Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Determining trophic niche width: a novel approach using stable isotope analysis

1. Although conceptually robust, it has proven difficult to find practical measures of niche width that are simple to obtain, yet provide an adequate descriptor of the ecological position of the population examined. 2. Trophic niche has proven more tractable than other niche dimensions. However, indices used as a proxy for trophic niche width often suffer from the following difficulties. Such indices rarely lie along a single scale making comparisons between populations or species difficult; have difficulty in combining dietary prey diversity and evenness in an ecologically meaningful way; and fail to integrate diet over ecological time-scales thus usually only comprise single snapshots of niche width. 3. We propose an alternative novel method for the comparison of trophic niche width: the use of variance of tissue stable isotope ratios, especially those of nitrogen and carbon. 4. This approach is a potentially powerful method of measuring trophic niche width, particularly if combined with conventional approaches, because: it provides a single measure on a continuous axis that is common to all species; it integrates information on only assimilated prey over time; the integration period changes with choice of tissue sampled; and data production is theoretically fast and testing among populations simple. 5. Empirical studies are now required to test the benefits of using isotopic variance as a measure of niche width, and in doing so help refine this approach.
Synthesis and Characterization of Carbon Nanofibers Grown on Powdered Activated Carbon

Carbon nanofibers (CNFs) were synthesized through nickel ion (Ni2+) impregnation of powdered activated carbon (PAC). Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) using acetylene gas, in the presence of hydrogen gas, was employed for the synthesis process. Various percentages (1, 3, 5, and 7 wt. %) of Ni2+ catalysts were used in the impregnation of Ni2+ into PAC. Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM), Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy, Energy Dispersive X-Ray Analyzer (EDX), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Thermal Gravimetric Analysis (TGA), zeta potential, and Brunauer, Emmett, and Teller (BET) were utilized for the characterization of the novel composite, which possessed micro and nanodimensions. FESEM and TEM images revealed that the carbonaceous structure of the nanomaterials was fibrous instead of tubular with average width varying from 100 to 200 nanometers. The PAC surface area increased from 101 m2/g to 837 m2/g after the growth of CNF. TGA combustion temperature range was within 400°C and 570°C, while the average zeta potential of the nanocomposite materials was −24.9 mV, indicating its moderate dispersive nature in water.
Economic Principles and Determination of Infrastructure Third Party Tariffs in the UK Continental Shelf (UKCS)

Research in North Sea Economics has been conducted in the Economics Department since 1973. The present and likely future effects of oil and gas developments on the Scottish economy formed the subject of a long term study undertaken for the Scottish Office. The final report of this study, The Economic Impact of North Sea Oil on Scotland, was published by HMSO in 1978. In more recent years further work has been done on the impact of oil on local economies and on the barriers to entry and characteristics of the supply companies in the offshore oil industry. The second and longer lasting theme of research has been an analysis of licensing and fiscal regimes applied to petroleum exploitation. Work in this field was initially financed by a major firm of accountants, by British Petroleum, and subsequently by the Shell Grants Committee. Much of this work has involved analysis of fiscal systems in other oil producing countries including Australia, Canada, the United States, Indonesia, Egypt, Nigeria and Malaysia. Because of the continuing interest in the UK fiscal system many papers have been produced on the effects of this regime. From 1985 to 1987 the Economic and Social Science Research Council financed research on the relationship between oil companies and Governments in the UK, Norway, Denmark and The Netherlands. A main part of this work involved the construction of Monte Carlo simulation models which have been employed to measure the extents to which fiscal systems share in exploration and development risks. Over the last few years the research has examined the many evolving economic issues generally relating to petroleum investment and related fiscal and regulatory matters. Subjects researched include the economics of incremental investments in mature oil fields, economic aspects of the CRINE initiative, economics of gas developments and contracts in the new market situation, economic and tax aspects of tariffing, economics of infrastructure cost sharing, the effects of comparative petroleum fiscal systems on incentives to develop fields and undertake new exploration, the oil price responsiveness of the UK petroleum tax system, and the economics of decommissioning, mothballing and re-use of facilities. This work has been financed by a group of oil companies and Scottish Enterprise, Energy. The work on CO2 Capture, EOR and storage was financed by a grant from the Natural Environmental Research Council (NERC) in the period 2005 – 2008. For 2010 the programme examines the following subjects:
Review of using gallium nitride for ionizing radiation detection

With the largest band gap energy of all commercial semiconductors, GaN has found wide application in the making of optoelectronic devices. It has also been used for photodetection such as solar blind imaging as well as ultraviolet and even X-ray detection. Unsurprisingly, the appreciable advantages of GaN over Si, amorphous silicon (a-Si:H), SiC, amorphous SiC (a-SiC), and GaAs, particularly for its radiation hardness, have drawn prompt attention from the physics, astronomy, and nuclear science and engineering communities alike, where semiconductors have traditionally been used for nuclear particle detection. Several investigations have established the usefulness of GaN for alpha detection, suggesting that when properly doped or coated with neutron sensitive materials, GaN could be turned into a neutron detection device. Work in this area is still early in its development, but GaN-based devices have already been shown to detect alpha particles, ultraviolet light, X-rays, electrons, and neutrons. Furthermo.
IMPACT OF MIGRANTS’ REMITTANCES ON ECONOMIC GROWTH: CASE OF MOROCCO

This paper aims to analyze the impact of MRA's remittances on economic growth by using two models VAR and ECM over the period 1975-2014. The results conclude that MRA's remittances represent a determinant of economic growth, in the short term, with an elasticity low compared to the long-term behavior. Given the impulse responses analysis, a shock on MRA's transfers has a positive impact on GDP, investment and consumption.
Students’ mental model in solving the patterns of generalization problem

Mental models are representations of students’ minds concepts to explain a situation or an on-going process. The purpose of this study is to describe students’ mental model in solving mathematical patterns of generalization problem. Subjects in this study were the VII grade students of junior high school in Situbondo, East Java, Indonesia. This study was conducted using the qualitative descriptive method to investigate students’ mental model during the process of solving the problem of generalization patterns. Students were required to speak aloud what he or she was thinking about solving problems (think-aloud). Based on the data obtained, the students’ mental models in solving the patterns of generalization problem can be classified into two kinds of mental models, namely: (1) direct mental model and (2) indirect mental model. Students classified using direct mental model were using the only generalization of algebraic in solving the problem. Meanwhile, students classified using indirect mental model were using a combination of both generalizations of algebraic and arithmetic. Based on the results of the study, teachers are required to take into account students’ mental model in solving the generalization patterns problem to achieve better learning process.
The Effect of Instructor Career Motivation on Student Learning Strategies and Performance

This study investigated and compared instructors’ and students’ characteristics that determine student learning strategies. Specifically, the study filled a key gap in the literature by examining the relationship between teacher career motivation and student learning effectiveness. Students and instructors from a public school in England completed the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ) and the Orientations for Teaching Survey (OTS), respectively, as well as demographic questions on age, gender, subject specialism and years of service. Findings revealed a significant effect of instructor career motivation on students’ use of resource management strategies (F (4, 22) = 5.02; p =. 005; Wilks λ = 0.52), but no effect on students’ use of motivation (F (6, 20) = 1.23; p =. 333; Wilks λ = 0.73) or cognitive and metacognitive strategies (F (5, 21) = 1.10; p =. 389; Wilks λ = 0.79). Regression analyses found self-efficacy for learning had a mediating effect (R2 =.09; β = 1.96; p = .050) on the relationship between student gender and academic performance. Findings have implications for class goal-orientation and learning style assessment.
Prevalence of Undiagnosed Hypertension and Associated Factors among Residents in Gulele Sub-City, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Background: Non-communicable diseases are the major contributors of morbidity and mortality in the elderly estimating the prevalence of hypertension and studying the health seeking behavior is important. Objective: To assess undiagnosed hypertension and associated factor in Gulele Sub City, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 422 adults from April to May 2017. Data was collected by using pre-tested, structured questionnaire. The data collected was analyzed using SPSS version 20.00 statistical software. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify independent variables. Result: The prevalence of undiagnosed Hypertension in our finding was 13.25%. Most of the respondents 249 (69.75%) know about what hypertension mean. In this study age, occupation, marital status, dietary practices were significantly associated undiagnosed hypertension. Conclusion: Undiagnosed hypertension was found to be prevalent in the community. The study concluded that the there is a need for increasing awareness towards health seeking behavior to prevent undiagnosed hypertension.
A novel narrow bandpass filter for image rejection and channel selection in a wireless sleep apnoea monitoring system

A highly compact bandpass fllter (BPF) is designed with a capacitively-coupled compact ring resonator. The ground plane is perturbed with a combination of two inter-digital and two spiral defected ground structures (DGSs), which enhance the selectivity and suppress the higher order harmonics of the BPF respectively. The fllter has a selectivity of 0.22dB/MHz, passband insertion loss (IL) of 1.55dB and bandwidth of 61MHz at 2.53GHz. The proposed compact ring resonator yields a size reduction of 70.5% compared to a conventional ring resonator. This BPF is signiflcant for wireless telemetry monitoring systems for physiological parameters including electrocardiogram (ECG), electroencephalography (EEG) and electromyography (EMG) using portable devices.
Do Rent-Seeking and Interregional Transfers Contribute to Urban Primacy in Sub-Saharan Africa?

We develop an economic geography model in which mobile skilled workers choose between working in the production sector or becoming part of an unproductive political elite. The elite sets tax rates on skilled and unskilled workers to maximize its own welfare by extracting rents, thereby influencing the spatial allocation of production and changing the available range of consumption goods. We show that such behavior increases the likelihood of agglomeration and of urban primacy. In equilibrium, the elite may tax the unskilled workers but will never tax the skilled workers, and there are rural-urban transfers towards the agglomeration. The size of the elite and the magnitude of the tax burden that falls on the unskilled is shown to decrease with product differentiation and, via the tax rates, with the expenditure share for manufacturing goods.
Ecological value orientations of prospective secondary school teachers in Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia

The value orientation of a person is highly likely to have consequences in his/her attitudes and behavior. The study reported in this paper examined the ecological/environmental value orientations of prospective secondary school teachers enrolled at Addis Ababa University for a one year Postgraduate Diploma in Teaching (PGDT) program. An environmental and sustainability literacy questionnaire (ESLQ) was used to measure the awareness and views of participants on key environmental/ecological issues and concerns. The 15 items that make up the New Ecological Paradigm Scale have been included in the ESLQ as they are. This paper reports findings related to participants' entry profile and their views about key environmental/ecological issues. The results show two interesting trends with regard to participants' ecological value orientations. First, both the eight pro-NEP and the seven pro-DSP statements have been endorsed. Second, the level of agreement with the two apparently contradictory groups of statements happened to be almost exactly the same (with an average of 67.1% endorsement for pro-NEP statements and strikingly equal level of endorsement of 67.4% for pro-DSP statements). The findings thus show that the prospective secondary school teachers hold a syncretic (NEP plus HEP) not a dualistic (NEP vs. HEP) worldview. In fact, a closer look into the patterns of responses to the five categories of statements shows that respondents had, on average, a pro-DSP worldview in four of the five categories. The only category where respondents had a pro-NEP view relates to 'possibility of eco-crisis'. Key words: Dominant social paradigm, ecological value orientations, green development, new ecological paradigm, prospective teachers.
Mechanical Responses of the Human Triceps Surae after Passive "Stretching" Training of the Plantarflexors in Conditions Modulating Weightlessness

Mechanical Responses of the Human Triceps Surae after Passive "Stretching" Training of the Plantarflexors in Conditions Modulating Weightlessness The effect of a 60-day 6° head-down tilt of bed rest with and without prolonged passive muscle "stretching" training on the mechanical properties of the human triceps surae muscle was studied in 13 healthy male subjects. One group (n = 6; mean age 30.8 ± 3.1 years) underwent a 60-day head-down tilt, and a second group (n = 7; mean age 30.4 ± 1.2 years) underwent head-down tilt with prolonged passive muscle stretching. Head-down tilt without prolonged passive muscle "stretching" training showed maximal voluntary contraction declined by 34 % (p < 0.05) and the electrically evoked tetanic tension at 150 impulses·s-1 and isometric twitch contraction reduced by 17 % (p < 0.02) and 18 % (p < 0.05), respectively. Time-to-peak tension, and half-relaxation time of the twitch slightly decreased by 3% (p > 0.05), and 7 %, respectively, but total contraction time slightly increased. The difference between electrically evoked tetanic tension and the maximal voluntary contraction expressed as a percentage of electrically evoked tetanic tension (referred to as force deficiency), has also been calculated. The force deficiency increased by 61 % (p < 0.001). After head-down tilt with prolonged passive muscle "stretching" training, the time-to-peak tension did not change, and half-relaxation time of the twitch decreased. In addition, there was a 14 % lengthening in the total duration of the twitch. The results of prolonged passive muscle "stretching" training demonstrated a clear deterioration of voluntarily and electrically induced muscle contractions. Passive "stretching" training caused a decrease by 29 % (p < 0.05) in the maximal voluntary contraction. The isometric twitch contraction, and electrically evoked tetanic tension both showed reductions by 17 %, and by 19 % (p < 0.05), respectively. The force deficiency decreased significantly by 21 % (p < 0.02). The rate of rise of electrically evoked tetanic tension and feature of voluntary contractions significantly reduced during head-down tilt with prolonged passive muscle "stretching" training. These basic experimental findings concluded that prolonged passive "stretching" training of a single muscle did not prevent a reserve of neuromuscular function.
Reduction of train-induced vibrations by using a trench in a layered half-space

A coupled model of a track-layered ground-in-filled trench system is developed to investigate the isolation effects of an in-filled trench on reducing vibrations generated by moving train loads. By using the substructure method, the whole model is decomposed into two parts: the layered ground containing the in-filled trench and the track. Firstly, the flexibility coefficient for moving uniformly distributed loads applied on the layered ground containing the trench is obtained by using the 2.5D indirect boundary element method. Then, the dynamic equilibrium equation of the track under the moving train loads and uniformly distributed loads are established. Finally, the layered ground and the track are coupled according to the equivalence between the deformation of the track and the vertical displacement of the layered ground. The validity of the method is confirmed by comparing its results with the published ones. Numerical calculations are performed by embedding an in-filled trench in a homogenous ground, in a single layered ground and also in the real site at Ledsgard as examples. The results show that the isolation effects are different for different ground conditions and for different geometric parameters such as the depth, width and location of the in-filled trench.
Organic management of root knot nematodes in tomato with spent mushroom compost.

This study was carried out to assess the effect of spent compost of button and oyster mushrooms on the management of root knot nematodes and to measure total phenolic compounds in the spent composts. Higher levels of phenolic compounds were found in spent of oyster than button mushroom. Total phenolic compounds contained in button mushroom spent compost (BMSC) and oyster mushroom spent compost (OMSC) were 8. 75µg/mg and 10. 75µg/mg, respectively. Different concentrations of the spent mushroom compost were applied to the M. incognita eggs. OMSC was found more effective in reducing the egg hatching and killing juveniles of root-knot nematodes than button compost. In pot studies at greenhouse, the stimulatory and inhibitory effects of the two composts were also studied. Oyster spent compost was found more effective in inhibiting the galling and production of egg masses in the roots followed by button compost thereby stimulating the plant growth as compared to button compost.
Determinants of Capital Structure in Non-Financial Companies of Pakistan

This paper analyzes the various factors which determine capital structure in non-financial companies listed on Karachi Stock Exchange. Panel data of 113 companies spanning over a period of 10 years is used as our sample. Data is obtained from balance sheet analysis of non-financial listed companies, published by State Bank of Pakistan. Panel data estimation models are employed for data analysis. Our results reveal the factors contributing to determination of capital structure in Pakistan. Profitability and liquidity are negatively related to debt ratio, while free cash flows, interest rates and earnings volatility are positively related to debt ratio. Firm size, growth opportunities, non-debt tax shields and asset tangibility appear to have no significant impact on debt ratio. Keywords ? capital structure, debt ratio, profitability, liquidity, free cash flows, tangibility, firm size, earnings volatility, interest rate, non-debt tax shields, growth opportunities, Pakistan
Characterization of Biaxial Materials Using a Partially-Filled Rectangular Waveguide

─ A technique is proposed to measure the permittivity and permeability parameters of a sample of biaxial material placed into a rectangular waveguide. By constructing the material as a cube, only a single sample is required to find all six material parameters. The sample is inserted into the waveguide in multiple orientations, and the transmission and reflection coefficients of the sample region are measured using a vector network analyzer. The material parameters are then found by equating the measured S-parameters to those determined theoretically using a mode-matching technique. The theoretical details are outlined and the extraction process is described. A stacked dielectric cube is characterized experimentally to demonstrate the feasibility of the approach, and results are compared to those obtained using a reduced-aperture waveguide technique. Index Terms – Anisotropic, biaxial, material measurement, permeability, permittivity, and waveguide.
An Experimental Study on the E ¤ ect of Ambiguity in a Coordination Game y

We report an experimental test of the inuence of ambiguity on behaviour in a coordination game. We study the behaviour of subjects in the presence of ambiguity and attempt to determine whether they prefer to choose an ambiguity safe option. We nd that this strategy, which is not played in either Nash equilibrium or iterated dominance equilibrium, is indeed chosen quite frequently. This provides evidence that ambiguity aversion inuences behaviour in games. While the behaviour of the Row Player is consistent with randomising between her strategies, the Column Player shows a marked preference for avoiding ambiguity and choosing his ambiguity-safe strategy. Keywords: Ambiguity; Choquet expected utility; coordination game; Ellsberg urn, experimental economics. JEL Classi cation: C72; C91; D03; D81 We would like to thank Dieter Balkenborg, Adam Dominiak, Peter Dursch, Jürgen Eichberger, Todd Kaplan, Joshua Teitelbaum, Horst Zank, participants in seminars in Bristol, Exeter, Manchester and RUD Paris, and some anonymous referees for their comments and suggestions. We would like to thank Tim Miller for programming our Ellsberg Urn simulator. yThis paper is based on a chapter from Sara le Rouxs PhD thesis. zAddress for Correspondence: Sara le Roux, Department of Accounting, Finance & Economics, Oxford Brookes University, Wheatley Campus, Oxford OX33 1HX. E-mail: sle-roux@brookes.ac. uk
The interaction of resonant magnetic perturbations with rotating plasmas

The penetration of a helical magnetic perturbation into a rotating tokamak plasma is investigated. In the linear regime, it is found that unless the frequency of the imposed perturbation matches closely to one of the natural mode frequencies, reconnection at the rational surface is suppressed by a large factor. In order to deal with the problem in the nonlinear regime a theory of propagating, constant‐ψ magnetic islands is developed. This theory is valid provided the island width greatly exceeds any microscopic scale length (but still remains small compared with the minor radius), and the magnetic Reynolds number of the plasma is sufficiently large. An island width evolution equation is obtained which, in addition to the usual Rutherford term, contains a stabilizing term due ultimately to the inertia of the plasma flow pattern set up around the propagating island. A complete solution is presented for the case where the island and its associated flow pattern are steady. In the nonlinear regime, a fairly sh.