Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A NUMERICAL SIMULATION OF THE EFFECT OF INLET GAS TEMPERATURE ON THE ENERGY SEPARATION IN A VORTEX TUBE

The main objective of this paper is to study the effect of inlet gas temperature change on the fluid flow characteristics and energy separation phenomenon within a counter-flow vortex tube. The computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model is a three-dimensional steady compressible model that utilizes the k-ɛ turbulence model in order to analyse the high rotating flow. In this numerical research, different inlet gas temperatures have been used in the modeling in order to analyse the operation of the vortex tube. The results showed that increasing the inlet gas temperature leads to greater temperature separation, as well as greater hot and cold temperature separation. Moreover, it was found that increasing the inlet temperature does not have any significant effect on the stagnation point and maximum wall temperature position. Since this research concerns increased inlet gas temperatures, an implication of this study can be for vortex tubes to be used in procedures where heating or preheating is required.
Galaxy formation as a cosmological tool – I. The galaxy merger history as a measure of cosmological parameters

As galaxy formation and evolution over long cosmic time-scales depends to a large degree on the structure of the universe, the assembly history of galaxies is potentially a powerful approach for learning about the universe itself. In this paper we examine the merger history of dark matter halos based on the Extended Press-Schechter formalism as a function of cosmological parameters, redshift and halo mass. We calculate how major halo mergers are influenced by changes in the cosmological values of $\Omega_{\rm m}$, $\Omega_{\Lambda}$, $\sigma_{8}$, the dark matter particle temperature (warm vs. cold dark matter), and the value of a constant and evolving equation of state parameter $w(z)$. We find that the merger fraction at a given halo mass varies by up to a factor of three for halos forming under the assumption of Cold Dark Matter, within different underling cosmological parameters. We find that the current measurements of the merger history, as measured through observed galaxy pairs as well as through structure, are in agreement with the concordance cosmology with the current best fit giving $1 - \Omega_{\rm m} = \Omega_{\rm \Lambda} = 0.84^{+0.16}_{-0.17}$. To obtain a more accurate constraint competitive with recently measured cosmological parameters from Planck and WMAP requires a measured merger accuracy of $\delta f_{\rm m} \sim 0.01$, implying surveys with an accurately measured merger history over 2 - 20 deg$^{2}$, which will be feasible with the next generation of imaging and spectroscopic surveys such as Euclid and LSST.
MOTIVATING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL LEARNERS TO ENGLISH WITH THE HELP OF SELECTED HANDBOOK CONTENT

The article explores the topic of students’ motivation and course books, that is how the content of the course books influence students’ motivation, but also how the teachers use the course books and teachers books in the classroom. The two-way research, aimed at finding answers to the main research questions, was based on the specially prepared survey conducted among teachers, but also on the (indicated by the investigated teachers as the most usable) course-book analysis. Article visualizations:
How do technology orientation, organizational learning, market conditions, and firm growth connect? A preliminary analysis on small and medium size hotels in Peninsular Malaysia

This paper presents a preliminary analysis on how organizational learning and market condition affect the relationship between technology orientation and growth of small and medium size firms. Using hotels in Peninsular Malaysia as context, the study tested its hypotheses using responses from 254 hotel managers. Regression analysis results indicated that market condition has an enhancing effect on the positive and significant relationship between technology orientation and growth / performance of small medium size hotels. Meanwhile, organizational learning only partially mediates the relationship between technology orientation with growth of those hotels. Implications of the findings are discussed at the end of the paper.
Effects of Empty Sites on Cooperation in the Prisoner’s Dilemma Game Based on Social Diversity

We study the effects of empty sites in the prisoner’s dilemma game based on social diversity by introducing some empty sites into a square lattice. The results reveal that the empty sites dramatically enhance the cooperation level for a wide range of temptation to defection values if two types of players coexist. By calculating the chances of different type-combinations of the players located on the square lattice, we find that there is an intermediate region where five social ranks are induced to satisfy the certain rank distributions and the cooperation level is significantly enhanced. Moreover, simulation results also show that the moderate gaps among the social ranks can favor cooperation for a larger occupation density.
Eliciting human intelligence: A conceptualization and empirical testing of the Scharff technique

Oleszkiewicz, S. (2016). Eliciting human intelligence: A conceptualization and empirical testing of the Scharff technique. Department of Psychology, University of Gothenburg. This thesis is on how to elicit intelligence from human sources with the principal aim being to examine the efficacy of the tactics employed by the renowned WWII interrogator Hanns Scharff. A novel experimental set-up (as well as new dependent measures) was introduced to evaluate the efficacy of different human intelligence gathering techniques. Participants were given information about a planned terrorist attack, asked to take on the role of “sources”, and instructed to be semi-cooperative in a subsequent interview. In Study I (N = 60), interviews were conducted over the phone. The Scharff technique (conceptualized to include five tactics) was compared to the direct approach (a combination of open-ended and specific questions). The Scharff technique resulted in relatively more new information and led sources to underestimate how much new information they revealed. With the Direct Approach, sources overestimated how much new information they revealed. In Study II (N = 119), interacting parties met face-to-face and the sources were allowed to lie. Two versions of the Scharff technique were compared to the direct approach. The Scharff confirmation technique made use of claims that included the correct alternative while the Scharff disconfirmation/confirmation technique made use of a mix of correct and incorrect claims. The Scharff confirmation technique resulted in more new information than the Scharff disconfirmation/confirmation technique and the direct approach. Sources interviewed using the Scharff techniques had a more difficult time reading the interviewer’s information objectives and underestimated their contribution of new information. Sources interviewed using the direct approach overestimated how much new information they revealed. In Study III (N = 200) the interview techniques were used with four different types of sources varying in both their levels of cooperation and capability to provide information as follows: (a) less willing/less able, (b) less willing/more able, (c) more willing, less able, and (d) more willing/more able. The Scharff technique was compared to the direct approach. Overall, the Scharff technique resulted in relatively more new information, particularly when interviewing less cooperative sources. Furthermore, sources interviewed using the Scharff technique had a more difficult time reading the interviewer’s information objectives and consistently underestimated their contribution of new information. This thesis provides a psychological framework for and a conceptualization of the Scharff technique. Furthermore, the thesis introduces an experimental set-up mirroring a human intelligence interaction and offers a new set of dependent measures for mapping the efficacy of intelligence gathering techniques. In sum, this thesis provides support for the Scharff technique as an effective tool for eliciting information from human sources.
STATSHARE: A Statistical Model for Managing Cache Sharing via Decay

As CMPs are emerging as the dominant architecture for a wide range of platforms (from embedded systems and game consoles, to PCs, and to servers) the need to manage on-chip resources becomes a necessity. In this paper we examine the management of on-chip shared caches. Our paper offers two major contributions. First, we propose a new statistical model of a shared cache that can be fed with run-time information: reuse-distance information for thread accesses. Our model, called StatShare, accurately describes the behavior of the sharing threads, helps us understand which threads can be “compressed” into less space without perceptible damage, and how effectively each thread uses its space. Second, we propose a mechanism to manage the cache at a very fine level, at the cache-line granularity. Our mechanism is inspired by cache decay, but with some important differences. Decayed cache-lines are not turned-off to save leakage but rather they are “available for replacement. ” Decay modifies the underlying replacement policy (random, LRU), to enforce our high-level policy decisions but in a very flexible and non-strict way. The statistical model allows us to assess a thread’s cache behavior under decay. Using this information we can then apply high-level policies such as policies that try to minimize the global miss-rate, or maximize the “usefulness” of the cache real estate, or even custom spaceallocation policies according to external QoS needs. To evaluate our approach we have implemented StatShare in a CMP simulator. Our results show that: i) managing sharing via decay outperforms coarse-grain partitioning schemes, ii) StatShare can yield run-time information to allow high-level policies to control decay.
The Star-forming Torus and Stellar Dynamical Black Hole Mass in the Seyfert 1 Nucleus of NGC 3227

We report R ~ 4300 VLT SINFONI adaptive optics integral field K-band spectroscopy of the nucleus of the Seyfert 1 galaxy NGC 3227 at a spatial resolution of 0. ″085 (7 pc). We present the morphologies and kinematics of emission lines and absorption features and give the first derivation of a black hole mass in a Seyfert 1 nucleus from stellar dynamics (marginally resolving the black hole's sphere of influence). We show that the gas in the nucleus has a mean column density of order 1024 cm-2 and that it is geometrically thick, in agreement with the standard "molecular torus" scenario. We discuss possible heating processes responsible for maintaining the vertical height of the torus. We also resolve the nuclear stellar distribution and find that within a few parsecs of the AGN there has been an intense starburst, the most recent episode of which began ~40 Myr ago but has now ceased. The current luminosity of stars within 30 pc of the AGN, ~3 × 109 L☉, is comparable to that of the AGN. We argue that the star formation has been occurring in the obscuring material. Finally, we apply Schwarzschild orbit superposition models to our full two-dimensional data and derive the mass of the black hole, paying careful attention to the input parameters, which are often uncertain. Our models yield a 1 σ range for the black hole mass of MBH = 7 × 106-2 × 107 M☉.
Nonlinear dynamic analysis of a coupled lateral-torsional spur gear with eccentricity

In this study, the dynamic behaviors of gear system are systematically analyzed with coupled lateral-torsional vibration caused by the gear meshing. A 4-degree-of-freedom (DOF) lumped parameter dynamic model for a spur gear, considering gravity, backlash, eccentricity, transmission errors, external excitation, is proposed. Parametric studies are performed to understand the influence of key parameters such as rotational speed ω, backlash b and error fluctuation er on the nonlinear dynamic behavior. The frequency response characteristics of spur gear system show that lateral resonance frequency and torsional resonance frequency simultaneously exhibit in lateral direction. In addition, other nonlinear phenomena including various forms of periodic, quasi-periodic and chaotic vibrations are analyzed. The results show that the nonlinear dynamical behaviors such jump discontinuous phenomena, single-sided impact and double-sided impact are strongly attributed to interaction between backlash, eccentricity and error fluctuant amplitude. Significantly, the appropriate rotational speed and decrease error fluctuant amplitude could effectively control the nonlinear vibration. Whereas the backlash has a complicated effect on the nonlinear dynamical characteristics. The results presented in this paper show that an analysis of the coupled lateral-torsional vibration (CLTV) of the spur transmission gear system. Some research results presented in this paper are useful to dynamic design and vibration control of spur gear transmission system.
Structure cristalline de la fresnoite

La structure de la fresnoite Ba₂TiSi₂O₈ a ete determinee a l'aide de cristaux synthetiques. La maille quadratique : a = 8,52 A, c = 5,21 A contient deux unites moleculaires. Le groupe d'espace P4bm a ete retenu au cours de la determination de la structure. Il s'agit d'un pyrosilicate. La formule chimique ecrite : Ba₂TiSi₂O₇ ferait mieux ressortir ses proprietes structurales.
Studies on the Structure of the Brooding Organs of Two Botryllid Ascidians, Botryllus delicatus and Botryllus sexiens

Abstract The formative processes of the brooding organs of two botryllid ascidians, Botryllus delicatus and Botryllus sexiens, were observed. The structure of these organs was also studied in detail histologically. The brooding organs of these two species were formed from the branchial sac, in contrast to the brooding organs of other botryllids, which are formed from the peribranchial wall. The structures of the brooding organs of B. delicatus and B. sexiens were different, but the processes of their formation were almost the same. As the maturation of the oocytes occurred, a part of the epithelium of the branchial sac extended toward the peribranchial epithelium covering the ovary. The extension of the branchial epithelium looked like a bowl and made a surrounding space with the peribranchial epithelium in a peribranchial cavity. The oocyte was ovulated into this space and fertilized there. After ovulation, the extension of the branchial epithelium formed a sac-like brooding organ in combination with the peribranchial wall and held the embryo tightly, like the incubatory pouch of the genus Botrylloides. The unusual characteristics of the brooding organs in these two species lead to reconsideration of phylogenetic relationships and taxonomic criteria in botryllids.
The Role of Age and Gender in the Relationship between (Attitude, Subjective Norm and Perceived Behavioural Control) and Adoption of E-Learning at Jordanian Universities

The purpose of this study is to examine the moderating factors that effect on adaption e-learning among students in Jordanian universities. Two models of e-learning that are observed among adopting institutions are: E-learning as a supplement to traditional classroom model have been introduced by The respondents in this research. The paper takes a social, and technical approach in its investigation by using a research model based on the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) to identify the factors that affect intention to adopt e-learning. The model identifies the age and gender as a moderator between (attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioural control) and Behavioural intention. stratified random sampling method was used to select students. 322 from 450 students which response (71.5%) at three public and three private universities in Jordan. Hierarchical Multiple Regression Analysis was used to assess the relationships in the constructs. The paper presents some findings on e-learning adoption intention determinants. It also discusses some of the implications of the findings on theory and practice in Education .
Pro-Poor Growth: A Primer

These days it seems that almost everyone in the development community is talking about"pro-poor growth. "What exactly is it, and how can we measure it? Is ordinary economic growth always"pro-poor growth"or is that some special kind of growth? And if it is something special, what makes it happen? The author first reviews alternative approaches to defining and measuring"pro-poor growth. "He then analyzes evidence on whether growth is pro-poor, what factors make it more pro-poor (including the role played by both initial inequality and changing inequality), and whether the factors that make the distribution of the gains from growth pro-poor come at a cost to growth. The author identifies some priorities for future research.
Past influences present: Mammalian species from different biogeographic pools sort environmentally in the Indian subcontinent

Diversity-environment relationships are distinct across species pools, and as a result species from different biogeographic pools have different environmental preferences. Regional communities are drawn from available biogeographic pools, subject to environmental and dispersal constraints. Does shared biogeographic history of taxa lead to similar relationships with the environment? We test this idea in the Indian subcontinent, which is at the confluence of multiple biogeographic regions resulting in species from multiple biogeographic pools being distributed here. Species were classified as belonging to four biogeographic affinities based on their geographic distributions: eastern, northern, western and endemic. We investigated spatial patterns of species richness for all mammals (over 1° x 1° grid cells), for each biogeographic group and for 5 major mammalian orders. Generalized Additive Models (GAM) were used to investigate environment-diversity relationship for all mammals, each biogeographic group, and for major mammalian orders in the Indian subcontinent. Species richness of all mammals was found to be highest in the montane regions of the Eastern Himalayas and the Western Ghats. Species richness of each biogeographic group was highest at the border it shared with Asia, in the direction of immigration from Asia. Environment and spatial variables were both correlated with species richness in the Indian subcontinent and each biogeographic group showed a distinct richness-environment relationship. Additionally, biogeographic groups sorted along environmental space, in keeping with our predictions based on their global distributions. Finally, analyses across mammalian orders had low predictive value, suggesting that shared phylogenetic history is relatively less important than biogeographic ancestry in determining relationships to environment. We conclude that historical factors such as immigration and the distinct evolutionary histories of species impact species richness patterns in the Indian subcontinent. Our results provide insights into drivers of regional community assembly in transition zones where multiple biogeographic species pools co-exist.
Biological oxygen productivity during the last 60,000 years from triple oxygen isotope measurements

The oxygen isotope signature of atmospheric O2 is linked to the isotopic signature of seawater (H2O) through photosynthesis and respiration. Fractionation during these processes is mass dependent, affecting δ17O about half as much as δ18O. An “anomalous” fractionation process, which changes δ17O and δ18O of O2 about equally, takes place during isotope exchange between O2 and CO2 in the stratosphere. The relative rates of biologic O2 production and stratospheric processing determine the relationship between δ17O and δ18O of O2 in the atmosphere. Variations of this relationship thus allow us to estimate changes in the rate of mass‐dependent O2 production by photosynthesis versus the rate of O2‐CO2 exchange in the stratosphere with about equal fractionations of δ17O and δ18O. In this study we reconstruct total oxygen productivity for the last glacial, the last glacial termination, and the early Holocene from the triple isotope composition of atmospheric oxygen trapped in ice cores. With a box model we estimate that total biogenic productivity was only ∼76–83% of today for the glacial and was probably lower than today during the glacial‐interglacial transition and the early Holocene. Depending on how reduced the oxygen flux from the land biosphere was during the glacial, the oxygen flux from the glacial ocean biosphere was 88–140% of its present value.
Conductivity and Activation Energy in Polymers Synthesized by Plasmas of Thiophene

The electric conductivity, activation energy and morphology of polythiophene synthesized by radiofrequency resistive plasmas are studied in this work. The continuous collisions of particles in the plasma induce the polymerization of thiophene but also break some of the monomer molecules producing complex polymers with thiophene rings and aliphatic hydrocarbon segments. These multidirectional chemical reactions are more marked at longer reaction times in which the morphology of the polymers evolved from smooth surfaces, at low exposure time, to spherical particles with diameter in the 300-1000 nm interval. Between both morphologies, some bubbles are formed on the surface. The intrinsic conductivity of plasma polymers of thiophene synthesized in this way varied in the range of 10-10 to 10-8 S/m; however, the conductivity resulted very sensitive to the water content in the polymers, which produced variations of up to 5 magnitude orders. The activation energy of the intrinsic conductivity was between 0.56 and 1.41 eV, increasing with the reaction time. Plasma, Polymerization, Polythiophene, Conductivity, Activation Energy
Lactic acid bacteria from traditionally processed corn beer and palm wine against selected food-borne pathogens isolated in south west region of Cameroon

The present study was undertaken to assess the inhibitory potential of lactic acid bacteria isolated from traditionally processed corn-beer and palm-wine on Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi and Staphylococcus aureus. Lactic acid bacteria were isolated on MRS agar using pour plate method. The catalase negative and Gram positive isolates were selected as presumptive lactic acid bacteria and were biochemically characterized using the API 50 CHL BioMerieux kit to identify them at species level. The LAB isolates were then assessed for antimicrobial activity potentials against food-borne pathogens. Thirteen LAB isolates which constituted nine different species namely: Lactobacillus fermentum, Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus brevis, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Leuconostoc mesenteroides, Leuconostoc carnosum, Pedioccocus acidilactici and Lactobacillus pentosus were isolated from these two beverages. The entire LAB isolates demonstrated great potentials to inhibit the test pathogens. P. acidilactici from corn-beer exhibited the overall highest inhibitory activity with zones of inhibition of 19, 20 and 16 mm on E. coli, S. typhi and S. aureus, respectively; while the isolate from palm-wine, L. pentosus exerted the highest antimicrobial action on the test pathogens. It was observed that most of the LAB isolates inhibited the indicator pathogens mainly by bacteriocin production. S. typhi was the most susceptible food-borne bacterial pathogen to the inhibitory activity of the LAB isolates, followed by E. coli.