Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Global Post-Crisis Banking Supervision: Supervisory Powers and Institutional Changes in the Banking Sector

This study utilizes new data across countries on bank supervision for the years 1999-2016 to examine the impact of supervisory powers and institutional changes in supervision. It examines key characteristics of the banking sector, such as banking sector fragility, bank stability, activity restrictions, capital regulation stringency, and banking supervision independence. We find that an increase in supervisory power, accompanied by a change in a central bank’s involvement in banking supervision, led to a decrease in banking sector fragility and an increase in the stability of banking sector. We also find that capital regulation stringency and the independence of banking supervisory authorities weakened in countries where an increase in supervisory power was accompanied by institutional changes in supervision following the global financial crisis. These results shed light on the importance of bank supervisory authorities and institutional changes in the soundness of the banking sectors.
Accountability and corruption displacement: evidence from Italy

Abstract One of the reasons for which corruption is so difficult to eradicate is because the actors involved are skilled in adapting their behaviour to changing institutional landscapes. However, surprisingly little is known about how corruption displacement functions across multiple levels of government. Using novel multilevel data on a political scandal in Italy and a Difference-in-Differences estimation strategy, I provide within-country evidence that a sudden increase in accountability for national deputies can impact negatively upon the behaviour of local-level public officials and politicians. In treated districts, where there is an increase in the indictment rate of national deputies, local-level corruption increases significantly as compared to nontreated districts. My results show how, in contexts characterised by systemic corruption, changes intended to enhance accountability can trigger a series of mechanisms within the political machine that exploit different levels of government.
The effect of e-service quality on Jordanian student's e-loyalty: an empirical study in online retailing

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the dimensions of e-service quality, its effects on e-satisfaction and e-trust and its impact on behavioural and attitudinal loyalty in Jordanian youth users of online retailing. Design/methodology/approach The scale proposed in this study has been specifically constructed using the four models most recognised for measuring e-service quality: E-S-QUAL, WebQual, eTransQual and eTailQ. The dimensions used in this study are efficiency, privacy, reliability, emotional benefit and customer service. The research model was statistically tested by students in Jordan, using Amazon.com. Findings It is found that privacy, reliability, emotional benefit and customer service are important elements to measure the e-service quality, but efficiency is not. E-trust was found to be an antecedent of e-satisfaction, and behavioural loyalty an antecedent of attitudinal loyalty. Originality/value The contribution of this study is thus the investigation of the causal relationship between the e-service quality dimensions, e-satisfaction, e-trust, behavioural loyalty and attitudinal loyalty, where it is necessary to consider the subject in more depth and to examine e-service quality dimensions based on a proposed model constructed from the four most common models.
Psychometric Properties of the Preschool Language Scales, Fifth Edition (PLS-5) in Russian-Speaking Children: A Classical and Item Response Theory Study

Difficulties in language development are common hallmarks of different neuro-developmental disorders. Early diagnosis is a crucial factor for proper early interventions and better prognosis. Currently, there is a severe shortage of standardized instruments for assessing potential language disorders in Russia. To address this gap, we analyzed the psychometric properties of the Russian version of the Preschool Language Scale, 5th edition (RPLS-5). The sample consisted of 473 children aged 3 to 96 months (Mean=32.64, SD=19.79), including 224 typically developing (TD) children and 240 at-risk (AR) children. To assess the reliability of the Russian version of the PLS-5, we used both Classical Test Theory (CTT) and Item Response Theory (IRT). The results indicated the high reliability of the RPLS-5 based on both types of analyses. According to the results of IRT analysis, the difficulty of items ranged from very easy to very difficult, and with few exceptions, the difficulty parameters consistently increased for each subsequent item, reflecting the hierarchical organization of the test. The discrimination parameters ranged from high to perfect. In general, IRT demonstrated that the RPLS-5 is reliable for low-to-high levels of language abilities.
Morpho-Cultural and Pathogenic Variability of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum Causing White Mold of Common Beans in Temperate Climate

The present systematic research on cultural, morphological, and pathogenic variability was carried out on eighty isolates of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum collected from major common bean production belts of North Kashmir. The isolates were found to vary in both cultural and morphological characteristics such as colony color and type, colony diameter, number of days for sclerotia initiation, sclerotia number per plate, sclerotial weight, and size. The colony color ranged between white and off-white with the majority. The colony was of three types, in majority smooth, some fluffy, and a few fluffy-at-center-only. Colony diameter ranged between 15.33 mm and 29 mm after 24 h of incubation. The isolates took 4 to 7 days for initiation of sclerotia and varied in size, weight, and number per plate ranging between 14 and 51.3. The sclerotial arrangement pattern on plates was peripheral, sub peripheral, peripheral, and subperipheral, arranged at the rim and scattered. A total of 22 Mycelial compatibility groups (MCGs) were formed with seven groups constituted by a single isolate. The isolates within MCGs were mostly at par with each other. The six isolates representing six MCGs showed variability in pathogenicity with isolate G04 as the most and B01 as the least virulent. The colony diameter and disease scores were positively correlated. Sclerotia were observed to germinate both myceliogenically and carpogenically under natural temperate conditions of Kashmir. Germplasm screening revealed a single resistant line and eleven partially resistant lines against most virulent isolates.
Puzzle Pieces but Not the Big Picture—How Students from a Green School Perceive the Environmental Crisis from Teachers’ Point of View

Background: A Green school (GS) is one way to attempt to reduce the environmental crisis. Teaching in green schools, which is established on a place-based education (PBE) approach that adopts outdoor and experiential learning, should provide students with a holistic view of the environmental crisis that connects local processes to global processes. Purpose: To explore the environmental perspective of fourth-grade students who participate in an experiential outdoor PBE program by examining how they link local, natural phenomena to the global environmental crisis. Methodology/Approach: Phenomenological methods were used in the interpretive approach through student drawing and explanation analysis. Findings/Conclusions: Students could not seem to link the local natural phenomena to a more extensive picture of the global environmental crisis. Implications: We recommend that teachers in green schools who emphasize PBE rethink the incorporation of the concept of “environmental crisis. ” The analogy of assembling a puzzle may allow switching from looking at the global picture to examining at the local level. In this way, they may provide students with a more holistic view of the environmental crisis.
Design optimization of a viscous clutch with an electrorheological fluid

The article describes design optimization of a viscous disc clutch with an electrorheological (ER) fluid. The design optimization is conducted based on mathematical models of ER fluid and clutch geometry. As important issues for the optimal design, the assumed values are: the torque transferred by the clutch, the dimensions of the clutch and the steady-state operating temperature of the clutch. The assumed design variables are: the angular velocity of the input shaft, the number of working gaps of the clutch and the selected dimensions of the clutch. The aim of the design optimization is to search for design variables such as the angular velocity of the input shaft, the number of working gaps of the clutch and the selected dimensions of the clutch, for which the clutch transfers the highest possible torque, while the dimensions of the clutch are small and the steady-state operating temperature is low. The design optimization is conducted searching at least two different objective functions created taking into account the volume, the transferred torque and the steady-state operating temperature of the clutch. Two numerical methods are used: the Monte Carlo method and the Genetic Algorithm method. The optimization calculations are performed for two sets of design variables, consisting of three and eight elements, and a final prototype designed via the optimization is depicted with the principal design parameters.
In Vitro and In Vivo Antioxidant and Anticancer Potentials of Royal Jelly for Dimethylhydrazine-Induced Colorectal Cancer in Wistar Rats

Methods This study was conducted among 60 rats, and groups consist of control, three separate groups for RJ, dimethylhydrazine (DMH), and vitamin E, and two separate treated groups with DMH + RJ and DMH + vitamin E. Additionally, the cytotoxicity of royal jelly was examined on HT-29 cell line. Findings. Based on the in vitro assessment using MTT assay, the LC50 of royal jelly was 1.781 mg/ml, and the highest cytotoxicity was observed at 25 mg/ml concentration after 48 hours. Meanwhile, in the in vivo study, after the 13th week, compared to the DMH group, the rats exposed to DMH + royal jelly experienced a significant less oxidative stress (P < 0.05) and a significantly greater total antioxidant capacity (TAC) level (P < 0.05). The expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) proteins significantly decreased among the animals receiving DMH + royal jelly compared to the DMH group. The pathological examinations revealed less congestion, necrosis, inflammation, and cell proliferation in the colon tissue of the RJ-treated group than that of the DMH group. Overall, the biochemical indices were better in the treatment groups in comparison with the DMH group. Conclusion The results represented the clinical usability of royal jelly, as a substance with anticancer properties, to prevent and treat colorectal cancer. This issue is related to its effective antioxidant potential, which even exhibits more effectiveness than the vitamin E, which is known as a strong antioxidant.
Calibrating ecological indicator values and niche width for a Mediterranean flora

Abstract Bioindication of ecological variables such as humidity, temperature or pH by ecological indicator values of plants is a powerful tool for research in plant ecology, e.g. to detect early vegetation changes. Here, we provide a data set of ecological indicator values including niche width for an entire regional flora. We used an extensive data-base with floristic relevés from Southern France to recalibrate indicator values for light (L), temperature (T), continentality (K), air humidity (A), soil moisture (F), pH (R), productivity (N), soil texture (G), soil organic matter content (O) and salinity (S). Values were recalibrated using average values from co-occurring plants, enabling to develop indicator values for species not yet evaluated previously. Recalibrated values are on a continuous scale and we add standard deviation, median, first and third quartile for each indicator value. Linear regression of average indicator values against measured factors showed higher correlation with recalibrated values compared to original indicator values for temperature, pH and nitrogen, and comparable R2 for moisture. Individual indicator systems performed better than a combination and applying different weighting procedures demonstrated the usefulness of inverse variance. We further illustrate graphically how recalibrated values and niche width increase ecological knowledge on plants.
Assessing vegetation traits estimates accuracies from the future SBG and biodiversity hyperspectral missions over two Mediterranean Forests

ABSTRACT The estimation and mapping of vegetation traits from satellite hyperspectral imagery is entering a new era, as multiple missions have recently started and more are currently in preparatory phase. With expected ground sampling distances (GSD) ranging from 8 to 30 m, these missions could complement each other, especially over spatially heterogeneous environments where the canopy cover (CC) is low. This study focused on the retrieval of five vegetation traits (gap fraction, leaf chlorophylls (C ) and carotenoids (Car) contents, equivalent water thickness, and leaf mass per area) of two Mediterranean-climate forests from AVIRIS-Classic (AVIRIS-C), synthetic Biodiversity, and synthetic Surface Biology and Geology (SBG) missions with 18 m, 8 m, and 30 m GSD, respectively, using a hybrid method. The synthetic SBG images were provided by NASA, while the Biodiversity images were generated from airborne AVIRIS-Next Generation hyperspectral imagery. Partial least-square regressors were trained over the outputs of the DART model to estimates vegetation traits. Estimated accuracies were assessed, when possible, by comparison with in situ measurements. We showed that estimated accuracy of gap fraction was similar between AVIRIS-C and SBG (RMSE of 0.09, R of 0.8 and RMSE of 0.07, R of 0.59, respectively). Leaf traits estimated accuracies were also similar between these two sensors, but only acceptable for C and Car ( 7.5 μg.cm RMSE for C , 1.65 μg.cm RMSE for Car), especially over the densest parts of the canopy. When comparing estimates obtained from Biodiversity and SBG imagery, it appeared that the denser the canopy, the more estimates from both sensors were in agreement for all leaf traits (for instance, C , R was 0.2 for 30% CC 50% and 0.48 for CC 80%). The results show that (i) SBG imagery should lead to estimated accuracies similar to AVIRIS-C, with acceptable performances over dense canopies, and that (ii) Biodiversity imagery has a high potential to map vegetation traits over any canopy no matter its sparsity, as individual tree crowns are mostly resolved at an 8 m GSD.
Biomarkers of Neurodegenerative Diseases: Biology, Taxonomy, Clinical Relevance, and Current Research Status

The understanding of neurodegenerative diseases, traditionally considered to be well-defined entities with distinguishable clinical phenotypes, has undergone a major shift over the last 20 years. The diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases primarily requires functional brain imaging techniques or invasive tests such as lumbar puncture to assess cerebrospinal fluid. A new biological approach and research efforts, especially in vivo, have focused on biomarkers indicating underlying proteinopathy in cerebrospinal fluid and blood serum. However, due to the complexity and heterogeneity of neurodegenerative processes within the central nervous system and the large number of overlapping clinical diagnoses, identifying individual proteinopathies is relatively difficult and often not entirely accurate. For this reason, there is an urgent need to develop laboratory methods for identifying specific biomarkers, understand the molecular basis of neurodegenerative disorders and classify the quantifiable and readily available tools that can accelerate efforts to translate the knowledge into disease-modifying therapies that can improve and simplify the areas of differential diagnosis, as well as monitor the disease course with the aim of estimating the prognosis or evaluating the effects of treatment. The aim of this review is to summarize the current knowledge about clinically relevant biomarkers in different neurodegenerative diseases.
Rotifer Species Richness in Kenyan Waterbodies: Contributions of Environmental Characteristics

The aquatic microfauna of Africa is poorly characterized, especially in the case of planktonic rotifers inhabiting waterbodies other than large lakes. In addition, little is known about factors that structure these communities. Here, we assessed the roles of climatic region, habitat type, macrophyte abundance, and a suite of abiotic environmental factors in determining rotifer species’ richness and composition in waterbodies located across a 2300 m altitudinal gradient in Kenya. Plankton samples were obtained from 33 sites in 23 waterbodies. From these, 93 rotifer taxa were identified from 18 families comprising 31 genera. About one fourth (25 taxa) were new records for Kenya, from which 4 species were new for Africa. Species richness was the highest in permanent as compared to temporary habitats. Richness was strongly positively correlated with all environmental factors and strongly influenced by macrophyte abundance. When spatial structure was added to the GLM model, species richness was no longer significantly correlated with macrophytes. Unconstrained detrended correspondence analysis conducted at the species level indicated four suites of species associated with either (1) longitude, (2) elevation, (3) latitude, temperature, and hydroperiod, or (4) macrophytes. This study contributes to our knowledge of the patterns of rotifer biogeography and species richness in Africa.
Using stakeholder‐based fuzzy cognitive mapping to assess benefits of restoration in wildfire‐vulnerable forests

Understanding the benefits provided by restoring overstocked forests is crucial to guiding the choice of management actions, policy initiatives, and investments by beneficiaries, that is, monetizing ecosystem services. Using stakeholder‐based fuzzy cognitive mapping, collected through workshops with natural‐resource professionals, we mapped the interactions of ecosystem services and the perceived effects of management actions on them. In line with current concerns in the California study area, we found that fire protection was perceived as central (i.e., having a high degree of congruence with other ecosystem services) with improved fire protection providing important secondary effects on other ecosystem services, notably air‐quality protection, provision of habitat, and carbon storage. Forest restoration involves multiple fuels‐reduction actions, which were perceived as benefiting fire protection, with subsets also offering strong benefits to other ecosystem services. Prescribed burning, defensible‐space creation, understory thinning, and replanting showed particularly large differences in effects when accounting for interactions of ecosystem services. Resource managers and other nonmanager professionals prioritized similar ecosystem services, with the second group placing more importance on interactions between different ecosystem services. Ecosystem‐service valuation that includes interactions offers a salient, credible, and legitimate approach to inform multi‐benefit forest management, particularly where partnerships must monetize some of those benefits to finance critical landscape restoration.
South Korean pre-service primary school teachers’ opinions about acceleration for gifted students

ABSTRACT This study explored South Korean pre-service primary school teachers’ attitudes toward acceleration for gifted students. Researchers employed surveys, focus groups, and a review of literature in this mixed methods study. In total, 481 South Korean pre-service primary teachers participated in the survey and 13 out of the 481 survey participants joined the focus-group interviews afterward. Results of the survey analysis suggested that South Korean pre-service teachers showed slightly negative attitudes toward acceleration. In the follow-up focus group interviews, most of the participants had negative attitudes toward acceleration and related their attitudes to the competitive educational atmosphere in South Korea and possible detrimental social and emotional effects. They illustrated these concerns by citing the story of a famous figure in South Korea who had experienced a radical academic acceleration and experienced very poor outcomes. Recommendations are provided for university teaching programs and future study exploring how to best support gifted students.
Machine Learning for Intelligent-Reflecting-Surface-Based Wireless Communication towards 6G: A Review

An intelligent reflecting surface (IRS) is a programmable device that can be used to control electromagnetic waves propagation by changing the electric and magnetic properties of its surface. Therefore, IRS is considered a smart technology for the sixth generation (6G) of communication networks. In addition, machine learning (ML) techniques are now widely adopted in wireless communication as the computation power of devices has increased. As it is an emerging topic, we provide a comprehensive overview of the state-of-the-art on ML, especially on deep learning (DL)-based IRS-enhanced communication. We focus on their operating principles, channel estimation (CE), and the applications of machine learning to IRS-enhanced wireless networks. In addition, we systematically survey existing designs for IRS-enhanced wireless networks. Furthermore, we identify major issues and research opportunities associated with the integration of IRS and other emerging technologies for applications to next-generation wireless communication.
Status of Respectful Maternity Care Among Women Availing Delivery Services at a Tertiary Care Center in Central India: A Cross-Sectional Study

Introduction There are numerous reports of disrespectful, abusive, or neglectful treatment during childbirth from health facilities worldwide. Although India has substantially increased the number of hospital deliveries and reduced the maternal mortality ratio, the quality of intrapartum and immediate postpartum care for delivering mothers has not been given much importance. Therefore, assessing mistreatment and quality of care during childbirth is vital for promoting respectful maternity care. Methods A descriptive hospital-based cross-sectional study was carried out in a tertiary care center in central India. A convenience sampling method was used, and a total of 150 consecutive consenting women aged 18-49 years who delivered in the study setting were included. Data was collected using a predesigned and pretested questionnaire based on seven major categories per the Respectful Maternity Care (RMC) Charter. Results All the 150 women in the present study, i.e., 100%, experienced at least one form of disrespect during their labor, childbirth, or postnatal period at the hospital. The mean scores for domains of non-confidential care (0.59), non-consented care (0.95), abandonment or denial of care (1.21), and physical abuse (1.26) are low. Conclusion The findings of the present study shed important light on the current state of respectful maternity care in the study area. Though mothers are noticing and reporting positive changes in maternity care practices, respectful maternity care still has a long way to go.