Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Foretelling What Makes People Pay: Predicting the Results of Field Experiments on TV Fee Enforcement

One of the current challenges in field experimentation is creating an efficient design including individual treatments. Ideally, a pilot should be run in advance, but when a pilot is not feasible, any information about the effectiveness of potential treatments' to researchers is highly valuable. We run a laboratory experiment in which we forecast results of two large-scale field experiments focused on TV license fee collection to evaluate the extent to which it is possible to predict field experiment results using a non-expert subject pool. Our main result is that forecasters were relatively conservative regarding the absolute effectiveness of the treatments, but in most cases they correctly predicted the relative effectiveness. Our results suggest that, despite the artificiality of laboratory environments, forecasts generated there may provide valuable estimates of the effectiveness of treatments.
Cybersecurity named entity recognition using bidirectional long short-term memory with conditional random fields

: Network texts have become important carriers of cybersecurity information on the Internet. These texts include the latest security events such as vulnerability exploitations, attack discoveries, advanced persistent threats, and so on. Extracting cybersecurity entities from these unstructured texts is a critical and fundamental task in many cybersecurity applications. However, most Named Entity Recognition (NER) models are suitable only for general ﬁelds, and there has been little research focusing on cybersecurity entity extraction in the security domain. To this end, in this paper, we propose a novel cybersecurity entity identiﬁcation model based on Bidirectional Long Short-Term Memory with Conditional Random Fields (Bi-LSTM with CRF) to extract security-related concepts and entities from unstructured text. This model, which we have named XBiLSTM-CRF, consists of a word-embedding layer, a bidirectional LSTM layer, and a CRF layer, and concatenates X input with bidirectional LSTM output. Via extensive experiments on an open-source dataset containing an ofﬁce security bulletin, security blogs, and the Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures list, we demonstrate that XBiLSTM-CRF achieves better cybersecurity entity extraction than state-of-the-art models.
Piezoelectricity in single III-Nitride nanowires for nanopiezotronics : a scanning force microscopy investigation

Nanopiezotronics is a recent field which has increasingly contributed to a progress of smart electronics and energy harvesters that benefits from a conversion of small mechanical movements into electrical energy. Its foundation relies on the coexisting of piezoelectric and semiconducting properties in nano-objects based on non-centrosymmetric semiconductors such as III-N or II-V. Lately, III-N nanowires with their high aspect ratio have been proposed as a promising building block for this emerging research.Nevertheless, the key mechanism in nanopiezotronics that governs a mechanical-to-electrical energy conversion must be clarified. The origin of the electrical signal from single nanowires detected by conductive scanning force microscopy was still under debate, whether it originates from piezoelectric effect or rather measurement artefacts.In addition, the reports of larger piezo-coefficients than bulk values in GaN nanowires need to be verified as it possibly results from the measurement misinterpretation.This PhD work is focused on in-depth understanding of the piezoelectric effect in III-N nanowires which is a critical issue for nanopiezotronics. For this purpose, several scanning force microscopy modes such as Kelvin probe force microscopy, piezoresponse force microscopy, conducting scanning force microscopy were performedto locally probe direct and reverse piezoelectricity including other parameters that play an important role on the piezo-potential generation. Various device configurations and different electronic setups were applied.The experimental results together with finite element simulations, reveal that the piezo-coefficients of III-N nanowires are similar to those of bulk, and no giant piezoelectric effect was observed. The analyses of free and bound charges suggest that the effect of the piezo-charges should be undetectable even with highest sensitive electronics. Besides, the electrical signal found in single nanowires by conductive-scanning force microscopy is rather related to the current passing through the nanowires which is often generated by an unappropriated grounded setup. The outcome of this work point out various parameters in piezoelectric semiconductor nanowires that must be taken into account before attributing their mechanical or electrical response to the piezoelectric effect. Those signals can be potentially caused by the detection setup itself, the measurement artefacts and the environments, resulting in the misinterpretations of the signal origins.
The principle of invariance in the Donsker form to the partial sum processes of finite order moving averages

We consider the process of partial sums of moving averages of ﬁnite order with a regular varying memory function, constructed from a stationary sequence, variance of the sum of which is a regularly varying function. We study the Gaussian approximation of this process of partial sums with the aid of a certain class of Gaussian processes, and obtain suﬃcient conditions for the C -convergence in the invariance principle in the Donsker form.
Studies on Waterborne Cadmium Exposure to Lymnaea stagnalis in Varying Water Qualities and the Development of a Novel Tissue Residue Approach

ii Acknowledgements iv Authors Declaration v List of Figures x List of Tables xiii Chapter 1: 1 General Introduction 1 1.1 Cadmium 2 1.2 Cd Bioavailability 3 1.3 Tissue Residue Approach (TRA) 4 1.4 Bioaccumulation of Cd 5 1.5 Sub-cellular Fractionation 5 1.6 Hyalella azteca 7 1.7 Lymnaea stagnalis 7 1.8 Objectives 9 1.9 References 10 1.10 Figures 14 Chapter 2: 15 Acute and Chronic Toxicity of Waterborne Cd to Lymnaea stagnalis in Hard Water . 15 2.1 Abstract 16 2.
Biodiversity and ecosystem functioning decoupled: invariant ecosystem functioning despite non‐random reductions in consumer diversity

Most research that demonstrates enhancement and stabilization of ecosystem functioning due to biodiversity is based on biodiversity manipulations within one trophic level and measuring changes in ecosystem functions provided by that same trophic level. However, it is less understood whether and how modifications of biodiversity at one trophic level propagate vertically to affect those functions supplied by connected trophic levels or by the whole ecosystem. Moreover, most experimental designs in biodiversity–ecosystem functioning research assume random species loss, which may be of little relevance to non-randomly assembled communities. Here, we used data from a published ecotoxicological experiment in which an insecticide gradient was applied as an environmental filter to shape consumer biodiversity. We tested how non-random consumer diversity loss affected gross primary production (an ecosystem function provided by producers) and respiration (an ecosystem function provided by the ecosystem as whole) in species-rich multitrophic freshwater communities (total of 128 macroinvertebrate and 59 zooplankton species across treatments). The insecticide decreased and destabilized macroinvertebrate and, to a lesser extent, zooplankton diversity. However, these effects on biodiversity neither affected nor destabilized any of the two studied ecosystem functions. The main reason for this result was that species susceptible to environmental filtering were different from those most strongly contributing to ecosystem functioning. The insecticide negatively affected the most abundant species, whereas much less abundant species had the strongest effects on ecosystem functioning. The latter finding may be explained by differences in body size and feeding guild membership. Our results indicate that biodiversity modifications within one trophic level induced by non-random species loss do not necessarily translate into changes in ecosystem functioning supported by other trophic levels or by the whole community in the case of limited overlap between sensitivity and functionality.
Numerical Study on Parameters Affecting the Structure of Scaffolds Prepared by Freeze-Drying Method

Freeze-drying is one of the most used methods for preparing scaffolds and is very sensitive to the material and operational parameters such as nucleation temperature, thermal properties of the mold, cooling rate, set freezing point, and slurry height. In the present study, a Finite Element Method (FEM) based code was developed to investigate the effects of such parameters and to eventually predict the microstructure of the scaffold. Similar molds and cooling conditions used in various experimental studies were simulated and compared. The achieved pattern demonstrated how different thermal condition tailored scaffold microstructure. It was shown that nucleation temperature (Tn) was an effective parameter controlling the final structure of the scaffold and influenced pore sizes with different mold materials. Simulation results also showed that by decreasing the rate of cooling, the average pore sizes increased, and a quenching solution led to a randomly distributed pattern of pore sizes. It is also achieved that by increasing the set freezing temperature as well as the height of the solution the pore sizes increased more at the top of the mold. The thermal gradient also illustrated the orientation of the pore in a mold with the thick isolated wall was considerably uniform. This framework can be used to optimize the scaffold structure or any ice templating method.
Sequence Models for Document Structure Identification in an Undeciphered Script

This work describes the first thorough analysis of “header” signs in proto-Elamite, an undeciphered script from 3100-2900 BCE. Headers are a category of signs which have been provisionally identified through painstaking manual analysis of this script by domain experts. We use unsupervised neural and statistical sequence modeling techniques to provide new and independent evidence for the existence of headers, without supervision from domain experts. Having affirmed the existence of headers as a legitimate structural feature, we next arrive at a richer understanding of their possible meaning and purpose by (i) examining which features predict their presence; (ii) identifying correlations between these features and other document properties; and (iii) examining cases where these features predict the presence of a header in texts where domain experts do not expect one (or vice versa). We provide more concrete processes for labeling headers in this corpus and a clearer justification for existing intuitions about document structure in proto-Elamite.
Investigating the cancer stem cell hypothesis in canine tumours

Cancer is a disease of all vertebrate species and has been well documented throughout history with fossil records indicating that dinosaurs of the Jurassic period suffered from the disease. The Greek physician, Galen is accredited with describing human tumours as having the shape of a crab, with leg like tendrils invading deep into surrounding tissues – hence the term cancer. Today cancer can be defined as any malignant growth or tumour caused by abnormal and uncontrolled cell division that is able to invade tissues locally and spread to other parts of the body through the lymphatic system or the blood stream. This is obviously a simplistic attempt at describing a complex disease that can utilize a myriad of biological pathways to sustain growth and proliferation. Dissecting these pathways has been the challenge of cancer researchers for decades in the search for new treatment strategies. This review attempts to condense our understanding of cancer and to offer insights into an alternative theory regarding the existence of true cancer stem cells and how this will inform the development of new therapeutics. 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
As Relações entre o Uso de Jogos Eletrônicos, Personalidade e o Bem-Estar de Jogadores

The Relations between Video Games, Personality and Players’ Well-Being Video games are popular in most parts of the world. Studies about their effects on the players’ health have been produced since their creation. This study investigated the relations between subjective well-being and game frequency, personality traits and game genres. The questionnaire was completed by 759 participants. Significant differences were found between players and non-players in relation to Life Satisfaction, Positive Affect, Extraversion and Conscientiousness. Correlations between Gaming Hours per Week, Positive Affect, Life Satisfaction and Conscientiousness were weak. Correlations between Game Genre and Personality Traits were weak. Gaming Hours per Week was not a strong predictor of Subjective Well-Being. Other variables should be considered when researching gamers’ well-being. Motivations, passion and basic psychological needs may have a higher impact on well-being variables. The results found in this study go against the idea that the frequency of gaming, individually, is responsible for alterations in well-being scores.
Commensal bacterial communities regulate antiviral immunity

Alterations in the composition of commensal bacterial communities in the human intestine are associated with enhanced susceptibility to multiple inflammatory diseases. Further, studies in murine model systems have demonstrated that signals derived from commensal bacteria can influence immune cell development, function and homeostatic regulation within the intestinal environment, leading to altered host susceptibility to infectious or inflammatory diseases. However, whether commensal bacteria-derived signals regulate protective immunity to viral pathogens that infect sites outside of the gastrointestinal microenvironment remain poorly understood. Chapter 2 of this thesis examines this question and demonstrates that disruption or absence of commensal bacterial communities results in impaired protective immunity to respiratory influenza virus. Antibiotic (ABX)-mediated disruption of intestinal commensal bacteria significantly impaired the innate and adaptive immune response, abrogated viral clearance and increased host mortality following influenza virus infection indicating a crucial role for commensal bacterial communities in regulating antiviral immune defense. Chapter 3 interrogates the influence of commensal bacteria-derived signals on the antiviral immune response to systemic viral infection. Following infection with Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis virus (LCMV), ABX-treated mice exhibited functionally impaired LCMV-specific CD4 and CD8 T cell responses that correlated with significantly delayed viral clearance. Collectively, Chapters 2 and 3 indicate a global role for commensal bacteria-derived signals in regulating immunity to mucosal or systemic viral infection. Chapter 4 examines the mechanisms underlying commensal bacteria regulation of antiviral immunity and identifies a previously unrecognized role for commensal bacteria-derived signals in establishing the activation threshold of the innate immune system. Genome-wide transcriptional profiling of macrophages isolated from ABXtreated mice revealed decreased expression of genes associated with antiviral immunity. Moreover, macrophages isolated from ABX-treated mice prior to viral infection exhibited defective responses to type I/II IFNs and a reduced capacity to limit viral replication. Strikingly, adoptive transfer of macrophages from CNV mice into ABX-treated mice prior to LCMV infection resulted in significantly improved virus-specific adaptive immune responses and effectively restored the ability of ABX-treated mice to control viremia. Taken together, the results presented in this thesis indicate that commensal bacteria-derived signals calibrate the activation threshold of the innate immune system, providing tonic immune stimulation essential for optimal antiviral immunity. Degree Type Dissertation Degree Name Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Graduate Group Immunology First Advisor David Artis This dissertation is available at ScholarlyCommons: http://repository.upenn. edu/edissertations/485
A Psycholinguistic Approach to Language Teaching and Learning: Problems and Prospects

his article “Language and Psycholinguistics: A Review” (1946). The emergence of Psycholinguistics as an academic discipline is generally linked to an influential seminar at Cornell University, New York in 1951 (Nordquist, 2019). At its heart, psycholinguistics asks four plausible questions as recorded in Wikipedia. They include (a) how do children acquire language (language acquisition)? (b) how do people process and comprehend language (language comprehension)? (c) how do people produce language (language production)? and (d) how do people acquire a new language (second language acquisition)? Nordquist (2019) however, argues that only two questions are of paramount importance to psycholinguists. They are: (a) What knowledge of language is needed for us to use language? (b) What cognitive processes are involved in the ordinary use of language? In his own submission, Carroll (2008), asserts that whenever we are listening or speaking, there is considerable number of cognitive processing going on during those activities. This is indeed how a psycholinguist studies language. Abstract: Psycholinguistics, otherwise called the psychology of language, studies the psychological and neurobiological factors that enable humans to acquire, process, understand and use language. This study investigates the psycholinguistic approach to language teaching and learning. In this paper, an analysis of the major branches and goals of psycholinguistics is made. The paper also dwells on psycholinguistic impact to English language study and its implications to language teaching and learning. The paper also examines the problems and prospects of psycholinguistics as a discipline. In concluding this paper, the writers evaluate the position of recent researchers who affirm that though psycholinguistics as a discipline lacks a clear distinct generative transformational approach to the study of linguistics, it however presents a better picture and widens the scope of studying language in general. Recommendations are made on further ways to study language psychologically.
Parâmetros genéticos para período de gestação e características de crescimento pré e pós desmame em bovinos Nelore

The objective of this study was to estimate heritabilities and genetic and phenotypic correlations for gestation length as calf trait (GLcalf) and preweaning [birth weight (BW) and weights at 120 (W120) and 210 (W210) days] and postweaning performance traits [weights at 365 (W365) and 450 (W450) days] in Nellore cattle participating in the Nellore Brazil Program coordinated by the National Association of Breeders and Researchers (Associacao Nacional de Criadores e Pesquisadores - ANCP). The parameters were estimated by the restricted maximum likelihood method under an animal model using the WOMBAT software. The genetic correlation between GLcalf and BW was 0.15, indicating a favorable association between the two traits which, however, was of small magnitude. GLcalf showed low positive genetic correlations (0.06 to 0.10) with the other weights, indicating that selection to reduce gestation length would not result in significant losses in weights at older ages. Furthermore, it is possible to infer that selection for higher W365 will not expressively increase gestation length.
Quantitative genetic studies in relation to population improvement in pearl millet

Quantitative genetic studies in WC-C75 population indicated that additive genetic variance was important in the inheritance of all the traits studied. Heritability estimates on progeny mean basis were high for all characters in all families and moderate for grain yield/plant (0.31) in half-sib families. Expected genetic advance for 51 family selection was high for most traits, particularly for grain yield perplant (25.7%), indicating that 51 family selection was superior method for population improvement.
Oxidative Insults of 2, 2-dichlorovinyl-dimethyl phosphate (DDVP), an Organophosphate Insecticide in Rats Brain

The oxidative insult of 2, 2-dichlorovinyl-dimethyl phosphate (DDVP) in male rats brain was investigated. Rats were grouped into four: A, B, C and D where A, (the control) received orally 1 mL of distilled water; B, C and D (test groups) received orally 2.5, 5 and 10 mg/kg body weight of DDVP respectively for 28 days. DDVP administration caused significant decrease (P<0.05) in the activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase in the brain. Brain levels of glutathione (GSH), total thiol, vitamins C and E were also significantly reduced (P<0.05), while peroxide glutathione (GSSG) level increased significantly (P<0.05). Brain malonidialdehyde and lipid hydroperoxide also increased significantly (P<0.05) in all DDVP treated groups. The available data from this study revealed that DDVP brings about its toxicity through depletion of the antioxidant systems and thus exposing the cells and cellular macromolecules to oxidative assault by reactive oxygen species generated either from its metabolites or other in vivo means.
The Use of WhatsApp Messaging Improves Communication in Surgery Team

Introduction: Most common mode of communication between medical professionals is by visits, telephone and mobile phone calls, meetings of doctors, and WhatsApp usage. WhatsApp has group communication and makes sending of images and videos on same group its usage most effective. Material and Methods: We did a 3 months prospective study in our Surgical Gastroenterology unit (of 15 professionals) using English and Hindi language and compared WhatsApp communication with communication by by telephone mobile phone. Results: Of the total 3462messages delivered 3219 (92.7%) were of patient care only. There were 71 (2.05%) messages related to administrative details, 5.4%(188) messages relates to teaching and academic. Multimedia messages were 145 (4.2%). Time taken to reply a message in routine working hours was found to be of 8 seconds to 25 minutes. Messages done by land line or mobile phone call systems were 184 and the time spend on each was approx 2 to 17 minutes. It was a common opinion of all members was that it’s a very useful tool, it saved time compared to the traditional methods of calling and replying. Conclusion: WhatsApp is a free of cost, easily available and a very reliable mode of use for medical practitioners. It is a development over the traditional telephone or call on mobile phone.
Genetic reactivity of Norway spruce Picea abies (L.) Karst. to soil fertility

Seedlings of various provenances and progenies were greenhouse grown in sand cultures with different levels of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium and magnesium. The first experiment tested 20 provenances and the next studied 45–50 half-sib families of 9–10 provenances to establish the interaction between Picea abies genotypes and nutrition levels. Spruces of various origins differed in their nutrient requirements. In particular, seedlings from Wisła and Istebna grew better at smaller phosphorus levels. The genotype × environment interactions were significant for numerous traits when seedlings were grown at different levels of nitrogen, phosphorus and calcium, and for a few traits for potassium. The proportion of variance explained by interaction was small. Generally, the interactions were significant for a greater number of traits at progeny level than at provenance level. The results suggest that it is possible to select genotypes which are suitable for specific site conditions and genotypes which are stable over a wide range of nutrition levels. Additional key words: edaphotypes, provenance, half-sib families, genotype × nutrition level Address: H. Fober, Polish Academy of Sciences, Institute of Dendrology, Parkowa 5, 62-035 Kórnik, Poland, e-mail: hfober@man.poznan. pl