Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Fixed Links and Vague Discourses About Culture and the Making of Cross-Border Regions

It has been en vogue for official bodies to focus on ‘culture’ as a strategic factor for the development of spatial entities such as cross-border regions in the making. This focus places high expectations and a strong belief in the power of ‘culture’. In this paper I will argue that in region building processes the focus on ‘culture’ is often due to an overriding wish to develop an economic well-functioning region. Moreover, it seems like ‘culture’ is used as a tool to distract people from a critique of bigger infrastructure projects that such developments entail. In order to strengthen these arguments, the paper will focus on two examples from Northern Europe, the existing Danish-Swedish Oresund link as well as the planned link between Denmark and Germany across the Femernbelt. In the course of the paper, focus will be on central bodies or actors that are taking up the issue of culture within a regional context. Hence, the concept of governance, particularly that of networked governance structures as well co-governance will be briefly discussed. All in all, the paper shows the ‘fragmented complexity of agency and the multitude of actors related to region building’ (Paasi 2010:2300).
First record of Mnemiopsis leidyi A. Agassiz 1865 in the Baltic Sea

The invasive ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi was first recorded in the Kiel Bight (western Baltic Sea) on 17 October 2006 during a regular weekly sampling program. The M. leidyi abundance gradually increased from 29.5±12.7 ind.m-3 in mid-October to 92.3±22.4 ind.m-3 in late November 2006. The occurrence of M. leidyi in the Baltic Sea is of great concern as this invader has caused negative impacts in the southern seas of Europe.
Understanding Unexpected Behaviors in Exploratory Simulations

Simulations and computational models have become the common tool of subject matter experts (SMEs) in a variety of disciplines to explore systems with inherent uncertainty. Predictions from these models and simulations have entered the mainstream of critical public policy and research decision-making practices. Unfortunately, methods for gaining insight into unexpected simulation outcomes have not kept pace. SMEs need to understand and explain unexpected behaviors in exploratory simulations to determine if the behaviors reflect an error or if they represent new knowledge in the discipline. Common practice is to apply classic debugging techniques to identify the program statements and interactions that lead to the unexpected behaviors. This practice is largely manual, it can consume years of effort, and it will not scale as models increase in complexity. Automation of at least a portion of the process has become essential. The automated process proposed here, Bayesian Program Slicing (BPS), will combine program slicing and Bayesian networks in a novel manner to identify program statements that are relevant to understanding unexpected behaviors. BPS will facilitate focusing SME attention on understanding and explaining the interactions of program statements whose execution results in variable state changes that are most relevant to the unexpected behaviors. Issues that make the proposed approach research challenging include: identifying prior knowledge in exploratory simulation that can be employed by Bayesian networks, efficiently sampling variable states and dynamic program slices and identifying an approach to cluster similar dynamic program slices. Evaluation of BPS will employ established methods for evaluating emerging software tools and quantitative metrics. The effectiveness of BPS will be compared to that of established, leading tools. The thesis of the proposed work is that by these measures BPS will be deemed more effective for facilitating SME explanation and understanding of unexpected behaviors than existing tools and will be a useful contribution by bringing automation to a challenging task.
The Factor Structure of Wellness: Reexamining Theoretical and Empirical Models Underlying the Wellness Evaluation of Lifestyle (WEL) and the Five-Factor Wei

Abstract The 5-Factor Wei, the latest version of the Wellness Evaluation of Lifestyle (WEL), was examined using a completely new3,993-person database. Through exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis with 2 discrete subsets of these data, a new 4 -factor solution was identified that provided the best fit for the data and accounted for 30% of the variance.
Spur pruning leads to distinctly different phenolic profiles of base sparkling wines than cane pruning

Winter pruning is the principal method for regulating yield in viticulture. The aim of this work was to investigate the effectiveness of cane and spur pruning on yield, and on grape and wine composition. Cane and spur pruning were investigated in Vitis vinifera L. 'Pinot noir' and 'Chardonnay' vertically-shoot-positioned vines over three seasons. Effects on vine carbohydrates, yield components, leaf area, grape and base wine composition were determined. The canopies of spur pruned vines established more rapidly than cane pruned vines in the 2009/10 season, for both 'Pinot noir' and 'Chardonnay'. The canopies were denser under spur pruning than cane pruning. Pruning treatment had no effect on total yield for either cultivar in any of the three seasons. Total soluble solids (TSS) and titratable acidity were unaffected by pruning treatment, except in 2012 where TSS and pH were higher for spur pruned 'Chardonnay' vines. Apart from spur pruned 'Pinot noir' vine wood being higher in starch in the winter of 2011, overwintering starch and soluble sugar concentrations were not different between pruning treatments for 'Pinot noir' and 'Chardonnay'. Although not different in yield or basic fruit composition, fruit from spur pruned vines resulted in distinctly different phenolic profiles of base wines, with cane pruning appearing to negatively impact on the low molecular weight phenolics in the wine. The results presented here provide confidence that quality is not lessened, in fact could be improved, by shifting from the industry norm of cane to spur pruning for sparkling wine production in cool climates.
Error Correction of Meteorological Data Obtained with Mini-AWSs Based on Machine Learning

Severe weather events occur more frequently due to climate change; therefore, accurate weather forecasts are necessary, in addition to the development of numerical weather prediction (NWP) of the past several decades. A method to improve the accuracy of weather forecasts based on NWP is the collection of more meteorological data by reducing the observation interval. However, in many areas, it is economically and locally difficult to collect observation data by installing automatic weather stations (AWSs). We developed a Mini-AWS, much smaller than AWSs, to complement the shortcomings of AWSs. The installation and maintenance costs of Mini-AWSs are lower than those of AWSs; Mini-AWSs have fewer spatial constraints with respect to the installation than AWSs. However, it is necessary to correct the data collected with Mini-AWSs because they might be affected by the external environment depending on the installation area. In this paper, we propose a novel error correction of atmospheric pressure data observed with a Mini-AWS based on machine learning. Using the proposed method, we obtained corrected atmospheric pressure data, reaching the standard of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO; ±0.1 hPa), and confirmed the potential of corrected atmospheric pressure data as an auxiliary resource for AWSs.
Oviposition model of Trissolcus basalis Wholaston (Hym.: Scelionidae) on sunn pest eggs.

Longevity, survivorship, and fecundity of Trissolcusbasalis Wholaston were studied on sunn pest eggs at 17.5, 20, 25, 27, 30 and 35uC (all ±0.5), 60±5% RH and 16:8 h L:D. The preliminary results revealed an effect of temperature on the mentioned traits. In general, longevity decreased as temperature increased and ranged from 53.28±5.9 to 10.68±1.13 days when temperature leveled up from 17.5 to 35oC. Similarly, the highest and lowest fecundity was observed at 25 and 35uC (292.40±11.14 and 42.16±8.62 eggs female -1 ), respectively. Moreover, the developmental rate of adult parasitoids (1/median longevity) was well described by modified model of Sharp-DeMichele in the range of studied temperatures and it was used to calculate physiological age. Likewise, the relationship between temperature and total realized fecundity was fitted well to a quadratic polynomial function. Conspicuously, age-specific cumulative fecundity rate was highly coordinated with exponential model and adult survivorship was fitted well to the reversed logistic curve. Finally, three temperature-dependent attributes viz., total fecundity, agespecific cumulative fecundity rate, and age-specific survivorship rate were used for T. basalis oviposition modeling. These findings may contribute to better understanding of oviposition strategy and behavior of T. basalis .
Coastal Flood Mapping of Eastern Obolo and Ibeno LGAs of Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria, using SRTM and Satellite Imageries

Coastal flooding is one of the devastating noticeable hazards in Eastern Obolo and Ibeno LGAs of Akwa Ibom State, originating from incidence such as the rise in sea level, increase in precipitation, poor drainage network and some anthropogenic activities. Being the two coastal LGAs in the state directly bordering the Atlantic Ocean, there is coastal flood menace and its associated hazards such as waste deposits after the flood, inundation of people’s houses, covering of the surrounding environments with debris from water, rendering of agricultural lands unusable and alteration of the coastal ecosystem. To provide basic information that will help tackle these problems, this study mapped the coastal flooding of the area, using Shuttle Radar Topographic Mission (SRTM) and satellite imageries, with the objectives of determining the area at risk of coastal flooding, and to produce coastal flood map of the area. SRTM and satellite imagery (Landsat8 OLI 2017) were used to classify the area into coastal flood risk zones based on factors such as elevation and slope. Landcover/Landuse classification into Built-up area, Vegetation, Mangrove and Water bodies was equally done. The result of the study indicates that 60% and 47.12% of the land masses are at risk of coastal flooding in Eastern Obolo and Ibeno LGAs respectively. Base on the findings, the study recommended the establishment of a hydrometric gauging (water level monitoring) stations in the low-risk areas along the coastal lines to monitor the level of rising in coastal water which brings about the coastal flood.
Credit Default Swaps, Agency Problems, and Management Incentives

We show in a theoretical model that credit default swaps induce managerial agency problems through two channels: reducing the opportunity for managers to transfer value to equityholders from creditors via strategic default, and reducing the intensity of monitoring by creditors, which leads to greater CEO diversion of assets as perquisites. We further show that boards can use compensation awards that increase managerial performance incentives (delta) and risk-taking incentives (vega) in order to mitigate these two agency problems, with increases in managerial vega being particularly useful to alleviate the strategic default-related agency problem. We study equity compensation awards to CEOs of S&P 1500 companies during 2001–2015 and find that they occur in patterns consistent with these predictions.
Comparison of the usability of a car infotainment system in a mixed reality environment and in a real car

Instead of installing new control modes for infotainments systems in a real vehicle for testing, it is an attractive idea (saving time and cost) to evaluate and develop these systems in a mixed reality (MR) environment. The central question of the study is whether the usability evaluation of a car entertainment system within a MR environment provides the same results as the evaluation of the car entertainment system within a real car. For this purpose a prototypical car infotainment system was built and integrated into a real car and into a MR environment. The MR environment represents the interior of the car and uses finger tracking and real haptic control elements of the center console of a car. Two test groups were assigned to the two different test environments. The study shows, that the usability is rated similar in both environments although readability and representation within the infotainment system is problematic.
Technical Efficiency of Smallholder Tomato Production in Semi-Urban Farms in Cameroon: A Stochastic Frontier Production Approach

Agriculture is the mainstay of Cameroon’s economy as it serves the purposes of food, livelihood and employment. Nevertheless, the country’s agriculture is plagued by low productivity and inefficiency in production. One of the main reasons for low productivity is the inability of farmers to fully exploit available technologies and production techniques. An important research question that comes to mind is, what are the major factors that hinder the technical efficiency of smallholder farmers? This study thus aimed to determine the level of technical efficiency in the production of tomato in smallholder farms, relying on primary data collected using a structured survey instrument administered to 80 tomato farmers in the Buea municipality of Cameroon. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and a stochastic frontier analysis method in the Cobb-Douglas production function. The STATA.14 software was used to obtain both stochastic frontier estimates and the determinants of technical efficiency. The results indicate that farmers are not fully technically efficient with a mean technical efficiency score of 0.68 with one farmer operating on the frontier. The study also revealed that most of the farmers irrespective of the size of the holdings have shown technical inefficiency problems. The older farmers were observed with the best measures of technical efficiency. Education, age and the adoption and practice of agronomic techniques had a positive and significant influence on technical efficiency while the nearest distance to the extension agent had a rather negative influence on technical efficiency. The input-output relationship showed that the area of tomato cultivation and the quantity of improved seed used were positive and significantly related to output at the 5% level of probability. As a result, it is recommended that farmers should increase their farm size, use of improved seeds and the adoption and practice of novel techniques in production. More emphasis should be placed on extension agents as they have a significant role to play in terms of improving and augmenting farmers’ education and information base through on farm demonstrations and result oriented workshops as all this will ensure increased production and productivity thereby increasing technical efficiency and achieving food self-sufficiency.
Financial Institutions and Economic Growth: An Empirical Analysis of Indian Economy in the Post Liberalized Era

Development of insurance and banking institutions is one of the fundamental constituents that plays an important role in stimulating financial development and thereby the growth of the economy in any country. However the causal effect of these financial institutions can’t be generalized as the development of financial institution is quite different in nature and scale in different countries. This paper attempts to examine the relationship between financial institutions and economic growth in the Indian economy. We find that there exists a long run relationship and insurance institutions do promote the economic growth and vice-versa. It is also found that it is growth in the economy that causes development of banking institutions.
Et Tu, Judy Blume: Are the Books Girls Choose to Read, Sexist?

The decade of the 1970’ s could be characterized as period of feminine consciousness, a period of concentrated awareness of social and economic imbalances and injustices, which led to thorough examinations of educational materials. Sexism was discovered to be rampant, though perhaps not unexpected, throughout reading materials intended for young people. Many studies examined the frequency of appearance of male and female characters, which a majority focused on sex role stereotyping. ET TU, JUDY BLUME: ARE THE BOOKS GIRLS CHOOSE TO READ, SEXIST? Jon Shapiro and Geraldine Snyder THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA The decade of the 1970' s could be characterized as period of feminine consciousness, a period of concentrated awareness of social and economic imbalances and injustices, which led to thorough examinations of educational materials. Sexism was discovered to be rampant, though perhaps not unexpected, throughout reading materials intended for young people. Many studies examined the frequency of appearance of male and female characters, which a majority focussed on sex role stereotyping. Britton (1973) investigated sixteen reading series to determine the extent of sex role stereotyping. While the previous year Graebner (1972) had reported a small increase in female career role occupations, the results of Britton's more thorough analysis were not so encouraging. Britton found that only fourteen percent of the stories, analyzed by content and illustration, depicted females in career occupations. At the time of this analysis, women comprised forty-two percent of the labor force. An additional finding was that women were virtual captives of three career roles: mother, teacher, or nurse. In a follow-up study, Britton and Lumpkin (1977) found little improvement in the reduction of sex-role stereotyping. This paucity of improvement existed even though new guidelines on sexism, as well as ethnicity, were enacted by most educational publishing companies. The lack of corrective action corroborated other followup investigations (Frasher and Walker, 1972). Another area of frequent concern has been in the characteristics of the sexes, as depicted in children's literature. The Committee of Women on Words and Images (1975), after analyzing 2,760 basal reading selections, found that boys were characterized as adventure loving, physical, and bright. At the same time, girls were depicted as timid, passive, emotional, and often slow-witted. These findings supported other investigations (Feminists on Children's Media, 1971; Nilsen, 1971; Tibbets, 1975). Similar treatments were also found in adolescent literature (Nelson, 1975). Some authorities suggest that the type of material girls read present inappropriate sex-role models (Taylor, 1973; Oliver, 1974) and indeed, imply that this may be hannful (Beaven, 1972; Bern and Bern, 1975). We have now experienced over ten years of research into sex role stereotyping, consciousness raising, and career role opportunities, with resultant recorrmendations to teachers, authors, and students. The mass media has certainly promoted awareness of feminist
Light-toned salty soils and coexisting Si-rich species discovered by the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit in Columbia Hills

[1] Light-toned soils were exposed, through serendipitous excavations by Spirit Rover wheels, at eight locations in the Columbia Hills. Their occurrences were grouped into four types on the basis of geomorphic settings. At three major exposures, the light-toned soils are hydrous and sulfate-rich. The spatial distributions of distinct types of salty soils vary substantially: with centimeter-scaled heterogeneities at Paso Robles, Dead Sea, Shredded, and Champagne-Penny, a well-mixed nature for light-toned soils occurring near and at the summit of Husband Hill, and relatively homogeneous distributions in the two layers at the Tyrone site. Aeolian, fumarolic, and hydrothermal fluid processes are suggested to be responsible for the deposition, transportation, and accumulation of these light-toned soils. In addition, a change in Pancam spectra of Tyrone yellowish soils was observed after being exposed to current Martian surface conditions for 175 sols. This change is interpreted to be caused by the dehydration of ferric sulfates on the basis of laboratory simulations and suggests a relative humidity gradient beneath the surface. Si-rich nodules and soils were observed near the major exposures of S-rich soils. They possess a characteristic feature in Pancam visible near-infrared (Vis-NIR) spectra that may be diagnostic of hydrated species, and this spectral feature can be used to search for additional Si-rich species. The exposures of hydrated salty soils within various geomorphic settings imply the potential existence of hydrous minerals in similar settings over a much wider area. Hydrous sulfates represent one of the candidates that may contribute the high level of water equivalent hydrogen in equatorial regions detected by the Neutron Spectrometer on Mars Odyssey.
Origin of Mott Insulating Behavior and Superconductivity in Twisted Bilayer Graphene

A remarkable recent experiment has observed Mott insulator and proximate superconductor phases in twisted bilayer graphene when electrons partly fill a nearly flat mini-band that arises a `magic' twist angle. However, the nature of the Mott insulator, origin of superconductivity and an effective low energy model remain to be determined. We propose a Mott insulator with intervalley coherence that spontaneously breaks U(1) valley symmetry, and describe a mechanism that selects this order over the competing magnetically ordered states favored by the Hunds coupling. We also identify symmetry related features of the nearly flat band that are key to understanding the strong correlation physics and constrain any tight binding description. First, although the charge density is concentrated on the triangular lattice sites of the moir$\text{e }$ pattern, the Wannier states of the tight-binding model must be centered on different sites which form a honeycomb lattice. Next, spatially localizing electrons derived from the nearly flat band necessarily breaks valley and other symmetries within any mean-field treatment, which is suggestive of a valley-ordered Mott state, and also dictates that additional symmetry breaking is present to remove symmetry-enforced band contacts. Tight-binding models describing the nearly flat mini-band are derived, which highlight the importance of further neighbor hopping and interactions. We discuss consequences of this picture for superconducting states obtained on doping the valley ordered Mott insulator. We show how important features of the experimental phenomenology may be explained and suggest a number of further experiments for the future. We also describe a model for correlated states in trilayer graphene heterostructures and contrast it with the bilayer case.