Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effect of the male parent on pericarp and seed weights in several Floridian mango cultivars

Selfand cross-pollination effects on mango pericarp and seed weights were studied. Fruit was collected from cultivar `6±6' trees caged with, and without, `Tommy Atkins' (`Tommy') as he pollenizer, and from plots consisting of adjacent blocks of `Maya' and `Tommy' or `Maya' and `Kent' cultivars. Selfed and outcrossed offspring were identified using the triosephosphate isomerase (TPI) isozyme system. Selfed `Keitt' progeny showed no significant relationship between TPI isozyme genotypes and pericarp and seed weights. No significant differences in pericarp or seed weights were found between outcrossed and selfed fruit for `Maya', `Tommy' or `Kent'. In contrast, pericarp and seed weights from fruit of `6±6' originating from crosspollination were >50% heavier than self-pollinated fruit. # 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Is a Futures Market Viable in Turkey? The Case of a Cotton Futures Market

Abstract Many countries as they reduce price controls develop an interest in futures markets as a way to manage risk. This article explores the potential of using existing futures markets to hedge cotton in Turkey. Futures prices in New York and Liverpool are not cointegrated and only weakly correlated with cash prices in Izmir. Thus, existing futures markets have limited ability to reduce the risk faced by the cotton industry in Turkey. While there are obstacles to overcome, there does appear to be a potential demand for a cotton futures market in Turkey.
Growth of factor productivity in the Turkish manufacturing industry at provincial level

Karadağ, M. , Önder, A. O. and DElİktaş, E. (2005) Growth of factor productivity in the Turkish manufacturing industry at provincial level, Regional Studies 39 , 213–223. This paper estimates the total factor productivity (TFP) change of the private and public sectors in the Turkish manufacturing industry in the selected provinces for 1990–98. It uses data envelopment analysis to compute Malmquist productivity indices decomposed into two components, namely efficiency change and technical change. The results show that many of the provinces show improvement in TFP on average for the public sector, while in the private sector, only half the provinces show growth in TFP. Overall evidence of catching up can be observed only in the private sector. The results also reveal that technical progress plays the main role in productivity growth.
Strategy and Performance in the Spanish Hotel Industry

This study uses the strategic group approach to analyze and explain why different strategies, implemented in the hotel industry, result in different performance levels. The population consists of three 5-star Spanish hotels. The authors identified five business strategies and four strategic groups in this industry. There are significant differences between the strategic groups in three out of five of the performance variables analyzed, and the different strategies affect each strategic group in a heterogeneous way. This study informs hotel managers about the competitive strategies and subsequent benefits developed within their industry. Finally, the article proposes effective business strategies hoteliers should follow to improve each performance variable, according to their strategic group.
Assessing the potential of new institutional economics to explain institutional change: the case of road management liberalization in the Nordic countries

Abstract Like other network industries, construction and maintenance of transport infrastructure have also seen a recent trend towards liberalization, deregulation, re-regulation, and sometimes privatization. With respect to institutional arrangements, this change implies that previously vertically integrated state-owned enterprises have been replaced by ‘more market’, meaning private ownership and contracts together with regulation by an independent government agency. When economists discuss institutions, this is preferably done in terms of efficiency and equilibrium. We discuss Williamson's Transaction Cost Economics (TCE) and Aoki's Comparative Institutional Analysis (CIA) as being two representative approaches of New Institutional Economics in which efficiency and equilibrium are central. What is the applicability of these two approaches to explain institutional change? The case of road management in Nordic countries provides the empirical evidence. We will draw conclusions as to the strengths and weaknesses of the two approaches and add suggestions to complement the efficiency approach, which allow for a more detailed level of analysis, in which also issues of political power are included.
Interactions of Isolated C-terminal Fragments of Neural Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome Protein (N-WASP) with Actin and Arp2/3 Complex

Background: VCA in WASP proteins binds Arp2/3 complex and actin via a variable number of WH2 domains. Results: WH2 repeats in V, VC, and VCA of N-WASP bind actin in 1:2 complexes; VC-actin crystallizes as a 1:1 complex, and the VCA·actin·Arp2/3 complex has 1:1:1 stoichiometry. Conclusion: Data reconcile the studies of VCA-actin-Arp2/3. Significance: Data provide insight in filament branching. Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome proteins (WASP) are a family of proteins that all catalyze actin filament branching with the Arp2/3 complex in a variety of actin-based motile processes. The constitutively active C-terminal domain, called VCA, harbors one or more WASP homology 2 (WH2) domains that bind G-actin, whereas the CA extension binds the Arp2/3 complex. The VCA·actin·Arp2/3 entity associates with a mother filament to form a branched junction from which a daughter filament is initiated. The number and function of WH2-bound actin(s) in the branching process are not known, and the stoichiometry of the VCA·actin·Arp2/3 complex is debated. We have expressed the tandem WH2 repeats of N-WASP, either alone (V) or associated with the C (VC) and CA (VCA) extensions. We analyzed the structure of actin in complex with V, VC, and VCA using protein crystallography and hydrodynamic and spectrofluorimetric methods. The partial crystal structure of the VC·actin 1:1 complex shows two actins in the asymmetric unit with extensive actin-actin contacts. In solution, each of the two WH2 domains in V, VC, and VCA binds G-actin in 1:2 complexes that participate in barbed end assembly. V, VC, and VCA enhance barbed end depolymerization like profilin but neither nucleate nor sever filaments, in contrast with other WH2 repeats. VCA binds the Arp2/3 complex in a 1:1 complex even in the presence of a large excess of VCA. VCA·Arp2/3 binds one actin in a latrunculin A-sensitive fashion, in a 1:1:1 complex, indicating that binding of the second actin to VCA is weakened in the ternary complex.
Just-in-Time Teaching: A Tool for Enhancing Student Engagement in Advanced Foreign Language Learning.

Scholars have indicated a need for further research on effective pedagogical strategies designed for advanced foreign language course s in the postsecondary setting, especially in light of decreased enrollments at this level and the elimination of foreign language programs altogether in some ins titutions (Paesani & Allen, 2012). This article seeks to contribute to the grow ing discussion regarding instruction in upper-level foreign language courses. The a uthors present how the pedagogical technique “Just-in-Time Teaching” (Novak, Patterson, Gavrin, & Christian, 1999), which has been successfully implemente d in a wide array of academic disciplines for over a decade (Simkins & Maier, 201 0a), could be integrated in different upper-division foreign language classes. Preliminary analysis reveals that Just-in-Time Teaching not only facilitates the learning of content material in advanced foreign language courses, but also can hel p create more opportunities for oral and written language production, which are often lacking at the advanced level (Darhower, in press; Donato & Brooks, 2004) .
A MEMS-based fully-integrated wireless neurostimulator

We report design, fabrication and in-vivo animal testing of a MEMS-based wireless battery-free compact (3.1 × 1.5 × 0.3 mm) neurostimulator for the treatment of chronic pain. The neurostimulator consists of a spiral coil for inductive power coupling, Schottky diodes for rectification, an ASIC neurostimulator circuit chip, and biphasic platinum-iridium (PtIr) stimulation electrodes. The device is fully integrated and completely embedded in biocompatible SU-8 packaging. The wireless neurostimulator was implanted subcutaneously in a rat hind limb and stable and robust cortical responses during extended periods of wireless stimulation with as low as 21 dBm (125 mW) RF power at 394 MHz were recorded.
The Latent Absolute Advantage Of The Comparative Advantage In Theories Of International Trade

The absolute advantage and comparative advantage are the basic concepts of the international economics. Up till now, the popular understanding about them is that absolute advantage is the special case of the comparative advantage. This view has been dominant in all books related to the field of international economics. However, the comparative advantage by nature is the absolute advantage. Generally, comparative advantage is only particular case of absolute advantage. In other words, comparative advantage has the latent absolute advantage. It is the opposite view of the traditional one on absolute and comparative advantage in the field of international trade theories and it constructs the content of this paper.
Who Wants to Deliver Public Service? Do Institutional Antecedents of Public Service Motivation Provide an Answer?

Public service motivation has rapidly become one of the important concepts in contemporary public administration research. However, until now, research has mainly focused on its measurement and its consequences, whereas relatively ignoring its origins. This study investigates where the antecedents of public service motivation may lay, and how institutions could play a role in the development of public service motivation. Based on a sample of 3,506 state civil servants, the results of this research demonstrate that identities related to the various institutions that one is affiliated with (e.g., the organizations for which one works, family, political affiliation, education, gender, and age cohorts) correlate with public service motivation. Although the findings of this study should be treated with some caution, as it concerns cross-sectional research, they might further reveal who is public service motivated and why.
The profitability of daily stock market indices trades based on neural network predictions: case study for the S&P 500, the DAX, the TOPIX and the FTSE in the period 1965–1999

A variety of new and powerful time series tools are available to test for predictive components in data which previously have been regarded as weak form efficient. The key issue is whether these new tools support profitable trading. A method is introduced based on univariate neural networks using untransformed data inputs to provide short-term predictions of the stock market indices returns. The profitability of trading signals generated from the out-of-sample short-term predictions for daily returns of S&P 500, DAX, TOPIX and FTSE stock market indices is evaluated over the period 1965–1999. The results provide strong evidence of high and consistent predictability contrasting the previous finding of weak form efficiency for index series and is notable because two of the series (S&P 500 and DAX) are confirmed as random using conventional tests. The out-of-sample prediction performance of neural networks is evaluated using RMSE, NMSE, MAE and sign and direction change statistics against a benchmark linear autoregressive model. Significant information advantage is confirmed by the Pesaran–Timmermann test. Finally, it is shown that buy and sell signals derived from neural network predictions are significantly different from unconditional one-day mean return and are likely to provide significant net profits for plausible decision rules and transaction cost assumptions.
Zooming in on NYC Taxi Data with Portal

In this paper we develop a methodology for analyzing transportation data at different levels of temporal and geographic granularity, and apply our methodology to the TLC Trip Record Dataset, made publicly available by the NYC Taxi & Limousine Commission. This data is naturally represented by a set of trajectories, annotated with time and with additional information such as passenger count and cost. We analyze TLC data to identify hotspots, which point to lack of convenient public transportation options, and popular routes, which motivate ride-sharing solutions or addition of a bus route. Our methodology is based on using a system called Portal, which implements efficient representations and principled analysis methods for evolving graphs. Portal is implemented on top of Apache Spark, a popular distributed data processing system, is inter-operable with other Spark libraries like SparkSQL, and supports sophisticated kinds of analysis of evolving graphs efficiently. Portal is currently under development in the Data, Responsibly Lab at Drexel. We plan to release Portal in the open source in Fall 2017.
A low-latency gossiping algorithm using directional antennas for wireless multi-hop networks

Gossiping (all-to-all broadcast) is one of the important tasks in network communication. Most researches on gossiping focus on the transmission energy consumption problem. However, in military and other special applications, the latency performance is a more important indicator. In this paper, we consider the gossiping with multi-beam directional antenna model, and fixed size packet model. A centralized scheduling scheme is proposed to complete the gossip in wireless multi-hop networks with the model we set up. The algorithm introduces transmission data packet parameters in the scheduling process, and predicts whether the data packets are needed to be transmitted on the on-working link, so as to eliminate redundant transmission in the gossiping process. The simulations show that the new algorithm can reduce latency significantly.
The distribution of Ultrabithorax transcripts in Drosophila embryos

We have used in situ hybridization to monitor the distribution of Ultrabithorax (Ubx) transcripts during the early stages of Drosophila embryogenesis. When first detectable, in the late syncytial blastoderm, Ubx transcripts are broadly distributed from 20 to 50% egg length (measured from the posterior pole). By the completion of cellular blastoderm formation, a precisely bounded zone one segment wide is defined by the accumulation of high levels of Ubx transcripts. This zone is probably the primordium for parasegment 6, that is, the posterior compartment of the third thoracic segment (T3) and the anterior compartment of the first abdominal segment (A1). Following gastrulation, seven metameric units of the germ band express Ubx transcripts in most or all cells of both the ectoderm and the mesoderm. This principal domain of Ubx expression is sharply bounded at superficial grooves in the embryo which probably mark the A/P compartment boundaries in T3 and A7, and so consists of parasegments 6‐12. Outside this region, Ubx transcripts can be detected in only a few cells of the ectoderm of parasegments 5 and 13, and in the amnioserosa. This distribution suggests that the major role of Ubx in the early embryo lies in the morphological domain generally ascribed to the control of the bithoraxoid gene. Later in embryogenesis, the pattern of Ubx transcript accumulation is different in each of the major germ layers, suggesting that different controls regulate Ubx in each. In the ectoderm, but not in the mesoderm, Ubx transcripts accumulate differentially in anterior and posterior compartments. Probes prepared from different regions of the Ubx transcription unit show related but different patterns of hybridization. These patterns suggest that the 3.2‐kb Ubx transcript is distributed throughout the wider domain of Ubx expression, but that the 4.7‐kb transcript accumulates preferentially in parasegment 6.
Wavelet based approaches for detection and recognition in ear biometrics

One of the most recent trends in biometrics is recognition by ear appearance in head profile images. Ear localization to determine the region of interest containing ears is an important step in an ear biometric system. To this end, we propose a robust, simple and effective method for ear detection from profile images by employing a bank of curved and stretched Gabor wavelets, known as banana wavelets. Our analysis shows that the banana wavelets demonstrate better performance than Gabor wavelets technique for ear localization. This indicates that the curved wavelets are advantageous for the detection of curved structures such as ears. This ear detection technique is fully automated, has encouraging performance and appears to be robust to degradation by noise. Addition of a preprocessing stage, based on skin detection using colour and texture, can improve the detection results even further. For recognition, we convolve the banana wavelets with an ear image and then apply local binary pattern (LBP) for texture analysis to the convolved image. The LBP histograms of the produced image are then used as features to describe an ear. A histogram intersection technique is then applied on the LBP histograms of two ears to measure their similarity for recognition. Analysis of variance is also exploited here to select features to identify the best banana filters for the recognition process. We show that the new banana wavelets, in combination with other analysis, can be used to achieve recognition by the ear, with practical advantages. The analyses focus particularly in simulating addition of noise and occlusion to a standard database, and their evaluation on a newer and much more demanding ear database. We also present an experimental study to investigate the effect of time difference between image acquisition for gallery and probe on the performance of ear recognition. This experimental research is the first study on the effect of time on ear biometrics and show that the recognition rate remains unchanged over time, confirming another advantage of deploying the human ear as a biometric.
The moderating role of price consciousness on the effectiveness of price discounts and premium promotions

Purpose – This study aims to integrate price consciousness into the promotional effectiveness framework. Specifically, it aims to analyse whether price consciousness affects the evaluation of price discounts and premiums at two different benefit levels (moderate vs high). Design/methodology/approach – An experiment was conducted with two promotional benefit level (moderate, high) × two promotion type (price discount, premium) between subjects design. A sample of 229 undergraduate students was randomly assigned to a specific product‐promotion combination.Findings – The results obtained indicate that at moderate benefit level, price discounts and premiums are equally effective for high price conscious consumers. However, price discounts are more effective than premiums for low price conscious consumers. At high benefit level price discounts are more effective than premiums, but this effect is more apparent for high price conscious consumers.Research limitations/implications – The limitations of the study are.
Gender Bias in the Job Market

For millions of workers, online job listings provide the first point of contact to potential employers. As a result, job listings and their word choices can significantly affect the makeup of the responding applicant pool. Here, we study the effects of potentially gender-biased terminology in job listings, and their impact on job applicants, using a large historical corpus of 17 million listings on LinkedIn spanning 10 years. We develop algorithms to detect and quantify gender bias, validate them using external tools, and use them to quantify job listing bias over time. We then perform a user survey over two user populations (N1=469, N2=273) to validate our findings and to quantify the end-to-end impact of such bias on applicant decisions. Our findings show gender-bias has decreased significantly over the last 10 years. More surprisingly, we find that impact of gender bias in listings is dwarfed by our respondents' inherent bias towards specific job types.
Robust image hashing using image normalization and SVD decomposition

This paper introduces the use of image normalization and SVD decomposition hash functions to generate a hash value for a digital image. Image normalization is a technique that has been shown to be robust against different kinds of geometric attacks such as rotation, scaling and flipping. Using image normalization as a preprocessing step we can increase the robustness of the hash by 50% against rotation and scaling compared to without this algorithm.
Habit Formation and Persistence in Individual Asset Portfolio Holdings: The Case of Italy

This paper uses six waves of the Bank of Italy Survey of Households Income and Wealth to explore the dynamics of asset portfolio ownership. The household asset portfolio decision is a choice among discrete alternatives, and I model the problem in a multinomial framework. I focus on a particularly important feature of household portfolio behavior: the infrequency of portfolio allocation changes. I find evidence of strong unobserved heterogeneity through time-varying error components, which I interpret as taste persistence in both the risky and safe asset participation decisions. I estimate the model using the method of maximum smoothly simulated likelihood.
Livelihoods in Honduras: Evaluation of strengthening small-scale farmers’ agribusiness capabilities

This evaluation is presented as part of the Effectiveness Review Series 2013/14, selected for review under the livelihoods thematic area. This report documents the findings of a quasi-experimental evaluation carried out in March 2014 that sought to assess the impact of the activities of the ‘Strengthening small farmers' agribusiness capabilities in western Honduras’ project. The overall objective of the project was to contribute to the improvement of income generation and food security of families in six municipalities in western Honduras. Project activities included: technical support to improving agricultural production, improvements in access to markets, and strengthening administrative credit and financial structures in the community. The project activities were implemented by Oxfam GB in conjunction with a local partner organisation – Organismo Cristiano de Desarrollo Integral de Honduras (OCDIH). The project started in 2010 and completed in March 2014 as a continuation of previous projects which were implemented from approximately 2007 to 2010 in the same geographical areas as the project under analysis, but covering a greater number of villages. For more information, the data for this effectiveness review is available through the UK Data Service . Read more about the Oxfam Effectiveness Reviews .
Faster integer and polynomial multiplication using cyclotomic coefficient rings

We present an algorithm that computes the product of two n-bit integers in O(n log n (4\sqrt 2)^{log^* n}) bit operations. Previously, the best known bound was O(n log n 6^{log^* n}). We also prove that for a fixed prime p, polynomials in F_p[X] of degree n may be multiplied in O(n log n 4^{log^* n}) bit operations; the previous best bound was O(n log n 8^{log^* n}).