Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Long-Term Effects of Development Aid: Empirical Studies in Rural West Africa

This article is based on field studies in rural West Africa. It concentrates on the socio-structural effects of development aid in the long run, in contrast to numerous available evaluation reports on the short-run effects of development projects. The study reveals that superficial generalisations or condemnations of development projects, like the big farmers benefit at the expense of the smaller ones, or the men benefit at the expense of the women, do not hold up to verification. Quite to the contrary one observes a wide range of specific adapted forms by which the target groups react to the demands and offers of development projects, and thereby transform their own social structure. In short, one observes a great diversity of social self-organisation. The bureaucratic structures of the development administration do, however, unfortunately - more often than not - ignore the social dynamic of their target groups which they nevertheless sustain unconsciously. Development aid has become an important political and economic factor in most African countries. Its financial impact often exceeds that of the national budget. It contributes, therefore, significantly to the development of a bureaucratic class and of its clients: the project development degenerates into a project nationalization / bureaucratization. This contrasts vividly with the strategies of the peasants. Men and women at village level do not accept any longer the paternalistic development approach. They just select what they need out of the packages of solutions that are offered to them, while they develop their own solutions, like a variety of seeds adapted to their specific resource endowments, diversified sources of income, different strategies of accumulation and risk prevention. All this allows for a gradual evolution by variation and selection. The dynamic of the rural society is to a large extent due to a competition of different (strategic) groups, opposed to one another, about the partitioning of the cake of development aid. Normally this struggle between different vested interests is covered up by the rhetoric of development planning. Planned development has up to now proven to be to rigid, to be able to take account of the complex and subtle fabric of self organisation. Aid sometimes appears to be a second best substitute for a vision of a democratic society. This is due to the fact that the structures we are aiming for in the long run - which are to allow for open markets, an orientation of the producers at the resources and needs of the nation, and last not least, the growth of indigenous structures of self-help - would require a responsible and democratic government, as well as the guarantee of civil rights, accountability, an independent judiciary, freedom of the press, etc.; up to now, however, all these elements are still oppressed by the commando state itself, well nourished by the various forms of technical and financial aid.
Genetic diversity and combining abilities for root traits of sugar beet pollinators

Information about genetic diversity and combining abilities of sugar beet parental components are of a great importance for hybrid creation. The aim of this research was to evaluate genetic diversity among sugar beet pollinators from different breeding programs and their combining abilities for main root traits of sugar beet, root weight, sugar content and sugar yield. As plant material were used eight pollinators originating from three different USDA-ARS breeding programs and four from Institute of field and vegetable crops Novi Sad. The analysis of variance and Duncan’s multiple range test revealed significant differences (p = 0.05) among pollinators for all investigated traits. Pollinator CR10 differs from all others in terms of quantitative traits and in terms of combining ability. Despite small root weight CR10 had significantly positive GCA for that trait and showed that genotypes with small root should not be automatically discarded. Pollinators from Institute of field and vegetable crops used in this research had negative GCA for root weight and should be used only as hosts for introduction of new germplasm in future breeding program. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. TR31015]
Directional laminated thermally modified bamboo: Physical, mechanical, and fire properties

Laminated bamboo with radial (LBR) and tangential (LBT) layered structures was manufactured using heat-treated moso bamboo and phenol-formaldehyde adhesive. The physical, mechanical, and fire-related properties were determined. The results showed that layer structure and heat treatment had an impact on the properties of laminated bamboo. LBR showed good mechanical properties, though heat treatment compromised its integrity somewhat. Heat treatment decreased the lightness and incre6/28ased the green-red index, blue-yellow index, saturation, and total color difference. The samples exhibited changes in two HRR peaks during the combustion process, corresponding to two main release stages for smoke production. Heat-treatment improved the heat rate release (HRR), total heat release (THR), and the effective heat of combustion (EHC) properties, but also they decreased the smoke performances, resulting in higher total suspended particulate (TSP), specific extinction area (SEA), CO, and CO2 yield. LBR is suggested to be manufactured for possible use as a structural engineering material.
Design and Implementation of Non-Volatile SRAM using Memristor

There are many emerging and promising technologies which employs power-off mode to reduce the power dissipation of chips and to store the data even if the power supply is off. This Non-Volatility is achieved through many emerging Non-Volatile technologies like PCRAM, STTRAM, and Memristor etc. Memristive effect is more when we scale down our devices and its shows excellent operational characteristics in nanometer regime and it is the emerging promising technology having unique properties such as high density, good scalability and have low power. This paper provides a brief study of Memristor and proposes a Memristor based 6T SRAM cell. The Power on and off for the case of power failure is done here by the help of tri-state buffer and Memristor used in the circuit helps to restore the previously written bit thereby making the proposed SRAM Non-Volatile.
Correlation between the mechanical cycling behavior and microstructure in laser welded joints using NiTi memory shape alloys

ix Abbreviations . xi Nomenclature . xii List of Figures . xv List of Tables . xix Preâmbulo . 1 Preamble . 1 Objectivos . 3 Objectives . 3 1 Introduction . 5 1.1 -Shape Memory Alloys . 5 1.1.1 Phase Diagram of the Ni-Ti System . 5 1.1.2 Martensitic Transformation Temperature . 7 1.1.3 Phase Transformation in SMAs . 8 1.2 Laser welding . 16 1.2.1 Basic Laser Fundamentals . 16 1.2.2 Laser welding of NiTi. 19 1.3 Justification of the Work Developed . 21 2 Materials and Methods . 23 2.1 Materials . 23 2.2 Welding Process . 23 2.3 – Characterization Techniques . 25 2.3. 1 Differential Scanning Calorimetry . 25 2.3. 2 Mechanical Tests . 25 2.3. 2.1 Uniaxial Static Tensile Tests . 25 2.3. 2.2 Cycling Tests . 25 2.3. 3 Shape Memory Effect Evaluation . 26 2.3. 4 X-ray Diffraction Analysis . 27 2.3. 4.1 Minor Introduction to X-ray Analysis . 27 2.3. 4.2 Experimental Set-up for the Base Material . 28
The Effects of Disclosure Regulation of an Innovative Firm

A firm actively manages its rival’s beliefs by disclosing and concealing information on the size of its process innovation. The firm’s disclosure strategy results from the trade-off between two effects on product market incentives. First, the firm’s competitor learns that the firm is efficient, which discourages the competitor. Second, the competitor becomes more efficient himself, since he can expropriate part of the disclosed knowledge, which encourages him. I characterize the equilibrium disclosure strategies for any knowledge spillover in a simple Cournot duopoly model, and illustrate the results graphically. Moreover, I compare the strategic disclosure equilibria with equilibria under non-strategic disclosure.
Recovery Capabilities of Rateless Codes on Simulated Turbulent Terrestrial Free Space Optics Channel Model

Free Space Optics (FSO) links are affected by several impairments: optical turbulence, scattering, absorption, and pointing. In particular, atmospheric optical turbulence generates optical power fluctuations at the receiver that can degrade communications with fading events, especially in high data rate links. Innovative solutions require an improvement of FSO link performances, together with testing models and appropriate channel codes. In this paper, we describe a high-resolution time-correlated channel model able to predict random temporal fluctuations of optical signal irradiance caused by optical turbulence. Concerning the same channel, we also report simulation results on the error mitigation performance of Luby Transform, Raptor, and RaptorQ codes.
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE AND THE BOARD’S LOCUS OF CONTROL – THE CASE OF THE ABI’S TREATMENT OF FOOTPRINTS

This paper discusses the degree to which codes of corporate governance and the guidelines that develop around them tend to shift the locus of control away from the board of directors. It is argued that even in principles-based codes of governance such outcomes are an unavoidable consequence and that policy makers should weigh such consequences carefully before promulgating codes and guidelines. The case of the treatment of footprints (incentive plan performance averaging periods) by the UK’s Association of British Insurers (ABI) is analysed to illustrate the problem.
The Antecedents of Consumer Participation in Consumption-related Communities: A Systematic Review of Prior Research

referees for their helpful and constructive comments. Marleen Relling is a doctoral student at Hamburg University, Institute of Marketing and Media, Chair of Marketing and Branding, Welckerstraße 8, 20354 Hamburg, Germany, Phone: +49 (0) 40 42838 8712, Fax: +49 (0) 40 42838 8715, E-Mail: Marleen.Relling@wiso.unihamburg. de The Antecedents of Consumer Participation in Consumption-related Communities: A Systematic Review of Prior Research
Investigation of toroidal acceleration and potential acceleration forces in EAST and J-TEXT plasmas

In order to produce intrinsic rotation, bulk plasmas must be collectively accelerated by the net force exerted on them, which results from both driving and damping forces. So, to study the possible mechanisms of intrinsic rotation generation, it is only needed to understand characteristics of driving and damping terms because the toroidal driving and damping forces induce net acceleration which generates in trinsic rotation. Experiments were performed on EAST and J-TEXT for ohmic plasmas with net counter- and co-current toroidal acceleration generated by density ramping-up and ramping-down. Additionally on EAST, net co-current toroidal acceleration was also formed by LHCD or ICRF. For the current experimental results, toroidal acceleration was between -50 km/s 2 in counter-current direction and 70 km/s 2 in co-current direction. According to toroidal momentum equation, toroidal electric field ( E ф ), electron-ion toroidal friction, and toroidal viscous force etc. may play roles in the evolution of toroidal rotation. To evaluate contribution of each term, we first analyze characteristics of E ф . E ф is one of the co-current toroidal forces that acts on the plasma as a whole and persists for the entire discharge period. It was shown to drive the co-current toroidal acceleration at a magnitude of 10 3 km/s 2 , which was much larger than the experimental toroidal acceleration observed on EAST and J-TEXT. So E ф is one of co-current forces producing co-current intrinsic toroidal acceleration and rotation. Meanwhile, it indicates that there must be a strong counter-current toroidal acceleration resulting from counter-current toroidal forces. Electron-ion toroidal friction is one of the counter-current toroidal forces because global electrons move in the counter-current direction in order to produce a toroidal plasma current.
Aleksandrov projection problem for convex lattice sets

Let $K$ and $L$ be origin-symmetric convex integer polytopes in $\mathbb{R}^n$. We study a discrete analogue of the Aleksandrov projection problem. If for every $u\in \mathbb{Z}^n$, the sets $(K\cap \mathbb{Z}^n)|u^\perp$ and $(L\cap \mathbb{Z}^n)|u^\perp$ have the same number of points, is then $K=L$? We give a positive answer to this problem in $\mathbb{Z}^2$ under an additional hypothesis that $(2K\cap \mathbb{Z}^2)|u^\perp$ and $(2L\cap \mathbb{Z}^2)|u^\perp$ have the same number of points.
Effects of Ox-LDL on Macrophages NAD(P)H Autofluorescence Changes by Two-photon Microscopy

Ox-LDL uptakes by macrophage play a critical role in the happening of atherosclerosis. Because of its low damage on observed cells and better signal-to- background ratio, two-photon excitation fluorescence microscopy is used to observe NAD(P)H autofluorescence of macrophage under difference cultured conditions- bare cover glass, coated with fibronectin or poly-D-lysine. The results show that the optimal condition is fibronectin coated surface, on which, macrophages profile can be clearly identified on NAD(P)H autofluorescence images collected by two-photon microscopy. Moreover, different morphology and intensities of autofluorescence under different conditions were observed as well. In the future, effects of ox-LDL on macrophages will be investigated by purposed system to research etiology of atherosclerosis.
Dynamics of Propagation Phenomena in Biological Pattern Formation

A large variety of complex spatio-temporal patterns emerge from the processes occurring in biological systems, one of them being the result of propagating phenomena. This wave-like structures can be modelled via reaction-diffusion equations. If a solution of a reaction-diffusion equation represents a travelling wave, the shape of the solution will be the same at all time and the speed of propagation of this shape will be a constant. Travelling wave solutions of reaction-diffusion systems have been extensively studied by several authors from experimental, numerical and analytical points-of-view. In this paper we focus on two reaction-diffusion models for the dynamics of the travelling waves appearing during the process of the cells aggregation. Using singular perturbation methods to study the structure of solutions, we can derive analytic formulae (like for the wave speed, for example) in terms of the different biochemical constants that appear in the models. The goal is to point out if the models can describe in quantitative manner the experimental observations.
Pollinator Response to Patch Distribution and Reproductive Consequences in Lasthenia californica

Premise​: The response of animal pollinators to the spatial distribution of plants is crucial to understanding how plant-pollinator interactions contribute to plant reproductive processes. For plant species that aggregate in patches, population attributessuch as the size and distribution of patches and the density of plantsmay affect pollinator visitation to a greater degree than characteristics of individual flowers. We examine how patch characteristics of the self-incompatible, vernal pool species ​Lasthenia californica​ (California goldfields) impact pollinator visitation using pollen load size and pollen germination rates to infer visitation patterns. Methods​: Plant density and the size and distribution of patches were estimated from aerial images captured during drone surveys of an upland prairie ecosystem in Southern Oregon. Pollen load sizes and number of compatible grains were quantified after staining with Alexander's Stain. Key Results​: We found that denser patches receive the highest deposition of compatible pollen on stigmas. Large patches have an accumulation of low quality pollen and reduced pollen germination success, most likely due to pollinators moving genetically-related pollen within patches. Conclusions​: Patterns of pollinator behavior inferred from the quantity and quality of pollen deposited on stigmas are consistent with optimal foraging theory. Pollinators optimize foraging by preferentially moving within patches that are larger or are in close proximity to larger patches. Our results suggest that individual patch characteristics do not significantly affect overall pollinator visitation rates, but the distribution of patches contributes to pollinator behavior.
Expression and structural-functional alterations of α-1-acid glycoprotein at the pathological state

Introduction. Comprehensive analysis of molecular mechanisms of developing pathological states is of both theoretical and practical importance for creation sensitive and specific diagnostics and search for new medicines. Nowadays it is known that the majority of pathological states are connected with the changes in synthesis and posttranslational modifications of certain proteins, which received a common name of acute phase proteins (APPs). One of the most well-known APPs is a-acid glycoprotein (AGP), or orosomucoid – an acute inflammation protein of all mammals. Despite a significant number of studies, many issues remain unclear, including structural and functional changes of this glycoprotein during diseases. This review generalises modern literature data on AGP expression, peculiarities of its glycolysation at the development of pathological states, and perspectives of further investigation. Structural Organisation of AGP. The only polypeptide chain of orosomucoid consists of 181 amino acid residues and contains two disulfide bonds between cysteine residues, namely Cys5-Cys147 and Cys72-Cys164. At pH 7.4, a protein part of AGP molecule contains 15% of a-helixes, 41% of b-sheets, 12% of b-helixes, and 24% of non-ordered structures. The secondary and ternary structures of this protein are foreseen by IR and Raman-spectroscopy. The protein is supposed to consist of eight antiparallel b-structures, forming so called b-cylinder with hydrophobic pocket in the middle, which participates in binding some medicines due to the presence of three tryptophan residues [1]. Nishi et al. in their experiments with desialylated and restored AGP revealed a natural tendency to form a-helixes while disulfide bonds are intermediate links between b-sheet and a-helix structures. Moreover, the absence of histidine residue in position 172 prevents the formation of a-helixes and the interaction between protein and biomembranes [2].
A Technical Note on Gallium Nitride Technology and short Qualitative Review of its Novel Applications

The increasing importance of the Gallium Nitride (GaN) Technology in finding newer applications in the device fabricatioin, has led to a spurt in the research efforts on this evolving topic. The present paper discusses technically (a) Designing based on the interdependence of the important performance parameters, (b)Some of the important devices like – (i) New Kind of Nanotubes, (ii) Laser Diodes, (iii) High-resolution Printings, (iv) Solar Cells, and (v) Microwave Radio-Frequency and Power Amplifiers, besides bringing out the salient features of GaN technology. The novel papers on the subject depicting the newer trends and novel applications have also been qualitatively reviewed.
Fermionization dynamics of a strongly interacting one-dimensional Bose gas after an interaction quench

We study the dynamics of a one-dimensional Bose gas after a sudden change of the interaction strength from zero to a finite value using the numerical time-evolving block decimation (TEBD) algorithm. It is shown that despite the integrability of the system, local quantities such as the two-particle correlation g(2)(x, x) attain steady-state values in a short characteristic time inversely proportional to the Tonks parameter γ and the square of the density. The asymptotic values are very close to those of a finite temperature grand canonical ensemble, with a local temperature corresponding to the initial energy and density. Non-local density–density correlations, however, approach a steady state on a much larger time scale determined by the finite propagation velocity of oscillatory correlation waves.
A new geometrical framework for time-dependent Hamiltonian Mechanics

In a recent paper [1, 2], a new mathematical setting for the formulation of Classical Mechanics, automatically embodying the gauge invariance of the theory under arbitrary transformations L → L + df dt of the Lagrangian has been proposed. The construction relies on the introduction of a principal fiber bundle π : P → Vn+1 over the configuration space–time Vn+1, with structural group (<, +), referred to as the bundle of affine scalars. The analysis developed in [1] was mainly centered on the gauge–theoretical aspects of the subject. In this paper, we shall examine the basic themes of Hamiltonian Mechanics in the newer context. The discussion will illustrate the simplicity and efficiency of the approach, as compared with the more traditional ones [3], . ,[11]. For convenience of the reader, the construction of the Hamiltonian bundles is briefly reviewed in §2. The resulting geometrical scheme is applied in §3 to the study of the following topics: • symplectic structure of the Hamiltonian bundle H(Vn+1); associated Poisson structure of the phase space Π(Vn+1); Hamiltonian dynamics, as the study of sections h : Π(Vn+1) → H(Vn+1); • canonical transformations, as a subgroup of the group of symplectic transformations over H(Vn+1); • Hamilton–Jacobi theory; in particular, geometrical interpretation of the Hamilton–Jacobi equation in the bundle H(Vn+1). †Research partly supported by the National Group for Mathematical Physics (GNFM– INDAM).
Classifications and Definitions of Normal Joints

The anatomical definition of a joint (articulation) is the location where two or more bones, or any rigid parts of the skeleton, connect with each other. It forms a mechanical support to the skeleton and allows a variety of movements in different ranges between the rigid skeletal elements. Some joints, such as the sutures between cranial bones, allow very little or no movement. Other joints, such as the shoulder and hip joints, allow free movement in a large range [1].
An Efficient 2-D DOA Estimation for a Cylindrical Conformal Array with Unknown Mutual Coupling

The limited space of a conformal array may lead to a serious mutual coupling effect, which will significantly affect the performance of direction of arrival (DOA) estimation algorithms. In this paper, an efficient 2-D direction finding method is developed in the presence of unknown mutual coupling for the uniform cylindrical conformal array (CCA). To avoid the time-consuming two-dimensional spectral peak searching, the 2-D DOA estimation is decoupled and divided into two 1-D DOA estimations. Elevation is first estimated based on a subarray estimation of signal parameters via rotation invariant technique (ESPRIT), and then azimuth is estimated based on the rank reduction (RARE) method by using the elevation estimation result. Consequently, the mutual coupling coefficients can be estimated after getting the DOA estimates. The proposed method can well calibrate the mutual coupling effect of a cylindrical array with a low computational complexity. The final simulation results corroborate our analysis.