Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Why the Effects of Oil Price Shocks on China’s Economy are Changing

Some studies on developed economies have revealed that the impacts of oil price shocks have decreased while conclusions about China remain occluded. We investigate the changing effects of oil price shocks on China’s macroeconomy and discuss the causes. A time-varying parameter vector autoregressive (VAR) model reveals that impacts of oil price shocks on China’s economy have shown a downward trend since 1997. The responses of the real output are much greater and last longer than those of inflation. Then a new Keynesian dynamic stochastic general equilibrium model is developed to synthetically explore the causes. The results indicate that decreasing oil intensity and monopoly power reduce the effects of oil price shocks, while increasing capital intensity in production amplifies them. Other factors-such as changing price stickiness, deregulation of refined oil prices, and shifts in monetary policy targets-have limited effects on the relationship between oil price shocks and China’s macroeconomy.
Evaluation of Five Essential Oils by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry and their Effect on Fungal Growth Inhibition and Sensory Acceptability of Soymilk

Essential oils are widely used in the food industry as natural food preservatives to extend product shelf life and as flavoring agents. However, not much has been done on their use in soymilk. The aim of the study is to determine the compounds of five essential oils by GC-MS and their effect on fungal growth inhibition and sensory acceptability of soymilk. The components of the essential oils of five spices, namely citronella, basil, cinnamon, eucalyptus and mint were analysed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the essential oils was tested on the fungus Aspergillus flavus 3.4408 on PDA (agar dilution method). Sensory evaluation of soymilk flavored with the essential oils of citronella, basil and mint at different concentrations was done by ten member panelists using a 9-point hedonic scale. The main compound for basil was eugenol 83.26%. Cinnamon contained cinnamaldehyde (97.3%). The main compounds in citronella (Cymbopogon nardus) were limonene (38.51%), citronellal (30.29%). Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus) essential oil mainly contained eucalyptol/cineole (76.70%), and Mint (Mentha arvensis): Menthol 42.72%, Menthone 25.72%. The MICs of citronella, basil, cinnamon, eucalyptus and mint were 5-10 µl/ml, 0.5-1 µl/ml, ≤0.1 µl/ml, >>10 µl/ml and 10-20 µl/ml, respectively. Thus, cinnamon was the most effective in inhibiting fungal growth, while eucalyptus was the least effective. These essential oils improved the soymilk flavor. Mint was the most preferred flavor, followed by citronella and basil. Thus, essential oils especially mint and citronella can be used for improving acceptability of soymilk at low concentration.
Tubal Ligation under Local Anesthesia in a Country with Limited Resources: 56 Cases of Wife and Husband’s Experience in the Gynecology-Obstetrics Department of Ignace Deen National Teaching Hospital, Conakry, Guinea

Tubal ligation is a surgical sterilization procedure that provides permanent and reliable contraception to women. Tubal obstruction is a method of permanent birth control that can be performed after mini-laparotomy under local anesthesia. Objective: To determine the outcome of tubal sterilizations by mini-laparotomy under local anesthesia performed in clients who underwent the surgical operation in the Maternity Ward of Ignace Deen National Hospital. Patients and Methods: The Gynecology and Obstetrics Department of Ignace Deen National Hospital was used as the place for the study. The study involved all the women seeking voluntary surgical contraception. This was a retrospective study of a descriptive type carried out from January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2018. A consent form was filled out and signed by spouses after an interview and a systematically carried out pre-operative clinical and para-clinical assessment. Results: During the study period, 56 tubal ligations were performed i.e. 4.72 percent of all family planning methods. The recruiting for the surgical contraception involved clients whose typical profile is that of women with an average age of 35, mostly housewives (35.71%), major multiparous (69.63%) with 6 living children on average. Married women made up the bulk of the recruiting i.e. 96.44%. Unmarried women made much more use of other methods. Indications of personal convenience were the most frequently encountered common reason. Among medical causes, high blood pressure concerned the majority of cases: 38% of the indications. Surgical contraception in between was more practiced than the post-partum one. The recorded complication was the parietal hematoma due to a lack of hemostasis and it accounted for 1.79% of cases. The progress was uncomplicated in 98.68% of cases. Forty couples (71.42%) expressed their feelings of satisfaction against only 6 cases of regret (10.71%). Conclusion: The surgical contraception has become a requirement for modern couples. Tubal ligation by mini-laparotomy is a simple operation and a harmless method of contraception that allows clients to use permanent contraception. Carried out on an outpatient basis, incidents and accidents are rare and may have psychological repercussions that are difficult to assess. The technical mastery of the gesture helps to minimize these incidents.
In Situ Microphysical Observations of a Multicell Storm Using a Balloon‐Borne Video Disdrometer During Deep Convective Clouds and Chemistry

The microphysical characteristics of severe storms and deep convection are challenging but critical in situ observations. Adjustments to modeled microphysical parameters, radar‐based hydrometeor classifications, and lightning initiation research all depend on an accurate depiction of real‐world particle size distributions. To obtain these observations, a balloon‐borne particle imaging device known as the Particle Size, Image, and Velocity probe has been developed at the National Severe Storms Laboratory that is capable of measuring particle size distributions of different particle habits on vertical scales as small as 50 m. The Particle Size, Image, and Velocity observations show that there are rapid shifts in particle counts between successive analysis layers, documenting the small‐scale heterogeneity present inside deep convection. Furthermore, when examining functional fits using both a two and three moment scheme on the total distribution as well as individual particle habits, it is clear that a single prescribed parameter space is not adequate to describe the observations collected. When comparing radar reflectivity calculated from the distribution to independent observations from ground based mobile radars, the two sources agree to within 5 dBZ. This provides confidence to the particle density assumptions made here.
Residential vulnerability and the housing question: a social and spatial-oriented analysis for the Andalusia metropolitan areas

El desajuste entre las necesidades residenciales de los hogares y las caracteristicas de la vivienda supone un elemento constituyente de la vulnerabilidad residencial. De acuerdo con las directrices establecidas a nivel internacional y nacional, este articulo aplica un enfoque integral en el analisis de la realidad urbana. Asi, el concepto de vulnerabilidad residencial es empleado para analizar conjuntamente las areas y grupos sociales en riesgo debido a las caracteristicas de la vivienda. A partir de los Censos de Poblacion y Viviendas de 2011, se han desarrollado tres indicadores que permiten analizar la dimension y alcance de las situaciones de vulnerabilidad residencial provocadas por las caracteristicas fisicas de la vivienda, y su relacion con otras dimensiones de la vulnerabilidad social en el sistema metropolitano andaluz. Los resultados muestran importantes deficiencias respecto a las condiciones de las viviendas, con diferente intensidad entre las distintas areas metropolitanas y grupos sociales. Aunque los problemas identificados afectan a una proporcion reducida de la poblacion, cuentan con gran relevancia debido a la gravedad de las situaciones residenciales que representan y los grupos sociales afectados. Estas problematicas deben constituir un objetivo prioritario de las politicas de vivienda social y espacialmente sostenibles.
Effect of additives and aging on moisture-induced damage potential of asphalt mixes using surface free energy and laboratory-based performance tests

ABSTRACT Lack of mechanistic foundation and poor correlations with field performance of conventional laboratory-based tests has accelerated the search for a mechanistic-based approach for screening of asphalt mixes for moisture-induced damages. According to recent studies, surface free energy (SFE) method can be used to mechanistically quantify bond strength and debonding of binder-aggregate system in presence of water. This study was undertaken to evaluate the effects of different additives, namely warm mix asphalt (WMA) additive (amine-derived), amine-based anti-stripping agent (ASA), polyphosphoric acid (PPA) and reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) on the moisture-induced damage performance of asphalt mixes through the use of laboratory-based performance tests and SFE method. For this purpose, different energy parameters were determined from SFE components of binder blends and aggregate. Asphalt mixes with different additives were produced to evaluate moisture-induced damage using indirect tensile strength (ITS) and Illinois semi-circular bend (IL-SCB) tests. A new parameter, known as fracture energy ratio (Gf ratio) obtained from IL-SCB test, was used to correlate fracture energy with moisture-induced damage potential of mixes. Also, the effect of short-term and long-term aging on the moisture-induced performance of asphalt mixes were evaluated. Furthermore, correlations between moisture-induced damage parameters from laboratory-based performance tests and SFE method were investigated.
Removal of co-existing fluoride, calcium, magnesium, and carbonates, by non-chemical induced electrolysis system for drinking and industrial purposes

An electrolysis (ELC) system was proposed to remove co-existing F−, Ca2+, Mg2+, CO32−, and HCO3− from groundwater without the addition of any chemicals. The proposed system utilized an ELC cell composed of non-corrosive platinum and stainless steel electrodes. Ion removal mechanisms, performance against different ion concentrations, and charge loading were studied and compared with drinking and industrial water quality guidelines. System performance with real groundwater was also examined. Results revealed that ELC effectively removes (CO32− + HCO3−) in the anode as CO2, and (CO32− + HCO3−), Ca2+, and Mg2+ in cathode as MgCO3, CaCO3, and Mg(OH)2. F− was removed by co-precipitation with Mg(OH)2 and Coulomb transfer. Maximum removal of 58%-F−, 42%-Ca2+, and 95%-Mg2+ were observed at a charge loading of 1500 C/L. With increasing Ca2+ and Mg2+, removal increments of cathode F−, Ca2+, Mg2+, and (CO32− + HCO3−) were noticed. To meet drinking water guidelines value of 1.5 mg/L of F−, minimum initial ion concentration ranges should be within F− < 4.29–6 mg/L, Mg2+ < 75–125 mg/L, Ca2+ > 50 mg/L, and (CO32− + HCO3−) < 10–0 mmol/L for 1500 C/L. The anode delivered the quality water which meets industrial boiler water alkalinity guideline for the initial (CO32− + HCO3−) < 12.5 meq/L. The community-scale treatment system established in Sri Lanka confirmed smooth operation with a higher removal of F− and Ca2+ in the cathode and (CO32− + HCO3−) in the anode which can be slightly approximated with laboratory results.
Variability in Measured Real-World Operational Energy Use and Emission Rates of a Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle

Compared to comparably sized conventional light duty gasoline vehicles (CLDGVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) may offer benefits of improved energy economy, reduced emissions, and the flexibility to use electricity as an energy source. PHEVs operate in either charge depleting (CD) or charge sustaining (CS) mode; the engine has the ability to turn on and off; and the engine can have multiple cold starts. A method is demonstrated for quantifying the real-world activity, energy use, and emissions of PHEVs, taking into account these operational characteristics and differences in electricity generation resource mix. A 2013 Toyota Prius plug-in was measured using a portable emission measurement system. Vehicle specific power (VSP) based modal average energy use and emission rates are inferred to assess trends in energy use and emissions with respect to engine load and for comparisons of engine on versus engine off, and cold start versus hot stabilized running. The results show that, compared to CLDGVs, the PHEV operating in CD mode has improved energy efficiency and lower CO2, CO, HC, NOx, and PM2.5 emission rates for a wide range of power generation fuel mixes. However, PHEV energy use and emission rates are highly variable, with periods of relatively high on-road emission rates related to cold starts.
Local recruitment in Northern Flickers is related to environmental factors at multiple scales and provides reproductive benefits to yearling breeders settling close to home

ABSTRACT Natal dispersal and local recruitment are affected by factors both intrinsic and extrinsic to juveniles and may affect fitness. Understanding the relationship between dispersal and population density in birds has been hindered by a lack of long-term studies and a focus on resident species has neglected the role of weather operating at large spatial scales. I studied local recruitment and the reproductive consequences of natal dispersal distance within a population of Northern Flickers (Colaptes auratus), a migratory woodpecker. During a field study spanning 16 yr in British Columbia, 8,272 fledglings were banded and 138 males and 105 females recruited locally. The average annual local recruitment rate for males (3.36%) was greater than that for females (2.55%) and the propensity to recruit locally was positively correlated with an early hatch date and high body condition. Annual local recruitment was not associated with population density in the year of hatch but was positively correlated with population density in the year of settlement. Local recruitment was also positively correlated with warmer springs during migration, consistent with the phenology hypothesis that the location of settlement is affected by weather along the route. Among local recruits, natal dispersal distance was independent of the presence of parents and so dispersal was not a behavior to prevent inbreeding. However, settling closer to the natal site led to reproductive benefits in terms of earlier laying dates and better nest success. Therefore, juveniles may gain useful information about the location of nesting substrates, predation risk, and patchy food resources by exploring the landscape around their natal site during the post-fledging period and then settling in the familiar area after returning from migration.
The Use of Speech Act as Communication Strategy of Children with Autism

Autism is considered as the cause of linguistics impairment. It was believed to be responsible for a pragmatic deficit for the person with autism. This study aims to describe how children with autism use speech act as the strategy of their communication in the classroom. The data was taken from one special needs school (SLBN) in Surakarta. The study involved five students at the elementary level and two students at a junior high level. The data were taken from the recording of the classroom activity to get the lingual set used for further analysis. The data were then transcribed and analyzed using a matching technique. Means-end analysis from the speakers’ point of view was employed to find out what speech act strategy the speakers used, in this case, children with autism, to reach their goal in the utterance. The results surprisingly showed that most of the children with autism were using a directive speech act. The other type of speech acts employed by the children was assertive. In directive utterance uttered by the children with autism, it was predominantly used to ask or request. However, this strategy is helpful for them to ask for reassurance from the speaking partner, teacher, to get clear comprehension.
EFFECT OF FIXED FACTORS AND ESTIMATION OF GENETIC PARAMETERS OF GROWTH TRAITS FOR MOUNTAIN KIDS

Body weights at birth (469), weaning (394) and at six month of age (358) for kids utilized in this study were raised at private project in Duhok governorate, Iraq during two kidding season (2016-2017) and (2017-2018). GLM within SAS programme was used to analyze the data which include the fixed effects (age of doe, year and season of kidding, sex of kid and type of birth, regression on doe weight at kidding, and the regression of later weights of kids on earlier weights) influencing the studied traits. Restricted Maximum Likelihood Method was used to estimate repeatability, heritability, genetic and phenotypic correlations after adjusting the records for fixed effects. Variance components of random effects were tested for positive definite. Overall mean of weights at birth (BWT), weaning (WWT) and 6 month of age (WT6M) were 2.92, 15.32 and 24.45 kg, respectively. Differences among groups of age of doe in all studied traits were not significant, while year of kidding and sex of kid affect all traits significantly (p<0.01). Season of kidding affect BWT and WWT significantly (P<0.01). Single born kids were heavier (P<0.01) than twins in BWT only. Regression of BWT on doe weight at kidding (0.033 kg/kg) was significant (P<0.01), while the regressions of WWT and WT6M were not significant. The regression coefficients of WWT on BWT (1.906 kg/kg) and of WT6M on WWT (0.835 kg/kg) were highly significant (P<0.01). Repeatability estimates for BWT, WWT and WT6M were 0.47, 0.45 and 0.35, respectively; on the same order the estimates of heritability were 0.41, 0.61 and 0.79. Genetic correlations between BWT with each of WWT (0.45) and WT6M (0.55), and between WWT and WT6M (0.68) were highly significant. All phenotypic correlations between each pair of body weights were higher than genetic correlations and ranged between 0.48 and 0.73.
“I am apt to show off”: exploring the relationship between entrepreneurs’ narcissism and start-up innovation

Purpose of the paper: In start-ups, innovation strategies are influenced by the entrepreneur’s personality. We aim to investigate such influence by exploring how entrepreneurs’ narcissism affects start-ups’ innovation. Methodology: We integrated survey data on a cross-industry sample of 115 Italian entrepreneurs with secondary data consisting of patents, economic and financial information from a public database. The survey uses the NPI-16 scale to measure entrepreneurs’ narcissism. Results: Results showed a non-linear relationship between entrepreneurs’ narcissism and start-ups’ innovation: high and low levels of narcissism are detrimental to innovation. Moreover, we found a substitution effect between market dynamism and start-ups’ innovation; the higher the level of market dynamism, the more negative the effect of entrepreneurs’ narcissism on innovation. Research limitations: Being based on an Italian sample, the study does not address the impact of narcissism in other cultures. Practical implications: Our study identifies the mechanisms through which entrepreneurs’ narcissism affects start-ups’ innovation and explores how the market scenario affects the relationship between entrepreneurs’ narcissism and innovation. Originality of the paper: We show that narcissism might be positive for firms and identify how entrepreneurs’ narcissism affects start-ups’ innovation. We demonstrate that market scenario affects the relationship between entrepreneurs’ narcissism and innovation, while also showing that contextual factors can reveal important contingencies. From a methodological viewpoint, we applied the Narcissistic Personality Inventory (NPI) scale to a sample of entrepreneurs. Previous work mainly used secondary data consisting of business reports and interviews, or employed the NPI in samples of MBA students.
How and When Amnesty during Conflict Affects Conflict Termination

In the difficult process of ending civil wars, granting amnesty during conflict is seen as a useful option, with an underpinning assumption that trading justice for peace is effective. However, is the case? This article tries to bring some clarity to when and how amnesty given during conflict has an impact. Amnesty should have different effects on diverse conflict endings: negotiated settlement, rebel victory, government victory, or conflict reduction. The article also disaggregates amnesties to test direct impacts as an incentive or through reducing the commitment problem, and indirect effects that give military advantage to the government. Using a cross-national data set of amnesties in dyadic conflicts from 1975 to 2011, the research finds that amnesty’s strongest effect is, surprisingly, not as an incentive but rather to reduce commitment problems. It can lead to negotiated settlements but also to government military advantage. The results have implications for negotiations and conflict resolution.
Lifelong Learning from Sustainable Education: An Analysis with Eye Tracking and Data Mining Techniques

The use of learning environments that apply Advanced Learning Technologies (ALTs) and Self-Regulated Learning (SRL) is increasingly frequent. In this study, eye-tracking technology was used to analyze scan-path differences in a History of Art learning task. The study involved 36 participants (students versus university teachers with and without previous knowledge). The scan-paths were registered during the viewing of video based on SRL. Subsequently, the participants were asked to solve a crossword puzzle, and relevant vs. non-relevant Areas of Interest (AOI) were defined. Conventional statistical techniques (ANCOVA) and data mining techniques (string-edit methods and k-means clustering) were applied. The former only detected differences for the crossword puzzle. However, the latter, with the Uniform Distance model, detected the participants with the most effective scan-path. The use of this technique successfully predicted 64.9% of the variance in learning results. The contribution of this study is to analyze the teaching–learning process with resources that allow a personalized response to each learner, understanding education as a right throughout life from a sustainable perspective.