Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
From beginnings and endings to boundaries and edges: rethinking circulation and exchange through electronic waste

This paper discusses research on electronic waste in Canada and Bangladesh. We engage with ongoing debates in geography and the broader social sciences on the need to move beyond linearity in the analysis of commodity/value chains and global production networks. Our analysis suggests that the problem of linearity may be an artefact of theoretical and methodological presuppositions, which explains its longevity as an issue in methodological approaches and empirical research. Recent theoretical insights from actor network theory, combined with our own research on electronic waste, provide a potential solution to the problem of linearity. Our research points to the need for a focus on ‘actions’, not just ‘things’, in tracing economic activity. This signals a shift away from beginnings and endings in production network approaches to analyses that are concerned with boundaries and edges.
Integration of the Participation Banking Legislations to the Banking Law and its Influence on Competition

In some countries such as Turkey, Islamic banks and conventional banks coexist in banking industry. However, due to dissimilarities in their business models, these institutions may be subject to different statutory and regulatory arrangements. The arrangements in a dual banking system might repel potential customers from Islamic banks if privileged arrangements are solely open to conventional banks. Up until late 2005, Islamic banks in Turkey were recognized as “special finance houses” and were exempt from the rights that covered conventional banks, like deposit coverage. As an interesting case, the legislative changes in late 2005 have eliminated the deprivations and provided more constructive environment for Islamic banks. Yet, what these legislative changes have brought about for Islamic banks is still unexplored. In this paper, we study the effects of the legislative changes in Turkish Islamic banking on market structure. The results reveal that Islamic banks gained more market power after the enactment of various legislations and integration of these legislations to the Banking Law.
Creep deformation mechanisms in a Titanium

Titanium aluminides (TiAl) are considered as potential alternatives to replace nickel-based alloys of greater density for selected components within future gas turbine aero-engines. This is attributed to the high specific strength as well as the good oxidation resistance at elevated temperatures. The gamma () titanium aluminide system Ti-45Al-2Mn-2Nb has previously demonstrated promising performance in terms of its physical and mechanical properties. The main aim of the current study, which is a continuation of a previously published paper, aims at evaluating the performance of this titanium aluminide system under high temperature creep conditions. Of particular interest, the paper is strongly demonstrating the precise capability of the Wilshire Equations technique in predicting the long-term creep behaviour of this alloy. Moreover, it presents a physically meaningful understanding of the various creep mechanisms expected under various testing conditions. To achieve this, two creep specimens, tested under distinctly different stress levels at 700 o C have been extensively examined. Detailed microstructural investigations and supporting transmission electron microscopy (TEM) have explored the differences in creep mechanisms active under the two stress regimes, with the deformation mechanisms correlated to Wilshire creep life prediction curves.
Usefulness of feedback in e-learning from the students' perspective

Purpose: Functionality of feedback in pedagogical processes has been broadly analyzed in face-to-face learning, although to a lesser extent than in the on-line learning. Narciss (2004, 2008) distinguishes two dimensions within the feedback, the semantic dimension and the structural dimension. This article aims to analyze, from the student’s perspective, the semantic dimension of feedback in a virtual learning environment (VLE).
SUBGLOTTIC STENOSIS AND CRICOID GROWTH

In young rabbits the growth of the subglottis was studied over a period of 20 weeks following an endolaryngeal trauma. TIJis lesion of the larynx at the age of 4 weeks resulted in the development of a stenosis in the adult stage. The stenosis appeared to be caused by a specific change in the pattern of growth leading up to an anterior narrowing ("pear" -like) of the cricoid ring and a conspicuous thickening of the subepithelial layer.
The empirical link between the internet, firm-specific characteristics, market characteristics, export marketing strategy and performance

This study examines the impact of the Internet, firm-specific characteristics, market characteristics, and export marketing strategy on export marketing performance. The unit of analysis was an individual product/market export venture. The findings indicate that when the Internet was used for communication and to provide the firm with a competitive advantage it had a significant impact on the export marketing performance of the export market ventures in the sample. Firm-specific characteristics and export marketing strategy also had a significant impact on export marketing performance.
Cereal Cyst Nematode, Heterodera filipjevi (Madzhidov, 1981) in Wheat Fields of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province, Iran and Its Distribution Based on Interpolation by Geographic Information System

To identify the Cereal Cyst Nematodes (CCN) and their distribution and population density in wheat fields in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province based on interpolation by geographic information system, a total of 212 composite soil and root samples were randomly collected from different wheat fields of nine districts of the province during 2013-2014. The soil samples were explored for number of cysts, second-stage Juveniles (J2) and eggs. The species were identified based on morphological, morphometric and molecular characteristics. Analysis was performed by Arc GIS software using interpolation technique for determination of raster map. The results showed that 42% of soil samples were infested with Heterodera filipjevi containing an average of 994 eggs and J2 per 200 g of soil. The maximum infestation was observed in Dehsahra region in Lordegan district with an average of 4720 eggs and J2 per 200 g soil. Wheat fields of Kohrang, Kiyar and Farsan districts showed low population density while moderate infestation was observed in Ardal, Ben, Saman and Borujen districts. Instead high population density of H. filipjevi was found in Shahrekord and Lordegan. Based on interpolation of population density and interpolation maps, the eastern part of Shahrekord and southern and western parts of Lordegan districts were predicted as regions with high infestation to H. filipjevi and considered as hotspots for this disease.
Light attenuation characteristics of glacially‐fed lakes

Transparency is a fundamental characteristic of aquatic ecosystems and is highly responsive to changes in climate and land use. The transparency of glacially‐fed lakes may be a particularly sensitive sentinel characteristic of these changes. However, little is known about the relative contributions of glacial flour versus other factors affecting light attenuation in these lakes. We sampled 18 glacially‐fed lakes in Chile, New Zealand, and the U.S. and Canadian Rocky Mountains to characterize how dissolved absorption, algal biomass (approximated by chlorophyll a), water, and glacial flour contributed to attenuation of ultraviolet radiation (UVR) and photosynthetically active radiation (PAR, 400–700 nm). Variation in attenuation across lakes was related to turbidity, which we used as a proxy for the concentration of glacial flour. Turbidity‐specific diffuse attenuation coefficients increased with decreasing wavelength and distance from glaciers. Regional differences in turbidity‐specific diffuse attenuation coefficients were observed in short UVR wavelengths (305 and 320 nm) but not at longer UVR wavelengths (380 nm) or PAR. Dissolved absorption coefficients, which are closely correlated with diffuse attenuation coefficients in most non‐glacially‐fed lakes, represented only about one quarter of diffuse attenuation coefficients in study lakes here, whereas glacial flour contributed about two thirds across UVR and PAR. Understanding the optical characteristics of substances that regulate light attenuation in glacially‐fed lakes will help elucidate the signals that these systems provide of broader environmental changes and forecast the effects of climate change on these aquatic ecosystems.
Planetary wave activity in the troposphere and stratosphere during the Northern Hemisphere winter

Abstract This paper describes the correspondence of planetary wave activity between the troposphere and the stratosphere during the Northern Hemisphere winter from December 1981 to March 1982 using Elliassen–Palm E;P) flux diagnostics. Two typical cases of correspondence are found during this period. In December and early January (period 1), the time variation of wave activity in the troposphere and stratosphere is out of phase; when the tropospheric wave activity is, vigorous the stratospheric wave activity is quiet, and vice versa. In February and March (period 2), after the stratospheric sudden warming, the tropospheric wave activity seems to propagate into the stratosphere. These two periods (period 1 and 2) are characterized by the following dynamical features. The mean zonal geostrophic wind at middle latitudes in the upper stratosphere is stronger in period 1 than in period 2. The meridional gradient of the mean zonal wind velocity at high latitudes in the troposphere and lower stratosphere is stee.
Professional naval gazing: flexible learning professionals into the future

Designers and developers working in Australian universities are an ill defined professional group whose role in the design and development of flexible learning programs and materials is of increasing strategic importance to their institutions. Their roles have undergone significant change over the last 10 years with the rapid and simultaneous impact of flexible learning, new technologies, internationalisation, massification and economic rationalism. This empirical study aims to describe the profession by job title and award, qualification and core activities. Results demonstrate an increasing diversity of job titles, particularly new positions related to web/online and multimedia development, a mix of academic and administrative classifications, changed core duties particularly in the areas of online learning and staff development, and some differences between various groups in the core activities in which they engage. The paper calls for the profession to step outside its comfort zone and reopen the debate about the advantages and disadvantages of professionalisation.
The influence of gap size on plant species diversity and composition in beech (Fagus orientalis) forests, Ramsar, Mazandaran Province, North of Iran

Pourbabaei H, Haddadi-Moghaddam H, Begyom-Faghir M, Abedi T. 2013. The influence of gap size on plant species diversity andÂ composition in beechÂ (Fagus orientalis) forests, Ramsar, Mazandaran Province, North of Iran. Biodiversitas 14: 89-94.This study wasÂ conducted to investigate the influence of gap size on plant species diversity and composition in beech 2Â micro-plots within the gaps. Diversity indices including Shannon-Wiener,Â Simpson, Mc Arthur's N1Â , Hill's N, species richness and Smith-Wilsonâ€™s evenness index were computed. The results revealed that thereÂ was significant difference among three gap categories in terms of diversity. The highest diversity values of tree and herbaceous speciesÂ were obtained in the large gaps, while the highest diversity value of shrub species was in the medium gaps. Species composition ofÂ small gaps (28 species: 7 trees and 21 herbaceous),Â medium gaps (37 species: 7 trees, 5 shrubs and 25 herbaceous)Â and large gaps (40Â species: 7 trees, 4 shrubs and 29 herbaceous) were recognized. Therefore, based on the results of this study, it is recommended that in order to maintain plant diversity and composition up to 400 m gap size cloud be used in this forests.
Alternate two-dimensional quantum walk with a single-qubit coin

We have recently proposed a two-dimensional quantum walk where the requirement of a higher dimensionality of the coin space is substituted with the alternance of the directions in which the walker can move [C. Di Franco, M. Mc Gettrick, and Th. Busch, Phys. Rev. Lett. 106, 080502 (2011)]. For a particular initial state of the coin, this walk is able to perfectly reproduce the spatial probability distribution of the nonlocalized case of the Grover walk. Here, we present a more detailed proof of this equivalence. We also extend the analysis to other initial states in order to provide a more complete picture of our walk. We show that this scheme outperforms the Grover walk in the generation of x-y spatial entanglement for any initial condition, with the maximum entanglement obtained in the case of the particular aforementioned state. Finally, the equivalence is generalized to wider classes of quantum walks and a limit theorem for the alternate walk in this context is presented.
Occurrence of diacyl glyceryl ethers in liver lipids of gonatid squid Gonatopsis borealis.

The lipid class compositions of the livers of two different size groups and of the mantles of gonatid squid Gonatopsis borealis from the northwest Pacific Ocean were investigated. In this species, the liver had a remarkably high level of lipids (26.5%), which were characterized by diacyl glyceryl ethers (16.3%) and triglycerides (33.0%). The liver lipids of the small-size squids (mantle length: 13.4 cm) contained relatively higher levels of diacyl glyceryl ethers (27.0%) than those (10.3%) of the large ones (22.5 cm). On the contrary, the mantle contained only trace amounts of these lipids but were high in phospholipids (84.0%). In the livers of the two different size groups and the mantle of this species, glyceryl ethers originating from diacyl glyceryl ethers were very similar in composition; the most abundant component was chimyl alcohol (38.6 to 45.9% and 66.2%, respectively). Among the tissues examined, differences were found in the percentage of component fatty acids of the total lipids.
A study of photometric variations on the dwarf planet (136199) Eris

Context. Eris is the largest dwarf planet currently known in the solar system. Knowledge about its physical parameters is necessary to interpret the characteristics of these kinds of bodies. Aims. The goal of this work is to study Eris' short-term and long-term variability in order to determine the amplitude of the lightcurve, which can be linked to the degree of elongation of the body or to the degree of albedo heterogeneity on the surface of the dwarf planet. In addition, the rotation period can be determined. Methods. CCD photometric observations of the trans Neptunian object Eris in R band on 16 nights spanning two years were carried out using the 1.5 m telescope at Sierra Nevada Observatory (OSN), the 2.5 m Isaac Newton Telescope (INT) telescope at the Roque de los Muchachos Observatory, and the 2.2 m Telescope at Calar Alto Observatory. Results. The time-series analysis leads to indications of a short-term variability whose nature is not clear. It could be real or a result of data-reduction artifacts, such as contamination by close, faint-background stars. The most significant periodicities are 14 h or its double, but other possibilities cannot be ruled out, like a 32 h weaker peak in the periodogram. As for the amplitude of the lightcurve, we get a peak-to-peak variability of 0.01 ± 0.01 mag. The study of the long-term variability indicates that a long rotation period cannot be rejected, but the amplitude would be smaller than 0.06 mag. These results are compatible with a nearly spherical body that has a homogeneous surface.
Long distance coach transport in Italy: state of the art and perspectives.

Long distance coach services in Italy represent an almost unknown mode of transport to the general public, often ignored even by policy markers. The industry has been liberalised since 2007, and service regulation is gradually changing from exclusive concessions to non-exclusive authorisations. This paper aims at shedding a light on this sector, underlining its importance, evidencing its specific strengths and weaknesses starting from the results of the first numerical research specifically focused on long distance coach transport in Italy, carried out by the authors (Beria et al., 2012). We provide policy indications for this evolving and promising industry, looking at what happened in other countries and at what can be learnt from the European air industry after the liberalisation of the 90’s. We developed a geographical database of the long distance coaches supply and a database of the operating firms. Moreover, we interviewed managers and directors of some operating firms. According to our estimations, that are not present in the Italian transport statistics, the industry supplied more than 90m bus*kilometres in 2010. Our database shows the geographical areas where coach services are more present and some considerations about bus companies. To compare the industry with the long distance rail sector, which is partially subsidised in Italy, we referred to and analysed the official Ferrovie dello Stato (the national railway company) economic figures, to make comparisons on supply and estimated passengers. Today coach and rail are mainly complementary, often filling the qualitative and quantitative gaps of the rail. However, this is expected to evolve as a consequence of liberalization. Policy scenarios appear to be three: the consolidation of the existing market, inside the new liberalised context; an expansion of the market towards new users; a different attitude of the national planner towards a broader use of coach for the subsidised long distance “universal service” , now supplied only by rail.
Effect of a physical assessment educational program on clinical practice

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the effect of an educational program on physical assessment skills for registered nurses focusing on respiratory and cardiovascular systems. Methods: Design: Survey research using a self-administered questionnaire was used. Methods: The study was conducted in the physical assessment education program and the clinical settings. The study involved 104 registered nurses who completed a self-administered questionnaire, distributed immediately and 2 months after the physical assessment education program. The data were analyzed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Results: The usage frequencies of 19 physical assessment skills increased after the educational program. The most frequently cited barrier to using these skills changed from a lack of knowledge to a lack of confidence and insufficient time. Before the program, the hospital nurses used their physical assessment skills more frequently than the home-visit nurses, but the reverse became true afterward. Nurses who recognized that they needed physical assessment skills that were learned through education showed a tendency to use these skills in nursing practice. Conclusions: These results suggest that the educational program on physical assessment skills affected the use of these skills in clinical practice for this study cohort for this study cohort.
Intervention to reduce procrastination in first-year students: Preliminary results from a Norwegian study

This paper reports preliminary results from a brief intervention designed to reduce academic procrastination. Students enrolled in an introductory psychology course received lectures and seminar sessions about procrastination and its causes and consequences. Students who were enrolled in an introductory psychology course received lectures and seminar sessions about procrastination and its causes and consequences, as well as information about techniques that are helpful in reducing and preventing the problem. Changes in procrastination and techniques helpful in reducing procrastination were monitored in pre and post probes. Results indicated that students reduced their procrastination, with the most positive changes observed in students who were high in procrastination tendencies at the outset of the intervention.
Multi-method assessment of reservoir effects on hydrological droughts in an arid region

Abstract. Increasing pressures on water resources in arid regions have led to their increased management and construction of dams; however, the impacts of these anthropogenic activities on hydrological droughts have yet to be incorporated and assessed. Here, the impact of the Santa Juana dam on hydrological drought characteristics downstream has been analysed in the Huasco basin in northern Chile. Two different methods of drought analysis, threshold level method and standardised indices, were applied to observed and modelled data. An upstream-downstream approach was taken for the observation data, analysing the "disturbed" (post-dam) period and the "undisturbed" (pre-dam) period to allow for an assessment of the onset of the significant anthropogenic activity on the hydrological regime. Modelled data from the Water Evaluation And Planning (WEAP) model generated a naturalised scenario and human-influenced scenario for similar analysis. Our findings show the characteristics of recent drought events in the basin (1965–2013). The reservoir is shown to help alleviate hydrological droughts by reducing frequency, duration and intensity of drought events, though it did not alleviate major multi-year drought events. A delay in timing of drought events has been observed also with the presence of the dam. The reliability of these different methods and approaches to quantify the impact of the dam are evaluated, with concluding recommendations that the threshold level method using an undisturbed threshold may be the most suitable. These findings show an applicable way forward with quantifying the human influence on hydrological droughts, a method that can be applied elsewhere, and on other human activities.
Paving the Road to Export: The Trade Impacts of Domestic Transport Costs and Road Quality

The literature examining the effects of domestic transport costs on trade flows is scarce. The few studies available rely mostly on distance-based measures as proxies of transport costs which impede analyzing the trade impacts of transport-infrastructure improvements, a critical aspect in regional and public policy. Applying a novel methodology that combines real freight costs and Geographic Information System (GIS) analysis to the case of Colombia, this paper measures the extent to which domestic transport costs -from the place of production to the port of shipment- act as a friction to international trade. Domestic transport costs are found to significantly affect the prospects of exporting. For instance, regions within the country with transport costs in the 25th percentile export around 2.3 times more than regions with transport costs in the 75th percentile, once other factors are controlled for. Export increases from road improvements are found to be larger in regions with initially higher transport costs. This is because regions with initially higher transport costs are normally associated with longer routes and those tend to have larger shares of roads in poor conditions
Legal Cost Insurance as a Strategic Device in Settlement Negotiations

The papers show that Legal Cost Insurance (LCI) is a device to enhance potential litigants' bargaining position rather than to re-allocate risk. Being insured decreases the cost an insured party has to bear if settlement negotiations fail and the case goes to trial. This shifts the threat points, which has an impact on the bargaining result. In negative expected value suits, LCI can make the threat to sue credible and motivate potential defendants to make positive settlement offers. Hence, even risk-neutral agents may find it beneficial to insure.