Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Financial development and institutional quality among emerging economies

PurposeThis study examines how institutional quality influences variability in financial development among economies in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Design/methodology/approachEmpirical estimations verifying various relationships are performed using the limited information maximum likelihood (LIML) estimation technique.FindingsThe results suggest that institutional quality enhances the pace of financial development among economies in the sub-region all things being equal. In a further micro-level analysis where components of institutional quality index are examined separately, the study’s results suggest that effective governance, regulatory quality, rule of law and accountability tend to have a significant positive impact on financial sector development.Research limitations/implicationsFindings of the study suggest that policies geared towards improving governance and regulatory institutions can augment development of the financial sector among economies in SSA; governments and policymakers are therefore encouraged to resource noted institutions to play effective roles for the development of the financial sector.Originality/valueCompared to related studies, this study reorients existing paradigm, which emphasizes the role of governance and institutional variables in the economic growth discourse. The authors’ empirical inquiry rather focuses on how governance and institutional structures influence regional financial development dynamics. Specifically, this study differs from most macro-level studies found in literature because it examines the impact of hitherto unexamined governance and institutional variables on financial development among economies in SSA.
Validity and Reliability of the Instrument in Measuring the Identity of Hindu Saivites through Beliefs and Religious Practices

Malaysia is a unique country that consists of various races with different religious and cultural backgrounds. In maintaining national harmony, knowing and understanding the cultures and religions of other races is important. As is well known, Hinduism is one of the minority religions practiced by Malaysians, particularly the Indian community. However, few people are aware that in Hinduism there are also several sects. This study is conducted to understand the identity of the Hindu religious sect that is practiced by the majority of the Malaysian Hindu community, namely Saivism, through beliefs and religious practices. Thus, an instrument for measuring the identity of Hindu Saivites through beliefs and religious practices has been developed. A pilot study was conducted involving 50 respondents consisting of Hindu Saivites in Klang Valley. The reliability value of Cronbach's alpha on the constructed instrument is 0.88. Such reliability value indicates that the constructed instrument may measure the beliefs and religious practices of the Hindu Saivites as well as their relationship to identity.
Design and Simulation of Novel Optofluidic ring resonator for Biomolecular Detection

In This study, a label-free detection method by using a novel Optofluidic ring resonator sensor (OFRR) structure is presented. Optofluidic is a developed young research subject suitable to create an appropriate cooperation between optics and fluidics. The combination of fluidic and optical methods achievable. by using the optofluidic methods makes it expedient to obtain an inventive type of sensors, which have been tried to have an ameliorate sensitivity, denseness and adaptivity. OFRR is a recent detection method that integrates Optic and fluid technologies with low-limit and low-cost and small- sample volume detection sensitivity. The objective of this article is the detection of the tuberculosis by offering a unique and a novel useful structure that is able to fabricate. The material of the proposed structure is PDMA that is completely flexible polymer. The width of the waveguide, the waveguide length and width of the ring of the proposed structure respectively is 500nm, 250 nm, 1500 nm. Also, the inner radius of the resonator ring in 4700 nm. The simulation Result of proposed structure by Opti-FDTD software shown 649 nm/RIS for the slope of the sensitivity curve.
Overview of the detection and tracking methods of the lab animals

This article presents an overview of several most common techniques and approaches for object detection and tracking. Today, the tracking task is a very common problem and it can appear in many aspects of our life. One particular case of using object tracking techniques can appear during a lab animal behavior study. Different experimental conditions and the need of certain data collection can require some special tracking techniques. Thus, a set of general approaches to object tracking techniques were considered, and their functionality and possibilities were tested in a real life experiment. In this paper, their basis and main aspects are presented. The experiment has demonstrated the advantages and disadvantages of the studied methods. Considering this, conclusions and recommendations to their usage cases were made.
Labor Structure, Land Fragmentation, and Land-Use Efficiency from the Perspective of Mediation Effect: Based on a Survey of Garlic Growers in Lanling, China

In the context of China’s agricultural labor shortage and the pressure of aging, this paper uses the land fragmentation index and the intermediary efficiency model to measure the degree of land fragmentation based on farmer-level data from the main garlic producing area in Lanling County in Shandong Province in 2020. The direct effect of labor structure on land-use efficiency and the mediating effect through land fragmentation are analyzed. The research results show that: (1) the average land-use efficiency of the sample farmers is relatively low; (2) the change in labor structure has an “inverted U”-shaped direct effect on land-use efficiency; and (3) the change in land fragmentation in the labor structure has a direct effect on land-use efficiency. The influence of land-use efficiency played a nonlinear mediating effect. The change in labor structure with the degree of land fragmentation showed an “inverted U”-shaped relationship, and the degree of land fragmentation and land-use efficiency had a “U”-shaped relationship. In order to improve land-use efficiency, two aspects of policy support should be increased: encouraging farmers to integrate land and supporting specialized and diversified planting.
Walking the Pens: A Case Study of Secondary Agriculture Teachers’ Experiences Using a Serious Digital Game in an Introductory Animal Science Course

In a world where knowledge is a click away, today’s students need information delivered in ways that meet their expectations as digital natives. Serious digital games are one way to meet the demand. This particularistic case study sought to understand agriculture teachers’ experiences using a serious digital game in an introductory animal science course. Three themes emerged from the data collected: 1) the real-world context provided by the game; 2) the game’s potential to promote students’ agricultural awareness; and 3) teachers’ positioning of the game as a secondary teaching approach. Based on these findings, it can be recommended that professional development opportunities be created for teachers to learn how to use serious digital games more effectively in other situations. Inservice workshops focused on using digital games as a primary approach to teaching secondary agricultural education curricula, especially when simulations are necessary for teaching content. Because agricultural literacy was an unintended outcome, future research should focus intentionally on the impact serious digital games have on agricultural literacy
Analysis, Design, and Implementation of Integrated Charge Pumps with High Performance

ANALYSIS, DESIGN, AND IMPLEMENTATION OF INTEGRATED CHARGE PUMPS WITH HIGH PERFORMANCE Younis Allasasmeh University of Guelph, 2011 Advisor: Professor Stefano Gregori This thesis presents the design of new integrated charge pum ps with high performance. An analysis method is determined to evaluate the voltage gain, the output resistance and the conversion efficiency parameters of integrated charge pumps. An optimi zation method is developed to improve the performance through capacitor sizing based on area cons traint . Several charge pumps structures are optimized and compared including the losses due to devic es parasitics. Results show that the Dickson charge pump (voltage doubler) is the best structure for integration. Therefore, techniques to improve performance and conversion efficiency of integrate d voltage doubler are proposed. Switch bootstrapping technique prevents short-circuit losses, i mproves driving capability, and enhances the overall efficiency. The application of charge reuse techniq ue reduces the dynamic power losses of integrated voltage doublers and double charge pumps. A prot otype of the integrated voltage doublers was fabricated in a 0. 18μm CMOS process with the proposed techniques. Measured resul ts have been presented, demonstrating the improvements in per formance and conversion efficiency, with a good correlation between measured and predicted resu lts.
Dr. Frankenstein was a designer: methods for educating Gen H--the hybrid design student

v CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION . 1 CHAPTER 2 YES, MASTER . FROM VOLUNTEER SLAVERY TO STANDING ON THE SHOULDERS OF GIANTS.2 CHAPTER 3 BURNING NEW SYNAPTIC PATHWAYS IN HIGHER EDUCATION . 4 CHAPTER 4 COLLABORATORIES . THE CASE FOR DESIGN ENTREPRENEURSHIP . 8 CHAPTER 5 EXQUISITE CORPSE . THE HEAD, HAND AND HEART MODEL . 10 CHAPTER 6 IT’S ALIVE . CONTENT CREATORS: THE POWER OF DESIGN . 15 CHAPTER 7 CONCLUSION . 24 REFERENCES . 25 APPENDIX A BUSINESS PROFESSIONAL’S QUESTIONNAIRE . 30 B WHITE SPACE . 36 C A WHOLE NEW MINDSET . INFUSING THE BUSINESS CURRICULUM WITH DESIGN METHODOLOGY . 40 D GALLERY IMAGES . 47 VITA . 50
Distinct Metabolism of Bone Marrow Adipocytes and their Role in Bone Metastasis

Bone marrow adipocytes (BMAs) represent 10% of the total fat mass of the human body and serve as an energy reservoir for the skeletal niche. They function as an endocrine organ by actively secreting fatty acids, cytokines, and adipokines. The volume of BMAs increases along with age, osteoporosis and/or obesity. With the rapid development of multi-omic analysis and the advance in in vivo imaging technology, further distinct characteristics and functions of BMAs have been revealed. There is accumulating evidence that BMAs are metabolically, biologically and functionally unique from white, brown, beige and pink adipocytes. Bone metastatic disease is an uncurable complication in cancer patients, where primary cancer cells spread from their original site into the bone marrow. Recent publications have highlighted those BMAs could also serve as a rich lipid source of fatty acids that can be utilized by the cancer cells during bone metastasis, particularly for breast, prostate, lung, ovarian and pancreatic cancer as well as melanoma. In this review, we summarize the novel progressions in BMAs metabolism, especially with multi-omic analysis and in vivo imaging technology. We also update the metabolic role of BMAs in bone metastasis, and their potential new avenues for diagnosis and therapies against metastatic cancers.
Investigation and Analysis of the Key Success Factors for Visually Impaired Life Reconstruction-Take Taiwan as an Example

The visually impaired should return to society as soon as possible and reduce various negative impacts on their lives, as well as achieve independent living, employment, and other goals, the training of various skills for the visually impaired is particularly important. The main purpose of this research is to find out the key success factors in the teaching of the visually impaired, to achieve the highest goal of assisting the visually impaired in the reconstruction of their lives. The research conducted interviews with professional teachers of the visually impaired in the form of expert questionnaires, focusing on the organization’s business environment, business team philosophy and capabilities, students’ physical characteristics and learning motivation, teaching environment, and management team concepts, and internal processes. A total of 35 questions in 5 facets were discussed in-depth, and the results found 5 questions including government policy support, resource development network connection ability, student learning motivation, professional/teacher education training and motivation, and the ability to plan course activities. The items were deemed important and necessary by all experts. This shows that the current society for the teaching of the visually impaired still needs to invest more social resources. The survey questionnaire, it is found that the systematic establishment of teaching model for the reconstruction of the visually impaired requires many links to complement each other. It is not achieved overnight from the development of teachers, the psychological factors of the visually impaired, even to the learning motivation.
Flight Simulation Model Exchange

The NASA Engineering and Safety Center Review Board sponsored an assessment of the draft Standard, Flight Dynamics Model Exchange Standard, BSR/ANSI-S-119-201x (S-119) that was conducted by simulation and guidance, navigation, and control engineers from several NASA Centers. The assessment team reviewed the conventions and formats spelled out in the draft Standard and the actual implementation of two example aerodynamic models (a subsonic F-16 and the HL-20 lifting body) encoded in the Extensible Markup Language grammar. During the implementation, the team kept records of lessons learned and provided feedback to the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Modeling and Simulation Technical Committee representative. This document contains the appendices to the main report.
Exosomal MicroRNA as Biomarkers for Diagnosing or Monitoring the Progression of Ovarian Clear Cell Carcinoma: A Pilot Study

Ovarian cancer is the most common cause of gynecological malignancy-related mortality since early-stage disease is difficult to diagnose. Advanced clear cell carcinoma of the ovary (CCCO) has dismal prognosis, and its incidence has been increasing in Japan, emphasizing the need for highly sensitive diagnostic and prognostic CCCO biomarkers. Exosomal microRNAs (miRNAs) secreted by tumor cells are known to play a role in carcinogenesis; however, their involvement in ovarian cancer is unclear. In this study, we performed expression profiling of miRNAs from exosomes released by five cell lines representing different histological types of ovarian cancer. Exosomes isolated from culture media of cancer and normal cells were compared for miRNA composition using human miRNA microarray. We detected 143 exosomal miRNAs, whose expression was ≥1.5-fold higher in ovarian cancer cells than in the control. Among them, 28 miRNAs were upregulated in cells of all histological ovarian cancer types compared to control, and three were upregulated in CCCO cells compared to other types. Functional analyses indicated that miR-21 overexpressed in CCCO cells targeted tumor suppressor genes PTEN, TPM1, PDCD4, and MASP1. The identified miRNAs could represent novel candidate biomarkers to diagnose or monitor progression of ovarian cancer, particularly CCCO.
Effect of matrix composition on stability, release and bioaccessibility of encapsulated folic acid

: Folic acid is a fast degradable vitamin, hence showing reducing functionality. Therefore, engineering of an efficacious vehicle for oral delivery of folic acid via encapsulation using an appropriate matrix is important. As eligible matrices, alginate and chickpea protein were compared in terms of stability, release kinetics, transport mechanism and bioaccessibility. Both matrices yielded particles of submicron-range with high encapsulation efficiency. Stability, in vitro release and bioaccessibility studies displayed reduced degradation, protection against gastric pH and increased bioaccessibility (80%) by alginate particles. The protein matrix also displayed slower release and higher bioaccessibility of folic acid compared to the free compound. Release of folic acid from alginate particles showed Fickian diffusion, while release from chickpea protein particles showed quasi Fickian diffusion and super case II transport mechanism at gastric and intestinal pHs, respectively. In conclusion, alginate particles were superior in affording thermal and photo stability, pH dependent release and higher bioaccessibility.
A C-Terminally Truncated TDP-43 Splice Isoform Exhibits Neuronal Specific Cytoplasmic Aggregation and Contributes to TDP-43 Pathology in ALS

Neuronal cytoplasmic aggregation and ubiquitination of TDP-43 is the most common disease pathology linking Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD). TDP-43 pathology is characterized by the presence of low molecular weight TDP-43 species generated through proteolytic cleavage and/or abnormal RNA processing events. In addition to N-terminally truncated TDP-43 species, it has become evident that C-terminally truncated variants generated through alternative splicing in exon 6 also contribute to the pathophysiology of ALS/FTLD. Three such variants are listed in UCSD genome browser each sharing the same C-terminal unique sequence of 18 amino acids which has been shown to contain a putative nuclear export sequence. Here we have identified an additional C-terminally truncated variant of TDP-43 in human spinal cord tissue. This variant, called TDP43C-spl, is generated through use of non-canonical splice sites in exon 6, skipping 1,020 bp and encoding a 272 aa protein lacking the C-terminus with the first 256 aa identical to full-length TDP-43 and the same 18 amino acid C-terminal unique sequence. Ectopic expression studies in cells revealed that TDP43C-spl was localized to the nucleus in astrocytic and microglial cell lines but formed cytoplasmic ubiquitinated aggregates in neuronal cell lines. An antibody raised to the unique 18 amino acid sequence showed elevated levels of C-terminally truncated variants in ALS spinal cord tissues, and co-labeled TDP-43 pathology in disease affected spinal motor neurons. The retention of this 18 amino acid sequence among several C-terminally truncated TDP-43 variants suggests important functional relevance. Our studies of TDP43C-spl suggest this may be related to the selective vulnerability of neurons to TDP-43 pathology and cell-subtype differences in nuclear export.
The Role of Curriculum Objectives and Evaluation in Development of Instructional Efficacy in Special Needs Education among Primary Teacher Trainees in Kenya

The success of curriculum implementation in any country depends on the quality of the teacher with regard to the requisite knowledge, skills, and attitudes. In the move toward inclusive education in Kenya (ROK, 2005; ROK, 2009; ROK, 2012a; ROK, 2017), one of the strategies is the expansion of teacher education curriculum to include a component of special needs in order to develop the capacity of the teachers to support children with special needs in regular schools. This paper presents part of the findings of a survey of Primary Teacher Colleges in the Rift Valley region of Kenya on the integration of Special Needs Education (SNE) in the curriculum vis-à-vis instructional efficacy among the teacher trainees. It examines the integration of SNE in the objectives and evaluation elements of the Primary Teacher Education (PTE) curriculum and its role in the development of instructional efficacy among the teacher trainees. The findings revealed that the PTE curriculum did not provide adequate coverage and integration of aspects of SNE in the objectives and evaluation elements of the PTE curriculum and consequently inadequate development of instructional efficacy among the teacher trainees. The study recommends adequate coverage and complete fusion of aspects of SNE in the objectives and evaluation elements of the curriculum as a significant strategy for achieving instructional efficacy among teacher trainees.
Joint Chord and Key Estimation Based on a Hierarchical Variational Autoencoder with Multi-task Learning

This paper describes a deep generative approach to joint chord and key estimation for music signals. The limited amount of music signals with complete annotations has been the major bottleneck in supervised multi-task learning of a classification model. To overcome this limitation, we integrate the supervised multi-task learning approach with the unsupervised autoencoding approach in a mutually complementary manner. Considering the typical process of music composition, we formulate a hierarchical latent variable model that sequentially generates keys, chords, and chroma vectors. The keys and chords are assumed to follow a language model that represents their relationships and dynamics. In the framework of amortized variational inference (AVI), we introduce a classification model that jointly infers discrete chord and key labels and a recognition model that infers continuous latent features. These models are combined to form a variational autoencoder (VAE) and are trained jointly in a (semi-)supervised manner, where the generative and language models act as regularizers for the classification model. We comprehensively investigate three different architectures for the chord and key classification model, and three different architectures for the language model. Experimental results demonstrate that the VAE-based multi-task learning improves chord estimation as well as key estimation.
Application of statistical tools for indicators analysis

This study was developed in the Importer and Export Corporation CIMEX SA and its aim was to determine the tools and techniques used for statistical analysis of Quality Management System indicators as a method to ensure continuous improvement. This study focused and appli ed in the Purchasing, Warehousing and Distribution Division. Among the tools proposed it include: brainstorming, plotting data, time series analysis and linear correlation analysis. The main results are key results indicators for each process which facilitated the interpretation of these results for managers.
Production and Characterization of a Bioemulsifier Derived from Microorganisms with Potential Application in the Food Industry

There is a growing interest in the development and use of natural emulsifiers, which provide biodegradability as well as non-toxicity along with giving better performance compared to existing emulsifying agents used in the food industry. A large variety of sources of starting material, i.e., the microorganisms, are available to be used, hence giving a diverse range of applications. The focus of this review paper is on the production of bioemulsifiers, which are said to be “green surfactants”, from fungi, bacteria and yeasts; furthermore, an overview pertaining to the knowledge gained over the years in terms of characterization techniques is reported. The methods used for the characterization and isolation such as TLC, GC-MS, HPLC, NMR have also been studied. The end-application products such as cookies, muffins, and doughs along with the methods used for the incorporation of bioemulsifiers, microorganisms from which they are derived, properties imparted to the product with the use of a particular bioemulsifier and comparison with the existing food grade emulsifiers has been discussed in detail. The future prospects indicate that newer bioemulsifiers with anti-microbial, anti-oxidant and stabilization properties will prove to have a larger impact, and emphasis will be on improving the performance at an economically viable methodology.