Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Analysis of high temperature plastic behaviour and its relation with weldability in friction stir welding for aluminium alloys AA 5083-H 111 and AA 6082-T 6

0261-3069/$ see front matter 2012 Elsevier Ltd. A doi:10.1016/j.matdes. 2012.01. 031 ⇑ Corresponding author. Tel. : +351 239 790 700; fa E-mail address: dulce.rodrigues@dem.uc. pt (D.M. The influence of the plastic behaviour of two aluminium alloys, very popular in welding construction, on friction stir weldability, is analysed in this work. The two base materials, a non-heat-treatable (AA5083H111) and a heat-treatable aluminium (AA6082-T6) alloy, are characterised by markedly different strengthening mechanisms and microstructural evolution at increasing temperatures. Their plastic behaviour, under different testing conditions, was analysed and compared. The two base materials were also welded under varied friction stir welding (FSW) conditions in order to characterise their weldability. The relation between weldability, material flow during FSW and the plastic behaviour of the base materials, at different temperatures, was analysed. It was found that the AA6082 alloy, which displays intense flow softening during tensile loading at high temperatures, and is sensitive to dynamic precipitation and overageing under intense non-uniform deformation, displays good weldability in FSW. Under the same welding conditions, the AA5083 alloy, which in quasi-static conditions displays steady flow behaviour at increasing temperatures, and is sensitive to moderate hardening at high strain rates, displays poor weldability. 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Using virtual and augmented reality to study architectural lighting

This paper presents industry stakeholder insights from the implementation of a dual modality intervention using virtual and augmented reality simulation to study complex lighting theory in architecture design. Using a design based research method the aim is to evaluate these insights and inform a pilot study to educate first year architectural design students on the complexities of lighting the built environment and methods to improve architectural workflow. The aim is to enable learners to experience natural and artificial lighting methods comparatively in real-time through multiple comparative visualisation methods. This is important to make informed evaluations regarding architectural designs in terms of spatial quality, character, performance, and user-comfort levels. This in turn allows architects to rapidly modify their designs to accommodate or mitigate the environmental effects. Outcomes from the initial usability test highlight the ability to switch back and forth between the virtual and augmented reality simulation technology, and between lighting visualisation modes as a huge step forward by the industry stakeholders. Additionally, the idea of representing the physical building where the simulation took place virtually using a detailed mapping gave a real-world anchor that made the simulations easy to navigate, leading to improved satisfaction and engagement. However, the study also highlighted improvements in the delivery of the simulation is required to improve simulation learnability and efficiency.
Estimation of the total fertility rates and proximate determinants of fertility in North and South Gondar zones, Northwest Ethiopia: An application of the Bongaarts' model

Background: Evidence shows that nearly two million people are added to the population of Ethiopia each year. It has become clear that uncontrolled fertility has adversely influenced the socio-economic, demographic and environmental situations of the country. Objectives: To estimate the total fertility rates and look into the relative contribution of the intermediate determinant variables in bringing fertility below its biological maximum in North and South Gondar zones of Northwest Ethiopia. Methods: A cross-sectional study which included a sample size of 3512 women of reproductive age was performed. Multi-stage cluster sampling was used to select the required study subjects. The Bongaarts model was employed to estimate fertility rates and quantify the contribution of each of the proximate determinants of fertility. Results: The overall total fertility rate of the two Gondar zones was computed as 5.3. Among the three major proximate determinants in reducing fertility in the two zones, postpartum infecundability (Ci=0.55) stood first followed by contraceptive use (Cc=0.75) and non- marriage (Cm=0.83). Conclusion: The fertility-inhibiting effect of postpartum infecundability resulting from prolonged breastfeeding is by far the most important proximate determinant in the entire study areas. A substantial role (particularly in urban areas) is played by contraceptive use. The promotion of breastfeeding should continue by all concerned bodies and the region should continue exerting its maximum effort to make the majority of the rural population users of modern contraceptive methods
A Note on Central Bank Transparency and Credibility in Poland

This note extends the study by Lyziak et al. (2007), providing up-to-date assessment of central bank transparency in Poland. We highlight the role of inflation projections prepared by the staff of the National Bank of Poland in building transparency of monetary policy. The results suggest that central bank inflation projections, published since 2004, have led to improvements in the predictability of interest rate decisions. The note updates also previous estimates of the degree of central bank credibility in Poland, using survey-based measures of inflation expectations formed by consumers, enterprises and financial sector analysts. It is confirmed that inflation expectations of enterprises and – especially – of financial sector analysts display a high degree of anchoring at the NBP inflation target, while consumer inflation expectations are driven mainly by developments in subjectively perceived inflation.
Experimental investigations on wear process parameters optimization of Austempered Ductile Iron using Taguchi technique

2 ABSTRACT: The influence of parameters like applied load, sliding speed and sliding distance on dry sliding wear rate of Ductile Iron (DI) / Austempered Ductile Iron (ADI) was investigated. The design of experiments (DOE) approach using Taguchi method was employed to analyze the wear behavior of Ductile Iron / Austempered Ductile Iron. Dry sliding wear tests were conducted using pin-on-disc wear testing machine. Signal-to-noise ratio and analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used to investigate the influence of parameters on the wear rate. It was determined that sliding distance was the most significant parameter influencing the wear rate of ADI followed by applied load and sliding speed. The mathematical model was obtained to determine the wear rate of DI / ADI. The confirmation tests were conducted to verify the experimental results foreseen from the mentioned correlations.
Fine needle aspiration cytology of salivary gland lesions: study in a tertiary care hospital of North Bihar

Background: Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) of suspected salivary gland lesions has an established role in preoperative diagnosis and management of patients. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the spectrum of salivary gland lesions in our setting and to assess the diagnostic accuracy of FNAC for salivary gland lesions. Methods: In the present study, 189 cases were included in this study and cytohistological correlation was made in 84 cases only. FNA was performed from different sites of the salivary gland swelling using a 10 mL disposable syringe and 23/24-gauge needle without local anaesthesia. FNA air-dried smears were stained with Giemsa stain and wet smears fixed in 95% ethyl alcohol were stained with haematoxylin and eosin stain. Paraffin embedded tissue sections were stained with haematoxylin and eosin (H & E). Results: Overall diagnostic accuracy of FNAC in our study was found to be 94.05% with 88% sensitivity and 96.6% specificity. Conclusions: The high accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of FNAC confirm that preoperative cytology is a useful, quick and reliable diagnostic technique indispensable for developing countries.
A Microscopic Approach to Investigate Bacteria under In-Situ Conditions in Arctic Lake Ice: Initial Comparisons to Sea Ice

To better understand constraints on bacteria at extremely low temperatures in ice, we describe here the adaptation of methods previously developed for sea ice to high magnification imaging of bacteria within fluid inclusions of Arctic lake ice under in_situ conditions. Bacterial staining procedures, using the DNA-specific fluorescent stain DAPI, epifluorescence microscopy and image analysis were applied to lake-ice sections at in situ temperature (–5°C). Abundances of total, attached, free-living and metabolically active lake-ice bacteria were also determined from samples melted at 0°C using the fluorescent stains DAPI and CTC. Initial results indicate that, compared to sea ice at the same in situ temperature, lake ice contains fewer and more isolated liquid inclusions, limiting transport of fluids and motion of bacteria. Metabolically active cells were found in all ice samples (0.1 to 2.0% of the total counts), but on average less than in sea ice. Up to 50% of the total bacterial community were found to be associated with particles > 3 μm in size; of the metabolically active cells, a smaller fraction was found to be attached than in sea ice. Our results expand the spectrum of information available on bacteria in ice on a scale relevant to the organism and provide insight into characteristics of frozen microbial habitats on Earth and perhaps elsewhere in the Universe.
Learning to Lead (p)ublic Schools

Engaging multiple publics calls for a skill set that “stand[s] in stark opposition to the typical types of managerial and administrative habits characteristic of public schools today” (Knight Abowitz, 2011, p. 477). As instructors in two graduate level leadership preparation programs, we grapple with the tension between developing “managerial and administrative habits” and developing leaders who help people “to mobilize around particular problems related to young people and their schools” (p. 467). In this self-study, we explore how these differing discourses influence the work that we do and our ability to help our students learn to engage with multiple publics. Using a structured, collaborative model for our self-study (Patrizio, McNary & Ballock, 2011) that includes doing shared readings about curriculum leadership, studying artifacts from our practice, extending conversations with a series of reflective letters (Altman, 1982), and revisiting all of our data sources as an aggregate for analysis, we find that pressure to align our courses to the state and professional standards that govern our programs prioritizes a focus on managerial and administrative habits. Further, we find that our students’ beliefs about curriculum leadership more closely align with a managerial and administrative perspective than one that includes multiple publics. Our findings echo Knight Abowitz’s concerns about the types of skills leaders need, the extent to which we expose our students to them, and the mismatch between leadership that privileges a narrow understanding of curriculum and one that transcends any focus on outcomes and blends technical and political skills.
Does Accounting for Foreign Capital Flows help to solve the Feldstein and Horioka Puzzle? The Case of Norway

A new proxy variable for the investment part of the initial Feldstein and Horioka model is proposed. We denominate it 'modified gross fixed capital formation'. It is derived by subtracting the imports of fixed assets included in an economy's gross fixed capital formation from the gross fixed capital formation itself. This way, the exclusively domestic part of an economy's investment is isolated. Applying it in the case of Norway, the aforementioned approach significantly reduces or even eliminates the high autocorrelation inherent in the initial Feldstein and Horioka model specification. Norway appears to be characterized by a high degree of international capital mobility.
COMPACTNESS FOR PUNCTURED HOLOMORPHIC CURVES K. Cieliebak and K. Mohnke

Bourgeois, Eliashberg, Hofer, Wysocki and Zehnder recently proved a general compactness result for moduli spaces of punctured holomorphic curves arising in symplectic field theory. In this paper we present an alternative proof of this result. The main idea is to determine a priori the levels at which holomorphic curves split, thus reducing the proof to two separate cases: long cylinders of small area, and regions with compact image. The second case requires a generalization of Gromov compactness for holomorphic curves with free boundary.
Dark Triad of Croatian Management Students

This paper researches the so-called “dark triad” personality traits of management student populations, because of their potential to generate dysfunctional organizational behavior and processes. Namely, the dark triad with characteristics such as lack of empathy, willingness to manipulate others (for self-betterment), antagonism, and belief in one’s own superiority can represent a real organizational threat. The goal of this paper is to stimulate thinking and discussion around this issue. The paper is based on questionnaire measurement that adopts the standardized short dark triad measurement instrument of Jones and Paulhus (2012) who measure the scales of Machiavellianism (9 items), narcissism (9 items) and psychopathy (9 items). The sample included 150 students of professional management studies at the Faculty of Economics, University of Split in Croatia. Results of the Croatian students are compared with the results of 387 students in Canada. The results suggest significant statistical differences in the “dark triad” variables between the Canadian and Croatian samples. The practical implications of this paper are in raising awareness and stimulating the thinking of managers around the potential of the “dark triad” traits of engaged human resources to create organizational crisis, and to make preventive and responsive actions to manage the “toxic triad” threat.
Quantification of shallow water quality parameters by means of remote sensing

Quantification of quality parameters of inland and near shore waters by means of remote sensing has encountered varying degrees of success in spite of the high variability of the parameters under consideration and limitations of remote sensors themselves. This paper comprehensively evaluates the quantification of four types of water quality parameters: inorganic sediment particles, phytoplankton pigments, coloured dissolved organic material and Secchi disk depth. It concentrates on quantification requirements, as well as the options in selecting the most appropriate sensor data for the purpose. Relevant factors, such as quantification implementation and validation of the quantified results are also extensively discussed. This review reveals that the relationship between in situ samples and their corresponding remotely sensed data can be linear or nonlinear, but are nearly always site-specific. The quantification has been attempted from terrestrial satellite data largely for suspended sediments and chlorophyll concentrations. The quantification has been implemented through integration of remotely sensed imagery data, in situ water samples and ancillary data in a geographic information system (GIS). The introduction of GIS makes the quantification feasible for more variables at an increasingly higher accuracy. Affected by the number and quality of in situ samples, accuracy of quantification has been reported in different ways and varies widely.
The Relative Factors Shaping Construction Workers' Behaviors and Leading to Accidents

Most construction workers’ behaviors are shaped by task objective constraints and their capability during the operation. This research describes the construction workers’ behaviors are an interaction between the task demand and the worker capability. The relative factors that influence construction workers’ behaviors have been determined through the Delphi process and Analytical Hierarchical Process (AHP). The panel participated in these processes was represented by 9 safety experts who were specialized in high-rise building construction. Results of the analysis showed that 23 task demand factors and 12 worker capability factors were determined by 2 rounds of the Delphi process under the expert’s consensus. The weights of these factors were determined by utilizing the AHP. The most weighted factor of the task demand was the Societal and Environmental Impact Awareness Factor. The Foreman’s Communication Ability Factor was the dominant weighted factor of the capability. The factors and their relative weights can guide practitioners to manage the project resources safely and efficiently.
Insight into the relationship between entrepreneurship orientations and performance: The case of SME exporters in Malaysia

ABSTRACT The rise in the number of small and medium businesses competing in foreign markets has led to growing interest among researchers in the study of the international activities of these firms. Previous studies have focused on how small businesses successfully compete in the market alongside larger and resourceful firms despite the former’s scarcity of resources. In this light, we develop the conceptual framework that is based upon the resource-based view, and explore the link between firm-specific resources and export performance. This study examines the relationships between entrepreneurial dimensions, namely pro-activeness, risk-taking, and innovativeness, and the performance of the exporter. Based on a sample of 220 SMEs, this study found that pro-activeness affects export performance positively and significantly. In addition, innovativeness was found to be significantly associated with export performance. Finally, the paper ends with the conclusion, a presentation of the limitations of the study, and suggestions for future research. Keywords: International business; Entrepreneurship; Export performance; Resource-based view, SMEs ABSTRAK Peningkatan minat penyelidik ke atas kajian aktiviti antarabangsa bagi perniagaan kecil dan sederhana (PKS) berkait rapat dengan pertumbuhan jumlah firma berkenaan yang bersaing di pasaran asing. Titik rujukan kajian lepas adalah meskipun PKS menghadapi kekangan sumber namun perniagaan ini mampu bersaing dengan jayanya dalam pasaran di samping firma besar yang mempunyai sumber yang banyak. Berdasarkan pandangan ini kami membangunkan kerangka konsepsual berdasarkan kepada pandangan berasaskan sumber dan melihat kesan dimensi keusahawanan iaitu, pro-aktif, pengambilan-risiko dan inovasi ke atas pencapaian eksport. Berdasarkan sampel 220 PKS hasil kajian ini mendapati bahawa pro-aktif dengan signifikan mempengaruhi pencapaian eksport. Selain itu, inovasi juga didapati secara signifikan berhubungan dengan pencapaian eksport. Di akhir kertas ini kami membincangkan kesimpulan kajian, limitasi kajian serta cadangan kajian akan datang. Kata Kunci: Perniagaan Antarabangsa, Keusahawanan, Prestasi eksport, Pandangan berasaskan sumber, IKS
Medicinal plants used in the treatment of livestock diseases in Berbere district of Bale zone, Oromia region, Ethiopia

An ethnoveterinary study of medicinal plants used by local people of Berbere district was carried out from June 25 to September 5, 2015. The study was focused on utilization of medicinal plants to treat various livestock health problems by people of the study area. The data were gathered using semi-structured interview, participant observation and personal interviews. A total of 69 informants (55 male and 14 female) in the age between 30 and 89 years were purposively selected from eight kebeles. Twenty four medicinal plants, which are distributed in 18 genera and 17 families have been collected and identified. These medicinal plants were collected from natural habitat [23 (94.6%)], whereas 1 (5.6%) from home gardens. The most frequently harvested medicinal plants parts was shrub accounting for 11 species (45.8%) for livestock. Leaves [13 (52%)] were frequently used plant parts for preparation of livestock remedies. Agricultural expansion was the major threat to medicinal plants. Creating awareness of young generation on the usage of traditional medicine and conservation is recommended. Key words: Medicinal plants, traditional utilization, Berbere district, South East Ethiopia.
COMPARATIVE STUDY OF TERBINAFINE HYDROCHLORIDE TRANSFERSOME, MENTHOSOME AND ETHOSOME NANOVESICLE FORMULATIONS VIA SKIN PERMEATION AND ANTIFUNGAL EFFICACY

The purpose of the present research was to compare the skin permeation and study the antifungal efficacy of Terbinafine hydrochloride (TH) transfersome, menthosome and ethosome formulations under non-occlusive conditions. Terbinafine hydrochloride is an antifungal drug for onychomycosis. Poor permeability of its external preparation leads to poor curative effect. Preparation of TH transfersome utilized the mixture component model to determine the optimized desirable formula using different concentrations of nonionic surfactant, Span and Tween (X1 & X2 respectively) were investigated. The results revealed that both X1 and X2 had a pronounced effect on vesicle size (Y1) and entrapment efficiency (EE) of the drug (Y2). The vesicles were prepared and characterized for shape, size, zeta potential and entrapment efficiency. Ex vivo study via Franz diffusion cells was used for the percutaneous absorption studies. The optimum desirable formula of transfersome, menthosome and ethosome formulations were showed vesicle size (78.7, 122.8 and 67.8 nm), zeta potential (-8.28, 8.77 and 11.30 mV) and encapsulation efficiency (92.67, 93.86 and 95.75%), respectively. Ex vivo permeation of the drug-loaded nanovesicle showed more than two to three folds higher permeation rate compared with drug suspension. Deformability verified elasticity of the preparation. Finally, TH nanovesicle formulations improved drug delivery with greater improvement in skin permeation and antifungal activity. Our selected formulae showed potent antifungal effect against Aspergillus niger for the treatment of fingernails or toenails. Keywords; Terbinafine Hydrochloride, Transfersome, Menthosome, Ethosome, Nanovesicles