Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Microsputterer with integrated ion-drag focusing for additive manufacturing of thin, narrow conductive lines

We report the design, modelling, and proof-of-concept demonstration of a continuously fed, atmospheric-pressure microplasma metal sputterer that is capable of printing conductive lines narrower than the width of the target without the need for post-processing or lithographic patterning. Ion drag-induced focusing is harnessed to print narrow lines; the focusing mechanism is modelled via COMSOL Multiphysics simulations and validated with experiments. A microplasma sputter head with gold target is constructed and used to deposit imprints with minimum feature sizes as narrow as 9 µm, roughness as small as 55 nm, and electrical resistivity as low as 1.1 µΩ · m.
Take-Up and Targeting: Experimental Evidence from Snap

We develop a framework for welfare analysis of interventions designed to increase take-up of social safety net programs in the presence of potential behavioral biases. We calibrate the key parameters using a randomized field experiment in which 30,000 elderly individuals not enrolled in—but likely eligible for—the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) are either provided with information that they are likely eligible, provided with this information and offered assistance in applying, or are in a “status quo” control group. Only 6% of the control group enrolls in SNAP over the next nine months, compared to 11% of the Information Only group and 18% of the Information Plus Assistance group. The individuals who apply or enroll in response to either intervention have higher net income and are less sick than the average enrollee in the control group. We present evidence consistent with the existence of optimization frictions that are greater for needier individuals, which suggests that the poor targeting properties of the interventions reduce their welfare benefits.
Direct satellite observation of lightning-produced NO x

Abstract. Lightning is an important source of NOx in the free troposphere, especially in the tropics, with strong impact on ozone production. However, estimates of lightning NOx (LNOx) production efficiency (LNOx per flash) are still quite uncertain. In this study we present a systematic analysis of NO2 column densities from SCIAMACHY measurements over active thunderstorms, as detected by the World-Wide Lightning Location Network (WWLLN), where the WWLLN detection efficiency was estimated using the flash climatology of the satellite lightning sensors LIS/OTD. Only events with high lightning activity are considered, where corrected WWLLN flash rate densities inside the satellite pixel within the last hour are above 1 /km2/h. For typical SCIAMACHY ground pixels of 30 × 60 km2, this threshold corresponds to 1800 flashes over the last hour, which, for literature estimates of lightning NOx production, should result in clearly enhanced NO2 column densities. From 2004–2008, we find 287 coincidences of SCIAMACHY measurements and high WWLLN flash rate densities. For some of these events, a clear enhancement of column densities of NO2 could be observed, indeed. But overall, the measured column densities are below the expected values by more than one order of magnitude, and in most of the cases, no enhanced NO2 could be found at all. Our results are in contradiction to the currently accepted range of LNOx production per flash of 15 (2–40)×1025 molec/flash. This probably partly results from the specific conditions for the events under investigation, i.e. events of high lightning activity in the morning (local time) and mostly (for 162 out of 287 events) over ocean. Within the detected coincidences, the highest NO2 column densities were observed around the US Eastcoast. This might be partly due to interference with ground sources of NOx being uplifted by the convective systems. However, it could also indicate that flashes in this region are particularly productive. We conclude that current estimates of LNOx production might be biased high for two reasons. First, we observe a high variability of NO2 for coincident lightning events. This high variability can easily cause a publication bias, since studies reporting on high NOx production have likely been published, while studies finding no or low amounts of NOx might have been rejected as errorneous or not significant. Second, many estimates of LNOx production in literature have been performed over the US, which is probably not representative for global lightning.
FDI Spillovers at Regional Level: Evidence from Portugal

This paper aims to establish whether geographical proximity between the locations of multinational firms and domestic firms facilitates the occurrence of FDI spillovers. Using data for Portugal, this hypothesis is clearly confirmed. However, the impact varies according to whether the externalities considered are horizontal or vertical. In the first case, the impact is negative, which may result from the competition effect at regional level. With regard to vertical externalities, a positive impact through backward linkages is observed. These results raise important implications for the definition of economic policies aiming to attract FDI and promote regional development. Key-words: vertical spillovers, horizontal spillovers, multinational firms, productivity, FDI.
The Beheading of Criminal Organizations and the Dynamics of Violence in Mexico

In 2006, the Mexican government launched an aggressive campaign to weaken drug-trafficking organizations (DTOs). The security policies differed significantly from those of previous administrations in the use of a leadership strategy (the targeting for arrest of the highest levels or core leadership of criminal networks). While these strategies can play an important role in disrupting the targeted criminal organization, they can also have unintended consequences, increasing inter-cartel and intra-cartel fighting and fragmenting criminal organizations. What impact do captures of senior drug cartel members have on the dynamics of drug-related violence? Does it matter if governments target drug kingpins versus lower-ranked lieutenants? We analyze whether the captures or killings of kingpins and lieutenants have increased drug-related violence and whether the violence spills over spatially. To estimate effects that are credibly causal, we use different empirical strategies that combine difference-in-differences and synthetic control group methods. We find evidence that captures or killings of drug cartel leaders have exacerbating effects not only on DTO-related violence but also on homicides that affect the general population. Captures or killings of lieutenants, for their part, only seem to exacerbate violence in “strategic places” or municipalities located in the transportation network. While most of the effects on DTO-related violence are found in the first six months after a leader’s removal, effects on homicides affecting the rest of the population are more enduring, suggesting different mechanisms through which leadership neutralizations breed violence.
Characterisation of hydroxypropylated crosslinked sago starch as compared to commercial modified starches

The characteristics of hydroxypropylated crosslinked sago starch (HPST) were determined and compared with five types of commercial modified starches (CMST) in order to evaluate its quality for further applications. The HPST was prepared on a large scale having molar substitution (MS) and degree substitution (DS) values in the range of 0.038 to 0.045 and 0.004 to 0.005, respectively. The properties of HPST in terms of sediment volume, swelling power, solubility and paste clarity were 15.75%, 16.7, 8.62% and 5.18%T 650 , respectively. The MS value, phosphorus content, paste clarity, swelling power and syneresis after six freeze-thaw cycles of HPST when compared to that of commercially available modified starches which are normally used or incorporated in acidic, frozen and canned foods did not differ significantly. The pasting characteristic of HPST exhibited thin to thick viscosity which was similar (P>0.05) to that of commercial hydroxypropylated crosslinked tapioca starch (NAT 8). The acid stability, solubility
The Relationship between Service Quality, Customer, Satisfaction, Trust, and Commitment: A Case Study of Fudian Bank's Customers in Kunming, Yunnan, China

This research aims to investigate the relationships among four variables (service quality, customer satisfaction, trust and commitment) to enhance the understanding of the factors that affect the commitment of customers to a bank, in this case, the Fudian Bank in Kunming, China. The data was collected from 399 respondents by using the non-probability sampling procedure. The research outcomes reveal that technical quality (in term of employees’ technical ability, employees’ knowledge, technical solutions, computerized systems, and machine quality), functional quality (in terms of employees behavior, attitude, accessibility, appearance, customer conduct, internal relationship, and service- mindedness) have a statistically significant influence on customer satisfaction and trust. Moreover, both customer satisfaction and trust toward the bank is proven to be positively associated with commitment.
An investigation of the relationship between the caseload model of midwifery for vulnerable women and childbirth outcomes using routine data- A retrospective, observational study

Citing this paper Please note that where the full-text provided on King's Research Portal is the Author Accepted Manuscript or Post-Print version this may differ from the final Published version. If citing, it is advised that you check and use the publisher's definitive version for pagination, volume/issue, and date of publication details. And where the final published version is provided on the Research Portal, if citing you are again advised to check the publisher's website for any subsequent corrections.
Chemical, functional and pasting properties of banana and plantain starches modified by pre-gelatinization, oxidation and acetylation

Abstract Starches extracted from banana (Honduras variety) and plantain (Agbagba variety) were modified by pre-gelatinization, oxidation and acetylation. Native and modified starches were evaluated for chemical, functional and pasting properties. Total starch (TS) and amylose (AM) were higher for native and modified banana starches (TS: 48.78–69.39%; AM: 21.91–42.07%) than for plantain starches (TS: 35.30–63.90%; AM: 13.87–38.79%). Pre-gelatinization significantly (p < 0.05) increased the water absorption capacity of banana and plantain starches by 18.94 and 72.87% respectively and the oil absorption capacity by 51.20 and 4.10% respectively. Modification significantly (p < 0.05) increased the emulsion ability of plantain starch by 66.89% (pre-gelatinization), 64.24% (oxidation) and 11.85% (acetylation). Modification significantly (p < 0.05) reduced the peak, trough, final and setback viscosities of banana and plantain starches but increased the breakdown viscosity of banana starches.
Audit Committees and Earnings Quality

This research investigates whether audit committees are associated with improved earnings quality for a sample of Australian listed companies prior to the introduction of mandatory audit committee requirements in 2003. Two measures of earnings quality are used based on models first developed by Jones (1991) and Dechow and Dichev (2002). Our results indicate that formation of an audit committee reduces intentional earnings management but not accrual estimation errors. We also find differences in the associations between audit committee accounting expertise and the two earnings quality measures. Other audit committee characteristics examined are not significantly related to either earnings quality measure.
Tissue Engineering of Ligaments

The main function of a ligament is to connect one bone to another bone across a joint, keeping them aligned to prevent abnormal motions and dislocations. The typical magnitude of force a ligament may experience during day-to-day activities varies. For example the anterior cruciate ligament of the knee can be exposed to daily tensile forces ranging between 67N for ascending stairs to 630N for jogging (Vunjak-Novakovic, Altman et al. 2004), whereas large loads, exceeding 1800N, can cause rupturing. Depending upon anatomical location and the extent of vascularisation, the ligament may or may not be capable of selfhealing after a rupture. Some of the most frequently ruptured ligaments occur in the knee joint, often through sporting activities such as skiing, football and basketball and the number of injuries are increasing each year (Cooper, Lu et al. 2005). Ninety percent of knee ligament injuries involve the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and medial collateral ligament (MCL) (Woo, Abramowitch et al. 2006). The MCL can self-heal, but the ACL cannot due to poor vascularisation. Because of this, alternative methods such as regenerative medicine have focused heavily upon the ACL with the aim of producing a fully functional tissue in vitro. Figures indicate that approximately 250,000 people are diagnosed with ACL injuries each year in the USA (Doroski and Brink 2007), and approximately 150,000 need to undergo surgical treatment, known as an ACL reconstruction (Cooper, Lu et al. 2005). If the rupture is not treated it can cause loss of function of the associated joint which can then lead to early development of osteoarthritis (Cooper and Bailey 2006; Gentleman, Livesay et al. 2006). The current gold standard procedure for an ACL reconstruction is surgical autografting. This involves using part of the patients own patellar tendon, hamstring or quadriceps to replace the ruptured ACL (Beasley, Weiland et al. 2005). However, these techniques cause donor site morbidity (Goulet and Germain 1997; Van Eijk, Saris et al. 2004; Cooper and Bailey 2006; Hairfield-Stein, England et al. 2007) which is associated with pain and a recovery period for the donor tissue site (Cooper, Lu et al. 2005; Hairfield-Stein, England et al. 2007). Generally 75-90% of patients have good or excellent long term success rates from these current grafting techniques (regarding functional stability and symptomatic relief upon return to normal activities) but unfortunately a substantial number of patients exist who have unsatisfactory results which could be attributed to graft failure (Vergis and Gillquist 1995). Some of these patients continue to endure pain, suffer from loss of motion secondary to the operative procedure and continue with recurrent instability (Vergis and Gillquist 1995), while others suffer from degenerative joint disease such as arthritis or
a Comparison of Uav and Tls Data for Soil Roughness Assessment

Abstract. Soil roughness represents fine-scale surface geometry which figures in many geophysical models. While static photogrammetric techniques (terrestrial images and laser scanning) have been recently proposed as a new source for deriving roughness heights, there is still need to overcome acquisition scale and viewing geometry issues. By contrast to the static techniques, images taken from unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) can maintain near-nadir looking geometry over scales of several agricultural fields. This paper presents a pilot study on high-resolution, soil roughness reconstruction and assessment from UAV images over an agricultural plot. As a reference method, terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) was applied on a 10 m x 1.5 m subplot. The UAV images were self-calibrated and oriented within a bundle adjustment, and processed further up to a dense-matched digital surface model (DSM). The analysis of the UAV- and TLS-DSMs were performed in the spatial domain based on the surface autocorrelation function and the correlation length, and in the frequency domain based on the roughness spectrum and the surface fractal dimension (spectral slope). The TLS- and UAV-DSM differences were found to be under ±1 cm, while the UAV DSM showed a systematic pattern below this scale, which was explained by weakly tied sub-blocks of the bundle block. The results also confirmed that the existing TLS methods leads to roughness assessment up to 5 mm resolution. However, for our UAV data, this was not possible to achieve, though it was shown that for spatial scales of 12 cm and larger, both methods appear to be usable. Additionally, this paper suggests a method to propagate measurement errors to the correlation length.
Conservative integrals of adiabatic Durran's equations

Potential advances are investigated in the area of generalized anelastic approximations. Consistent control‐volume integrals are designed and compared for the established Lipps–Hemler form (of anelastic approximation) and Durran's pseudo‐incompressible form. The Durran system provides a unique theoretical tool—useful for research of geophysical and stellar flows—within the existing set of reduced, Boussinesq‐type fluid models. It represents thermal aspects of compressibility free of sound waves, yet the momentum equation is unapproximated. The latter admits unabbreviated baroclinic production of vorticity, thus facilitating separation of compressibility and baroclinicity effects per se. Compared with other reduced fluid models, there is little cumulative experience with integrating the Durran system. Perhaps the first conservative integrations of Durran's equations are presented, using flux‐form transport methods and exact projection for the associated elliptic problem. Because the resulting code is built from a preexisting anelastic model, the consistency of the numerics is assured thus minimizing uncertainties associated with ad hoc code comparisons. While broader physical implications are addressed, theoretical considerations are illustrated with examples of atmospheric flows. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Erosive Tooth Wear and its Risk Factors among 9-14 Years Children Undergoing Orthodontics

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence of dental erosion and its associated risk factors among 9-14 yearold children with orthodontic braces. Methods: This cross-sectional survey was performed by calibrated examiners in a random sample of 447 patients (250 - boys and 197 - girls). Clinical examination was done for dental erosion using the diagnostic criteria of Eccles and the Index of O’Sullivan to record the distribution of the dental erosion. A self-administered questionnaire was developed to record information about consumption of drinks. The analyses were performed using SPSS software 16. Results: Overall significant difference in the prevalence of dental erosion was seen in all the factors except age group. The most frequently affected surface was the incisal or occlusal edge (43.2%). The results showed that males, children who consumed carbonated drinks, fruit juice and those who had habit of swimming had more dental erosion. Conclusions: Dental erosion is a major public health problem especially among children with orthodontic cases. The prevalence of erosion is commonly associated with carbonated drinks and swimming. So, orthodontists should offer preventive care and promote a healthier lifestyle by education to children, who are at increased risk of dental erosion.
Effects of prolonged shading stress on growth and survival of seagrass Posidonia australis in Jervis Bay, New South Wales, Australia

Spatial and temporal patterns of polychaete communities in 2 intertidal flats were examined in a subtropical mangrove swamp. Tan-Shui estuary, Taiwan from 1991 to 1993. The 2 sites appear a s distinct microhabitats, differing mainly in sediment granulometry, and consequently in community structure. The 'Creek' site was sandy (0.10 to 0.26 mm, 2 to 30% silt/clay content), while the 'River' site was muddy (0.06 to 0.14 mm, 16 to 60% silt/clay content). A total of 9 species were collected, with 6 species found at both sites. Indices of species diversity and evenness were greater at the Creek site than at the River site, but averaged denslty was 2 times lower (8317 vs 23 325 ind. Dominance a t the Creek site was shared by 2 to 3 species, whereas at the River site a single species, the sabellid Laonome albicingillun~, was domlnant Populat~on densities and phys~cal parameters were closely correlated. A4alacoceros lndicus occurred lvith large pal-tlcles, while L. dlbicingillum increased w.ith small grains. Population densities at both sltes va r~ed seasonally, but the timing for increases in densities was 1 to 2 mo earlier at the River slte. Effects of s h a d ~ n g by mangi-ove trees at the Creek site were the likely causes of such subtle differences. Abundance in t h ~ s wamp was greater than those in other tropical mangrove systems. The polychaete populations here may have experienced an environment which was not only nourished by sufficient detrital food, but was also less subject to fluctuation in terms of physical factors. L. albicingillum had high reproduct~ve rates, similar to those of opportunistic species, but differed in its large size and in its life history traits.
Spatial variation in tuber depletion by swans explained by differences in net intake rates

We tested whether the spatial variation in resource depletion by Tundra Swans (Cygnus columbianus) foraging on belowground tubers of sago pondweed (Potamogeton pectinatus) was caused by differences in net energy intake rates. The variation in giving-up densities within the confines of one lake was nearly eightfold, the giving-up density being positively related to water depth and, to a lesser extent, the silt content of the sediment. The swans' preference (measured as cumulative foraging pressure) was negatively related to these variables. We adjusted a model developed for diving birds to predict changes in the time allocation of foraging swans with changes in power requirements and harvest rate. First, we compared the behavior of free-living swans foraging in shallow and deep water, where they feed by head-dipping and up-ending, respectively. Up-ending swans had 1.3–2.1 times longer feeding times than head-dipping swans. This was contrary to our expectation, since the model predicted a decrease in feedin.
Sex Differences in Perpetration of Low Intensity Intimate Partner Aggression in South Sudan

The aim of the study was to investigate sex differences in perpetration of low intensity intimate partner aggression in South Sudan, to compare levels of perpetration and victimisation, and further to test whether the revised gender symmetry theory (Archer, 2018) could be applicable in an African country. A questionnaire was filled in by 302 females and 118 males in South Sudan, the mean age was 22.5 years (SD 8.4) for women, and 25.6 years (SD 7.8) for men. Intimate partner aggression was measured with self-reports using both the perpetrator and the victim versions of the Direct Indirect Aggression Scales for Adults (DIAS-Adult; Asterman - BjA¶rkqvist, 2009), which measures seven types of aggressive behavoiurs. The results showed no significant difference between females and males on perpetration of five out of seven types of aggression; physical, verbal and nonverbal aggression, as well as direct and indirect aggressive social manipulation. For females, levels of victimisation and perpetration of aggression were equally high; this was the case for all seven types of aggression while, for males, victimisation was significantly higher than perpetration on three types of aggression. The results provide support for the revised gender symmetry theory in an African developing country.
A quick simulation method for excessive backlogs in networks of queues

Excessive backlogs in stable open Jackson networks are studied. Although these events occur rarely, they can be critical, since they can impair the functioning of the network. The use of simulation to estimate their probability is attempted. Since a direct simulation of a rare event takes a very long time, a method is discussed for changing the network to speed up the simulation, using a heuristic method. It is shown by examples that the method can be several orders of magnitude faster than direct simulations. >