Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The cult of order: in search of underlying patterns of the colonial and neo-colonial “grammar of educationalisation” in the Belgian Congo. Exported school rituals and routines?

Abstract An analysis of the history of primary education in Belgium by Depaepe et al. in 2000 has demonstrated how the idea of “order” structured classroom reality in the course of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. This “order” is not only visible in the internal organisation of schooling (e.g. division into year classes, a structured timetable, the use of the didactics of teacher-centred instruction), but also in the design of the curriculum. Good behaviour and moral decency were consistently prioritised over “intellectual knowledge”. Very similar paternalising practices – including the cult of order – were transported to the Belgian colony. The implementation of these practices, however, did not go smoothly, because the African context of missionary education was totally different from the Belgian educational context. Precisely as a result of these difficulties, the core characteristics and likewise mistakes of the transported “grammar of educationalisation” become even more apparent. On the basis of a variety of sources, this paper demonstrates that secondary education for boys in the Belgian colony of Congo was founded on the same educational norms and values that characterised nineteenth-century Belgian education. In this respect, order was considered the conditio sine qua non for discipline and self-discipline. But, in contrast to what Nikolas Rose has argued, the Foucaultian paradigm – although attractive and interesting – is not imperative in explaining the educational strategy of order. On the contrary, the development of the history of education as a science could benefit from a theoretical framework coming “from within” the discipline. Until today, the history of educational practice has been explained from a history of education perspective only to a limited extent. By exploring the duality of a didactic grammar of schooling, on the one hand, and an educational semantics of moralisation, on the other hand, this paper contributes to the development of a theoretical framework from within the history of education.
Major Disturbance Events in Terrestrial Ecosystems Detected Using Global Satellite Data Sets

Ecosystem scientists have yet to develop a proven methodology to monitor and understand major disturbance events and their historical regimes at a global scale. This study was conducted to evaluate patterns in an 18-year record of global satellite observations of vegetation phenology from the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) as a means to characterize major ecosystem disturbance events and regimes. The fraction absorbed of photosynthetically active radiation (FPAR) by vegetation canopies worldwide has been computed at a monthly time interval from 1982 to 1999 and gridded at a spatial resolution of 0.5Ê latitude/longitude. Potential disturbance events of large extent (> 0.5 Mha) were identified in the FPAR time series by locating anomalously low values (FPAR-LO) that lasted longer than 12 consecutive months at any 0.5Ê pixel. We find that nearly 400 Mha of the global land surface could be identified with at least one FPAR-LO event over the 18-year time series. The majority of these potential disturbance events occurred in tropical savanna and shrublands or in boreal forest ecosystem classes. Verification of potential disturbance events from our FPAR-LO analysis was carried out using documented records of the timing of large-scale wildfires at locations throughout the world. Disturbance regimes were further characterized by association analysis with historical climate anomalies. Assuming accuracy of the FPAR satellite record to characterize major ecosystem disturbance events, we estimate that nearly 9 Pg of carbon could have been lost from the terrestrial biosphere to the atmosphere as a result of large-scale ecosystem disturbance over this 18-year time series.
Presidential Rhetoric and Cybercrime: Tangible and Symbolic Policy Statements

In today’s digital age, new kinds of crime are continually emerging. If cybercriminals attack businesses and individuals, the results can be devastating. Although most people take precautions to prevent becoming a victim of cybercrime (i.e. firewalls, complex passwords), they are still concerned about the potential of becoming a victim. They will often put pressure on government officials and demand that action be taken to lessen the possibility of another cybercrime attack. Elected officials, particularly presidents, have begun to more often speak about the dangers of cybercrime and suggest possible solutions. To date, there is relatively little analysis of what presidents are saying about cybercrime and how they are speaking about it. This paper aims to fill that gap that currently exists in the literature by looking at patterns and trends in presidential rhetoric on cybercrimes. Specifically, this study examines whether presidents talk about cybercrime in substantive or symbolic terms. Do they give precise and actionable options in their rhetoric or more “feel good” statements? It was predicted that, given the complexity of the topic, presidents will use more symbolic rhetoric to speak about cybercrime rather than tangible policy language. The findings suggest this to be true. We also attempt to draw some conclusions about why presidents may be drawn to symbolic rhetoric regarding cybercrime.
ESTADO EMPRESÁRIO: MONOPÓLIOS, CONVENIÊNCIA E TENDÊNCIAS DISFUNCIONAIS

Este artigo propoe uma reflexao acerca da exploracao de atividades economicas por meio de empresas estatais, incluindo as situacoes de exploracao em regime de monopolio, para investigar se o espaco da funcao empresarial estatal perante o contexto de evolucao de desenvolvimento da economia brasileira se mostra adequado, a partir do vies construido pela Teoria da Escolha Publica (Public Choice) . Palavras-chave: Administracao Publica. Eficiencia. Empresa Estatal. Escolha Publica. Intervencao. Lucro. Monopolio.
Bridging the Gap between Preclinical and Clinical Studies Using Pharmacokinetic–Pharmacodynamic Modeling: An Analysis of GDC-0973, a MEK Inhibitor

Purpose: GDC-0973 is a potent and selective mitogen-activated protein (MAP)/extracellular signal–regulated kinase (ERK) kinase (MEK) inhibitor. Pharmacokinetic–pharmacodynamic (PK–PD) modeling was used to relate GDC-0973 plasma and tumor concentrations, tumor pharmacodynamics and antitumor efficacy to establish pharmacokinetic endpoints and predict active doses in the clinic. Experimental Design: A PK–PD model was used to characterize GDC-0973 tumor disposition and in vivo potency in WM-266-4 xenograft mice. Simulations were conducted using the PK–PD model along with human pharmacokinetics to identify a target plasma concentration and predict active doses. In vivo potency and antitumor efficacy were characterized in A375 melanoma xenograft mice, and a population-based integrated PK–PD-efficacy model was used to relate tumor pharmacodynamics (%pERK decrease) to antitumor activity. Results: GDC-0973 showed a sustained tumor pharmacodynamic response due to longer residence in tumor than in plasma. Following single doses of GDC-0973, estimated in vivo IC50 values of %pERK decrease based on tumor concentrations in xenograft mice were 0.78 (WM-266-4) and 0.52 μmol/L (A375). Following multiple doses of GDC-0973, the estimated in vivo IC50 value in WM-266-4 increased (3.89 μmol/L). Human simulations predicted a minimum target plasma concentration of 83 nmol/L and an active dose range of 28 to 112 mg. The steep relationship between tumor pharmacodynamics (%pERK decrease) and antitumor efficacy suggests a pathway modulation threshold beyond which antitumor efficacy switches on. Conclusions: Clinical observations of %pERK decrease and antitumor activity were consistent with model predictions. This article illustrates how PK–PD modeling can improve the translation of preclinical data to humans by providing a means to integrate preclinical and early clinical data. Clin Cancer Res; 18(11); 3090–9. ©2012 AACR.
Determinants of IPO Withdrawals. An Empirical Analysis of Germany

Stock markets represent a way for companies to access funds. To be able to make what is called an initial public offer (IPO), which is the term for when a company first accesses this market, a variety of legal and financial requirements need to be met. Often there is uncertainty about what investors are willing to pay for a stock of the company, hence IPOs are underpriced. This underpricing is costly for the company and can cause the firm to withdraw its initial public offer at any stage. In Germany from 2001 until 2015, about 14 % of the companies filing to go public withdraw. There is surprisingly little research on this area. Employing binary as well as multinomial probit regressions, this analysis focuses on the determinants of withdrawals in the German IPO market. Considering a multitude of academic papers about initial public offerings, we select market and firm characteristics and compute the respective effects on the probability to withdraw. Our work provides new insights into the German IPO market and the probability to withdraw. This analysis demonstrates that results on the US-American IPO market cannot be adapted to the German one without further proof. In contrast to the USAmerican market, withdrawn IPOs show higher levels of venture capital backing and of underwriter reputation. In the bank-dominated German market, the characteristics of both substantially differ from the USAmerican counterparts. Also, multinational companies are more likely to withdraw due to having a higher level of alternative sources of funding outside of Germany. We discovery that negative news prior to an IPO as well as the intent to retire debt increase the probability of withdrawal.
Adaptive sliding mode control for a class of uncertain nonlinear systems

Adaptive sliding mode control strategy for a class of uncertain nonlinear systems using Lyapunov's stability theory is proposed. The mechanism is as follows: the system is divided into nominal model and lumped disturbance term, an adaptive control is adopted to reduce the lumped disturbance to an acceptant bound within finite time, and a sliding mode control is adopted to enable the tracking errors of the uncertain nonlinear system to approximate to zero ultimately. The scheme not only has a good robustness for the uncertainties but also overcomes the chattering in the control input of conventional sliding mode control. It is applied to a class of high-order single-input-single-output and multi-input-multi-output uncertain nonlinear system, and the stability is proved. The result is supported by simulation of the attitude control of flapping wing micro air vehicle, and the validity of the proposed method is verified.
Neuromodulation of Spike-Timing Precision in Sensory Neurons

The neuropeptide allatostatin decreases the spike rate in response to time-varying stretches of two different crustacean mechanoreceptors, the gastropyloric receptor 2 in the crab Cancer borealis and the coxobasal chordotonal organ (CBCTO) in the crab Carcinus maenas. In each system, the decrease in firing rate is accompanied by an increase in the timing precision of spikes triggered by discrete temporal features in the stimulus. This was quantified by calculating the standard deviation or “jitter” in the times of individual identified spikes elicited in response to repeated presentations of the stimulus. Conversely, serotonin increases the firing rate but decreases the timing precision of the CBCTO response. Intracellular recordings from the afferents of this receptor demonstrate that allatostatin increases the conductance of the neurons, consistent with its inhibitory action on spike rate, whereas serotonin decreases the overall membrane conductance. We conclude that spike-timing precision of mechanoreceptor afferents in response to dynamic stimulation can be altered by neuromodulators acting directly on the afferent neurons.
Multiplicity of 5′ Cap Structures Present on Short RNAs

Most RNA molecules are co- or post-transcriptionally modified to alter their chemical and functional properties to assist in their ultimate biological function. Among these modifications, the addition of 5′ cap structure has been found to regulate turnover and localization. Here we report a study of the cap structure of human short (<200 nt) RNAs (sRNAs), using sequencing of cDNA libraries prepared by enzymatic pretreatment of the sRNAs with cap sensitive-specificity, thin layer chromatographic (TLC) analyses of isolated cap structures and mass spectrometric analyses for validation of TLC analyses. Processed versions of snoRNAs and tRNAs sequences of less than 50 nt were observed in capped sRNA libraries, indicating additional processing and recapping of these annotated sRNAs biotypes. We report for the first time 2,7 dimethylguanosine in human sRNAs cap structures and surprisingly we find multiple type 0 cap structures (mGpppC, 7mGpppG, GpppG, GpppA, and 7mGpppA) in RNA length fractions shorter than 50 nt. Finally, we find the presence of additional uncharacterized cap structures that wait determination by the creation of needed reference compounds to be used in TLC analyses. These studies suggest the existence of novel biochemical pathways leading to the processing of primary and sRNAs and the modifications of their RNA 5′ ends with a spectrum of chemical modifications.
Optimal nuclear waste burial policy under uncertainty

The aim of this paper is to study the optimal nuclear waste burial policy under an uncertainty: the possibility that an accident might occur in the future. The framework is an optimal growth model with pollution disutility. We show, under some conditions on the waste burial policy, that nuclear power may be a long‐term solution for the world energy demand. Under uncertainty on the future safety of the buried waste, the social planner will decide to decrease the rate of waste burying, but the evolution of consumption and hence the evolution of the level of buried waste are ambiguous. Depending on some simple conditions on the balanced growth rate of the economy and on the preference parameters of the households, the optimal amount of buried waste may increase, even if there is a risk of accident in the future. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Demand and Dematerialization Impacts of Second‐Hand Markets

The potential for second‐hand markets to reduce demand for new goods is investigated. Using a variant of an economic model originally developed by Anderson and Ginsburgh, the physical implications for material use are explored. The second‐hand market grows if transaction costs decrease or if product lifetime increases. In this model, growth of the secondhand market reduces demand for new goods if there are waste used goods that can be brought into the market. But if there is not a ready supply of waste used goods, growth of the second‐hand market can increase demand for new goods, thereby increasing material consumption. Moreover, even when second‐hand sales reduce demand for new goods, it is typically not on a one‐for‐one basis. The extent to which the purchase of used goods replaces the purchase of new goods is shown to be an explicit function of the relative value provided by used versus new goods.
Activity-Based Costing for E-Commerce

This paper proposes a customized Activity-Based Costing system for companies engaged in e -commerce. The system is intended to more effectively track overhead costs particular to e -commerce. A case study of a Business-toCustomer (B2C) company is used to illustrate the proc ess of system conception and implementation, and ongoing cost analysis. Finally, this paper examines several possible benefits to cost control, profitability assessment, and the efficiency of corporate strategy, as a direct result of implementing the propo sed Activity-Based Costing system.
The (Mis)Specification of Discrete Duration Models with Unobserved Heterogeneity: A Monte Carlo Study

Empirical researchers usually prefer statistical models that can be easily estimated with the help of commonly available software packages. Sequential binary models with or without normal random effects are an example of such models that can be adopted to estimate discrete duration models with unobserved heterogeneity. But an easy-to-implement estimation may incur a cost. In this paper we conduct a Monte Carlo simulation to evaluate the consequences of omitting or misspecifying the unobserved heterogeneity distribution in single-spell discrete duration models.
Milgram’s Obedience Study

Given the many older criticisms of Milgram’s obedience study and the more damning recent criticisms based on analyses of materials available in the Milgram archives at Yale, this study has become a contentious classic. Yet, current social psychology textbooks present it as an uncontentious classic, with no coverage of the recent criticisms and little coverage of the older ones. Also, none of the texts present any coverage of the recent reinterpretation of the study’s findings in terms of engaged followership based on participants’ acceptance of the experimenter’s scientific goals. Hence, the present article provides sources for summaries of the criticisms and a summary of the reinterpretation and its supporting empirical research for teachers who want to incorporate coverage into their courses.
Spatial decomposition of predation risk using resource selection functions: an example in a wolf /elk predator /prey system

Predation is a fundamental ecological and evolutionary process that varies in space, and the avoidance of predation risk is of central importance in foraging theory. While there has been a recent growth of approaches to spatially model predation risk, these approaches lack an adequate mechanistic framework that can be applied to real landscapes. In this paper we show how predation risk can be decomposed into encounter and attack stages, and modeled spatially using resource selection functions (RSF) and resource selection probability functions (RSPF). We use this approach to compare the effects of landscape attributes on the relative probability of encounter, the conditional probability of death given encounter, and overall wolf and elk resource selection to test whether predation risk is simply equivalent to location of the predator. We then combine the probability of encounter and conditional probability of death into a spatially explicit function of predation risk following Lima and Dill’s reformulation of Holling’s functional response. We illustrate this approach in a wolf � /elk system in and adjacent to Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada. In this system we found that the odds of elk being encountered by wolves was 1.3 times higher in pine forest and 4.1 times less in grasslands than other habitats. The relative odds of being killed in pine forests, given an encounter, increased by 1.2. Other habitats, such as grasslands, afforded elk reduced odds (4.1 times less) of being encountered and subsequently killed (1.4 times less) by wolves. Our approach illustrates that predation risk is not necessarily equivalent to just where predators are found. We show that landscape attributes can render prey more or less susceptible to predation and effects of landscape features can differ between the encounter and attack stages of predation. We conclude by suggesting applications of our approach to model predator � /prey dynamics using spatial predation risk functions in theoretical and applied settings.
The Kilogram and Measurements of Mass and Force

This paper describes the facilities, measurement capabilities, and ongoing research activities in the areas of mass and force at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The first section of the paper is devoted to mass metrology and starts with a brief historical perspective on the developments that led to the current definition of the kilogram. An overview of mass measurement procedures is given with a brief discussion of current research on alternative materials for mass standards and surface profiles of the U.S. national prototype kilograms. A brief outlook into the future possible redefinition of the unit of mass based on fundamental principles is included. The second part of this paper focuses on the unit of force and describes the realization of the unit, measurement procedures, uncertainty in the realized force, facilities, and current efforts aimed at the realization of small forces.
Shareholder Value and the Transformation of the U.S. Economy, 1984–2000

Using data from 62 U.S. industries for 1984–2000, this article explores the connections between shareholder value strategies, such as mergers and layoffs, and related industry-level changes, such as de-unionization, computer technology, and profitability. In line with shareholder value arguments, mergers occurred in industries with low profits, and industries where mergers were active subsequently saw an increase in layoffs. Industries with a high level of mergers increased investment in computer technology. This technology displaced workers through layoffs and was focused on reducing unionized workforces. Contrary to shareholder value arguments, there is no evidence that mergers or layoffs returned industries to profitability.
A cellular Way to Obtain Homology Groups in Binary 2D Images

In this paper we present a P systems-based solution for the Homology Groups of Binary 2D Image (HGB2I) Problem, a classical problem in Homology Theory. To this aim, we present a family of P systems which solves all the instances of the problem in the framework of Tissue-like P systems with catalysts. This new framework combines the membrane structure and symport-antiport communication rules of tissue-like P systems with the power of catalysts and inhibitors.
The flying hand: A formation of UAVs for cooperative aerial tele-manipulation

The flying hand is a robotic hand consisting of a swarm of UAVs able to grasp an object where each UAV contributes to the grasping task with a single contact point at the tooltip. The swarm of robots is teleoperated by a human hand whose fingertip motions are tracked, e.g., using an RGB-D camera. We solve the kinematic dissimilarity of this unique master-slave system using a multi-layered approach that includes: a hand interpreter that translates the fingertip motion in a desired motion for the object to be manipulated; a mapping algorithm that transforms the desired object motions into a suitable set of virtual points deviating from the planned contact points; a compliant force control for the case of quadrotor UAVs that allows to use them as indirect 3D force effectors. Visual feedback is also used as sensory substitution technique to provide a hint on the internal forces exerted on the object. We validate the approach with several human-in-the-loop simulations including the full physical model of the object, contact points and UAVs.
Analysis of Iris and pupil parameters for stress Recognition

The aim of this study was to automatically identify the iris and pupil of the eye in the video stream and to parameterize the identified structures in order to make assumptions if the subjected is stressed or not. During tests subjects were given a number of issues which they had to respond by selecting only one correct answer. Visual material was gathered using a helmet-fitted stationary near-infrared camera that recorded iris and pupil of the eye reactions to stimuli. Subsequently it was made an automatic iris and pupil recognition and approximation by curves in the gathered sequence of images. Each change in the pupil size is described by different time series length. Thus, it is impossible to compare the obtained data using the Euclidean distance measures. For this reason, the metrics based on periodograms was used to compare the data series. The differences calculated between the eye pupil reaction to stimuli and question show-up time was introduced in multidimensional scaling algorithms for dimension reduction. It was noticed that the stimulus to the false answers tend to cluster. DOI: http://dx.doi. org/10.5755/j01.itc. 41.1. 1206