The Impact of Unrealized Foreign Exchange Differences for Accounting and Taxation

The present study is intended to be an analysis of the main Romanian legal provision in what concerns the impact of foreign exchange differences and potential consequences at the level of financial statements for companies. In Romanian legislation, the issue of the foreign exchange differences is treated at a general level： these are recognized as a profit and loss item and as a consequence, they are included in the taxable base when booked in the accounting. Our legislation does not provide for specific treatments depending on the ＇realization momenf＇ of these differences or depending on the conditions for recognizing a gain/loss from foreign exchange differences. For the unrealized exchange differences arising from the application of accounting rules on monthly assessment of foreign currency monetary items, there is not a specific event or transaction to determine income or expenditure. This monthly review depending on the National Bank of Romania [BNR] foreign exchange rate valid on the last day of the month aims to bring closer to reality the financial position of an entity. The exchange rate is a monetary policy item set by the central bank and may be influenced by various factors such as： monetary policy of the BNR; inflation target objectives and rate of exchange stabilization or reduction efforts, as is the case of BNR in the last years to fulfill EU criteria for adoption of the EURO; periodical influences of speculative capitals on the exchange rate level; economic status and especially exports and imports. However, a taxpayer should not be charged unless there is evidence of the ＂economic enrichment＂ thereof. However, this enrichment, seen as a rising economic value of the company, depends on the perspective from which is seen： the owner of the company or the tax authorities. The exchange differences impact also the value of the owners＇ equity for which a minimum level is requested under the commercial company law. In case of negative values, this triggers various risks at the level of the continuity principle or even endangers the existence of the company.

History and Evolution of Nigeria-US Military, Security, and Political Relations

This paper examines the dynamics, the politics, and the significance of the security relationship between Nigeria and the United States. Both countries, operating at different levels of military strengths, consider and regard themselves as partners who should establish some form of cooperation for defence purposes. Though the United States enjoys massive military capability advantage over Nigeria, the relationship between the two of them was meant to assist Nigeria, the weak partner, or better still, the client state, to overcome the challenge of its defence policies, and to reinforce its military infrastructure. This will be in the areas of training, technology, equipment, professional orientation, and political management. However, there seems to be lack of trust between the two of them with Nigeria becoming too sensitive and concerned about its defence infrastructural deficits, and the possibility of the United States exploiting this to its own advantage. Such worrisome suspicions are capable of tinkering with the objectives of the security arrangements between the two of them. In this kind of suspect friendship where one partner has transformed into a protector state, it became difficult for defence pacts and agreements to achieve the desired objectives. Hence, the regular collapse of such pacts and lack of definitive defence policy actions between the two countries. The findings showed that every attempt by the United States to help stabilize Nigeria’s political system and environment was seen by Nigeria as an unwarranted intervention and meddlesomeness capable of destroying the fragility of its polity as it almost did during the June 12 crisis of 1993.

The Impact of Land Fragmentation in the Qualitative and Quantitative Aspect of Seeds and Their Production

Due to the pedo-climate conditions in the region of Korca, this area is considered to be one of the most favorable regions for cultivating various kinds of plants such as cereals, vegetables, wood-trees, vineyards, etc. All the factors such as rain, temperature, the impact of sunlight, and the pathological structure of the land, make this region one of the most productive and qualitative among the others. Changing the political systems in Albania during the last decades in Albania had its own impact even in the agricultural aspect. Shifting from communism into a modem, capitalist economy built a huge barrier for farmers in their way to intensifying the agricultural production. Dividing the land according to the law number 7,501, was accompanied by a severe fragmentation of the plot, reducing the degree of mechanization and chemical process. In this paper, the authors will try to analyze the effect of law fragmentation in the regional farmers working process in the region of Korea, and other municipalities such as Bilisht and Maliq, nearby Korea. There were randomly interviewed 150 farmers, from which 30 from the municipality of Bilisht, 22 from Korca municipality and 15 from Maliqi. From each farmer, these were the variables taken into consideration： Total land area, irrigated land, the number of plots, the area planted with wheat, corn, vegetables, fruit, vineyards, and forages. All the data that were gathered and translated into figures have indicated statistic elements such as the average value of each variable, deviation or standard deviation, coefficient of variation, correlation and regression. For instance in the municipality of Bilisht, it has been concluded that between the total variable area and number of plots, the related correlation value of the correlation coefficient is r = ＋ 0.73 and the value of regression coefficient is R = 2.71. In this municipality, correlative links between the variable and the total area planted with wheat area, are of medium category, with a value of the correlation coefficient of r = ＋ 0.52 and the regression coefficient is R = 0.89. Regarding the studies in the municipality of Maliq, it has been a correlation link between the weak variable category： in the surface of the irrigated area and the land planted with vegetables and corn, the value of the correlation coefficient is r = ＋ 0.24 and the regression coefficient R = 2.11. In the municipality of Korea, among the variable of irrigated area and the surface of the land planted with vegetables, there is a weak correlative link with a value of the correlation coefficient r = ＋ 0.17 and the regression coefficient R = 0.58.

Enhancing Access to Bank Credit for Small-Scale Farmers in Kisumu and Kiambu Districts, Kenya Through Public-Private Partnership Initiative

In Kenya, small-scale fanning has immense potential in poverty reduction. The growth of farming activities requires sustainable access to affordable credit to boost and sustain production. This study is initiated to investigate factors influencing access to bank credit by small-scale farmers in Kisumu and Kiambu Districts, Kenya. It is necessitated by lack of a comprehensive study documenting the effectiveness of the partnership initiative in improving access to credit for small-scale farmers. The study seeks to address the following concerns： what factors influence access to bank credit by small-scale farmers under the initiative？ Are small-scale farmers in various parts of the country accessing bank credit equally？ Through which sources do farmers get to know about credit products provided through the initiative？ Primary data was collected from 144 farmers in Kiambu and 127 farmers in Kisumu, sampled using systematic random procedure. The cross-sectional survey design was applied to guide the research process. Quantitative analysis generated cross-tabulations with chi-square and binary logistic regression. The study found that out of 144 credit applicants in Kiambu about 56.3% were successful, while in Kisumu only 37.8% were successful. Access to bank credit was significantly associated with farmers＇ gender, education level, income level, farm size, and farming experience. Besides, women were 1.3 times less likely to access bank credit than men. In terms of regional variation, a Kiambu farmer was 2.7 times more likely to obtain bank credit than a Kisumu farmer. The initiative is an innovative approach for enhancing access to bank credit; however, its potential has not been fully exploited. The study recommends the need： to inform farmers about credit products to clear misconceptions and myths associated with bank credit; develop innovative financing packages for small-scale farmers that are also gender-sensitive; and to initiate a training program targeting farmers with appropriate information.

Critical Success Factors for Executive Information Systems： A Case of Kenyan Organizations

In recent years, a number of organisations have implemented Executive Information Systems （EIS） including Computer-Based Information Systems （CBIS） in order to improve the performance of their executives＇ jobs though the majority of executives are unwilling to use EIS applications because of their design defects. Present researches on Executive Information Systems （EIS） are limited and less focused on the factors associated with EIS successful usage. This research adopts an extension of the Technology Acceptance Model （TAM） to derive useful variables to address the problem of the low usage of EIS by executives due to social factors, habits and facilitation conditions variables in Triandis＇ Framework. It reports on the adoption and usage of EIS by the executives in Organizations. The results show that experience in EIS usage was high with most respondents having used EIS for between 0 to 4 years （72.41%）, followed by the 5-9 years group with 25.86%. However, in terms of ability to use EIS, most executives were at the expert （knowledgeable）, casual user with 37.93%, followed by novice frequent user group with 31.03%. From this research, the authors propose a model that incorporates the habits, social factors and facilitating conditions in an Executive Information Systems.

Financial Model of a PPP Project

Over the last decade or so, private sector＇s financing through public-private partnerships （PPPs） has become increasingly popular as a way of procuring and maintaining public-sector infrastructure. Albania in the last few years had improved the legal frame so as to give the local authorities the right to initiate PPP projects. The local authorities have not built the expertise for such projects yet. The aim of this paper is to help the local authorities in Albania to support the building of the expertise for such projects. A financial model is used to make the required calculations for the bid at various phases of the project, although this paper is not intended to cover financial modeling in depth, the key inputs and outputs for the financial model are reviewed, including the financing costs. The model has to work within the constraints of： （I） the public authority＇s requirements for the PPP contract term and service fee profile; and （2） lenders＇ requirements for the term and payment profile of their debt.

NGO Accountability and Sustainable Development in Nigeria

This paper empirically investigates the type of and for whom NGO Accountability is practised in Nigeria with a view to enhancing sustainable development in the country. In-depth interviews on accountability related issues were conducted with managers of an international and a national NGO from Lagos State of Nigeria. The interview was supported by content review of accounts and reports of the selected NGOs. The findings of this study represent a hierarchical conception of accountability privileging a narrow range of stakeholders, which is short-term in focus and not strategic. The findings are situated in the context of what the literature says about NGO Accountability. This work could enhance the frontier of knowledge in NGO Accountability especially in a developing country like Nigeria.

Statistical Analysis of the Relation Between Inflation and Unemployment in Democratic States Using Spearman＇s Correlation Coefficient With Application in Albania

The main purpose of the present study is to investigate the relation between inflation rate and unemployment rate in contemporary democratic states, using Spearman＇s correlation coefficient. We apply this method in Albania during the period from January 2005 to December 2014. Some results of the study include： （1） The Central Limit Theorem （CLT） is not applicable for the quarterly inflation rate as well as for quarterly unemployment rate in Albania during the period from January 2005 to December 2014 at the confidence level of 99.99%. The official data for inflation and unemployment contradict the CLT at a very high confidence level of 99.99%; （2） The inflation process in Albania during the period from January 2005 to December 2014 is an unfair game at the confidence level of 99.2%; （3） The unemployment process in Albania during the period from January 2005 to December 2014 is an unfair game at the confidence level of 99.99%; （4） The inflation and unemployment in Albania during the period from January 2005 to December 2014 are statistically dependent at the 96% confidence level; （5） Spearman＇s correlation coefficient = 0.387 indicates a weak positive correlation between inflation and unemployment in Albania during the specified period; and （6） The official data for inflation and unemployment in Albania during the period from January 2005 to December 2014 are consistent with Friedman＇s hypothesis.

Creating the Foundation of a Healthcare Research Project

The research topic of this paper develops a case study approach that builds on the foundations of Yin＇s ＂linear model＂ and ＂the best practice＂ used in theoretical case studies at international research literature. It discusses the case study method and its role and focusing on research questions like healthcare branding, research design, and methodic. Also presents the case study research theory for a research case study. The methods used in this paper are based on hypothesis of a generic hospital branding strategy for the Romanian Private Hospital and also may apply to the Romanian strategy of development of public healthcare entities and partnerships between public and private healthcare entities. An empirical test of the relationships among branding loyalty and awareness, customer satisfaction, trust and relationship commitment suggests that Romanian hospitals can be successful in creating an image and positive brand equity if they can manage their customer relationships well. This can be done through a coordinated strategy of management and marketing development of healthcare entities. The results highlight the dominance of case-study research in qualitative marketing healthcare and highlight the importance of customer relationships in the branding practice of healthcare marketing. It also shows that marketing managers can succeed in creating positive brand equity and image if they can manage relationships with their customers well.

Impact of Risk on Performance of Design and Build Projects in Lagos State, Nigeria

＂Design and Build＂ procurement method has been in use in Nigeria and this method has been latent with a lot of risks. This study intends to identify the risk inherent in ＂Design and Build＂ and also to evaluate the impact of the identified risks on project performance. A descriptive research survey is undertaken for this study. Snowballing sampling technique was used via the use of questionnaires. Population of the study includes contracting organizations, consultants and clients＇ organizations that are recently involved in ＂Design and Build＂ projects. A total of 39 questionnaires were distributed and 27 were returned and used for the analysis. Statistical Package for Social Sciences was used for analyzing the data collected. Descriptive statistical tool of mean item score was employed for the analysis. The results show that the most prominent risk is change in quantity/scope of work in terms of cost related risk while in terms of time related risks the most prominent risk is design changes. Errors and omissions during construction are the risks prominent in terms of quality. In conclusion, ＂Design and Build＂ procurement has a lot of inherent, unresolved and undefined cost, time and quality related factors that can trigger off risks that will affect performance of DB project. Implications of this study to practitioners in the construction is such that the findings of this study can create awareness for stakeholders and construction practitioners of the prominent risks that affect DB projects and this can help in better management of future DB projects in Nigeria and other developing countries. Design and Build procurement in spite of these plethora of risks is still strongly recommended for clients, stakeholders and other practitioners in the construction industry for use in their future projects. This procurement method delivers project faster, within cost and offers good quality of workmanship and product to users of this method.

重走故乡

二十多年来，我一直不愿意向人们谈起我的故乡，是因为故乡在我的记忆中实在没有值得炫耀的地方。她的贫穷、落后和愚昧在我的童年时就已给我种下了淡淡的忧伤。故而每每谈起她，我的脑海即刻呈现出一派悲凉：苍黄的天空下，远远近近横卧着几个荒凉的村庄，傍晚远处望去那参差不齐的袅娜的炊烟没有一点生气……

Changes in and effective factors of microtubule associated protein 2 in traumatic neurons

Objective To investigate alterations in the microtubule-associated protein 2 (MAP-2) of neurons in Wistar rats and the effect of nimodipine (Nim), D-2-amino-5-phosphonovaleric acid (D-AP-5) and mild hypothermia on neuronal MAP-2 following fluid percussion injury (FPI).Methods Alterations of MAP-2 in Wistar rat neurons following FPI were measured by a confocal laserscanning microscope using MAP-2 immunofluorescence staining as a MAP-2 indicator.Results MAP-2 immunofluorescence staining was limited to the cell bodies and dendritic compartments of neurons and more intense in dendrites than in cell bodies. The loss of MAP-2 was marked at 3 h posttrauma ( P ＜ 0.01 ), and reached a maximum at 48 h post-trauma. Afterwards, fluorescence recovered partly at 72 h post-trauma. The application of Nim markedly reduced the loss of MAP-2 immunoreectivity within 1 h post-trauma ( P ＜ 0.01 ), and the application of D-AP-5 markedly reduced the loss of MAP-2immunoreactivity within 10 h post-injury ( P ＜ 0.01 ). The application of mild hypothermia decreased the loss of MAP-2 immunoreactivity within 1 h post-injury (P＜ 0.05).Conclusions The partial recovery of fluorescence at 72 h post-trauma indicate that the partial structure of the neuronal microtubules can be repaired by itself. Nim, D-AP-5 and mild hypothermia reduce the degradation of MAP-2 by different mechanisms. The treatment of neuronal cytoskeleton degradation following FPI must employ multiple therapeutic approaches.

Spatio-temporal evolution of population and urbanization in the countries along the Belt and Road 1950–2050

This paper uses data for the period 1950-2050 compiled by the United Nations Population Division together with methods including spatial autocorrelation analysis, hie- rarchical cluster analysis and the standard deviational ellipse, to analyze the spatio-temporal evolution of population and urbanization in the 75 countries located along the routes of the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st-century Maritime Silk Road, to identify future popula- tion growth and urbanization hotspots. The results reveal the following： First, in 2015, the majority of Belt and Road countries in Europe, South Asia and Southeast Asia had high population densities, whereas most countries in Central Asia, North Africa and West Asia, as well as Russia and Mongolia, had low population densities; the majority of countries in South Asia, Southeast Asia, Central Asia, West Asia and North Africa had rapid population growth, whereas many countries in Europe had negative population growth; and five Belt and Road countries are in the initial stage of urbanization, 44 countries are in the acceleration stage of urbanization, and 26 are in the terminal stage of urbanization. Second, in the century from 1950 to 2050, the mean center of the study area＇s population is consistently located in the border region between India and China. Prior to 2000, the trajectory of the mean center was from northwest to southeast, but from 2000 it is on a southward trajectory, as the population of the study area becomes more concentrated. Future population growth hotspots are predicted to be in South Asia, West Asia and Southeast Asia, and hotspot countries for the period 2015-2030 include India, China, Pakistan and Indonesia, though China will move into nega- tive population growth after 2030. Third, the overall urban population of Belt and Road coun- tries increased from 22% in 1950 to 49% in 2015, and it is expected to gradually catch up with the world average, reaching 64% in 2050. The different levels of urbanization in different countries display significant spatial dependency, and in the hundred-year period under con-sideration, this dependency increases before eventually weakening. Fourth, between 2015 and 2030, urban population hotspots will include Thailand, China, Laos and Albania, while Kuwait, Cyprus, Qatar and Estonia will be urban ＂coldspots.＂ Fifth, there were 293 cities with populations over 1 million located along the Belt and Road in 2015, but that number Js ex- pected to increase to 377 by 2030. Of those, 43 will be in China, with many of the others located in India, Indonesia and the eastern Mediterranean.

Use of compositional and combinatorial nanomaterial libraries for biological studies

Abstract The rapid development and production of nanomaterials has created some concerns about their potential hazard on the environment, human health and safety. However, since the list of materials that may gen- erate such concerns is very long, it is impossible to test them all. It is therefore usually recommended to use some small compositional nanomaterial libraries to perform ini- tial toxicity screening, based on which combinatorial libraries are then introduced for more in-depth studies. All nanomaterials in the compositional and combinatorial libraries must be rigorously characterized before any bio- logical studies. In this review, several major categories of physicochemical properties that must be characterized are discussed, along with different analytical techniques that are commonly used. Some case studies from the University of California Center for Environmental Implications of Nanotechnology are also chosen to demonstrate the effec- tive use of compositional and combinatorial nanomaterials libraries to identify the role of some key physicochemical properties and to establish true quantitative structure-ac- tivity relationships. Examples on how to use the knowledge generated from those studies to design safer nanomaterials for improved biological applications are also presented.

The Strategic Implications of China-Nigeria Economic Relations

The paper argues that the rise of China may well be the most significant trend today redefining the geopolitics of Asia and the world beyond. However, economic, political, and security cooperation between China and Nigeria has grown exponentially in the last decades, presenting new opportunities and challenges for Nigeria and Africa as whole. Essentially, this significant development about China has been linked to its ＂opening-up policy,＂ which has taken effect since the 1980s. The contemporary waves of diplomatic relations between China and Nigeria appear to be mutually beneficial to a reasonable extent. China views Nigeria as a gateway to the West African region, which has become a key focus of China＇s trade and economic strategy in Africa. More interestingly, the past four decades have been a critical period for Chinese people to seek harmonious, scientific, and sustainable development at home and strengthen cooperation and embrace globalization with the outside world. Nigeria, like many other African countries, has gratitude in counting China as one of its friends in the global village. The year 2013 marks the 42na anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the People＇s Republic of China and the Federal Republic of Nigeria. These bilateral ties have witnessed sustained, rapid and unprecedented development. Based on the principles of equality and mutual benefit, respect and trust, especially under the framework of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation known as FOCAC, China and Nigeria have enjoyed fruitful cooperation in economy, trade, investment, human resources development, and cultural exchanges and coordination in international affairs. This study looks into this great relationship and tries to outline the path that leads into the future.

Some Theories and Concepts of Intergroup and Conflict Relations in the Western Niger Delta of Nigeria

Intergroup conflicts occupy a special place in the interaction of social groups and of necessity form the basic building blocks for the integration of previously fragmented groups. The Western Niger delta obviously has since been a theatre of socio-political conflicts. Viewed from the contemporary clime, there is a lacuna in the formulation of theories and concepts in understanding and explaining the nature and pattern of intergroup relations in the region from the pre-colonial period. This work therefore attempts an exploratory analysis of some theories and concepts of intergroup relations in the Western Niger Delta of Nigeria using the historical approach with the use of secondary source materials. The paper concludes that the relation among the diverse ethnic groups in Nigeria, especially the Western Niger Delta, may not have been as intense, or as hostile as it has become since the attainment of independence in 1960. This paper no doubt is essential for the understanding and tackling of the problem of intergroup relations and conflict in the region in particular and Nigeria at large.