Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Testing the Political Replacement Effect: A Panel Data Analysis

This article tests for the existence of the political replacement effect, as suggested by Acemoglu and Robinson: [American Political Science Review, Vol. 100, pp. 115–131]. They argue that the implementation of market-oriented reform is crucially driven by the political calculus of incumbent governments: they implement economic policy change if such a choice is not expected to reduce their chances to retain power. This implies a non-monotonic relationship between the level of political competition and the extent of economic reform. We test this hypothesis using data for 102 countries over the period 1980 to 2005. Our results strongly support the theory.
Circulating Atherogenic Multiple-Modified Low-Density Lipoprotein: Pathophysiology and Clinical Applications

Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) circulating in human bloodstream is the source of lipids that accumulate in arterial intimal cells in atherosclerosis. In-vitro –modified LDL (acet -ylated, exposed to malondialdehyde, oxidized with transition metal ions, etc.) is ath- erogenic, that is, it causes accumulation of lipids in cultured cells. We have found that LDL circulating in the atherosclerosis patients’ blood is atherogenic, while LDL from healthy donors is not. Atherogenic LDL was found to be desialylated. Moreover, only the desialylated subfraction of human LDL was atherogenic. Desialylated LDL is generally denser, smaller, and more electronegative than native LDL. Consequently, these LDL types are multiply modified, and according to our observations, desialylation is probably the principal and foremost cause of lipoprotein atherogenicity. It was found that desi- alylated LDL of coronary atherosclerosis patients was also oxidized. Complex formation further increases LDL atherogenicity, with LDL associates, immune complexes with anti- bodies recognizing modified LDL and complexes with extracellular matrix components being most atherogenic. We hypothesized that a nonlipid factor might be extracted from the blood serum using a column with immobilized LDL. This treatment not only allowed revealing the nonlipid factor of blood atherogenicity but also opened the prospect for reducing atherogenicity in patients.
Morphological and bio-chemical factors associated with resistance toMaruca vitrata (testulalis) (Geyer) in cowpea

Legume pod borer, Maruca vitrata (Geyer) is one of the major constraints in increasing the production and productivity of grain legumes in the tropics. Keeping in view of the importance of this pest, present studies were carried out with the association of different morpho-chemical traits with resistance/susceptibility to M. vitrata at the Pulses Research Station, SDAU, S.K. Nagar. Some of the characters like flower colour, pod angle, protein, flavonoid, tannin and phenols were found to be associated with M. vitrata attack on cowpea genotypes. The pod damage by M. vitrata on different cowpea genotypes in the field ranged from 10.22 to 19.98%. High phenol content in pods (428.63mg/100g) and (326.33mg/100g) found responsible for the resistance of GC 5 and GC 0815, respectively and high flavonoid concentration in pods (484.08mg/100g) and (458.81mg/100g) in GC 5 and GC 0815 respectively were responsible for resistance. Based on these results, GC 5 and GC 0815 were categorized as moderately resistant. This paper discusses the physico-chemical traits associated with resistance to M. vitrata in cowpea variety/genotypes.
Phytochemical Investigation and Antibacterial activity of leaf and stem extracts of Sapium indicum Linn.

Plants have provided a source of inspiration for novel drugs compounds. In this study, the antibacterial activity was of Sapim indicum Linn. collected from mangroves area of Odisha was made against some bacterial pathogens by disc diffusion method. All the four crude extracts (methanol, chloroform, hexane, and petroleum ether) tested, showed significant antimicrobial activity with zone of inhibitions ranging between 9-31 mm. Among all the solvent, methanol extracts of both stem and leaf exhibited the highest inhibition zone against Salmonella typhi . Further evaluation of minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) showed values ranging from 4-5.6 mg/ml. Preliminary phytochemical screening revealed the presence of alkaloids, steroids, triterpenoids, saponins, flavonoids, reducing sugars and protein in almost all extract. The present study of in vitro antibacterial assay and preliminary phytochemical analysis may open new vistas for identifying potential bioactive molecules for chemical, pharmacological and herbal industry.
Trust in Coworkers and Employee Behaviors at Work

Research into interpersonal trust within organizational contexts tends to focus on managers as the referent, largely ignoring the topic of trust amongst coworkers. Investigations of coworker trust focus on a different referent, and are expected to have unique effects on employee behaviors. In this paper, the researcher first reviews the extant literature on trust in coworkers, trustworthiness, social undermining, organizational citizenship behavior and counterproductive work behavior. Then, a model is presented to better understand the role of coworkers in shaping focal employee trust in coworkers, which in turn may influences his or her behaviors at work. Finally, this paper explains how the propositions derived from the proposed model.
Vox Populi Vox Dei? Optimising Policy Responsiveness Through Configuring Electoral Competition

We are used to identifying liberal democracy with a process: competitive elections lead to representative governments. Yet the continuing responsiveness of the governments to its citizens' preferences is also a key feature of democracy. Based on Bartolini's (1999, 2000) theoretical framework on electoral competition, this paper proposes an empirical analysis of the relationship between electoral competition and policy responsiveness in four advanced European democracies (Germany, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom) from 1995 to 2009. While the elements of competition are often studied separately, in this paper the latter is handled as a multidimensional concept divided into four dimensions: (1) contestability of the elections, (2) electoral availability, (3) decidability of the offer, and (4) vulnerability of the elite. The aim is to understand how these dimensions affect policy responsiveness, when responsiveness is conceived as the correspondence between public opinion preferences and government expenditure by policy area. The focus of the paper is to determine which configuration of electoral competition is more likely to lead to higher levels of policy responsiveness.
Understanding the time‐varying importance of different uncertainty sources in hydrological modelling using global sensitivity analysis

Simulations from hydrological models are affected by potentially large uncertainties stemming from various sources, including model parameters and observational uncertainty in the input/output data. Understanding the relative importance of such sources of uncertainty is essential to support model calibration, validation and diagnostic evaluation and to prioritize efforts for uncertainty reduction. It can also support the identification of ‘disinformative data’ whose values are the consequence of measurement errors or inadequate observations. Sensitivity analysis (SA) provides the theoretical framework and the numerical tools to quantify the relative contribution of different sources of uncertainty to the variability of the model outputs. In traditional applications of global SA (GSA), model outputs are aggregations of the full set of a simulated variable. For example, many GSA applications use a performance metric (e.g. the root mean squared error) as model output that aggregates the distances of a simulated time series to available observations. This aggregation of propagated uncertainties prior to GSA may lead to a significant loss of information and may cover up local behaviour that could be of great interest. Time‐varying sensitivity analysis (TVSA), where the aggregation and SA are repeated at different time steps, is a viable option to reduce this loss of information. In this work, we use TVSA to address two questions: (1) Can we distinguish between the relative importance of parameter uncertainty versus data uncertainty in time? (2) Do these influences change in catchments with different characteristics? To our knowledge, the results present one of the first quantitative investigations on the relative importance of parameter and data uncertainty across time. We find that the approach is capable of separating influential periods across data and parameter uncertainties, while also highlighting significant differences between the catchments analysed. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Hydrological Processes. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Contact metamorphism surrounding the Alta stock Thermal constraints and evidence of advective heat transport from calcite * dolomite geothermometry

Ansrnc,cr Metamorphism of the siliceous dolomites in the contact aureole of the mid-Tertiary Alta stock has produced a series of isograds with increasing metamorphic grade: talc, tremolite, forsterite, clinohumite, and periclase. Calcite + dolomite geothermometry applied to 30 samples of these dolomites indicates that the prograde metamorphism occurred over the approximate temperature range 410-575 "C for the tremolite-bearing through periclase-bearing zones. The calcite + dolomite temperatures follow a consistent trend of increasing temperature in the direction of the intrusive contact. Consistency between this temperature regime and the positions of the Z-X"o, phase equilibria applicable to the prograde reactions requires a minimum fluid pressure of 75 MPa during the metamorphic event. Comparisons between the peak temperature-distance profile defined by the calcite * dolomite data and temperature-distance profiles calculated from geologically reasonable, two-dimensional conductive cooling models of the stock suggest that the temperature regime in the southern portion of the Alta aureole was affected significantly by advective heat transfer. Field, petrologic, and whole-rock stable isotopicdata, as well as the results of stable isotope transport modeling, are consistent with this possibility and require further that the fluid flow responsible for this advection was lateral to the intrusive contact.
An improved limited area model for describing the dust cycle in the atmosphere

[1] During the last decade, several numerical schemes have been deployed for the simulation of mineral dust processes in the atmosphere. The developed models have various deficiencies in the representation of dust particle physical properties and effects on climate. On the basis of the present status of the dust modeling tools, a combined effort was devoted to upgrading the SKIRON/Dust forecasting system by incorporating new features for the description of the lower boundary characteristics of the atmospheric model and the dust aerosol properties. In this paper, the updated model version is presented along with sensitivity simulations and evaluation of the model results with available observational data. The analysis is separated into two main parts, namely, the improvements that correspond to the atmospheric modeling system SKIRON and the upgrading of the physical mechanisms incorporated in the dust transport submodel. The analysis showed that the incorporation of the new model correction schemes led to a better and more accurate representation of the processes concerning meteorology and dust properties. The new soil characterization schemes significantly improve the energy-partitioning predictions at the surface and therefore the boundary layer processes that play a substantial role in the determination of the dust production mechanisms. Significant differences were detected in the radiation balance between atmosphere and ground surface by incorporating statistical corrections for the description of terrain slopes and azimuths, mainly in areas with highly rough terrain. Finally, the more accurate description of the transported dust aerosol distribution (eight size bins) and the new dust production and deposition schemes led to more efficient determination of the dust particle optical properties (aerosol optical depths).
Some Antioxidants Application in Relation to Lettuce Growth, Chemical Constituents and Yield

2 Abstract: Field trials were carried out during two successive winter seasons, using Great lakes (Head lettuce cultivar), Balady (Local lettuce cultivar) and Nader (Romain lettuce cultivar), to study the possibility of using some antioxidants i.e., selenium, antioxidant formula, vitamin C and vitamin E to improve plant growth, as well as quality and quantity of yield by increasing antioxidants concentration in lettuce leaves. All applied antioxidants showed superior effects on plant height, number of leaves, leaf area / plant, fresh and dry weights of leaves, as well as stem length and diameter. Moreover, antioxidant treatments increased total chlorophyll, total carbohydrates, total phenols, and N, P, K%. Also, all antioxidants significantly increased average head fresh and dry weights as well as head diameter. Also, treatments increased yield quality by increasing total soluble solids (TSS), vit. C and vit. E concentrations. Generally, Selenium (Se) was more effective in increasing all parameters undertaken, followed by vit. C and vit. E. Moreover, head cultivar was significantly higher parameters followed by Romain and Balady cultivars, respectively. It can be recommended that using antioxidants for lettuce production in order to improve plant growth as well as to increase antioxidants concentration in lettuce leaves as healthy food for human use.
Extraversion, openess to new experience, spirituality and sexual attitudes in Irish college students

The aim of this study was to investigate the potential relationship between openness to new experience, extraversion, spirituality, gender and sexual attitudes in Irish college students. In a correlational mixed method design, the participants were given a set of three quantitative self-report questionnaires with one additional qualitative question. The analysis showed a weak relationship between openness and sexual communion. Spirituality was found to correlate positively with communion and negatively with permissiveness. Significant gender differences were found for sexual permissiveness. Research into the area of sexual attitudes should be continued as it seems to be changing over time and influences are not entirely clear yet.
VLT optical BVR observations of two bright supernova Ia hosts in the Virgo cluster - Surface brightness fluctuation analysis

Aims. We study the characteristics of field stars in the two bright ellipticals NGC 4621 and NGC 4374 in the Virgo cluster to derive accurate distances and stellar population properties. Moreover, since the target galaxies have hosted three type Ia supernova events, we investigate the possible correlations between the SNe Ia properties and their host stellar systems. Methods. Using deep imaging BVR data, obtained with the FORS2 camera mounted at the VLT, we analysed the surface brightness fluctuations (SBF) properties of the targets. We adopted our measurements and existing empirical or theoretical calibrations to estimate the distance of the NGC 4621 and NGC 4374. For stellar population analysis, we measured SBF amplitudes in different galaxy regions, allowing us to study the changes in field star properties. The three-band coverage of present data, coupled with existing SBF measures available from the literature, provides us with the broadest wavelength coverage of SBF magnitudes for single objects. We present a detailed comparison between SBF data and models to constrain the physical characteristics of the dominant stellar components at i) various galactic radii; and ii) in the regions where SNe Ia events were recorded. Results. Our V and R SBF measures, coupled with either empirical or theoretical calibrations, provide distance moduli in agreement with literature estimates. The median of our and literature SBF-based distances agrees with the median obtained from non-SBF methods, indicating the absence of any systematic effect in the SBF technique. The same result holds for SBF and SN Ia distances. Comparing either the SBF versus integrated colour diagrams, or the SBF versus SBF colour diagrams, with SPoT models, we find that stellar population properties do not change significantly along the galactic radius, with a dominant population having old age and nearly solar chemical composition. The galaxies appear similar in all properties analysed, except for B-band SBF. Since the SBF magnitudes in this band are sensitive to the properties of the hot stellar component, we speculate that such behaviour can be a consequence of different diffuse hot stellar components in the two objects. By using specific models, we find that the presence of a percentage of hot HB stars in old and metal-rich stellar population could be at the origin of the observed differences. Finally, we find a good uniformity in the V and R SBF and integrated colours in the regions where the three SNe Ia, presenting different absolute luminosities, exploded. On the other hand, the SBF signal measured in the B-band shows intriguing differences.
Exploiting the Vocational Interest of the Nigerian Child for Informed Choice of Vocational Careers

Nigeria is blessed with abundant natural and human resources including vocational talents and callings. There are some persons in the society who are naturally endowed with vocational talents but may never have the opportunity to develop them. Such talents may remain undiscovered and undeveloped unless opportunities are created. It is the opinion of the writers that Government and other interested developmental agencies ought to embark on massive talent-hunt, beginning with children at the elementary level of education so as to tap the rich human resources the nation is so-blessed with. This article seeks to highlight the problems associated with early detection and development of vocational skills in children which include, late awareness of the importance of Vocational/Technological Education in Nigeria, failure to identify vocational talents in early childhood education, lack of follow-up of children’s vocational callings and misconceptions about vocational education. Attempt was also made to identify some implications of these problems for education in Nigeria. The article finally proffers suggestions for improvement in the early identification and development of talents in technology education especially at the elementary level.
Hybrid-Mode SRAM Sense Amplifiers: New Approach on Transistor Sizing

A novel high-speed sense amplifier for ultra-low-voltage SRAM applications is presented. It introduces a completely different way of sizing the aspect ratio of the transistors on the data-path, hence realizing a current-voltage hybrid mode Sense Amplifier. Extensive post-layout simulations have proved that the new Sense Amplifier provides both high-speed and low-power properties, with its delay and power reduced to 25.8% and 37.6% of those of the best prior art. It also offers a much better read-effectiveness and robustness against the bit- and data-line capacitances as well as VDD variations. Furthermore, the new Sense Amplifier is able to tolerate a large difference between the parasitic capacitances associated with the complementary DLs. It can operate down to a supply voltage of 0.9 V, the lowest reported for a 0.18 mum CMOS process. A modified cross-coupled amplifier is also introduced, allowing the Sense Amplifier to operate down to 0.55 V.
Financial Constraints and Productivity : Evidence from Canadian SMEs *

The degree to which financial constraints are binding is often not directly observable in commonly used business data sets (e.g., Compustat). In this paper, we measure and estimate the likelihood of a firm being constrained by external financing using a data set of small and medium-sized Canadian firms. Our measure separates the need for financing from the degree of being constrained, conditional on the need for financing. We find that firm size, the current debt-to-asset ratio and cash flow are robust indicators that can be used as a proxy for financial constraint. The total debt-to-asset ratio is not, however, a statistically significant indicator of financial constraint. In addition, firms with higher cash flow are less likely to need external financing and to be constrained if they do need it. We then estimate the firm-level total factor productivity by taking into account the measured likelihood of binding financial constraints. Coefficient estimates for labor and capital in the structural estimation of production function can be downward biased if financial constraints are omitted, because production inputs are negatively correlated with the likelihood of being constrained by external financing. This in turn leads to an upward bias in total factor productivity, which is about 4 percent according to our estimation. Finally, both investment and employment growth are negatively affected by the measured degree of financial constraints, pointing to the contribution of financial constraints to misallocation. Keyword: productivity, financial constraint, production function. JEL codes: D24, G32, L25 *The authors are grateful to the Canadian Centre for Data Development and Economic Research at Statistics Canada for assistance with the data. We thank Victor Aguirregabiria and Russell W. Cooper for constructive comments and suggestions. We also thank Kim Huynh, Charles Kahn, Stephen Law (discussant), and participants at the Bank of Canada brown bag seminar, CEA annual conferences, and the Bank of Canada’s Fellowship Learning Exchange workshop. All remaining errors are solely the responsibility of the authors. This paper was written while Shutao Cao was affiliated with the Bank of Canada. The views expressed here are those of the authors. No responsibility for these views should be attributed to the Bank of Canada or Statistics Canada. †School of Economics and Finance, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington 6140, New Zealand. Email: Shutao.Cao@vuw.ac. nz. Phone: 64 4 4635884. ‡Statistics Canada. Phone: 1 613 9512574.
Underwater observations on copepod swarms in temperate and subtropical waters

Swarms of 8 copepod species were visually observed in temperate and subtropical waters along the coast of Japan from 1975 to 1981. Irregular ball-shaped swarms, with diameters less than 1 m. were common for Acartia plumosa, A. erythraea, A. steueri, A. japonica, A. hamata and Oithona oculata. They generally occurred on or a little above the bottom near the shore during the day and maintained their position against slight water currents. A. clausi in Shijiki Bay and 0. oculata in Tanabe Bay formed continuous flat swarms and carpeted the bottom with copepods. A. steueri in Shijiki Bay. 1978, swarmed within sea grass beds. Labidocera pavo formed small swarms, in which the copepods swirled with each other. Copepod swarms were almost rnonospecific aggregations except for A. erythraea, which was observed to swarm jointly with A. plumosa. Within swarms, adult copepods generally dominated and females outnumbered males. For some of Acartia spp. , swarms consisted almost entirely of adults, especially females, indicating that the swarming of these species is ageand sex-specific. Adaptive functions of copepod swarms are discussed. Swarming of copepods appears to be a common phenomenon in temperate shallow waters and of significant importance as food resource for some demersal fishes.