dels individus que conviuen al grup. Quines lleis regeixen la formacio i l�estructura d�aquestes jerarquies? Per que en determinats grups els subjectes mes dominants se situen al centre del grup i en uns altres de la mateixa especie no? En el camp de la conducta animal s�han proposat multiples hipotesis, pero no n�hi ha cap que siga totalment satisfactoria, ja que a causa de les multiples variables que hi infl ueixen, es dificil desplegar una teoria que explique tota la complexitat que s�observa empiricament. La nostra proposta d�estudi es basa en l�enfocament de la modelitzacio de la conducta adaptativa, la qual ens permet, mitjancant la simulacio informatica, implementar moltes de les variables que autors com Taste (1995), Koenig (2001) i Barta i Giraldeau (1998) han considerat importants per a l�estructura de formacions jerarquiques en primats. Seguint el model proposat per Hemelrijk (1998), hem programat un simulador basat en agents, en el qual les regles de conducta implementades fan emergir estructures jerarquiques complexes. En una primera fase de la investigacio, que es desenvolupa en aquest article, hem replicat els estudis de Hemelrijk (1996). Els nostres resultats coincideixen amb els obtinguts per Hemelrijk, cosa que, en posteriors treballs, ens permetra implementar noves variables al nostre model.
Determinants of Intellectual Capital Performance: Empirical Evidence from Ethiopian Banks

Intellectual capital can be described in terms of a tripartite connotation containing human capital, relational capital and structural capital components. Its concept is relatively new in worldwide business environment, mostly; within the field of accounting and finance (Al-Hamadeen & Suwaidan, 2014). For that reason, these concepts are applied in business activities of developed countries mostly (Iswati & Anshori, 2007). Studies have been carried out in diverse areas to identify factors that determine intellectual capital performance of banks. However, most of these studies were made in developed countries and gave mixed results though evidences on the case of developing economies, like Ethiopia’s, are limited. Hence, the purpose of this study was to empirically examine the determinants of intellectual capital performance of Ethiopia banks. Specifically, the study empirically investigated impact of bank age, bank size, investment in information and technology, bank risk, profitability, ratio of staff cost to total income, and bank concentration on intellectual capital performance. This study adopted correlational explanatory research design with arrangement of secondary data, short panel, quantitative approach and deductive method of inquiry. Econometric model estimation procedures and specification tests of panel data linear regression models were tried. Accordingly, fixed effect regression model was validated. Empirical evidences of fixed effect linear regression analysis revealed that bank profitability, ratio of staff cost, investment in information and technology and bank concentration have statistically significant positive effect on intellectual capital performance. On the other hand, bank risk and age have statistically significant negative effect on intellectual capital performance. However, bank size has statistically insignificant negative relationship with intellectual capital performance. Keywords : Intellectual capital, Value added intellectual capital coefficient, Fixed effect, and Ethiopian banks
VERSUS KNOWLEDGE DEPLOYMENT : How Foreignness can be both an Asset and a Liability for Firms Third Main Title Line Third Line

Many modern firms compete globally. However, research into whether foreignness is an asset or a liability in competition with domestic firms is inconclusive. We argue that foreign MNC subsidiaries are not per se advantaged or disadvantaged. We suggest that the distinction originates from the nature of the subsidiary’s activity in the host country. We focus on two activities: knowledge search and knowledge deployment. We predict theoretically that domestic firms have advantages when they search for knowledge due to their embeddedness in the host country. However, this increased embeddedness reduces the degree of novelty of their knowledge pool. Foreign MNC subsidiaries therefore have advantages in knowledge deployment because they draw from a richer, international knowledge pool. However, these advantages accrue to both foreign and domestic MNCs. We test and support these predictions for a longitudinal dataset of 2900 firm observations in Spain. We develop recommendations for research and practice based on these findings.
Check One: Tutor Hat, Teacher Hat, Facilitator Hat, Some/All/None of the Above

This autoethnographic essay uses a recent conference experience to delve into ques- tions of process-oriented center-tutor identity. Through multiple lenses and descriptors, we attempt to reveal some of the intricate negotiations that characterize our multi-hatted educative work as tutors, teachers, and workshop facilitators within the UMass Boston community. We argue that the current context of increasing acceptance and recognition of writing center tutor authority and expertise necessitates a reexamination of tutor integrity, tutor/informant roles, and the tutor as a complex self. Anecdotal evidence from the conference presentation, workshop negotiations, and actual tutorials flesh out these autoethnographic snapshots. We forego closure by posing a fresh set of problematic questions, stemming from our new insights.
THE INFORMATION CONTENT OF ECONOMIC VALUE ADDED, RESIDUAL INCOME, EARNINGS AND OPERATING CASH FLOW: EVIDENCE FROM SOUTH AFRICAN INDUSTRIAL SHARES

Proponents of the value based financial performance measure of Economic Value Added (EVA) argue that it is a major improvement over other traditional measures. This study investigates the relationship between EVA and market-adjusted share returns, and compares it to that of residual income, earnings and operating cash flow. Relative information content tests suggest that earnings have the strongest relationship with share returns. The results from the incremental information content tests indicate that although the EVA components provide statistically significant information content beyond that provided by residual income, the level of significance is low.
Diagnostic Role of pANCA and ASCA in Adult Thai Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Diseases

Background: Perinuclear antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (pANCA) are the well recognized marker for ulcerative colitis (UC). Antibodies to oligomannosidic epitopes of yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae (ASCA) are the new seromarker associated with Crohn’s disease (CD). While the prevalence of both UC and CD in Thai populations is low, it is interesting to know the role of these seromarkers in such population. Objective: To assess the value of using pANCA and/or ASCA for the diagnosis of adult Thai IBD patients. Methods: Serum sample were obtained from 19 patients of CD and 50 patients of UC. Determination of both seromarkers was performed by using the standardized indirect immunofluorescence technique in all sera. Results: The combination of a positive pANCA test and a negative ASCA test yielded a sensitivity and specificity of 16.0%, 89.5% respectively for UC. The combination of a negative pANCA test and a positive ASCA test yielded a sensitivity and specificity of 42.1%, 62.0% respectively for CD. There was no correlation between the positively of both seromarkers and the clinical features of both diseases. Conclusion: The prevalence of pANCA in Thai UC patients is much lower than that in the Western population. ASCA and pANCA are not useful diagnostic tools for differentiating UC from CD in adult Thai patients compare with Western population.
Evaluation of Performance on Open MP Parallel Platform based on Problem Size

This paper evaluates the performance of matrix multiplication algorithm on dual core 2.0 GHz processor with two threads. A novel methodology was designed to implement this algorithm on Open MP platform by selecting time of execution, speed up and efficiency as performance parameters. Based on the experimental analysis, it was found that a good performance can be achieved by executing the problem in parallel rather than sequential after a certain problem size.
The Effect of Matching on Firm Earnings Components

Abstract Using a sample of all U.S. firms listed on the U.S. major stock exchanges for the period covering 1988 through 2014, we investigate the relation between firm earnings components and matching. Following the methodology of Hui et al. (2016), we decompose earnings into industry-wide and firm-specific earnings. Then, we partition them into cash flows and accruals, four earnings components. As our matching measure, we use the correlation between revenues and expenses over the five-year rolling period. We investigate how matching affects the persistence of each earnings component and our results indicate that matching enhances the persistence of earnings components. Furthermore, our study shows that the effect is more outstanding on firm-specific accruals, which are more prone to the management discretion, than cash flows.
Does artistic value explain the performance of contemporary artists

We examine the contemporary art market of the 100 best artists as classified by the Kunstkompass 2006 in the German magazine Capital in comparison with price achieved by artworks from the same artists sold through auction sales. Using the hedonic regression method, we test whether and in which way classical information (dimensions, materials used, signature, etc.) or new parameters like Kunstkompass ranking play a significant role in the determination of the price. We show that an independent ranking aiming at classifying the artistic value provides a reliable estimate for artworks' value.
Linking Single Period Attribution Results

Within fund management, attribution analysis identifies the sources of an active manager’s past performance over some time period. Past performance here is relative: A manager’s portfolio return is compared with that of a predefined benchmark. Common sources, or attribution effects, of past relative performance include security selection (how well the manager chose mispriced individual securities) and asset allocation (how well the manager invested across such broad security categories as equities and bonds).
Competitiveness among Asian Exporters in the World Rice Market

With the gradual reduction in trade barriers led by the process of globalisation, more emphasis is now being placed on promoting export competitiveness. Asia is the home of many of the world’s top rice exporters. The food-price crisis has divided Asia into “rice haves ” and “rice have-nots ”. In order to describe the processes involved in securing and maintaining international competitiveness in rice exports, the present study has used the Balassa and White indices of revealed comparative advantage and revealed competitive advantage respectively. Results have revealed that Pakistan is the most competitive country in rice trade and ranks first in both agricultural product trade and total merchandise exports.
Farmers’ Attitude about Organic Pest Management Practices and Soil Biodiversity Conservation in Budondo Sub County, Jinja District

Farmers’ attitudes have determined the choice of pest management method in Uganda. As a result of increased demand for food to cater for the increasing population, agricultural production has developed. Apparently, most of Ugandan farmers use inorganic pesticides and herbicides as the most effective and quick method of pest control. However these synthetic chemicals heavily contribute to soil biodiversity loss. A study of 340 households in Budondo Sub-County farming community, Jinja District revealed that pests affected crops and caused significant yield losses. This was manifested in their score of responses viz. strongly agreed (1175) and strongly agreed (1075) respectively. Farmers therefore sprayed their gardens with inorganic pesticides (81.8%) in order to eliminate pests quickly (86.5%). The study also revealed that organic pest management practices have not been adopted because of inadequate training, inadequate knowledge which was found significant at (χ² (77, n=340) =180.441, p < . 001) and attitude significant at (χ² (99, n=340) =161.511, p < . 001). The researcher therefore recommended the government of Uganda to make and adopt a policy and action plan on organic pest management for sustainable soil biodiversity conservation. Farmers in Budondo be actively involved, sensitized and trained about organic
Sharp and weighted inequalities for multilinear integral operators

En este trabajo demostramos algunas desigualdades ponderadas para operadores multilineales relacionados con ciertos operadores integrales en los espacios generalizados de Morrey usando estimaciones ajustadas de los operadores multilineales. Los operadores incluyen los operadores de Littlewood-Paley, de Marcinkiewicz y de Bochner-Riesz.
DESIGN OF SENSOR NETWORK FOR REAL TIME DATA ACQUISITION OF WATER LEVEL IN THE AGRICULTURAL FIELD

Crop loss due to water logging and floods in the agricultural fields is one of biggest challenges faced by the farmers and a cause of concern for the scientists and researchers working for the innovations in agricultural technologies. Crop loss due to water logging take toll of heavy economic loss to the farmers and indirectly affect country's economy by enhancing the fiscal deficit. To counteract this problem, this paper proposes a system wherein the crop loss is reduced by controlling the water level in the field. In this system, capacitive plate based liquid level sensors are used in the sensor network. The main focus of this paper is on the design of a novel sensor network which is capable of sensing 96 sensor values which is obvious in the case of large commercial farms, using few ADC pins of a micro controller. This paper makes use of the proposed sensor network for agricultural application to prevent crop loss due to water logging.
Exploring the imperative for purchasing strategic alignment to drive purchasing maturity

This study challenges purchasing literature on its lacking consideration of contextual factors, resulting in generic recommendations that oversimplify reality. Through a systematic review across purchasing maturity, purchasing strategic alignment and strategic purchasing literature, core conceptualisations are examined to understand underlying premises and the impact on performance links. This analysis highlights issues and unarticulated assumptions that limit the generalisability of any relationships with performance. The paper proposes a framework for future research that conceptualises alignment as a smaller gap between the current and target category maturity profile.
A novel edible coating for apple fruits

Edible coatings are an environmentally friendly technology that is applied to many products to control moisture transfer, soluble and aromatic materials, gas exchange or oxidation processes. The objective of this research was to study the effect of tragacanth gum at the concentrations of 0, 5, 10, and 15 kg m-3 on storage life and edible quality of apple cvs. Red Delicious and Golden Delicious. After applying treatments, the fruits were kept in a cold storage at a temperature of 0±1 ˚C and relative humidity of 85-95 percent. The weight reduction, external quality, microbial load, and general acceptability of the samples were evaluated after 0, 30, 60, 90 and 120 days of storage, then compared with uncoated apples. It was found that the tragacanth gum significantly reduced fruit weight loss compared to the control, so that weight reduction in uncoated apples was eight times greater than fruits treated with tragacanth gum at 10 kg m-3. This coating preserved firmness of fruit tissue in storage and prevented the softening and senescent breakdown of apples. The tragacanth gum coating desirably preserved the external quality and improved the microbial load, sensory and external properties of the fruits, preserved quality factors of the apples, and prevented fruit ripening during storage. Among the various treatments, the coating at 10 kg m-3 was more effective than the other treatments, maintained fruit juice acidity and pH at desirable levels, and prevented increases in the contents of soluble solids during the storage.
DETEKSI TEPI DENGAN METODE LAPLACIAN OF GAUSSIAN PADA CITRA DAUN KOPI

Kopi merupakan salah satu komoditi ekspor unggulan yang dikembangkan di Indonesia karena mempunyai nilai ekonomis tinggi kedua perdagangan dunia setelah minyak. Salah satu penyakit yang menyerang tanaman kopi adalah bercak daun. Deteksi tepi pada daun kopi merupakan salah satu bentuk awal dari penanganan penyakit tersebut. Deteksi tepi pada daun tanaman kopi dilakukan untuk mengindentifikasi area geometris daun. Salah satu metode deteksi tepi yang dapat digunakan adalah metode Laplacian of Gaussian (LoG). Dengan menerapkan deteksi tepi menggunakan metode Laplacian of Gaussian ini diharapkan mampu mendapat hasil yang baik. Setelah dilakukan penerapan deteksi tepi dengan metode Laplacian of Gaussian (LoG) pada daun tanaman kopi didapat hasil bahwa deteksi tepi terhadap daun tanaman kopi yang sehat dan daun tanaman kopi yang sakit terbilang berhasil karena dapat membedakan bagian pada daun yang sakit terdapat lubang, dan pada daun yang sehat tampak mulus. Dari proses deteksi tepi terhadap daun kopi didapat nilai rata-rata Mean Square Error sebesar 238,146 pixel.
Otimizando a anotação de Objetos de Aprendizagem através da Semântica In Loco

Resumo: A despeito do crescente interesse pelos Objetos de Aprendizagem (OA), nossa experiencia na construcao de um repositorio de OAs tem demonstrado a dificuldade encontrada pelos autores no processo posterior de anotacao do material criado. Este trabalho apresenta o modo como concebemos uma metodologia – denominada “semântica in loco” – na qual producao e anotacao fazem parte do mesmo processo e usam as mesmas ferramentas e metaforas. Abstract: In spite of increasing interest concerning Learning Objects (LO), our experience in building a LO repository has showed the difficult task found in the further annotation process of the produced material. This work presents how we conceived a methodology – named “in place semantics” – in which the production and annotation tasks are part of the same process and adopt the same metaphors and tools.
The Association between GNB 3 Gene Polymorphism and Obesity : A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

besity is characterized as excess fat storage in adipose tissue and abnormality in lipid metabolism (1) and it may be influenced by genetic, environmental factors and their interactions (2). It is an important clinical and public health problem which is rapidly growing all over the world so that about 300 million people around the world are considered obese (3,4). Moreover, it is estimated that 1.12 billion people will be obese around the world in 2030 (4). The social and economic costs of obesity are tremendously high as obesity elevates the risk of several medical complications, such as type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), hypertension, dyslipidemia, and cardiovascular diseases (3,4). The Guanine Nucleotide Binding protein β protein polypeptide 3 (GNB3) gene is one of the five genes coding for a G-protein b subunit that have been identified in the human genome (5,6) . The functional C825T polymorphism [rs5443] in O 1. Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Faculty of Literature and Human Sciences, Lorestan University, Khoramabad, Iran.