Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The best form of medicine? Using humor to enhance design creativity

In addition to playing an important role in social bonds and group dynamics, humor has a long association with creativity and creative thinking. This study attempts to utilize this relationship in the context of design by enhancing brainstorming with the use of humor. The theories of Incongruity, Superiority, and Relief are central in the creation of humor. This research hypothesizes that these can be applied to enhance creative performance in brainstorming by (1) inducing a humorous atmosphere through stimuli and (2) applying jocular structure to the brainstorming process itself. A study of three brainstorming methods (classical, silent structured, and video-enhanced) was undertaken, the results analyzed using the Torrance Test of Creative Thinking, and possible influences of humor on levels of creativity evaluated. The results in this indicated that using a humorous stimulus did not have a positive effect, although there remains a strong case in the literature for further investigation. Structuring the brainstorming session did increase fluency and originality, and a number of insights for creative team formation and working are outlined.
Leptin and Cerulenin Differently Regulate Adiponectin Gene Expression inChicken Liver and Hypothalamus

Adiponectin and leptin are two adipocytokines originally found to be secreted mainly by white adipose tissue (AT) in mammals. They are involved in the control of energy homeostasis, body weight, lipid metabolism, and insulin sensitivity. The interplay between these two hormones was exclusively studied in mammals and yielded conflicting results. In birds, adiponectin and leptin are expressed not only in AT, but also in liver (for leptin) and in a wide range of tissues (for adiponectin). However, their physiological roles and relationship are still unknown. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of recombinant chicken leptin on adiponectin gene expression in three metabolically important tissues (liver, hypothalamus, and muscle). The effect of gender and cerulenin, the natural fatty acid synthase inhibitor which has been shown to share some molecular mediators with leptin, were also evaluated. Females exhibited significantly (P<0.05) higher levels of adiponectin mRNA in muscle and the liver, but not in the hypothalamus compared to male broiler chickens. Regardless of gender, muscle was found to contain the highest amount of adiponectin mRNA followed by the liver and hypothalamus. Continuous infusion of leptin (8 μg/ kg/h) for 6h in 3-wk-old broiler chickens significantly (P<0.05) increased plasma leptin levels, reduced food intake, and downreglated adiponectin gene expression in liver and muscle compared to the control. Cerulenin treatment (15 mg/ml) at different times significantly (P<0.05) reduced food intake. These changes were accompanied by significant (P<0.05) upregulation of hepatic adiponectin gene expression. Hypothalamic and muscle adiponectin mRNA abundance however were significantly (P<0.05) downregulated by cerulenin treatment compared to the control. Our data showed that adiponectin gene expression is regulated by gender, leptin, and cerulenin in a tissue-specific manner. It also suggests that cerulenin does not mimic leptin by downregulating hepatic adiponectin, however it does mimic it by reducing food intake.
Study of the primary cosmic ray mass composition using gamma rays

Context. The gamma rays detected by passive balloon-borne emulsion chambers in the stratosphere give additional information on primary cosmic ray composition and allow indirect testing of the conclusions based on the study of the primary particle tracks. Aims. We search for a consistent view of the balloon experiments with traditional calorimeter-type emulsion conducted at various atmospheric depths in the stratosphere. Using analytical calculation, we test two models of primary composition based on experimental information given by these experiments. Methods. We analyze original experimental data relevant for the inquiry, consider the risk of empirical and methodical bias, and test the consistency of data sets with different hypotheses. Results. It is shown that observed experimental data on gamma rays are in agreement with the atmospheric origin of their production. We notice that observed experimental signals in the energy region above 10 TeV can be an indication of an increase of heavy primaries. However, quantitative analysis does not show statistically significant evidence in favor of one specific composition model.
Mechanical properties of 10-year-old sentang (Azadirachta excelsa) grown from vegetative propagation

properties of 10-year-old sentang (Azadirachta excelsa) grown from vegetative propagation. This paper reports the mechanical properties of sentang (Azadirachta excelsa) wood cut from trees that were planted by vegetative propagation, their variations along tree height and also between sapwood and heartwood. The correlation between selected anatomical properties as well as density and mechanical properties were also presented. There was no significant difference in modulus of rupture between wood from seedling and rootedcutting trees. However, wood from rooted-cutting trees showed higher modulus of elasticity compared with wood from seedling trees. On the other hand, compression and shear parallel to the grain were significantly higher in wood planted from seedling compared with wood from rooted-cutting trees. There was an increase in mechanical properties at the bottom portion towards the top irrespective of the planting technique. Mechanical properties were higher in heartwood than in sapwood. Mechanical properties were correlated with anatomical properties rather than density. Rooted cutting could be a promising method for planting sentang, apart from seedling.
Long Run Risks and Equity Returns

We argue that investor concerns about the exposure of asset returns to permanent movements in consumption levels are a key determinant of the risk and return relation in asset markets. We show that as the investment horizon increases, (i) the return's systematic risk exposure (consumption beta) almost converges to the long-run relation between dividends and consumption, (ii) return volatility is increasingly dominated by dividend shocks. We find that most of the differences in risk premia, at short and long horizons, is due to the heterogeneity in the exposure to permanent risks in consumption. The long-run cross-sectional relation between risk and return provides a measure of the compensation for permanent risks in consumption. We find that the market compensation for these risks is large relative to that for transitory movements in consumption.
Genotypic divergence analysis for stay green characters in Wheat (Triticum aestivum L. em. Thell)

An experiment was conducted to study the genotypic divergence for stay green traits along with different morphophysiological characters under normal and late sown conditions. Genotypic divergence was carried out according to Mahalanobis D 2 statistics. The 36 genotypes were grouped into 9 clusters under normal sown and 6 clusters under late sown conditions revealing the presence of wide range of genotypic variation. Inter cluster D 2 values ranged from 21.9 (between Clusters V and VI) to 56.1 (between clusters VII and IX) under normal sown conditions and from 26.5 (between clusters III and IV) and 73.34 (between clusters II and V) in late sown condition. Genotypes WH147M and MLU2 (Cluster IX, normal sown and Cluster II late sown) exhibited strong stay green character. These can be used to transfer this trait into fast growing, high yielding and widely adapted genotypes like Raj 3765 to develop wheat varieties for various agro ecological conditions.
Use of Microwave-assisted Hydrodistillation to Extract the Essential Oils from Satureja hortensis and Satureja montana

Microwave-assisted hydrodistillation (MAHD) has recently been attended for the extraction of essential oils from medicinal plants/herbs. In this study, MAHD was investigated for the extraction of essential oils from two genotypes of savory (Satureja hortensis, so-called summer savory, and Satureja montana, so-called winter savory). Three levels of microwave power (220, 440 and 660 W) were selected for the extraction. MAHD resulted in a shorter extraction time compared to that in HD. Total extraction times at 660 W microwave power was 180 min for S. hortensis and 90 min for S. montana. The extraction yield obtained by MAHD was almost equal to that obtained by HD (3.1%, w/w, for S. hortensis and 0.7% for S. Montana). Extraction was more efficient at higher power levels.
How Do Health and Social Insurance Programmes Affect the Land and Labour Allocations of Farm Households? Evidence from Taiwan

type="main" xml:id="jage12041-abs-0001"> To protect farmers from health care costs and risks to livelihood, most countries have developed special health and social insurance programmes specifically for farmers. While numerous studies have examined the determinants of participation in these programmes, little is known about how they influence famers' land and labour allocations. Without government-sponsored health and social insurance, farmers may seek off-farm employment in order to obtain similar benefits. Conditioning eligibility for social insurance on minimum land holdings and on-farm work days can lead to delayed retirement and other forms of job lock. We investigate these issues using a unique dataset of 703,287 farms in Taiwan. After controlling for non-random participation in Taiwan's social insurance programme, we find that the programme increases (decreases) on (off) farm labour supply, and decreases the amount of set-aside land. This suggests that payments from social insurance substitute for those issued through land set-aside programmes to some extent, and that failing to account for this substitution increases the cost of achieving both programmes' objectives.
Urinary Interleukin (Il)-18 as an Early Predictive Biomarker of Subclinical Proximal Tubular Dysfunction in HIV-Infected Patients Exposed to Tenofovir

Proximal tubular dysfunction (PTD) is a frequent complication of HIV-infected patients and lack of early biomarkers for PTD has impaired our ability to intervene in a timely manner. In this present study, we tested if interleukin- 18 (IL-18) is a predictive biomarker for PTD in HIV-infected patients on tenofovir (TDF) and Non-tenofovir (N-TDF) antiretroviral therapy and taking as control HIV treatment naive patients. Exclusion criteria included pre-existing renal insufficiency and nephrotoxin used. Serial urine samples were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for IL-18 in 254 HIV- infected patients at three different points (at baseline, at 4 weeks and at 12 weeks of fellow-up). Using eGFR values, marked decreased in kidney function was detected only at 12 weeks in the TDF regimen group (p=0.003) as compared to other study groups. In contrast, urine IL-18 increased at a much early time (at 4 weeks) particularly in the TDF regimen group (p=0.000) follow by the naive group (p=0.02) and continued to increase up to 12 weeks of follow up. This marked elevation is believed to be progressive. Our results indicate that IL-18 is an early, predictive biomarker of PTD and that this biomarker may allow for the reliable early diagnosis of PTD at all times in HIV-infected patients on TDF at risk of proximal tubular dysfunction, much before the rise in serum creatinine
An evaluation of the fairness of police line‐ups and video identifications

Mistaken eyewitness identification is a major source of miscarriages of justice. In England and Wales, procedures for obtaining identification evidence are set out in legislation. The vast majority of identifications are obtained using a traditional ‘live’ identity parade (or line-up). However, in some circumstances video identifications are being used more frequently. Records of line-ups and video identifications used in actual criminal cases were obtained. The fairness of these two procedures was compared by use of a mock witness procedure. In a perfectly fair line-up the suspect would be chosen, by chance, by 11% of the mock witnesses. However, 25% of mock witnesses selected the suspect from 25 photographs of live line-ups, compared to 15% of mock witnesses who selected the suspect from video identifications. An analysis of covariance, taking the number of visual features mentioned in the original witness's first description as the covariate, showed that the proportion choosing the suspect was significantly smaller from video identifications. It is concluded that the video line-ups were fairer than the live line-ups, and therefore that wider use of video identifications has the potential to improve the reliability of eyewitness identification evidence.
The foot domain in Bambara

Recent research has shed new light on the role and characteristics of prosodic domains, including segmental and tonal feet, in an array of languages. This research extends to African languages, but much work remains to be done. Tonal African languages are particularly problematic, as correlates of stress or metrical prominence are often not well defined or are absent altogether. In addition, descriptive work may omit details of the structure and function of prosodic domains. An exception to this is Bambara, where research implicates a pivotal role for foot structure in segmental and tonal processes. These processes reference a foot domain; however, there are conflicting accounts of certain defining characteristics of its structure. This article aims to challenge two long-held claims about Bambara prosodic structure. The data presented support a claim that all Bambara feet are uniformly trochaic and parsed from left to right in all instances. I intend to illustrate that Bambara segmental and tonal feet are a single, structurally unified prosodic entity.
The Principal-Agent Problem, Economic Growth, Subjective Wellbeing and Social Instability: China’s Effective but Flawed Governance

Abstract In China political control is centralised and economic management is decentralised. This gives rise to a serious principal-agent problem, in which the agents are often better informed than the principal. China also has a semi-marketised economy involving much state intervention. This intervention serves both a political and an economic function. It assists the Communist Party to remain in political command and generates formidable patronage resources. It also provides the policy instruments, including incentive structures for officialdom, to maintain a ‘developmental state’. The combination of economic decentralisation and semi-marketised economy creates a problem of weak accountability and a breeding ground for rent seeking and corruption. For a quarter of a century China’s leadership gave overwhelming priority to the objective of achieving rapid economic growth. This policy was viewed as providing political legitimacy and securing the best protection against social instability. It is argued that the leadership was able to solve the principal-agent problem in its pursuit of economic growth. By contrast, the solution to the principal-agent problem failed in other respects, giving rise to societal costs. Little attention was paid to the dramatic socioeconomic changes –including rising inequality and economic insecurity, environmental degradation, mass migration, rent seeking and corruption – which accompanied economic growth and posed new challenges. It is argued that these changes help to explain the failure of life satisfaction scores to rise over the two decades 1990-2010. They can also help to explain the rise in indicators of social instability over that period. It is to be hoped that the new leadership’s current anti-corruption campaign together with its declared policy intention to reduce state economic intervention and increase reliance on competitive markets will strengthen deterrence and weaken opportunities for rent seeking and corruption. The paper carries the implication that China’s economy cannot be well understood except through the lens of political economy.
Digestible threonine and its effects on growth performance, gut morphology and carcass characteristics in broiler Japanese quails ( Coturnix coturnix japonica )

Threonine is the third limiting amino acid in corn-soy-based poultry diets and has an important role in body and intestinal development of chicken. Although work on threonine (Thr) in chicken is well established, information about the effects of digestible threonine (dThr) on quail performance is limited. Therefore, the current study was designed to determine the impact of increasing levels of dThr on growth performance, feed conversion ratio (FCR), gut health and carcass characteristics in meat-type quails. A total of 324 mixed-sex day-old quail were randomly allocated to three treatments with six replicates per treatment and 18 birds per replicate. There were three dietary treatments, namely control (C) with recommended levels of dThr according to the Brazilian Tables guidelines for Japanese quails: 10% dThr (C diet supplemented with 10% more dThr) and 20%dThr (C diet supplemented with 20% more dThr). At day 35 of the experiment, three birds from each pen were slaughtered. A duodenal sample was collected and preserved to evaluate gut health. The carcass characteristics were determined from the slaughtered birds. Total feed intake and average daily feed intake were higher in the C treatment than in 10% dThr. Final bodyweight (BW), weight gain and average daily gain (ADG) increased linearly. The birds fed diets supplemented with 20% extra dThr had the highest final weight and bodyweight gain (BWG) compared with those birds that were fed on C and 10% dThr supplemented diets. Feed conversion ratio was improved in 10% dThr compared with the C birds. Villus height (VH) was similar among treatments. The highest crypt depth (CD) was observed in C, followed by 10% dThr and 20% dThr. The birds fed 20% dThr had higher VH:CD than 10% dThr. The birds in the C treatment had lowest VH:CD. Carcass weights with and without giblets were higher in the 20% dThr than in the 10% dThr and C treatments. Breast mass yield (BMY) was greatest in 20% dThr compared with C and 10% dThr. It may be concluded that supplementation of Thr higher than the requirements referred to in Brazilian Tables improves growth performance and gut health of meat-type quail. Keywords : Crypt depth, mucin, performance, quail, villus height
Contrasting Visions of Inclusive Education: Comparisons from Rural and Urban Settings in Botswana and Zimbabwe

This article explores similarities and differences in Botswana and Zimbabwe elementary school principals’ understanding of what inclusive education involves. Using a cross-site case study research design, fifteen principals in the two countries’ urban, semi-urban and rural areas were interviewed while naturalistic observations were also carried out at each school. Findings indicate no differences between the two countries as the principals were familiar with the concept of inclusive education and were favourable towards including learners with disabilities. However the increased visibility of students with disabilities in primary schools seems to overshadow other learners with various vulnerabilities. Inclusion seemed to present more complex challenges for the rural principals. Infrastructure in underresourced rural and semi-urban schools was said to be denying children with disabilities access to learning. The principals, whether urban or rural, preferred to include learners with mild disabling conditions for whom they still expected greater social than academic inclusion.
Relationship between Clay Content, Clay Type, and Shrinkage Properties of Soil Samples

The availability of methods for quasi-continuous measurements of soil shrinkage curves allowed the development of new models. The exponential (XP) model allows the calculation of the volume of two pore phases in the soil, namely macro and micropore volumes. The micropore volume is identified with the pore volume of the soil clay matrix according to the assumption that the maximum swelling of the clay matrix (MS) is the point of minimum water content of the structural shrinkage (Point D). This is discussed using undisturbed and repacked soil samples with various clay contents and clay types. The slope of the shrinkage curves as a function of equivalent saturated-pore radius show a transition in pore type around a 10-μm pore radius, where smaller and more deformable pores start to desaturate. This corresponds to the fitted D point and is close to the size of the largest pores in the clay matrix or clay–silt phase reported in the literature. The calculated micropore volume and micropore swelling properties are close to clay paste properties reported in the literature. At low water content, the specific micropore volume is independent from clay content. At Point D, the shrinking capacity of the specific micropore volume decreases with increasing clay content for clay contents below 40%. Our results show that Point D can be identified with the MS of the clay matrix, and that the XP model can be used to calculate the swelling properties of clays in the soil, without extraction.
Culture as cure: Civil society and moral debates in KwaZulu‐Natal after apartheid

Abstract The paper addresses the nature of ‘really existing’ civil society and the workings of the public sphere in informal urban settlements on the outskirts of Durban. It focuses on debates over morality and the health of the community which have emerged locally in the context of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, and highlights the positions taken by different African Initiated Churches – Zionist, apostolic and evangelical churches as well as the Shembe Church. Besides these are placed varieties of virginity testing that have become prominent in the last decade, and the significance of disagreement between the different cultural programmes represented is examined. The paper argues that in these situations of urban informality, poverty and unemployment, there is a richness of debate, cultural invention and entrepreneurship which needs to be recorded and understood in order to appreciate on‐going dynamics of political development and struggles over notions of rights. Finally, it is argued that the recording of discussion within and between popular cultural institutions is significant as a resource for future memorialisation and debate around the transition from apartheid to democracy.