Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Smallholder farmers' perception to climate change impact on crop production: case from drought prone areas of Bangladesh.

Agriculture sector, due to its sensitivity, is vulnerable to climate change and it experiences several extreme climatic events such as droughts, flooding, natural catastrophes and salinity intrusion. Coping climate change events and mitigating its impacts on crop production need to assess farmers’ perception. The purpose of the study was to assess smallholder farmers’ perception to climate change impact on crop production in drought prone areas of Bangladesh. Mixed methods approaches including quantitative and qualitative data were employed. Primary data were collected using a structured questionnaire through household survey during September and October 2017. The study respondents were 100 smallholder farmers in the drought prone areas of Bangladesh. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics, coefficient of correlation and stepwise regression. The major findings reveal that the perceived impacts of climate change on crop production was severe followed by moderate impact. Among twelve statements regarding climate change impact on crop production, increased pest infestations was perceived as most important impact. Increased frequency of drought occurrences was perceived as second most important impact of climate change. However, the least important impact of climate change was increased intensity of floods. Among the socio-economic characteristics of the respondents, age, year of schooling, farming experience, access to information sources and training experience were significantly associated with their perception to climate change impacts on crop production. In addition, year of schooling, farming experience and training experience were the most influential factors that affected smallholder farmers’ perception. The study identified important issue for the policy makers and other development practitioners to address and to recommend suitable programs. The methods employed in and the findings of this study could be used in other districts of Bangladesh with similar socio-economic and regional context.
An Evaluation of (ICT) Support Services Utilisation at Mutare Polytechnical College: Zimbabwe

Global trends indicate that Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) is increasingly being influenced by Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). However, many learners in (TVET) colleges in Africa are subjected to traditional lecturer methods with minimal (ICT) support (Chiwerei;AzihO Gulvanani&Josh 2014). This paper sought to evaluate utilization of (ICT) services by lecturers and students in the commerce division at Mutare Polytechnic College in Zimbabwe. A descriptive survey that used questionnaires and interviews was used to collect data from a stratified random sample of lecturers and students and from purposively sampled staff and heads of (ICT) and Commerce divisions. The study concludes that lectures at the college depend on traditional lecture methods and rarely support their teaching with (ICT) services available. While both students and tutors acknowledge low utilization of (ICTs) they appreciate benefits of supporting (TVET) with (ICTs).
Reconstruction of the ion plasma parameters from the current measurements: mathematical tool

Abstract. Instrument d’Analyse du Plasma (IAP) is one of the instruments of the newly prepared ionospheric mission Demeter. This analyser was developed to measure flows of thermal ions at the altitude of ~ 750 km and consists of two parts: (i) retarding potential analyser (APR), which is utilised to measure the energy distribution of the ion plasma along the sensor look direction, and (ii) velocity direction analyser (ADV), which is used to measure the arrival angle of the ion flow with respect to the analyser axis. The necessity to obtain quick and precise estimates of the ion plasma parameters has prompted us to revise the existing mathematical tool and to investigate different instrumental limitations, such as (i) finite angular aperture, (ii) grid transparency, (iii) potential depression in the space between the grid wires, (iv) losses of ions during their passage between the entrance diaphragm and the collector. Simple analytical expressions are found to fit the currents, which are measured by the APR and ADV collectors, and show a very good agreement with the numerical solutions. It was proven that the fitting of the current with the model functions gives a possibility to properly resolve even minor ion concentrations and to find the arrival angles of the ion flow in the multi-species plasma. The discussion is illustrated by an analysis of the instrument response in the ionospheric conditions which are predicted by the International Reference Ionosphere (IRI) model. Key words. Ionosphere (plasma convection; instruments and techniques) – Space plasma physics (experimental and mathematical techniques)
Gerodynamic risk zone at northern part of the Boskovice Furrow

After 20 years we have completed the repeated GPS measurements in the MORAVA geodynamic epoch network. This allows us to define the zones with major movement tendencies in Moravian territory. We chose one of the most anomalous and tectonically active areas, where the results of GNSS measurements in combination with earthquake data from the relevant period indicate increasing horizontal and vertical movement tendencies. This area is located at crossing of the eastern marginal faults of the Bohemian Cretaceous Basin and the Boskovice Furrow, particularly its northern part. The paper discusses and solves following problems: processing of all data obtained and offer a new interpretations of GPS results with the use of other geophysical and morphological information in the area where increased seismic activity appeared in the past, interconnection and confrontation of MORAVA GPS data with CZEPOS and EPN networks, allowing further consideration of kinematic blocks located in the contact zone of the Bohemian Massif and Brunovistulicum, presentation of a credible vertical movement tendencies gained from repeated leveling measurement along the transverse profiles of the most risky zone in the study area. Latest results from the new measurements in the MORAVA network supplemented by the results of repeated leveling permit detection of horizontal velocities of more than 1 mm / year, and local vertical variations up to several centimetres, which allows the inclusion of this area in the zones of increased risk. ARTICLE INFO
Managing a Supply-Chain Based Two-Sided Market

This paper develops a theoretical model of positive monopolist who organizes a two-sided market in the IP license industry. This model indicates, as a platform owner, they faced a new phenomenon that developers’ side acts as a supply chain of firms instead of single firm. They have to deal with network effect between developers and customers, but also within the supply chain. We have developed models by adopting license fee and royalty fee to facilitate such network effects among supply chain and customers in the platform ecosystem. This article specifically enriches the two-sided platform by introducing supply-chain based side. Some practical implications also provide for platform owners who want to set up their platform ecosystem by licensing their IPs. This result could also be able to explain why Intel adopted a close supply chain in the PC industry while ARM adopted an open platform model in the mobile industry as a positive monopolist.
Gender representation in advertising of toys in the Christmas period (2009-12)

This paper analyzes the representation of children’s gender in toy advertising on television during three different periods. To achieve our purpose, this study examines seven variables: Toy typologies, Gender, Values, Voiceovers, Period, Actions depicted and Interaction between characters. These variables are taken from previous works that have studied the uses and preferences in toy selection according to gender, and research that studies the ways in which advertising represents children and toys. The sample comprises 595 toy commercials broadcast on the TVE1, TVE2, Telecinco, Antena 3, Cuatro, La Sexta, Boing and Disney Channel television channels. The period of study is October to January 200910, 201011 and 201112. The choice of this period is because most toy commercials are broadcast for Christmas. The most important results are: the percentage of male characters is higher than female characters; the advertising of vehicles and action figures is associated with male characters; the values associated with vehicles and action figures are: competition, individualism, ability, physical development, creativity, power and strength, and the values associated with dolls and accessories are beauty and motherhood.
Can We Count on Accounting Fundamentals for Industry Portfolio Allocation?

The authors examine out-of-sample industry excess return predictability and portfolio allocation using forecasting combination methods of industry-level and aggregate accruals, book-to-market, earnings, investments, and gross profits. Out-of-sample combination forecasts generate significant industry return predictability. Substantial increases in Sharpe ratios and utility gains demonstrate that predictability is not driven primarily by higher risk. Real-time portfolio allocation strategies rotate into long positions in industries with high expected returns and short industries with low expected returns. Over the past thirty years, outof-sample combination forecasts of accounting variables have generated value-weighted industry portfolio payoffs five times greater than a buy-and-hold benchmark. The constructed portfolios consistently beat a buy-and-hold benchmark portfolio two-to-one while generating alphas that exceed 10%.
Evaluation of Physical Characteristics and Particulate Filtration Efficiency of Surgical Masks used in Iran's Hospitals

Bioaerosols are the most significant risk for exposed people leads to infectious diseases. This study was aimed at evaluation of physical and microscopic characteristics and submicron particulate filtration efficiency of surgical masks used in hospitals throughout Iran. Five types of domestic (Zist Filter, ElhamTeb and Arman masks) and imported (Blosom, Face Masks) surgical masks were tested separately for physical characteristics and submicron particulate filtration efficiency based on Standards AS 4381-1996 and ISIRI 6138. Arman mask had the maximum levels in fluid resistance (112 cm of water), pressure drop (35±2.58 Pa) and particulate filtration efficiency (66.5475%±6.14951) and lowest averages of pore diameter (18.7micron). ElhamTeb had the least weight (59.51 2.46 g/m2) and fluid resistance (50.3 cm of water). Zist filter had the least thickness and pressure drop (11 ±1.82 Pa). Blosom had the least particulate filtration efficiency (27.8275 % ±4.44152) and highest averages of pore diameter (425 micron) and fiber diameter (20 micron). The particulate filtration efficiency in the domestic masks (56.130% ±10.07) was more than imported masks (31.906 % ±7.062). Domestic surgical masks have a better quality than imported masks but they cannot satisfy the required level of quality, yet.
Laminated glass : dynamic rupture of adhesion

Laminated glass has been discovered more than a century ago. It is composed of a polymeric interlayer sandwiched in-between two glass plies. This interlayer dramatically enhances the performance during impact. Even if the glass breaks, partial delamination and stretching of the interlayer will dissipate a large amount of energy. This dissipation will protect people from the impacting object while the glass splinters will stick on the interlayer, preventing harmful projections. I have identified and characterized the dissipation mechanisms associated with the interlayer rheology and its delamination from glass.Using uniaxial traction tests combined with photoelastic measurements, a relationship between the polymer structure and its mechanical behavior has been provided. The different dissipating mechanisms of the interlayer rheology have been identified in a rheological model. To understand how the interlayer mechanical behavior is involved during the lost of adhesion at the glass interface, a model delamination experiment has been setup. This test consists in a uniaxial traction on a pre-cracked laminated glass sample. In a certain range of applied velocities and temperatures, a steady state delamination regime has been observed. In these steady state conditions, two zones of dissipation have been identified. Digital image correlation has been used to quantify the stretching dynamics of the interlayer ahead of the delamination fronts and to explain the large dissipation observed during impact. Finally a finite element model has been developed to confirm experimental observations and to explore the close vicinity of the delamination fronts.
Vegetation structure and ungulate abundance over a period of increasing elephant abundance in Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe

This study investigates whether increases in elephant populations may influence the structure of African savannas, and consequently may affect other herbivores through changes in habitats. Two contrasting periods in terms of elephant population densities were compared in Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe: the early 1980s and the late 1990s. Elephant population density and other ungulate population densities were estimated for a c. 400-km2 area from road counts. Vegetation structure at the landscape scale was assessed using aerial photographs for the same area. All browsers and grazers declined between the early 1980s and the late 1990s, whereas elephants experienced a 16-fold increase. At the landscape scale, vegetation structure changed little with no evidence of an opening of the habitats. These results do not support any kind of medium-term facilitation between elephants and other herbivores. They rather suggest a negative effect of elephants on other herbivore species when elephants are present at high densities. This study rules out a scenario where the decrease of the different herbivore populations was caused by large changes in vegetation structure due to elephant activity.
Lagrangian descriptions of marine larval dispersion

Many marine organisms are sedentary as adults and are redistributed between genera- tions by the oceanic transport of planktonic larvae. In order to assess interactions among oceano- graphic and biological processes that determine larval dispersal patterns, we introduce a Lagrangian (or water-parcel-following) description of larval transport. This formalism is used to determine larval dispersal kernels (larval settlement probability distributions) for a range of ocean flows, planktonic larval durations and settlement pre-competency/competency periods. Paths of individual planktonic larval releases are modeled statistically and, by averaging over many individuals, ensemble esti- mates of larval dispersal are determined. Typical dispersal scales vary from a few km to >400 km. Modeled dispersal kernels are well explained using only a few readily available biological and oceanographic parameters, and derived dispersal scales agree well with population-genetic esti- mates, suggesting that the model has reasonable predictive power. An index for regional-scale self- seeding is presented, and is used as a tool to evaluate the efficiency of marine conservation areas. Finally, settlement patterns resulting from larval releases made over short times (days to months) should be comprised of a small number of discrete samples taken from the long-term averaged dis- persal kernel. The resulting larval dispersal patterns will be quasi-random in both space and time, which will have important implications for the interpretation of settlement time series and the prediction of recruitment of sessile organisms.
Strategic Human Resource Management Practices and Performance of Employees in the Ministry of Health, Nairobi City County, Kenya

Performance of employees in the Ministry of Health, Nairobi City County has been dismal. There have been instances of inability amongst employees to meet deadlines, low efficiency, and dismal productivity. The objectives of the study included; assessing the influence of recruitment, career management, reward and performance appraisal practices on performance of employees in the Ministry of Health. The study was guided by the strategic management and performance theories. The study adopted mixed methods approach and thus applied descriptive research design. The target population comprised of 15 Departmental Heads and 425 employees all totaling to 440. Using the Central Limit Theorem, 132 respondents, that is, 30.0% of 440, was selected. Stratified sampling was applied to create five strata based on the number of departments in the Ministry of Health Nairobi. Heads of department will be selected using purposive sampling whereas 25 employees will be selected from each department using simple random sampling to avoid bias. This procedure enabled the researcher to realize a sample of 5 heads of departments and 127 employees. The questionnaire was used to collect data from employees whereas interviews with heads of departments. Qualitative data were analyzed thematically along the objectives and presented in narrative forms whereas quantitative data were analyzed descriptively using frequencies and percentages and inferentially analyzed using ANOVA Test Analysis with the help of SPSS Version 23. The study established that, at the Ministry of Health in Nairobi County, employees’ efficiency, productivity and ability to meet deadlines are low. It is also evident that strategic human resource management practices such as recruitment, career management, reward and performance appraisal practices have not been fully exhausted. Thus, the study recommends that the Ministry of Health should endeavor to train their employees in order to improve the organizational performance. The Ministry of Health should provide employees opportunity to make decisions on how to go about their tasks, seeking employees’ input in managerial decisions, delegating to them tasks that they can handle, equipping them with skills required by their jobs, setting achievable targets and incorporating employees in fair evaluation of performance, salary increase and fair administration of rewards. Job performance should be considered in determining the compensation of employee’s performance.
THE DESIGN OF A REGULATORY REGIME TO ACHIEVE HIGH QUALITY REGULATION : AN EVALUATION OF TURKEY ’ S REGULATORY SYSTEM

Regulation is one of the most important tools for government to achieve its social and economic policy objectives. Since it has a great impact on social and economic life of a country, regulation has been an area of political debate and economic research in every country. In the literature, three general theories exist on the origin of and the rationale for government regulation: the public interest theory, the Chicago theory of regulation and the public choice theory. Once the rationales for government intervention have been identified, then the question of how desired regulatory outcomes can be achieved at lower cost arises. The answer to the question is heavily concerned with the regulatory design, no matter which theory is considered. This paper focuses on the regulatory design and ways of better regulation making processes. It is possible to identify a general framework that provides a rigorous and systematic approach to improve quality of both new and existing regulations. This framework includes the use of regulatory impact assessment along with a comprehensive public consultation process and a systematic consideration of alternatives to regulation as well as administrative burden reduction and simplification plans. Countries’ experiences seem to indicate that, if appropriately designed, this framework would be valuable to achieve good regulation. The paper also aims to elaborate on the Turkey’s regulatory system and evaluate its effectiveness. Even though Turkey’s regulatory environment has significantly changed mainly due to the pressures of external forces (namely IMF, World Bank, OECD and the European Union), it still has some weaknesses. * Assoc. Prof. Ali Alp, Finance and Accounting at TOBB Economics and Technology University. ** Saim Kılıç, PhD at the University of Gazi, Turkey and Senior Expert at the Capital Markets Board of Turkey. He writes here in a personal capacity and the views expressed in this paper are not necessarily those of the Capital Markets Board of Turkey.
Crisis decision-making: the overlap between intuitive and analytical strategies

The purpose of this paper is to draw on the naturalistic decision making and cognitive science literature to examine how experienced crisis managers utilize the intuitive and analytical strategies when managing complex incidents. A cognitive model that describes the interplay between strategies is presented and discussed, and the specific role that intuition plays in analytical decision making is addressed. ,Designed as a conceptual paper, the extant literature is reviewed to advance discussions on the theme of intuitive and analytical decision making in the naturalistic environment. A new model of expert intuition – the information filtering and intuitive decision model – is presented and evaluated against existing cognitive models from the wider literature. ,The paper suggests that experts’ ability to make intuitive decisions is strongly hinged on their information processing skills that allow irrelevant cues to be sifted out while the relevant cues are retained. The paper further revealed that experts generally employ the intuitive mode as their default strategy, drawing on the analytical mode only as conditions warrant. ,Prior research has shown that experts often make important task decisions using intuitive or analytical strategies or by combining both, but the sequence these should typically follow is still unresolved. Findings from the intuition model reveal that although intuition often precedes analytical thinking in almost all cases, both strategies exist to offer significant values to decision makers if the basis of their application is well understood.
DIGESTIBILITY OF EXTRUDED SEMI-WHOLE SOYBEAN FOR PIGLETS IN THE INITIAL PHASE

Two assays were conducted to determine the digestibility coefficients (DC) and the digestible nutrients (DN) of the extruded semi-whole soybean (Assay 1 - conventional feeding and Assay 2 - feeding for sows, starting at 109 days of pregnancy and during the lactation and for lactating piglets and piglets in the initial phase, with rations without soybean meal). Each assay was divided into two phases (32 and 50 days of age). Eight piglets weaned at 25 days of age were used. Total feces collection method was used. The following variables were analyzed in feed and in feces: dry matter, crude protein, ether extract, crude fiber and gross energy. The following average values were obtained: DCDM - 88.87%; DCCP 86.81%; DCEE - 85.41%; DCCF - 78.22%; DCGE 80.21% and MCDE - 95.71%, which allowed the calculation of the digestible nutrients: DDM - 81.28%; DP - 34.49%; DEE - 14.02%; DF - 4.49%; DEa - 4087.86 kcal/kg and MEa - 3912.73 kcal/kg. The different coefficients of digestibility were not affected by the differential feeding for sows and piglets or by the different ages of the animals. Moreover, the extruded semi-whole soybean presented good levels of DN, concerning mainly the digestible and metabolizable energy.