Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Measuring the Time-Frequency Dynamics of Return and Volatility Connectedness in Global Crude Oil Markets

This study analyzes return and volatility spillovers across global crude oil markets for 1 January 1991 to 27 April 2018, using an empirical technique from the time and frequency domains, and makes four key contributions. First, the spillover tables reveal that the West Texas Intermediate (WTI) futures market, which is a common indicator of crude oil indices, contributes the least to both return and volatility spillovers. Second, the results also show that the long-term factor contributes the most to returns spillover, while the short-term factor contributes the most in terms of volatility. Third, the rolling analyses show that the time-variate connectedness in terms of returns tends to be strong, but there was no noticeable change from 1991 to April 2018 in terms of volatility. Finally, the major events between 1991 and April 2018, namely the Asian currency crisis (1997–1998) and the global financial crisis (2007–2008), caused a rise in the total connectedness of returns and volatility.
The effect of gender of finishing pigs slaughtered at 110 kilograms on performance, and carcass and meat quality

Twenty-four crossbred pigs (Large White x Landrace x Segher) were divided into three equal groups of boars, barrows and gilts. Prior to slaughter, they were raised from 30 kg to 110 kg. under controlled conditions. Gender had no significant effect concerning total weight gain, average daily gains, feed conversion ratio, and production costs. Backfat thickness of boars was lower (p<0.05) than that found in barrows and gilts (2.27 vs. 2.96 and 2.73 cm, respectively). In other carcass quality traits, such as dressing percentage, carcass length, loin eye area and lean percentage, there were no significant differences among groups. Lean meat percentage was lower (p<0.05) in barrows, than in boars and gilts. Applying Thai cutting style, there was a higher (p<0.05) lean meat percentage in boars than in barrows while fat percentage was lower (p<0.05) in boars compared to the barrows (8.2 vs. 11.0 %, respectively). Meat pH was found to not be significantly different across groups. However, boars tended to have a comparatively faster rate of pH decline. Therefore, their carcasses were more susceptible to PSE. Color (L*, a*, b*), drip loss and thawing loss differed among the three groups. Boiling loss of boar and gilt meat was larger (p<0.001) than that of barrow meat (22.1 and 23.1 vs. 16.2%, respectively). However, intramuscular fat content was higher (p<0.05) in the barrows than in boars and gilts, while the latter groups did not differ much. Although not obvious from flavor scores, boar meat showed the overall lowest sensory acceptance. This was mainly caused by reduced (p<0.05) tenderness scoring, which was partially confirmed by shear force measurements, the lower juiciness impression, and less obviously by the highest (p<0.001) plasma testosterone level (278 vs 0.09 and 0.02 pg/ml in boars vs. barrows and gilts), probably associated with high levels of androstenone, and backfat skatole concentrations. Backfat contents of unsaturated fatty acids, among them the dietetically undesired arachidonic acid, tended to be slightly higher in boars than in barrows and gilts, and this was associated with a clearly (p<0.05) softer fat and a higher inclination for oxidation as determined in the backfat. Overall, this suggests that boar meat has a slight advantage in carcass quality but is clearly inferior in quality compared to meat from barrows and gilts even in the absence of noticeable boar taint.
Active Vision: Directing Visual Attention

Active vision is the research topic where the vision process is dynamic; i.e. movement of a camera is controlled purposively. The image processing is applied to a sequence of images where a mechanism decides which feature or object should be followed. Attentive vision is an element of active vision where the outcome of an attention selection mechanism differentiates between locations to be attended. When combined, a vision system can direct attention in two ways; top-down and bottom-up tracking. Top-down tracking consists in estimating the position and characteristics of an object of interest, given its position and characteristics in the previous frame. Therefore, particle filters and Kalman filters represent this top-down technique for tracking. The bottom-up approach consists simply in segmenting the object of interest in each frame or Region of Interest and match them over time. This top-down/bottom-up method can also be identified in detecting visual attention. Regarding the bottom-up approach, no prior knowledge for salience is used to direct attention selection. However, top-down mechanisms could be employed to direct attention to certain objects which are of more interest and should be found first. The top-down approach is more complex (recursive) and has a neural background, as can be identified in the human visual system. In this thesis a visual attention model (the well-known ’Saliency Map’) is implemented on a human-like eye-head setup. The model detects attention from three feature extraction methods (intensity, color and orientation) which contribute to a saliency map which depicts the salience at every location in the field of view in a scalar quantity. A particle filter (observer) and Kalman filter (smoother) are used for visual tracking control on this focus of attention. Human eye control methods are then used for actuation. Position control mimics smooth pursuit (normal tracking), velocity control mimics a saccade (jump in eye velocity), when smooth pursuit can’t keep up. These control methods actuate the neck of the setup; the system then more resembles the visual system of a cat or owl; they cannot make saccades with their eyes and do it with their head. The result is a ’Search and Track’ algorithm which detects and directs visual attention in a human-like manner.
Variability of water balance components in a coffee crop in Brazil

Establishing field water balances is difficult and costly, the variability of their components being the major problem to obtain reliable results. This component variability is presented herein for a coffee crop grown in the Southern Hemisphere, on a tropical soil with 10% slope. It was observed that: rainfall has to be measured with an appropriate number of replicates; irrigation can introduce great variability into calculations; evapotranspiration, calculated as a remainder of the water balance equation, has exceedingly high coefficients of variation; the soil water storage component is the major contributor in error propagation calculations to estimate evapotranspiration; and that runoff can be satisfactorily controlled on the 10% slope through crop management practices.
Role of ICT in Managing Higher Education for Sustainable Development

This study assessed the role of ICT in the management of higher education for sustainable education in Nigeria. Data were collected from 800 lecturers selected from 16 higher education institutions in the country. The findings were that accessibility of ICT facilities is still very low and that, although lecturers have a positive disposition towards the use of ICT acilities, they scarcely use them. The study also found that the respondents believe in the potential of ICTs to positively transform higher education. It highlighted the ranking of some factors hindering effective usage of ICT in the management of higher education for sustainable development. In light of these findings, it is recommended that ICT facilities are made available and accessible in higher institutions and that relevant end-user training be provided to enhance usage of the facilities. Keywords: ICT4D; ESD; Information Technology in Education Management
Enzymatic Characteristics and Growth Parameters of Ornamental Koi Carp (Cyprinus carpio var. Koi) Larvae Fed by Artemia nauplii and Cysts

The purpose of this study was to compare the larval growth and digestive enzyme activities of koi carp (Cyprinus carpio var. Koi) larvae fed on Artemia nauplii (AN) and decapsulated cyst (ADC). The experiment was carried out in triplicate and lasted 27 days. Specific growth and survival rates, specific activities of total protease, lipase, amylase and chitinase were examined in experimental groups. At the end of the experiment for group fed with AN total length, weight and SGR were 20.56±3.23 mm, 0.9±0.05 g and 2.03 % d−1 , respectively and for group fed with ADC it was 28.16±4.81 mm, 0.28±0.16 g and 6.02 d−1 (P 0.05). Besides, there were significant differences on specific enzyme activities (total protease, amylase, chitinase, lipase) (P<0.05). Obtained results suggested that koi larvae fed by ADC presented relatively higher growth parameters.
Construcción de un cuestionario para la evaluación de la gratitud: el Cuestionario de Gratitud 20 ítems (G-20)

Title: Construction of a gratitude questionnaire: The Gratitude Question- naire-20 Items (G-20). Abstract: A new questionnaire was developed in order to have an instru- ment for the assessment of gratitude. An original pool of 50 items, con- structed and reviewed using accurate standards, was filled out by 330 Span- ish undergraduates (242 females, 72.5%; 88 males), aged 18-43, M = 23.33, SD = 4.87. An Exploratory Factor Analysis concluded with the selection of 20 items with an internal four-factors structure, resulting in a scale called Cuestionario de Gratitud-20 Items. A Confirmatory Factor Analysis using the matrix of policorics correlations showed an adequated fit of the model. The questionnaire and the four components showed an internal consisten- cy between acceptable and high. The concurrent validity was checked by means of Pearson's correlation with the Gratitude Questionnaire-Six Items Form, and discriminant validity was checked by means of confirmatory analysis of latent factors with the Purpose-In-Life Test. The results indicated that the dimensions of the Cuestionario de Gratitud-20 Items may be closely related with gratitude.
Physico-chemical characteristics of Apis dorsata, A. cerana and A. mellifera honey from Chitwan district, central Nepal

Honey samples from Apis dorsata, A. cerana and A. mellifera were collected by cutting a piece of honey comb directly from the colonies on the same day and from the same floristic region of Chitwan district, central Nepal. Physico-chemical analysis of the honey samples was performed. The values obtained for moisture content, electrical conductivity (EC), invertase, and proline content were significantly different between all the honey groups. The analytical values for Apis dorsata (n = 28), A. cerana (n = 26), and A. mellifera (n = 27) respectively were: 21.5, 20.1 and 17.1 mois- ture content (g/100 g honey); 0.96, 0.65 and 0.31 EC (mS/cm), 373.4, 218.2 and 110.9 invertase (Siegenthaler U/kg), and 875.8, 323.0 and 610.2 proline (mg/kg). There were no significant differ- ences between the honey types in pH, glucose oxidase, and the amount of glucose. However, the amount of fructose was significantly higher in A. dorsata and A. cerana than in A. mellifera honeys. Similarly, the amount of oligosaccharide L 2 was significantly higher and sucrose was significantly lower in A. dorsata honeys than in A. cerana and A. mellifera honeys.
Measurement of carbonaceous aerosol with different sampling configurations and frequencies

Abstract. A common approach for measuring the mass of organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC) in airborne particulate matter involves collection on a quartz fiber filter and subsequent thermal–optical analysis. Although having been widely used in aerosol studies and in PM2.5 (fine particulate matter) chemical speciation monitoring networks in particular, this measurement approach is prone to several types of artifacts, such as the positive sampling artifact caused by the adsorption of gaseous organic compounds onto the quartz filter, the negative sampling artifact due to the evaporation of OC from the collected particles and the analytical artifact in the thermal–optical determination of OC and EC (which is strongly associated with the transformation of OC into char OC and typically results in an underestimation of EC). The presence of these artifacts introduces substantial uncertainties to observational data on OC and EC and consequently limits our ability to evaluate OC and EC estimations in air quality models. In this study, the influence of sampling frequency on the measurement of OC and EC was investigated based on PM2.5 samples collected in Beijing, China. Our results suggest that the negative sampling artifact of a bare quartz filter could be remarkably enhanced due to the uptake of water vapor by the filter medium. We also demonstrate that increasing sampling duration does not necessarily reduce the impact of positive sampling artifact, although it will enhance the analytical artifact. Due to the effect of the analytical artifact, EC concentrations of 48 h averaged samples were about 15 % lower than results from 24 h averaged ones. In addition, it was found that with the increase of sampling duration, EC results exhibited a stronger dependence on the charring correction method and, meanwhile, optical attenuation (ATN) of EC (retrieved from the carbon analyzer) was more significantly biased by the shadowing effect. Results from this study will be useful for the design of China's PM2.5 chemical speciation monitoring network, which can be expected to be inaugurated in the near future.
Effects of benzylaminopurine and naphthalene acetic acid on proliferation and shoot growth of pineapple (Ananas comosus L. Merr) in vitro

This study was conducted to evaluate the pineapple regeneration and shoot growth as affected by 6- benzylaminopurine (BAP) at 2.0 mg/l and naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) at 0.2 mg/l in vitro. BAP and NAA at the concentration of 2.0 and 0.2 mg/l were used in this study. BAP at 2.0 mg/l significantly affected the production of shoots per explant, shoot length and weight. Total shoot length was higher in BAP (2 mg/l) than in control (MS medium without hormone) and NAA (0.2mg/l) after 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60 days incubation period. Total shoot length was highest in BAP in all incubation periods. Total shoot weight was higher in BAP (2 mg/l) and lower in NAA (0.2 mg/l) as compared to MS medium without hormone. The results showed that BAP at the concentration of 2 mg/l was effective for pineapple shoot growth and development. Key words: Pineapple regeneration, shoot growth, 6-benzylaminopurine, naphthalene acetic acid.
Functional biodiversity in the agricultural landscape: relationships between weeds and arthropod fauna.

Summary We reviewed studies aimed at understanding functional relationships between weeds and arthropods in agroecosystems as influenced by biodiversity at different scales, with the main goal of highlighting gaps in knowledge, research methods and approaches. We first addressed: (i) the regulation of arthropod communities by weed diversity at genetic, species and habitat levels, (ii) the regulation of weed communities by arthropods through seed predation and dispersal and (iii) belowground weed-insect interactions. We then focussed on methodologies to study weed–arthropod interactions in agricultural landscapes and discuss techniques potentially available for data analysis and the importance of joint weed–arthropod trend detection. Lastly, we discuss the implications of research findings for biodiversity conservation policies (agri-environmental schemes) and suggest some priorities for future work. Results showed that to date research has largely ignored weed–arthropod interactions in agricultural landscapes. No information is available on the role of weed genetic diversity as driver of weed–arthropod interactions, whereas studies on effects of species and habitat diversity often lack a functional perspective and ⁄ or a spatial component. Also, information on how management of the wider agricultural biotope might express positive weed– arthropod functional interactions is scarce. Another area worth being explored is the relationship between weed-leaf ⁄ root herbivores and beneficial arthropods. Tools for spatial data analysis might be useful for elucidating weed–arthropod interactions in agricultural landscapes, but some methodological aspects, e.g. the definition of the most appropriate experimental design and sampling scale ⁄ frequency, must be refined. New studies on weed–arthropod interactions should encompass an explicit spatial component; this knowledge is particularly important for improving IPM ⁄ IWM systems and designing more targeted agri-environmental
SINKING OF SCOUR PROTECTIONS AT HORNS REV 1 OFFSHORE WIND FARM

The present study is an attempt to explain the reason for the sinking of the scour protection observed at Horns Rev 1 Offshore Wind Farm. A new method for analyzing the survey data has been developed based on detailed descriptions in the literature of the processes causing sinking. The results of the analysis of the survey data have shown that the largest relative damage was observed at shallow water and for the largest scour protections. This is found – based on descriptions found in the literature – to be characteristic for sinking in wave dominated climate and as the current at Horns Rev is found to be too weak to mobilize the sediment underneath the scour protections, it is found likely that the waves had a major influence on the sinking of the scour protections at Horns Rev 1 Offshore Wind Farm.
The ABO Blood Group Distribution and Pulmonary Tuberculosis

Aim: Over the years, large number of studies have examined the possible relationship between the blood group type and infection. The present study was aimed at observing the pattern of the ABO blood group distribution among the pulmonary tuberculosis patients from the Andhra region of the Andhra Pradesh state, India. Methods: The ABO blood grouping and Rhesus typing were performed by using the standard slide agglutination reaction in 100 patients with a clinical and a radiological evidence of pulmonary tuberculosis and in 1400 healthy controls. Results : A significant association was observed between the incidence of tuberculosis and the blood groups B and AB (P values are 0.048 and 0.03 respectively). The association between the incidence of tuberculosis and the blood groups A and O (P values are 0.249 and 0.069 respectively) was found insignificant. However, a significant association between the incidence of tuberculosis and a positive Rhesus antigen was observed in the blood group A (P value is 0.009). But there was no significant association between the incidence of tuber­ culosis and a positive Rhesus antigen with the blood groups B, AB and O. Conclusion: The present study showed that there was an association between tuberculosis and the blood groups B and AB in this region of the Andhra Pradesh state.
Entry mode choices of multinational companies (MNCs) and host countries corruption: A review

Despite voluminous literature on corruption and the entry mode choices of multinational companies (MNCs) in isolation, a comprehensive account which details the mechanisms through which host country corruption impacts on MNCs’ entry modes is lacking. To overcome such a gap, we systematically review and provide an up-to-date overview of the empirical literature on corruption and the entry mode choices of MNCs. The review demonstrates that, in general, when in presence of markets with high levels of corruption, MNCs prefer low equity (that is, joint-ventures with local partners) or non-equity (namely exports and contracting) entry mode choices. Nevertheless, it also reveals that, in some specific cases, such as cultural proximity, even when there is pervasive corruption, MNCs may enter via wholly-owned subsidiaries. Such conclusions uncovered an interesting path for future research by exploring a rather neglected context, where the entry mode choices of MNCs are made from developed countries in Africa possessing historical and cultural ties. Key words: Corruption, entry mode.
Dehydrin-Like Proteins in Soybean Seeds in Response to Drought Stress during Seed Filling

There is no information on accumulation of dehydrin proteins during seed development and maturation of soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.j in response to drought stress. Our objective was to study accumulation of dehydrin-like proteins in developing soybean seeds in response to drought stress. A greenhouse experiment and a field experiment were conducted. In the greenhouse experiment, three treatments were imposed on soybean plants after beginning of linear seed filling (R 5 ): well-watered (WW), gradual stress (GS) imposed before severe stress, and sudden severe stress (SS). In the field treatments were irrigation (I) and nonirrigation (NI) (rainfed) conditions imposed from R 5 to R 8 (mature seeds). Greenhouse results indicated dehydrin-like proteins (28 and 32 kDa) were detected 18 d after R 5 (R 5.8 ) in developing seeds from drought-stressed plants but not in seeds from the well-watered plants. In the mature seeds, dehydrin-like proteins (28, 32, and 34 kDa) were detected in seeds from drought-stressed plants as well as the well-watered plants. In the field, dehydrin-like proteins accumulated similarly under irrigation and nonirrigation conditions, with the first detection for dehydrins (28 and 32 kDa) at 22 d after R 5 (R 6 ). Accumulation of dehydrin-like proteins was maximal in seeds harvested at 43 d after R 5 (seed physiological maturity).
ON CONDITIONS FOR POLYCONVEXITY

We give an example of a smooth function f: R2x2 2R, which is not polyconvex and which has the property that its restriction to any ball B C JR2x2 of radius one can be extended to a smooth polyconvex function fB :R 2X2 --+ R. In particular, it implies that there exists no 'local condition' which is necessary and sufficient for polyconvexity of functions g: RnX m -I+, where n, m > 2. We also briefly discuss connections with quasiconvexity. The class of polyconvex functions was introduced by Ball in [3] following earlier work by Morrey [9]. We recall that a function f: Rnxm --1 R is polyconvex if f(X) can be written as a convex function of the minors of X. For example, if m = n = 2, then f is polyconvex if there exists a convex function F : R 2X2 x R1 -]1R such that f(X) = F(X, detX) (detX denotes the determinant of the matrix X). The main reason for the interest in polyconvexity stems from the fact that, at present, it is the ouly known tractable condition which is reasonably flexible (e.g., it is compatible with natural requirements for stored energy functions in non-linear elasticity) and which implies quasiconvexity. The notion of quasiconvexity is due to Morrey [9] and is the natural substitute for convexity in the multi-dimensional calculus of variations. The condition of polyconvexity is strictly stronger than the condition of quasiconvexity (see, e.g., [1]). We refer to the monograph of Dacorogna [4] and the lecture notes by Miller [10] for the definitions and an introduction to the various convexity notions studied in the multi-dimensional calculus of variations. The principal result of this paper is contained in the following theorem. Theorem 1. Assume that n, m > 2. There exists a non-polyconvex smooth function f: RnX , such that its restriction to any ball B C R nxm of radius one can be extended to a smooth polyconvex function fB: RJnX, -R2. If n > 3, m > 2, then f can be taken to be non-quasiconvex. Remarks. (1) For m > 2, n > 6 Sverak (see [10]) has given an example of a nonquasiconvex smooth function f: R'xm R, which has the property that it agrees with polyconvex functions on balls of radius 1. (2) The result stated in Theorem 1 was announced in [5]. As an immediate consequence we deduce that there exists no 'local condition', which is equivalent to polyconvexity. To formulate this statement precisely we Received by the editors July 29, 1998. 1991 Mathematics Subject Classification. Primary 49J10, 49J45.