Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Dynamic ecological constraints to economic growth

An important characteristic defining the threat of environmental crises is the uncertainty about their consequences for future welfare. Random processes governing ecosystem dynamics and adaptation to anthropogenic change are the source of prevailing ecological uncertainty and contribute to the problem of how to balance economic development against natural resource conservation. The aim of this study is to describe the implications for steady-state economic growth subject to non-linear dynamic environmental constraints. In a two-sector exogenous growth framework we model a stochastic environmental good, exhibiting uncertain ecological responses to environmental change and describe the economic and environmental trade-offs that ensue for a risk-averse social planner. Allowing for ecological risk tends to slow long run economic growth if environmental impacts are assumed to increase exponentially as the level of disturbance increases. A combination of low risk aversion and linear or concave ecological response functions leads to accelerated economic growth and environmental impact. This result is reversed for social planners characterised by high levels of risk aversion as conservation with zero environmental impact becomes the economically optimal policy choice. The environmental option value of preserving a natural resource in the face of uncertainty is treated in this paper as a Cicchetti-Freeman type risk premium.
Mayer–Vietoris sequences and equivariant $K$-theory rings of toric varieties

We apply a Mayer-Vietoris sequence argument to identify the Atiyah-Segal equivariant complex K-theory rings of certain toric varieties with rings of integral piecewise Laurent polynomials on the associated fans. We provide necessary and sufficient conditions for this identification to hold for toric varieties of complex dimension 2, including smooth and singular cases. We prove that it always holds for smooth toric varieties, regardless of whether or not the fan is polytopal or complete. Finally, we introduce the notion of fans with "distant singular cones," and prove that the identification holds for them. The identification has already been made by Hararda, Holm, Ray and Williams in the case of divisive weighted projective spaces, in addition to enlarging the class of toric varieties for which the identification holds, this work provides an example in which the identification fails. We make every effort to ensure that our work is rich in examples.
Development of long span stress-laminated timber arch bridges.

For the last 2 years the authors have been involved in optimisation of the performance of stresslaminated timber (SLT) structures by utilising the strength properties of timber in an arching action for use as vehicle and pedestrian bridges. During that time 9 permanent bridges have been built and 7 have been load tested. The tested bridges were a half-scale of a 12m span bridge (i.e. 6m span) and a full-scale bridge of 15m span. Laboratory tests have also been carried out on a series of thirdscale models with 3 different arch profiles and with 2 flat decks to study the interactions of friction and arching profiles with different pre-stressing tensions. It has become clear that the design rules for flat SLT decks do not necessarily apply to arches. Furthermore a study of the structural behaviour of a full-scale long span SLT arch structure (20m span bridge) is being carried out at Napier University, so that static and dynamic responses to vandal loadings are examined and evaluated. Contracts are being let for the construction of 4 new arch bridges of spans between 20m and 26m. The extensive testing programme, augmented by analytical work aims to develop reliable design procedures for arch structures using UK softwood.
Post-germination seedling vigor under submergence and submergence-induced SUB1A gene expression in indica and japonica rice (Oryza sativa L.)

We evaluated post-germination seedling vigor in indica and japonica rice under submergence based on shoot elongation and recovery after submergence. The japonica cultivars showed more vigorous shoot elongation than indica cultivars under submergence in the dark, whereas an opposite response was observed under the light-dark submergence. Both Nipponbare and FR13A that are respectively known as submergence intolerant and tolerant cultivars showed vigorous shoot growth under submergence and high recovery after the stress, irrespective of the light/dark conditions. The results show that vigorous shoot growth enables rice seedlings to escape and survive submergence stress. RT-PCR analysis showed that expression of SUB1A, which is known as a key gene controlling submergence tolerance, was induced in elongating seedlings of FR13A and other indica cultivars including floating rice under submergence with light illumination. Our results suggest that light-induced SUB1A gene expression does not hinder the shoot elongation response under submergence in rice at the post-germination seedling stage.
Predicting GDP of 289 NUTS Regions in Europe with ?Subjective? Indicators for Human and Social Capital

Most of the aggregate level analyses on the relationship between objective and subjective measures for well-being have limited themselves to measures of national GDP and mean life satisfaction. We develop this line of research by embedding the analysis into the context of 289 NUTS regions in Europe and replacing the simple life satisfaction measure with measures of active human functioning. This approach suggest that the measures of personal and social well-being, as they are operationalized in the 6th round European Social Survey (ESS) questionnaire, can be treated as subjective indicators for social and human capital and thereby be are associated with the regional level GDP in cross-sectional analysis. The focus of this study could hence be defined as an interdisciplinary attempt to understand economic reality from the perspective of subjective well-being research. Thus, the paper also argues for better interdisciplinary communication between the traditions of economic geography and subjective well-being research. First, the results give further validation to the previous research indicating that general 'social trust' is strongly associated with economic performance. This component was shown to have robust and independent association with the dependent variable in both OLS and spatial filtering models. Also the indicator for 'social contact and support' appears to have positive and significant correlation with the regional GDP. On the subjective human capital the strongest predictor for regional GDP is a sense of 'competence and meaning' among the population. However, from the perspective of personal wellbeing, there seems to be some sort of tradeoff regarding some elements of objective and subjective wellbeing; the component ? autonomy and control' seems to be negatively correlated to economic performance. All of the effects described above proved robust also after including the objective control variables (population density, intramural R&D expenditure, share of tertiary educated population and employment). The results of this study are hoped to contribute to literature on regional economic development. This study offers some new insight to the instrumentalization and measuring of social and human capital. The subjective indicators used in this study are reflecting the quality of both human and social capital without retaining only to the objective quantity such as educational (human capital) or associational (social capital) attainment. From the policy perspective the results give tentative support to bottom-up policies facilitating local capacity building through supporting the psychological and social wellbeing and positive human functioning in regions. However, the cross-sectional framework limits significantly the possibility for any policy suggestions as we cannot confirm the assumptions on causalities embedded in the analysis. The results of this study could however inspire new interdisciplinary enquiries on this field of research and offer new alternative measures for building regional growth models.
X-ray bursting neutron star atmosphere models using an exact relativistic kinetic equation for Compton scattering

Theoretical spectra of X-ray bursting neutron star (NS) model atmospheres are widely used to determine the basic NS parameters such as their masses and radii. We construct accurate NS atmosphere models using for the first time an exact treatment of Compton scattering via the integral relativistic kinetic equation. We also compare the results with the previous calculations based on the Kompaneets operator. We solve the radiation transfer equation together with the hydrostatic equilibrium equation accounting exactly for the radiation pressure by electron scattering. We thus construct a new set of plane-parallel atmosphere models in LTE for hot NSs. The models were computed for six chemical compositions (pure H, pure He, solar H/He mix with various heavy elements abundances Z = 1, 0.3, 0.1, and 0.01 Z_sun, and three log g = 14.0, 14.3, and 14.6. For each chemical composition and log g, we compute more than 26 model atmospheres with various luminosities relative to the Eddington luminosity L_Edd computed for the Thomson cross-section. The maximum relative luminosities L/L_Edd reach values of up to 1.1 for high gravity models. The emergent spectra of all models are redshifted and fitted by diluted blackbody spectra in the 3--20 keV energy range appropriate for the RXTE/PCA. We also compute the color correction factors f_c. The radiative acceleration g_rad in our luminous, hot-atmosphere models is significantly smaller than in corresponding models based on the Kompaneets operator, because of the Klein-Nishina reduction of the electron scattering cross-section, and therefore formally "super-Eddington" model atmospheres do exist. The differences between the new and old model atmospheres are small for L / L_Edd < 0.8. For the same g_rad / g, the new f_c are slightly larger (by approximately 1%) than the old values.
The role of 1-D and 3-D radiative heating in the organization of shallow cumulus convection and the formation of cloud streets

Abstract. The formation of shallow cumulus cloud streets was historically attributed primarily to dynamics. Here, we focus on the interaction between radiatively induced surface heterogeneities and the resulting patterns in the flow. Our results suggest that solar radiative heating has the potential to organize clouds perpendicular to the sun's incidence angle. To quantify the extent of organization, we performed a high-resolution large-eddy simulation (LES) parameter study. We varied the horizontal wind speed, the surface heat capacity, the solar zenith and azimuth angles, and radiative transfer parameterizations (1-D and 3-D). As a quantitative measure we introduce a simple algorithm that provides a scalar quantity for the degree of organization and the alignment. We find that, even in the absence of a horizontal wind, 3-D radiative transfer produces cloud streets perpendicular to the sun's incident direction, whereas the 1-D approximation or constant surface fluxes produce randomly positioned circular clouds. Our reasoning for the enhancement or reduction of organization is the geometric position of the cloud's shadow and its corresponding surface fluxes. Furthermore, when increasing horizontal wind speeds to 5 or 10 m s−1, we observe the development of dynamically induced cloud streets. If, in addition, solar radiation illuminates the surface beneath the cloud, i.e., when the sun is positioned orthogonally to the mean wind field and the solar zenith angle is larger than 20°, the cloud-radiative feedback has the potential to significantly enhance the tendency to organize in cloud streets. In contrast, in the case of the 1-D approximation (or overhead sun), the tendency to organize is weaker or even prohibited because the shadow is cast directly beneath the cloud. In a land-surface-type situation, we find the organization of convection happening on a timescale of half an hour. The radiative feedback, which creates surface heterogeneities, is generally diminished for large surface heat capacities. We therefore expect radiative feedbacks to be strongest over land surfaces and weaker over the ocean. Given the results of this study we expect that simulations including shallow cumulus convection will have difficulties producing cloud streets if they employ 1-D radiative transfer solvers or may need unrealistically high wind speeds to excite cloud street organization.
On Ideals in Banach Spaces

In this paper we study the notion of an ideal, which was introduced by Godefroy, Kalton and Saphar in [7] and was called "locally one complemented" in [11], for injective and projective tensor products of Banach spaces. For a Banach space X and an ideal Y in X, we show that the injective tensor product space Y ⊗ e Z is an ideal in X ⊗ e Z for any Banach space Z. This as a consequence gives us a way of proving some known results about intersection properties of balls and extensions of operators on injective tensor product spaces in a unified way that does not involve any vector-valued Choquet theory. We also exhibit classes of Banach spaces in which every ideal is the range of a norm one projection.
Mineralization pattern of sulphur in major contrasting soil series of pulses growing areas in Madurai district of Tamil Nadu

The rate of mineralization of plant available sulphur from different soluble S sources was determined by Incubation experiment in four major soil series of pulses growing areas viz., Peelamedu (Typic Haplustert), Palaviduthi (Typic Haplustalf), Irugur (Typic Ustropept) and Vylogam (Typic Rhodustalf). The results revealed that different S sources and levels had a significant effect on releasing pattern of S at different days of incubation. Among the three S sources and levels such as S @ 10, 20 and 30 kg ha-1 as Gypsum, Ammonium sulphate and Potassium sulphate, it was observed that with the advancement of incubation period, S was significantly increased upto 70 DAI. Among the four major soil series, the higher S content of 105.2 μg ml-1 was observed in Peelamedu series followed by Irugur > Vylogam > Palaviduthi series.
New Product Announcement Signals and Incumbent Reactions

The authors focus on NPA signals, which they define as new product announcements in advance of market introduction. They develop a set of hypotheses regarding incumbent reactions to NPA signals and test them in a field study among managers in the United States and the United Kingdom. The authors’ findings provide a characterization of the factors affecting the likelihood of competitive response to NPA signals and suggest a set of managerial implications.
Match Between Pre- and Postmigration Education among New Immigrants: Determinants and Payoffs

ABSTRACT The objective of this paper is to understand the transition between immigrants’ premigration education and their educational trajectories once in Canada, and the return on investment in postmigration education in terms of employment status and earnings. The data come from Statistics Canada’s Longitudinal Survey of Immigrants to Canada. Using multinomial logistic regressions and ﬁ xed effects regressions, we found that: a third of new immigrants with ostsecondary training pursue their education during their early years in Canada; those who are admitted to Canada because of their high levels of skills, namely the principal applicants in the skilled workers category, are more likely to pursue their education; and those who enrol do not see an immediate beneﬁ t in terms of their earnings. This is further evidence of the lack of foreign credential recognition in Canada, which delays entry into highly paid occupations and delays full participation in the Canadian economy. RESUME L’objectif de cette etude est de comprendre la transition entre l’education pre-migratoire des immigrants et les trajectoires d’education au Canada, et les effets de l’investissement en education post-migratoire sur l’employabilite et le revenu. Les donnees proviennent de l’Enquete longitudinale aupres des immigrants du Canada de Statistique Canada. En appliquant des regressions logistiques multinomiales et des regressions a effets ﬁ xes, nous avons constate que: 1) Un tiers des nouveaux immigrants ayant une formation postsecondaire poursuivre leurs etudes pendant leurs premieres annees au Canada, 2) Ceux qui sont admis au Canada en raison de leur haut niveau de competences, a savoir les demandeurs principaux de la categorie des travailleurs qualiﬁ es, sont plus susceptibles de poursuivre leurs etudes, et 3) ceux qui s’inscrivent ne voient pas un beneﬁ ce immediat sur leur revenu et les chances d’etre en emploi. Ceci est une preuve supplementaire de l’absence de reconnaissance des titres de competences etrangers au Canada, qui retarde l’entree dans des professions hautement remuneres et la pleine participation a l’economie canadienne.
Fifteen Years of Research on Business Model Innovation

Over the last 15 years, business model innovation (BMI) has gained an increasing amount of attention in management research and among practitioners. The emerging BMI literature addresses an important phenomenon but lacks theoretical underpinning, and empirical inquiry is not cumulative. Thus, a concerted research effort seems warranted. Accordingly, we take stock of the extant literature on BMI. We identify and analyze 150 peer-reviewed scholarly articles on BMI published between 2000 and 2015. We provide the first comprehensive systematic review of the BMI literature, include a critical assessment of these research efforts, and offer suggestions for future research. We argue that the literature faces problems with respect to construct clarity and has gaps with respect to the identification of antecedent conditions, contingencies, and outcomes. We identify important avenues for future research and show how the complexity theory, innovation, and other streams of literature can help overcome many of the gaps in the BMI literature.
Content Analysis of The Diagrammatic Representations of Primary Science Textbooks

Background:Science education research emphasizes the crucial role of textbooks in students’ acquisition of scientific knowledge. The aim of the study is to explore the distribution and instructional functions of diagrammatic representations contained by primary textbooks and their accompanying workbooks.Material and methods:Diagrams from twenty science textbooks and workbooks were classified, coded and analyzed. Descriptive statistical analysis was performed. A one-way ANOVA test was performed to check if there are any distributional differences between textbook and workbook.Results:Great amount of diagrams have been used in the primary level of science teaching. On average, there are about 2.2 diagrams used in the textbooks and 2.0 diagrams in the workbooks for the purposes of explaining, presenting or evaluating the scientific domain. Workbooks tend to include more charts and graphs that may be used as a tool to examine learners’ conceptual learning, especially when arithmetic calculations and association between variables are involved.Conclusions:This study provided an approach for researchers interested in exploring usage of diagrams and other illustrations in science learning materials.
Running Head: THE PARADOX OF IN-GROUP LOVE The Paradox of In-group Love: Narcissistic and Genuine Positive Group Regard Have Reverse Effects on Out-Group Attitudes

The article looks at the relation between positive in-group regard (―in-group love‖) and out-group negativity (―out-group hate‖), a subject of ongoing controversy. Five studies performed in different cultural and national contexts, using different samples (including an adult representative sample) and different inter-group contexts examined the relationship between narcissistic versus genuine positive group regard and out-group negativity. Results reveal that collective narcissism (Golec de Zavala et al., 2009) and positive group regard have opposite effects on out-group hostility. Moreover, they function as mutual suppressors. Controlling for their shared variance strengthens the positive relationship between collective narcissism and out-group negativity and reveals the significant negative association between out-group hostility and genuine positive group regard operationalized as high collective selfesteem (Study 1), positive in-group identification (Studies 2, 3 and 5) or constructive patriotism (Study 4). These results corroborate earlier findings differentiating between constructive and destructive forms of in-group favoritism. They also parallel at the inter-group level findings indicating that mature and stable, personal self-esteem and individual narcissism differentially predict interpersonal aggressiveness.
Guests' waiting experience at hotels: Evidence from Saudi Arabia

The main purpose of this study was to explore guests’ waiting experience at hotels in Saudi Arabia, as well as the role of delay on overall experience. Investigating the effects of guests’ waiting experience on service quality and subsequent satisfaction with overall experience is the main aim of this study. In particular, this study had three objectives. First, to explore guests’ perceptions about their wait experiences in the hospitality industry. Second, to understand the factors that cause unacceptable waiting times. Third, to provide some important insights into the management of the long waiting times in the hotel industry. Employing a qualitative method, the study was conducted by interviewing 15 guests in person at a five-star hotel in Riyadh. The study also included interviews with four hotel staff at the same hotel. Based on a semi-structured approach, the interview questions were drawn from three main sources: the objectives of the study, the relevant literature, and empirical studies focusing on customers’ wait experiences in the hospitality industry. The study found that the majority of guests were more satisfied by the services provided and hotel location. However, the observed unsatisfactory service was the crowding in the hotel parking located in the basement of the hotel. Many guests faced a delay with valet car service. Another important finding was the variety of food offered at the hotel restaurant. Food variety was limited at breakfast time, and there was a long queue at the buffet table. Although there were some delays at the hotel, guests were satisfied with their overall experience. The most interesting finding was that the hotel doesn’t engage the guest in activities during the waiting period unless the service provider fails to provide the service on time.
Dimensions for recurrence times: topological and dynamical properties

In this paper we give new properties of the dimension introduced by Afraimovich to characterize Poincare recurrence and which we proposed to call Afraimovich-Pesin's (AP's) dimension. We will show in particular that AP's dimension is a topological invariant and that it often coincides with the asymptotic distribution of periodic points : deviations from this behavior could suggest that the AP's dimension is sensitive to some "non-typical" points.