Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
MULLEN: AN INVESTIGATION INTO WHETHER THERE EXISTS A POSITIVE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN A CHILD’S LEVEL OF EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITY PARTICIPATION AND THEIR ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE Citation

This study was completed in order to determine whether a positive correlation exists between a child’s extracurricular activity participation level and their academic performance. The sample population for this particular investigation incorporated 165 subjects, 83 females and 82 males. The subjects consisted of Primary 7 pupils aged 130.6 + 3.0 months. These individuals attend six primary schools across Northern Ireland, in both rural and urban environments. In order to record extracurricular activity participation levels the children completed a questionnaire. The questionnaire provided information concerning the extent of weekly engagement in extracurricular activities as well as the types of activities participated in. Academic performance was recorded through the use of standardised scores. The host teachers provided the Progress in Mathematics (PIM) and the Progress in English (PIE) scores from the last time of testing (end of Primary 6). An average score of 100 was employed with a deviation of 10% to illustrate overachievement and underachievement. Once the data was correlated, the results were presented in a variety of graphical forms for ease of interpretation and analysis. The benefits of extracurricular activity participation are vast. While many researchers highlight the positive effect which engagement has on academic performance, the study did not suggest a strong correlation between the variables examined. After completing a Spearman’s Rank Correlation Coefficient Test on the data presented, the conclusion can be made that there was a strong negative correlation between physical activity participation and academic achievement. Further research is required within this field in order to determine a final outcome.
Minimum Wages and Retirement Decisions

This study uses linked survey-administrative data to study the relationship between minimum wages and claiming of social security retirement insurance. We analyze the relationship between minimum wages and retirement by analyzing nearor at-retirement age workers. These results have important implications for understanding the comprehensive effect of minimum wages for both workers and the government by providing new evidence on minimum wages and receipt of public assistance. First, we show that minimum wage increases are associated with greater earnings and probability of being employed for individuals ages 55-70, although this is mostly for the relatively younger individuals. Next, we show that minimum wage increases that occur when an individual is 65 are associated with a decrease in the probability of claiming retirement benefits at that age. Age 65 is the first age at which most of our sample is eligible for full retirement benefits. JEL codes: J23, J26
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Abstract Activities of microsomal monooxygenases (MO) and epoxide hydrolase (EH) and cytoplasmic glutathione-S-transferases (GST) will contribute to controlling the pool of reactive intermediates, enzymatically derived from polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) within the cells of target organs such as the human long. Therefore, we studied what interindividual differences exist in these enzyme activities and whether there is a correlation between the activities of these epoxide forming and metabolizing enzymes in preparations from peripheral lung samples and the occurrence of bronchogenic carcinomas in smokers and non-smokers. 57 samples obtained from surgery were studied. Among them were 12 samples from non-smoking patients without cancer as a control group. It is not known whether this control group behaves, with respect to the investigated parameters, identically to fully healthy people, since in all cases indications existed which justified the removal of lung biopsies. Using very sensitive standard assays with benzo[a]pyrene, biphenyl, 7-ethoxyresorufin and 7-ethoxycoumarin
Gestural overlap within word medial stop-stop sequences in Moroccan Arabic

This paper deals with the factors behind temporal overlap differences in word medial [bd, db, bg, gb, gd, dg] clusters produced by speakers of Moroccan Arabic (MA). It is argued that certain overlap differences in these MA clusters are related to motor constraints. Specifically, these differences can be attributed to intrinsic physiological properties of the main articulator of each consonant or to constraints in coordinating adjacent consonants due to (presence or absence of) the biomechanical linkage of their articulators. The reported effects weaken the explanatory power of the previously proposed perceptual basis for the place order effect.
The Scalar Non-Standard Interactions in Neutrino Oscillation

Shao-Feng Ge 2, 3, 4, 5 and Stephen J. Parke Kavli IPMU (WPI), UTIAS, University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8583, Japan Department of Physics, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA T. D. Lee Institute, Shanghai 200240, China School of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China Theoretical Physics Department, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, Batavia, IL 60510, USA
INNOVATION RELIABILITY AND VARIABILITY STRATEGIES IN THE RELATION BETWEEN ABSORPTIVE CAPACITY AND MANUFACTURING FLEXIBILITY

Shifting demand and ever shorter product cycles increasing the levels of manufacturing flexibility required to address growing global competition. Although the literature has established absorptive capacity’s positive impact on manufacturing flexibility, the role of exploitative and explorative innovation orientations in such relation is up for discussion. Investigating it is important: does strategic flexibility, viewed in terms of exploitative and explorative firm behaviors, help steer and develop manufacturing flexibility? An integrated theoretical model is developed, linking absorptive capacity to market orientation, innovation competence orientation, and manufacturing flexibility. A survey’s data addressing top management is analyzed through SEM. While using a sample of 370 manufacturing firms, findings reveal that although absorptive capacity effects on manufacturing flexibility are mainly direct, a significant important positive indirect effect exists, flowing mainly through reactive market orientation and innovation competence exploitation: the exploitative behavior, innovation reliability strategy, predominates. Findings suggest that while absorptive capacity helps develop exploitative and explorative innovation strategies evenly, innovation competence exploration could be a strategic reserve to see action during the rarer occasions when firms need to reinvent themselves, more deeply overhauling manufacturing flexibility.
Entrepreneurship and Dishonesty : An Experimental Study

We test the hypothesis of whether entrepreneurs are more dishonest than non-entrepreneurs, or whether their dishonesty can be associated with imperatives relative to the environments in which they are evolving. For this purpose, we employ a die-under-cup paradigm (where subjects must report on the roll of dice knowing that the experimenter cannot observe their scores) with two framings: one is neutral and another evokes a business setting where the subject is a company CEO. We compare the tendencies for subjects to report high scores on their rolls of the dice across treatments and occupations. We observe that entrepreneurs report lower scores under the neutral framing, but higher scores under the business framing. These results provide little evidence in favor of entrepreneurs being more dishonest than others, but rather suggest that entrepreneurial dishonesty is more likely to manifest itself in business settings. Entrepreneurship and Dishonesty: An Experimental Study
An evaluation of an inshore bottom trawl survey design for American lobster ( Homarus americanus ) using computer simulations

This paper evaluates the performance of six possible sampling designs to estimate the population abundance index for American lobster using computer simulations. These designs include simple random sampling (SRS), systematic sampling (SYS) and stratified random sampling with four stratification schemes (i.e., based on region, depth, sediment and region × depth). For the stratified random design with region and depth being used for stratification, we evaluated the performances of different strategies for allocating sampling efforts. Simulations were implemented on the “true” populations which were estimated annually from 2002 to 2008 for both spring and fall based on a general additive model model developed in a separate study. Relative Estimation Error (REE), Relative Bias (RB) and design effect were used to measure the precision, accuracy and efficiency of mean estimation for different designs. On average, SYS tended to yield the most precise and efficient estimate of mean with specified sample size. However, its estimates tended to be biased and its performance varied with sample sizes and realizations of “true” population, thus changed with lobster distribution. Appropriate stratification, such as using depth to determine strata, significantly improved the precision and efficiency over SRS. Sediment, which is related to lobster distribution, was found to have little contribution to the improvement of the performance over SRS when it is used to determine strata. Also, allocating samples to each stratum based on variance or mean of previous year improved precision and efficiency. This study suggests that current design (i.e., region-depth stratified design) used in the survey had stable performance across years and seasons.
The Role of Diet in the Etiopathogenesis of Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Abstract | Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, collectively known as IBD, are chronic inflammatory disorders of the gastrointestinal tract. Although the aetiopathogenesis of IBD is largely unknown, it is widely thought that diet has a crucial role in the development and progression of IBD. Indeed, epidemiological and genetic association studies have identified a number of promising dietary and genetic risk factors for IBD. These preliminary studies have led to major interest in investigating the complex interaction between diet, host genetics, the gut microbiota and immune function in the pathogenesis of IBD. In this review, we discuss the recent epidemiological, gene–environment interaction, microbiome and animal studies that have explored the relationship between diet and the risk of IBD. In addition, we highlight the limitations of these prior studies, in part by explaining their contradictory findings, and review future directions.
The Role of Knowledge Similarity for Self-Selection and Evaluation Quality in Crowd Evaluation

Idea evaluation is a fundamental task for organizations. Traditionally, organizations try to allo-cate tasks based on a match of task requirements and relevant knowledge. Due to internal chal-lenges of evaluating crowdsourced ideas, organizations increasingly turn to crowds for the eval-uation of ideas. Contrary to traditional evaluation processes, crowd evaluation relies on self-selection of evaluators. In this study, we investigate how the matching of evaluation tasks and knowledge based on self-selection of evaluators influence the outcome of crowd evaluations. We analyze 5,206 potential and 701 realized evaluations of crowdsourced ideas in a real crowd-evaluation context. By considering self-selection, which is at the heart of new forms of organiz-ing, our results reveal that while self-selection based on knowledge similarity might improve crowd evaluation outcomes overall, the effects are more nuanced when considering different sub-dimensions of idea quality.
Title Emergence of Bulk Geometries from ConformalField Theory

This thesis is devoted to a possible generalization of the entanglement entropy and its implication to the holography, especially AdS/CFT correspondence. The AdS/CFT correspondence is a way to define the quantum gravity in d + 1-dimensional asymptotically anti-de Sitter (AdS) spacetime by using the conformal field theory (CFT) in d-dimension. In this context, it is still unclear how we can realize the d + 1-dimensional full bulk geometries from the d-dimensional quantum field theories. The main object of this thesis is the minimal surface not necessarily anchored on the boundary, which has not been derived from the field theory analysis. First, we review how we can obtain minimal surfaces anchored on the boundary from the entanglement entropy. Then, we introduce a generalization of the entanglement entropy for mixed states and discuss its basic properties. Finally, we argue that we can extract the aforementioned minimal surfaces ending on the bulk from the generalized version of the entanglement entropy. Our explicit derivations include the geometries in three-dimensional AdS and BTZ black holes.
Germination of Indian Almond (Terminalia arjuna Roxb.) Seeds as Affected by Soil Salinity in Presence or Absence of Magnetic Iron

The hard seed coat is the major hindrance in achieving good and uniform germination for Indian almond (Terminalia arjuna Roxb.) fruits, especially when large plantations are to be raised under soil salinity stress. The present investigation was therefore, undertaken under the full sun at the nursery of Orman Botanical Garden, Giza during 2016 and 2017 seasons with the objective to find out the role of magnetic iron (Fe3O4) on mitigating the hazards of NaCl salinity, when applied at the rates of 0 or 3 g/20-cmdimater plastic pot containing 10 fruits of arjuna and filled with about 3.5 kg of sand + clay mixture at equal parts (1:1, v/v) salinized with NaCl pure salt at the concentrations of 0, 2000, 4000, 6000 and 8000 ppm. The effect of interactions between Fe3O4 application rates and salinity levels was also studied in a complete randomized design experiment with factorial concept replicated thrice. The obtained results indicated that means of germination percentage were descendingly decreased with increasing salinity level to reach less than 50 % by 6000 and 8000 ppm levels, while planting the fruits in a soil mixture free from salt gave the highest germination %, followed by planting in 2000 ppm-salinized soil mixture, and then planting in soil mixture salinized with 4000 ppm concentration. On the other hand, addition of Fe3O4 (3 g/pot) significantly raised the mean of this measurement in both seasons. The shortest period to either maximum germination (G.V.) or 50 % germination (MGR) was achieved in both seasons by planting in non salinized control and 2000 ppm-salinized media, whereas increasing salinity level over that (up to 8000 ppm) prolonged these periods with the greatest delay in germination. On the contrary, Fe3O4 significantly reduced the means of such two traits causing a marked accelerating in G.V. and MGR. A slight increment was noticed in the means of germination rate index (GRI) by the different salinity concentrations, while Fe3O4 caused a trivial decrement. A similar response occurred as well regarding the means of vigour index (V.I.), seed viability (S.V.), hypocotyl length and vegetative and root growth attributes of the resulted seedlings. So, it can be advised to apply magnetic iron (Fe3O4) at the rate of 3 g/pot (20-cm-diameter) to improve germination and seedling quality of Terminalia arjuna Roxb. fruits planted in either low or medium salinized soil.
The Effect of Cinnamon Extract on Spermatogenesis and

Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum) is an alternative feed source for cattle in tropical area, since the harvesting phase matches with the drought season which is a period of shortage of feed, and sugarcane crop may produce up to 40 t of DM per hectare (Ávila et al. 2009). However, feeding fresh sugarcane to cattle requires daily manpower and it chemical composition may alter from the beginning to the end of harvesting. Despite sugarcane has a high water-soluble sugar concentration and a low buffering capacity, its fermentation produces high amounts of ethanol which increases the DM losses and decreases the DM digestibility (Kung Jr and Stanley, 1982; Santos et al. 2009). S . C , 1 de Goes . B . T . H . R , * 1 Gandra . R . J , 1 Oliveira de . R . E , 1 Araki . C . M . H
The Value of Human Capital Signals for Investment Decision Making under Uncertainty∗ An analysis of foreign venture capital investments in Europe and sub-Saharan Africa

In this paper, we analyze the interaction between human capital signals of entrepreneurial founding teams with the contextual experience of potential investors, aiming to explain investment decision making. We use the case of cross-border venture capital (VC) investments in volatile and uncertain environments as our empirical setting. A large body of research from behavioral economics illustrates that when faced with uncertain and complex decision problems, investors tend to rely on simple heuristics and rules-of thumb, derived by easily accessible and assessable signals. Yet, with increasing experience, investors improve their heuristics and develop more sophisticated and contextual decision making procedures. Previous research in the context of VC investments particularly points at human capital signals of the founding team as an important criteria considered by venture capitalists. Among those signals, a high-class university education is considered as the easiest to access, yet evidence suggests a very loose association between educational achievements and entrepreneurial success. We address the question if more experienced investors cope with uncertainty by relying on different signals than their less experienced peers. We do so by contrasting cross-border VC investments by the same investors in a selection of sub-Saharan African countries with their investments in European economies. Using a propensity score matching procedure, we match every observed investor-company investment pair with a similar pair that did lead to an investment. Based on Crunchbase investment data, we gather via LinkedIn and further sources detailed information on the founders professional and education background. We find human capital signals from the entrepreneurs to be of higher importance for investors when investing in uncertain environments. The effect is stronger for specific than for generic human capital. We further find this effect to be moderated by the investors’ country-specific previous experience. Paper prepared for the DRUID 2017 conference, New York Corresponding author, Assistant Professor, PhD. Address: Aalborg University, Fibigerstræde 11, Office 97b, 9220 Aalborg, Denmark Tel. : (+45) 994
Life-history traits of Plesionika martia ( Decapoda : Caridea ) from the eastern-central Mediterranean Sea

Life-history traits of Plesionika martia (Milne Edwards, 1883) were studied through data collected during six seasonal trawl surveys carried out in the Ionian Sea (eastern-central Mediterranean) between July 1997 and September 1998. P. martia was found at between 304 and 676 m depth, with the highest density in the 400–600 m range. Intraspecific, size-related depth segregation was shown. Recruitment occurred in summer at the shallowest depths. Juveniles moved to the deepest grounds as they grew. The largest female and male were 26 and 25 mm carapace length, respectively. The sex ratio was slightly in favour of females at depths >400 m. Although a seasonal spawning peak was shown, the reproduction appears to be rather prolonged throughout the year. Females with ripe gonads were found from spring to autumn. Ovigerous females with eggs in late maturity stage were found year round. Large females could spawn more than one time within their annual reproductive cycle. The size at first maturity (50% of the ovigerous females) was 15.5 mm CL. Average brood size of eggs with a well-developed embryo was 2,966±1,521. Iteroparity, low fecundity and large egg size patterns were observed. Brood size increased according to the carapace length. Two main annual groups were found in the field population of the Ionian Sea. Estimates of the Von Bertalanffy growth parameters are: L¥=30.5 mm, k=0.44 year –1 in females; L¥=28.0 mm, k=0.50 year –1 in males. A negative allometry was detected mostly in the ovigerous females. The life cycle of P. martia is discussed in the light of lifehistory adaptations shown in other deep-water shrimp species.
Higher sensitivity towards light stress and ocean acidification in an Arctic sympagic compared to a pelagic diatom

*These authors contributed equally to this study; 1University Centre in Svalbard, Svalbard Science Centre, The Department of Arctic Biology, P.O. Box 156, N-9171 Longyearbyen, Norway; 2AlfredWegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polarund Meeresforschung, Marine Biogeosciences, Am Handelshafen 12, 27570 Bremerhaven, Germany; 3Arctic R&D, Akvaplan-Niva AS, CIENS, Gaustadalleen 21, 0349 Oslo, Norway
Word embedding, neural networks and text classification: what is the state-of-the-art?

In this bachelor thesis, I first introduce the machine learning methodology of text classification with the goal to describe the functioning of neural networks. Then, I identify and discuss the current development of Convolutional Neural Networks and Recurrent Neural Networks from a text classification perspective and compare both models. Furthermore, I introduce different techniques used to translate textual information in a language comprehensible by the computer, which ultimately serve as inputs for the models previously discussed. From there, I propose a method for the models to cope with words absent from a training corpus. This first part has also the goal to facilitate the access to the machine learning world to a broader audience than computer science students and experts. To test the proposal, I implement and compare two state-of-the-art models and eight different word representations using pre-trained vectors on a dataset given by LogMeIn and on a common benchmark. I find that, with my configuration, Convolutional Neural Networks are easier to train and are also yielding better results. Nevertheless, I highlight that models that combine both architectures can potentially have a better performance, but need more work on identifying appropriate hyperparameters for training. Finally, I find that the efficacy of word embedding methods depends not only on the dataset but also on the model used to tackle the subsequent task. In my context, they can boost performance by up to 10.2% compared to a random initialization. However, further investigations are necessary to evaluate the value of my proposal with a corpus that contains a greater ratio of unknown relevant words.
Factorized �-Step Radial Basis Function Model for Model Predictive Control

This paper proposes a new factorized -step radial basis function network (FS-RBF) model for model predictive control (MPC). The strategy is to develop a -step predictor for nonlinear dynamic systems and implement it with a RBF network. In contrast to the popular NARX-RBF model, the developed FS-RBF model is capable of making a designated sequence of future output prediction without requiring the unknown future process measurements. Furthermore, the developed FS-RBF model is factorized into two parts, with one part including past plant input/output and the other part including the future input/output. When this model is used as the internal model in the MPC, the factorization enables an explicit objective function for the on-line optimization in the MPC. Thus, the computing load in solving the optimization problem is greatly reduced. The developed model is used in MPC and applied to a continuous-stirred tank reactor (CSTR). The simulation results are compared with that of MPCs with other two models. The comparison confirms that the developed model make more accurate prediction so that the MPC performance is better, it also uses much less computing time than the other two models based MPC.