Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Changes to Electrical Conductivity in Irradiated Carbon Nanocomposites

Abstract : Carbon nanotubes (CNT) and carbon nanofibers (CNF) are two nanoparticles incorporated in a polymer to create a composite material. These composites are two potential lightweight materials for use as replacements for aluminum structures on satellite systems. Both composite materials have a low resistivity that is consistent with conductive materials. However, the CNT composite is substantially more conductive than the CNF composite. The CNT and CNF composites were irradiated with electrons and neutrons to fluence levels of and. No changes were observed in the resistivity of the CNF composites following neutron and electron irradiation. A 3.7% increase in resistivity was observed for the CNT composite following neutron irradiation and a 25.5% increase in resistivity following electron irradiation. An additional electron irradiation was conducted on both composites to a fluence of. Again, no change in resistivity was observed in the CNF composites, while an 8.1% increase in resistivity was observed in the CNT composite. In addition, the CNT composite resistivity recovered after 240 hours while at room temperature. An additional neutron irradiation was conducted on both composites to a fluence to 4. No change in the resistivity was observed in the CNF composite, while a steady increase in resistivity was observed in the CNT composites as a function of neutron dose.
Negative Thermal Expansion from 0.3 to 1050 Kelvin in ZrW2O8

Negative thermal expansion was found for ZrW2O8 from 0.3 kelvin to its decomposition temperature of about 1050 kelvin. Both neutron and x-ray diffraction data were used to solve and refine the structure of this compound at various temperatures. Cubic symmetry persists for ZrW2O8 over its entire stability range. Thus, the negative thermal expansion behavior is isotropic. Essentially the same behavior was found for isostructural HfW2O8. No other materials are known to exhibit such behavior over such a broad temperature range. These materials are finding applications as components in composites in order to reduce the composites' overall thermal expansion to near zero.
Achieving sustainability through service operations design: the role of systems thinking

This paper investigates the impact of applying systems thinking approach to service operations design on the Triple Bottom Lines (TBL) of sustainability. A survey was conducted with 95 service organizations that have implemented the systems thinking approach into their service operations. Using the Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) technique, results confirmed that systems thinking implementation in service operations has significant impact on the environmental and social dimensions of sustainability (p<0.05), but has no significant effect on the economic dimension. This is the first study empirically investigating the impact of systems thinking approach on the TBL of sustainability in service departments.
Thermal Comfort in Outdoor Places A multicultural perception

The outdoor places are receiving more importance being contributing in the social cohesion and sustainability within societies. Providing comfortable sustainable urban places is an important factor affecting their success especially in multicultural areas where climatic conditions are perceived differently according to the diversity of users. Different design elements such as design form proved to be able to improve the outdoor thermal comfort. However, the integration of the climate dimension in the design process of outdoor places is lacking due to insufficient interdisciplinary work between urban climatology, and urban design. The main aim of the research is to examine the influence of cultural and climatic background on users’ thermal sensation and comfort within the same context. The methodology of the research is provided through quantitative analysis of a case study in Melbourne, Australia as one of the global cities characterized by the diversity and plurality of its population. The case study approach is adopted in order to examine the users’ thermal comfort within its contextual variables. Multiple sources of evidence such as climate measurements, questionnaires and observations are used to ensure the validity of results. The findings are to contribute to the quality and equality of design for outdoor urban places.
Explaining social capital effects on growth and property rights via trust-alternative variables

In our previous paper “Can Trust Explain Social Capital Effect on Property Rights and Growth? ” (Hall & Ahmad, 2013) we show that generalized trust data by the World Value Survey (WVS) are unable to yield sufficiently robust results in panel estimation due to missing observations problem. In this paper, we propose a number of trust-alternative variables to proxy for social capital and re-estimate its effect on growth and property rights. The results improve significantly and we are able to show that social capital is a deep determinant of growth and its effect on growth runs via the property rights channel. The findings also give supporting evidence to the primacy of informal rules and constraints as proposed by North (2005) over the political prominence theory by Acemoglu, Johnson, & Robinson (2005). The results partially confirm the findings by Williamson & Kerekes (2011) on the underlying determinants of property rights and provide empirical support to the Clague, Keefer, Knack, & Olson (1999)’s argument of a positive relationship between contract intensive money and property rights.
What is the alternative? Impact assessment tools and sustainable planning

This paper takes a critical look at environmental impact assessment (EIA), especially in the UK, and evaluates its strengths and weaknesses in terms of sustainable spatial planning. Of the many shortcomings and criticisms levelled at impact assessment, the paper concentrates on those elements considered crucial to a move towards sustainable planning, in particular the role of public participation, issues of alternatives and uncertainty, the problem of cumulative effects, the diversity of value systems, the issue of decision-making and the links from impact assessment into integrated environmental management. It concludes that the current European Union (UK) EIA system does not, and probably will not, without radical improvement, offer a tool for sustainable planning.
The Effects of Human Resource Development on Operational and Financial Performance of Manufacturing Companies: A Large-Scale, Longitudinal Analysis

Building on strategic human resource management (SHRM) literature, we investigate the effect of human resource development (HRD) on the operational and financial performance of manufacturing organizations. We identify four different approaches to HRD that reflect management-driven or employee-focused HRD efforts with either quantitative or qualitative focus. We further propose that HRD practices predict organizational performance by shaping the competence and commitment of employees that reflect the prevailing, untested assumption in the SHRM literature. Multi-source data collected from 207 manufacturing companies at three time points over a five-year period largely support our theoretical propositions. Financial investment and managerial support for HRD show positive effects on employee commitment but not on competence. Perceived benefits of HRD enhance both employee competence and commitment, whereas the amount of participation in HRD is not a meaningful predictor of those employee outcomes. A series of structural equation models confirms that HRD practices improve employee competence and commitment that have direct effects on operational performance of the organization, which ultimately shapes its financial performance. The present study elaborates distinct values of different HRD practices, and highlights the significance of employee outcomes as the mediating mechanism between HRD and organizational performance.
Biology and management of Rottboellia cochinchinensis 1 Biologia e manejo de Rottboellia cochinchinensis

Rottboellia cochinchinensis (Lour.) Clayton, popularly known as itchgrass is the main weed of at least 18 crops grown in many countries. Therefore, it is proposed, in this review, to present biological and management aspects of this important weed species. It is an annual or perennial plant reproduced by seeds or from pieces of stems, reaching up to 4.0 m high. The seeds can remain dormant in the soil for up to four years and the light is not a limiting factor for germination. Although with the system clear/dark there is stimulating seed germination. The rapid development of the root system, with subsequent formation of the aerial part, favors the space occupation by plants. Furthermore, the decomposing plant waste of that species release to soil phytotoxic compounds which can inhibit germination and growth of adjacent or species, whether harmful or cultured. In rural workers, it cause skin irritation by contact, with rigid trichomes of leaf sheaths. There is little information in the literature on the chemical control of this species, especially for pre-emergence herbicides applied. This can be attributed to the difficulty of the product crossing the structure surrounding the seeds and thus reaching the embryo. In sugarcane, clomazone + imazapyr, clomazone + isoxaflutole and sulfomethuron + diuron + hexazinone, sprayed pre-emergence resulted in satisfactory controlling R.
Performance Analysis of Massive MIMO Multi-Way Relay Networks Under ZF

In this paper, we consider a massive MIMO multiway relay network where multiple users exchange their information via a relay equipped with a large number of antennas. Assuming perfect channel state information (CSI) and zeroforcing reception (ZFR) and zero-forcing transmission (ZFT) beam-forming at the relays, we drive a rigorous closed-form lower bound expression for the ergodic achievable rate of each pair of users, from which the total common rate is also obtained. The analytical results reveal the effects of network parameters such as the transmit power and the number of users on the rate performance and the advantage of multi-way communications over one-way and two-way communications for massive MIMO systems. Simulations are also provided to show that the lower bound expression can be used as an accurate performance predictor of the network. Our simulations also show that ZF beam-forming largely outperforms MRT/MRC beam-forming in massive MIMO multi-way relaying.
Downward, upstream or downstream? Assessment of meio- and macrofaunal colonization patterns in a gravel-bed stream using artificial substrates

The aim of this research was to investigate three main movement patterns of meiofauna and macrofauna in the riverbed: (1) vertical (downwards) within the interstitial habitat; (2) downstream (negative rheotaxis); (3) upstream (positive rheotaxis). The study was conducted in two headwater streams in the Northern Apennines (Italy), during summer 2009. Sets of traps opening upwards, upstream and downstream to collect, respectively, organisms moving down into the sediment, and organisms with negative and positive rheotaxis, were placed in each sampling site. Benthic samples were collected as well, to compare the benthic community composition with the assemblages colonizing the traps. Meiofauna was the dominant component, representing 95% in benthos and 85% in traps. Vertical top-opened traps collected more taxonomic groups and more individuals of macro- and meiofauna than the horizontal traps, suggesting a dominance of movements deep within the substrate rather than horizontal patterns. Horizontal traps opening upstream (negative rheotaxis) were colonized by more individuals than the traps opening downstream (positive rheotaxis), demonstrating the great importance of movements directed downstream as a primary source of colonization of new areas. Temporary meiofauna (i.e., insect larvae), which was the dominant component of trap assemblages, displayed predominantly vertical movements, supporting the nursery and refuge function of the hyporheic habitat for taxa which spend only the early larval stages in the hyporheos. The results also stress the importance of including meiofauna in studies characterizing the lotic communities.
Churning of R&D Personnel and Innovation

This paper explores the role of R&D worker mobility on innovation performance. As one main novelty, we employ churning as a measure for worker mobility. Churning depicts the number of workers which are replaced by new ones. It is a very informative indicator since a firm may be exposed to simultaneous leave and inflow of R&D workers even if the size of R&D employment remains unchanged. Hence, we can separate the effect of replacement from net change in R&D workforce. Our results from estimating various knowledge production functions suggest an inverse u-shaped relationship. The exchange of R&D personnel fosters innovation through inter-firm knowledge spillovers and improved job-match quality up to certain threshold. The point when costs of churning exceed the benefits is reached faster if the R&D knowledge is non-duplicative.
EDXRF: A non-destructive technique for multi-elemental analysis of coins

Eleven silver and twenty-five copper coins of British rule (1857-1947 A.D.) have been studied and their elemental compositions have been estimated using non-destructive and simultaneous multi-elemental EDXRF technique in order to verify the effectiveness of this technique for analysis of coins on routine basis. The computer code AXIL was employed to obtain the elemental concentrations from the EDXRF spectra. The obtained results are presented.
Measuring the mediating effect of customer trust - a case of corporate banking sector

Understanding transformational leadership and relationship marketing is essential to exploit the future marketing strategies in the contemporary market environment, particularly in volatile and complex marketplace. This study attempts to explore and establish a link between these concepts through variables of transformational leadership; namely, intellectual stimulation and idealized influence with popular “trust-commitment” framework in relationship marketing. The corporate banking sector in Sri Lanka has been selected and one hundred salespersons were selected as a sample. It has been found that customer trust significantly mediates the relationship between the idealized influence behavior of a salesperson and customer commitment. Additionally customer trust significantly mediates the relationship between intellectual stimulation behavior of a salesperson and customer commitment . Thus the role of trust can be considered as important in the context of banking in bank-corporate client partnership strategy.
Link between Periodontal Diseases, Inflammatory Markers and Preterm Low Birth Weight Infants

Objective To scrutinize the assumed association between chronic periodontal disease and preterm low birth weight (PTLB) infants. Design Prospective study. Setting Tanta University Hospital. Patients The study incorporated 200 pregnant women in the first stage of labor of a single baby with intact membranes. A hundred women had definite preterm labor and delivered, later live infants whose birth weight were < 2500 g and 100 women with full term labor and delivered, later live infants weighting ≥2500 g. Intervention All patients included in the study were subjected to history taking, general, obstetrical examination and periodontal evaluation. The levels of IL-6 and TNF-α were measured in gingival cervicular fluid, maternal serum and amniotic fluid using ELISA technique. Results A significant association between chronic periodontal disease and preterm low birth weight infants. Conclusion Screening of pregnant women chronic periodontal disease seems to be a helpful prediction and consequently prevention of preterm labour.
Identifying Risk Factors for Osteoporosis in Young Women

Purpose: Osteoporosis is a major public health concern that affects millions of women around the world. Although the diagnosis of osteoporosis greatly impacts the life of the patient, the health care cost associated with the sequelae of the disease process is exponentially greater. Commonly recognized as a disease of the old, osteoporosis is generally discovered in older age, but it is the result of many factors—both modifiable and non-modifiable—that impact bone strength beginning in childhood. This article discusses how the choices that a woman makes in her younger years can greatly impact her risk of developing osteoporosis. Methods: To collect and analyze information regarding risk factors for osteoporosis in young women, an extensive literature review was conducted. MEDLINE and various educational sites including DynaMed, National Osteoporosis Foundation, and American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology were searched. Many articles were found from 1998 and newer. Results: It can be seen that the pathogenesis of osteoporosis culminates in the later years of a woman’s life, but it is the actions throughout the lifetime that lead to the development of osteoporosis. Therefore, it is imperative that health care providers, especially physician assistants and nurse practitioners, understand the factors that put patients at risk, recognize when those factors are present, and provide ways in which one can decrease or completely prevent the disease in young patients. Conclusion: Although the focus of osteoporosis has always been treatment in older women, it is necessary now to shift the focus of osteoporosis to prevention in younger women. By educating patients about the risk factors that are present and gaining awareness that development begins during childhood, providers and patients can work together towards prevention. The mnemonic “Use L.O. G.I. C. against risk factors for a L.I. F.E. of prevention! ” was created as an easy way for mid-level providers to educate patients today, to recognize potential risk in a younger woman, and to work to completely prevent the development of the disease. The goal is to eradicate osteoporosis and to make this preventable disease a disease of the past.
Assessing the Spatio-Temporal Rates and Extent of Land Use Changes in the Fringes of North Central Nigeria

The study analyzed spatial and temporal land use /land cover change in parts of north central Nigeria. This was carried out with the use of land sat images from 1974-2011. A hypothesis was put forward that there is no significant difference in the rate and extent of land use change among the cities under study from 1974 to 2011.The result shows that there is a significant difference in the rate of land use change in the fringes of the three cities under study, between 1974 and 2011,(F=1.481, p=0.025, p<0.05). This significant change in land use is obvious from the result, since the F probability ratio is greater than the threshold value at 0.05 significant level. Thus, the change among the three towns in terms of their land use varied significantly. This has serious implication to planning. Keywords: GIS, land use change; urban dynamics; land use pattern.
Stakeholder management in Dutch arable farming using KodA miles

The Dutch innovation program KodA aims for sustainable arable farming practices by putting knowledge into practice. ICT is seen as a key enabler to achieve this. The program is setup as a private-public partnership, with a strong emphasis on the private business partners to be in the lead, resulting in a renewed cooperation between research and practice. In this paper, it is argued that this calls for a deviating approach for project management in which stakeholder management plays an important role. A new approach was gradually developed by setting up and running the program. The objective of this paper is to present and discuss this new approach. It is described that an important basis was already laid during the pre-phase of the project by creating synergy through a shared vision and goals. To avoid the risk of illegal public aid to private companies and also keep the administrative burdens low, a special program structure was designed. The core of this structure is that private and public project activities are kept separated with respect to financial resources. This also appeared to be a very powerful steering mechanism for spending public money. A facilitating key instrument was developed, called the KodA Miles, copied from the well-known Air Miles. Private partners ‘save’ KodA miles by investing in own activities related to the program’s objective and they can ‘use’ miles by requesting projects for an equal amount of public money that are related to their own activities. Another important part of the approach is an organizational structure that enhances program cohesion, accompanied by appropriate steering mechanisms. It is concluded that, despite of some critical remarks that can be made, this new approach for project management is a very suitable one for private-public innovation programs in which stakeholder management plays an important role.
Agency costs of debt and monitoring

The purpose of this paper is to investigate how the debt structure of an organisation affects its demand and preference for monitoring costs in Malaysian business environment. Data is collected using primary and secondary sources. Multiple regression analysis is used. The findings indicate that debt structure have negative significant relationship with total monitoring costs. However the debt structure is not significant when the cost of directorship and auditing are compared. But when internal auditing and external auditing costs are compared, the result indicates that companies with high debt structure have significantly more external auditing costs. This result is consistent with prior studies and supports the notion that highly geared companies demand more external audit as the banks need the independent third party to verify the figures in the financial statements prepared by the management.
Responses and proposed changes to referees for gmd-2016-301

Vegetation fires affect human infrastructures, ecosystems, global vegetation distribution, and atmospheric composition. However, the climatic, environmental and socioeconomic factors that control global fire activity in vegetation are only poorly understood, and in various complexities and formulations represented in global process-oriented vegetation-fire models. Datadriven model approaches such as machine learning algorithms have successfully been used to identify and better understand 15 controlling factors for fire activity. However, such machine learning models cannot be easily adapted or even implemented within process-oriented global vegetation/fire models. To overcome this gap between machine learning-based approaches and process-oriented global fire models, we here introduce a new flexible data-driven fire modelling approach (Satellite Observations to predict FIre Activity, SOFIA approach version 1). SOFIA models can use several predictor variables and functional relationships to estimate burned area that can be easily adapted with more complex process-oriented vegetation-fire 20 models. We created an ensemble of SOFIA models to test the importance of several predictor variables. SOFIA models result in the highest performance in predicting burned area if they account for a direct restriction of fire activity at wet conditions and if they include a land cover-dependent restriction or allowance of fire activity by vegetation density and biomass. The use of vegetation optical depth data from microwave satellite observations, a proxy for vegetation biomass and water content, reaches higher model performance than commonly used vegetation variables from optical sensors. We further analyse spatial 25 patterns of the sensitivity between anthropogenic, climate, and vegetation predictor variables and burned area. We finally discuss how multiple observational datasets on climate, hydrological, vegetation, and socioeconomic variables together with data-driven modelling and model-data integration approaches can guide the future development of global process-oriented vegetation-fire models.