Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Synthesis and properties of wholly aromatic phosphorus-containing thermotropic liquid crystal copolyesters with excellent fibre formation ability

ABSTRACT In this study, wholly aromatic phosphorus-containing thermotropic liquid crystal polymers (TLCP) derived from 6-hydroxy-2-naphthenic acid (HNA), terephthalic acid (TA) and 10-(2,5-Dihydroxypheny)-10 h-9-oxa-10-phospha-phenanthrene-10-oxide (DOPO-HQ) are successfully synthesised via one pot melt polymerisation method. Although, the resulted copolyesters are amorphous, high glass transition temperature (182–196 °C) is observed due to the existence of kinked DOPO-HQ unit and crankshaft HNA monomer. The nematic liquid crystal behaviour is found for all of the copolyesters under POM at relatively low temperature (190–207 °C). The copolyesters show good thermal stability and high char yield under both nitrogen and air atmosphere, which of the initial degradation temperature (T5%) and char yield are above 450 °C and 50%, 439 °C and 29%, respectively. Dynamic rheology results show that viscous modulus of the obtained copolyesters are much more prominent under both frequency and temperature sweeping mode, indicating have excellent processing ability. The fibres can be easily drawn from the melt, and exhibit well oriented fibrillated structure. The convenient polymerisation method, excellent thermal stability and fibre formation ability of the phosphorus-containing TLCP endow them much potential use in the safety protection field. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT
To Rank or Not to Rank with Indices? That Is the Question

Ranking countries via index-based league tables is now commonplace and is said by its proponents to provide countries with an ability to compare performance with their peers, spurring them to learn from others and make improvements. The Human Development Index (HDI) is arguably one of the most influential indices of its type in terms of reporting within the media and influence on development policy and funding allocation. It is often used as part of a suite of indices to assess sustainability. The index was first published in the Human Development Report (HDR) of 1990 and has appeared in each of the HDRs published since then. This paper reports the first research of its type designed to explore the impacts of methodological changes over 28 years (1991 to 2018) on the ranks of a sample of 135 countries appearing in the HDRs. Results suggest that methodological changes in the HDI have had a statistically significant impact on the ranking of the majority (82%) of countries in the sample, and the ranks of countries that tend to appear towards the top, middle, or bottom of the HDI league table are just as likely to be influenced by changes in HDI methodology. The paper suggests that after nearly 30 years of the HDI, there is an urgent need for independent and empirical research on the changes that it has helped bring about.
A Corpus-Based Comparative Study of Lexical Bundles in Authentic and Textbook English Business Emails.

This study investigates lexical bundle types found in authentic English business emails and sample emails in business English textbooks in order to identify their similarities and differences. The data employed in the study were sample emails from 77 business English textbooks and emails sourced from the Enron Corporation, representing authentic English business emails. The structural and functional categorizations of lexical bundles from Biber et al . (2004) and Biber (2006) were used as frameworks for the analysis. Findings show that structural categories of lexical bundles in textbooks and those in authentic emails are generally similar while functional categories are noticeably different. Although there are more lexical bundle types in the textbook email corpus, most of them actually belong to the same categories, pointing to a limited range of functional categories of lexical bundles presented in business English textbooks. This leads to a major observation that forms of expressions tend to outweigh their functions in the way textbooks present emails for pedagogical purposes. It is therefore suggested that the functional dimension of linguistic expressions be given more attention in business English teaching.
Achieving Excellence in Lean Implementation at Construction Companies - A Case Study From Brazil

Lean Construction has become a popular concept to improve performance and reduce costs in construction projects. Assessment tools and implementation strategies that focus on lean practices such as the Last Planner System, the use of Kanbans, the routine of Kaizens and, recently, the integration with information technology are also common. However, barriers to the wide adoption of lean principles remain and implementation challenges continue to intrigue scholars. Previous studies suggest that barriers to the successful implementation can be either political, economical, social and/or technical, with the focus on lack of knowledge about lean concepts, resistance to the required organisational culture change, and lack of support from top management. Few studies present the lean implementation process from the practitioners’ perspective. Using the narrative enquiry methodology, the authors aim to describe how a construction company from Brazil matured from the implementation of lean operational tools to achieve excellence in the lean culture and mindset. Key themes that emerge from this study for a successful lean construction journey are; effort to stabilise the environment, knowledge creation and management, transparency in the process to enable simplicity and shared understanding, and building trust for further growth.
‘Lean on me': Sifarish, mediation & the digitisation of state bureaucracies in India

Through an ethnographic focus on Muslim neighbourhoods in a North Indian city, this article traces the effects of increasing digitisation of Public Distribution Systems (PDS) and ID provision in India by examining the implications for relations between the state, low-level political actors and local populaces. The article explores the practice of sifarish (leaning on someone to get something done) which, it is argued, cannot be seen within simplistic rubrics of ‘corruption’ but instead comprises a socially embedded ethical continuum. With one of the stated aims of digitisation being the displacing of informal mediation, the ethnographic material illuminates the efforts of low-level political actors to navigate emerging digital infrastructures. Digitisation, however, does not end mediation and carries with it ideological, political and economic interests. This, the article argues, enables state/people spaces of mediation to be commodified and marketized and further cements processes of marginalisation experienced by India’s Muslim minority.
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE BOARDS CHARACTERISTICS AND THE RISK MANAGEMENT OF THE ROMANIAN BANKING SECTOR

The main objective of this research is to analyse the relationship between the board of director’ structure of the banks from the Romanian bank sector, the capital demands and the risk management in what concerns these relationships. Regarding the structure of the board of directors, their size is under the loop, alongside with the education of its members, the gender diversity and the members nationality. The indicators concerning the capital demand that are subject of this research are the solvency and the level of the total own funds of the banks and the ones expressing the risk management are represented by the total exposure of weighted assets according to the risk (RWA), the credit risk exposure, the market risk and the operational risk. The authors have tried to answer the question: Is there or is not a direct relationship between the top of the range board of directors structure and the risk management for the banks from the Romanian bank sector? To answer this question, the used methodology is mainly quantitatively, having as core the deductive statistical analysis, testing and identifying connections from the effect and cause category, considering also the significance level.
Assessment of high yielding local Pakistani bread wheat genotypes for improved chapati making quality

The experiment was conducted to classify the maximum glutenin protein possessed Pakistani bread wheat genotype for superlative chapati making quality by ten yield-related parameters. The studied germplasm was acquired from NARC, Pakistan, and planted in randomized-complete-block-design with four replicates at the screen house of the Genetics Department. Data were assessed via Duncan’s test, correlation analysis, SDS-PAGE, and cluster analysis. Duncan’s test conceded that Pirsabak-85 had the highest plant height, flag leaf area, biomass, grain yield plantˉ 1 , harvest index, and protein content. While, the correlation studies showed that plant height, tillers plantˉ 1 (r = 0.649), fertile tillers plantˉ 1 (r = 0.713),biomass (r = 0.861), spike length (LS), thousand-grain weight and harvest index had a positive higher significant association with grain yield plantˉ 1 . The SDS-PAGE analysis resolved 30 diverse high and low molecular weight bands, ranging from 200 kDa to 28 kDa glutenin subunits. Among genotypes, Pirsabak-85 showed maximum protein content and 10 Glu-1 scores. The dendrogram analysis revealed that Pirsabak-85 associated with cluster-II, which was a major and most diverged cluster. The Pirsabak-85 can be utilized to enhance bread wheat production and better chapati making quality
Peer Victimization and Depressive Symptoms During Adolescence: Examining the Roles of Social Support and Internalizing Coping

The purpose of this study was to examine how two coping strategies together moderate the relationship between peer victimization and adjustment among young adolescents. Sixth-grade adolescents from California, Oregon, and Wisconsin (N = 1,058) self-reported peer victimization, depressive symptoms, and their utilization of social support seeking and internalizing coping. A regression analysis showed a significant three-way interaction between peer victimization, internalizing coping, and social support seeking in predicting depressive symptoms. Further analyses revealed that social support seeking only buffered the negative effects of peer victimization for participants who scored high on internalizing coping. Despite mean-level gender differences in these variables, gender did not moderate this association, suggesting that social support is an effective buffer against depressive symptoms following peer victimization for both boys and girls. These results suggest that attending to the variety of coping strategies adolescents employ simultaneously will help further our understanding of peer victimization outcomes.
Neoproterozoic–paleozoic detrital sources in the Variscan foreland of northern Iberia: primary v. recycled sediments

Abstract The Cantabrian Zone, in the Variscan belt of Western Europe, has one of the most continuous Ediacaran–Paleozoic stratigraphic successions in the world. This succession has been extensively studied, including several detrital zircon U–Pb geochronological studies on 30 samples spanning the aforementioned time slice. In this work, we present data from three new samples covering previously unsampled time-slices and perform multidimensional analysis on the 33 samples in order to quantify the similarity/dissimilarity among all of them with the aim of detecting potential changes in source areas through time and the role of recycling. The results indicate a continuous source of sediments from Ediacaran to late Devonian times punctuated by a sudden ephemeral change in the Early Cambrian that can be attributed to local causes during the inception of the Paleozoic passive margin.
Effect of Age on Job Satisfaction and Emotional Exhaustion of Primary School Teachers in Greece

The level of occupational burnout (OB) and job satisfaction (JS) was investigated in primary school teachers (n = 125) in the region of Epirus in Northwestern Greece. Teachers exhibited a high level of emotional exhaustion (EE), a medium level of depersonalization (DP), and a lack of personal accomplishment (PA). In our study, EE, which is a significant component of OB, varied according to intrinsic and extrinsic JS parameters. Teachers were less satisfied and more stressed with extrinsic job characteristics of their job, such as working conditions and working hours. Female teachers were more likely to exhibit increased satisfaction from intrinsic job characteristics, whereas male teachers were more likely to exhibit increased emotional exhaustion and lack of personal accomplishment. Job satisfaction had a significant negative impact on emotional exhaustion. Job satisfaction accounted (EE = 47.173 − 3.527*JS) for 35.1% of the total variation in the dependent variation of EE (F(1124) = 66.094, p < 0.001), indicating that job satisfaction had a significant negative effect on EE, such that an additional unit in job satisfaction will lower EE by 3.527. A Pearson correlation analysis revealed that age correlated negatively with emotional exhaustion (r = −0.204, p = 0.023). Proactive human resources policies may be required to protect the newly hired and less experienced teachers from exposure to stressful working conditions.
MORE THAN FRIENDS: THE IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON WORD OF MOUTH, BRAND LOYALTY AND PURCHASE INTENTIONS FOR INTERNATIONAL HOTELS

Purpose of the study: Increases in global travel have led to the internationalization of the hospitality industry. Though a number of applications of social media have been examined in the hospitality industry, few of them integrate key dimensions of fan pages into a measurement model in the same time, including interactivity (INT), engagement (ENG), trust (TRT), friendship (FRP), word-of-mouth (WOM) and purchase intention (PI). Methodology: Based on 408 valid fans from Facebook fan pages of 24 International hotels in Taiwan, the empirical results show that ENG, FRP, TRT, and WOM all act as partial mediators in their impact on post-purchase behaviors. Based on Taiwanese International hotels, this study attempts to explore why these owners want more than just a friend. Main findings: The empirical results show that ENG, FRP, TRT, and WOM all act as partial mediators in their impact on post-purchase behaviors. The study demonstrates the mechanisms behind utilizing social media to build solid long term potentially profitable relationships with hotel clientele. Originality/value: We propose and empirically investigate an integrated theoretical framework to more fully capture and describe the consumer’s behavior in the brand community. Our model of the social media process is informed by an “S-O-R” view from consumer behavior, where INT and ENG help create the situation which acts as a stimulus for FRP and TRT which in turn influence BL, WOM, and further PIs. Here, we see the pull force (website INT) as an influence on the brand-consumer relationship (i.e., FRP) through a push force (fan’s ENG). Together and along with the brand content they combine to create the consumer stimulus.
Integrating Biochar and Inorganic Fertilizer Improves Productivity and Profitability of Irrigated Rice in Ghana, West Africa

The efficiency of mineral fertilizer use in most soils in Sub-saharan Africa is low. Prominent among the reasons for this is low soil carbon stock. In this study, we hypothesized that in the short term, combined use of biochar and inorganic fertilizer in irrigated rice (Oryza sativa var KRC Baika) cropping systems will increase soil organic carbon storage, N recovery and agronomic efficiency of N use (above world average of 55% and 20 kg grain·kg−1·N respectively) and improved economic returns compared to the sole use of inorganic fertilizer. A two-year (4‒cropping cycles) field trial was, thus, conducted on a Vertisol. The experiments were designed as split–plot with two (0 and 10 t·ha−1) biochar and four (0, 45, 90, 120 kg·ha−1·N) nitrogen application rates. Additionally, the effect of biochar on the chemical properties of the soil was investigated using standard protocols. Biochar application improved the soil organic carbon storage in the topsoil. There were significant interactions between the application of biochar and nitrogen fertilizer on yield parameters. Introducing biochar significantly increased root volume and nutrient (N, P and K) uptake, resulting in increased grain and straw yield. Grain yields under biochar amended plots were higher than sole fertilizer amended plots in 14 out of 16 instances (cropping cycles × N rates). The increase in grain yield was between 12 to 29% across N rates. Biochar amendment also enhanced agronomic N use and apparent N recovery efficiencies in 3 out of the 4 cropping cycles. Gross margin indicated that biochar application under irrigated rice cropping systems is economically feasible in all cropping cycles and N rates. However, the value cost ratio of biochar application was higher than for sole inorganic fertilizer in three out of the four cropping cycles (each cropping cycle has three N rates). The soil organic carbon storage of biochar amended soil increased by 17% under unfertilized condition and by 32% under fertilized condition. To enable the promotion and efficient use of the biochar technology in enhancing productivity and profitability in irrigated rice, extension officers and farmers will need to be trained on how to char the rice husk to reduce emissions prior to upscaling the technology to farmers.
Hot Plasma Effects on the Pitch-angle Scattering Rates of Radiation Belt Electrons Due to Plasmaspheric Hiss

Plasmaspheric hiss is known to be a major contributor to the dynamic losses of Earth’s radiation belt electrons. While previous computation attempts of hiss-driven electron losses are limited to the cold plasma approximation, in this study we find that hot plasma effects will modify the hiss dispersion relation and result in changes in the electron bounce-averaged electron pitch angle diffusion coefficients. Cold plasma approximation tends to overestimate the diffusion coefficients of ≲100 keV electrons by orders of magnitude, while the scattering efficiency of higher energy electrons is not greatly affected. As the L-shell decreases or the parameter decreases (where is the electron gyrofrequency and is the plasma frequency), the decrease of diffusion coefficients of low energy electrons caused by hot plasma effects become more pronounced. It is also shown that both the increase of hot electron abundance and temperature anisotropy can weaken the scattering efficiency of ≲100 keV electrons at almost all pitch angles, while the diffusion coefficients of higher energy electrons decrease at large pitch angles. Our study confirms the importance of including hot plasma effects in evaluations of hiss-driven scattering loss of radiation belt electrons.
Weed Management in the Transition to Conservation Agriculture: Farmers’ Response

Recently adopted in France, conservation agriculture still faces some challenges to its adoption, particularly weed management. To highlight the weed management practices used by farmers in conservation agriculture and the changes induced by its adoption, a large sample of 425 French farmers were invited to complete an online survey. Weed management practices used by farmers were requested for three periods: before adoption, during the first years of conservation agriculture (one to two years after adoption), and when the agricultural system is considered “mastered” by the farmer. The use of each farming practice was firstly studied independently for each period. Then, a multiple correspondence analysis followed by a hierarchical ascendant classification resulted in groups of farmers with different combinations of practices for each period. Finally, the groups of farmers were followed through the periods. Results showed that changes in weed management done according to farmers when adopting and mastering conservation agriculture are multiple and vary according to farmers and their previous weed management. Although some similar choices were identified, some farmers’ trajectories, especially those with a prior combination driven by either a soil disturbance strategy or a crop competitiveness strategy, are difficult to identify when adopting conservation agriculture. Upon mastering the agricultural system, farmers’ choices become more apparent.
The antecedents and consequences of awe in dark tourism

ABSTRACT Research on the emotional experience offered by dark tourism has usually categorized tourists’ emotional experience into general dimensions, and few studies have investigated a specific emotion. Focusing on the emotional experience of awe in dark tourism, this research aims to examine the relationship between authenticity, awe, national identity, and revisit intention by surveying visitors to the Memorial Hall of the Victims of the Nanjing Massacre in China. Through an analysis of 499 questionnaires via PLS-SEM, the study finds that dark tourist destinations can arouse awe in tourists and that the experience of authenticity is one of the antecedents of this emotion. It also demonstrates that awe has a positive effect on national identity, but its influence on revisit intention is not significant. Moreover, it indicates that the deeper the authentic experience of tourists, the stronger the national identity and revisit intention in the context of dark tourism. Finally, this study recommends that dark sites should utilize a variety of means, such as virtual reality technology, to enhance the perception of authenticity with a view to inspiring awe, so as to have a lasting and profound impact on tourists’ attitudes and behaviours.
Evaluation of yield and agronomic components of three-way cross maize hybrids under low-light environment

The development and the use of low light tolerant varieties is one of the technologies to overcome the limitations of hybrid maize in the land with the low-light condition. The objectives of the study were to determine the effect of shading/low light intensity on the growth and production of three-way cross maize hybrid, as well to generate hybrid variety that is tolerant to the shade stress condition. The research was conducted under two different environmental conditions, i.e. Screen House environment with 35% of paranet shading condition, and normal environment condition at Indonesian Cereals Research Institute experimental station from July to October 2018. The research was arranged in a Randomized Block Design (RBD) with three replications. The research material consisted of nine three-way crosses (STJ01-STJ09) and two check varieties (Bima-19 and P35). The results indicated that as many as four genotypes performed high yield under 35% shading condition i.e. STJ01, STJ02, STJ06 and STJ07 which yielded 5.60; 6.55; 5.87 and 6.15 t/ha respectively. Correlation analysis indicated various traits have a direct effect on grain yield i.e. ear weight, kernel net weight, ear length, number of kernels per row and kernel weight per ear. As for shading condition, the positive correlations were found for ear weight, ear length, number of kernels per row and kernel weight per ear characters.