Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Interest Rate Ceilings and Financial Exclusion in Kenya: Evidence from Commercial Banks’ Sectoral Credit Distribution

The Finance Act that was amended in November 2019 in Kenya saw the removal of the caps on interest charged on loans. The motive of repeal of interest rate caps was to encourage the commercial banks to offer credit to Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and other sectors of the economy. The interest rate caps that were implemented in September 2016 led to a significant reduction in lending to the private sector and in particular the small and medium size enterprises and the rural poor which were financially excluded by commercial banks. The main objective of the study was to find out whether interest rate caps contributed to financial exclusion in Kenya’s commercial banks’ sectoral credit portfolio. The target population of the study was 11 private sectors that benefit from commercial banks credit in Kenya. Secondary balanced panel monthly data spanning from January 2016 to December 2019 was used in the study. Fixed effects panel data regression model was used to analyze the data. The results from the study showed a positive and statistically significant relationship between interest rate ceiling and financial exclusion implying that interest rate ceilings affects credit access leading to financial exclusion in Kenya. The results for inflation rate indicated a negative but statistically significant relationship between inflation and financial exclusion implying that inflation affects loan credit growth. The results for exchange rate and public debt are statistically insignificant, suggesting that they do not have an effect on credit access in Kenya’s commercial banks. Contribution/Originality: This study is one of very few studies which have investigated on the effect of interest rate ceilings on financial exclusion in Kenya by focusing on stock of credit to private sector using fixed effects panel data regression model.
Stature Estimation from Hand and Foot Dimensions Reveals a Similar Allometric Relationship in Sudanese Arabs and Somalis

Population-specific anthropometric standards serve as a guide to forensic practitioners for identification purposes. However, few studies have observed on whether the relationship between stature and body parts differs among populations. Our aim is to first assess the validity of using hand and foot dimensions to estimate stature in two geographically similar but linguistically different populations, Sudanese Arabs and Somalis, and then secondly to assess whether the relationship between hand and foot dimensions and stature differ among these populations. Standard anthropometric measurements were used to assess sexual dimorphism. Regressions were performed to establish the relationship between body parts and stature and were compared among the populations to describe the allometry. Comparisons between regression coefficients reveal that 1) stature has the same relationship with hand and foot lengths in each population and 2) the relationship between stature/hand length and foot length is the same (isometric) in both populations. These results suggest a close affinity between the two groups. Hand and foot length can be used to estimate the stature of individuals but not to identify sex or differentiate one population from the other.
Analysis of the Promoter Hypermethylation of Chosen Tumor Suppressor Genes in Laryngeal Cancer

Background: DNA hypermethylation is one of the epigenetic mechanisms leading to transcriptional inactivation of genes and shows tissue and tumor-type specificity. Methods: We evaluated DNA deletions/duplications as well as hypermethylation status of chosen tumor suppressors in 57 laryngeal squamous cell carcinomas using MS-MLPA. Results: We observed a significantly higher frequency of gene methylation and deletions in cancer cells compared to normal laryngeal cells. In tumor cells, hypermethylation is also often observed at ESR1 and CDH13, TIMP3, RARB, while CDKN2B hypermethylation appears to be increased in both normal and tumor cells. Deletions suggest the presence of genetic instability in LSCC and in tumors are associated with low values of tumor size and stage. The risk of metastases increased with at least 3 deletions in the laryngeal tumor, in particular with deletion at the FHIT locus, also with at least 3 hypermethylated sites in normal laryngeal cells. Conclusion: The results of our study confirm involvement of both epigenetic and genetic events in laryngeal cancer development.
Relationship between URAT1 Gene Polymorphism and Uric Acid-Lowering Effect of Losartan in Hypertensive Patients with Hyperuricemia

To investigate the relationship between urate iransporter-1 gene polymorphism and the uric acid-lowering effect of losartan in hypertensive patients complicated with hyperuricemia, polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism was used to identify the genotypes of 100 hypertensive patients with hyperuricemia and 100 healthy controls. The experimental group patients received oral administration of 100 mg losartan for 14 d. Blood pressure, uric acid, creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, triglyceride, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, small and dense low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and fasting plasma glucose were measured before and after treatment. There was no significant difference in the frequency distribution of alleles and genotypes of rs7929627, rs75786299 and rs3825017 between the two groups. After treatment, the levels of uric acid, creatinine, blood urea nitrogen and fasting plasma glucose were significantly decreased and the levels of uric acid and creatinine in hypertensive patients with hyperuricemia were significantly lower than those with TT genotype (p<0.05). The rs7929627, rs75786299, and rs3825017 of the URAT1 gene could affect the uric acid-lowering effect of losartan.
Gibberellin A3 mediated decreased transcriptional rate, mRNA stability and non-competitive inhibition of DNA methyltransferases in tobacco

The present work aims to examine the underlying molecular mechanism(s) for the reduced transcriptions and activities of DNA methyltransferases (NtDNMTs) by gibberellin A3 (GA3) in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L). Nuclear run-on and cordycepin chase assays demonstrated a significant reduction in the transcriptional rate and transcript half-lives of NtMET1 and NtCMT3 by GA3. Lineweaver-Burk plot analysis revealed a non-competitive mode of inhibition of NtDNMTs activity by GA3. Taken together, both in vivo and in vitro studies clearly demonstrated the altered transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation as a mechanism of inhibition in expression and activity of NtDNMTs by GA3.
When Do We Need the Blockchain?

The questions “When do we use the blockchain? ” or “Where do we use the blockchain? ” or “Why do we use the blockchain? ” look simple, but these questions become complicated due to the increasing utilization of the blockchain. These days, it is being explored as a standard security solution. The blockchain has unique properties, and these are entirely different from other standard security or cryptography solutions. This article gives a summary of the uses of the blockchain, while answering the above three important questions.
Predator control on farmland for biodiversity conservation: a case study from Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand

Invasive predator control to protect native fauna usually takes place in native habitat. We investigated the effects of predator control across 6000 ha of multi-tenure, pastoral landscape in Hawke’s Bay, North Island, New Zealand. Since 2011, low-cost predator control has been conducted using a network of kill traps for mustelids (Mustela spp.), and live trapping for feral cats (Felis catus). Although not deliberately targeted, other invasive mammals (particularly hedgehogs Erinaceus europaeus) were also trapped. We monitored predators and native prey in the predator-removal area and an adjacent non-treatment area. Predator populations were monitored using large tracking tunnels, which also detected native lizards. Invertebrates were monitored using artificial shelters (weta houses). Occupancy modelling showed that site use by cats and hedgehogs was significantly lower in the predator-removal area than in the non-treatment area. Site use by mustelids also appeared to be lower in the treatment area, although sample sizes were too small to allow firm conclusions. Site use by invasive rats (Rattus spp.) was higher in the treatment area, while that of house mice (Mus musculus) showed no difference between treatments. There was evidence of positive responses of some native biodiversity, with site use by native lizards increasing significantly in the treatment area, but not in the non-treatment area. Counts of native cockroaches were higher in the treatment area, but other invertebrates were detected in similar numbers in both areas. Our results show that low-cost predator control in a pastoral landscape can reduce invasive predator populations, with apparent benefits for some, but not all, native fauna.
An unusual presentation requiring an unusual intervention

Stanford type A aortic dissection is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Acute myocardial infarction is a rare complication and can occur in 3% of patients due to retrograde extension of the dissection leading to coronary malperfusion. Involvement of the right coronary artery is more common. On the other hand, Left Main Coronary Artery (LMCA) occlusion is unusual and if unrecognised, can result in rapid hemodynamic deterioration with cardiogenic shock and eventually death. Emergent surgical repair is the definitive treatment. Intra-Aortic Balloon Pump (IABP) is frequently used in the setting of cardiogenic shock due to LMCA stenosis. In this case it was inserted before the diagnosis of type A aortic dissection was made. This represents a unique case of type A aortic dissection resulting in severe ostial left main coronary artery stenosis in which the IABP was successfully used as a bridge therapy to definitive surgical repair.
Personalities Of Mated Pairs And Parental Provisioning Coordination In Eastern Bluebirds

Animal personality is characterized by consistent similar reactions by an individual across contexts and time. Although individual personality is known to influence fitness, the extent to which similarity of pair personality influences fitness in monogamous animals with a system of bi-parental care is not well studied. Previous research from my focal population demonstrated that eastern bluebirds (Sialia sialis) that are mated pairs display similar personalities (as measured by aggression toward conspecifics) and that those with similarity personalities produced higher-quality offspring in highly competitive environments. However, the mechanisms behind this trend are not well studied. In Chapter 2, I document that individual bluebirds also show repeatable behavior traits (animal personality) when measured as parental defense aggression and parental provisioning to offspring. Further, I show that mated pairs of bluebirds tend to display similar personalities. In Chapter 3, I demonstrate that parental coordination of parental provisioning behavior and, thereby, reproductive success is influenced by the local community of tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor), a novel (~40 years) and invasive interspecific competitor. Overall, my thesis suggests that pair behavior may allow parents to coordinate feeding behavior more equitably and that this can improve fitness in a context dependent way.
Sentiment Analysis on Indonesian Political Hoaxes

—Distinguishing between hoaxes and real news from a linguistic perspective requires further identification than can be provided by structural analysis. The study of emotions and sentiments contained in the text is also important, since these can indicate the author’s mental state, rhetorical position, attitude, judgment, and relationship with an object or event. This study aimed to analyze how emotions and sentiments emerge and play a role in hoaxes, employing qualitative methods and the appraisal theory framework of Martin and White [1]. Data were limited to five hoax texts, with five news texts from official sources used for comparative analysis. All texts were political in nature. Analysis was conducted using qualitative methods, such as annotation, description, interpretation, and comparison between kinds of text. The study found that (1) hoax texts are dominated by negative sentiments with strong semantics, (2) hoax texts tend to be affective and judgmental, and (3) hoax authors try to write texts as similar as possible to real news, often using a heterogloss voice to convey statements. When a monogloss voice is used, an attribute embedding process is dominant. These findings indicate that emotions and sentiments play a significant role in hoax claims and that appraisal theory can address deeper and broader aspects of sentiment analysis in texts.
Ancoragem de genomas incompletos em genomas completos

An usual genome project has three steps. The first one, called sequencing and assembling, consists in determining the exact sequence of each chromosome. The second one, called annotation, consists in finding out the exact position of all chromosome genes, the proteins they produce and what the function of these proteins. Finally, the third step aims the analysis of the genome by determining its specific and common functionalities. Sometimes the first step is not completed. In these cases, instead of a set of chromosomes, one has only a set of contiguous and disjoint pieces, called contigs. Nevertheless, it is still possible draw conclusions about the organism functionalities. This work consists of a study of some sequence comparison tools, aiming using them as a mapping tool of contigs of an incomplete genome onto a close related complete genome. In this way it is possible to help projects in which the goal is just understanding important biological features without finishing the whole genome.
Effects of Abiotic Factors on Phenolic Compounds in the Grape Berry – A Review

Grape berry phenolic compounds are widely described in literature. Phenolics can be divided into two main groups: flavonoids and non-flavonoids, of which the flavonoids are the most important. The two bestknown groups of flavonoids are the anthocyanins and condensed tannins (also called proanthocyanidins). Anthocyanins are responsible for the red colour in grapes. The condensed tannins (proanthocyanidins) are responsible for some major wine sensorial properties (astringency, browning, and turbidity) and are involved in the wine ageing processes. This review summarises flavonoid synthesis in the grape berry and the impact of environmental factors on the accumulation rate during ripening of each of the flavonoids. The impact of the accumulated flavonoids in grapes and the resulting impact on the sensorial aspects of the wine are also discussed.
Association of Diet Quality with Fall Risk among Community-Dwelling Older Adults in a Fall-Prevention Program

Falls are a serious threat to older adults' quality of life. Evidence is lacking regarding the influence of diet on fall risk factors. This study aims to assess the relationship between diet, functional measures, and fall risk among older adults participating in a fall-prevention intervention. Cross-sectional analysis of baseline data from 192 participants with an average age of 70.9 years was conducted using Chi-square tests, t-test, Wilcoxon test, and nominal logistic analysis. Based on Dietary Screening Tool (DST) scores, 39.5% of participants were classified as nutritionally being “at-risk,” 46.1% were at “possible-risk,” and 14.4% were “notat-risk. ” Fall risk was assessed using the Stopping Elderly Accidents, Deaths, and Injuries (STEADI) classifications. There were no significant associations between the “not at fall risk” group and “at fall risk” groups in terms of DST total score (p=0.97), protein score (p=0.27), multivitamin use (p=0.73) and DST risk categories (p=0.64). In the correlation analysis, the DST total scores had a positive correlation with total physical activities (r=0.1648, p=0.029), and a negative correlation with body mass index (BMI) (r=-0.1496, p=0.04) and depression (r=-0.1433, p=0.048). In the nominal logistic analysis, neither of the primary predictors, total DST score or DST protein score, showed significance with STEADI fall risk categories. In each model, the Four-Square Step Test (FSST), an indicator of greater risk of future falls, had the closet likelihood ratio test to the statistical trend as the major component associated with STEADI risk categories. A significant relationship between diet, functional measures, and fall risk was not detected.
A Low-Cost Substrate Integrated Suspended Line Platform With Multiple Inner Boards and Its Applications in Coupled-Line Circuits

This article proposes a novel substrate integrated suspended line (SISL) platform with multiple inner boards, and it uses all FR4 material with very low cost. A new coupling scheme which significantly eliminates the dielectric loss is proposed. When compared with the conventional multilayer coupled-line circuits where the coupling is from one metal layer to another metal layer on the same board, the proposed coupling scheme is between different inner boards, and there is almost no lossy substrate in the coupling region. As demonstration cases, a broadside coupled-line coupler and a coupled-line Marchand balun are designed, fabricated, and measured. The obtained performances are excellent when compared with the state of art, though very low-cost FR4 materials are used. The proposed coupled-line circuits based on multiple inner board SISL using FR4 material have advantages of low loss, low cost, and self-packaging.
Structural Extension of Polar Codes via Simplex Kernels

In this paper, we introduce a structural extension method of polar codes as a new code modification method. Structural extension is a systematic method of generating additional codeword bits from the mother code by selecting intermediate bits obtained in the middle of the polar encoding. We start by studying simplex-extension from a $2\times 2$ local polarization kernel, and then, we generalize this method to construct polar codes of arbitrary lengths. This extension method does not change the original polar code structure, and thus, the conventional encoder and decoder can be employed with a slight modification. We present a code construction tool by modifying density evolution to design punctured, shortened, and extended polar codes. By analysis and numerical experiments, we show that the proposed structural extension method enables to achieve an excellent tradeoff between performance and implementation complexity.
Reinforcement Learning Based Efficiency Optimization Scheme for the DAB DC–DC Converter With Triple-Phase-Shift Modulation

Aim to improve the power efficiency of the dual-active-bridge (DAB) dc–dc converter, an efficiency optimization scheme with triple-phase-shift (TPS) modulation using reinforcement learning (RL) is proposed in this article. More specifically, the Q-learning algorithm, as a typical algorithm of the RL, is applied to train an agent offline to obtain an optimized modulation strategy, and then the trained agent provides control decisions online in a real-time manner for the DAB dc–dc converter according to the current operating environment. The main objective is to obtain the optimal phase-shift angles for the DAB dc–dc converter, which can achieve the maximum power efficiency by reducing the power losses. Moreover, all possible operation modes of the TPS modulation are considered during the offline training process of the Q-learning algorithm. Thus, the cumbersome process for selecting the optimal operation mode in the conventional schemes can be circumvented successfully. Based on these merits, the proposed efficiency optimization scheme using the RL can realize the excellent performances for the whole load conditions and voltage conversion ratios. Finally, a 1.2-KW prototyped is built, and the simulation and the experimental results demonstrate that the power efficiency can be improved by using the optimization scheme based on the RL.
An RKHS Approach to Estimation with Gaussian Random Field

One popular approach to estimating an unknown function from noisy data is the use of a regularized optimization over a reproducing kernel Hilbert space (RKHS). The solution belongs to a ﬁnite-dimensional function space. If we assume the additive measurement noise is Gaussian, then there is a well known statistical interpretation that the RKHS estimate represents the posterior mean (minimum variance estimate) of a Gaussian random ﬁeld with covariance proportional to the kernel associated with the RKHS. In this thesis, we calculate the sharp upper bound of the error of the RKHS estimate (given unit RKHS norm of the underlying function). We also present a statistical interpretation for general loss functions, by assuming the density of prior is in exponential form in terms of RKHS norm and then give some simulation examples.
A 12-GHz Calibration-Free All-Digital PLL for FMCW Signal Generation With 78 MHz/μs Chirp Slope and High Chirp Linearity

A novel all-digital phase-locked loop (ADPLL) for fast and high-linear FMCW signal generation is presented in this paper. Fast chirp slope is enabled by two-point modulation (TPM) technique and ramp linearity distortion induced by digitally- controlled oscillator (DCO) is suppressed by wide loop bandwidth. A calibration-free retiming fractional frequency dividing (FFD) scheme based on digital phase interpolator (DPI) is proposed to suppress the <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\Delta \Sigma $ </tex-math></inline-formula> quantization noise and break the loop bandwidth limitation. A parasitic insensitive DPI is utilized in the retiming FFD scheme to achieve high-linear phase interpolation. A high frequency resolution DCO with 9.8-kHz/bit least significant bit (LSB) and a vernier time-to-digital convertor (TDC) with 2.3-ps time resolution are employed to further minimize the quantization noise. Implemented in 40-nm CMOS, the ADPLL prototype consumes 33.8 mW power and 0.32 mm<sup>2</sup> chip area. Measurement results show that 78 MHz/<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\mu \text{s}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> maximum chirp slope is achieved with 167 kHz root-mean-square (RMS) frequency error. The minimum RMS frequency error is only 5.6 kHz when 300 MHz frequency is swept in 1 ms. The phase noise from 12.15 GHz carrier is −113.6 dBc/Hz at 1-MHz offset.
Cultivating Happiness: Effects, Underlying Mechanisms, and Moderators of Positive-Psychological Interventions

One of the flagship exercises in positive psychology is the best-possible-self (BPS) intervention, which has been repeatedly shown to increase positive affect. Yet little is known about the intervention’s underlying psychological mechanisms. We propose that goal ambivalence and positive future expectations should operate as mediators because both variables might be affected by the BPS intervention and have been shown to promote positive affect. To investigate this issue, we randomized clusters of 188 psychology undergraduates to write about either their best possible future or their previous day. Participants reported goal ambivalence, positive future expectations, and positive affect before, immediately after, and 1 week after the intervention. Path analysis results indicated that the BPS intervention increased positive affect and decreased goal ambivalence up to 1 week later. Neither goal ambivalence nor positive future expectations mediated the effect of the BPS intervention on positive affect in the week after its implementation. Future studies should investigate how repeated administrations of the BPS intervention affect goal ambivalence over time and whether resulting lower levels of distress might explain the intervention’s effect on depressive symptoms.