Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Engaging the gatekeepers: faculty perspectives on developing curriculum for globally responsible citizenship

Internationalising the curriculum (IoC) for globally responsible citizenship calls for a profound re-orientation of teaching and learning in universities. While universities worldwide have embraced this challenge at the level of policy, a gap between rhetoric and practice is commonly observed. This paper investigates the gap from the perspective of academics responsible for implementing change 'at the coalface'. Findings from a study conducted at a large Australian research-intensive university, which included interviews with academics in leadership positions within faculties, highlight two interrelated issues which were inhibiting academics otherwise motivated to internationalise curricula. Firstly there was a pervasive sense of uncertainty about the 'correct' or legitimate definition of IoC. Secondly, legitimate leadership and responsibility within the faculties was a concern. Even many of those who were actively engaged with IoC perceived themselves to be 'informal' leaders, operating without clear direction or support from the University. Implications for practice and further research are discussed.
DESIGN OF A BALUN FOR A BOW TIE ANTENNA IN RECONFIGURABLE GROUND PENETRATING RADAR SYSTEMS

DESIGN OF A BALUN FOR A BOW TIE ANTENNA INRECONFIGURABLE GROUND PENETRATING RADARSYSTEMSR. PersicoIstituto per il Beni Archeologici e MonumentaliConsiglio Nazionale delle RicercheVia Monteroni, Campus Universitario, Lecce 73100, ItalyN. RomanoDipartimento di Ingegneria dell’InformazioneSeconda Universitµa degli studi di NapoliVia Roma 29, Aversa 81031, ItalyF. SoldovieriIstituto per il Rilevamento Elettromagnetico dell’AmbienteConsiglio Nazionale delle RicercheVia Diocleziano 328, Napoli 80124, ItalyAbstract|This paper deals with the design of a reconﬂgurableantenna that resembles a monolithic UWB bow-tie antenna for GroundPenetrating Radar (GPR) applications. In particular, the attentionis focussed on the design of the balun system able to work in thefrequency band 0.3{1GHz; the eﬁectiveness of the design is shown byexamining the behaviour of the scattering parameters
An Investigation into the Challenges Single Mothers Face in Households in the Central Region of Ghana

This study sought to find out the challenges facing single mothers in household in the Komenda Edina Eguafo Abirem (KEEA) municipality. The study was a descriptive survey and employed the quantitative approach. Data were collected using a self-designed structured questionnaire. Snowball and purposive sampling technique were used to select 150 single mothers for the study. Data analyzed were presented using frequency and percentage tables. The study revealed that the single mothers faced a combination of challenges including work-related, financial and psycho-social. It was also established that the dual parental roles played by the single mothers made them highly unproductive both at work and at home. It was recommended that the society, churches and the courts should enforce the regulations and laws on marriages to minimize the rates of desertions/divorce/separations to help recognise the importance of fathers and extended family to take up the responsibility of the welfare of their children.
What drives mobile commerce ? An empirical evaluation of the revised UTAUT model

When developing and aiming to achieve success in the arena of mobile commerce, user acceptance is a key aspect for consideration. This study aims to empirically examine some of the factors affecting the acceptance of m-commerce within the context of Saudi Arabia. Based on the revised UTAUT model, the revised model include two particular construct : costs and trust to enhance our understanding of mcommerce acceptance and usage. Survey data were collected from 574 participants in several cities across Saudi Arabia. The results emphasise that cost, effort expectancy, and performance expectancy all considerably affect the intention to use. In this regard, usage intention actually decides utilisation.
VARIATIONAL APPROXIMATIONS OF BIFURCATIONS OF ASYMMETRIC SOLITONS IN CUBIC-QUINTIC NONLINEAR

Using a variational approximation we study discrete solitons of a nonlinear Schrodinger lattice with a cubic-quintic nonlinearity. Using an ansatz with six parameters we are able to approximate bifurcations of asymmetric solutions connecting site-centered and bond-centered solutions and resulting in the exchange of their stability. We show that the numerical and variational approximations are quite close for solitons of small powers. 1. Introduction. The variational approximation (VA) has long been used as a semi-analytic technique to approximate solitary wave solutions of nonlinear evo- lution equations with an underlying Hamiltonian structure (13). There have been a number of papers exploring the VA with four parameters as a relevant approx- imation of localized modes in discrete nonlinear Schrodinger (DNLS) equations (6, 14, 19). Kaup (10) extended the variational approximation with six parameters that allowed him to construct not only site-centered solutions (also called on-site solitons) from (14) but also the bond-centered solutions (solitons centered at a mid- point between two adjacent sites also known as inter-site solitons). Site-centered and bond-centered solitons were recently considered in the context of the DNLS equations with competing cubic focusing and quintic defocusing non- linearities both in the space of one (3) and two (4) lattice dimensions. It was found that the two branches exchange their stability while continued with respect to the underlying parameters. A salient feature of this stability exchange is that the two branches of site-centered and bond-centered solitions do not intersect directly but are connected by an intermediate branch of asymmetric solitons. It was argued in (4) that the discrete solitons have enhanced mobility near the regimes of stability inversion. These properties were originally discovered in the DNLS equations with a saturable nonlinearity both in the space of one (8) and two (22) dimensions as 2000 Mathematics Subject Classication. Primary: 35Q55, 37K60, 35B32; Secondary: 58E30 .
Contributions of pollutants from North China Plain to surface ozone at the Shangdianzi GAW Station

Regional ozone pollution has become one of the top environmental concerns in China, especially in those economically vibrant and densely populated regions, such as North China region including Beijing. To address this issue, surface ozone and ancillary data over the period 2004? 2006 from the Shangdianzi Regional Background Station in north China were analyzed. Due to the suitable location and valley topography of the site, transport of pollutants from the North China Plain was easily observed and quantified according to surface wind directions. Regional (polluted) and natural (clean) background ozone concentrations were obtained by detailed statistic analysis. Contribution of pollutants from North China Plain to surface ozone at SDZ was estimated by comparing ozone concentrations observed under SW wind conditions and that under NE wind conditions. The average daily accumulated ozone contribution was estimated to be 240 ppb·hr. The average regional contributions to surface ozone at SDZ from the North China Plain were 21.8 ppb for the whole year, and 19.2, 28.9, 25.0, and 10.0 ppb for spring, summer, autumn, and winter, respectively. The strong ozone contribution in summer led to disappearance of the spring ozone maximum phenomenon at SDZ under winds other than from the WNN to E sectors. High winter NO x concentrations in the North China Plain caused negative ozone contribution in winter.
Fast semantic segmentation of 3D point clouds using a dense CRF with learned parameters

In this paper, we present an efficient semantic segmentation framework for indoor scenes operating on 3D point clouds. We use the results of a Random Forest Classifier to initialize the unary potentials of a densely interconnected Conditional Random Field, for which we learn the parameters for the pairwise potentials from training data. These potentials capture and model common spatial relations between class labels, which can often be observed in indoor scenes. We evaluate our approach on the popular NYU Depth datasets, for which it achieves superior results compared to the current state of the art. Exploiting parallelization and applying an efficient CRF inference method based on mean field approximation, our framework is able to process full resolution Kinect point clouds in half a second on a regular laptop, more than twice as fast as comparable methods.
OFDM modem design and implementation for narrowband Powerline communication

Automatic meter reading (AMR) technology allows energy suppliers to exploit their own infrastructure to bill their customers in an efficient and economical way using Power Line Communications (PLC). At this moment, new applications and services are required by market such as load and alarm management, remote monitoring and disconnection, etc. Thus, narrowband PLC modems should satisfy these services, provide high throughput and keep a low cost. In this paper, we propose a design methodology of a narrowband OFDM based PLC modem, its implementation on embedded processor and optimization of three building blocks: FFT, Viterbi, and convolutional encoder.
Alternatives to Slash-and-Burn Summary Report and Synthesis of Phase II in Cameroon

2 About ASB This report is one of a series detailing results from the Alternatives to Slash-and-Burn (ASB) Programme, a global consortium founded in 1994 as a system-wide programme of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR). ASB is convened by the Nairobi-based World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) and is governed by a global steering group of 12 representatives from participating national and international institutions. At its inception, ASB was financially supported by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), with sponsorship from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Additional funding for ASB global work is provided by the Governments of the Netherlands and the USA, through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). ASB encourages free dissemination of its work when reproduction is for non-commercial purposes. Excerpts from this document may be quoted or reproduced without charge, provided the source is acknowledged.
News, volatility and jumps: the case of natural gas futures

We investigate the impact of news sentiment on the price dynamics of natural gas futures. We propose a Local News Sentiment Level model, based on the Local Level model of Durbin and Koopman [Time Series Analysis by State Space Methods, 2001], to construct a running series of news sentiment from irregularly observed news items’ sentiments. We construct several return and variation measures to proxy for the fine dynamics of the natural gas futures prices. We employ event studies, Granger causality tests and several state-of-the-art volatility models to assess the effect of news on the returns, price jumps and the volatility. We find significant relationships between news sentiment and the dynamic characteristics of natural gas futures prices. Our findings are, among others, that the arrival of news in non-trading periods causes overnight returns, that news sentiment is Granger caused by negative semi-volatility and that news sentiment is more sensitive to negative than to positive jumps. In addition to that we find strong evidence that news sentiment severely Granger causes price jumps and conclude that market participants trade futures as some function of aggregated news. We augment volatility models with news sentiment measures and conduct an out-of-sample volatility forecasting study. The first class of models is the generalized autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity models the second class is the high-frequency-based volatility models of Shephard and Shephard [J. Appl. Econ., 2010, 25, 197–231] and Noureldin et al. [J. Appl. Econ., 2012, 27(6), 907–933]. We adapt both models to account for asymmetric volatility, leverage and time to maturity effects. By augmenting all models with news sentiment variables, we find that including news sentiment in volatility models significantly improves volatility forecasts.
The Impact of Local Decentralization on Economic Growth: Evidence from U.S. Counties

We analyze the impact of fiscal decentralization on U.S. county population, employment, and real income growth. Our findings suggest that government organization matters for local economic growth, but that the impacts vary by government unit and by economic indicator. We find that single-purpose governments per square mile have a positive impact on metropolitan population and employment growth, but no significant impact on nonmetropolitan counties. In contrast, the fragmentation of general-purpose governments per capita has a negative impact on employment and population growth in nonmetropolitan counties. Our results suggest that local government decentralization matters differently for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan counties.
Scaling relations of the colour-detected cluster RzCS 052 at z= 1.016 and some other high-redshift clusters

We report on the discovery of the z = 1.016 cluster RzCS 052 using a modified red-sequence method, follow up spectroscopy and X-ray imaging. This cluster has a velocity dispersion of 710 ± 150 km s -1 , a virial mass of 4.0 x 10 14 M ⊙ (based on 21 spectroscopically confirmed members) and an X-ray luminosity of (0.68 ± 0.47) x 10 44 erg s -1 in the [1-4] keV band. This optically selected cluster appears to be of richness class 3 and to follow the known L X -σ v relation for high-redshift X-ray selected clusters. Using these data, we find that the halo occupation number for this cluster is only marginally consistent with what was expected assuming a self-similar evolution of cluster scaling relations, suggesting perhaps a break of them at z ∼ 1. We also rule out a strong galaxy merging activity between z = 1 and today. Finally, we present a Bayesian approach to measuring cluster velocity dispersions and X-ray luminosities in the presence of a background: we critically reanalyse recent claims for X-ray underluminous clusters using these techniques and find that the clusters can be accommodated within the existing L X -σ v relation.
Kinked Demand Curves and Inflation Persistence in a Low-Inflation Economy ∗

Models of the monetary transmission mechanism often have difficulty accounting for the observed inertia of inflation without assuming such inertia is intrinsic. This paper shows that a staggered price model with low trend inflation can generate considerable inflation persistence, if demand curves are characterized by a smoothed-off kink. Inflation displays a hump-shaped response to a monetary policy shock absent a source of intrinsic inertia. Moreover, following a permanent credible disinflation, the kink can lead to a gradual adjustment of inflation and a recession. JEL Classification: E31, E52
Simultaneous Single-Sample Determination of NMNAT Isozyme Activities in Mouse Tissues

A novel assay procedure has been developed to allow simultaneous activity discrimination in crude tissue extracts of the three known mammalian nicotinamide mononucleotide adenylyltransferase (NMNAT, EC 2.7.7.1) isozymes. These enzymes catalyse the same key reaction for NAD biosynthesis in different cellular compartments. The present method has been optimized for NMNAT isozymes derived from Mus musculus, a species often used as a model for NAD-biosynthesis-related physiology and disorders, such as peripheral neuropathies. Suitable assay conditions were initially assessed by exploiting the metal-ion dependence of each isozyme recombinantly expressed in bacteria, and further tested after mixing them in vitro. The variable contributions of the three individual isozymes to total NAD synthesis in the complex mixture was calculated by measuring reaction rates under three selected assay conditions, generating three linear simultaneous equations that can be solved by a substitution matrix calculation. Final assay validation was achieved in a tissue extract by comparing the activity and expression levels of individual isozymes, considering their distinctive catalytic efficiencies. Furthermore, considering the key role played by NMNAT activity in preserving axon integrity and physiological function, this assay procedure was applied to both liver and brain extracts from wild-type and Wallerian degeneration slow (WldS) mouse. WldS is a spontaneous mutation causing overexpression of NMNAT1 as a fusion protein, which protects injured axons through a gain-of-function. The results validate our method as a reliable determination of the contributions of the three isozymes to cellular NAD synthesis in different organelles and tissues, and in mutant animals such as WldS.
Rewriting earnings history

Research on the usefulness of financial information generally focuses on the innovation in the information examined, such as an earnings surprise or cash flow growth. Consequently, prior research sheds little light on the role of the rich historical record of financial information in users’ decision-making. Using a sample of published restatements of earnings, we show that the revision of the historical pattern of earnings, distinct from the magnitude of the restatement and its impact on current earnings, significantly affects investors’ decisions and predicts class action lawsuits. Specifically, we find that restatements that eliminate or shorten histories of earnings growth or positive earnings have significantly more adverse effects for investor valuations and the likelihood of lawsuits than other restatements. This evidence about the value-relevance of refreshing the historical record of earnings is pertinent to the FASB’s recent cautious expansion of the scope of circumstances that require a restatement of financial information in FAS 154.
Nosocomial bloodstream infections in US hospitals: analysis of 24,179 cases from a prospective nationwide surveillance study.

BACKGROUND Nosocomial bloodstream infections (BSIs) are important causes of morbidity and mortality in the United States. METHODS Data from a nationwide, concurrent surveillance study (Surveillance and Control of Pathogens of Epidemiological Importance [SCOPE]) were used to examine the secular trends in the epidemiology and microbiology of nosocomial BSIs. RESULTS Our study detected 24,179 cases of nosocomial BSI in 49 US hospitals over a 7-year period from March 1995 through September 2002 (60 cases per 10,000 hospital admissions). Eighty-seven percent of BSIs were monomicrobial. Gram-positive organisms caused 65% of these BSIs, gram-negative organisms caused 25%, and fungi caused 9.5%. The crude mortality rate was 27%. The most-common organisms causing BSIs were coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) (31% of isolates), Staphylococcus aureus (20%), enterococci (9%), and Candida species (9%). The mean interval between admission and infection was 13 days for infection with Escherichia coli, 16 days for S. aureus, 22 days for Candida species and Klebsiella species, 23 days for enterococci, and 26 days for Acinetobacter species. CoNS, Pseudomonas species, Enterobacter species, Serratia species, and Acinetobacter species were more likely to cause infections in patients in intensive care units (P<.001). In neutropenic patients, infections with Candida species, enterococci, and viridans group streptococci were significantly more common. The proportion of S. aureus isolates with methicillin resistance increased from 22% in 1995 to 57% in 2001 (P<.001, trend analysis). Vancomycin resistance was seen in 2% of Enterococcus faecalis isolates and in 60% of Enterococcus faecium isolates. CONCLUSION In this study, one of the largest multicenter studies performed to date, we found that the proportion of nosocomial BSIs due to antibiotic-resistant organisms is increasing in US hospitals.
Culturable bacteria in Himalayan ice in response to atmospheric circulation

Culturable bacteria in Himalayan ice in response to atmospheric circulation S. Zhang, S. Hou, X. Ma, D. Qin, and T. Chen Laboratory of Cryosphere and Environment, Cold and Arid Regions Environmental and Engineering Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China School of Life Science, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China Received: 7 March 2006 – Accepted: 1 April 2006 – Published: 26 June 2006 Correspondence to: S. Hou (shugui@lzb.ac.cn)
CLINICAL CONCEPTS AND COMMENTARY

ADVANCES in modern medicine and public health have resulted in increased longevity, which in turn has resulted in more elderly patients (arbitrarily defined as aged 65 yr or older) coming to the operating room for a variety of surgical procedures. Even in the absence of comorbidities, these patients, as compared with their younger cohorts, respond differently to various perioperative physiologic trespasses and pharmacologic interventions. In this clinical commentary, we focus on the altered pharmacologic responses elderly patients have during the perioperative period. In many instances, elderly patients are more sensitive to drugs, and for the purposes of this clinical commentary, we use the word sensitivity in its general clinical meaning, i.e., an enhanced response for a given dose of drug that might have a pharmacokinetic or pharmacodynamic explanation.
MOND and the Seven Dwarfs

Gerhard had recently analyzed the data on seven dwarf spheroidals, and concluded that these disagree with the predictions of MOND. We contend that this conclusion is anything but correct. With new data for three of the dwarfs the observations of all dwarfs are in compelling agreement with the predictions of MOND. Gerhard found MOND M/L values that fall around a few solar units, as expected if MOND is a valid alternative to dark matter. His sole cause for complaint was that some of his MOND M/L values were still outside the range of ``reasonable'' stellar values. This, we say, was easily attributable to uncertainties in the data, such as in the velocity dispersions, luminosities, core radii, etc., and in the assumptions that underlie the analysis, such as isotropic velocity distribution, light-distribution fits, etc. There are now new, much improved determinations of the velocity dispersions for three of the dwarfs, in particular for the two dwarfs for which Gerhard found high MOND M/L values. In fact, within just the quoted errors on the velocity dispersions and the luminosities, the MOND M/L values for all seven dwarfs are now perfectly consistent with stellar values, with no need for dark matter.
Identifying subjective adjectives through web-based mutual information

This paper describes a method for ranking a large list of adjectives according to a subjectivity score without resorting to any knowledge-intensive external resources (such as lexical databases, parsers or manual annotation). The method only requires a list of adjectives to be ranked and a small set of “seeds” (manually selected subjective adjectives). The subjectivity score is obtained by computing the mutual information of pairs of adjectives taken from each set, using frequency and cooccurrence frequency counts on the World Wide Web, collected through queries to the AltaVista search engine. The obtained results improve significantly over a comparable low-resource acquisition algorithm.