Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Farmers’ Perception of Factors Hampering Maize Yield in Rain-Fed Region of Pind Dadan Khan, Pakistan

Maize production in rain-fed region is affected up to greater extent by resource availability, socioeconomic and abiotic factors. Present study was aimed to assess and analyze farmers’ perceptions of factors impairing maize yield in Pind Daden Khan region of Pakistan. Data were collected from randomly selected 125 maize growers from five villages of the region. Investigations revealed that majority of farmers (approx. 59.5%) were aware of recommended maize production, cultural and protection practices, but with a small proportion (33%) of adoptees. Whereas, 80% of farmers were found with percpective that marketing uncertainty was affecting dramatically the yield of maize crop, the reason is gap between input application and output profit is creating frustration among farmers. Temperature was considered as the leading agent amongst many others climatic factors causing maize yield decrease in the studied region. An overwhelming majority (96% and 71.2%) of respondents were aware of time of irrigation at sowing and post-germination; and 91.2% and 55.2% had adopted them, respectively. Almost 50% of respondents adopted the recommended plant protection measures. Revealed results suggest a strong policy implementation regarding better marketing as well as agricultural extension services in the region and facilitation of crop fixed and variable inputs supply by introducing micro–credit loan schemes to maize farmers of studied area.
A NOVEL APPROACHES TOWARDS STEGANOGRAPHY

For increase network security of messages sent on internet the steganography is mostly preferred. To transmit data secretly steganography is used in open system environment. In this paper discussed the reviews of image steganography and the general framework of image steganography using different method. Steganography is nothing but art of hide information behind the other information without leaving remarkable track on original message. Keywords— Cryptography, Steganography, Watermarking,
Depression ( Psychclogyl : * Personality Traits : Psychopathology : * Rating Scales : Recall ( Psychology ) : * Self Concept Measures : Self Evaluation ( Individuals ) : Test

ABSTRACT Recent studies have suggested--that depressives process personal information in a biased and negative self-referential manner. Normative ratings on a variety of "depressed', and "nondepressed" adjectives were obtained to investigate the exact nature of information processing in depressives. Subjects rated adjectives on depressive content, imagery, social desirability, and emotionality. Two groups of words emerged from this study, differing significantly in depressive-ccntent but equivalent in imagery word-frequency, and word-length values. Knowledge of these word attributes will permit their systematic inclusion in cognitive research paradigms for the study of information processing and self-referencing in depression. (Author /CS)
Receptor Mediated Oral Delivery Of Bioencapsulated Green Fluorescent Protein Expressed In Transgenic Chloroplasts

The skyrocketing costs of prescription medicine in developed countries and their lack of availability in developing countries are the most challenging problems of human health. Primary reasons for such high cost are fermentation-based production, expensive purification methods, the need for low temperature storage and transportation and the delivery through sterile injections. Most of these expenses could be minimized or eliminated when therapeutic proteins are expressed and orally delivered via plant cells. Chloroplasts have the machinery to fold complex and biologically active eukaryotic proteins in the soluble chloroplast stromal compartment. Protein expression through chloroplast transformation system offers a number of advantages over nuclear transformation such as a high level of transgene expression (up to 47% of the total soluble protein), due to the presence of 10,000 copies of the transgene per cell, which is uniquely advantageous for oral delivery of adequate amounts of the therapeutic protein or vaccine antigen. It is also an environmentally friendly approach due to effective gene containment and lack of transgene expression in pollen since the chloroplast genome is maternally inherited. To study receptor-mediated oral delivery of therapeutic proteins using the transmucosal carrier cholera toxin B subunit (CTB), a CTB-GFP fusion protein separated by a furin cleavage site was expressed via the tobacco chloroplast genome and used as a visible marker. Site specific integration of the transgene was confirmed by PCR analysis. Southern blot analysis confirmed homoplasmy. Immunoblot analysis confirmed the expression of both the monomeric as well as the pentameric forms of CTB-GFP in
POLITICAL INTEREST AND POLICY SATISFACTION ON YOUTH ONLINE POLITICAL PARTICIPATION IN MALAYSIA AISHAT

The non-participation of youths in the politics of their nation is a global phenomenon. Yet not much research is being carried out in this area. Thus, this study conducted a cross sectional survey of 168 randomly selected Malaysian undergraduate students of Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) to find out if Access to Information on Facebook and Twitter (APIFT), Political Interest (PI) and Policy Satisfaction (PS) leads to Online Political Participation on Facebook and Twitter (OPPFT). Data was analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLSSEM). The results of this study revealed there is a significant positive relationship between APIFT, PI and OPPFT, however PS was not significantly related to OPPFT. This shows that while PS does not lead to OPPFT among youths in Malaysia, APIFT and PI promotes OPPFT among this group. Consequently, access to information and political interest could be used to engender Malaysian youth’s participation in politics. Aside empirically adding to the growing body of knowledge on political participation, this study has implication both in terms of theory and practice in the field of political communication.
Heartwood extractives in larch and effects on X-ray densitometry

The genus Larix is exceptional for its high content of extractives in the heartwood, with the dominating component arabinogalactan found abundantly in cell lumens of tracheids. On samples prepared from 100 European larch (Larix decidua Mill.) and hybrid larch (L. decidua × Larix kaempferi (Lamb.) Carr. ) trees, extractive contents and wood density were measured using X-ray densitometry. A strong relationship between the amount of hot water extract- ives and the loss of density owing to the extraction process was found. Prior to extraction, increasing extractive content went hand-in-hand with higher wood density. At the heartwood-sapwood boundary, the density level dropped. After ac- etone and hot water extraction, the drop was no longer visible. Without proper consideration of the extractives in larch growth sites, comparisons in wood quality studies looking at wood density differences may become faulty, breeding studies could lead to incorrect selection strategies, and tree-ring studies may not deliver the expected climatic signals. Hence, hot water extractions should take place prior to radiation exposure. Resume : Le bois de cœur du genre Larix a un contenu en matieres extractibles exceptionnellement eleve, surtout en arabinogalactane qui est abondamment present dans le lumen des tracheides. Le contenu en matieres extractibles et la densite du bois determinee par radiodensitometrie ont ete mesures sur des echantillons provenant de 100 melezes d'Europe (L. decidua Mill.) et melezes hybrides (L. decidua × Larix kaempferi (Lamb.) Carr. ). Une relation etroite a ete observee entre la quantite de matieres extractibles a l'eau chaude et la perte de densite due au processus d'extraction. Un contenu en matieres extractibles eleve allait de pair avec une densite plus elevee du bois avant l'extraction. La densite diminuait a la limite entre le bois de cœur et le bois d'aubier. Cette diminution n'etait plus ap- parente apres une extraction a l'eau chaude et a l'acetone. Les comparaisons entre les sites ou croit le meleze dans les etudes sur la qualite du bois qui s'interessent a la densite du bois peuvent s'averer erronees, les etudes sur l'amelioration genetique pourraient mener a de mauvaises strategies de selection et les etudes dendrochronologiques pourraient ne pas livrer les signaux climatiques attendus si on accorde pas une attention appropriee aux matieres ex- tractibles. (Traduit par la Redaction) Grabner et al. 2786
Stochastic Modeling of Solar Flare Duration at Pakistan Atmospheric Region

Energy incident from the Sun is the chief deriving force responsible for all physical process existing in our terrestrial system. It is interesting to note that solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation created ozone in our stratosphere by the dissociation of O 2 molecules. On the other hand, the streams of solar particle flux deplete ozone by creating NO x in our atmosphere. It is therefore, an important task to quantify the contribution of solar activity on OLD with the scientific assurance. In this communication the stochastic models of solar flare duration as solar activity have been investigated. Digisonde, at SUPARCO, HQ one of the ground based device provide us the record of solar flare duration by investigating the ionosphere disturbance. The behavior of solar activity have accomplished by the stochastic modeling in addition to their residual analysis. Since there are two major kinds of flares, it is necessary to establish what the different parametric configurations that causes their difference and their behavior in solar terrestrial relationship. Evidences suggest that gradual flares may become serious threat for our atmospheric and terrestrial disturbances. Their frequency most closely related with high activity periods. However sometimes this could be accomplished in low activity period as well. Hence, it is quite relevant to study theoretical and observational aspects of both high and low activity periods. The data recorded from March 1979 to March 2006 was consisting of mixed flares.
Emergent Evaluation: An initial Exploration of a Formative Framework for Evaluating Distance Learning Modules

Evaluation of student learning is becoming ever more important in higher education, partly because of increasingly performative structures within universities, and partly as the result of a developing interest in rolling development of curricula and teaching resources. Historically, for both face-to-face provision and distance learning, such evaluation has generally been captured by end-of-module questionnaires. Whilst these evaluative media may capture some reflections of student learning, they are often poorly focused, and rely wholly on summative perspectives which are captured at a point remote to the learning process itself. The current paper reports on an initial investigation centring on developing a formative framework for evaluating distance learning modules. It is distinguished from typical summative questionnaire evaluations by the collection of “live” feedback from students as they undertake a module, allowing for insight and feedforward to develop materials as students undertake the module. This is achieved by using a modified version of an approach called Lesson Study, a collaborative planning and evaluation tool which originated in Japan (Lewis et al., 2009).
Imaging the complexity of an active normal fault system: The 1997 Colfiorito (central Italy) case study

[1] Six moderate magnitude earthquakes (5 < Mw < 6) ruptured normal fault segments of the southern sector of the North Apennine belt (central Italy) in the 1997 Colfiorito earthquake sequence. We study the progressive activation of adjacent and nearby parallel faults of this complex normal fault system using ∼1650 earthquake locations obtained by applying a double-difference location method, using travel time picks and waveform cross-correlation measurements. The lateral extent of the fault segments range from 5 to 10 km and make up a broad, ∼45 km long, NW trending fault system. The geometry of each segment is quite simple and consists of planar faults gently dipping toward SW with an average dip of 40°–45°. The fault planes are not listric but maintain a constant dip through the entire seismogenic volume, down to 8 km depth. We observe the activation of faults on the hanging wall and the absence of seismicity in the footwall of the structure. The observed fault segmentation appears to be due to the lateral heterogeneity of the upper crust: preexisting thrusts inherited from Neogene's compressional tectonic intersect the active normal faults and control their maximum length. The stress tensor obtained by inverting the six main shock focal mechanisms of the sequence is in agreement with the tectonic stress active in the inner chain of the Apennine, revealing a clear NE trending extension direction. Aftershock focal mechanisms show a consistent extensional kinematics, 70% of which are mechanically consistent with the main shock stress field.
CHALLENGES OF STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION AT THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE IN KENYA

Strategic thinking can be divided into two segments; strategy formulation and strategy implementation. Implementation of Strategy being the second phase of strategic management makes it a crucial stage in strategy management process as it unites organization behind strategy and ensures that activities are done in a manner that tightly matches requirement for first rate strategy implementation. However, implementation of strategy cannot take effect until they take the shape in action like day to day processes and relationships that exists in organizations. This research project sought to determine the challenges faced by the Ministry of Finance in their strategic plan implementation and it also sought to establish how the Ministry of Finance deals with the challenges in the implementation of the strategic plan. To achieve the stated objectives a case study research design was used and primary data was collected in September 2012, interview guide was administered by interviewing on two secretaries and five heads of departments. The respondents were office of Financial Secretary through Head of Central Planning Unit and Permanent Secretary through Director of Administration. The five Heads of Departments all responded making a total of seven respondents representing 100% response rate.Content analysis was used to analyze the data which confirmed the challenges faced by Ministry of Finance in their Strategic plan implementation and organizational structure, communication culture and resource mobilization. Lack of scheme of service seemed to have been the most challenging factor for Ministry of Finance strategic Plan Implementation.
Fabrication of an advanced asymmetric supercapacitor based on a microcubical PB@MnO2 hybrid and PANI/GNP composite with excellent electrochemical behaviour

Metal Organic Framework (MOF) based supercapacitors are one of the best energy storage devices for future portable electronics. In this study, we report in detail the design and low-cost fabrication of an advanced asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) which was assembled with a Prussian blue (PB)/MnO2 (PB@MnO2) hybrid as the positive electrode and a polyaniline (PANI)/graphene nanoplatelet (GNP) (PG) composite as the negative electrode with aq. KNO3 electrolyte. Both the electrodes were made by the coating of the respective electrode materials on conducting stainless steel (SS) fabric. The MOF based positive electrode material, i.e., the PB@MnO2 hybrid was synthesized via reducing agent assisted chemical bath deposition of MnO2 nanolayers on faradaic PB microcubes and showed an appreciable specific capacitance (Csp) of 608 F g−1 at 1 A g−1 current density in the three-electrode measurement and the assembled PB@MnO2//PG ASC device manifests favourable Csp of 98 F g−1 at 1 A g−1. Moreover, this ASC device exhibits significant energy density of 16.5 W h Kg−1 at the power density of 550 W Kg−1 along with notable long-term cycling stability (retention of 93% capacitance even after 4000 cycles of charging and discharging). Thus, the obtained results reflect the great potential of the ASC device for exploring state-of-art futuristic applications as an advanced energy storage system.
Experimental Study on Powder Flowability Using Vibration Shear Tube Method

The flowability of powders with different mass median diameters ranging from micrometers to nanometers was measured using the vibration shear tube method. In the measurement system used in this study, the powder was discharged through a narrow gap between a vibrating tube edge and a flat bottom surface, where each particle could experience high shear forces to overcome the adhesion and friction forces. The vibration amplitude was increased during the measurement, and the mass of particles discharged was measured at constant time intervals. From the relationship between the mass flow rate and the vibration acceleration, static and dynamic properties of the powders were evaluated using the critical vibration acceleration, characteristic mass flow rate, and gradient of mass flow rate. The correlation between the static and dynamic properties was studied in detail.
1 Group Membership , Team Preferences , and Expectations *

Group membership increases cooperation in social dilemma games, altruistic donation in dictator games, and fair offers in ultimatum games. While the empirical study of group action has grown rapidly over the years, there is little agreement at the theoretical level on exactly why and how group membership changes individual behaviour. According to some theorists, the effect of group framing is channelled primarily via the beliefs of group members, while others identify changes in preference as the key explanatory mechanism. We report an experiment using the minimal group paradigm and a prisoner’s dilemma with multiple actions, in which we manipulate players’ beliefs and show that common knowledge of group affiliation is necessary for group action. We also observe puzzling variations in behaviour when knowledge of group membership is asymmetric, which may be interpreted as cognitive dissonance generated by a normative cue administered in a highly unusual situation.
Tasks and Technology in the United States 1880-2000

We provide theory and evidence on changes in task inputs in the United States from 1880-2000. We combine a Roy model of worker selection across occupations with a new methodology for measuring individual production tasks performed by workers within occupations. We show that the recently-documented rise in non-routine tasks and decline in manual tasks extends much further back than hitherto thought to the late-nineteenth century. We reveal substantial heterogeneity within these broad categories of tasks, with those involving the formation of ideas increasing by up to twice the growth for non-routine tasks as a whole, and those involving the manipulation of inorganic matter decreasing by nearly twice the overall decline for manual tasks. We establish that these changes in task inputs are explained by new technologies (in particular office and computing machinery) and are larger in urban than in rural areas (implying a transformation in the nature of agglomeration). We show that changes in the wage premia for tasks can account for a substantial proportion of the decline in wage inequality from 1880-1940, the rise in wage inequality from 1940-2000, and the larger rise in wage inequality in urban areas than in rural areas, even after controlling for observed worker characteristics.
Security in a Liberal Union: EU Asylum and Migration Control Policies

In this contribution I argue that the asylum and migration control policies of the EU are usefully analysed as an expression of liberal thought. I will show how the roots of these policies go all the way back to the creation of the Union in the 50s and illustrate how this heritage affects the prevailing rules in the areas of migration and asylum. I shall also highlight how this order was paradoxically strengthened during the crisis of 2015 and 2016. I will explain why the concept of solidarity in EU law is poorly constructed and map possible solutions. If the EU is serious about its liberal identity it cannot completely deny the rationality and free will of the asylum seeker. The question is if there is a reformist alternative: a complement to the present protectionist system which acknowledges the rationality and free will of the asylum seeker without demanding utopian or revolutionary wonders of the Union in its present form. I test whether humanitarian visas could constitute such a complement, where the asylum seeker and the EU Member State meet in a rational discourse before the asylum seeker has decided to travel to Europe. As the Court of Justice of the EU has practically written off this option, I inquire whether this might tell us something of how the particular form of liberalism that the EU represents can be articulated.
Ultra-short pulses from quantum cascade lasers for terahertz time domain spectroscopy

Although the quantum cascade laser (QCL) is a promising compact semiconductor terahertz (THz) source, its success in creating ultra-short pulses is limited. THz short pulses have many applications, including in time domain spectroscopy. There have been demonstrations of short pulse (few picosecond duration) generation from THz QCLs based on active modelocking, although the stability of the pulses is limited. We show that THz QCLs can be modelocked passively using a two-section cavity, where the sections are in- dependently controlled by bias voltages. While one of the sections produces gain, the other produces quantum coherent saturable absorption and helps to create ultra-short pulses.
Construction and analysis of some convolution algebras

Let ^ be a locally compact Abelian group with the invariant measure dx. In order to avoid trivial cases we assume that ^ is not compact. We consider a normed family Q of strictly positive functions co(;r) on ^, which are measurable, summable with respect to dx, and furthermore, together with the norm N(co), satisfy the following conditions : I. For each co e Q, N(co) takes a finite value, such that
Innovative design with learning reflexiveness for developing the Hamiltonian circuit learning games

Article history: Received: 30 November, 2017 Accepted: 07 January, 2018 Online: 02 February, 2018 In this study, we use a new proposed framework to develop the Hamiltonian circuit learning games for college students. The framework is for enhancing learners’ activities with learning reflexiveness. The design of these games is based on this framework to achieve the targeted learning outcomes. In recent years, the game-based learning is a very popular research topic. The Hamiltonian circuit is an important concepts for learning many computer science and electric engineering topics, such as IC design routing algorithm. The developed games use guiding rules to enable students to learn the Hamiltonian circuit in complicate graph problem. After the game, the learners are given a reviewing test which using the animation film for explaining the knowledge. This design concept is different from the previous studies. Through this new design, the outcome gets the better learning results under the effect of reflection. The students will have a deeper impression on the subject, and through self-learning and active thinking, in the game will have a deeper experience.