Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Deep Ultraviolet Radiation Simulates the Turin Shroud Image

The faint yellowed body image embedded into the linen cloth of the Turin Shroud has peculiar chemical and physical char- acteristics that at the moment cannot be replicated all together in laboratory. The authors present experimental results of ArF excimer laser irradiation (wavelength 193 nm) of a raw linen fabric, seeking for coloration similar to that of the Shroud image. The authors achieved a permanent yellow coloration of linen as a threshold ef- fect of the laser beam intensity and number of shots. Most impor- tant, the authors have achieved for the first time a submicrometer depth of coloration of the outermost part of the fibers, leaving a colorless fiber medulla. The authors also obtained latent coloration that appears after artificial aging of linen following laser irradiations that at first did not generate any visible effect. The authors have recognized different physical and chemical processes involved in both coloration and latent coloration. The comparison of the Turin Shroud image with the results of our ArF laser irradiation shows an interesting overlap of the main physical and chemical features. © 2010 Society for Imaging Science and Technology. DOI: 10.2352/J.ImagingSci. Technol.2010. 54.4. 040302
RESPONSIBLE DIVERSIFICATION: KNOWING ENOUGH ABOUT DIVERSIFICATION TO DO IT RESPONSIBLY: MOTIVES, MEASURES AND CONSEQUENCES

Diversifying in a responsible way is a challenge that many firms face today. In thissurvey we posit whether firms should diversify and whether it is a way to create value, since themotives leading to diversification are not always addressed to satisfying all stakeholders, and as aconsequence the outcome may be different from the one expected. Our aim is to smooth the way formanagers, shareholders, professionals and decision-makers in general by offering an exhaustiveand rigorous description of the lessons provided by the literature, analyzing the reasons fordiversifying or not, describing the costs and benefits of the process and analyzing the discount onfirm value.
Dynamic capital structure adjustment : which estimator yields consistent and efficient estimates?

The partial adjustment model is key to a number of corporate finance research areas. The model is by its nature an autoregressive-distributed lag model that is characterised by heterogeneity among individuals and autocorrelation due to the presence of the lagged dependent variable. Finding a suitable estimator to fit the model can be challenging, as the existing estimators differ significantly in their consistency and bias. This study used data drawn from 143 non-financial firms listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) to test for the consistency and efficiency of the leading partial adjustment model estimators. The study results confirm the bias-corrected least squares dummy variable (LSDVC) initialised by the system generalised method of moments (GMM) estimator, the random effects Tobit estimator and the system GMM estimator as the most suitable estimators for the partial adjustment model. The difference GMM estimator and the Anderson-Hsiao instrumental variables estimator are inconsistent and biased in the context of the partial adjustment model.
A Close Relationship of Chiroptera with Eulipotyphla (Core Insectivora) Suggested by Four Mitochondrial Genes

Abstract We sequenced the mitochondrial cytochrome b, 12S rRNA and 16S rRNA genes from three insectivoran species (Japanese mole, shrew mole and musk shrew) and one chiropteran species(Japanese pipistrelles) and the cytochrome c oxidase subunit II (COII) gene from a chiropteran species. The phylogenetic relationship of core Insectivora or Eulipotyphla among major Eutherian orders was examined for these genes. A total evaluation of the maximum likelihood analyses of the four genes suggests that Chiroptera is the closest to Eulipotyphla among 4 eutherian groups (Primates, Eulipotyphla, Fereuungulata, Rodentia).
Evaluation of the state of health of motor vehicle operators driving under the influence of alcohol in the years 2004, 2007 and 2010 in Kielce Region

Introduction: Annual reports by the Police Headquarters provide inform about a big problem associated with the operation of motor vehicles by drunk drivers which, unfortunately, contributes to many tragic events on the roads. In 2010 alone, drunk road users were involved in 4,524 road accidents. Objective: Presentation of the health situation of the population of drivers reporting for medical and psychological examinations to the Regional Occupational Health Centre in Kielce, based on decisions by the road traffic control authorities for the area of the Kielce Region, at three year intervals. Material and methods: Analysis of the state of health covered drivers who reported to the Regional Occupational Health Centre in Kielce due to operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol, or in the state of intoxication. In 2004, from among 549 drinking drivers the majority were males (538), i.e.98.2% aged 17-69; of these, 70% were rural inhabitants. Similarly, in the subsequent years, males living in the rural areas also prevailed, and constituted 98.6% of the 1,409 drivers examined (1,390), and in 2010 as many as 97.5% of 1,816 drivers examined (1,771). Results: Analysis of the state of health of the examined group of drivers referred to the Regional Occupational Health Centre by the decision of police authorities showed deviations from the normal state in many drivers. Conclusions: The studies contributed to the detection of many disorders in the group of drivers examined, frequently including those which required intensive treatment in hospital conditions. In the subsequent years, an increasing number of drivers operating vehicles under the influence of alcohol or other psychoactive substances was observed.
Ab initio electron theory for magnetism in Fe: Pressure dependence of spin-wave energies, exchange parameters, and Curie temperature

The spin-wave spectra for bcc Fe at various lattice constants are calculated by the ab initio density functional electron theory for various lattice constants, and the exchange parameters of a Heisenberg model are determined from the data. The spin-wave energies increase with decreasing lattice constant, and the behavior of the exchange parameters can by no means be described by the Bethe-Slater curve for an effective nearest-neighbor Heisenberg model. From the spin-wave frequencies the pressure dependence of the Curie temperature is derived in mean-field and random-phase approximation, yielding ]T c /] p’1.6 K/kbar and ]T c /] p ’1.8 K/kbar, in contrast to the experimental result ]Tc /] p’0. Possible reasons for this discrepancy are discussed.
Influence of NPK, N Fixing Bacteria and Antioxidants on Growth, Seed and Guaran Yield and Chemical Composition of Guar Plants

2 Abstract: This trial was carried out during the two successive seasons 2010 and 2011 at the experimental farm, Faculty of Agriculture, Minia University to explore the response of guar (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba) plants to mineral NPK, N fixing bacteria and antioxidant treatments. The partial replacement of mineral NPK, at different degrees, by N fixing bacteria, gave reasonable vegetative growth traits (plant height, branch number and herb dry weight), number of pods/ plant and seed yield per plant and fed, guaran yield per plant and fed, photosynthetic pigments and N, P and K % in the herb, especially the treatment of 75% NPK+ N-fixing bacteria. Concerning antioxidants, salicylic acid followed by ascorbic acid each at 200 ppm caused remarkable enhancement in all of the previous studied characters. However, the use of 25% NPK+ N fixing bacteria in combination with ascorbic acid at 200 ppm or salicylic acid at 200 ppm gave equal or better growth and yield of seeds and guaran values than those given by the recommended mineral NPK fertilization.
“I Did Not Miss Any, Only When I Had a Valid Reason”

In this study we explore how absence from sociology classes is understood by undergraduate students at University College Dublin. The authors use Scott and Lyman’s (1968) concept of accounts to explore absence sociologically. Drawing on data generated via focus groups, an open-ended questionnaire, and an online survey with students, we outline the different excuses and justifications for missing classes used by students and present their understanding of attendance at classes as an optional feature of student life. Individual students’ attendance differed across courses, throwing doubt on the usefulness of individual-level frameworks for understanding attendance. We argue that decisions to attend are influenced by a variety of contextual issues, including knowledge of legitimate accounts for the setting, pedagogic approaches in use, and students’ perceptions of the usefulness of classes. We conclude that to counter the trend of declining attendance and enhance student learning, it is important to better understand how both local norms, values, curriculum design, and assessment practices combine to facilitate students’ absences. Focusing on accounts allows us to better understand student absence rather than accepting this as an inevitable feature of contemporary student behavior about which nothing much can be done.
Mapping Land Cover in the Dead Sea Basin from Landsat TM Satellite Imagery

A study was carried out to investigate the use of digital classification techniques of Landsat TM imagery to map vegetation pattern and land cover in the Dead Sea basin. Unsupervised classification methods, K-means and ISODATA, and density slicing of the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) were applied to the TM imagery to derive digital maps of land cover in the study area. Output maps were checked and verified in the field to assess their accuracy and to correct area estimate of each output class. Results showed differences in the overall accuracy of the three methods with the highest accuracy of 78%, obtained from NDVI method. Mapping accuracy was also variable at the class level, with lowest mapping accuracy of urbanized areas. Area estimate, therefore, was corrected using ground data included in the confusion matrices, originally used in accuracy assessment of maps. Results of area estimate were improved when correction of area estimate was made. The study suggests the possibility of using remote sensing data to map land cover and emphasize the role of ground data in correcting output maps.
The sacred and urban transformation in Durban: Open-air temples of the Nazareth Baptist church

Abstract This paper discusses urban spatial transformation in Durban with specific focus on the ubiquitous “open-air” temples in public open spaces, office, and industrial sites. It borrows from a number of insights to try and shed light on this phenomenon. Concepts of “Insurgent planning” and “loose space,” understood as ingraining existing hitherto officially unacknowledged land uses, and/or introducing new identities and practices into the urban fabric; and “loose space” that occur where the designated use seems no longer relevant, or where different land uses are tolerated simultaneously, respectively, were relied upon to generate some insights on the phenomenon. The paper seeks to make a contribution to a growing body of literature on critical urban studies by drawing attention to other ways of conceiving and engaging urban space. Arguing that predominant planning theories are inadequate to account for the diversity of urban experiences, the paper explores alternative theoretical frameworks that speak more eloquently to contemporary issues, more especially in contexts that are increasingly marked by diversity, difference, informality, marginality, and “otherness. ” These theoretical frameworks foreground these issues as constitutive of being (in the city), and as contributions to the collective reimagining of the city.
ScienceDirect International Conference on Current Trends in ELT The Washback Effects of Task-based Assessment on the Iranian EFL Learners ' Grammar Development

There is some evidence to suggest that tests have washback effects on teaching and learning processes (Alderson & Wall, 1993). Task-based language assessment (TBLA) as an alternative mode of language testing is believed to be of washback effect on language learning (Mislevy, Almond & Steinberg, 2002). However, the nature of this effect on the development of different language elements and skills is yet to be explored. In a partial attempt to address the lacuna, this study investigates the washback effect of TBLA on English as a foreign language learners' (EFL) grammar development. Seventy-four EFL learners were randomly selected from 110 pre-intermediate learners of a language institute and were divided into two groups of control and experiment. To ensure the same level of grammar ability, both groups took a grammar pre-test at the outset of the project. During ten sessions of treatment, the groups received the same kind of grammar instruction, however, the experimental group took a researcher made task-based grammar quiz every three sessions, but the control group took traditional grammar quizzes. After the treatment, the two groups took a grammar post-test. The analyses revealed a positive washback effect of the TBLA on the grammar development of EFL learners. The findings imply that TBLA as a pedagogical measurement tool can well replace the classic assessment procedures as all educational efforts including testing and assessment procedures are planned to maximize the educational gains and developments. © 2014 Ahmadi Safa and Goodarzi. Published by Elsevier Ltd. Selection and peer-review under responsibility of Urmia University, Iran.
Hysteretic behavior modeling of elastoplastic materials

In the present paper the Preisach model of hysteresis is applied to model cyclic behavior of elasto-plastic material. Rate of loading and viscous effects will not be considered. The problem of axial loading of rectangular cross section and cyclic bending of rectangular tube (box) will be studied in details. Hysteretic stress-strain loop for prescribed history of stress change is plotted for material modeled by series connection of three unite element. Also moment-curvature hysteretic loop is obtained for a prescribed curvature change of rectangular tube (box). One chapter of the paper is devoted to results obtained by FEM using Finite Element Code ABAQUS. All obtained results clearly show advantages of the Preisach model for describing cyclic behavior of elasto-plastic material.
Improvement of the Hard Exudates Detection Method Used For Computer- Aided Diagnosis of Diabetic Retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy is a severe and widely spread eye disease. Early diagnosis and timely treatment of these clinical signs such as hard exudates could efficiently prevent blindness. The presence of exudates within the macular region is a main hallmark of diabetic macular edema and allows its detection with high sensitivity. In this paper, we combine the k-means clustering algorithm and mathematical morphology to detect hard exudates (HEs) in retinal images of several diabetic patients. This method is tested on a set of 50 ophthalmologic images with variable brightness, color, and forms of HEs. The algorithm obtained a sensitivity of 95.92%, predictive value of 92.28% and accuracy of 99.70% using a lesion-based criterion.
Uropathogens and their Susceptibility Patterns in Children at Princess Rhmah Hospital, Jordan

Background: Knowledge of antimicrobial susceptibility patterns is required to prescribe empirical therapy and formulate guidelines for treatment of urinary tract infections. This study assesses the etiology and antimicrobial susceptibility of the main uropathogens in Jordanian children. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted on a positive urine cultures taken from children aged below 15 years, who attended as outpatient clinics or inpatient at Princess Rahmah Hospital between January and December/2008. Obtained data analysed and the results were tabulated. Results: A total of 597 isolates were recovered from children with lower urinary tract infections. Uropathogens were isolated more in female (82%) than in male. The most frequent pathogen found was Escherichia coli (72.9%), followed by Klebsiella spp. (19.9%), Proteus spp. (3%), Pseudomonas spp (2%), Staphylococcus aureus (1%), Streptococcus spp (0.7%), and Enterobacter spp. (0.5%). The highest susceptibility rate of E. coli was 100% to both amikacin and ceftriaxone, followed by cefotaxime (89.4%), ciprofloxacin (85.5%), and gentamicin (83.9%). Whereas, the lowest susceptibility rates were 27.5%, 21.6% and 16.0% to cotrimoxazole, amoxicillin-clavulanic acid and ampicillin respectively. Conclusions: E. coli was the main uropathogen in children patients. The most of E. coli isolates were susceptible to amikacin, ceftriaxone, cefotaxime, ciprofloxacin and gentamicin. Overall cotrimoxazole, amoxicillin-clavulanic acid and ampicillin resistance rate was near 75% or more, and this rate not affected according to type of urinary infection. This information should be considered when empirical therapy is recommended or prescribed for children with UTI in Jordan.
Optimization of Aluminum Nitride Sensing Film using Magnetron Assisted Pulsed DC Reactive Sputtering

Performance of potentiometric chemical/biological sensing platforms largely depends upon the sensing film used to detect the concentrations of ions in an electrolyte [1]. Ion-sensitive Field-Effect Transistor (ISFET) is a popular potentiometric sensor which is commonly used as a pH sensor. In ISFET, silicon dioxide can be used as a sensing film but it is prone to hydration and non-linear sensitivity over the wide pH range [2]. These limitations are addressed by using Aluminum Nitride (AlN) as the sensing film which is deposited using magnetron assisted pulsed DC reactive sputtering [3].
Hyperbolicity of varieties supporting a variation of Hodge structure

We generalize former results of Zuo and the first author showing some hyperbolicity properties of varieties supporting a variation of Hodge structure. Our proof only uses the special curvature properties of period domains. In particular, in contrast to the former approaches, it does not use any result on the asymptotic behaviour of the Hodge metric.
Level of Work Readiness Skills, Career Self-Efficacy and Career Exploration of Engineering Students

This paper determines the results of work readiness skills, career self-efficacy and career exploration of a final year engineering students of a private university of Malaysia. Data were collected from 62 final year engineering students. Reliability analysis was conducted to measure the internal consistency of scale. Results show highly reliable scale range for each variable. Furthermore, level of work readiness skills, career self-efficacy and career exploration was calculated on the basis of their mean score. Overall, results show that engineering graduates possessed remarkably high skills, confidence on their abilities and more active towards career exploration, as reflected by their mean scores. The results and findings of this research will be helpful to enhance the certain skills for the entry level engineering graduates. Moreover, teaching faculty can develop the curriculum for the students of Malaysia in order to equip engineering graduates with required skills so that graduates are able to get employed and compete the labor market.
A lifespan perspective on psychological contracts and their relations with organizational commitment

The current study investigated the influence of age-related constructs on the psychological contract and its relationships with continuance and normative commitment. It was proposed that as people age, their future time perspective (FTP) decreases. Consequently, it was expected that contract fulfilment would be positively related to continuance commitment for workers with short FTP, while it would be positively related to normative commitment for workers with long FTP. Conversely, it was argued that, with age, workers’ perceived work-related expertise increases, resulting in stronger reactions to obligation fulfilment on normative commitment. A study among 334 employees showed that FTP and work-related expertise indeed moderated the relationships between contract fulfilment and organizational commitment. The results showed that the influence of age on the relations between contract fulfilment with outcomes is dependent upon FTP and occupational expertise. The study shows the value of a lifespan perspective on psychological contracts and their relations with organizational commitment.
Examining technology readiness constructs: A validation study

This study validates technology readiness (TR) constructs in the context of public sector higher education institutions (HEIs) of Sultanate of Oman.Using a structured self ministered questionnaire, the data was duly collected from three hundred and thirty four educationists ranking from assistant lecturers to full professors.While employing PLS-SEM technique, the data was analyzed using Smart-PLS 2.0 M3 software. Results of this study revealed that all the dimensions of technology readiness namely; optimism, innovativeness, discomfort and insecurity were highly relevant.It also established an adequate level of internal consistency reliability, convergent validity and discriminant validity for each of the constructs of the technology readiness. Based on the results, it is suggested that the TR instrument could be useful for measuring all the constructs of technology readiness to study consumers’ tendency to adopt innovations or to accept the latest technologies.
Anomalous threshold voltage variability of nitride based charge storage nonvolatile memory devices

Conventional technology scaling is implemented to meet the insatiable demand of high memory density and low cost per bit of charge storage nonvolatile memory (NVM) devices. In this study, effect of technology scaling to anomalous threshold voltage (Vt) variability is investigated thoroughly on postcycled and baked nitride based charge storage NVM devices. After long annealing bake of high temperature, cell's (Vt) variability of each subsequent bake increases within stable (Vt) distribution and found exacerbate by technology scaling. Apparent activation energy of this anomalous (Vt) variability was derived through Arrhenius plots. Apparent activation energy (Eaa) of this anomalous (Vt) variability is 0.67 eV at sub-40nm devices which is a reduction of approximately 2 times from 110nm devices. Technology scaling clearly aggravates this anomalous (Vt) variability, and this poses reliability challenges to applications that demand strict (Vt) control, for example, reference cells that govern fundamental program, erase, and verify operations of NVM devices. Based on critical evidence, this anomalous (Vt) variability is attributed to lateral displacement of trapped charges in nitride storage layer. Reliability implications of this study are elucidated. Moreover, potential mitigation methods are proposed to complement technology scaling to prolong the front-runner role of nitride based charge storage NVM in semiconductor flash memory market.