Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Tool Wear Characteristics and Effect on Microstructure in Ti-6Al-4V Friction Stir Welded Joints

In the present paper, tool wear and the rate of wear during friction stir welding (FSW) of Ti-6Al-4V alloy are investigated. A conical tungsten carbide tool was used to produce butt-type friction stir welded joints in two-millimeter thick Ti-6Al-4V sheets. An original design of a movable pin allowed for the examination of the tool damage for each process condition. The influence of tool degradation on the quality of the welded joints and the damage brought to the microstructure are examined and discussed. For this purpose, optical and scanning electron microscopies as well as EDX analyses were used to examine the tool wear and the resulting macrostructures and microstructures. The type and nature of the defects are also analyzed as a function of FSW processing parameters. Important geometry and weight variations were observed on the pin and shoulder for all welding conditions, in particular when low tool rotation and travel speeds were used. Experimental results also show that the radial wear of the pin is not uniform, indicating the presence of important frictional temperature gradients through the thickness of the joint. The maximum wear was measured at a location of about one millimeter from the pin root center. Finally, tool rotation was determined as the most significant process parameter influencing both tool wear and microstructure of the joints.
Asia-Pacific Regional Integration Index: Construction, Interpretation, and Comparison

We develop an index to measure the degree of regional integration in Asia and the Pacific (48 economies in six subregions). The index comprises 26 indicators in six dimensions of regional integration, i.e., trade and investment, money and finance, regional value chains, infrastructure and connectivity, free movement of people, and institutional and social integration. We use principal component analysis to apportion a weight to each dimension and indicator to construct composite indexes. The resulting indexes help assess the state of regional integration on diverse socioeconomic dimensions, evaluate progress against goals, identify strengths and weaknesses, and track progress. Cross-country, cross-regional comparisons also allow policy makers to prioritize areas for further efforts.
Analyses of dietary fibre contents, antioxidant composition, functional and pasting properties of plantain and Moringa oleifera composite flour blends

Abstract Plantain is a staple food in many African and Asian countries yet it is underutilized and experiences huge post-harvest losses annually. This study attempts to increase plantain utilization through processing into more shelf stable products. Blends of plantain flours with or without the peels and Moringa oleifera leaf powder were produced and analysed for the nutritional composition, antioxidative potential, functional and pasting properties. The dough meals from the flour blends were analysed for acceptability. The results obtained showed that incorporation of plantain peel and moringa leaves into the flours led to increase in crude fibre, and also raised the soluble and insoluble dietary fibres content by more than 50%. Flour blends also had increased water absorption capacity, but a reduced oil absorption and foaming capacity. The breakdown and final viscosities of the blends decreased significantly with inclusion of peel and moringa. Antioxidative potential of the blends was observed to have highest in flours containing peel and pulp. Addition of moringa leaves led to significant increase (p < 0.05) in the antioxidant potential of the flours. No significant difference was observed in the acceptability of the dough meals (amala) produced from different blends.
Variation of biochemical composition in relation to reproductive cycle of Mud Eel (Monopterus cuchia) under the agro climatic conditions of Meghalaya, India

Seasonal changes in biochemical composition of Mud Eel (Monopterus cuchia) were analyzed. The fish species were collected from three different areas of Meghalaya (viz; Nongpoh, Shella and Baghmara) from May 2016 to August 2017. Protein content was high during pre-breeding season with a mean value of 855. 1μg ± 0.04 and low during spent season (454.4μg ± 0.05). The carbohydrate content of this species reveals that there was no significant difference from all four seasons with a mean value of 0. 003μg ± 0.001. The lipid content was highest during breeding season with a mean value of 154. 2μg ± 0.5, but dropped during post-breeding (61.4μg ±0.5) and lowest during spent season (51.8μg ±0.5).
QUANTITATIVE DETERMINATION OF HYDROXYCINNAMIC ACIDS IN CHICORY ROOT

The possibility for applying of a direct spectrophotometry to quantify totality of hydroxycin- namic acid derivatives is investigated. As a quantitative criterion for quality assessment of chicory roots the total content of hydroxycinnam ic acid derivatives of at least 0.3 %, expressed as chlorogenic acid, is suggested.
COLLABORATIVE TEACHING CULTURES OF ENGLISH LECTURERS IN INDONESIAN POLYTECHNICS

This paper aims to explore collaborative culture in three polytechnics in South Sulawesi. This study applied an interpretive qualitative case study of nine English lecturers using interviews, documents and observations. Drawing from Hargreaves and Fullan’s (2012) collaborative cultural concept, this study finds that contrived collegiality is more dominance rather than genuine collaborative learning culture. This finding suggests that collaborative culture is structured formally and bureaucratically. This impact on the way lecturers perform their teaching, norms and their values.
Judgmental Overconfidence, Self-Monitoring and Trading Performance in an Experimental Financial Market

We measure the degree of overconfidence in judgment (in the form of miscalibration, i.e., the tendency to overestimate the precision of one’s information) and self-monitoring (a form of attentiveness to social cues) of 245 participants and also observe their behaviour in an experimental financial market under asymmetric information. Miscalibrated traders, underestimating the conditional uncertainty about the asset value, are expected to be especially vulnerable to the winner’s curse. High self-monitors are expected to behave strategically and achieve superior results. Our empirical results show that miscalibration reduces and self-monitoring enhances trading performance. The effect of the psychological variables is strong for men but non-existent for women.
Effects of Monetary Policy on Corporations in Brazil . An Empirical Analysis of the Balance Sheet Channel

This paper investigates the transmission mechanism of monetary policy in Brazil. It is an empirical analysis of the effects of monetary policy on the behavior of corporations in Brazil. We use the balance sheet theory to investigate how corporations respond to monetary contractions. Our results show that small firms are more sensitive to monetary contractions than large firms.
Characterization of crude oil contaminated soil bacteria and laboratory-scale biodegradation experiments

In current study, bacterial flora of Chak Naurang oil field soils from Chakwal district of Punjab province was characterized and evaluated for crude oil biodegradation potential. Morphological and biochemical characterization revealed twenty-six bacterial strains belonging to nine different genera, such as Micrococcus, Mycobacterium, Corynebacterium, Bacillus, Citrobacter, Erwinia, Neisseria, Planococcus and Klebsiella. Three experimental samples (S1, S2 and S3) were designed by mixing 15 ml sterilized crude oil in 100 grams sterilized soil and incubated at 37˚C for a period of 15 days. In S1 samples, 10ml of individual bacterial suspension was applied separately and comparative findings demonstrated maximum degradation by Micrococcus (15-17.1%), followed by Corynebacterium (13.4-15.7%), Mycobacterium (13-15.3%), Bacillus (11.8-13%), Erwinia (7.3-9.8%%), Citrobacter (6.8%), Neisseria (6.5%) and Klebsiella (6.0%) genera, respectively. Two Consortia, namely A (one member each of Bacillus, Corynebacterium, Planococcus and Micrococcus) and B (one member each of Bacillus, Corynebacterium, Planococcus and three members of Micrococcus) were designed and applied to S2 samples, biodegradation of 22% and 27.4% crude oil was noted by consortia A and B, respectively. S3 soil samples were amended with 1 gram of NKP-fertilizer (S3a), 1 gram of Banana peels (S3b) and 0.5 gram each of NKP-fertilizer and Banana peels (S3c), separately and consortia A and B were applied. Results demonstrated the degradation of 26.52%, 22.69%, 22.82% and 30.90%, 28.20%, 27.33% of hydrocarbon contents in S3a, S3b and S3c amended samples, by consortia A and B, respectively at 37˚C in 15 days. Current study shows diversified bacteria and highlights higher biodegradation rates of hydrocarbons in fertilizer amended soil samples by mixed bacterial assemblage.
Systematics and phylogeography of Acanthodactylus schreiberi and its relationships with Acanthodactylus boskianus (Reptilia: Squamata: Lacertidae)

Acanthodactylus is a widespread lacertid genus occurring from the Iberian Peninsula and western North Africa to western India including the Middle East, Cyprus, and the Arabian Peninsula. The genus is in dire need of a taxonomic revision, and the phylogenetic relationships amongst and within its species remain unclear. In particular, the taxonomy and relationship of the allopatric, narrow-ranged Acanthodactylus schreiberi and its close relative, the widespread Acanthodactylus boskianus asper, are poorly understood. We estimated the phylogenetic and phylogeographical structure of A. schreiberi across its distribution range, and evaluated its relationships to A. b. asper, using mitochondrial and nuclear data. The phylogenetic results indicate that both species are paraphyletic, with A. schreiberi nested within A. b. asper, and the subspecies A. schreiberi syriacus nested within a distinct lineage of A. b. asper. We suggest that the group is in need of a taxonomic revision because the identified lineages and genetic diversity are incongruent with the currently recognized taxonomy. We tentatively conclude that A. schreiberi is restricted to Cyprus and Turkey, reduced to a single form, and that the populations in Lebanon and Israel belong to A. b. asper.
Processing methods of Oshikundu, a traditional beverage from sub-tribes within Aawambo culture in the Northern Namibia

Fermented beverages have a long history in Africa and fermentation is the cheapest, oldest form of food preservation. Indigenous Knowledge (IK) has been at the for-front of the traditional food and beverage processing technology. Oshikundu is a Namibian cereal based fermented beverage brewed with water, brans, pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br. ) flour locally known as mahangu and malted sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) flour. Oshikundu is brewed in many households among Aawambo and part of Kavango region. It is a perishable beverage with a shelf life under six hours. Oshikundu is brewed for many generations among Aawambo, which the brewing process have adopt and evolved over time. The traditional art of brewing Oshikundu has been passed orally from generation to generation. The knowledge of brewing and interest is declining over time especially among young people. Rural women have taken advantage of the locally available raw materials with their IK for their livelihood by selling Oshikundu. The traditional methods have potential to incorporate the modern biotechnology to control, optimise and standardise the organoleptic quality of Oshikundu.
Documents de Treball de l ’ IEB 2011 / 29 OPTIMAL TAX ENFORCEMENT UNDER PROSPECT THEORY

Prospect Theory (PT) has become the most credited alternative to Expected Utility Theory (EUT) as a theory of decision under uncertainty. This paper characterises the optimal income tax and audit schemes under tax evasion, when taxpayers behave as predicted by PT. Under reasonable assumptions on the reference income and on the utility function of taxpayers, we show that the optimal audit probability function is non-increasing and the optimal tax function is non-decreasing and concave. The conditions under which those results hold for PT are weaker than the corresponding one for EUT. JEL Codes: D81, H26, K42
Demographical and Psychological Factors as Correlates of Organisational and Career Commitment among Prison Officers in Southwest, Nigeria

In this study, we investigate whether demographical and certain psychological factors could serve as correlates of organisational and career commitment among prison officers in Southwest, Nigeria. Specifically, we investigate the claim that gender, age, educational qualification, job experience, job satisfaction, emotional intelligence, motivation and job stress are the real correlates of oraganisational and career commitment, especially among prison officers in Southwest, Nigeria. The significance of the study is to enable all stakeholders to know the real predictors of career and organisational commitments so as to improve the productivity of the prison officers in order to enhance the current efforts towards prison reforms in Nigeria. The investigation was carried out on a sample of 300 prison officers randomly selected from the six states in Southwest, Nigeria, 50 from each state. The results indicate that gender, qualification and emotional intelligence have negative correlations with organisational commitment, while age, job experience, job satisfaction, motivation and job stress are confirmed to be significant correlates of organisational commitment. There was no significant combined effect of the independent variables on organisational commitment. Also, job satisfaction, emotional intelligence, motivation, job stress and gender are potent correlates of career commitment among the prison officers. However, age and experience have negative correlations with career commitment. Attention of the government and Nigeria Prison Management was drawn to these findings for proper implementation.
Stressor, Social Support, Coping Strategy, Stress, and Life Satisfaction of Married Woman Student

Stress can hinder academic success, especially for married women student because stress can decreased energy and motivation to do college activities and household tasks, therefore it is important for the students to avoid stress in order to have a good achievement at academic. This research aims to analyze the influence of individual characteristics, family characteristics, stressors, social support, coping strategies, and stress towards the married women students life satisfaction. The object of this research are post graduate women students of Bogor Agriculture University. Data collection is done using self-report method to 100 women married students. The collected data were analyzed using multiple linear regression test and corellation test. The most stressor came from itself, instrumental support was the most accepted among social support, most applied strategy in coping is the problem-focused strategy, the highest life satisfaction was life full of meaning and responsibility. Life satisfaction of married women students was influenced significantly positive by coping strategies and significantly negatif by stress.
Dividends: New evidence on the catering theory

This paper is built upon the predictions of the catering theory of dividends, and examines whether investors? sentiments exert significant influence on corporate dividend policy. To achieve this aim, we propose a dividend model that incorporates a variable at a firm-level proxing for the catering effect. The estimation of the model by using the Generalized Method of Moments provides interesting results. Consistent with the predictions of the catering theory, we find that companies in eurozone countries cater to their investors? sentiments. Additionally, other relevant findings show an interaction effect between catering and firm characteristics; particularly, liquid assets, investment opportunities and free cash flow. First, we find a catering effect only in firms with high liquid assets. Second, the positive effect of catering is only found in firms with valuable investment opportunities. Third, companies with higher levels of free cash flow cater more strongly to their investors? sentiments.
Ice genesis and its long-term mass balance and dynamics in Scărişoara Ice Cave, Romania

Abstract. The paleoclimatic significance of the perennial ice deposit in Scărisoara Ice Cave has been remarked on since the early 20th century, but a lack of understanding of the processes involved in the genesis, age and long-term dynamics and volume fluctuations of ice hampered all attempts to extract valuable data on past climate and vegetation changes. In this paper, we present a model of ice genesis and dynamics, based on stable isotopes, ice level monitoring (modern and archived) and radiocarbon dating of organic matter found in the ice. Ice in this cave mostly consists of layers of lake ice, produced as liquid water freezes from top to bottom in mid-autumn, and floor ice, produced as inflow water in winter freezes on top of the lake ice. This mechanism was also acting in the past, during the Medieval Warm Period and the Little Ice Age. The ice block is not stable in shape and volume, being continuously modified by ablation on top and sides, basal melting and lateral flow. Radiocarbon dating shows that the ice block is older than 1000 years, but ice flow and differential basal melting suggesting that the ice could be much older.
Social Capital of Social Capital Researchers

This paper investigates the co-authorship network of star researchers from different disciplines who work on social capital. There has been a recent surge of interest in social capital. Articles on social capital that are published in the last five years constitute more than 60 percent of all articles on social capital. Research on social capital now spans sociology, economics, management, political science and health sciences. Despite this interest there is still not a consensus on the definition and the measurement of social capital. This is partially due to lack of interaction between disciplines. By employing a simple social network analysis this paper shows that the social capital of social capital researchers is low between disciplines. Different from other theories of capital, social capital theory has concurrently been developed by various disciplines and as such, research across disciplines will improve our understanding of social capital.
A neuroimaging study of pleasant and unpleasant olfactory perceptions of virgin olive oil*

SUMMARY: Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has been used to collect information from neurons that receive direct input from olfactory bulbs when subjects smell virgin olive oil. The pleasant aroma of three extra virgin olive oils ( var . Royal, Arbequina and Picual) and three virgin olive oils with sensory defects (rancid, fusty and winey/vinegary) were presented to 14 subjects while a fMRI scan acquired data from the brain activity. Data were subjected to a two-sample t test analysis, which allows a better interpretation of results particularly when data are studied across different subjects. Most of the activations, which were located in the frontal lobe, are related to the olfactory task regardless of the hedonic component of perception (e.g. Brodmann areas 10, 11). Comparing the samples with pleasant and unpleasant aromas, differences were found at the anterior cingulate gyrus (Brodmann area 32), at the temporal lobe (Brodmann area 38), and inferior frontal gyrus (Brodmann area 47), while intense aromas activated Brodmann area 6. The actual perceptions described by the subjects and the concentration of the odorant compounds in the samples were considered in the interpretation of the results.
ON THE METALLICITY AND ORIGIN OF THE SMITH HIGH-VELOCITY CLOUD

The Smith Cloud (SC) is a gaseous high-velocity cloud (HVC) in an advanced state of accretion, only 2.9 kpc below the Galactic plane and due to impact the disk in ≈27 Myr. It is unique among HVCs in having a known distance (12.4 ± 1.3 kpc) and a well-constrained 3D velocity (296 km s−1), but its origin has long remained a mystery. Here we present the first absorption-line measurements of its metallicity, using Hubble Space Telescope/COS UV spectra of three active galactic nuclei lying behind the Cloud together with Green Bank Telescope 21 cm spectra of the same directions. Using Voigt-profile fitting of the S ii λλ1250, 1253, 1259 triplet together with ionization corrections derived from photoionization modeling, we derive the sulfur abundance in each direction; a weighted average of the three measurements gives [S/H] = −0.28 ± 0.14, or 0.53 − 0.15 + 0.21 ? > solar metallicity. The finding that the SC is metal-enriched lends support to scenarios where it represents recycled Galactic material, rather than the remnant of a dwarf galaxy or accreting intergalactic gas. The metallicity and trajectory of the Cloud are both indicative of an origin in the outer disk. However, its large mass and prograde kinematics remain to be fully explained. If the cloud has accreted cooling gas from the corona during its fountain trajectory, as predicted in recent theoretical work, its current mass would be higher than its launch mass, alleviating the mass concern.
Inflation targeting and exchange rate pass-through to domestic prices: evidence from South Africa

Inflation targeting is increasingly seen as a crucial monetary policy by many economies in their quest for economic growth. The choice of an appropriate exchange rate regime, continue to be crucial in macroeconomic policy. Using data from 1970q1 to 2015q4, the paper examines the effects of inflation targeting on exchange rate pass-through. Applying a VAR model, the results show that inflation targeting has significant impacts on the movements of inflation, output and the exchange rate. The pass-through to consumer prices decreased and there was a reduction in the influence of foreign producer costs on imports prices after adopting inflation targeting Classification JEL: B22; F41; N00
Loyalty in wine retailing : a multidimensional model

This paper shows that, while researchers often measure loyalty as an intention to repurchase, there is value in considering loyalty more broadly. This paper reveals two main schools of thought in loyalty research, starting with the attitudinal and behavioural dimensions of loyalty, which underpin most of the research in this area. Based on previously published marketing and organisational behaviour research, additional dimensions - namely, resistance to competing offers and citizenship behaviours - are introduced for empirical testing using non-hierarchical models. The consideration of a wider range of ideas will assist retail marketers to manage and build loyalty and, hence, profits through improving their understanding of the ways that customers are, or are not, loyal.
A Bridge between Quantum Mechanics and Astronomy

Small-scale physics called quantum mechanics, is still incompatible with large-scale physics as developed by Einstein in his general relativity theory. By using twin physics, which is a dualistic way of considering the universe, and following Einstein’s later advice it is possible to create a bridge between these extremes. The formulation is carried out using complementary language in which time and space necessarily occur as two distinct qualities, although they are treated analogously. The basic item in the theory is the Heisenberg unit, which has a constant amount of potential energy, and which is supplied with mathematical attributes; by interaction with another Heisenberg unit, these attributes are transformed into physical qualities. With this theory, a photon can be described such that its velocity is constant without using the related postulate, showing how the speed of light is the link between small- and large-scale physics. The Planck constant emerges from the explanation. The photon is accompanied by a so-called anti-photon, being a charged, massless particle, traveling with the same velocity and exchanging electromagnetic energy.