Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Process Development and Basic Studies of Electrochemically Deposited CdTe-Based Solar Cells: Final Technical Report, 15 May 1998 - 17 August 2001

This report describes the long-term research and development issues related to polycrystalline thin-film solar cells. Our general research approach is based on combining activities aimed at improvement of cell performance and stability with activities aimed at increasing our fundamental understanding of the properties of materials making up the cells: CdTe, CdS, multi-layer back-contact, and transparent conducting oxide (TCO) front-contact. We emphasize the relation between structural and electronic material properties and various processing procedures, as well as the microscopic mechanisms responsible for the cell performance and its degradation. There is a lack of knowledge and understanding of basic issues behind the CdTe/CdS cell performance and stability, such as the nature and electronic properties of impurities and defects that control the majority-carrier concentration, mechanisms of the dopant compensation, recombination centers, their nature and properties, diffusion, electro migration and transformation of defects under various processing, stress, and operating conditions. We believe that better basic understanding of the specific influence of polycrystallinity, especially for fine-grain materials characteristic of CdTe-based cells, is now one of the most important issues we must address. We need to clarify the role of grain boundaries in forming the film electronic properties, as well as those of the p-n junction.more » It is important to study and understand the influence of the grain boundaries on the spatial distribution and migration of impurities and electrically active defects. To fulfill these tasks, one needs to develop new methods and techniques (or adjust existing ones) for material characterization, as well as develop more sophisticated approaches to data analysis and modeling. « less
Ecological characteristics of the Mljet Island seawater lakes (South Adriatic Sea) with special reference to their resident populations of medusae

SUMMARY: Ecological properties and distribution and abundance of medusae were studied over an 18-month period in the Mljet Island seawater lakes, south-east Croatia. Strong stratification during the summer differentiates these lakes from the oligotrophic South Adriatic ecosystem. The lakes are designated as a moderately eutrophicated ecosystem. Very small numbers of hydromedusae were noted, representing only the Anthomedusae and Leptomedusae. A new species of the genus Tima was found in considerable numbers of individuals. High abundance of the scyphomedusa Aurelia sp. was observed throughout the year. This species differs in terms of genetic divergence from Aurelia aurita found elsewhere in the Mediterranean and could be attributed to the boreal origin.
Determination of Time of Death Based on Basic Histological Stain and Immunostain Changes

Establishing time of death has been extensively studied for the last 30 years. Parameters that have been studied included body temperature, biochemistry of rigor mortis, putrefactive changes and entomology. Despite an extensive study in these parameters it was found that all of the parameters were very much dependent on external factors like changes in surrounding temperature and activities done prior to death. To solve this problem, we decided to monitor the mechanism that occurs during death. Until now, various researches have found that during the early stage of death, heart and perfusion to the cells will stop. This will cause the cells to start the death process. The death of the cell will occurs either through apoptosis or necrosis. During apoptosis the cells will switch on and off a few proteins in a sequence. Based on this understanding, a study was conducted to determine if area ratio of apoptosis: necrosis and apoptotic p53 and Bcl-2 markers can be used as a reliable postmortem interval marker (PMI). Sampling of the study had involved 100 dead human skins with a known PMI. All samples were obtained from forensic unit of Hospital Kuala Lumpur (UFHKL). Ratio of apoptosis: necrosis areas were determined using hematoxilin and eosin staining while apoptosis p53 and Bcl-2 markers were done using an apoptosis kit. All staining were then indexed and plotted against PMI data obtained from UFHKL. Results indicated that there were no significant correlations between ratio of apoptosis: necrosis area against PMI (p = 0.144). Whereas for both apoptotic markers p53 and Bcl-2 PMI had shown a significant correlation (p < 0.000 for both results). In conclusion, we suggest that p53 and Bcl-2 parameters should be studied further since it is very likely that it could be a good indicator for PMI.
Methods of estimation of resistance to flow under unsteady flow conditions

The paper discusses methods of expressing and evaluating resistance to flow in an unsteady flow. Following meaningful trends in hydrological sciences, the paper suggests abandoning, where possible, resistance coefficients in favour of physically based variables such as shear stress and friction velocity to express flow resistance. Consequently, an acknowledged method of flow resistance evaluation based on the relations derived from flow equations is examined. The paper presents 5 both a theoretical discussion of various aspects of flow resistance evaluation and the application of the method to field data originating from artificial dam-break flood waves in a small lowland river. As the method is prone to many errors due to the scarcity and the uncertainty of measurement data, the aim of the paper is to provide suggestions on how to apply the method to enhance the correctness of the results. The main steps in applying the method include consideration of the shape of the chan10 nel, the type of wave, the method of evaluating the gradient of the flow depth, and the assessment of the uncertainty of the result. Friction velocity and the Manning coefficient are compared in terms of resistance to flow variability during flood wave propagation. It is concluded that the Manning coefficient may be a misleading indicator of the magnitude of resistance in unsteady flow, and to be inferior to physically based variables in such cases. 15
Monitoring Export Vulnerability to Changes in Growth Rates of Major Global Markets

Interest in assessing the impacts on developing countries of changes in major markets' economic performance has risen in tandem with global economic uncertainty over short- and medium-term growth prospects. This paper proposes a methodology to measure the vulnerability of a country's exports to fluctuations in the economic activity of foreign markets. Export vulnerability depends first on the overall level of export exposure, measured as the share of exports in gross domestic product, and second on the sensitivity of exports to fluctuations in foreign gross domestic product. The authors capture this sensitivity by estimating origin-destination specific elasticities of exports with respect to changes in foreign gross domestic product using a gravity model of trade. Furthermore, export vulnerability is computed separately for commodities and differentiated products. This methodology is applied to six developing countries, one from each World Bank region, selected to be otherwise similar yet differ in terms of the level of exposure to major global markets as well as the product composition of their export basket. Although the results suggest differences in elasticity estimates across regions as well as product categories, the principal source of international heterogeneity in export vulnerability results from differences in export exposure to global markets. This result calls for developing countries to diversify their export markets rather than shielding themselves from international markets, which would actually raise economic risk and vulnerability.
Effects of Livestock Grazing on Duck Nesting Habitat in Utah

Abstract Periodic vegetation disturbance is an important yet controversial tool for waterfowl managers. Some have reported livestock grazing removes residual vegetation and thus is detrimental to nesting ducks, and others argue that such disturbance is necessary to maintain grassland health. We evaluated the impact of winter livestock grazing on duck nesting at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Utah. During winter 1999, 6 experimental plots were grazed by cattle and 6 were ungrazed; in winter 2000, 8 plots were grazed and 8 were ungrazed. All grazing treatments were conducted during 15 November–15 March and averaged a stocking rate of 9.5 animal unit months/ha. During the following spring nesting season, we measured visual obstruction readings (VOR) on grazed and ungrazed sites. Although VOR on ungrazed sites were greater than those on grazed sites, this difference became less important as the nesting season progressed. Winter grazing impacted the nesting habitat of early-nesting ducks such as mallards (Anas platyrhynchos), but not that of late-nesting species such as cinnamon teal (Anas cyanoptera) and gadwall (Anas strepera). When using livestock grazing to manage grasslands, waterfowl managers should consider their management goals, the species composition of breeding duck populations, and environmental conditions.
Doryctobracon areolatus (Hymenoptera, Braconidae) a parasitoid of early developmental stages of Anastrepha obliqua (Diptera, Tephritidae)

Natural parasitism of Doryctobracon areolatus (Szépligeti) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) on various development stages of Anastrepha obliqua (Macquart) (Diptera: Tephritidae) attacking Spondias mombin L. fruits was studied under field conditions. We collected 120 fruits of S. mombin from which we got 495 A. obliqua larvae of different instars. A total of 88% of these larvae were parasitized. Within the parasitized cohort, the first-instar of D. areolatus was frequently detected in all 3 larval stages (L1 = 94.3%, L2 = 98.1%, and L3 = 100%), and the rest (i.e., L1 = 5.7%, L2 = 1.8%) corresponded to the presence of eggs. In fruits with controlled infestation and cage-induced parasitism under field conditions, D. areolatus oviposited in mature eggs and recently hatched larvae of A. obliqua with comparable frequencies. Seven preimaginal stages of D. areolatus were observed during their development, which was completed in 27 days. It is concluded that D. areolatus has the capacity to oviposit in embryo eggs and neonate larvae of A. obliqua and that its first-instar larvae (with three distinct sizes) are capable of synchronizing their development with the development of the host larvae. This finding represents the first report of a native parasitoid attacking eggs or neonate larvae of a tephritid in the Neotropics. The implications of this finding are discussed within the context of the competitive interactions of this species with other parasitoid species under sympatric conditions, as well as the relevance for developing laboratory rearing methods for biological control purposes. JHR 46: 91–105 (2015) doi: 10.3897/JHR.46. 5586 http://jhr.pensoft. net Copyright Félix D. Murillo et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. RESEARCH ARTICLE Félix D. Murillo et al. / Journal of Hymenoptera Research 46: 91–105 (2015) 92
Preparation Method of Co3O4 Nanoparticles Using Degreasing Cotton and Their Electrochemical Performances in Supercapacitors

Co3O4 nanoparticles were fabricated by a novel, facile, and environment-friendly carbon-assisted method using degreasing cotton. Structural and morphological characterizations were performed using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The component of the sample obtained at different temperatures was measured by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Nitrogen adsorption and desorption isotherms were utilized to reveal the specific surface areas. The formation mechanism of Co3O4 nanoparticles was also proposed, demonstrating that the additive degreasing cotton played an indispensable role in the process of synthesizing the sample. The resultant Co3O4 sample calcined at 600°C exhibited superior electrochemical performance with better specific capacitance and long-term cycling life, due to its high specific surface areas and pores structures. Additionally, it has been proved that this facile synthetic strategy can be extended to produce other metal oxide materials (e.g., Fe3O4). As a consequence, the carbon-assisted method using degreasing cotton accompanied a promising prospect for practical application.
The extragalactic Cepheid bias : significant influence on the cosmic distance scale

The unique measurements with the Hubble Space Telescope of Cepheid variable stars in nearby galaxies led to extragalactic distances that made the HST Key Project conclude that the Hubble constant is $H_0 = 72$ km s -1 Mpc -1 . The idea that H 0 is now known is widely spread among the astronomical community. Some time ago, we suggested that a strong selection effect may still exist in the Cepheid method, resulting in too short distances. Using a model similar to traditional bias corrections, we deduce here new estimates of distances from HST and previous ground-based observations which are both affected by this effect, showing the same trend which starts at different distances. The recent measurement of M 83 with the VLT is unbiased. Revisiting the calibration of HSTKP's with our new scale, makes long-range distance criteria more concordant and reduces the value of H 0 to ≈ 60 km s -1 Mpc -1 . Locally, the corrected Cepheid distances give $H_{{\rm local}}=56$ km s -1 Mpc -1 and reduce the velocity dispersion in the Hubble flow. These numbers are indicative of the influence of the suggested Cepheid bias in the context of the HSTKP studies and are not final values.
Properties of Self-Compacting Concrete with Recycled Coarse Aggregate

The utilisation of recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) in Self-Compacting Concrete (SCC) has the potential to reduce both the environmental impact and financial cost associated with this increasingly popular concrete type. However, to date limited research exists exploring the use of coarse RCA in SCC. The work presented in this paper seeks to build on the existing knowledge in this area by examining the workability, strength, and fracture properties of SCCs containing 0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% coarse RCA. The experimental programme indicated that at RCA utilisation levels of 25% to 50% little or no negative impact was observed for strength, workability, or fracture properties, with the exception of a slight reduction in Young’s modulus.
Investing in Institutions

Robust institutional change is difficult to achieve. However, it is more difficult for some countries than others. We use data on 69 countries between 1870 and 2000 to show that political instability does not always affect growth outcomes. We then develop a simple model to explain this fact in which the likelihood that “good” institutions are abandoned during periods of political uncertainty depends on the opportunity cost of doing so. We operationalize our model by using contract intensive money as a proxy for this initial investment in growth-enhancing institutions. Cross-sectional and panel growth regressions support the model's predictions.
COMPOSITION, HOT-WATER SOLUBILITY OF ELEMENTS AND NUTRITIONAL VALUE OF FRUITS AND

Yerba mate leaves are the most studied and used parts of the tree, while fruits have been little investigated as to their elemental composition. The objective of this study was to characterize the composition, the hot-water solubility of the elements and the nutritional value of yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis St. Hill) fruits and leaves. Both fruits and leaves were collected from four yerba mate provenances (cities of Cascavel, Quedas do Iguacu and Ivai in Parana state and Barao de Cotegipe in Rio Grande do Sul state) 17 years of age, grown in the city of Pinhais, Parana state, Brazil. The total and hot water-soluble contents of 22 and 20 elements, respectively, were determined. The elemental composition of the fruits presented the following decreasing order: C, K, N, Mg, Ca, P, Al, Na, Zn, Mn, Fe, Ba, Cu, Ni, Mo, Pb, Cr, As, Co, Ag, V and Cd. For the leaves the decreasing order was: C, N, K, Ca, Mg, P, Al, Mn, Na, Fe, Zn, Ba, Cu, Ni, Pb, Cr, Mo, As, Co, Ag, V and Cd. It was found than 2 to 8 elements in the fruit presented greater water solubility than in the leaves. In case of consumption via infusion of the fruits or leaves, there would be nutritive value for K, Mg, P, Mn, Cr, Mo, Cu and Zn, while consumption of capsules would have nutritive value only for Mn via the leaves. In general, the fruits have more distinct elemental composition, hot-water solubility and nutritional value than yerba mate leaves.
Phytoplankton Assemblage Structure and Primary Productivity Along 170° W in the South Pacific Ocean

Phytoplankton pigments were measured using HPLC during non-ENSO conditions in mid-summer along a South Pacific transect from 67° S to the equator along 170° W. Highest concen- trations of chlorophyll a (chl a) occurred in the Polar and the Subtropical Fronts (PF and STF, respec- tively) with concentrations exceeding 500 ng l -1 . In the STF, there was a distinct subsurface chl a maximum (SCM) at 40 m, which gradually deepened northward to 120 m in the Subtropical Conver- gence Zone. Northwards, the SCM shoaled to about 30 m in the Equatorial Zone (EZ). Relatively high concentrations of fucoxanthin and 19'-butanoyloxyfucoxanthin occurred in the nutrient-rich waters south of the Subantarctic Front, and CHEMTAX analyses indicated that diatoms, chrysophytes, pelagophytes, and haptophytes dominated the phytoplankton assemblage. Northward of the PF to the STF, where silicate concentrations were <1 µM, pelagophytes and coccolithophorids dominated the water column; diatoms were virtually absent, and Phaeocystis, prasinophytes, cryptophytes, and chlorophytes contributed significantly to the total algal biomass. Phaeocystis populations were dom- inant at or below the 1% light level. In the South Pacific Gyre (SPG), Synechococcus (Syn) and Prochlorococcus (Pro) were major components of the phytoplankton assemblage with Pro dominant as indicated by both flow cytometry and by the ratio of divinyl chl a:total chl a (0.43 ± 0.07). Photo- acclimation by Pro in the SPG was pronounced, with a higher average divinyl chl a per cell ratio in the SCM (1.1) relative to values (0.1) in the upper waters (0 to 100 m). Primary production rates exceeding 1 µg C l -1 h -1 occurred at the surface in the STF. Surface primary production rates were generally < 0.4 µg C l -1 h -1 across the SPG, but exceeded 1.4 µg C l -1 h -1 at the equator. In the EZ, Pro dominated the phytoplankton assemblage, but Phaeocystis and prasinophytes were also major constituents of the assemblage.
Dirac Equation for the Proton (III)

The present reading is the third in series where we suggest a Dirac equation for the Proton. Despite its great success in explaining the physical world as we know it, in its bare form, not only is the Dirac equation at loss but fails to account e.g. for the following: (1) Why inside hadrons there are three, not four or five quarks; (2) Why quarks have fractional charges; (3) Why the gyromagnetic ratio of the Proton is not equal to two as the Dirac equation requires. In the present reading, we make an attempt to answer the third question of why the gyromagnetic ratio of the Proton is not equal to two as the Dirac equation requires. We show that from the internal logic of the proposed theory – when taken to first order approximation, we are able to account for ∼ 55.7% [2.000000000] of the Proton’s excess gyromagnetic ratio [3.585694710(50)]. The remaining ∼ 44.3% [1.585694710(50)] can be accounted as a second order effect that has to do with the Proton having a finite size.
Accurate water maser positions from HOPS

We report on high spatial resolution water maser observations, using the Australia Telescope Compact Array, towards water maser sites previously identified in the H2O southern Galactic Plane Survey (HOPS). Of the 540 masers identified in the single-dish observations of Walsh et al. (2011), we detect emission in all but 31 fields. We report on 2790 spectral features (maser spots), with brightnesses ranging from 0.06 Jy to 576 Jy and with velocities ranging from −238.5 to +300.5 kms−1. These spectral features are grouped into 631 maser sites. We have compared the positions of these sites to the literature to associate the sites with astrophysical objects. We identify 433 (69 per cent) with star formation, 121 (19 per cent) with evolved stars and 77 (12 per cent) as unknown. We find that maser sites associated with evolved stars tend to have more maser spots and have smaller angular sizes than those associated with star formation. We present evidence that maser sites associated with evolved stars show an increased likelihood of having a velocity range between 15 and 35 kms−1 compared to other maser sites. Of the 31 non-detections, we conclude they were not detected due to intrinsic variability and confirm previous results showing that such variable masers tend to be weaker and have simpler spectra with fewer peaks.
The Challenge of Learning to Listen: From the Perspective of Flow Theory

This is a preliminary case study of the challenges learners face when engaged in listening tasks in L2. I explore this issue in light of Flow Theory (Csikszentmihalyi, 1990; Csikszentmihalyi & Csikszentmihalyi, 1989) and discuss what can be optimal learning experiences in this specific language-learning activity to see if the theory could provide language learners and teachers with fruitful insights into learners’ thoughts and emotions. It is also suggested that extensive listening (EL) might not be taken as a simple application of the idea of extensive reading (ER) to the listening domain. I make use of the interview data of the two successful learners and investigate the legitimacy of the four dimensions in the state of ‘flow’ that Egbert (2003) advocated. The learners, who experienced a voluntary listening class for two semesters, talked about their task engagement. Their comments suggest that these dimensions should be refined to accommodate both analytical and holistic approaches to the theory, and that the studies of optimal learning experiences in the language-learning context could be pursued further, especially with regard to the alleged importance of challenge-skill balance, attention control, and automaticity development.
Valorisation of Cheese Whey, a By-Product from the Dairy Industry

This collection of articles is a timely contribution to issues relating to the food industry. The objective of this book is to provide knowledge appropriate for students, university researchers, and in general, for anyone wishing to obtain knowledge of food processing and to improve the food product quality. Due to the increase in world population (more than seven billion inhabitants) the global food industry has the largest number of demanding and knowledgeable consumers. This population requires food products that fulfill the high quality standards established by the food industry organizations. Food shortages threaten human health, and also the disastrous extreme climatic events make food shortages even worse