Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Syntax-Semantics Interface: Arabic is a Case

In order to make a coherent statement or an accurate description, linguists have to focus on one aspect of a language and preclude the others according to a process called selected focusing, but it is believed that such an act of isolation is only an artificial practice. Although a naïve or a child is not aware of the various levels of language, he/she is well knowledgeable about the grammatical, structural, and semantic tools that make him/her easily and instantly spot the ill-formed or meaningless sentences of his/her native language. Two opposite mainstreams discovered in the study of syntax-semantics interface. The 1 st is the syntactically-oriented perspective established by Chomsky and his followers, which is later modified and supported by the Optimal Theory Approach, and the 2 nd is the semantically-oriented one in its two facetsthe generative and the interpretive. The early generative transformational approach went too far in insisting that the syntactic aspect has an autonomous characteristic and should be dealt with in isolation from semantics, whereas others argue that they are interrelated and cannot be separated. The main objective of this study is to arrive at some general outlines that might help linguists, second/foreign language teachers as well as students and tries to shed light on this linguistic controversy in order to establish a scientific scheme in language studies.
Non-Gaussianity as a probe of the physics of the primordial universe and the astrophysics of the low redshift universe

A new and powerful probe of the origin and evolution of structures in the Universe has emerged and been actively developed over the last decade. In the coming decade, non-Gaussianity, i.e., the study of non-Gaussian contributions to the correlations of cosmological fluctuations, will become an important probe of both the early and the late Universe. Specifically, it will play a leading role in furthering our understanding of two fundamental aspects of cosmology and astrophysics: (i) the physics of the very early universe that created the primordial seeds for large-scale structures, and (ii) the subsequent growth of structures via gravitational instability and gas physics at later times. To date, observations of fluctuations in the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) and the Large-Scale Structure of the Universe (LSS) have focused largely on the Gaussian contribution as measured by the two-point correlations (or the power spectrum) of density fluctuations. However, an even greater amount of information is contained in non-Gaussianity and a large discovery space therefore still remains to be explored. Many observational probes can be used to measure non-Gaussianity, including CMB, LSS, gravitational lensing, Lyman-alpha forest, 21-cm fluctuations, and the abundance of rare objects such as clusters of galaxies and high-redshift galaxies. Not only does the study of non-Gaussianity maximize the science return from a plethora of present and future cosmological experiments and observations, but it also carries great potential for important discoveries in the coming decade.
DETERMINANTS OF CONSUMER PREFERENCES IN ADDIS ABABA RESTAURANTS

This study was proposed to explore the determinants of consumer preferences in Addis Ababa restaurants. Using consumer behavior literatures and theories it was hypothesized that disposable income, price, quality, hygiene practices, friendliness of restaurant staff, safety of food and range or menu variety are important determinants of consumer choice for restaurants. Primary data were generated from 265 customers of 55 restaurants randomly selected with the use of questionnaire of which 258 of the questionnaire ended usable. The non parametric hypothesis testing statistical tool, chi –square tests, and measures of variation were used for statistical analysis purposes. The anticipation of the researcher was that the hypothesis testing results would be significant in parallel with the hypothesized facts. The findings of the research suggest that income has insignificant impact up on quality price trade of among consumers of different income categories. Other hypothesis associated with price, quality, friendliness of restaurant staff, quick table service and range or menu varieties are found to be statistically significant. Over all, the research results suggest that restaurateurs should design marketing strategy that integrates the attributes used in this study to satisfy the needs and wants of their customers and differentiation of their products and services on the basis of the variables scored as they are significant considerations by consumers.
Capital Regulation and Credit Risk Taking: Empirical Evidence from Banks in Emerging Market Economies

The primary purpose of this article is to investigate the relationship between bank capital and credit risk taking in emerging market economies. We also investigate the influence of several regulatory, institutional and legal features on the relationship between risk and capital. We apply a simultaneous equations framework following Shrieves and Dahl (1992) and Jacques and Nigro (1997). Our results corroborate the existing findings for US and other industrial economies, putting forward the impact of capital regulation on banks’ behavior. We also show empirical evidence on the role of the regulatory, institutional and legal environment in driving bank capitalization and credit risk taking behavior in emerging market economies.
Sustaining Social Security

This paper analyzes the sustainability of intergenerational transfers in politico-economic equilibrium. Embedding electoral competition for the votes of old and young households in the standard Diamond (1965) OLG model, we find that intergenerational transfers naturally arise in a Markov perfect equilibrium, even in the absence of altruism, commitment, or trigger strategies. Not internalizing the negative effects of transfers for future generations, the political process partially resolves the distributive conflict between old and young voters by shifting some of the cost of social security to the unborn. As a consequence, transfers in politico-economic equilibrium are higher than what is socially optimal. Standard functional form assumptions yield closed-form solutions for the politico-economic equilibrium as well as the equilibrium supported by the Ramsey policy. The model predicts population ageing to lead to larger social security systems, but eventually lower benefits per retiree. Under realistic parameter values, it predicts a social-security tax rate close to the actual one, but higher than the Ramsey tax rate. Closed-form solutions for the case with endogenous labor supply, tax distortions, and multiple policy instruments prove the results to be robust.
Gauge-Independent Scales Related to the Standard Model Vacuum Instability

The measured (central) values of the Higgs and top quark masses indicate that the standard model (SM) effective potential develops an instability at high field values. The scale of this instability, determined as the Higgs field value at which the potential drops below the electroweak minimum, is about 1011 GeV. However, such a scale is unphysical as it is not gauge invariant and suffers from a gauge-fixing uncertainty of up to 2 orders of magnitude. Subjecting our system, the SM, to several probes of the instability (adding higher order operators to the potential, letting the vacuum decay through critical bubbles, heating up the system to very high temperature, and inflating it) and asking in each case physical questions, we are able to provide several gauge-invariant scales related with the Higgs potential instability.
Nanoparticle-Induced Charge Redistribution of the Air–Water Interface

The air–water interface is believed to carry a negative electrostatic potential that is nontrivial to invert through pH, electrolyte, or electrolyte strength. Here, through a combined experimental and theoretical study, we show that the close approach of a negatively charged nanoparticle induces a charge redistribution of the air–water interface. Using different electrolytes to control the interfacial potential of the nanoparticles, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) results establish that nanoparticles with a more negative zeta potential adsorb closer to the air–water interface than do the same particles with a less negative zeta potential. The short-ranged attractive force between two (nominally) negative surfaces is caused by charge redistribution under the strong electric field of the nanoparticle that locally inverts the charge density of the air–water interface from negative to positive. The nature of the nanoparticle’s counterions modulates the attractive interaction, which thus could be used t.
Understanding Statistics by Using Spreadsheets to Generate and Analyze Samples

The random number and probability distribution functions in Excel allow the user to easily generate samples that simulate data typical of any kind of biomedical study. The act of generating the samples should provide the user with an implicit understanding of fundamental statistical concepts, including variables, probability, independence, sampling variation, linear modeling, random error, fixed effects, random effects, and individual responses. Analysis of the samples, which is essentially an attempt to recover the formulae that generated the samples, should reinforce these concepts and develop others related to statistical inference, including bias, confidence limits, statistical significance, and chances of benefit and harm. The spreadsheets accompanying this article provide examples of generation and analysis of data for reliability and validity studies and for simple and covariate-adjusted comparisons of group means without and with repeated measurement. An example is also given for generation of a binary variable for data simulating events, such as the occurrence of injuries, but the analysis by generalized linear modeling is currently not available in these spreadsheets.
DEVELOPMENT OF ANTIOXIDANT RICH INSTANT BISCUIT MIX

Objective: Bakery products are important processed foods, commonly consumed across the world. Bakery products have become essential and significant components of the dietary profile of the people. Among that biscuits are the fast growing bakery products in India, because of consumer demand for convenient, safety, low cast, shelf life, verity taste and flavor but those are lack in nutrients and antioxidants. Methods: To increase the nutrient content in biscuit mix, Wheat flour was added with maida and sugar at three variations (V1-50:50, V2-60:40, V3-70:30) and subjected to organoleptic evaluation. Antioxidant mix (Poshak Pro mix) was formulated using antioxidant rich foods like Finger millet, Black Gram Dhal, Spinach, Carrot, Guava and Sesame seeds. These were processed and formulated into three mixes (Finger millet based mix, Black Gram Dhal based mix and Carrot based mix) and subjected to DPPH radical scavenging test. The mix having highest activity was selected and incorporated into wheat flour biscuit mix at three variations (V1-20:80, V2-3:70, V3-40:60) and subjected to organoleptic evaluation. The accepted variation was analyzed for nutrient and shelf life at polythene and aluminum foil covers. Results: Among the three wheat flour: Maida variations, V3-70:30 was selected in organoleptic evaluation. In DPPH radical scavenging test Finger Milled based mix was selected and incorporated into selected wheat flour biscuit mix at three variations. V1 (20:80) was selected and nutrients analysis showed that it is rich in β-carotene. In shelf life study, both (polythene and aluminum foil) covers were accepted for packaging. Conclusion: The study proved that local commodities rich in antioxidants can be utilized effectively and economically to improve the health status of the people. Keywords: Bakery products, Antioxidant, Finger millet, DPPH radical scavenging test, Packaging.
Identification of Simple Sequence Repeat Markers Linked to Sudden Death Syndrome Resistance in Soybean

Sudden Death Syndrome (SDS) caused by the soil borne fungus Fusarium solani is a major soybean disease. Resistance to this fungus is controlled by quantitative trait loci (QTLs). This study was aimed at identifying simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers linked to the QTLs conditioning SDS resistance. A mapping population was constructed by crossing the resistant soybean line GC87018-12-2B-1 with the susceptible line GC89045-13-1. One hundred and four recombinant inbred lines (RILS) were obtained via the single seed descent technique. Fifteen-linkage groups were constructed from data derived from 106 SSR markers. Inoculation was accomplished by the infested soil technique in the greenhouse conditions and phenotypic data were recorded. Broad-sense heritability of disease severity was 56% of the total variation. A QTL with LOD score of 2.53 was identified to locate on linkage group J as a cluster of four SSR markers. This QTL was previously unidentified for conferring resistance to the SDS.
Evaluating the Impact of Risk on Contractor’s Tender Figure in Public Buildings Projects in Northern Nigeria

It has become almost impossible to have projects completed within the initial cost and time in Nigeria; this is as a result of many factors the construction industry is being plagued with ranging from estimating risk to time and cost overruns. The construction industry is widely associated with a high degree of risk and uncertainty due to the nature of its operating heterogeneous environment. The paper aimed at evaluating the impact of estimating risk on contractor’s tender sum with a view of ensuring efficient delivery of projects in the Northern part of Nigeria. A survey was conducted using questionnaire and a total of four headings of risk factors were identified. Research findings showed defects in design, inflation, contractor’s competence and political uncertainty as well as changes in government had greatest impact on contractor’s tender figure whereas likely trend in wages rates over the period, excessive approval procedure in administration government department, unavailability of sufficient amount of unskilled labor and technical manpower and resources of the company were the most significant factors to be considered by contractors when estimating the pricing risk. The paper recommends that construction professionals should identify and adequately quantify project estimating risk factors. Adding a risk premium to quotation and time estimation has to be supported by governmental owner organizations and other agencies in the local construction sector. Competent contractors should be allowed to tender so as to see the incidence of these estimating risks as an important aspect that requires attention while evaluating contractor’s tender sum.
How Principals and Peers Influence Teaching and Learning

This paper examines the effects of principal leadership and peer teacher influence on teachers’ instructional practice and student learning. Using teacher survey and student achievement data from a mid-sized urban southeastern school district in the United States in 2006-2007, the study employs multilevel structural equation modeling to examine the structural relationships between student learning and theorized dimensions of principal leadership, teacher peer influence, and change in teachers’ instructional practice.The findings confirm previous empirical work and provide new contributions to research on the chain of hypothesized relationships between leadership practice and student learning. Both principal leadership and teacher peer influence were significantly associated with teachers’ instructional practices and English language arts (ELA) student learning. A major contribution of this research is the strong and significant indirect relationships which mediate education leadership and student learning. The results indicate the importance of principals work for student learning because of their indirect influence on teachers’ practices through the fostering of collaboration and communication around instruction.
Experimental demonstration of error-insensitive approximate universal-NOT gates

We propose and experimentally demonstrate an approximate universal-NOT (UNOT) operation that is robust against operational errors. In our proposal, the UNOT operation is composed of stochastic unitary operations represented by the vertices of regular polyhedrons. The operation is designed to be robust against random operational errors by increasing the number of unitary operations (i.e., reference axes). Remarkably, no increase in the total number of measurements nor additional resources are required to perform the UNOT operation. Our method can be applied in general to reduce operational errors to an arbitrary degree of precision when approximating any antiunitary operation in a stochastic manner.
Can state-of-the-art saliency systems model infant gazing behavior in tutoring situations?

The behavior for a humanoid robot is often modeled in accordance with human behavior. Current research suggests that analyzing infant behavior as a basis for designing the robot behavior can guide us to a natural robot interface. Based on this idea many researchers support saliency systems as a bottom-up inspired way to simulate infant-like gazing behavior. In the field of saliency systems many different approaches have proposed and quantified in terms of speed, quality and other technical issues. But so far, no one compared and quantified them in terms of natural infant tutor interaction. The question we would like to address in this paper is: Can state-of-the-art saliency systems model infant gazing behavior in tutoring situations? By addressing these issues we want to take a step towards an autonomous robot system, which could be used more natural interaction experiments in future.
Stochastic parameterization of atmospheric convection : stochastic lattice models of cloud systems in PlaSim

We propose a strategy to couple a stochastic lattice-gas model of a cloud system to a rather general class of convective parameterization schemes. The stochastic model consists in a sub-grid lattice of N elements which can be in one out of S states, each correspondent to a different cloud type. The time evolution of the elements of the lattice is represented as a Markov process on the set of the S states with transition rates dependent on large-scale (grid-box) fields and/or local interactions. We derive a reduction method based on the mean-field approximation leading to a system of S-1 stochastic differential equations for the evolution of the macrostate (cloud fractions) of the lattice model in the limit of large N . The intensity of the noise scales with N−1/2, consistently with the van Kampen system size expansion. The accuracy of the method is tested in a minimal version of the model. We design a strategy to couple the lattice model to a generic parameterization scheme, so that in the limit of space and time scale separation the modified stochastic parameterization converges to the deterministic version of the host scheme. We perform numerical experiments coupling the minimal version of the stochastic model to the Betts-Miller and Kuo schemes in the aqua-planet version of the Planet Simulator. After characterizing the climate produced by the standard deterministic model, we perform two set of experiments. In the first we consider constant birth and death rates of the cumulus clouds, in the second birth and death rates dependent on a critical value of the relative humidity of the atmospheric column. In the first set of experiments we find that for both the Betts-Miller and Kuo schemes the stochastic extension of the parameterization preserves the bulk statistics of its deterministic limit. The impact instead is strong on the statistics of the extremes of daily convective precipitation analyzed with the extreme value theory. In the second set of experiments we find that the inclusion of the critical dependence of the activation of convection on relative humidity has a different impact with the two schemes. Even in cases in which the climatology is relatively preserved, the representation of the structure of the tropical dynamics can be deteriorated by a conflict between the natural relationship between convection and relative humidity and the one induced by the stochastic model. These results suggest that, although promising for tackling a number of problems related to the representation of sophisticated features of atmospheric convection, applications of this kind of models to a complex GCM require to be carefully designed for the specific characteristics of the host deterministic scheme.
Using an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) for ultra-high resolution mapping of Antarctic moss beds

Polar regions are experiencing rapid and severe climatic shifts with major changes in temperature, wind speed and UV-B radiation already observed in Antarctica. Since vegetation is isolated to the coastal fringe and climatic records only extend back 50 years, with limited spatial resolution, we urgently need new proxies to determine if coastal climate has changed over the past century. In a manner similar to trees, old growth mosses also preserve a climate record along their shoots. Our ability to accurately date these mosses and map their extent in sufficient spatial detail means that, for the first time, mosses can be used as sentinels to provide crucial information on how the Antarctic coastal climate has changed over past centuries and how biota has responded to these changes. The spatial scale of the moss beds (tens of m2) makes satellite imagery (even very high resolution imagery of 0.5 m) unsuitable for mapping their extent in sufficient detail. Due to logistical constraints aerial photography is impractical. Recent developments in the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for remote sensing applications provide exciting new opportunities for ultra-high resolution mapping and monitoring of the environment. In this study, we developed a UAV consisting of a remote controlled helicopter carrying three different cameras: visible colour, near-infrared, and thermal infrared for cost-effective, efficient, and ultra-high resolution mapping of terrestrial vegetation in the Windmill Islands, Antarctica. These three sensors allow us to map different physical characteristics of the moss beds at resolutions of several centimetres. This paper and presentation will address the issues encountered in developing a UAV system, discuss the different UAV sensors and components, and demonstrate how this system can be applied in these fragile remote polar ecosystems.
Why specific developmental disorders are not specific: On-line and developmental effects in autism and dyslexia

In this paper we will suggest that impairments in domain-specific functions may have wide-ranging developmental effects which mimic domain-general impairments. This may explain why `pure' cases of developmental disorders are rare. The understanding of autism and dyslexia has been advanced by theories postulating failure of a specific mechanism against a background of unimpaired general processing. Impairment in the mechanisms underlying `theory of mind' in autism, and `phonology' in dyslexia, predict and explain the pattern of poor and good performance on a range of experimental and real-life tasks. However, existing accounts deal largely with the on-line effects of modular deficits, and can be criticised as not truly developmental. Here we attempt to trace developmental or down-stream effects of specific impairments in mentalising and phonological processing. We argue that these modules act as vital gatekeepers in development. Important in this process is the interaction of cognition with socio-cultural environment, an effect well-illustrated by cross-language differences in dyslexia. We claim that consideration of these developmental effects makes clear why postulating specific impairments may be sufficient for explaining more general deficits.