Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Innovation and Its Enemies: The Economic and Political Roots of Technological Inertia

This paper takes another look at the reasons and effects of technological inertia. Resistance to technological change is often regarded as regressive and socially costly, caused by distributional coalitions defending their turf and preserving their rents. While there can be no doubt that sometimes this is a correct view, the reverse argument can be made that in many cases such resistance represents a logical and possibly even socially beneficial source of stability. The paper makes the distinction between the institutional aspects of opposition to technological change (in which the debate regards the rules are laid down and whether the market is permitted to be the arbiter whether a new technique is adopted) and organizational opposition in which resistance takes place within given institutions. Because of technological externalities and network effects, technological systems tend to be much more resilient and inert than individual technologies, and the more the parts of a system are interdependent, the more difficult it is to make changes in it. The net result is one of pathdependence, in which history is one of the main determinants of technological outcomes .
Verbal redundancy in multimedia learning environments: A meta-analysis.

Verbal redundancy arises from the concurrent presentation of text and verbatim speech. To inform theories of multimedia learning that guide the design of educational materials, a meta-analysis was conducted to investigate the effects of spoken-only, written-only, and spoken--written presentations on learning retention and transfer. After an extensive search for experimental studies meeting specified inclusion criteria, data from 57 independent studies were extracted. Most of the research participants were postsecondary students. Overall, this meta-analysis revealed that outcomes comparing spoken--written and written-only presentations did not differ, but students who learned from spoken--written presentations outperformed those who learned from spoken-only presentations. This effect was dependent on learners' prior knowledge, pacing of presentation, and inclusion of animation or diagrams. Specifically, the advantages of spoken--written presentations over spoken-only presentations were found for low prior knowledge learners, system-paced learning materials, and picture-free materials. In comparison with verbatim, spoken--written presentations, presentations displaying key terms extracted from spoken narrations were associated with better learning outcomes and accounted for much of the advantage of spoken--written over spoken-only presentations. These findings have significant implications for the design of multimedia materials.
An Exploratory Study Examining a Transformational Salesperson Model Mediated by Salesperson Theory-of-Mind

A customer revolution caused by the popularity of internet commerce, the reliance on social media, and the globalization of the retail industry, calls for an examination of a sales model driven by transformational salespeople. This study examined potential salesperson performance drivers and a proposed moderated mediation model of salesperson performance. This study relied upon a foundation of transformational and other leadership attributes and salesperson theory-of-mind (SToM). Although the conditional indirect effects of the model were not statistically significant, transformational leadership was found to be a statistically significant predictor of sales performance (c’=.024, t=2.63, p =.0088). Several sub-components of transformational leadership were also statistically significant such as individualized consideration (c’ = .133, t = 3.75, p = .0002). Other statistically significant leadership attribute predictors were contingent reward leadership (c’ = .102, t = 2.65, p = .0084), and laissez-faire leadership, negatively correlated, (c’ = -.061, t = -2.07, p = .039). The study also found that transformational leadership is positively related to SToM (ai = .768, t = 2.88, p = .0042). Although the study found these predictors statistically significant, caution must be exercised in the interpretation of results due to the low effect sizes. This study is suggestive for sales theory and for sales practice. The study contributes to the pioneering work of Bass (1997) who originally made the theoretical connection between transformational leadership attributes and effective sales performance. He theorized that because sales is an influence process involving the alignment of the customer’s goals and objectives with the organization’s solutions, it is like transformational leadership, which is also an influence process in which the leader responds to followers’ needs by aligning goals and objectives of individuals with the organization. The results not only confirm Bass’s theory, but also extend it with the addition of other leadership attributes, contingent reward leadership and laissez-faire leadership. This study employed a cross-sectional sampling approach and used data generated by EXAMINING A TRANSFORMATIONAL SALESPERSON MODEL 12 an online package of surveys covering transformational leadership, salesperson theory-of-mind, and personality.
RE-EXAMINING LARSON'S SCALING RELATIONSHIPS IN GALACTIC MOLECULAR CLOUDS

The properties of Galactic molecular clouds tabulated by Solomon et al. (SRBY) are re-examined using the Boston University-FCRAO Galactic Ring Survey of 13CO J = 1–0 emission. These new data provide a lower opacity tracer of molecular clouds and improved angular and spectral resolution compared with previous surveys of molecular line emission along the Galactic Plane. We calculate giant molecular cloud (GMC) masses within the SRBY cloud boundaries assuming local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE) conditions throughout the cloud and a constant H2 to 13CO abundance, while accounting for the variation of the 12C/13C with galactocentric radius. The LTE-derived masses are typically five times smaller than the SRBY virial masses. The corresponding median mass surface density of molecular hydrogen for this sample is 42 M☉ pc−2, which is significantly lower than the value derived by SRBY (median 206 M☉ pc−2) that has been widely adopted by most models of cloud evolution and star formation. This discrepancy arises from both the extrapolation by SRBY of velocity dispersion, size, and CO luminosity to the 1 K antenna temperature isophote that likely overestimates the GMC masses and our assumption of constant 13CO abundance over the projected area of each cloud. Owing to the uncertainty of molecular abundances in the envelopes of clouds, the mass surface density of GMCs could be larger than the values derived from our 13CO measurements. From velocity dispersions derived from the 13CO data, we find that the coefficient of the cloud structure functions, v° = σv/R1/2, is not constant, as required to satisfy Larson's scaling relationships, but rather systematically varies with the surface density of the cloud as ∼Σ0. 5 as expected for clouds in self-gravitational equilibrium.
Challenges in Education System Affecting Teacher Professional Development in Oman

On international comparisons, the development of Oman’s education system in terms of the increase in educational enrolment rates and in the level of teacher qualifications has been remarkably rapid. Almost 100% access to basic education has been achieved, and almost all students progress onto post-basic education. A report from the World Bank in 2001 described the development of Oman’s education system in the decades 1970-2000 as "unprecedented" and "unparalleled by any other country". However, international assessments on learning outcomes in literacy (PIRLS), and mathematics and sciences (TIMSS) show that Omani students perform very poorly in all three subjects, and that boys’ performance levels are significantly lower than that for girls. The aim of this study is to describe the present-day situation in Omani schooling and the challenges it poses for teacher professional development. The study is based on a meta-analysis of a variety of studies, research reports, articles, and statistics with the aim of presenting a comprehensive picture of the challenges for the development of teaching and learning in Omani schools.
Developing Mauritianness: National Identity, Cultural Heritage Values and Tourism

Mauritius is a nation of immigrants who have harmoniously come together, working to make their new homeland an economic success story. To continue this unprecedented economic growth Mauritius is consciously aware of the need for diversification in all its industries, including tourism. Known for being a quintessential beach vacation destination, Mauritius desires to expand the tourism sector to include aspects of cultural heritage tourism. To accomplish this task several questions must be answered about the meaning of Mauritianness and its relationship to tourism. Here it is argued that in order to further develop cultural heritage tourism in Mauritius, the understanding of Mauritian national identity must also be advanced.
Investing in Equity Mutual Funds

We construct optimal portfolios of equity funds by combining historical returns on funds and passive indexes with prior views about asset pricing and skill. By including both benchmark and nonbenchmark indexes, we distinguish pricing-model inaccuracy from managerial skill. Even modest confidence in a pricing model helps construct portfolios with high Sharpe ratios. Investing in active mutual funds can be optimal even for investors who believe active managers cannot outperform passive indexes. Optimal portfolios exclude hot-hand funds even for investors who believe momentum is priced. Our large universe of funds offers no close substitutes for the Fama-French and momentum benchmarks.
Erlotinib Induced Trichomegaly of the Eyelashes

Epithelial growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have been widely used for non-small-cell lung cancer patients. Its untoward cutaneous effects are largely well known and developed in many patients treated with EGFR TKIs. However trichomegaly of eyelash is rarely reported. Although trichomegaly is not a drug-limiting side effect, it could be troublesome of continuing the treatment because of cosmetic issue or eyeball irritation by long eyelashes. Therefore clinicians are needed to pay attention to this uncommon effect. We herein describe erlotinib induced trichomegaly of eyelashes in a woman with adenocarcinoma of the lung.
Modeling Textural Processes during Self-Assembly of Plant-Based Chiral-Nematic Liquid Crystals

Biological liquid crystalline polymers are found in cellulosic, chitin, and DNA based natural materials. Chiral nematic liquid crystalline orientational order is observed frozen-in in the solid state in plant cell walls and is known as a liquid crystal analogue characterized by a helicoidal plywood architecture. The emergence of the plywood architecture by directed chiral nematic liquid crystalline self assembly has been postulated as the mechanism that leads to optimal cellulose fibril organization. In natural systems, tissue growth and development takes place in the presence of inclusions and secondary phases leaving behind characteristic defects and textures, which provide a unique testing ground for the validity of the liquid crystal self-assembly postulate. In this work, a mathematical model, based on the Landau-de Gennes theory of liquid crystals, is used to simulate defect textures arising in the domain of self assembly, due to presence of secondary phases representing plant cells, lumens and pit canals. It is shown that the obtained defect patterns observed in some plant cell walls are those expected from a truly liquid crystalline phase. The analysis reveals the nature and magnitude of the viscoelastic material parameters that lead to observed patterns in plant-based helicoids through directed self-assembly. In addition, the results provide new guidance to develop biomimetic plywoods for structural and functional applications.
Performance comparison of ad-hoc routing protocols AODV and DSR

Ad hoc networks are known by many specifications like multi-hop wireless connectivity, frequently changing network topology and the need for efficient dynamic routing protocols that plays an important role. This paper presents a performance comparison between two reactive routing protocols for mobile ad hoc networks: Dynamic Source Routing (DSR), Ad Hoc On demand distance Vector (AODV). Both protocols were simulated using the tool ns-2 and were compared in terms of packet loss ratio, end to end delay, with mobile nodes varying number of nodes and speed. Simulation revealed that although DSR perfectly scales to small networks with low node speeds, AODV is preferred due to its more efficient use of bandwidth.
Genetic Polymorphisms in Endothelin-1 as Predictors for Long-Term Survival and the Cardiac Index in Patients Undergoing On-Pump Cardiac Surgery

Genetic variants within the endothelin-1 gene (EDN1) have been associated with several cardiovascular diseases and may act as genetic prognostic markers. Here, we explored the overall relevance of EDN1 polymorphisms for long-term survival in patients undergoing on-pump cardiac surgery. A prospectively collected cohort of 455 Caucasian patients who underwent cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass was followed up for 5 years. The obtained genotypes and inferred haplotypes were analyzed for their associations with the five-year mortality rate (primary endpoint). The EDN1 T-1370G and K198N genotype distributions did not deviate from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium and the major allele frequencies were 83% and 77%, respectively. The cardiovascular risk factors were equally distributed in terms of the different genotypes and haplotypes associated with the two polymorphisms. The five-year mortality rate did not differ among the different EDN1 T-1370G and K198N genotypes and haplotypes. Haplotype analysis revealed that carriers of the G-T (compound EDN1 T-1370G G/K198N T) haplotype had a higher cardiac index than did non-carriers (p = 0.0008); however, this difference did not reach significance after adjusting for multiple testing. The results indicate that common variations in EDN1 do not act as prognostic markers for long-term survival in patients undergoing on-pump cardiac surgery.
‘Why Even Bother Trying?’ Examining Discouragement Among Racial‐Minority Entrepreneurs

We extend organizational research on racialâ€ minority social and economic inequality by developing a mixed embeddedness perspective to investigate whether and why certain racialâ€ minority entrepreneurs become discouraged with important entrepreneurial tasks â€“ namely, seeking capital from financial institutions. Concretely, we examine borrowing discouragement among three predominant racialâ€ minority entrepreneur groups in the United States â€“ African Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Asian Americans â€“ using two independent samples from the US Federal Reserve Board. Our findings indicate that African Americans and Hispanic Americans are more likely to be discouraged than White Americans, while Asian Americans are less likely to be discouraged than African Americans. Our theory and findings suggest that for certain racial minorities, socioâ€ historical experiences and shared knowledge of inequalities may influence individual behaviour through increasing discouragement toward important opportunities and entrepreneurial tasks.
Significance in gamma-ray astronomy - the Li & Ma problem in Bayesian statistics

The significance of having detected an astrophysical gamma ray source is usually calculated by means of a formula derived by Li & Ma (1983, ApJ, 272, 317). We solve the same problem in terms of Bayesian statistics, which provides a logically more satisfactory framework. We do not use any subjective elements in the present version of Bayesian statistics. We show that for large count numbers and a weak source the Li & Ma formula agrees with the Bayesian result. For other cases the two results differ, both due to the mathematically different treatment and the fact that only Bayesian inference can take into account prior knowldege.
Climate Change, Economic Growth, and Health

This paper studies the interplay between climate, health, and the economy in a stylized world with four heterogeneous regions, labeled ‘West’ (cold and rich), ‘China’ (cold and poor), ‘India’ (warm and poor), and ‘Africa’ (warm and very poor). We introduce health impacts into a simple integrated assessment model where both the local cooling effect of aerosols as well as the global warming effect of CO2 are endogenous, and investigate how those factors affect the equilibrium path. We show how some of the important aspects of the equilibrium, including emission abatement rates, health costs, and economic growth, depend on the economic and geographical characteristics of each region.
String Stability and a Delay-Based Spacing Policy for Vehicle Platoons Subject to Disturbances

A novel delay-based spacing policy for the control of vehicle platoons is introduced together with a notion of disturbance string stability. The delay-based spacing policy specifies the desired intervehicular distance between vehicles and guarantees that all vehicles track the same spatially varying reference velocity profile, as is for example required for heavy-duty vehicles driving over hilly terrain. Disturbance string stability is a notion of string stability of vehicle platoons subject to external disturbances on all vehicles that guarantees that perturbations do not grow unbounded as they propagate through the platoon. Specifically, a control design approach in the spatial domain is presented that achieves tracking of the desired spacing policy and guarantees disturbance string stability with respect to a spatially varying reference velocity. The results are illustrated by means of simulations.
Neural correlates of consolidation in working memory

Many of our daily activities rely on a brain system called working memory, which implements our ability to encode information for short‐term maintenance, possible manipulation, and retrieval. A recent intracranial study of patients performing a paradigmatic working memory task revealed that the maintenance of information involves a distributed network of oscillations in the gamma band (>40 Hz). Using a similar task, we focused on the encoding stage and targeted a process referred to as short‐term consolidation, which corresponds to the encoding of novel items in working memory. The paradigm was designed to manipulate the subjects' intention to encode: series of 10 letters were presented, among which only five had to be remembered, as indicated by visual cues preceding or following each letter. During this task we recorded the intracerebral EEG of nine epileptic patients implanted in mesiotemporal structures, perisylvian regions, and prefrontal areas and used time–frequency analysis to search for neural activities simultaneous with the encoding of the letters into working memory. We found such activities in the form of increases of gamma band activity in a set of regions associated with the phonological loop, including the Broca area and the auditory cortex, and in the prefrontal cortex, the pre‐ and postcentral gyri, the hippocampus, and the fusiform gyrus. Hum Brain Mapp, 2007. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Thermal and chemical evolution of Venus and super-Venus planets

In presenting this thesis in partial fulfillment of the Bachelor’s Degree from the Departments of Geology & Geophysics and Astronomy, Yale University, I agree that the departments may make copies or post it on the departmental websites so that others may better understand the undergraduate research of the departments. I further agree that extensive copying of this thesis is allowable only for scholarly purposes. It is understood, however, that any copying or publication of this thesis for commercial purposes or financial gain is not allowed without my written consent.
Influence of soya-based infant formula consumption on isoflavone and gut microflora metabolite concentrations in urine and on faecal microflora composition and metabolic activity in infants and children

The urinary excretion of soya isoflavones and gut microflora metabolites was investigated in infants and children who had been fed soya-based infant formulas in early infancy. These infants and children were compared with cows'-milk formula-fed controls, to determine at what age gut microflora metabolism of daidzein to equol and/or O-desmethylangolensin (O-DMA) was established, and whether exposure to isoflavones in early infancy influences their metabolism at a later stage of development. Sixty infants and children (aged 4 months–7 years) participated in the study; thirty in each of the soya and control groups. There were four age groups. These were: 4–6 months (seven in the soya group and seven in the control group); 7–12 months (seven in the soya group and nine in the control group); 1–3 years (six in the soya group and eight in the control group); 3–7 years (ten in the soya group and six in the control group). Urine samples were collected to measure isoflavonoids by MS, and faecal samples were collected to measure gut-health-related bacterial composition, by fluorescent in situ hybridisation with oligonucleotide probes, and metabolic activity. A soya challenge (typically a soya yoghurt alternative product containing 4·8g soya protein and on average 22mg total isoflavones) was given to control-group infants (>6 months) and children, and also to soya-group children that were no longer consuming soya, to determine their ability to produce equol and/or O-DMA. Urinary genistein, daidzein and glycitein were detected in all infants (4–6 months) fed soya-based infant formula; O-DMA was detected in 75% of infants but equol was detected in only 25%. In the controls (4–6 months), urinary isoflavonoids were very low or not detected. In the older age groups (7 months–7 years), O-DMA was found in the urine samples of 75% of the soya group and 50% of the controls, after the soya challenge. Equol excretion was detected in 19% of the soya-group infants and children, and in only 5% of the controls. However, in the oldest (3–7 years) children, the proportion excreting O-DMA and equol was similar in both groups. Faecal bacterial numbers for bifidobacteria (P<0·001), bacteroides and clostridia (P<0·05) were significantly lower for the soya group compared with the control group. There appears to be no lasting effect of early-life isoflavone exposure on isoflavone metabolism.