Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
CAUSALITY BETWEEN INSTITUTIONAL QUALITY AND ECONOMIC GROWTH: EVIDENCE FROM SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

This paper analyses the causal relationship between institutional quality and economic growth to investigate whether institutional quality is the outcome or the cause of economic growth in Sub-Saharan Africa. It uses annual panel data of 27 countries for the period spanning 1996 to 2014 by employing Pedroni panel co-integration, Wald panel causality, and the system GMM techniques. The co-integration test results show that there is a long-run relationship between institutional quality and economic growth. Also, the causality test results show a unidirectional causality from economic growth to institutional quality but not the other way round. Furthermore, the study found that institutional quality, trade openness, financial development, and debt positively affect economic growth. Also, economic growth and freedom are found to be important determinants of institutional quality. However, debt servicing and dependence on natural resources negatively affect economic growth and institutional quality respectively. It is, therefore, recommended that enhancement of institutional quality, openness, and financial development; while downsizing of debt servicing is crucial in achieving desired level economic growth in the region. Article visualizations:
Synaptic Plasticity by Afferent Electrical Stimulation

The effect of afferent electrical stimulation on synaptic plasticity within the sensorimotor cortex will be discussed. Afferent electrical stimulation induces a down regulation of inhibitory neural circuits and plays a critical role in strengthening excitatory synapses. Synaptic modifications such as long-term potentiation (LTP) mechanisms could be a crucial mechanism underlying this stimulation-induced cortical plasticity. LTP and long-term depression (LTD) of synaptic transmission are crucial factors for activity-dependent changes in the strength of synaptic connections. Many studies demonstrated that these pathways play an important role in cortical synaptic plasticity. Repeated activation of excitatory synapses induces both short-term potentiation (STP) and LTP. Both types of synaptic potentiation affect N-methyl-D-aspartate glutamate receptors leading to the formation of new synapses or the unmasking of excitatory amino acid receptors on motor neurons. This increased excitability localized within the sensorimotor cortex may reflect an increase in neuronal activity as a result of a dynamic interaction of various synaptic and cellular mechanisms due to the local processing of afferent electrical input to the sensorimotor cortex. The chapter reviews also the large number of studies using fMRI and TMS to examine the effects of afferent electrical input from the hand on the excitability of human sensorimotor cortex.
Assessment of safety and ride quality based on comparative studies of a new type of universal steering wheel in 3D simulators

This article will present the results of comparative tests of the functionality of new type of a universal steering wheel, intended to use as HMI to drive a so-called ECO car by both disabled and ablebodied people. The already mentioned ECO car would be characterized, among other things, by electric drive and “steer by wire” system (which is of particular importance in designing adaptive human-vehicle interface). The car was designed as part of the “Eco-Mobility” project implemented under the Innovative Economy Operational Programme co-financed from European Regional Development Fund. The prototype of the car and some of its functions were demonstrated on the “eco-mobilnosc” website [4, 2]. An able-bodied person is sitting in a driver’s seat (in the car’s equipment), while the disabled person can drive the car sitting in their own wheelchair. The functionality feature of the steering wheel which is distinctive from the classic steering system (classic steering wheel + pedals) is the opportunity to drive the vehicle using only hands (without using legs). The steering wheel developed as part of the ECO Mobility project is part of a system that allows a disabled person to use a car completely on their own (without any help from others). The same car can also be used by able-bodied people hence the notion of its “universality”. ECO steering wheel is essentially adapted to drive cars with Steerby-wire system [13, 6]. This solution makes it possible to program the steering angle corresponding to the maximum steering angle of the front wheels. There is a possibility to adjust the so-called melt steering ratio (obviously not while driving). In these studies, there were two different combinations included: 180o to 35o and 120o to 35o. These changes are intended to limit the angle of rotation of the steering Maciej KozlowSKi
Genetic Variability in Germplasm Accessions of Capsicum annuum L

Capsicum annuum is the most widely cultivated species of peppers (chilies) in the world. For culinary purposes, its fruits are used for pungency (capsaicin) and also color (capsanthin). Capsaicin is also used for medicinal purposes particularly in anti-inflammatory formulations. Genetic divergence among 38 accessions collected from diverse locations in India (28 from Uttar Pradesh, 5 from Assam, 3 from Maharashtra and 2 from Uttaranchal), was estimated from the data pooled over 3 consecutive years for 15 morphological, growth and chemotypic characters that included days to first and second flowering, fruit onset, plant height, primary, secondary and tertiary branches, leaf surface area, fruit length and diameter, fruit surface area, fresh and dry fruit weight, capsaicin and capsanthin content. Based on this characterization the plants could be grouped into 7 clusters wherein substantial diversity among accessions was indicated by the wide range of D2 values (752.901 - 1918683.00). Accessions with distinct identity were marked, which are likely to be quite suitable for breeding through hybridization combining desirable traits. The accessions labeled number 38, 27, 26, 14 and 24 to high capsaicin content (%); 35, 23, 3, 16, 29 and 11 for high capsanthin content (%) and 26 and 27 for dual purpose had characteristics desirable. Above accessions could be utilized in hybridization programme for C. annuum crop improvement.
Reproduction performance of cows with single, twin and triplet calves

The aim of this study was to analyse data on 74,081 calvings, subsequent lactation performance and culling of 23,588 Black-and-White cows improved with Holstein-Friesians. The animals represented the active population in Pomerania and Kujavia, first calved in 2000 and 2001, and were culled before the end of 2008. Frequency of calvings, which averaged 1.5% for twin births and just 0.02% for triplet births, increased with age of cow and also with increasing milk yield in the preceding lactation. Performance results showed that mothers of twins were superior to mothers of single calves in terms of milk yield (1.3 kg milk/day milking). Despite the greater perinatal mortality of twins and triplets, multiple pregnancies gave rise to a greater number of calves compared to single pregnancies. However, multiple pregnancies were accompanied by adverse effects such as increased proportion of complications requiring human assistance, mechanical assistance and veterinary intervention (1.2 × more). Fertility of the cows deteriorated after multiple pregnancies, with particularly unfavourable indicators of fertility found for triplet births, decreased chance of survival to the next calving, and increased culling rates in cows, especially due to udder diseases, infertility, reproductive diseases, old age, metabolic and gastrointestinal diseases, and locomotor system diseases. It was found that the increasing milk yield was paralleled by the increasing proportion of multiple pregnancies. This has highlighted the need for early and reliable diagnosis and management of twin pregnancies, which is supposed to facilitate parturition and ensure survival of calves.
New estimators of the Pickands dependence function and a test for extreme-value dependence

We propose a new class of estimators for Pickands dependence function which is based on the best L 2 -approximation of the logarithm of the copula by logarithms of extremevalue copulas. An explicit integral representation of the best approximation is derived and it is shown that this approximation satises the boundary conditions of a Pickands dependence function. The estimators ^ A(t) are obtained by replacing the unknown copula by its empirical counterpart and weak convergence of the process p nf ^ A(t) A(t)g t2[0;1] is shown. A comparison with the commonly used estimators is performed from a theoretical point of view and by means of a simulation study. Our asymptotic and numerical results indicate that some of the new estimators outperform the rank-based versions of Pickands estimator and an estimator which was recently proposed by Genest and Segers (2009). As a by-product of our results we obtain a simple test for the hypothesis of an extreme-value copula, which is consistent against all alternatives with continuous partial derivatives of rst order satisfying C(u;v) uv.
Perception in the absence of attention: Can optical illusions provide evidence for perceptual organisation under conditions of inattention?

Theories of visual perception posit that before attention is allocated within a scene, visual information is parsed according to Gestalt principles of organisation (Treisman, 1986). This assumption is challenged by theorists asserting that no parsing occurs in conditions of inattention (Mack & Rock, 1998). In this study, participants distinguished between lengths of two parallel lines, embedded within a dot matrix, forming the Muller-Lyer illusion in experimental trials, compared to no-illusion trials (control condition). It was hypothesised that participants would not be consciously aware of the illusion yet demonstrate decreased accuracy of length judgements. In line with the hypothesis, participants showed decreased accuracy in optical illusion trials, while explicitly being unaware of it. This suggests that participants grouped the dots through adherence to Gestalt principles of organisation, therefore confirming the notion that perceptual organisation occurs in conditions of inattention. This supports studies looking at perceptual organization as existing separate from attention.
Statistical modelling of seismicity patterns before and after the 1990 Oct 5 Cape Palliser earthquake, New Zealand

Abstract The earthquake sequence for this study occurred off Cape Palliser at the southeastern tip of the North Island of New Zealand. Two main events occurred, on 1990 Oct 5 and 1990 Oct 6, both with local magnitude M/,5.3. They were accompanied by a large number of aftershocks. The sequence is remarkable in that it broke the region of low seismicity in the area between the Hikurangi Trough and the main faults in the Wellington region. This paper studies the seismicity during the period 1978—96. The ETAS model is applied to the data. The whole period can be divided into four stages: early background period, relatively quiescent period, mainshock and the aftershock sequence, and active period of post‐aftershocks. In order to detect the quiescence, residual analysis from the ETAS model was applied to minimise the effect due to previous aftershock clusters. To explain all features in this sequence, a seismicity phase hypothesis is proposed. The paper discusses aspects of the sequence including background, spatial‐temporal analysis, ETAS model, relative quiescence, residual analysis, and its application to the data.
Γ3-Type Lattice Instability and the Hidden Order of URu2Si2

We have performed ultrasonic measurements on single-crystalline URu2Si2 with pulsed magnetic fields, in order to check for possible lattice instabilities due to the hybridized state and the hidden-order state of this compound. The elastic constant \((C_{11}-C_{12})/2\), which is associated with a response to the Γ3-type symmetry-breaking (orthorhombic) strain field, shows a three-step increase at \(H \geq 35\) T for \(H \parallel c\) at low temperatures, where successive meta-magnetic transitions are observed in the magnetization. We discovered a new fact that the absolute change of the softening of \((C_{11}-C_{12})/2\) in the temperature dependence is quantitatively recovered at the suppression of hybridized-electronic state and the hidden order in high-magnetic field for \(H \parallel c\) associated with the successive transitions. The present results suggest that the Γ3-type lattice instability, is related to both the emergence of the hybridized electronic state and the hidden-order parameter of URu2S.
The Role of Personality Traits in the Choice and Use of the Compensation Category of English Language Learning Strategies.

The present study aims to find out the role of personality traits in the prediction choice and use of the Compensatory English Language Learning Strategies (CELLSs) for learners of English as a foreign language. Four instruments were used, which were Adapted Inventory for Compensatory English Language Learning Strategies based on Compensation category of Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL) of Rebecca L. Oxfords (1990), A Background Questionnaire, NEO-Five Factors Inventory (NEO-FFI), and Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Two hundred and thirteen Iranian female university level learners of English language as a university major in Iran, volunteered to participate in this study. The intact classes were chosen. The results show that however, there is a significant relationship between each of three traits of personality and the choice and use of the cells, but personality traits cannot be a strong predictor to predict the choice and use of the CELLSs.
National Cultural Values, Firm's Cultural Orientation, Innovation and Performance: Testing Cultural Universals and Specific Contingencies Across Five Countries.

The purpose of this study was to clarify the cross-cultural validity of the relationship between innovation, entrepreneurial orientation (EO), and performance in five different countries: China, Germany, The Netherlands, Peru, and Russia. We found that innovation and EO are effective in each country, suggesting universal relationships. At the same time, both national culture and cultural orientations of owners moderated the relationship between innovation and performance. We conclude that entrepreneurship research needs to address culture in order to test the boundaries of theory. Additionally, cross-cultural entrepreneurship research needs to study multiple levels of culture.
Poverty traps, economic inequality and delinquent incentives

This paper explores theoretical linkages between poverty traps, economic inequality and delinquency in a two sector overlapping generations model under perfect competition in which barriers to skilled educational attainment and delinquent incentives interact. We find that the existence of a poverty trap under high economic inequality and costly indivisible human capital investments generate persistent delinquency. We study shocks that increase skilled wages or reduce assets for the unskilled and find that these temporal shocks produce an outburst of delinquency in the short run that die out later on. If the shock is permanent then delinquency increases permanently in the long run. Furthermore, we find that when law enforcement policies increase deterrence and incapacitation permanently delinquency dimineshes en the long run but is accompanied by an increase in wealth inequality. We also find that subsidies for human capital investments can have an ambiguous effect on delinquency in the long run.
Cosmic Dark Energy from 't Hooft's Dimensional Regularization and Witten's Topological Quantum Field Pure Gravity

We utilize two different theories to prove that cosmic dark energy density is the complimentary Legendre transformation of ordinary energy and vice versa as given by E(dark) = mc2 (21/22) and E(ordinary) = mc2/22. The first theory used is based on G ‘t Hooft’s remarkably simple renormalization procedure in which a neat mathematical maneuver is introduced via the dimensionality of our four dimensional spacetime. Thus, ‘t Hooft used instead of D = 4 and then took at the end of an intricate and subtle computation the limit to obtain the result while avoiding various problems including the pole singularity at D = 4. Here and in contradistinction to the classical form of dimensional and renormalization we set and do not take the limit where and is the theoretically and experimentally well established Hardy’s generic quantum entanglement. At the end we see that the dark energy density is simply the ratio of and the smooth disentangled D = 4, i.e. (dark) = (4 -k)/4 = 3.8196011/4 = 0.9549150275. Consequently where we have ignored the fine structure details by rounding 21 + k to 21 and 22 + k to 22 in a manner not that much different from of the original form of dimensional regularization theory. The result is subsequently validated by another equally ingenious approach due mainly to E. Witten and his school of topological quantum field theory. We notice that in that theory the local degrees of freedom are zero. Therefore, we are dealing essentially with pure gravity where are the degrees of freedom and is the corresponding dimension. The results and the conclusion of the paper are summarized in Figure 1-3, Table 1 and Flow Chart 1.
Natural Durability of Eucalyptus Clones against Termite Attack

As essential components of the soil ecosystem, termites improve soil pH, organic carbon content, water content and soil porosity by cycling dead organics. However, termites also cause damage to food crops and trees. In Uganda, termites are major pests to Eucalypts including eucalyptus clones. This study assessed the natural durability of two Eucalyptus clones (GU 7 and GC 796) against termite attack. The specific objectives were to (i) identify the termite species that attack the wood from different parts of eucalyptus clones (ii) determine the weight loss of wood due to termite attack and (iii) determine the variation in termite resistance between the wood from the axial direction of the two clones. Two Eucalyptus clones GU 7 and GC 796 of four years old from Masaka district, central Uganda were cross cut into two proportions (at breast height and upper height). These were further plain sawn to samples of dimensions 20 x 20 x 20 mm size along the grain from the heartwood for the termite tests. Samples were taken to Olobai village, Kisoko County in Tororo district for field testing with termites. This area had been identified as a major site for termites in preliminary studies. The termite species that attacked the wood were identified and weight loss determined. The results showed that Macrotermes bellicosus and Pseudocanthotermes militaris attacked and damaged the wood. The mean weight loss was higher (26.8%) in GU 7 than in GC 796 (19%). Termite activity in Eucalyptus wood affected the axial position of the trees. The wood from the lower part of the trees in axial direction exhibited the most resistance to termites with 13 – 20% weight loss. Therefore, GC 796 is more resistant to termites than GU 7. We postulate that GC 796 resistance is mostly inherited from the parent land race Eucalyptus camaldulensis. More studies on natural durability should be done for other Eucalyptus clones.
Behind HumanBoost: Analysis of Users' Trust Decision Patterns for Identifying Fraudulent Websites

This paper analyzes users’ trust decision patterns for detecting phishing sites. Our previous work proposed HumanBoost [1] which improves the accuracy of detecting phishing sites by using users’ Past Trust Decisions (PTDs). Web users are generally required to make trust decisions whenever their personal information is requested by a website. Human-Boostassumed that a database of Web user’s PTD would be transformed into a binary vector, representing phishing or not-phishing, and the binary vector can be used for detecting phishing sites, similar to the existing heuristics. Here, this paper explores the types of the users whose PTDs are useful by running a subject experiment, where 309 participants- browsed 40 websites, judged whether the site appeared to be a phishing site, and described the criterion while assessing the credibility of the site. Based on the result of the experiment, this paper classifies the participants into eight groups by clustering approach and evaluates the detection accuracy for each group. It then clarifies the types of the users who can make suitable trust decisions for HumanBoost.
Estimation of Combining Ability and Gene Action for Agro-Morphological Characters of Rapeseed (Brassica Napus L.) Using Line×Tester Mating Design

Combining ability effects were estimated for different agronomic characters in line × tester crossing program comprising 21 hybrids produced by crossing 7 lines and 3 testers. Parents and hybrids differed significantly for general combining ability (GCA) and specific combining ability (SCA) effects, respectively. The variance due to GCA and SCA showed that gene action was predominantly additive for number of branches. This characters may further be improved through simple selection method in early generation, whereas predominance of non-additive gene action was discovered for plant height, pod per plant and seed yield which are desirable for heterosis breeding and may be exploited in hybrid seed production. Both additive and non-additive genetic constitution were important for seed per pod and thousand kernel weight. Among the 7 female lines, RGS003 revealed maximum GCA effects for seed yield, thousand kernel weight, seed per pod and number of branches. Among the testers, Option500 was desirable as it manifested higher estimates of GCA effects for seed yield and thousand kernel weight. Three cross-combiners Magent × Opera, Elect × Option500 and Shiralee × Opera were found to be the best specific crosses for seed yield
Intensity modulation and polarization rotation of visible light by dielectric planar chiral metamaterials

We have demonstrated how dielectric planar chiral surfaces can both modulate the intensity and change the polarization state of visible light diffracted from patterned surfaces. These effects are shown to be dependent on the sense of chirality of the surface and the input polarization state of the light. Individual diffracted beams can show variations of over 30% in their intensities for different input polarization states while opposite enantiomeric structures can exhibit differences of over 50%. The size of these effects could make these surfaces particularly promising candidates for the development of solid-state polarization-state detectors.
The Interactive Choice Aid: A New Approach to Supporting Online Consumer Decision Making

Interactive Choice Aid (ICA) is a decision aid, introduced in this paper, that systematically assists consumers with online purchase decisions. ICA integrates aspects from prescriptive decision theory, insights from descriptive decision research, and practical considerations; thereby combining pre-existing best practices with novel features. Instead of imposing an objectively ideal but unnatural decision procedure on the user, ICA assists the natural process of human decision-making by providing explicit support for the execution of the user’s decision strategies. The application contains an innovative feature for in-depth comparisons of alternatives through which users’ importance ratings are elicited interactively and in a playful way. The usability and general acceptance of the choice aid was studied; results show that ICA is a promising contribution and provides insights that may further improve its usability.