Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Access to finance, economic growth, and sustainable development in South Africa

Access to finance plays a significant role in economic development. The cost, efficiency of delivery, financing period, and terms under which finance is obtained influence the likelihood that development will be sustainable. Sustainable development requires that finance be supplied to the points of demand where economic growth can take place in a way that is sustainable and self-sustaining. This is more complex than merely providing finance for economic growth. In this paper, we use South Africa as a case study to discuss the relationship between access to finance, economic growth, and sustainable development. We provide a broad description of the financial system in South Africa, with particular emphasis on the role of banks and informal finance in the provision of credit to individuals and the SMME (small, medium, and micro enterprise) sector. We use a series of correlation tests and develop a basic econometric model to test the relationship between economic growth and the use of financial services in South Africa. In the correlation analysis, we focus on specific types of financial services sector output, with particular emphasis on consumer and household use of financial services. Results indicate that there is a positive relationship between growth in the use of a range of financial products and the rate of growth of the GDP (gross domestic product) of South Africa. In addition, we find that there are a number of direct, indirect, and interactive relationships, which determine the rate of usage of financial services in relation to the GDP. We also find that access to finance in South Africa is skewered by race and gender and also towards the urban areas. Such policy is deleterious to sustainable development. Accordingly, we conclude by suggesting policy that may enhance economic growth and sustainable development in South Africa.
What Causes Fraudulent Financial Reporting? Evidence Based on H Shares

This paper investigates fraudulent financial reporting (FFR) in the China-based companies listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (called H shares) in which Chinese government officials have a high degree of involvement and heavy impact on audit quality and corporate governance. It intends to find out the causes of FFR, the opportunities that make such reporting possible, and whether the presence of politically connected executives creates an environment that is conducive to FFR. The results show that the corporate environment most likely to lead to FFR is characterized by earnings management accounting practices.
Novel anti-malarial combinations and their toxicity

Artemisinin combination therapy for the treatment of uncomplicated malaria includes artemether plus lumefantrine, artesunate plus amodiaquine, artesunate plus mefloquine, artesunate plus sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine and dihydroartemisinin plus piperaquine. These drugs are safe and efficacious at present. The emergence of artemisinin resistant parasites in SE Asia means that there is a need to optimise drug dosing and investigate novel therapies to maintain the impressive reduction in malaria mortality which has been seen in the past decade.
A note on decoupling, recoupling and speculative bubble: some empirical evidence for Latin America

The US subprime mortgage crisis has led to increased interest in the decoupling-recoupling hypothesis, according to which the international comovement of financial markets has strengthened since the US subprime mortgage crisis has gathered steam. We study whether the decoupling-recoupling hypothesis holds for news to speculative bubbles in equity markets. For several Latin American countries, we do not find evidence of a recoupling of speculative bubbles.
Unifying the definitions of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy

Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) is a category of death in people with epilepsy occurring in the absence of a known structural cause of death and is most likely heterogeneous with regard to mechanisms and circumstances. SUDEP is particularly difficult to investigate in research studies for several reasons, including its relatively low incidence, its unpredictable occurrence often in unwitnessed settings, and its low rate of complete autopsy examinations. Over the past two decades, two complementary definitions have been used in most SUDEP studies, but often with variations. We propose here a unified SUDEP definition and classification to resolve current ambiguities and to retrieve cases that would not have been further studied if the previous definitions were used. The proposed Unified SUDEP Definition and Classification contains, in addition to concepts inherent in the previous definitions, nine main recommendations. (1) The word “unexpected,” and not the word “unexplained,” should be uniformly used in the term SUDEP. (2) The SUDEP category should be applied when appropriate, whether or not a terminal seizure is known to have occurred. (3) The “Possible SUDEP” category should be used only for cases with competing causes of death, with cases left unclassified when data are insufficient to reasonably permit their classification. (4) Cases that would otherwise fulfill the definition of SUDEP should be designated as “SUDEP Plus” when evidence indicates that a preexisting condition, known before or after autopsy, could have contributed to the death, which otherwise is classified as SUDEP (e.g., coronary insufficiency with no evidence of myocardial infarction or long‐QT syndrome with no documented primary ventricular arrhythmia leading to death). (5) To be considered SUDEP, the death should have occurred within 1 h from the onset of a known terminal event. (6) For status epilepticus as an exclusion criterion for SUDEP, the duration of seizure activity should be 30 min or more. (7) A specific category of SUDEP due to asphyxia should not be designated, the distinction being largely impractical on circumstantial or autopsy evidence, with more than one mechanism likely to be contributory in many cases. (8) Death occurring in water but without circumstantial or autopsy evidence of submersion should be classified as “Possible SUDEP. ” If any evidence of submersion is present, the death should not be classified as SUDEP. (9) A category of “Near‐SUDEP” should be agreed to include cases in which cardiorespiratory arrest was reversed by resuscitation efforts with subsequent survival for more than 1 h. Scenarios that demonstrate the basis for each SUDEP category are described. If disagreement exists about which category fits a particular case, we suggest the use of consensus decision by a panel of informed reviewers to adjudicate the classification of the case.
Mismatch repair-deficient status associates with favorable prognosis of Eastern Chinese population with sporadic colorectal cancer

The present study aimed to investigate the expression level of DNA mismatch repair gene (MMR) in in sporadic colorectal cancer (SCRC) in eastern China, and to investigate the association between MMR status and prognosis of patients with SCRC. Patient archives from the Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery of Weihai Municipal Hospital (Weihai, China) were retrospectively collected between January 2011 and January 2012. Of the 221 consecutive patients identified, 192 patients who met the criterion were deemed eligible for inclusion. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was conducted to detect the expression of MMR proteins MutL homolog 1 (MLH1), MutS homolog 2 (MSH2), MSH6 and PMS1 homolog 2, mismatch repair system component (PMS2) expression and mutation in sporadic colorectal cancer (SCRC). Kaplan-Meier plots and log-rank tests were performed to conduct survival analysis and Cox proportional hazard regression models were conducted to determine independent prognostic factors. The total rate of deficient MMR (dMMR) was 14.58% (28/192): MSH6, 0.52% (1/192); PMS2, 4.17% (8/192); MSH2/MSH6, 3.65% (7/192); and MLH1/PMS2, 6.25% (12/192). The dMMR group had a significantly longer overall survival time compared with proficient MMR (pMMR) group (P=0.017). Disease-free survival time of dMMR group was also longer than pMMR group (P=0.027). Multivariate analysis using the Cox regression model confirmed that MMR status was an independent prognostic factor for SCRC. Loss of MMR expression was indicative of a favorable outcome for patients with SCRC, and MMR status could be viewed as an independent prognostic factor.
Mapping Spatial Attributes in Survey Research for Natural Resource Management: Methods and Applications

Traditional survey research measures attributes such as opinions, attitudes, beliefs, values, norms, and preferences. Few public surveys have attempted to map perceived spatial attributes of places and landscapes, a subject of increasing importance to environmental and natural resource management. For the past 5 years, this researcher has included spatial measures of landscape values and attributes in five separate surveys of the general public in Alaska (1998–2003). This article reviews the spatial data collection rationale behind these studies, design concepts, methods, and implementation issues when administering a general public survey that includes a spatial mapping component. A research framework for using landscape values and spatial measures in GIS planning applications is presented, including suitability analysis, gap analysis, and hot-spot identification. Spatial measure ambiguity and survey response rates will require future research attention. The mapping of psychometric attributes of place through survey research remains a field open to active inquiry and experimentation.
Does Foreign Direct Investment Promote Human Capital Accumulation? The Role of Gradual Financial Liberalization

We argue that the effect of inward foreign direct investment (FDI) on domestic human capital (HC) accumulation depends on the degree of financial deregulation. Using 383 observations from provincial yearly panel data of the reform period in China, we find the following: FDI has a positive and significant interaction effect with financial deregulation on HC in both least squares dummy variable and system generalized method of moments estimations that address the endogeneity of all important explanatory variables including FDI, financial deregulation, and their interaction term. That is, a higher level of financial deregulation increases the marginal effect of inward FDI on domestic HC.
Software-sorted geographies

This paper explores the central role of computerized code in shaping the social and geographical politics of inequality in advanced societies. The central argument is that, while such processes are necessarily multifaceted, multiscaled, complex and ambivalent, a great variety of `software-sorting' techniques is now being widely applied in efforts to try to separate privileged and marginalized groups and places across a wide range of sectors and domains. This paper's central demonstration is that the overwhelming bulk of software-sorting applications is closely associated with broader transformations from Keynesian to neoliberal service regimes. To illustrate such processes of software-sorting, the paper analyses recent research addressing three examples of software-sorting in practice. These address physical and electronic mobility systems, online geographical information systems (GIS), and face-recognition closed circuit television (CCTV) systems covering city streets. The paper finishes by identifying theoretical, research and policy implications of the diffusion of software-sorted geographies within which computerized code continually orchestrates inequalities through technological systems embedded within urban environments.
FiLM: Visual Reasoning with a General Conditioning Layer

We introduce a general-purpose conditioning method for neural networks called FiLM: Feature-wise Linear Modulation. FiLM layers influence neural network computation via a simple, feature-wise affine transformation based on conditioning information. We show that FiLM layers are highly effective for visual reasoning - answering image-related questions which require a multi-step, high-level process - a task which has proven difficult for standard deep learning methods that do not explicitly model reasoning. Specifically, we show on visual reasoning tasks that FiLM layers 1) halve state-of-the-art error for the CLEVR benchmark, 2) modulate features in a coherent manner, 3) are robust to ablations and architectural modifications, and 4) generalize well to challenging, new data from few examples or even zero-shot.
Study of Criticality Safety and Neutronic Performance for a 348-Fuel-Pin Ghana Research Reactor-1 LEU Core Using MCNP Code

The National Nuclear Research Institute of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission is undertaking steps to convert the Ghana Research Reactor-1 from HEU Core to LEU. The proposed LEU core consists of 12.5% enriched UO2 fuel elements clad in Zircaloy-4 alloy. This is done in collaboration with Reduced Enrichment for Research and Test Reactor. The versatile MCNP code was used to analyse the neutronics parameters given in the SAR of HEU core, thereby characterizing the core. Subsequently, the LEU core was indentified with necessary changes to the HEU MCNP model. It was ascertained that the reactivity for the LEU core with the same number of fuel pins as the HEU was inadequate, hence the fuel pins were increased from 344 to 348. The neutron flux at the irradiation sites was found to be below the nominal value at full power for the LEU and hence the nominal power was increased to 34 kW for a nominal flux value of 1 × 1012 n/cm2.s. The parameters investigated for the HEU and LEU are shown in this paper.
The Use of Exoskeletons of Shrimp (Litopenaeus vanammei) and Crab (Ucides cordatus) for the Extraction of Chitosan and Production of Nanomembrane

Chitin is widely distributed in nature, being the main structural component of the exoskeleton of crustaceans and is non-toxic, biodegradable and biocompatible. These exoskeletons once discarded become an industrial waste creating environmental pollutant. In order to find an alternative use, the present work exploits the extraction of the chitosan from chitin that is present in the exoskeletons of shrimps Litopenaeus vannamei and crabs Ucides cordatus and transforms it into high valued products, which can help solving the environmental problem as well to provide extra income to the fishermen. One example is the manufacture of nanomembranes from chitosan for the application in medical textiles. Nanomembranes using electrospinning of chitosan solutions (7% and 5wt%) with 100:0 v/v (TFA/DCM) and 70:30 v/v (TFA/DCM) were produced. Morphological properties of chitin and chitosan were studied using SEM, DRX, and thermal properties through TG/DTG and molecular structure by FTIR analysis. TG/DTG showed thermal decomposition of chitosan samples. X-ray diffraction analysis indicated the semi-crystalline structure of chitosan, and highly crystalline structure for chitin. Morphologies of the nanomembranes were also observed from scanning electron micrographs. Results showed that the nanomembranes with 5% chitosan solutions with 70:30 v/v (TFA/DCM) showed facilitation in the formation of the nanomembranes. The nanomembranes of shrimp and crab with 5% 70:30 v/v (TFA/DCM) had higher breaking tension and breaking extension. With positive results obtained, the present work will help the authorities to organize the fishermen to have consciousness in the collection of exoskeleton waste as well as helping to have a better environment.
Strategies for exploration in the domain of losses

Many decisions in everyday life involve a choice between exploring options that are currently unknown and exploiting options that are already known to be rewarding. Previous work has suggested that humans solve such “explore-exploit” dilemmas using a mixture of two strategies: directed exploration, in which information seeking drives exploration by choice, and random exploration, in which behavioral variability drives exploration by chance. One limitation of this previous work was that, like most studies on explore-exploit decision making, it focused exclusively on the domain of gains, where the goal was to maximize reward. In many real-world decisions, however, the goal is to minimize losses and it is well known from Prospect Theory that behavior can be quite different in this domain. In this study, we compared explore-exploit behavior of human subjects under conditions of gain and loss. We found that people use both directed and random exploration regardless of whether they are exploring to maximize gains or minimize losses and that there is quantitative agreement between the exploration parameters across domains. Our results also revealed an overall bias towards the more uncertain option in the domain of losses. While this bias towards uncertainty was qualitatively consistent with the predictions of Prospect Theory, quantitatively we found that the bias was better described by a Bayesian account, in which subjects had a prior that was optimistic for losses and pessimistic for gains. Taken together, our results suggest that explore-exploit decisions are driven by three independent processes: directed and random exploration, and a baseline uncertainty seeking that is driven by a prior.
The determinants of disparities in inward FDI flows to the three macro-regions of China

This study investigates the determinants of disparities in inward foreign direct investment (FDI) among the three macro-regions of China. A pooled ordinary least squares model (POLS) is employed using a panel dataset at the provincial level. Variations in economic openness (government's preferential policies) and industrial and economic development in terms of market size, human resources, agglomeration and infrastructure are the prime causes of the uneven regional distribution of FDI, which further widens income and economic development inequalities among the three macro-regions. To reduce the degree of regional disparity, the government should offer more extensive preferential policies attracting FDI, especially in energy, transport, resources, high and new technology industries, into the inland regions and increase government investment in education and infrastructure in these areas.
Age-Dependent Utilization of d-β-OH-Butyrate and Oleic Acid as Glucose Substitutes by Neonatal Mouse Brain Cell Cultures

Summary: Oxidation of d-glucose-1-[14C], d-β-OH-butyrate-3-[14C] and oleic acid-U-[14C] to [14CO2] was demonstrated in dissociated whole-brain cell cultures of newborn mice. Eight-day-old cultures significantly enhanced [14CO2]-production from d-β-OH-butyrate at glucose concentrations below 0.5 mM and from oleic acid below 1 mM. Cells 15 days in culture equally oxidized the ketone body throughout the glucose range studied. Oleic acid was increasingly oxidized to CO2 by these cells below glucose concentrations of 0.5 mM. Both substrates are alternative cerebral energy sources for glucose. Their utilization varies depending on the developmental stage.Speculation: The experiments with neonatal mice whole-brain cell cultures demonstrate that d-β-OH-butyrate and oleic acid are utilized as alternative cerebral energy substrates for glucose in an age-depending manner. In the early stages of development, different alternative substrates might be of importance. The results obtained on the cellular level suggest further experiments for testing their physiologic importance in the whole organism.
Family Networks and Income Hiding: Evidence from Lab-in-the-Field Experiments in Rural Liberia

This study investigates the relationship between family network density and income hiding in rural Liberia. We link people's behaviour in a modified lottery experiment and a time preference game to detailed information about their family networks. We find that individuals with a dense family network are more likely to pay a fraction of their endowment to hide their earnings from the experiment. This association is mainly driven by male respondents. We also find that men with dense family networks have lower discount rates than those with smaller networks. Qualitative responses suggest that these men perceive us as an alternative bank: if they have no immediate purpose for the money, they prefer the research team to keep it for two weeks. This prevents them from spending it on things other than its intended use and may keep predatory members of the family network at bay. The negative association between family network density and investment decisions is stronger if these networks are characterised by members who sought financial support in the past. Taken together, our results offer tentative evidence that dense family networks, under some conditions, have adverse impacts on economic decision-making.
New Labour's PPI Reforms: Patient and Public Involvement in Healthcare Governance?

Following a first wave of reform at the beginning of the decade, the system of patient and public involvement in healthcare governance is being further overhauled under the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 and the Health and Social Care Act 2008. The current reforms reflect a significant shift in dominant political discourse from an earlier concern with patient and public involvement towards a more exclusive focus on consumer choice and economic regulation, with collective voice and citizen participation at best playing a subordinate part in the government's NHS modernisation agenda. While there is some potential for increased responsiveness in the new arrangements, the overall effect is likely to be a weakening of the foundations of democratic decision making in the governance of healthcare in England.
Perceptions of e-commerce as an academic discipline in Australian universities

This paper presents findings from a study on perceptions of e-commerce as an academic discipline in Australian universities. The study examined Australian universities' perceptions on whether e-commerce should be regarded as a business-oriented discipline or a technology-oriented discipline and further whether e-commerce should be considered as a distinctive discipline. Data was collected from official websites of all Australian universities and was categorized in accordance to award titles, host faculty and program structures. Findings showed that most Australian universities perceived e-commerce as a business-oriented discipline. However, there was no consensus on whether e-commerce should be considered as a distinctive discipline.
Gender differences in job satisfaction in Great Britain, 1991–2000: permanent or transitory?

This article analyses job-satisfaction differences between men and women in Great Britain for the years 1991–2000 using data from the first 10 waves of the British Household Panel Survey (BHPS). The results show that women's job satisfaction has declined substantially in the past decade, whereas men's job satisfaction has remained fairly constant. The positive job-satisfaction differential in women's favour has been halved in the past decade, implying that this paradoxical situation is most likely transitory. This result supports Clark's expectations interpretation of the gender differences in job satisfaction.