Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Resource Curse or Rentier Peace? The Ambiguous Effects of Oil Wealth and Oil Dependence on Violent Conflict

The ‘resource curse’ hypothesis claims that abundance in natural resources, particularly oil, encourages especially civil war. Natural resources provide both motive and opportunity for conflict and create indirect institutional and economic causes of instability. Contrarily, the theory of the rentier state — largely neglected in the study of peace and war in this respect — suggests that regimes use revenue from abundant resources to buy off peace through patronage, large-scale distributive policies and effective repression. Consequently, such rentier states would tend to be more stable politically and less prone to conflict. These two theories thus imply ambivalent effects of resource abundance on conflict proneness. This article presents part of a solution to this apparent puzzle for the case of oil-producing countries. The key argument is that both resource wealth per capita and resource dependence need to be taken into account, since only the availability of very high per capita revenues from oil allows governments to achieve internal stability. The empirical analysis supports this hypothesis. The findings of multivariate cross-country regressions indicate a U-shaped relationship between oil dependence and civil war onset, while high resource wealth per capita tends to be associated with less violence. The results of a macro-qualitative comparison for a reduced sample of highly dependent oil exporters are even more clearcut. Using the same reduced sample, we find that oil-wealthy countries apparently manage to maintain political stability by a combination of large-scale distribution, high spending on the security apparatus and protection by outsiders. Compared to oil-poor countries and in contradiction to the rentier state theory, the institutions of oil-wealthy countries do not seem to be particularly characterized by patronage and clientelism.
Expressivity in singing. A review of some recent investigations

Some old and recent contributions to the description of expression in singing are reviewed and their implications are discussed. The contributions provide reasons to assume that, generally, singers' attempts to convey an emotional ambiance are successful. Moreover, expressivity seems to contain information on musical structure, enhances categorisation of tones and embeds the performance in an appropriate emotional ambiance. This is realised in a code, consisting of meaningful modulation of various parameters such as tempo and vibrato extent, of ascending glides to target pitch, and of shaving off or sharpening loudness and pitch contours. It seems likely that, to a large extent, the code is taken from speech prosody.
Hemoproteids (Apicomplexa: Haemoproteidae) from South African Tortoises (Cryptodira: Testudinidae)

Abstract Terrestrial tortoises, Chersina angulata (Schweigger, 1812), Kinixys belliana belliana Gray, 1831, K. lobatsiana Power, 1927, K. natalensis Hewitt, 1935, and Stigmochelys pardalis (Bell, 1828), both wild (n = 84) and captive (n = 70), were examined for hematozoans from the provinces of Gauteng, Kwazulu-Natal, North West, and Western Cape, South Africa. In Giemsa-stained blood films, 2 species of hemoproteids were identified, 1 previously described, that is, Haemoproteus testudinalis (Laveran, 1905) Wenyon, 1915, the other unknown. Haemoproteus testudinalis occurred in 2/27 wild K. lobatsiana and 1/41 S. pardalis and 2/2 captive K. lobatsiana from the North West and Gauteng, respectively, whereas Haemoproteus sp. A was recorded in 1 of 3 captive K. natalensis from Kwazulu-Natal. Haemoproteus testudinalis had pale blue-stained, often vacuolated, halteridial macrogametocytes, pale pink-stained microhalterdial to halteridial microgametocytes, and dark, scattered, often bacillus-like hemozoin granules. Haemoproteus natalensis n. sp. had ameboid growth stages, blue-stained halteridial to circumnuclear macrogametocytes, purple-stained circumnuclear microgametocytes, and brownish, often clustered, pigment granules. It is recommended that Haemoproteus balazuci Dias, 1953, become a junior synonym of H. testudinalis.
Building Empirically-based Theory in Geography Education

The words spoken by Roger Downs in May of 1993served as a provocativecall to the leaders in geography education in the United States to make research an integral part of their work. This call followed a decade-long reform movement in geography education in the United States that contributed to an astonishing renaissance in geography education in which the presence of geography in the K–12 school curriculum was increased and geography became a core element in national-level education priorities (Boehm, 1997). While the activities of the reform movement were necessary, Downs pointed out that they were not sufficient for promoting continued forward movement of the drive to improve geography education. Downs (1994a: 129) identified the missing ingredient as data, data that would provide ‘an empirically sound, theoretically grounded, practicaland relevant knowledge base’ that could demonstrateto policy-makers, school boards, parents and students that geography education is both valuable and effective; and that one or another approach to teaching and learning geography is measurably better than others. In response to this challenge, several scholars who would become directors of the Grosvenor Center for Geographic Education began to more fully develop ideas they had been pursuing for a number of years prior to Downs’ challenge. One of these ideas was to facilitate the exchange of research findings among geography educators and the wide range of experts from other disciplines who were conducting research relevant to geography education. The method chosen to accomplish this goal was the publication of a scholarly, peer-reviewed journal that possessed a specific focus upon research in geography education and, in 1999, the journal Research in Geographic Education was launched. Published articles to date bear authorship from a wide range of specialists who address a broad spectrum of topics. The single factor that unites these disciplinary traditions and topical foci is the underlying mission of the journal to contribute to the building of a theoretically grounded, empirical research base for geography education.
Task Rotation and Polychronicity: Effects on Individuals' Creativity

We contrasted the creativity of individuals who rotated through 3 idea generation tasks (rotation condition) with that of individuals who completed each task before beginning the next (sequential condition). We also examined whether polychronicity (i.e., the number of tasks with which an individual prefers to be involved at the same time) interacted with task condition to affect creativity, and whether perceived time pressure mediated these effects. Data were obtained from 224 undergraduate students (47% men; average age 20.5 years) who completed the tasks in a laboratory setting. Results showed that task condition and polychronicity interacted such that individuals who preferred involvement with multiple tasks exhibited higher creativity in the rotation condition, whereas those who preferred involvement with fewer tasks exhibited higher creativity in the sequential condition. Perceived time pressure mediated these effects. We discuss the implications of these results.
Nonasymptotic performance analysis of importance sampling schemes for small noise diffusions

In this paper we develop a prelimit analysis of performance measures for importance sampling schemes related to small noise diffusion processes. In importance sampling the performance of any change of measure is characterized by its second moment. For a given change of measure, we characterize the second moment of the corresponding estimator as the solution to a partial differential equation, which we analyze via a full asymptotic expansion with respect to the size of the noise and obtain a precise statement on its accuracy. The main correction term to the decay rate of the second moment solves a transport equation that can be solved explicitly. The asymptotic expansion that we obtain identifies the source of possible poor performance of nevertheless asymptotically optimal importance sampling schemes and allows for a more accurate comparison among competing importance sampling schemes.
Moving On From 9/11: How Australian Television Reported the Ninth Anniversary

This article investigates how five Australian television stations reported and framed the ninth anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in the United States. In Australia, Eid, the Muslim festival held to celebrate the end of Ramadan, coincided with the ninth anniversary of the events of 9/11. This provided an opportunity to examine how television news treated these two events. Our findings are situated within the literature around media coverage of terrorism post–September 11 because of the identified tendency of media to conflate terrorism with Islam and Muslims. This literature provides a context for understanding whether Australian television coverage of the ninth anniversary of 9/11 and the 2010 Eid festival replicated identified patterns of media coverage of Muslim and Islam or if there was evidence of change in the handling of these types of reports.
Discourses of ‘indiscipline’: a Foucauldian response

Abstract A recent editorial in the Scottish Educational Journal, the publication of the teacher trade union the Educational Institute of Scotland, headed 'More action, not words needed on discipline', condemned the level of indiscipline, violence and aggression in Scottish schools - in particular that directed against teachers - and criticized the government for its lack of action in tackling the problem. This article examines the way arguments such as this position the individual as 'deviant’ within educational systems. It discusses the importance of metaphor in organizing our perceptions and suggests that an analysis of power relations in schools could give rise to alternative metaphorical concepts that may help to promote the inclusion of children whose behaviour is deemed to be unacceptable.
Relationship of imprecise corollary discharge in schizophrenia to auditory hallucinations.

CONTEXT A forward model of intended thoughts and actions prepares sensory cortex for sensations that are a consequence of those actions. Imprecision of the corollary discharge in schizophrenia may contribute to the misperception of inner experiences and thoughts as "voices" or auditory hallucinations. OBJECTIVES To assess the precision of the forward model in schizophrenia using the N100 component of the auditory event-related potential to speech that is altered or unaltered, in real time, as it is being spoken. To assess the relationship between auditory hallucinations and the imprecision of the corollary discharge. DESIGN Prospective case-control study. SETTING Community mental health centers and Palo Alto Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Palo Alto, Calif. PARTICIPANTS Twenty patients with schizophrenia and 17 sex- and age-matched healthy control subjects. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES N100 responses to auditory feedback, which was altered by pitch-shifting the self-voice, substituting an alien voice, or pitch-shifting the alien voice. On each trial, subjects judged whether feedback was "self," "other," or "unsure. " Clinical ratings were used to assess severity of auditory hallucinations in patients. RESULTS In controls, N100 to unaltered self-voice feedback was dampened relative to N100 to altered self-voice or alien auditory feedback. This pattern was not seen in hallucinating patients. This imprecision correlated with the severity of hallucinations and with the percentage of misattribution errors. CONCLUSION These data support a connection between auditory verbal hallucinations and the imprecision of the corollary discharge heralding the sensory consequences of thoughts and actions.
Generalization of mere exposure to faces viewed from different horizontal angles

Evolutionary accounts of the centrality of social interaction for our species might anticipate more efficient affective processing for faces. The current study assessed whether mere exposure to upright faces resulted in greater generalization of liking than mere exposure to inverted faces, as might be predicted by special-process views of face perception. We presented upright and inverted photographs of faces taken from three different horizontal angles (full front-view, 45-degree, and full-profile), then asked participants to rate their liking for front-view photographs of the same faces. For inverted faces, but not upright faces, there was a significant linear trend for liking to decrease as presentation angle increased (from front-view through 45-degree to full-profile). Thus, upright front-view faces that had previously been presented in full-or semi-profile were liked at equivalent levels to upright front-view faces that had previously been presented in front-view. These findings suggest that mere exposure for upright faces presented at any angle may easily generalize to other views of the face, but that generalization is less efficient for perceptually matched inverted faces. These findings are consistent with evolutionary arguments for enhanced affective discrimination.
Word associations of aboriginal adolescents: A comparison with Australian and American norms

Abstract A recent application of word association data has been in studies of differences in language habits between culturally advantaged and culturally disadvantaged groups of children. Aultman (1970) provides some evidence of differences in the content of associative responses from children of comparable chronological age but diverse socio-economic backgrounds. Entwhistle (1970) found that word associations of first-grade children indicate that black and white slum children were more advanced linguistically than are suburban children in the U.S., but that the superiority had disappeared by the third grade and was followed by a cumulative decline. The early superiority was judged on the similarity of the type of response to that commonly made by adults. Entwhistle suggests that a factor in this early acceleration may be the slum child's almost unlimited access to the TV set, as compared with the restrictions usually placed on the suburban first-grader in terms of time and content.
Improved cortical entrainment to infant communication calls in mothers compared with virgin mice

There is a growing interest in the use of mice as a model system for species‐specific communication. In particular, ultrasonic calls emitted by mouse pups communicate distress, and elicit a search and retrieval response from mothers. Behaviorally, mothers prefer and recognize these calls in two‐alternative choice tests, in contrast to pup‐naïve females that do not have experience with pups. Here, we explored whether one particular acoustic feature that defines these calls − the repetition rate of calls within a bout − is represented differently in the auditory cortex of these two animal groups. Multiunit recordings in anesthetized CBA/CaJ mice revealed that: (i) neural entrainment to repeated stimuli extended up to the natural pup call repetition rate (5 Hz) in mothers; but (ii) neurons in naïve females followed repeated stimuli well only at slower repetition rates; and (iii) entrained responses to repeated pup calls were less sensitive to natural pup call variability in mothers than in pup‐naïve females. In the broader context, our data suggest that auditory cortical responses to communication sounds are plastic, and that communicative significance is correlated with an improved cortical representation.
Optimism, Vulnerability, and self-beliefs as health-related cognitions: A systematic overview

Abstract This paper disentangles a number of closely related cognitions by dividing them into the categories of defensive and functional optimism. Optimistic biases in risk perception are discussed that may represent barriers in the adoption of preventive health behaviors. Instead of defensive optimism, some sense of vulnerability is seen as indispensable for behavioral change operating jointly with beliefs about positive health outcomes, instrumental actions, and appropriate coping resources. A distinction is made between three kinds of functional optimism that depend either on attributional style, outcome expectancies, or personal agency. Findings are presented that corroborate the strength of these constructs in predicting health outcomes. In terms of health behavior change, it is argued that optimistic self-beliefs are the most beneficial because of their operative power that helps to set goals, initiate actions, and maintain motivation.
Expression and Functional Analysis of CYP2D6.24, CYP2D6.26, CYP2D6.27, and CYP2D7 Isozymes

The objectives of this study were to compare the drug-metabolizing activity of human CYP2D6.24 (I297L), CYP2D6.26 (I369T), and CYP2D6.27 (E410K) allelic isoforms with wild-type CYP2D6.1 and to express the CYP2D7 protein derived from an indel polymorphism (CYP2D7 138delT) and investigate its possible codeine O-demethylase activity. Successful creation of individual cDNAs corresponding to CYP2D6*24 (2853 A>C), CYP2D6*26 (3277 T>C), and CYP2D6*27 (3853 G>A) allelic variants and CYP2D7 was achieved via molecular cloning. The corresponding proteins, CYP2D6.24, CYP2D6.26, CYP2D6.27, and CYP2D7, were expressed in insect cells by using a baculovirus-mediated expression system. All CYP2D proteins showed the empirical carbon monoxide difference spectra. We were surprised to find that the CYP2D7 protein was detected mainly in mitochondrial fractions, whereas all CYP2D6 allelic isoforms were present in the microsomal fraction. Furthermore, CYP2D7 did not produce any morphine from codeine. In contrast, CYP2D6.24, CYP2D6.26, and CYP2D6.27 allelic isoforms all showed active drug-metabolizing activities toward both codeine and dextromethorphan O-demethylation. Whereas CYP2D6.24 exhibited the highest intrinsic clearance in dextromethorphan O-demethylation (∼6-fold higher than that by CYP2D6.1), it had the lowest enzyme efficiency in codeine O-demethylation (∼50% lower than that by CYP2D6.1). Overall, the enzymatic consequences of CYP2D6 allelic isozymes are substrate dependent. These data would help preclinical and clinical assessments of the metabolic elimination of drugs that are mediated by human CYP2D enzyme.
Winners and Losers – Segmenting a Casino Loyalty Program

As the competition within the gaming industry continues to grow exponentially, these organizations are using players club programs as a key component of their marketing programs. This study investigates the relationship between casino players club programs and its members. Through the use of data collected from a mail survey of 3000 players club members, a detailed analysis was undertaken to explore the impacts of these programs on the creation of behavioral and attitudinal loyalty. The findings suggest for the majority of loyalty program members, these programs have little impact on creating loyalty and their subsequent gaming behavior.
Laying performances and egg quality of local barred hens under improved conditions in Cameroon

Objectives : This study was designated to evaluate the laying performances and egg traits in local barred hens. Sixteen (16) hens and 4 cocks were used, divided into 4 experimental units of 4 hens and 1 cock per unit. Methodology and Results: The following parameters were studied: feed intake (g/bird/day), egg production (%/hen-day), egg weight (g), egg mass (g/hen/day), feed conversion ratio (g feed/g egg) and egg cost (Fcfa). A total of 730 eggs were used to evaluate external egg traits including egg weight, egg length, egg width, egg index and 320 eggs to evaluate internal egg traits including relative yolk weight (%), yolk height, yolk diameter, relative shell weight (%), shell thickness, albumen height, relative albumen weight (%) and haugh unit. Mean values for laying performances were: age at first egg (22.5 weeks), hen live weight at first egg (1298g), hen age at peak egg production ( 33 weeks), percent egg production at peak (57.9%), feed conversion ratio (5.36), mean egg production (40.4%) and egg cost (48.5 Fcfa). Mean egg traits were: egg weight (43.8g), relative albumen weight (17.3%), albumen height (5.74mm), haugh unit (78.0), relative yolk weight (34.9%), relative shell weight (11.6%) and shell thickness (25.9mm). There was a highly significant (P<0.01) correlation between egg weight, yolk volume and albumen volume. This correlation was weak between egg weight and albumen height (0.060) and egg weight and shell thickness (0.020). Conclusions and applications of findings : The present study suggests that local barred hens have a good potential for egg production, which may be useful for breed improvement, and development for future generation of local laying hens. Key words : egg quality, laying performances, local barred hens.
MEG auditory evoked fields suggest altered structural/functional asymmetry in primary but not secondary auditory cortex in bipolar disorder.

OBJECTIVES Objective physiological indices independently characterizing affective and schizophreniform psychoses would contribute to our understanding of the nature of their relationships. Magnetoencephalography (MEG)-based metrics of altered structural/functional asymmetry in the superior temporal gyrus have previously been found to characterize schizophrenia at the level of both the primary auditory (AI) and the secondary auditory (AII) cortex. This study examines these markers in patients with bipolar disorder, with the goal of improved understanding of the patterns of brain asymmetry that may independently characterize affective and schizophreniform psychosis. METHODS We studied 17 euthymic bipolar subjects and 17 matched controls. Auditory evoked fields were generated by both 40 Hz auditory stimuli eliciting steady state gamma band (SSR), activating the AI cortex, and discrete 1 kHz tone pips, activating the AII cortex. MEG was recorded from the hemisphere contralateral to the ear stimulated using a 37-channel MEG system. Source location estimates were calculated in both left and right hemispheres. Neuroanatomical location estimates for medial Heschl's gyri were determined from magnetic resonance images for correlation with MEG source locations. RESULTS Bipolar subjects failed to demonstrate normal laterality of SSR AI responses, indicating altered patterns of asymmetry at the level of AI cortex, but demonstrated normal asymmetry of AII responses (right anterior to left). Medial Heschl's gyri centroids were similarly lateralized in both groups, however (right anterior to left), dissociating function from structure in the AI cortex in the bipolar group. CONCLUSIONS The findings are compatible with altered functional/structural relationships, including diminished left-right hemisphere asymmetry of the AI, but not the AII cortex in bipolar disorder. In schizophrenia, both the AI and AII cortices exhibit such derangements; thus, the findings support both shared and nonshared features of auditory cortical disruption between the two disorders. This functional disorganization may help explain previously reported decreases in amplitude and phase synchrony of SSR gamma band responses in bipolar subjects, suggesting impaired neocortical synchrony in AI, possibly at a cortico-thalamic level, but perhaps not extending to heteromodal association cortex, and may relate to the cognitive impairments found in bipolar disorder.