Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
COMPETITIVE STRATEGIES ADOPTED BY FIRMS IN THE LOGISTICS INDUSTRY IN KENYA BY JEDIDAH MASILA A MANAGEMENT RESEARCH PROJECT SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINIS TRATION

The changing global environment has led to more competition, increased product choice, increased customer demand, lower prices, product innovations and information technology. Companies face intense competition from domestic and foreign brands which is resulting in rising promotion costs and shrinking profit margins. Due to changes in the marketplace, companies must cope with the dynamic environment in order to survive. It is the new developments in the market environment that compelled the researcher particularly to conduct a study on the competitive strategies adopted by firms in the logistics industry in Kenya. The study was modeled on a descriptive design. The population of interest in this study consisted of all logistic firms in Kenya. A sample of a hundred companies was considered adequate for this study. Primary data was collected using semi-structured questionnaires. The questionnaires were personally administered by the researcher to the logistic business development managers and marketing managers or equivalent. The questionnaire was divided into three parts. Part A contained questions on general information of the respondents. Part B contained questions on competitive strategies and Part C contained questions on the management perception on the competitive strategies adopted by the firm. Based on the study findings the challenges in strategy implementation are; Lack of financial resources, Poor advances in technology, Small business margins, and increased operational costs. On the other hand the challenges that are considered minor by the organizations are; Diminishing business returns, stringent regulatory framework, Competitor activity in strategy mimics and Lack of employee expertise. It is therefore imperative that the management mobilize funds to improve on their information technology. Increased operations costs problem may be solved by adopting cost effective production and operations methods that emphasize on profit maximization at reduced costs.
Induction of Immunogenic Tumor Cell Death by Attenuated Oncolytic Measles Virus

Antitumor virotherapy is a developing approach to treat cancer with oncolytic viruses, namely replicative viruses that exclusively or preferentially infect and kill tumor cells. Attenuated strains of Measles Virus (MV) are now being used as oncolytic viruses in clinical trials to treat several types of cancer. The efficacy of oncolytic viruses is mainly due to their capacity to infect and kill tumor cells, but it has also been demonstrated that their capacity to induce immunogenic cell death can activate an antitumor immune response. In this review, we describe the oncolytic capacity of MV and the concept of Immunogenic Cell Death (ICD). We then review how MV induces immunogenic cell death, which can be beneficial for cancer treatment.
Emotional Intelligence Moderates Anxiety Reactions in Chronic Health Conditions

Anxiety associated with chronic health conditions is a serious comorbidity with implications for health promotion and quality of life in adults with chronic illness. Thus there is value in identifying personal resources that may protect against anxiety. A recent concept that may meet this definition is that of emotional intelligence (EI). It was hypothesized that EI moderates anxiety levels among individuals with chronic conditions. A sample of 268 women living in Israel was recruited for this preliminary investigation (208 without a chronic condition, 60 with a diagnosed chronic illness such as high blood pressure or diabetes). Participants completed validated measures of anxiety and EI and provided health and demographic information. The evidence supported the hypothesized moderating effect of EI on level of anxiety in individuals with and without chronic conditions. While a simple comparison showed that individuals with chronic conditions reported higher levels of anxiety than their peers without a chronic condition, EI and the interaction term of EI and health condition showed a significant effect on anxiety, nullifying the simple effect of health condition. This preliminary study supports the potential role of EI in the experience of anxiety among individuals with a chronic health condition. Should future research support these findings, screening for at-risk populations as well as future interventions may be developed to improve quality of life for individuals coping with chronic illness.
Taxation of Annual Income as a Commitment Device

I study an intertemporal model of nonlinear, information constrained income taxation. It is shown that time-consistent taxation of annual income results in higher welfare than time-consistent taxation of the agents’ income history if preferences are such that stationary allocations are efficient. If uncertainty is taken into account and if state-contingent fiscal policy is not feasible, time-consistent taxation of annual income can also welfaredominate taxation of the agents’ income history under full commitment. These findings may help in explaining why governments usually tax annual rather than lifetime earnings.
BETA-ALANINE SUPPLEMENTATION SEEMS TO INCREASE PHYSICAL PERFORMANCE AND ACUTE RECOVERY IN COMPETITIVE JUDOKAS

Introduction: This paper aims to test whether supplementation with beta-alanine (BA) increases performance in judo. Method: A simple-masked, quasi-experimental study was performed. Five judokas of the Spanish National Team were distributed into two groups: a) placebo (PLA, n= 3) and b) experimental (BA, n= 2). Participants performed the SJFT before (PRE) or after (POST) a period of 35 days of supplementation with 6 g day -1 of maltodextrins (PLA) or BA. During testing and recovery, the following variables were measured: a) heart rate; c ) number of projections; d) blood lactate; e) rating of perceived effort and f) rating of recovery. Results: At the evaluation POST, SJFT index improved by 10.1 ± 1.7% in the BA group, and by 3.9 ± 3.9% in the PLA group. This improvement was due to the increase in the number of projections, which was accompanied by higher values of blood lactate. Similarly, judokas at the BA group showed faster recovery. Discussion: Beta-alanine supplementation for 35 days appears to improve performance in judo, possibly due to the greater involvement of lactic acid metabolism.
RAMAN SPECTRA OF AsxSe100-x, As40Se60 AND As50Se50 GLASSES DOPED WITH METALS

The Raman spectra of chalcogenide glasses in the system AsxSe100-x, As40Se60 and As50Se50 doped with metals (Bi, Ge, Cd, Ag, Sn, Mn, Dy and Sm) were investigated for characterizing the structure in the short-range order. The Raman spectra of AsxSe100-x (x<40) consist of one broad band located in the 200-300 cm region, while for x≥50 some narrow and strong bands in the region 100-200 cm appear, and which indicate higher degree of the structure ordering. Raman spectra of As50Se50 doped with 0.1 at. %Me are more complicated. Two vibrational modes at 237 and 252 cm correspond to ⎯Se⎯Se⎯Se⎯ chains and of Se8 rings. For As50Se50+7.5 at. % Sn a strong band located at 186 cm gives evidence of formation of the new Me-based structural units, such as tetrahedral Sn(Se1/2)4 and quasi-octahedral SnSe. The experimental results are discussed in frame of the molecular structure model of chalcogenide glasses and are compared with the existing data from literature.
Quotients of the complex ball by discrete groups.

In this paper we systematically study varieties Q(μ), which are compactifications of the space Q of distinct points in (P 1 )' given by a sequence of "weights" μ, and which for certain μ are also compactification of the quotient of the complex r-ball by discrete subgroups Γ(μ) of PU(r, 1), as discovered by Deligne and Mostow. We obtain a wealth of topological information about the spaces Q(μ) and their desingularizations Q*(μ). In some cases we can completely describe them. Otherwise, we obtain computations of Betti numbers and Hodge numbers. As applications we determine the ZΛcohomol-ogy and in many cases the (ordinary) rational cohomology of the groups
Optimizing esthetics for implant restorations: literature review

Over the past 15 years, dental esthetics has been an important issue in implant dentistry, pointing out for the need of a thorough analysis of several parameters during treatment planning for implant surgery. Many factors are of importance in the search for an ideal esthetic outcome, such as tridimensional positioning of the implants, anatomy of the alveolar ridge, periodontal phenotype, restorative materials used, emergence profile, edentulous space dimensions, as well as timing of implant placement.
A CO observation of the galactic methanol masers

Context: We investigated the molecular gas associated with 6.7 GHz methanol masers throughout the Galaxy using a J=1-0 transition of the CO isotopologues. Methods:Using the 13.7-meter telescope at the Purple Mountain Observatory (PMO), we have obtained ^{12}CO and ^{13}CO (1-0) lines for 160 methanol masers sources from the first to the third Galactic quadrants. We made efforts to resolve the distance ambiguity by careful comparison with the radio continuum and HI 21 cm observations. Results: First, the maser sources show increased ^{13}CO line widths toward the Galactic center, suggesting that the molecular gas are more turbulent toward the Galactic center. This trend can be noticeably traced by the ^{13}CO line width. Second, the ^{12}CO excitation temperature shows a noticeable correlation with the H_2 column density. A possible explanation consistent with the collapse model is that the higher surface-density gas is more efficient to the stellar heating and/or has a higher formation rate of high-mass stars. Third, comparing the IRDCs, the maser sources on average have significantly lower H_2 column densities, moderately higher temperatures, and similar line widths. Fourth, in the mapped regions, 51 ^{13}CO cores have been revealed. Only 17 coincide with the radio continuum emission (F_{cm}>6 mJy), while a larger fraction (30 cores) coincide with the infrared emissions. The IR-bright and radio-bright sources exhibit significantly higher $^{12}$CO excitation temperatures than the IR-faint and radio-faint sources, respectively. Conclusions: The 6.7 GHz masers show a moderately low ionization rate but have a common-existing stellar heating that generates the IR emissions. The relevant properties can be characterized by the ^{12}CO and ^{13}CO (1-0) emissions in several aspects as described above.
Mapping class group dynamics on Aff(C)-characters

We prove that in genus bigger than $2$, the mapping class group action on $\mathrm{Aff}(\mathbb{C})$-characters is ergodic. This implies that almost every representation $\pi_1 S \longrightarrow \mathrm{Aff}(\mathbb{C})$ is the holonomy of a branched affine structure on $S$, where $S$ is a closed orientable surface of genus $g \geq 2$.
A Novel 20 G Wide-Band Synthesis Methodology for CMOS Spiral Inductors using Neural Network and Genetic Algorithm

We develop a novel synthesis way to effectively generate CMOS spiral inductor’s layout parameters using artificial neural network and genetic algorithm. An accurate neural network model for CMOS spiral inductors is firstly developed based on measured results from TSMC 0.13um MM/RF process with the frequency range of 1-20 GHz. The neural network model is further integrated in the synthesis simulator kits called SPUNK. An innovative synthesis technique is then applied in which genetic algorithm based optimization is adopted. Our methodology promises to provide greater accuracy than previous results in the frequency range while able to minimize the time cost for spiral inductor design.
The complexity of the algorithms for the image recognition and classification (IRC)

The problem of the image recognition and classification (IRC) based on the pattern recognition is of a strategic importance in lots of domains. Our contribution consists in the foundation of the complexity of the algorithms for image recognition and classification. This will help us issue some precise statements on the computational difficulty of the problem of the image recognition and classification (IRC).
Towards Overcoming Millennial Classroom Barriers: Reflections from Engineering Students on Blended Teaching and Learning Innovations

A proposition for the use of a blended teaching and learning approach maintains that (a) ease of access and flexibility (b) an increase in the degree of active learning, and (c) an improvement in learning experiences and learning outcomes for students are expected accomplishments to implementation success. In this paper, we present an analysis of how a blended teaching and learning approach influenced the experiences of faculty engineering students. Our empirical analysis found that a blended teaching and learning approach is students’ preferred teaching strategy, and traditional face to face teaching strategies alone are no longer sufficient for achieving success with new generation engineering students. Further, we show how the blended teaching and learning approach can enhance understanding of engineering knowledge and support students who would otherwise lack behind. We also show how active support from faculty management enhances the implementation subtleties and advance the development of a dynamic pedagogy. Our findings offer lecturers important insights into students’ preferences. Also how lecturers can endorse and design a teaching and learning approach that is agile and adaptable, meeting the challenges of the environment in which they are working, which is similarly in endless flux.
Theoretical guarantees for approximate sampling from smooth and log‐concave densities

Sampling from various kinds of distribution is an issue of paramount importance in statistics since it is often the key ingredient for constructing estimators, test procedures or confidence intervals. In many situations, exact sampling from a given distribution is impossible or computationally expensive and, therefore, one needs to resort to approximate sampling strategies. However, there is no well‐developed theory providing meaningful non‐asymptotic guarantees for the approximate sampling procedures, especially in high dimensional problems. The paper makes some progress in this direction by considering the problem of sampling from a distribution having a smooth and log‐concave density defined on Rp , for some integer p>0. We establish non‐asymptotic bounds for the error of approximating the target distribution by the distribution obtained by the Langevin Monte Carlo method and its variants. We illustrate the effectiveness of the established guarantees with various experiments. Underlying our analysis are insights from the theory of continuous time diffusion processes, which may be of interest beyond the framework of log‐concave densities that are considered in the present work.
Financial Liberalization, Foreign Direct Investment and Economic Growth: A Dynamic Panel Data Validation

The aim of this study is to show that financial liberalization, as a determinant of financial development, can stimulate the relationship between foreign direct investment (FDI) and economic growth. Two distinct components have been analyzed. The first one is a theoretical component in which we tried to treat the relationship between financial development, internal financial liberalization, and FDI using an endogenous growth model. The second component consists of an empirical study which tried using a panel data to validate the previously stated theoretical relationship. The survey, covering a sample of sixty nine developed and developing countries enabled us to reach three fundamental results. First, when financial systems are non-liberalized, we have noted that FDIs had a negative effect on GDP growth per capita. Second, when FDI are implemented in countries characterized by their developed financial sector they generate positive effects on growth. This implies that the key variable which determines FDI efficiency is the degree of financial systems liberalization. Consequently, in non-liberalized financial systems FDI effects on growth are challenged. Third, we showed that financial development level is a strategic variable which positively affects growth. Keywords : Financial liberalization; Foreign Direct Investment; GMM system. JEL Classifications: B22; B26
A Discretionary Approach to Currency Investing

“The Role of Currency in Institutional Portfolios” examines the principles for investing in currency while also highlighting why it is and will continue to be an attractive asset class. Co-edited by Momtchil Pojarliev, FFTW, and Richard M. Levich, New York University Stern School of Business, Finance Department, the book is organized in four parts and focuses on Currency Exposures in Institutional Portfolios; Currency Investment Strategies; Currency Investment Process and Global Markets; and the Future of Currency Investing. FOR PROFESSIONAL INVESTORS
MAC Protocols and Mobility Management for Real-time Applications Using Wireless Sensor Networks

Wireless Sensor Networks detect events using one or more sensors, then collect data from detected events using these sensors. This data is aggregated and forwarded to a base station (sink) through wireless communication to provide the required operations. Different kinds of MAC and routing protocols are needed for WSN in order to guarantee data delivery from the source nodes to the sink. GinMAC has been simulated for real-time applications, where energy saving, delay and reliability need to be considered. A Mobility module for GinMAC has been implemented. It has been showed that GinMAC can be applied for real-time applications in both mobile and static scenarios. However, further improvements of its performance are needed. Some future plans to investigate this are given at the end of this paper. Keywords−WSN; Real-time Applications; GinMAC; Mobility; Castalia.
Learning about Foreign Markets: Are Entrant Firms Exposed to a “Shock Effect”?

This study addresses how managers’ perceived familiarity with local markets develops during a period of entry or expansion. The authors derive different predictions of how foreign-market familiarity changes during periods of entry from the internationalization process literature. They then subject the predictions to an empirical examination, using a data set that covers foreign business operations as reported by managers of international firms from small, open economies (Denmark, Sweden, and New Zealand). In addition to addressing these predictions, the empirical study gives insight into the incidence and character of “shock effects” in foreign-market entries. The effects are evident in managers’ inclination to underestimate differences between the home and host countries in terms of business environments. The data support the supposition that, in general, managers of entrant firms experience these shock effects. For example, the authors find the lowest level of market familiarity among managers of entrant firms that are in the eighth year after entry or initiation of foreign-market expansion. The company data indicate that, in general, managers of entrant firms experience shock effects in relation to entry into adjacent but not into distant countries. Thus, the hypothesis of the psychic-distance paradox that the authors put forward is supported. Entrant firms also experience shock effects with respect to the acquisition of tacit rather than explicit knowledge; furthermore, the data suggest that shock effects befall producers of customized products but not producers of standardized products.
Correlation of river water and local sea-ice melting on the Laptev Sea shelf (Siberian Arctic)

Hydrographic and stable isotope (δ18O) data from 4 summer surveys in the Laptev Sea are used to derive fractions of sea-ice meltwater and river water. Sea-ice meltwater fractions are found to be correlated to river water fractions. While initial heat of river discharge is too small to melt the observed 0-158 km3 of sea-ice meltwater, arctic rivers contain suspended particles (SPM) and colored dissolved organic material (CDOM) that preferentially absorb solar radiation. Accordingly heat content in surface waters is correlated to river water fractions. But in years when river water is largely absent within the surface layer absolute heat content values increase to considerably higher values with extended exposure time to solar radiation and sensible heat. Nevertheless no net sea-ice melting is observed on the shelf in years when river water is largely absent within the surface layer. The total freshwater volume of the central-eastern Laptev Sea (72-76°N, 122-140°E) varies between ~1000-1500 km3 (34.92 reference salinity). It is dominated by varying river water volumes (~1300-1800 km3) reduced by an about constant freshwater deficit (~350-400 km3) related to sea-ice formation. Net sea-ice melt (~109-158 km3) is only present in years with high river water budgets. Intermediate to bottom layer (>25 salinities) contain ~60% and 30% of the river budget in years with low and high river budgets, respectively. The average mean residence time of shelf waters was ~2-3 years during 2007-2009.
Exploring the Gender Divide on YouTube: An Analysis of the Creation and Reception of Vlogs

This study analyzes short vlogs posted to YouTube in order to investigate how women and men communicate using vlogs and react as viewers to vlogs. Vlogs are visual texts that are usergenerated. Analyzing online videos presents a new challenge for researchers: traditionally, analysis of visual media and communication focused on either the production or the reception of the material. Our vlog study uses a dual analytical approach to analyze both production and reception, while conducting content, visual and audience analysis, thus making a contribution to the field of new visual media and communication.
Compact continuous-wave subterahertz system for inspection applications

We report the use of a compact continuous-wave sub-terahertz system for inspection applications, using electronic generation and detection methods. A combination of a Gunn diode emitter, a Schottky diode detector, and a polyethylene Fresnel lens provides line-scan images at 0.2m∕s with a data acquisition rate of 512points∕s. Examples of the measurement of NASA’s insulating panels and applicability of the technology to other nondestructive testing applications are presented and discussed.