Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Using the Vocabulary Self-Collection Strategy plus to Develop University EFL Students' Vocabulary Learning.

This study was carried out to examine the effectiveness of using the Vocabulary Self-Collection Strategy Plus (VSSPlus) on developing university EFL students’ vocabulary learning. It adopted the quasi experimental design which included two groups design. The participants were first level students at Languages and Translation Department, Arar Faculty of Education and Arts, Northern Border University, KSA. They formed two groups: an experimental group (n = 40) and a control one (n = 40). Both groups were pre-tested by using the pre Vocabulary Achievement Test (VAT) for equivalence in vocabulary prior to the treatment. The researcher taught the experimental group throughout the sessions that based on using the VSSPlus in vocabulary learning and she taught vocabulary to the control group by using the Vocabulary Self-Collection Strategy (VSS). Then, the researcher post tested the two groups by using the post VAT and she used the t-test to calculate the differences between the mean scores of the pre and post VAT. The results revealed that a statistically significant difference was found between the mean scores of the experimental group and the control group on the post VAT in favor of the experimental group. The results also showed that a statistically significant difference was found in the mean scores of the experimental group between the pre and post VAT in favor of the post VAT. Therefore, it was concluded that the experimental group outperformed the control group on the post VAT as a result of receiving training on the VSSPlus. It was also concluded that the experimental group performed better on the post VAT than the pre VAT because the VSSPlus helped them develop vocabulary. Some recommendations and suggestions for further research were provided.
Indoor Fine Particle (PM2.5) Pollution and Occupant Perception of the Indoor Environment During Summer of the First Passivhaus Certified Dwelling in Latin America

This study compares the only residential Passivhaus in Mexico (located in Mexico City) to a conventional building-practice home in terms of indoor environmental quality during summer, specifically indoor air quality (IAQ) and the occupants’ perceptions towards it. Temperature, relative humidity, carbon dioxide, and PM2.5 were monitored during May, June and July 2016 in the living room, bedroom and kitchen of each home. Simultaneous outdoor air measurements were collected from the local pollution monitoring network. Online surveys were used to obtain data on building-related illnesses; while occupant perception of IAQ and thermal comfort and occupant diaries helped to provide insights into occupant behavior. Results from this case study suggest that Passivhaus design strategies could help to protect building occupants from outdoor air pollution, based on the lower concentrations of PM2.5 that were found in the Passivhaus apartment compared to the external environment. This contrasted with the results of the control home where PM2.5 levels were higher than ambient levels. Whilst the results cannot be generalized, they do provide much needed evidence on the indoor environmental performance of a Passivhaus-certified dwelling in Latin America, highlighting areas for improvement and providing recommendations to help inform future developments adopting these principles in a subtropical highland climate.
A New Proxy of Social Capital and the Economic Performance across the Italian Regions

In the last 20 years, social capital, has been evoked in several field of social science research and used to explain a vast range of phenomena: political participation, institution performance, corruption, economic success of countries and so on. Unfortunately, dealing with social capital at a scientific level presents, at least, three main problems. First social capital’s definition is still elusive, especially due to its multi-dimensional nature. Second, it is a particular form of capital related to a very high level of intangibility. Finally, because of lack of suitable data there is neither a universal measurement method, nor a single underlined indicator commonly accepted by the literature. These are some of the reasons for which social capital measures are considered as proxies. By using the density of workers within industrial districts, we have constructed an alternative proxy to those that already exist in the literature in order to empirically analyse the difference, in terms of economic performance, across the Italian regions. The methodology we have applied to derive the index is identical to that one used to construct the Putnam’s instrument. Empirical evidence shows that our measure does not affect macroeconomic indicators such as investment and income per capita. However, it significantly influences unemployment disparities, and the level of innovation.
Testing for state dependence in binary panel data with individual covariates by a modified quadratic exponential model

ABSTRACT We propose a test for state dependence in binary panel data with individual covariates. For this aim, we rely on a quadratic exponential model in which the association between the response variables is accounted for in a different way with respect to more standard formulations. The level of association is measured by a single parameter that may be estimated by a Conditional Maximum Likelihood (CML) approach. Under the dynamic logit model, the conditional estimator of this parameter converges to zero when the hypothesis of absence of state dependence is true. Therefore, it is possible to implement a t-test for this hypothesis which may be very simply performed and attains the nominal significance level under several structures of the individual covariates. Through an extensive simulation study, we find that our test has good finite sample properties and it is more robust to the presence of (autocorrelated) covariates in the model specification in comparison with other existing testing procedures for state dependence. The proposed approach is illustrated by two empirical applications: the first is based on data coming from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics and concerns employment and fertility; the second is based on the Health and Retirement Study and concerns the self reported health status.
Cyto-Histopathological correlations of Head and Neck swellings in a rural hospital in North Maharashtra: Our experience

Background: The head and neck encompass a relatively small anatomic area. But anatomy and pathology of this region is extremely complex with multitude of congenital, inflammatory or neoplastic lesions. Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) is a simple, feasible, cost effective and minimally invasive procedure. But histopathological examination is more valuable for confirmatory diagnosis in suspected lesions. Aim: 1.To study the diagnostic accuracy of FNAC by comparative study with histopathological examination. 2. To study the spectrum of non-neoplastic and neoplastic lesions of head neck in rural population. Methods: A retrospective research study included 363 patients presented with head and neck swellings in a rural hospital from April 2013 to April 2015. Detailed clinical history of patient was noted. Aspirations were done and smears were stained with PAP, Haematoxylin and eosin and Leishman stain. Cytomorphological diagnosis was given. Cyto-histopathological correlations were done in 205 cases. Result: Out of 363 patients studied, lymph node (39.66%) was the predominant site aspirated followed by thyroid lesions (30.30 %), salivary gland (19.00%), soft tissue and miscellaneous (7.71%). FNAC was inconclusive in 3.30 % cases. A histopathological correlation was done in 56.47% cases. Overall accuracy rate of FNAC was 97.07%. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value of test was 80.00 %, 98.91 %. , 88.88% and 97.86 % respectively. Conclusion: Though, FNAC is a rapid, cheap diagnostic tool now-a-days, excisional biopsy remains the gold standard for diagnosis of suspected or grey zone of head and neck lesions.
Corporate Governance, Ownership Structure and Bank Performance in Jordan

This study set out with the aim of investigating the effect of ownership structure and corporate governance on bank performance (profitability and operating efficiency). The study relied much on publicly available data for a sample of the thirteen listed banks in Jordan for the years 2000 to 2012. The study has shown that ownership concentration has a positive and significant effect of bank performance (profitability) while foreign ownership positively affects the bank performance (operating efficiency). Another important finding is that as board size increases the bank performance (profitability) increase, suggesting that good corporate governance standards are imperative to every bank and important to investors and other stakeholders.
Analysis of daily, monthly, and annual burned area using the fourth‐generation global fire emissions database (GFED4)

We describe the fourth generation of the Global Fire Emissions Database (GFED4) burned area data set, which provides global monthly burned area at 0.25° spatial resolution from mid‐1995 through the present and daily burned area for the time series extending back to August 2000. We produced the full data set by combining 500 m MODIS burned area maps with active fire data from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) Visible and Infrared Scanner (VIRS) and the Along‐Track Scanning Radiometer (ATSR) family of sensors. We found that the global annual area burned for the years 1997 through 2011 varied from 301 to 377Mha, with an average of 348Mha. We assessed the interannual variability and trends in burned area on the basis of a region‐specific definition of fire years. With respect to trends, we found a gradual decrease of 1.7Mhayr − 1 ( − 1.4%yr − 1) in Northern Hemisphere Africa since 2000, a gradual increase of 2.3Mhayr − 1 (+1.8%yr − 1) in Southern Hemisphere Africa also since 2000, a slight increase of 0.2Mhayr − 1 (+2.5%yr − 1) in Southeast Asia since 1997, and a rapid decrease of approximately 5.5Mhayr − 1 ( − 10.7%yr − 1) from 2001 through 2011 in Australia, followed by a major upsurge in 2011 that exceeded the annual area burned in at least the previous 14 years. The net trend in global burned area from 2000 to 2012 was a modest decrease of 4.3Mhayr − 1 ( − 1.2%yr − 1). We also performed a spectral analysis of the daily burned area time series and found no vestiges of the 16 day MODIS repeat cycle.
Detection of Mycoplasma synoviae infection in broiler breeder farms of Tehran province using PCR and culture methods.

Mycoplasma synoviae (MS) is an important avian pathogen that can cause both respiratory disease and joint inflammation synovitis in poultry, inducing economic losses to the Iranian chicken industry especially breeder farms. The aim of this study was to use the MS specific PCR and culture methods in order to detect of M. synoviae from breeder farms where located in Tehran province. A total of 475 samples including choanal cleft, trachea, ovary and /or joint cavities from 23 broiler breeder farms of Tehran area were collected. Samples were cultured in PPLO broth media supplemented for MS isolation. The bacteria DNAs were extracted by phenol/chloroform method. Specific published primers amplify a 207 bp region of the 16S rRNA gene of MS were used for PCR method. Out of 475 samples, 146 cultures were shown positive and typical Mycoplasma colonies, 85 samples were also identified MS based on agglutination test with specific MS antiserum and the PCR method. A total of 122 samples, a band with 207 bp was shown as MS specific PCR product in electrophoresis. In addition to these 85 samples that were positives in both culture and PCR, 37 samples that had not grown in Mycoplasma media were positive in MS specific PCR. A total of 292 samples were negatives in both culture and PCR methods. 122 positive samples out of 475 samples (25.7%) were belonged to 7 breeder farms (30.4%). On conclusions, the MS infection of broiler breeder farms of Tehran area was confirmed truly. From the results, as the PCR method reduces the time consuming, an effectiveness and efficient for detection of M. synoviae infection of chicken breeder. It is then suggested that the PCR method could be an alternative method for culturing.
Linking Investment Spikes and Productivity Growth: U.S. Food Manufacturing Industry

We investigate the relationship between productivity growth and investment spikes using Census Bureau's plant-level data set for the U.S. food manufacturing industry. We find that productivity growth increases after investment spikes suggesting an efficiency gain or plants' learning effect. However, efficiency and the learning period associated with investment spikes differ among plants' productivity quartile ranks implying the differences in the plants' investment types such as expansionary, replacement or retooling. We find evidence of both convex and non-convex types of adjustment costs where lumpy plant-level investments suggest the possibility of non-convex adjustment costs and hazard estimation results suggest the possibility of convex adjustment costs. The downward sloping hazard can be due to the unobserved heterogeneity across plants such as plants' idiosyncratic obsolescence caused by different R&D capabilities and implies the existence of convex adjustment costs. Food plants frequently invest during their first few years of operation and high productivity plants postpone investing due to high fixed costs.
On Understanding Sources of Growth and Output Gaps for Switzerland

In this paper, we measure the main factors explaining nominal output growth and deviations from trend output in Switzerland over the period 1980 to 2001. The decompositions are based on the GDP function and its dual, the national income function. The results indicate that whereas nominal output growth frequently reflects movements in domestic prices, it is capital formation that makes the largest contribution to real output growth, followed by gains in total factor productivity and improvements in the terms of trade. Deviations of real output from trend appear to have been driven by deviations of labour utilization, of productivity and, during the first decade, of the terms of trade from their respective long-run trends. The important role attributed to productivity and the terms of trade support the view that the customary measures of the output gap should be used with caution when formulating monetary policy.
Field enhanced bulk conductivity of acceptor-doped BaTi1-xCaxO3-x ceramics

The electrical properties of Ca-doped BaTiO3 are very different when Ca substitutes onto Ba or Ti sites. The p-type semiconductivity of Ti-substituted ceramics increases reversibly by one to two orders of magnitude under a dc-bias voltage of ≤100 V cm−1, whereas Ba-substituted ceramics show little sensitivity to a dc bias. This increase in BaTi1−xCaxO3−x, studied over the temperature range 150–600 °C, is independent of electrode material and atmosphere and is attributed to ionization of underbonded O2− ions adjacent to acceptor-doped Ca2+ ions.
Where the Girls are: Trade and Labor Market Segregation in Colombia

Gary Becker's theory of discrimination argues that increasing competition will reduce discrimination in the labor market. We use the Colombian trade liberalization episode over the period 1984–91 to investigate this claim on plant-level data in three ways. First, we examine whether women are concentrated in exporting plants. Second, we examine whether the increase in foreign competition due to unilateral trade liberalization disproportionately drove discriminating plants out of the market. Finally, we investigate whether trade liberalization affected hiring decisions (and thus gender segregation) by Colombian firms.
An empirical investigation of small and medium enterprises access to finance: The case of an emerging economy

A survey of the literature dealing with financing Small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) indicates there is a significant gap in knowledge of the determinants of access to finance by the SMEs in developing countries, including Sri Lanka. Therefore, this study examined what determines access to bank finance in Small and medium sized enterprises in Sri Lanka. The data utilised in this research was obtained from the Investment Climate Survey carried out by the World Bank for Sri Lanka. Hypotheses for this study have been derived utilising eleven factors which affect credit worthiness which have been identified in the previous research. Since the variables are nominal variables, Chi square statistic is chosen to assess whether the determinants of access to credit is significantly different among the credit rationed firms and not rationed firms. The chi square results indicated that, education of the entrepreneur and having membership with business association are associated with access to bank finance. Somewhat unexpectedly, all other factors identified in the study did not show any association with access to credit. In terms of policy, the findings of this dissertation will provide banks, training institutions and policy makers with new insights on investigation of loan evaluation process, tailoring new training programmes for entrepreneurs and developing relationships with business associations.
The Ability to Walk After a Spinal Cord Injury with Emphasis on Exoskeletons: A Review

Background: In recent years, an increasing number of patients with a spinal cord injury (SCI) have been reintegrating into community life and have been getting back to a more active and independent lifestyle. Consequently, rehabilitation therapies have altered, to address activity limitations that patients may experience, to increase participation in the community and to improve patients’ overall quality of life. An innovative, supportive approach to locomotor training is through use of an exoskeleton, which could be used in those patients who are unable to ambulate by themselves. Study design: Review. Objective: To provide an overview of the current literature regarding ambulation in spinal cord injured patients with emphasis on outcome and the usage of exoskeletons, a new innovative way of rehabilitation therapy after a SCI. Methods: This is a narrative review of the SCI literature on ambulation outcomes in patients with SCI. A systematic search was performed of all publications mentioning SCI, exoskeletons and ambulation. Relevant studies were included after screening of both title and abstract of the search results. Animal studies and non-English articles were excluded. Results: Current literature shows that the final degree of motor-function recovery depends on neuronal plasticity, and that the largest amount of recovery can be achieved during the first-year post-injury. Training muscle strength and walking speed are important goals in rehabilitation therapy after a SCI. Furthermore, exoskeletons have been shown to be well tolerated by spinal cord injured patients and could be used by patients without any remaining ambulatory function. Conclusion: This review showed that it is important to start early with the rehabilitation process after a SCI, to be able to fully benefit from neuroplasticity during the first-year post-injury. In patients without any remaining ambulatory function, such as patients with a complete SCI, exoskeletons have shown to reduce spasticity and improve ambulatory capacity.
Interpixel capacitance in large format CMOS hybrid arrays

Since adaptive optics on large telescopes provides almost diffraction limited resolution, Nyquist sampling of moderate fields requires large format arrays. Because of limited substrate sizes there is a tendency to shrink the pixel size to extend the array format beyond 2Kx2K. However, with smaller pixel sizes the coupling capacitance between neighboring pixels becomes more important and its effect on performance and basic parameters of large format arrays has to be analyzed. Therefore, techniques to measure the effect of the coupling capacitance on the conversion gain will be presented. The capacitance comparison method and the autocorrelation technique will be discussed and compared quantitatively. It will be shown that the "noise squared versus signal" method which is in common use to obtain the conversion gain, can only be applied for negligible interpixel capacitance. The X-ray decay of Fe55 is a well established calibrator for silicon and can be applied to Si-PIN diode arrays in order to verify the different methods. Finally, a new technique called single pixel reset will be presented, which directly measures the impulse response or point spread function generated by the inter-pixel capacitance. The measured PSF impulse response can be used for the deconvolution of images to compensate the degradation of spatial resolution induced by the interpixel capacitance. The difference of interpixel capacitance measured in infrared hybrid arrays and Si-PIN diode arrays hybridized to the same multiplexer will be discussed. Keywords:, interpixel capacitance, conversion gain, point spread function, single pixel reset, CMOS hybrid, Hawaii- 2RG, HgCdTe, Si-PIN, HyViSI.
PERFORMANCE OF PLANT GROWTH PROMOTING RHIZOBACTERIA CONTAINING ACC-DEAMINASE ACTIVITY FOR IMPROVING GROWTH OF MAIZE UNDER SALT-STRESSED CONDITIONS

Bacteria carrying 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) deaminase activity lower stress induced ethylene levels and may be effective to improve plant growth under salt stress conditions. Twenty strains of rhizobacteria isolated from soil samples taken from different salt affected aras were screened for plant growth promotion and ACC- deaminase enzyme activity under axenic conditions at 6 dS rn'. Three strains (S5, S15 and S20) that promoted growth to the greatest extent under axenic conditions were selected for further study in pot trial at 0, 5, 10 dS rn'. Results of pot trial showed that the increase in salinity level decreased the growth of the maize seedlings. However, inoculation of maize seeds with these three rhizobacterial strains performed well at all salinity levels, and the strain S20 at 5 dS rn' significantly increased root/shoot length, root fresh/dry weight and shoot fresh/dry weight up to 56/62, 51/71, 52/61 %, respectively, over uninoculated control. At 10 dS rn' increase was 120/63, 52/71, 59/118%, respectively, over uninoculated control. Similarly, increase in chlorophyll a, band carotenoid contents of fresh leaves increased up to 86% at 5 dS rn' and up to 84% at 10 dS rn' by strain S20 over its respective control. Results revealed that it is highly likely that these rhizobacterial isolates deaminated endogenous ACC. Therefore, negative effects of stress induced ethylene could be partially eliminated through inoculation with ACC-deaminase containing rhizobacteria.