Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Small-scale disturbances in the stratigraphy of the NEEM ice core: observations and numerical model simulations

Abstract. Disturbances on the centimetre scale in the stratigraphy of the North Greenland Eemian Ice Drilling (NEEM) ice core (North Greenland) can be mapped by an optical line scanner as long as the ice has visual layering, such as, for example, cloudy bands. Different focal depths allow, to a certain extent, a three-dimensional view of the structures. In this study we present a detailed analysis of the visible folds, discuss their characteristics and frequency, and present examples of typical fold structures. We also analyse the structures with regard to the deformation boundary conditions under which they formed. The structures evolve from gentle waves at about 1500 m to overturned z folds with increasing depth. Occasionally, the folding causes significant thickening of layers. Their similar fold shape indicates that they are passive features and are probably not initiated by rheology differences between alternating layers. Layering is heavily disturbed and tracing of single layers is no longer possible below a depth of 2160 m. C axes orientation distributions for the corresponding core sections were analysed, where available, in addition to visual stratigraphy. The data show axial-plane parallel strings of grains with c axis orientations that deviate from that of the matrix, which shows a single maximum fabric at the depth where the folding occurs. Numerical modelling of crystal viscoplastic deformation and dynamic recrystallisation was used to improve the understanding of the formation of the observed structures during deformation. The modelling reproduces the development of bands of grains with a tilted-lattice orientation relative to the single maximum fabric of the matrix, and also the associated local deformation. We conclude from these results that the observed folding can be explained by formation of these tilted-lattice bands.
Determinants of Voluntary Job-to-Job Mobility

This paper explores both observable and unobservable variables that would affect employed workers’ decisions on job change. A survey was conducted through one-to-one interviews, and the sample consists of 965 full-time employed workers. The logistic regression models are employed to analyze the two binary measures of job-to-job mobility: i) whether an individual is considering a job change, and ii) whether an individual is actively looking for another job. We find that age, job satisfaction, satisfaction with working environment or job security, and firm size are among the major factors determining workers’ job-to-job mobility. Younger workers and workers in smaller firms are more mobile. Workers with lower level of job satisfaction are more likely to consider a change in employment and to actively look for other jobs, and so are workers with lower level of satisfaction with their working environment or job security. We also find that men are more likely to consider a change in job than women, but when actually looking for another job is concerned, men and women do not differ. Furthermore, monthly income and working sector contribute significantly to looking for other jobs but not to considering job change. JEL Classification: J60, J63, C25 ____________________________ *We are grateful to Lee Su-Mei for collecting the data and for research assistance. The work was partially supported by NUS Grant No. R-122-000-050-112.
AN EMPIRICAL INVESTIGATION OF FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENT SATISFACTION: A CASE STUDY OF A SRI LANKAN PRIVATE HIGHER EDUCATIONAL INSTITIUTE

Satisfying customer need is a key to obtain sustainable competitive advantage in the business world. Due to high competitiveness in Sri Lankan private higher education industry “Student Satisfaction” is a crucial success factor for institutes to remain in the industry. Therefore there is a growing need to understand factors that affect satisfaction of students of private sector higher educational institutes. This study empirically examines factors affecting student satisfaction of Business Management undergraduates’ of a leading Sri Lankan private higher educational institute. Previous research done under various environments has recommended a variety of factors affecting user satisfaction. This study developed a model which adopted recognition of the programme, quality of the teaching and academic administration from HEDPERF model of Firdaus (2005) with two other dimensions facilities and skill match taken from other studies. The study was conducted in correlation with UN Sustainable Development Agenda – 2030 (Aim No-4 <<The High Quality of Education). A survey questionnaire was conducted to investigate the critical factors affecting student’s satisfaction. The collected data was analyzed using SPSS. The data analysis categorized under two main statistical techniques such as, “Descriptive Statistics” & “Inferential Statistics”. The relationship between all the five independent variables and overall student satisfactions were tested using bivariate analysis. Further this study also tries to answer if there any differences in perception of satisfaction in terms demographic variables such as gender and level of study semester. The results highlighted that recognition of the programme and academic administration are the critical factors affecting overall student satisfaction. The results also showed that there were no differences in perception in terms of gender and level of study semester.
Numerical simulation of a deep Mediterranean storm and its sensitivity on sea surface temperature

Abstract. The development and evolution of a deep low-pressure system over the Eastern Mediterranean has been investigated in comparative numerical experiments with a limited area model using climatological, gridded analyses, satellite-derived and high-resolution re-analysis sea surface temperatures (SSTs) as lower boundary conditions. The severe event of 21–22 January 2004 was selected in view of its strength and considerable impact on the coastal communities of the Northern Aegean Sea. The aim of this study is to investigate the sensitivity of storm development and intensity to the different SST sources. High resolution model simulations were performed resolving mesoscale features modulated by the different source of SSTs. Although the atmospheric response was considerable in terms of rain bands and surface fluxes, the general structure of the system was not significantly affected by the different air-sea interaction forcing. The impact on the model performance (and therefore its forecasting skill) was further assessed on the basis of quantitative verification statistics estimated throughout the period of the simulations. The methodology was based on the verification against surface observations from the World Meteorological Organization network, covering Southern Greece and the coastal areas of Western Turkey. The estimated statistical scores revealed small but noticeable deviations among the forecast skills of the simulations.
Catalytic gasification of empty fruit bunch for enhanced production of hydrogen rich fuel gas

Oil palm is widely grown in Malaysia. There has been interest in the utilization of oil palm biomass for production of environmental friendly biofuels. The gasification of empty fruit bunches (EFB), a waste of the palm oil industry, was investigated in this study to effectively and economically convert low value and highly distribution solid biomass to a uniform gaseous mixture mainly hydrogen (H2). The effects of temperature, equivalence ratio (ER) and catalyst adding on the yields and distribution of hydrogen rich gas products were also investigated. The main gas species generated, as identified by GC, were H2, CO, CO2, CH4and trace amounts of C2 H4 and C2 H6. With temperature increasing from 700 to 1000°C, the total gas yield was enhanced greatly and reached the maximum value (~ 90 wt. %) at 1000°C with a big portion of H2(38.02 vol. %) and CO (36.36 vol. %). Equivalence ratio (ER) showed a significant influence on the upgrading of hydrogen production and product distribution. The optimum ER (0.25) was found to attain a higher H2 yield (27.42 vol. %) at 850°C. The effect of adding catalysts (Malaysian dolomite1, P1), Malaysian dolomite2 (GML), NaOH, NaCl, CaO, ZnO, NiO) as a primary catalyst on gas product yield was investigated, and it was found that adding dolomite showed the greatest effect with the maximum H2 yield achieved (28.18 vol.%) at 850°C.
Y A -T-IL UN SACRIFICE À ÊTRE ÉTHIQUE ? UNE ÉTUDE DE PERFORMANCE DES FONDS SOCIALEMENT RESPONSABLES AMÉRICAINS

Resume : L’investissement socialement responsable fait l’objet d’une forte demande, notamment aux Etats-Unis. Les fonds ethiques constituent l’acces principal a cet investissement pour les investisseurs individuels. Ces investisseurs doiventils consentir un sacrifice financier comme la theorie le laisse supposer ? L’etude porte sur un echantillon de 50 fonds ethiques americains sur la periode 1997-2002 compare a un echantillon de controle de 1688 fonds actions americains. Il ressort qu’il n’y a pas de difference significative de performance financiere entre les deux categories de fonds, aussi bien pour la selection des titres que pour le market timing. En consequence, soit l’ethique n’a pas de cout, soit le cout est compense par un desequilibre temporaire voire une anomalie d’efficience, soit les fonds ethiques ne sont pas aussi ethiques qu’ils veulent bien le dire. Si l’on met en regard la gestion active ethique des fonds avec la gestion passive representee par un indice ethique, les fonds ethiques ont un comportement moins bien explique par les indices ethiques que par les indices conventionnels. La performance des indices ethiques est superieure a celle des fonds, ce qui plaide pour une gestion indicielle ethique. Enfin, la derniere question evoquee et qui necessitera des developpements futurs pose des jalons sur la relation entre intensite et nature de l’engagement ethique, d’une part, et performance financiere, d’autre part. Les fonds qui utilisent un grand nombre de criteres de screening et les repartissent de facon equilibree entre screening positif et negatif ont de bonnes performances.
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IMPLEMENTATION ON SOCIALIZATION OF HARMONIOUS CULTURE IN BALI

The research objective is to build a model of information delivery harmonious culture that is run by Village Credit Institutions (LPD) through information technology to rural communities so that financial performance can be improved. Thirty-five rural credit institutions which meet the criteria were used empirically as a sample. Data such as the practice of cultural values harmony collected through in-depth interviews were then analyzed using descriptive method and ethnomethodology. The model is built starting with the collection of data from each row, perform data classification into three categories of cultural harmony, making a website that contains information on the activities of cultural harmony, then mounting internet in each row to facilitate public access to information on the implementation of cultural harmony. Results of model simulations for three months showed that the level of community participation increased by an average of five percent through credit lending and credit issues decreased by 3.5 percent. Cultural harmony is practiced by 55% in touch with the God, 35% related to humans, and 10% related natural premises. Results of this study implied that IT is no longer expensive but able to create a better performance.
Dietary and lifestyle modification in metabolic syndrome: a review of randomized control trials in different population groups

The emergence of modernization coupled with sedentary lifestyle has resulted in the shift from the prevalence of diseases only due to under nutrition, to those caused by over nutrition. The augmentation of non-communicable diseases, thus, imposes double burden of disease, impeding the health of a nation. This upsurge has led to increase in prevalence and incidence of Metabolic syndrome which is a cluster of inter-related factors characterized by high fasting blood glucose, increased level of triglycerides, low levels of high density cholesterol, elevated blood pressure and abdominal obesity. The best way to combat this syndrome is to reduce the atherosclerotic risk, which can be carried out by modification in the diet and lifestyle – the first line of treatment of the syndrome. Thus, the present review was undertaken to understand the already existing as well as the current scenario specifically regarding the dietary and lifestyle interventions being carried out to overcome Metabolic syndrome. Of the randomized control trials reviewed, all except one reported improvement in Metabolic syndrome following intervention in diet and/or lifestyle modification either in certain components or overall syndrome within a period of 2 weeks–1 year. These interventions to alter diet and lifestyle focus on weight reduction, promotion of regular physical activity, reduction of substance abuse, effectiveness of specific food items along with regulation of genes and various inflammatory markers. They have the potential to succeed only if they are executed early, and thus, offer enough evidence to develop appropriate public policies. However, the issue that is of utmost significance is of sustainability and compliance, which eventually decides the long-term success or failure of an intervention.
Financial markets as nonlinear adaptive evolutionary systems

Recent work on complex adaptive systems for modelling financial markets is surveyed. Financial markets are viewed as evolutionary systems between different, competing trading strategies. Agents are boundedly rational in the sense that they tend to follow strategies that have performed well, according to realized profits or accumulated wealth, in the recent past. Simple technical trading rules may survive evolutionary competition in a heterogeneous world where prices and beliefs coevolve over time. The evolutionary model explains stylized facts, such as fat tails, volatility clustering and long memory, of real financial series. Although our adaptive belief systems are very simple, they can match the autocorrelation patterns of returns, squared returns and absolute returns of 40 years of S&P 500 data. Some recent laboratory work on expectation formation in an asset pricing framework is also discussed.
Clinical results after surgical treatment in young male patients with low grade isthmic spondylolisthesis

Gönderilme tarihi: 13.01. 2017 Kabul tarihi: 24.05. 2017 Abstract Purpose:The aim of this study is to evaluate the long term results of surgical treatment in young patients with low grade isthmic spondylolisthesis (IS). Materials and methods:Postoperative clinical results of 42 patients ageing between 20-29 were retrospectively analized in this study. Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and Visual Analog Scales (VAS) scores were used to compare patients’ preoperative and postoperative pain levels. Results: All patients were male and the mean age of patients was 23.4 (between 20-29). Mean duration of symphtoms was 1.8 years (between 1-4 years). All patients had physical therapy before surgery and 24 patients (%57.1) used lumbosacral brace. Isthmic spndylolisthesis was present in L5-S1 level in 78.5% (n=33) and in L4-5 level in 21.4% (n=9) of the patients. Mean preoperative ODI and VAS scores were 76.68 (between 43-100) and 5.98 (between 3-10), respectively (p<0.05). Mean postoperative ODI and VAS scores were 26.65 (between 0-66) and 2.49 (between 0-5), respectively (p<0.05). Conclusion:Posterolateral in stu fusion and transpedicular instrumentation in young well-selected patients with low grade IS reduce pain, improve function and result good clinical outcome. Prospective and multicenter studies with 10-20 years follow-up are needed for further data.
The Willingness to Pay for Preventing Environmental Damage

Since the 70s, an increasing number of studies investigating environmental preferences have been made. However, papers related to a country and its regions or its development over time are still largely lacking, although it is a promising line to search empirically for factors that have been strongly neglected in previous studies. This paper therefore aims at reducing such shortcomings, and analyzes the willingness to pay (WTP) in Spain and its regions for the periods 1990, 1995 and 1999/2000, with data from the World Values Surveys and the European Values Surveys. The results indicate strong regional differences and strong differences between the first and the second half of the 90s. This paper also shows the relevance of strongly neglected variables such as political interest and social capital.
Applying constructionist principles to online teacher professional development

This report explores the first iteration of a teacher professional development courselet grounded in constructionist theory and activities. This online teacher professional development (oTPD) courselet provided opportunities for teachers to engage in just-in-time, ongoing TPD within a social networking site for educators. The topic of the oTPD was Robotics and Hands-on Activities in the Classroom. The courselet was designed for teachers who are interested in integrating constructionist pedagogies into their practice. Key findings of the first delivery of the oTPD courselet point to a need for flexible access, sharing of resources, and support for constructionist pedagogical activities as a PD value for participants. Findings further support the potential for an ongoing online community of practice around robotics in the classroom. The approach taken in this oTPD courselet of study continues to inform a model of oTPD delivery within a social-networking-enabled environment.
Comparative Clinical Study of Local Submucosal Corticosteriod Versus Diclofenac Sodium Injections Before Odontectomy of Mandibular Impacted Third Molar

The aim of this comparative clinical study was to investigate the effects of preoperative injections of Dexamethasone Sodium Phosphate versus Diclofenac Sodium. The study includes 60 patients (age range 16-35) who were randomly distributed into three equal groups. Edema and trismus was measured preoperatively, immediate, 24 h, 2 week, 1 month postoperatively. Pain was assessed by visual analogue scale. Noteworthy reduction in postoperatively complication associated with Dexamethasone group was noticed. Edema & trismus in control group was greater followed by Diclofenac groups then group I. Pain was greater score in control group followed by Diclofenac group then group I.
Effect of Stage of Growth and Cultivar on Chemical Composition of Whole Maize Plant and Its Morphological Fractions

Samples of whole plant, leaf and stem of Akbar, Neelum, U. M -XI and I. Z- 31 cultivars of maize fodder harvested at weekly intervals/growth stages were drawn and analysed for dry matter contents and various cell wall constituents such as neutral detergent fibre (NDF), acid detergent fibre (ADF), hemicellulose. cellulose, lignin, cutin and silica. The dry matter contents of whole maize plant, leaf and stem increased significantly with advancing plant age. Maximum dry matter was found in the leaf fraction of the plant. The cell wall components continued to increase significantly in whole maize plant and its morphological fractions as the age advanced. Maximum values for NDF, ADF, cellulose and lignin were observed in stem followed by whole plant and leaf, whereas hemicellulose . cutin and silica contents were higher in leaf fraction of the plant. The cultivars were observed to have some effects on chemical composition of all plant fractions. The results indicated that maturity had a much greater effect on the concentration of all the structural components than did the cultivars, It was concluded that maize fodder should be cut preferably between 8th to 9th week of age (flowering stage) to obtain more nutritious and digestible feed for livestock. Among the maize cultivars, Neelum proved to be the best, due to its higher digestibility and dry matter contents and lower lignin concentration.
Testing Export-led Growth Hypothesis in Kenya: An ADRL Bounds Test Approach

Over the years, there has been extensive research on the relationship between a country’s export and economic growth with ambiguous and mixed results. Instead of using the conventional cointegration approach, this paper re-examines the export-led growth hypothesis for Kenya using autoregressive distributed lag (ADRL) bounds technique. This approach is capable of testing for the existence of a long-run relationship regardless of whether the underlying time series are individually I(1) or I(0). This enhances the stability and robustness of our results. In addition, we examine the Granger causality between exports and economic growth over the sample period. The results indicate that there exists a long-term relationship between GDP growth and exports, and it is unidirectional, running from exports to GDP growth. Hence, in the case of Kenya, export enhancing policies are recommended in promoting and sustaining economic growth.
An Investigation of English Articles' Acquisition by Chinese Learners of English

The process of article acquisition is one of the foci of SLA studies. The purpose of this study is to investigate the articles’ accuracy order and usage pattern by Chinese learners of English and identify possible patterns for the development of the ability to use English articles. It was found that the ability to use the develops earlier than the ability to use a/an, and the ability to use a/ an develops earlier than the ability to use “zero article” O. These findings help us understand why lower-intermediate and intermediate learners tend to overuse the and a/an and underuse O, while advanced learners often overuse O. For intermediate Chinese learners of English, tasks that require them to choose articles before generic nouns ([−SR, +HK]) contexts and idioms are marked. For advanced learners, article choices in [−HK] contexts can be problematic. The findings presented in this study may be valuable for those involved with English language instruction in China.
Evaluation of diuretic activity of aqueous and alcoholic rhizomes extracts of Costus speciosus Linn in wister Albino rats.

The present study was carried with the rhizomes of Costus Speciosus Linn, belonging to family Zingiberaceae. It is an erect perennial herb and has recently gained importance as a commercial source of diosgenin and commonly known as “Push Kara“, “Kashmeera”, “Keu” and Kust. In Pharmacological s creening the effect of aqueous and alcoholic extract s of rhizomes of Costus Speciosus Linn was evaluated in Albino rats of either sex (150 - 200g) for diuretic activity at a dose of 250mg/kg. b.w. the effect was compared with furesemide (100mg/kg. b.w.) as standard drug in diuretic activ ity. Both extracts s ignificantly increased the urine output as well as urinary electrolyte concentration. Pet. Ether was found to be least potent. Thus from study and literature, It can concluded that Costus Speciosus Linn have potent diuretic activity. K EYWORDS: Diuretic activity , Costus Speciosus, Pharmacological screening, Furesemide.