Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
NBER WORKING PAPER SERIES THE EFFECTS OF DECENTRALIZED AND VIDEO-BASED EXTENSION ON THE ADOPTION OF INTEGRATED SOIL FERTILITY MANAGEMENT – EXPERIMENTAL EVIDENCE FROM ETHIOPIA

The slow adoption of new agricultural technologies is an important factor in explaining persistent productivity deficits among smallholders in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Farmers delay in particular the uptake of technology packages. Since knowledge constraints are an important barrier to adoption, effective extension approaches are key. In recent decades, extension systems in many SSA countries have moved towards decentralized “bottom-up” models involving farmers as active stakeholders. In this study we assess the effects of a decentralized extension program and an additional video intervention on the adoption of integrated soil fertility management (ISFM) among 2,382 farmers in Ethiopia using a randomized controlled trial. ISFM should enhance soil fertility and productivity by combining organic and inorganic soil amendments. We find that both extensiononly and extension combined with video increase ISFM adoption and knowledge. We further find evidence for increased adoption of ISFM practices among farmers in treatment communities that do not actively participate in the extension activities. The additional video intervention shows a significant complementary effect for these non-actively involved farmers, in particular regarding the combined use of the practices on the same plot. A causal mediation analysis reveals that increases in knowledge explain part of the treatment effects on adoption. Markus Frölich University of Mannheim froelich@uni-mannheim.de Meike Wollni Platz der Göttinger Sieben 5 Goettingen 37073 Germany mwollni1@gwdg.de Denise Hörner Platz der Göttinger Sieben 5 Göttingen 37073 Germany denise.hoerner@uni-goettingen.de Adrien Bouguen Giannini Hall University of California Berkeley, CA 94720 abouguen@berkeley.edu A data appendix is available at http://www.nber. org/data-appendix/w26052 A randomized controlled trials registry entry is available at https://www.socialscienceregistry. org/trials/4406
EFFECTS OF KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDE ON USES OF MOBILE PHONE AMONG SELECTED CASSAVA FARMERS IN OYO STATE, NIGERIA

This study determines the effect of knowledge and attitude on uses of mobile phone among selected cassava farmers in Oyo with a view to ascertain the farmers’ basic knowledge on mobile phone, determine the attitudinal disposition of farmers to the use of mobile phone and ascertain the sources of information of cassava farmers on basic applications on mobile phones. Hypotheses were tested on the level of knowledge and disposition of farmers on the use of mobile phone. The study was carried out in Oyo State using multi-stage sampling procedure and structured questionnaires to select 201 respondents from farmers who registered with the agricultural development programme, three Local governments was selected from one senatorial district, five wards from each local government and five villages from each ward. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. There were high knowledge (94.5%) about the basic application of mobile phone and generally all respondents were favourably disposed to the use of mobile phone in the study area. Respondents basic knowledge about mobile phone has great influence on the level of use (r = 0.230; p < 0.005), and attitude (r = 0.230; p < 0.005) has a favourable disposition on the use of mobile phone. There is high level of knowledge and favourable attitude towards mobile phones. However, more training programmes for farmers in some other applications are highly required.
An Empirical Assessment of Energy Management Information System Success Using Structural Equation Modeling

An Empirical Assessment of Energy Management Information System Success Using Structural Equation Modeling by Gwendolyn Denise Stripling December 2017 The Energy Industry utilizes Energy Management Information Systems (EMIS) smart meters to monitor utility consumers’ energy consumption, communicate energy consumption information to consumers, and to collect a plethora of energy consumption data about consumer usage. The EMIS energy consumption information is typically presented to utility consumers via a smart meter web portal. The hope is that EMIS web portal use will aid utility consumers in managing their energy consumption by helping them make effective decisions regarding their energy usage. However, little research exists that evaluates the effectiveness or success of an EMIS smart meter web portal from a utility consumer perspective. The research goal was to measure EMIS smart meter web portal success based on the DeLone and McLean Information Success Model. The objective of the study was to investigate the success constructs system quality, information quality, service quality, use, and user satisfaction, and determine their contribution to EMIS success, which was measured as net benefits. The research model used in this study employed Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) based on Partial Least Squares (PLS) to determine the validity and reliability of the measurement model and to evaluate the hypothetical relationships in the structural model. The significant validity and reliability measures obtained in this study indicate that the DeLone and McLean Information Success Model (2003) has the potential for use in future EMIS studies. The determinants responsible for explaining the variance in net benefits were EMIS use and user satisfaction. Based on the research findings, several implications and future research are stated and proposed.
Online Dictionaries and the Involvement Load Hypothesis: An Empirical Study

This paper explores the relatively under-researched area of online dictionary usage by EFL learners. Despite the inconvenient truth that students are increasingly choosing to utilize online dictionaries over their traditional paper and handheld electronic counterparts, this shift has not been sufficiently reflected in EFL literature – particularly in terms of how such technology could be affecting incidental vocabulary acquisition and reading comprehension. This paper sought to explore this line of inquiry within the frameworks of the involvement load (Laufer and Hulstijn 2001) and consultation trigger point hypotheses (Aust, Kelly, and Roby, 1993). Thirty undergraduate students studying English as a foreign language at a Japanese university completed a reading task followed by a reading comprehension test and a delayed vocabulary recall test. During the reading task, students were assigned a dictionary tool to use, either Weblio or Google Translate, with varying involvement load indexes. A battery of MannWhitney tests did not identify significantly different performances under the two dictionary conditions. A small to medium effect size was identified (r = -0.25), indicating that dictionary type was impacting vocabulary recall performance, albeit modestly. Key Terms: Online dictionaries, Google Translate, Japanese EFL students, incidental vocabulary acquisition, reading comprehension, involvement load hypotheses, consultation trigger point
Investor's Behavior in Makassar Against Portfolio Investment Risk the Stock

The objective of this research is to know investor behavior toward investment risk in a stock portfolio by using demography approach. The type of this research is field research by using questionnaires to stock investors registered at a security company in the Makassar area. The result is investors' behavior in Makassar against investment risk is neutral to the risk of stocks being a portfolio.
Micro Health Takaful Framework for Poor Communities in Malaysia

The overall aim of this paper is to discuss health care expenses incurred and borne by the government as well as the citizens. The development of Medical and Health Insurance (MHI) / Medical and Health Takaful (MHT) in Malaysia has also been reviewed accordingly in this study. Moreover, the issues and challenges raised in regard to the implementation of Health Takaful in Malaysia has been thoroughly assessed by focusing on individuals in the low to middle level income category specifically the hard-core poor, poor and low (B40), and moderate-income earners (M40). Therefore, the aims of the paper are to present the micro health Takaful framework for the poorer communities in Malaysia.
The Impact of Natural Resources on Innovation

N owadays, innovation considered as the most important factor, which can affect economic growth extraordinary. Therefore, investigating the effect of variables affecting innovation has priority. In this study, we try to investigate 1) the natural resource curse hypothesis and 2) the effect of institutional quality on the way in which natural resources affects innovation. To investigate these goals, we choose countries that categorized as the efficiency-driven based on the global competitiveness report (2017) during the period 2011-2016 and use GMM estimator to estimate the model. The results show that while the effect of natural resources on innovation is negative in those countries, which confirms the resource curse hypothesis, but the impact of natural resources interaction with institutional quality is positive. These results emphasizing the importance of institutional quality as a groundwork for the way in which other variables can be effective.
PENGARUH DESENTRALISASI, PERTUMBUHAN PAD DAN KEMANDIRIAN TERHADAP PERTUMBUHAN EKONOMI KOTA DI PROVINSI SULUT TAHUN 2009-2017

ABSTRAKPertumbuhan ekonomi adalah proses perubahan kondisi perekonomian suatu negara secara berkesinambungan menuju keadaan yang lebih baik selama periode tertentu. Adanya pertumbuhan ekonomi merupakan indikasi keberhasilan pembangunan ekonomi dalam kehidupan masyarakat. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui pengaruh desentralisasi, pertumbuhan pad dan kemandirian terhadap pertumbuhan ekonomi Kota di Provinsi Sulut tahun 2009-2017. Jenis penelitian adalah penelitian assositif. Metode analisis data yang digunakan adalah analisis regresi linier berganda. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa : (1) secara simultan desentralisasi, pertumbuhan PAD dan kemandirian berpengaruh signifikan terhadap pertubuhan ekonomi Kota-kota di Sulawesi Utara, (2) secara parsial desentralisasi berpengaruh terhadap Pertumbuhan Ekonomi Kota-kota di Sulawesi Utara, (3) secara parsial pertumbuhan PAD tidak berpengaruh terhadap Pertumbuhan Ekonomi Kota-kota di Sulawesi Utara dan (4) secara parsial kemandirian berpengaruh terhadap Pertumbuhan Ekonomi Kota-kota di Sulawesi Utara.Kata kunci: desentralisasi, pertumbuhan PAD, kemandirian, pertumbuhan ekonom ABSTRACTEconomic growth is the process of continuously changing a country's economic condition towards a better condition for a certain period. The existence of economic growth is an indication of the success of economic development in people's lives. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of decentralization, pad growth and independence on the economic growth of the City in North Sulawesi Province in 2009-2017. This type of research is positive research. The data analysis method used is multiple linear regression analysis. The results showed that: (1) simultaneous decentralization, PAD growth and independence had a significant effect on the economic growth of cities in North Sulawesi, (2) partially decentralization had an effect on the Economic Growth of Cities in North Sulawesi, (3) partially PAD growth does not affect the Economic Growth of Cities in North Sulawesi and (4) partially independence affects the Economic Growth of Cities in North Sulawesi.Keywords: decentralization, PAD growth, independence, economic growth
Enabling Scalable Neurocartography: Images to Graphs for Discovery

In recent years, advances in technology have enabled researchers to ask new questions predicated on the collection and analysis of big datasets that were previously too large to study. More specifically, many fundamental questions in neuroscience require studying brain tissue at a large scale to discover emergent properties of neural computation, consciousness, and etiologies of brain disorders. A major challenge is to construct larger, more detailed maps (e.g., structural wiring diagrams) of the brain, known as connectomes. Although raw data exist, obstacles remain in both algorithm development and scalable image analysis to enable access to the knowledge within these data volumes. This dissertation develops, combines and tests state-of-the-art algorithms to estimate graphs and glean other knowledge across six orders of magnitude, from millimeter-scale magnetic resonance imaging to nanometer-scale electron microscopy. This work enables scientific discovery across the community and contributes to the tools and services offered by NeuroData and the Open Connectome Project. Contributions include creating, optimizing and evaluating the first known fully-automated brain graphs in electron microscopy data and magnetic resonance imaging data; pioneering approaches ii
A Survey on coliform contamination and chemical parameters of potable water from water dispensers in faculties of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences

a Department of Environmental Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran b Food Safety Division, Department of Environmental Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran c Students' Scientific Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran d Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran e Department of Environmental Health, Sabzevar University of Medical Sciences, Khorasan Razavi, Iran
Impact of Pre-Storage Seed Treatments, Packing Materials and Storage Periods on Onion Seed Quality

Onion seed cv. Giza 6 " Improved " was treated with priming in salicylic acid, fungicide vitavax and salicylic acid + fungicide vitavax before packing in cloth, aluminum foil and polyethylene bags for 0, 3, 6, 9 and 12 month, after treatment. Seed moisture content %, germination %, seed and seedling vigor traits and fungi infestation% were recorded after each storage period. Seed treatments maintained onion seed quality as measured by; seed germination%, tetrazolium test, seed vigor (germination% after accelerated aging test and electrical conductivity, seedling vigor (seedling length and seedling dry weight) and fungi infection% comparing untreated seeds. Type of seed packing materials significantly affected seed moisture content and quality traits of onion seed. Aluminum foil and polyethylene bags maintained onion seed at low moisture content, fungi infestation, high seed and seedling vigor comparing cloth bags. Prolong storage periods from 0 to 3, 6, 9 and 12 months decreased germination%, viable seed, accelerated aging test%, seedling vigor traits and fungi infestation%. Treating onion seed by salicylic acid solution, fungicide vitavax and salicylic acid solution+ fungicide vitavax before storage in aluminum foil or polyethylene bag maintained onion seed germination %, seed and seedling vigor comparing untreated seed stored in cloth bags. This study suggested that, onion seed should be treated by fungicide vitavax before storage in aluminum foil to maintain onion seed quality during storage and get high field emergence.
Antecedents and Consequence of Good Corporate Governance

The purpose of this study is to examine the antecedents and consequence of good corporate governance (GCG). Antecedent factors considered in this study namely profitability, company size, and leverage, while the consequence of GCG is earnings management. The research data were obtaining from 90 companies listed in the Corporate Governance Perception Index during the period 2013-2016 using purposive sampling method. Hypothesis were testing using multiple regression analysis to determine the effect of antecedent factors of GCG and simple regression analysis to determine the consequence effect of GCG. The results showed that profitability does not influence GCG, company size has a significant positive effect on GCG, and leverage has a significant negative effect on GCG. Moreover, GCG has a significant positive effect on earnings management. Company size and leverage has influence GCG practice and next have impact on earnings management, but the effect of leverage on good corporate governance and its impact on earnings management is not as expected, the direction of influence is reversed even though it is significant. The result had implication that firms performing earnings management could be seen by its size and leverage because both had impact on GCG practice and GCG had an impact on earnings management. Keywords—earnings management; good corporate governance; profitability; company size; leverage
The Impact of Perceived Brand Globalness on Consumers’ Purchase Intention and the Moderating Role of Consumer Ethnocentrism: An Evidence from Vietnam

Abstract The aim of this research is to examine the effect of perceived brand globalness on consumers’ purchase intention, noting the mediating roles of perceived brand prestige and quality, brand social responsibility, and the moderating roles of consumer ethnocentrism. Survey data collected from 613 consumers in Vietnam was analyzed to provide evidence. Results from the partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) using the SmartPLS 3.0 program indicated that there was a positive impact of perceived brand globalness on consumers’ purchase intention; this was mediated partially through perceived brand prestige and quality, and brand social responsibility. Moreover, this study also found the moderating effects of consumer ethnocentrism on the impacts of perceived brand globalness on consumer’s purchase intention and on perceived brand quality. Consumer ethnocentrism dampened the positive association between perceived brand globalness and perceived brand quality as well as reduced purchase intention of Vietnamese consumers. The finding also implies that marketers should build a suitable marketing strategy to heighten consumers’ purchase intention.
Research on the Salary Satisfaction of Grassroots Employees in Financial Enterprises

The average salary level of financial enterprises is high, and the large internal gap seriously affects the salary satisfaction of grassroots employees. Grassroots employees are representatives of product sales and services of financial enterprises, and their work efficiency and service attitude directly affect the performance and image of enterprises. Therefore, this paper analyzes the influencing factors of the salary satisfaction of grassroots employees in financial enterprises through empirical methods. This paper explores the underlying reasons and puts forward countermeasures and suggestions for improving the salary satisfaction of grassroots employees in financial enterprises. Keywords—financial enterprises; grassroots employees; salary satisfaction
An Empirical Study on the Effects of Logical Connectives in EFL Reading Comprehension

[Ihe purpose of the present study is to investigate how Iogical connectives can atfect text comprehension by advanced Japanese leaniers ofEnglish An experiment vvas designed to analyze the effects of logical connectives on text comprehension in temis of logical connective type (causal and adversative), proficiency level (high and Iow), and connective manipulaive condition (implicig explicig and highliglrted). [[he results show that he adversative connective was more didicult than the causal connective for the low proficiency group, and that he logical connective types were eclually dificutr for the high proficiency goup. Also sihown is that the subjects achieved higher Ievels of text comprehension when the logical re1ationship was expressed overtly (explicit or highlighted) ralher than covertly (irrrplicit), Based on these lindings, implications for reading instruction at the university level are presented in the conclusion.
A Comparative Study of Neural Network Techniques to Perform Early Diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease

—The life expectancy of the population in most developed countries is growing every day and hence there is an increase of several age-related diseases. In Brazil, about 1.2 million people have Alzheimer’s disease (AD), now considered the most common type of dementia in the population. Although it is a degenerative and irreversible disease, if diagnosed early, medications may be administered to slow the progression of symptoms and provide a better quality of life for the patient. Previous studies with classiﬁers contained in the software Weka using a database with values of 120 blood proteins, and they noticed that they could classify the patient may or may not be diagnosed with AD with an accuracy rate of 94% and 85%, respectively. Thus, this study aims to use a new connectionist approach called Reservoir Computing (RC) to perform early diagnosis of a patient with or without AD, also compare these results with those obtained using a Neural Network Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP). This article also envisions to utilize the Random Forest Algorithm to select proteins from the original set and, thus, create a new protein signature.
Factors Impacting Entrepreneurship Education in TVET Colleges: A Case of South Africa

This paper explored factors impacting entrepreneurship education in TVET colleges which play important roles in developing knowledgeable and skilled citizens capable of contributing effectively to the social and economic development of a country. Positivists approach was adopted for data collection through the use of self-designed questionnaire which was administered to 371 TVET lecturers. The findings of the study show that it is important to ensure that TVET education relate to real world skills which are needed by the industries. Social and economic growth of a country relies heavily on the development and maintenance of a viable, and responsive TVET sector.