Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Rich Culture, Poor Markets: Why Do Latino Parents Forgo Preschooling?

Debates rage in the K-12 sector over the probable effects of school-choice programs—often with scarce evidence of their institutional dynamics and local effects. Meanwhile, the preschool sector has become a lively and sizable mixed market of public and private organizations, financed by parental fees and over $6 billion in public funds each year. The sector offers an intriguing setting for studying the long-term access and equity effects that result from liberalized market conditions. This article focuses on the considerably lower proportion of Latino parents who select a formal preschool or child-care center for their three- to five-year-old youngsters. We empirically focus on the influence of ethnicity, maternal education, family structure, and preliteracy practices on parents’ propensity to select preschools and center-based programs. After controlling for the effects of maternal employment and household income, we find that children—across all ethnic groups—are less likely to enter preschools when they are younger (age three, not four-five years), when a father or a nonpatent adult resides in the household, when the mother has low school attainment, and when children's books are less evident in the household. Latino families are distinguished, in part, by these family characteristics; in addition, the negative relationship between Latino status and nonselection of a preschool persists after accounting for these effects. We then report initial qualitative evidence, revealing clear cultural conflicts that may discourage Latinos’ use of preschools. We discuss the importance of understanding how ethnic variation in family structure and cultural preferences regarding child rearing interact with secular conceptions of liberalized markets.
Trade, employment and conflict: Evidence from the Second Intifada 1

Do trade shocks affect conflict? The evidence on this question has so far focused mainly on commodity price shocks. This paper moves beyond this focus and use data from the entire trade sector to examine whether changes in Palestinian trade in the second half of the 1990s affected the subsequent Palestinian uprising ('second Intifada'). The findings support the opportunity cost hypothesis. An increase of USD 10 million in Palestinian exports of a sector employing 10 percent of the locality's private employment reduces conflict intensity in that locality by 2.1-2.8 percent . On the other hand changes in Palestinian and Israeli imports have no significant impact on conflict. We provide evidence that these trade shocks were determined by factors exogenous to Palestinian localities, including the emergence of new global suppliers and the unilateral trade opening of Israel, i.e. the main Palestinian export destination.
Using Stem-Templates to Improve Arabic POS and Gender/Number Tagging

This paper presents an end-to-end automatic processing system for Arabic. The system performs: correction of common spelling errors pertaining to different forms of alef, ta marbouta and ha, and alef maqsoura and ya; context sensitive word segmentation into underlying clitics, POS tagging, and gender and number tagging of nouns and adjectives. We introduce the use of stem templates as a feature to improve POS tagging by 0.5\% and to help ascertain the gender and number of nouns and adjectives. For gender and number tagging, we report accuracies that are significantly higher on previously unseen words compared to a state-of-the-art system.
Performance study of multiple cover-set strategies for mission-critical video surveillance with wireless video sensors

A Wireless Video Sensor Network (WVSN) consists of a set of sensor nodes equipped with miniaturized video cameras. Unlike omni-directional sensors, the sensing region of a video node is limited to the field of view of its camera. In this paper, we study the problem of coverage by video sensors in randomly deployed WVSN. We focus on the performance of various fast cover set construction strategies for enabling efficient scheduling of nodes in mission-critical surveillance applications. Simulation results shows the performance of the various strategies in terms of percentage of coverage, network lifetime, intrusion stealth time and number of intrusion detection.
Critical Study

By venerable consensus, Plato’s Philebus is a challengingly problematic dialogue, and Sylvain Delcomminette admits as much at the very beginning of his near-650-page study: “La progression argumentative du Philèbe a été perçue comme problématique dès l’antiquité, à tel point que ce dialogue a pu passer pour ‘un assemblage de morceaux primitivement distincts et dépourvus d’unité organique’” (Delcomminette p. 16, quoting Rodier (1957), p. 74). 1 As Delcomminette reminds us (p. 289), Rodier’s complaints about “lack of organic unity”, and about the dialogue’s being a “collection of crudely-distinguished fragments”, echoed those of Benjamin Jowett, who thought it one of Plato’s least satisfactory dialogues. Th ey will be familiar enough to anyone who considers, for instance, the casuallooking beginning and end of the Philebus, or the abrupt way that Socrates, at Philebus 20b6, curtails the careful discussion of the one and the many by simply announcing a proposal that he may or may not have heard in a dream. Th ere is perhaps room for the idea that Plato left the Philebus unfinished at his death; or for the more recherché suggestion that the dialogue’s apparent lack of polish is itself an artifice, an intended pointer to the perpetually unfinished and unsatisfactory character of all arguments about pleasure, knowledge, and the good. (Delcomminette makes a parallel but opposite suggestion: he thinks that in the Philebus “la forme exprime au niveau de la pratique philosophique elle-même ce que le contenu se contente de dévoiler thématiquement”, namely that “ce dont il traite constitue précisément l’unité du continu et de la forme” (p. 634). )
The latest on infantile spasms

Purpose of reviewThis article reviews the most significant advances in the field of infantile spasm during the past year, with emphasis on best practise for treatment, and on some new etiological genetic and metabolic causes for the spasms, and new advances in the knowledge of tuberous sclerosis. Recent findingsUp-to-date information comparing corticotrophin, oral steroids and vigabatrin shows that hormonal treatment is the most effective therapy in the short term. In a recent randomized trial, large doses of prednisolone were as effective as corticotrophin. There are insufficient data to recommend any treatment schedule for infantile spasms. Vigabatrin is the choice for infants with tuberous sclerosis. Visual field defects in (older) children seem to be as common as in adults. In animals, vigabatrin can induce apoptosis of the neurons in the developing brain. New rare factors associated with infantile spasms are mitochondrial diseases, mutations of the Aristales-related homeobax gene and posterior quadrantic dysplasia syndrome. The outcome in children with tuberous sclerosis and infantile spasms is better understood. SummaryThe accurate determination of etiology is now becoming increasingly possible. There is still a lack of consensus about the treatment of first choice for infantile spasms. However, recent data show that hormonal treatment is the most effective therapy in the short term. Frequency of visual field defects in children treated with vigabatrin should be studied in addition to the long-term outcome in general. Advances in our understanding of brain maturation, etiologies, mechanisms and genetics underlying catastrophic epilepsy may facilitate more effective pharmacologic interventions.
Generalised ethnocentrism among high-school students in a multicultural setting: the role of the degree of multilingualism

ABSTRACT Within psychological consequences of multiculturalism, it is often emphasised that multiculturalism and interculturalism decreases ethnocentrism, and increases openness towards other cultures, and, consequently, ethnic, linguistic and religious tolerance. We tested this empirically poorly supported assumption on high-school students from South Bačka District in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, in northern Serbia, a multicultural setting. In this research, languages are treated as the most important carriers of culture, and it is assumed that the degree of multilingualism could be associated with the level of generalised ethnocentrism. Subjects (N = 354, mean age 18.3 years) were divided into a group with lower, and a group with higher degree of multilingualism based on the self-assessment of their language skills in the languages learned in school or acquired and used in their environment, and they filled in the Generalized Ethnocentrism Scale. The group with higher degree of multilingualism showed lower level of ethnocentrism. The difference between the groups is of medium intensity. Higher openness is more prominent in female participants and students that have better average school grades.
Transformational leadership and organizational citizenship behavior: The moderating role of emotional intelligence

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the transformational leadership (TL) – employees’ organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) and employees’ emotional intelligence (EI) – employees’ OCB associations. In addition, this study explored the moderating role of employees’ EI on the TL – employees’ OCB relationship. Design/methodology/approach The study was conducted in 50 organizations in Iran, on a sample of 2,021 employees. Findings The findings of this research showed that TL and employees’ EI positively and significantly influence employees’ OCB. Additionally, the results revealed that employees’ EI moderates the TL – employees’ OCB association. Practical implications Iranian organizations should invest in TL and EI training and in the selection of mangers with TL style and employees with good level of EI in order to enrich the OCB of employees. Originality/value The present study is one of the first to examine the TL – employees’ OCB and employees’ EI – employees’ OCB relationships, and the moderating influence of employees’ EI on the TL – employees’ OCB association in a developing country, Iran.
Severe Malarial Thrombocytopenia: A Risk Factor for Mortality in Papua, Indonesia

Background The significance of thrombocytopenia to the morbidity and mortality of malaria is poorly defined. We compared the platelet counts and clinical correlates of patients with and those without malaria in southern Papua, Indonesia. Methods Data were collated on patients presenting to a referral hospital between April 2004 and December 2012. Results Platelet measurements were available in 215 479 patients (23.4%), 66 421 (30.8%) of whom had clinical malaria. Patients with Plasmodium falciparum monoinfection had the lowest platelet counts and greatest risk of severe thrombocytopenia (platelet count, <50 000 platelets/µL), compared with those without malaria (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 6.03; 95% confidence interval [CI], 5.77–6.30]). The corresponding risks were 5.4 (95% CI, 5.02–5.80) for mixed infections, 3.73 (95% CI, 3.51–3.97) for Plasmodium vivax infection, and 2.16 (95% CI, 1.78–2.63) for Plasmodium malariae infection (P < .001). In total, 1.3% of patients (2701 of 215 479) died. Patients with severe malarial anemia alone (hemoglobin level, <5 g/dL) had an adjusted OR for death of 4.93 (95% CI, 3.79–6.42), those with severe malarial thrombocytopenia alone had an adjusted OR of 2.77 (95% CI, 2.20–3.48), and those with both risk factors had an adjusted OR of 13.76 (95% CI, 10.22–18.54; P < .001). Conclusions Severe thrombocytopenia identifies both children and adults at increased risk of death from falciparum or vivax malaria, particularly in those with concurrent severe anemia.
Working Memory Power Test for Children

Low working memory (WM) capacity has been linked to poor academic performance and problem behavior. Availability of easy-to-administer screening tests would facilitate early detection of WM deficits. This study investigated the psychometric properties of the Working Memory Power Test for Children (WMPT) in 170 Australian schoolchildren (8½-11 years). Reliability (internal consistency) and validity of WMPT accuracy scores were examined. WMPT accuracy predicted achievement in reading, numeracy, and spelling. The results provide preliminary evidence of reliability and validity that supports interpretation of the WMPT accuracy score. With additional research, the WMPT could be valuable as an easy-to-administer screener for WM deficits.
The influence of perivascular adipose tissue on vascular homeostasis

The perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT) is now recognized as an active contributor to vascular function. Adipocytes and stromal cells contained within PVAT are a source of an ever-growing list of molecules with varied paracrine effects on the underlying smooth muscle and endothelial cells, including adipokines, cytokines, reactive oxygen species, and gaseous compounds. Their secretion is regulated by systemic or local cues and modulates complex processes, including vascular contraction and relaxation, smooth muscle cell proliferation and migration, and vascular inflammation. Recent evidence demonstrates that metabolic and cardiovascular diseases alter the morphological and secretory characteristics of PVAT, with notable consequences. In obesity and diabetes, the expanded PVAT contributes to vascular insulin resistance. PVAT-derived cytokines may influence key steps of atherogenesis. The physiological anticontractile effect of PVAT is severely diminished in hypertension. Above all, a common denominator of the PVAT dysfunction in all these conditions is the immune cell infiltration, which triggers the subsequent inflammation, oxidative stress, and hypoxic processes to promote vascular dysfunction. In this review, we discuss the currently known mechanisms by which the PVAT influences blood vessel function. The important discoveries in the study of PVAT that have been made in recent years need to be further advanced, to identify the mechanisms of the anticontractile effects of PVAT, to explore the vascular-bed and species differences in PVAT function, to understand the regulation of PVAT secretion of mediators, and finally, to uncover ways to ameliorate cardiovascular disease by targeting therapeutic approaches to PVAT.
Bidimensional Matching with Heterogeneous Preferences: Smoking in the Marriage Market

We develop a bidimensional matching model under transferable utility, where individuals are characterized by a continuous trait (e.g., socioeconomic status) and a binary attribute (e.g., smoking status). The model is "truly multidimensional", in the sense that the impact of the traits cannot be summarized by a one-dimensional index. We present a general resolution strategy based on optimal control theory, and characterize the stable matching. We derive testable predictions about equilibrium matching patterns. Using US data, we find that the observed marital sorting of smokers and non-smokers by education is consistent with our model.
Effects of Interdependence and Social Interaction-Based Person-Team Fit

The match between employees and their vocations, jobs and organizations has been the focus of the majority of past person-environment fit research. The compatibility between individuals and their work team environments is a more recently recognized, but much less studied, type of fit. Person-team fit is conceptualized here along two fundamental dimensions of team environments: interdependence and social interaction. Results from a study involving 209 cross-functional team members indicate that person-team fit has an impact on satisfaction, commitment, trust and performance.
A Unified Theory of Exogenous and Endogenous Attentional Control

Although diverse, theories of visual attention generally share the notion that attention is controlled by some combination of three distinct strategies: (1) exogenous cueing from locallycontrasting primitive visual features, such as abrupt onsets or color singletons (e.g., Itti & Koch, 2001); (2) endogenous gain modulation of exogenous activations, used to guide attention to task relevant features (e.g., Navalpakkam & Itti, 2005; Wolfe, 1994); and (3) endogenous prediction of likely locations of interest, based on task and scene gist (e.g., Torralba, Oliva, Catelhano, & Henderson, 2006). Because these strategies can make conflicting suggestions, theories posit arbitration and combination rules. We propose an alternative conceptualization consisting of a single unified mechanism that is controlled along two dimensions: the degree of task focus, and the spatial scale of operation. Previously proposed strategies—and their combinations—can be viewed as instances of this mechanism. Our theory offers a means of integrating data from a wide range of attentional phenomena. More importantly, the theory yields an unusual perspective on attention that places a fundamental emphasis on the role of experience and task-related knowledge.
Managing the Latency of Data-Dependent Tasks in Embedded Streaming Applications

Streaming languages are well suited to the development of embedded many-core applications that process large volumes of data with high throughput. Because they enable periodic scheduling, cyclo-static models of computation and their variants are well fitted to modern real-time applications. Nevertheless, while schedules may be functionally correct-by-construction, they can still violate timing constraints and safety requirements of critical real time embedded systems (e.g. avionics). Such violations are usually caused by delays that are not accounted for, due to resource sharing (e.g. the communication medium). In this paper, we investigate the applicability of the theory of hard-real-time scheduling for periodic tasks in the context of streaming applications. More specifically, we consider Cyclo-Static Dataflow (CSDF) graphs with variable interprocessor communication (IPC) times, and real-time constraints imposed by hardware devices or control engineers. As a result, we establish a latency constraint on the initiation times of predecessor actors on which a given actor is dependent. Based on this constraint, we show how to guarantee real-time services and reduce inconsistencies in a CSDF application by introducing a fault-tolerant procedure. We evaluate the performance of our scheduling policy for a set of 12 real-life streaming applications. We find that in most of the cases, our approach yields the maximum achievable throughput as obtained under Self-Timed scheduling (STS).
Using Multilevel Mixtures to Evaluate Intervention Effects in Group Randomized Trials

There is evidence to suggest that the effects of behavioral interventions may be limited to specific types of individuals, but methods for evaluating such outcomes have not been fully developed. This study proposes the use of finite mixture models to evaluate whether interventions, and, specifically, group randomized trials, impact participants with certain characteristics or levels of problem behaviors. This study uses latent classes defined by clustering of individuals based on the targeted behaviors and illustrates the model by testing whether a preventive intervention aimed at reducing problem behaviors affects experimental users of illicit substances differently than problematic substance users or those individuals engaged in more serious problem behaviors. An illustrative example is used to demonstrate the identification of latent classes, specification of random effects in a multilevel mixture model, independent validation of latent classes, and the estimation of power for the proposed models to detect intervention effects. This study proposes specific steps for the estimation of multilevel mixture models and their power and suggests that this model can be applied more broadly to understand the effectiveness of interventions.
Ram Pressure Stripping and Galaxy Orbits: The Case of the Virgo Cluster

We investigate the role of ram pressure stripping in the Virgo Cluster using N-body simulations. Radial orbits within the Virgo Cluster's gravitational potential are modeled and analyzed with respect to ram pressure stripping. The N-body model consists of 10,000 gas cloud complexes that can have inelastic collisions. Ram pressure is modeled as an additional acceleration on the clouds located at the surface of the gas distribution in the direction of the galaxy's motion within the cluster. We made several simulations, changing the orbital parameters in order to recover different stripping scenarios using realistic temporal ram pressure profiles. We investigate systematically the influence of the inclination angle between the disk and the orbital plane of the galaxy on the gasdynamics. We show that ram pressure can lead to a temporary increase of the central gas surface density. In some cases a considerable part of the total atomic gas mass (several 108 M☉) can fall back onto the galactic disk after the stripping event. A quantitative relation between the orbit parameters and the resulting H I deficiency is derived containing explicitly the inclination angle between the disk and the orbital plane. The comparison between existing H I observations and the results of our simulations shows that the H I deficiency depends strongly on galaxy orbits. It is concluded that the scenario in which ram pressure stripping is responsible for the observed H I deficiency is consistent with all H I 21 cm observations in the Virgo Cluster.
An Empirical Investigation Of The Exchange Rate Pass-Through To Domestic Prices In Nigeria

The sensitivity of prices to fluctuations in the nominal exchange rate of the Nigerias currency has become a prominent subject for business and policy makers. The persistent depreciation in exchange rate and high domestic prices currently above the policy target is the basis of this study. The study adopted secondary data of monthly frequency covering January-2000 to June-2017, to test the exchange rate pass-through to domestic prices in Nigeria while controlling for effects of other variables such as monetary aggregates and fuel prices. Impulse response functions and variance decomposition under the purview of Vector Auto-regressive (VAR) modelling approach are employed for the analyses. It finds that the exchange rate pass-through to domestic prices is complete six months after exchange rate shock. However money supply and fuel price effect are stronger than the exchange rate effect although the fuel price impact decay over time. Given the stronger impact of money supply on prices, the study concludes that inflation is a monetary phenomenon thereby giving credence to the current policy anchor on money supply as a policy tool to control inflation. It therefore recommends that policy makers should continue to pursue and maintain exchange rate stance that eases the depreciation pressure