Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
From cell phones to conflict? Reflections on the emerging ICT–political conflict research agenda

From mobilizing masses to monitoring rebels, information and communication technologies (ICT) are transforming political conflict. We reflect on the contributions made by the articles of this special issue to the emerging ICT–political conflict research agenda, highlighting strengths of these articles, and offering suggestions for moving forward. Elaborate theory is crucial: it informs our standards of evidence, our choice of statistical models, our tests of competing theories, and our efforts to draw appropriate generalizations. Qualitative data is often neglected as a source of evidence, especially for evaluating the many competing mechanisms in this literature. Alternative explanations for results should be taken seriously, especially more mundane ones like confounding, measurement, and selection biases. We discuss in detail the risk that measurement bias could account for the prominent association between cellular coverage and (reported) conflict, and recommend several ways of evaluating and bounding this risk. We discuss the problem of temporal and spatial dependence for statistical inference – a problem that is often present for studies of ICTs – and point out that methodological solutions rely on (rarely stated) causal assumptions. Finally, we highlight key areas for future research, recommend a commitment to transparency best practices, and conclude with a discussion of the policy implications of this research.
Game-based trench safety education: development and lessons learned

In collaboration with a college teaching construction trades, the authors engaged in developing and deploying a serious game focussed on teaching trench health and safety lessons as an initial investigation into applying edutainment in the construction trades. This paper reviews the background of using interactive technology in construction trades training and presents the observations taken from the developers, teachers and students involved and subsequent conclusions drawn based on these observations. The broad lessons learnt indicate that serious games offer an engaging and innovative medium for delivering training to students who are more comfortable with hands-on learning for a hands-on trade. Although studies are still underway in assessing the long term benefits in retention, the students and teachers involved found the use of gaming technology to be an overall positive experience with some immediately demonstrable benefits. Furthermore, the potential for adopting serious games in educational programs will only grow as interactive computer technology only becomes more and more ubiquitous in society. This said, challenges remain in measuring the long term impact, and costs associated with developing and delivering the interactive content to the students and subsequently finding ways to reduce those costs and maximise the positive benefits attained using such technology.
Protein Fractions of Pearl Millet Submitted to Different Nitrogen Doses and Cutting Ages

The objective of this study was to characterize and identify the protein fractions of two cultivars of pearl millet ( Pennisetum glaucum ) – ADR-300 and cv. BN-1 – submitted to different nitrogen doses (0, 50, 100 and 150 kg.ha -1 ) at three cutting ages. The experimental design used was randomized blocks with a 4 x 3 factorial treatment structure, with three repetitions. The crude protein concentration (CP) and the protein fractions A, B 1 , B 2 , B 3 and C of the pearl millet cultivars were evaluated by the Cornell Net Carbohydrate and Protein System. The CP concentrations differed according to the cultivars, with variation between the treatments of 14.01% to 23.29% for ADR-300 and 11.82% to 19.29% for BN-1. Fraction A (P<0.05) differed for the two cultivars, with variations also observed in the B 1 , B 2 and B 3 fractions in function of the treatments applied. Fraction C (P<0.05) differed among treatments only on the first cutting, for all doses for the two cultivars evaluated. The nitrogen doses and cutting age influenced the composition of the protein fractions.
Identification strategy of anisotropic behavior laws: application to thin sheets of Aluminium A5

Numerical simulation provides a valuable assistance in the controlling of forming processes. The elasto-plastic orthotropic constitutive law is based on the choice of an equivalent stress, a hardening law and a plastic potential. An identification of the model parameters from an experimental database is developed. This database consists in hardening curves and Lankford coefficients of specimens subjected to off-axis tensile tests. The proposed identification strategy is applied to aluminum sheets. The behavior of this material is studied under several solicitations. The anisotropic behavior of the aluminum plate is modeled using the Barlat criterionand the hardening law. The obtained Lankford coefficients are compared to those which are identified by a different strategy.
eu ON FIXED POINT THEOREMS FOR ( ξ , α , η )-EXPANSIVE MAPPINGS IN COMPLETE METRIC SPACES

In this paper, a new class of (ξ, α, η)-expansive mappings is introduced which contains the class of generalized (ξ, α)-expansive mappings has been posed by Karapinar et al. [Generalized (ξ,α)-expansive mappings and related fixed-point theorems, Journal of Inequalities and Applications 2014, 2014:22]. Moreover, a representation for a generalized (ξ,α)-expansive mapping is established and by applying it some conditions given in the literature by many authors in order to guarantee the existence of a fixed point are relaxed and by using some suitable conditions the existence of fixed points, in the setting of complete metric spaces as well as ordered complete metric spaces, for the new class of (ξ, α, η)-expansive mappings is investigated. Furthermore, the relationship between having a fixed point for a map and being one-to-one of the map is discussed. The results of this note can be viewed as an extension of the corresponding results have been presented in [3, 5, 7, 10, 11]. AMS Subject Classification: 47H10, 54H25
Cosmic memory : prehistory of earth and man

In the best tradition of the literature of ancient wisdom, Cosmic Memory reconstructs, from the akashic record, events that span the time between the origin of the Earth and the beginning of recorded history. This spiritual research includes a profound investigation of the origins, achievements, and fate of the Atlanteans and Lemurians - the remarkable 'lost' root races that developed the first concepts of 'good' and 'evil,' manipulated natural forces, laid the foundation for human legal and ethical systems, and defined and nurtured the distinctive yet complementary powers of men and women that brought humankind, many centuries ago, to its highest artistic, intellectual, and spiritual attainments. Through this discussion of our true origins, Cosmic Memory offers a genuine foundation for our lives, allowing us to realize our real value, dignity and essence. The reader is shown our human connection with the world around us as well as our highest goals and true destiny.
DISPARITY OF INVESTMENT INFLOWS AMONG REGIONS IN INDONESIA

Regions in Indonesia have been receiving investment inflows from other countries, with some regions absorb much more than the others do. This study identifies factors that influence foreign investors to come to provinces in Indonesia using a dynamic panel data approach. It investigates data on investment inflows and regional economic development indicators in each province from 1983 until 2009. The estimation results show that the General Methods of Moment system estimators are unbiased, consistent and valid. This study finds some determinants of spatial foreign investment inflows, namely market size, level of economic development, infrastructure, and education level attainment. Keywords: Disparity, investment inflows, dynamic panel data JEL classification number: F21, F23
Determinants of Use of Information and Communication Technologies in Agriculture: The Case of Kenya Agricultural Commodity Exchange in Bungoma County, Kenya

Access to markets by Smallholder farmers has conventionally been constrained by lack of market information. Efforts to strengthen access of farmers to markets has triggered the mushrooming of several projects that embrace ICT tools in promoting access to competitive market information. Nevertheless, most farmers still lack access to accurate market information, such as existing commodity prices. This study examines the determinants of the use of ICT tools among smallholder farmers for agricultural transactions. The study uses Kenya Agricultural Commodity Exchange (KACE), one of the ICT-based marketing platform, as the case study. The objectives of the research are to determine the factors that influence access to agricultural information, and establishing factors that determine the intensity of use of ICT tools in accessing agricultural information. Survey was conducted among 136 smallholder farmers in Bungoma County. Both purposive, and multi-stage sampling were used to obtain the sample for this research. The study finds that several farmer characteristics, farm and capital endowment factors affect the use of ICT tools, particularly mobile phones. Gender, age, literacy level, affordability, perceived importance, mobile ownership and group membership were found to be significant in influencing the decision to use KACE ICT tools and the intensity of use of these tools for agricultural transaction activities. The study further recommends for policies that support the expansion of ICT projects, training on their applications and sensitization on the use of these platforms. The study suggests for policies to address gender disparities on access and use of ICT tools for agricultural transaction.
False confessions in the lab: Do plausibility and consequences matter?

Abstract The present paper describes three studies that examined false confessions in the laboratory. Studies 1 (N=56) and 2 (N=9) relied on the by now classic computer crash paradigm introduced by Kassin and Kiechel (Psychological Science, 7, 125–128, 1996). Study 3 (N=12) employed a novel paradigm in which undergraduate participants were falsely accused of exam fraud. Our data indicate that false confessions do occur, even when conditions become more ecologically valid. Furthermore, we explored whether individual differences in compliance, suggestibility, fantasy proneness, dissociation, and cognitive failures are related to false confessions. Of these, only fantasy proneness was associated with false confessions.
Secular Changes in the Twinning Rate in Denmark 1931 to 1977

The present study examines secular changes in the rate of twinning in Denmark during the period 1931–77. Total twinning (i.e., mono- and dizygotic twinning combined) declined from a crude rate of 15.0 twin births per 1000 deliveries in 1931 to 9.6 twin births per 1000 deliveries at the end of the period. After direct adjustment for maternal age and parity (between the years 1935 and 1965), a 22% decline in total twinning rates was noted. Estimates of the rates of dizygotic twinning over the same period, again adjusted for maternal age and parity, show a decline of 29%. Thus there is evidence of a real decline in twinning, independent of the effects of changing patterns of maternal age and parity. These findings are consistent with reports of a general decline in twinning rates from a number of other countries. The interpretation of such secular changes is a matter for speculation.
Recent western South Atlantic bottom water warming

Potential temperature differences are computed from hydrographic sections transiting the western basins of the South Atlantic Ocean from 60°S to the equator in 2005/2003 and 1989/1995. While warming is observed throughout much of the water column, the most statistically significant warming is about +0.04°C in the bottom 1500 dbar of the Brazil Basin, with similar (but less statistically significant) warming signals in the abyssal Argentine Basin and Scotia Sea. These abyssal waters of Antarctic origin spread northward in the South Atlantic. The observed abyssal Argentine Basin warming is of a similar magnitude to that previously reported between 1980 and 1989. The Brazil Basin abyssal warming is similar in size to and consistent in timing with previously reported changes in abyssal southern inflow and northern outflow. The temperature changes reported here, if they were to hold throughout the abyssal world ocean, would contribute substantially to global ocean heat budgets.
Bank Failure, Relationship Lending, and Local Economic Performance

Whether bank failures have adverse effects on local economies is an important question for which there is conflicting and relatively scarce evidence. In this study, I use county-level data to examine the effect of bank failures and resolutions on local economies. Using quasi-experimental techniques as well as cross-sectional variation in bank failures, I show that recent bank failures lead to lower income and compensation growth, higher poverty rates, and lower employment. Additionally, I find that the structure of bank resolution appears to be important. Resolutions that include loss-sharing agreements tend to be less deleterious to local economies, supporting the notion that the importance of bank failure to local economies stems from banking and credit relationships. Finally, I show that markets with more inter-bank competition are more strongly affected by bank failure.
Mineralogy and Surface Charge Properties of two Acid Sulfate Soils from Peninsular Malaysia

Two acid sulfate soils sampled from an oil palm estate in Perak, Peninsular Malaysia, were studied. The soils were characterized by a low pH and the presence of yellowish mottles, which were identified as jarosite and/or natrojarosite. Other minerals present were kaolinite, mica, mica-smectite and smectite. The negative charges on the soil surface were found to increase significantly with an increase in pH. This increase was not related to the presence of oxides and/or hydroxides as these materials were present in very small amounts in the soils. On account of the increase in the negative charges with an increase in pH, it is suggested that CEC of acid sulfate soils be determined at soil pH to give a better reflection of the soil properties. Further, it was found that the soils were highly buffered at pH 3 - 5. The strong buffering at this pH range was related to the presence of high amounts ofaluminium in the soil.
Selection indices for agronomic traits in segregating populations of soybean

In genetic improvement of the soybean crop, the selection process is complex and greatly influenced by the environment. One of the alternatives for facilitating this process is the use of selection indices, making it possible to select desirable genotypes for the early generations of breeding programs. The aim of this study was to compare different selection indices in segregating populations of soybean, indicating methods which are superior in various situations, and proposing economic weightings in order to obtain higher gains. Direct and indirect selection criteria were used, together with the classic Smith-Hazel index, an index based on the sum ranks of Mulamba and Mock, a Williams base index, an index based on the desired gains of Pesek and Baker, and a genotype-ideotype distance index. The genetic material consisted of seven F5 generation soybean populations, giving a total of 386 progeny, conducted in a Federer augmented-block design, with the following characteristics being evaluated: number of days to maturity, plant height at maturity, insertion height of the first pod, lodging, agronomic value, number of pods per plant, oil content and grain yield. According to the results, the classic index and base index showed the smallest variations in gains in the different situations and economic weightings under study. The index based on the sum of ranks using agronomic value and grain productivity as the main characteristics with an economic weighting of one, gave the most favourable gains under the conditions of this study.
Sensitivity of aerosol properties to new particle formation mechanism and to primary emissions in a continental‐scale chemical transport model

[1] Four theoretical formulations of new particle formation (NPF) and one empirical formulation are used to examine the sensitivity of observable aerosol properties to NPF formulation and to properties of emitted particles in a continental-scale model for the United States over a 1-month simulation (July 2004). For each formulation the dominant source of Aitken mode particles is NPF with only a minor contribution from primary emissions, whereas for the accumulation mode both emissions and transfer of particles from the Aitken mode are important. The dominant sink of Aitken mode number is coagulation, whereas the dominant sink of accumulation mode number is wet deposition (including cloud processing), with a minor contribution from coagulation. The aerosol mass concentration, which is primarily in the accumulation mode, is relatively insensitive to NPF formulation despite order-of-magnitude differences in the Aitken mode number concentration among the different parameterizations. The dominant sensitivity of accumulation mode number concentration is to the number of emitted particles (for constant mass emission rate). Comparison of modeled aerosol properties with aircraft measurements shows, as expected, better agreement in aerosol mass concentration than in aerosol number concentration for all NPF formulations considered. These comparisons yield instances of rather accurate simulations in the planetary boundary layer, with poor model performance in the free troposphere attributed mainly to lack of representation of biomass burning and/or to long-range transport of particles from outside the model domain. Agreement between model results and measurements is improved by using smaller grid cells (12 km versus 60 km).
Normal fault growth and linkage in the Whakatane Graben, New Zealand, during the last 1.3 Myr

Determination of fault growth rates and fault network evolution at time-scales from 104 – 106 years has been hampered by a lack of a well-constrained stratigraphic succession that provides a high-fidelity record of fault development over these time periods. Here we show how seismic reflection data of different spatial resolutions can be used to constrain the linkage history and displacement rate variations of a single major fault. We present data collected in the offshore Whakatane Graben, Bay of Plenty, New Zealand, where intense normal faulting occurs as a result of active back extension. The focus of our study is the Rangitaiki Fault, a linked segmented normal fault which is the dominant active structure in the graben. The total linked fault length is c. 20 km long and has a displacement of up to 830 ± 130 m in the top 1.5 km of sediments. The fault has been actively growing for the last 1.34 ± 0.51 Ma and has developed from isolated fault segments to a fully linked fault system. Initially, the dominant process of fault growth was tip propagation, with an average and maximum displacement rates of 0.52 ± 0.18 mm yr-1 and 0.72 ± 0.23 mm yr-1 respectively. Interaction and linkage became more significant as the fault segments grew towards each other, resulting in the fault network becoming fully linked between 300 and 18 ka. Following fault segment linkages, the average displacement rate of the fault network increased by almost three-fold to 1.41 ± 0.31 mm yr-1, while the maximum displacement rate increased to 2.72 ± 0.61 mm yr-1. This is the first time that the growth rate of unlinked fault segments has been resolved, and has been shown to be slower than in the subsequent linked fault system.
An e-loyalty model proposal for online travel reservation websites

Online travel reservation websites need e-loyal customers to be able to drive their profitability and existence. In this context, the aim of this study is to propose an e-loyalty model for travel reservation websites in the business to consumer (B2C) concept. The study brought together important concepts thought to be related to e-loyalty, such as system quality, trust, satisfaction, alternative attractiveness, word of mouth, and repurchase intention. As a result, it was determined that system quality, trust, satisfaction and word of mouth have a positive effect on e-loyalty, unlike alternative attractiveness which has a negative effect. It was also determined that e-loyalty has a positive effect on repurchase intention.
Selected Topics of Contemporary Solid Mechanics IDENTIFICATION AND VALI DATION OF MATERIAL PARAMETERS FOR ISOTROPIC DAMAGE MODEL I N VISCOPLA STIC FLOW CONDITIONS

Identification of damage material parameters is one of the most important and most contentious aspects of the continuum damage mechanics. The incorrect identification may leads to wrong results, even if a good model is applied. In this communication, the Lemaitre’s isotropic damage model [1], regarding the concept of the damage variable proposed by Kachanov in 1958 [2], is concerned. In the literature different methods of damage material parameters identification for assumed model are applied. The identifications are based on different foundations and use results of different experiments: the uniaxial tensile tests or the uniaxial reversed cyclic tests. In their approaches authors calibrate both S and s damage coeff icients or assume s calibrating only S. Each of them is applied for different material type, and very seldom researchers tried to conduct these identifications for one material and compare the results with experiment to give the answer which of them is the most suitable. The authors of this paper have applied all presented identification methods for calibration the damage coeff icients for the Al2017 aluminum. Then the results have been compared with the real experiment by numerical modeling, using the elasto-viscoplastic Chaboche [3] model with damage.
Symplectic Floer homology of area-preserving surface diffeomorphisms

The symplectic Floer homology HF_*(f) of a symplectomorphism f:S->S encodes data about the fixed points of f using counts of holomorphic cylinders in R x M_f, where M_f is the mapping torus of f. We give an algorithm to compute HF_*(f) for f a surface symplectomorphism in a pseudo-Anosov or reducible mapping class, completing the computation of Seidel's HF_*(h) for h any orientation-preserving mapping class.
Linkage between and determinants of organic fertilizer and modern varieties adoption in the Sahel

In this paper, the authors analyze the linkage between and the determinants of organic fertilizer and modern varieties (MVs) adoptions in Burkina Faso. Using simultaneous recursive and endogenous switching probit models, we found a positive joint determination along with a negative endogeneity between the two technologies, indicating controlling for observable variables adoption decisions of the two technologies are positively correlated, but unobserved factors that affect one decision are negatively correlated with the other, or vice versa. After controlling for jointness and endogeneity, we found a significant positive effect of organic fertilizer application on MVs adoption. But, the two technologies are reversely affected by household head’s attending formal education and the incidence of soil fertility problem within the farm. The size of good land holding appears to have a positive effect on both adoption decisions. Other factors that significantly affect MVs adoption with positive effect are number of cashcrop grown and remittances. The study suggests that organic fertilizer can serve as enabling factor for greater adoption of MVs, especially in less favourable climate areas. In areas where farmers invest less in inorganic fertilizer because of higher climate and market risks, organic fertilizer can serve as an effective alternative to replace inorganic fertilizer in the adoption process of MVs. Policies to promote green revolution technologies in Sub-Saharan Africa could be more effective if jointly associated with the promotion of conservation agriculture technologies.