Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Bi-directional implementation of multiple-slider surface bearing to girder bridges: simplified 3-D modelling and seismic performance assessment

Abstract The uplifting slide shoe (UPSS) bearing, consisting of multiple sliding surfaces, is a new type of bearing which has been proposed to achieve reduced displacement under strong earthquakes without losing advantage of the slide bearing to deal with the thermal effects on bridges girders. In the present study, bi-directional implementation of the UPSS devices is proposed to achieve effectiveness in controlling the bi-directional seismic response of girder bridges induced by bi-directional ground motions. A simplified multi-spring model of the bi-directional UPSS, considering the coupling effect of the friction mechanism and the geometric contact condition of the slider, is established to assess the bi-directional bridge response including the integrated nonlinear interaction between the longitudinal and transverse components. Numerical simulations demonstrate that the bi-directional UPSS is effective in reducing the pier response in the transverse direction compared with the conventional UPSS. The seismic performance of the bridge with the application of the bi-directional UPSS is shown to be superior to that of the functionally discrete bearing (FDB) systems in effectively reducing both the bearing displacement and the pier response ductility factor.
Crowdsourcing Urban Air Temperature Data for Estimating Urban Heat Island and Building Heating/Cooling Load in London

Urban heat island (UHI) effects significantly impact building energy. Traditional UHI investigation methods are often incapable of providing the high spatial density of observations required to distinguish small-scale temperature differences in the UHI. Crowdsourcing offers a solution. Building cooling/heating load in 2018 has been estimated in London, UK, using crowdsourced data from over 1300 Netatmo personal weather stations. The local climate zone (LCZ) scheme was used to classify the different urban environments of London (UK). Inter-LCZ temperature differences are found to be generally consistent with LCZ temperature definitions. Analysis of cooling degree hours in July shows LCZ 2 (the densest urban LCZ in London) had the highest cooling demand, with a total of 1550 cooling degree hours. The suburban related LCZs 5 and 6 and rural LCZs B and D all had about 80% of the demand of LCZ 2. In December, the rural LCZs A, B and D had the greatest heating demand, with all recording around 5750 heating degree hours. Urban LCZs 2, 5 and 6 had 91%, 86% and 95% of the heating demand of LCZ D, respectively. This study has highlighted both advantages and issues with using crowdsourced data for urban climate and building energy research.
Socio-economic level, neighborhood segregation and determinants of reciprocity: evidence using representative artefactual data from Latin American cities

ABSTRACT We study whether urban segregation is linked to social capital and, in particular, whether socio-economic level, measured by neighborhood of provenance, is detrimental to the formation of reciprocity. We employ representative data for six Latin American cities, an underrepresented region in terms of experimental research. Our main findings provide robust evidence that individuals with higher socio-economic level increasingly reward larger levels of trust in comparison to lower socio-economic level participants.
International tourists’ Choices and satisfaction of small restaurants in thailand: the influence of food safety indicators

ABSTRACT Travelers’ increasing concern about restaurant-associated foodborne illness makes food safety very important to destination foodservice operators. While previous research has shed light on the impact of destination different restaurant service quality attributes on tourists’ satisfaction, there is a lack of research identifying the dimensions of food safety indicators driving tourist’s restaurant selection and satisfaction solely. This study aims to fill the gaps by developing a scale measuring 433 international tourists’ perceptions about hygiene standards in Phuket small restaurants. Confirmatory factor analysis revealed a four-factor model that influences tourists’ restaurant selection. These factors were: waitstaff’s appearance and personal hygiene, cleanliness of restaurant, toilet hygiene, and food safety information cues. Cleanliness of restaurant and waitstaff’s appearances and personal hygiene were two key factors influencing tourist satisfaction of small restaurants. The significance of restaurant hygiene quality has received less attention in tourism marketing literature, thus this study adds further importance by underlining its implication to the sustainable management of destination restaurants. However, this study suffered from several limitations, for instance, the study’s framework, the inability to generalize the results due to the research scope and context, and the concurrence of data collection with the COVID-19 pandemic which pave the way for future studies.
Effects of in-situ moisture conservation techniques on maize (Zea mays) yield and yield components in moisture deficit area of Dugda Woreda, Ethiopia

The study was conducted during 2018 cropping season at Dugda Woreda to investigate the effect of in situ moisture conservation techniques on grain yield and yield components of maize. Treatments comprised of tied ridge, furrow closed at both end and farmer’s practices (as the control). The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replication. The grain yield and thousand seed weight showed highly significantly difference (p 0.05) varied on tied ridge, furrow closed at both end and farmer practice, respectively. Tied ridge practices had increases maize grain yield and thousand seed weight (g) by up to 45.52% (2.7913 ton ha-1) and 41.43% above farmer practice (control), respectively. Also furrow closed at both end increased the grain yield and thousand seed weight (g) by up to 30.68% (1.882 ton ha-1) and 27.63% as compared to farmers' practice, respectively. These results claim the potential use of tied ridge and furrow closed at both end improved grain yield and thousand seed weight in the study areas by enhancing moisture in the soil. Therefore, in situ moisture conservation (tied ridge and furrow closed at both end) structure is a promising moisture conservation structures to mitigate dry spell period and improve maize production in the study area and similarly agro ecology. Key words: Tied ridge, furrow closed at both end, yield, moisture deficit.
Characterization and Analysis of a Flexural Shape Memory Alloy Actuator

Shape memory alloys (SMAs) are popular as actuators for use in soft robots due to their high work density and compatibility with miniaturized on-board batteries and power electronics. However, because SMA actuators are activated through electrical Joule heating, they exhibit poor energy efficiency and low actuator frequencies that arise from long cool-down times. Moreover, in the case of SMA wires that are subject to flexural loading, their load capacity and mechanical work output decrease exponentially with decreasing cross-sectional area. In this study, we perform analytic and numerical analyses to examine the thermal and structural design space around a particular class of flexural SMA wire actuators with the intention of increasing actuator operating frequency and actuation forces. Measurements obtained through experimental testing are consistent with theoretical studies of actuator force output and provide additional insight into the efficiency of electrical-to-mechanical energy conversion. Together, the theoretical and experimental studies provide insights that have the potential to inform SMA wire design and usage in soft robotic applications.
Impact of Financial Literacy and Behavioural Biases on Investment Decision-making

Investors’ financial literacy entails making sound investment decisions and the behavioural biases or irrational behaviour in decision-making that are collectively formed by heuristic bias, framing effect, cognitive illusions and herd mentality factors. The present study examines the combined impact of financial literacy and behavioural biases on investment decisions. A questionnaire was developed using Likert scaling technique to elicit study variables and collected data was analysed using SEM technique. The results showed that heuristic bias had a significant positive association with the creation of behavioural bias in decision-making. However, the framing effect, cognitive illusions and herd mentality have negative associations in the formation of behavioural biases. Further, investors often practice and follow heuristic biases rather than other irrational techniques for making investment decisions. Therefore, the financial literacy of individual investors has a significant impact on affecting stock market investment decisions.
Does foreign investment improve domestic firm productivity? Evidence from a developing country

Abstract This study examines the linkages between foreign investment and the total factor productivity of local enterprises within manufacturing industry in Vietnam. The Wooldridge GMM estimation approach is applied to panel data to estimate production function, which allows us to obtain total factor productivity of local firms. We then investigate how foreign investment influences local enterprise productivity through different spillover channels using two-step system GMM, FE and RE estimations. Our consistent findings show that foreign investment has a negative impact on the total factor productivity of domestic enterprises through the competition channel within an industry. There are strong positive spillovers associated with backward rather than forward linkages. Further insights relate to firm ownership, location, and the state of technology in which the different spillovers occur.
Non-Invasive Analysis of Human Liver Metabolism by Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy

The liver is a key node of whole-body nutrient and fuel metabolism and is also the principal site for detoxification of xenobiotic compounds. As such, hepatic metabolite concentrations and/or turnover rates inform on the status of both hepatic and systemic metabolic diseases as well as the disposition of medications. As a tool to better understand liver metabolism in these settings, in vivo magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) offers a non-invasive means of monitoring hepatic metabolic activity in real time both by direct observation of concentrations and dynamics of specific metabolites as well as by observation of their enrichment by stable isotope tracers. This review summarizes the applications and advances in human liver metabolic studies by in vivo MRS over the past 35 years and discusses future directions and opportunities that will be opened by the development of ultra-high field MR systems and by hyperpolarized stable isotope tracers.
Microbiological Contamination Assessment in Higher Education Institutes

The higher education sector represents a unique environment and it acts as a work environment, a learning environment for students, and frequently, also a home environment. The aim of this study was to determine the microbial contamination (SARS-CoV-2, fungi, and bacteria) in Higher Education Facilities (HEI) by using active and passive sampling methods and combining culture-based methods with molecular tools targeting Aspergillus section Fumigati. In addition, the resistance to azole profile was also assessed. Surface samples showed a range of total bacterial contamination between 1 × 103 to 3.1 × 106 CFU·m−2, while Gram-negative bacteria ranged from 0 to 1.9 × 104 CFU·m−2. Fungal contamination ranged from 2 × 103 to 1.8 × 105 CFU·m−2 on MEA, and from 5 × 103 to 1.7 × 105 CFU·m−2 on DG18. The most prevalent species found on both media was Cladosporium sp. (47.36% MEA; 32.33% DG18). Aspergillus genera was observed on MEA (3.21%) and DG18 (14.66%), but not in the supplemented media used for the azole screening. Aspergillus section Fumigati was detected in 2 air samples (2.22%, 2 out of 90 samples) by qPCR. When testing for SARS-CoV-2 all results were negative. The present study showed that although cleaning and disinfection procedures are done regularly due to the COVID-19 pandemic, being effective in eliminating SARS-CoV-2, surfaces were often contaminated with microorganisms other than SARS-CoV-2. This can be a result of increasing resistance to biocides, and to the wide range of environmental factors that can contribute to the dissemination of microbial contamination indoors.
When factivity meets the conjoint/disjoint alternation

This paper examines the conjoint/disjoint alternation in matrix verbs which take clausal complements in Zulu. It shows that the typical verbs which by default take the disjoint form with a clausal complement are factive verbs, though it is also clear that other attitude verbs can also undergo the conjoint/disjoint alternation. The paper explores the connection between focus and the conjoint/disjoint alternation in Zulu under the Question Under Discussion (QUD) approach, to help understand the interpretations associated with the alternations in combination with clausal complements.
Sampling Rate and Performance of DC/AC Inverters with Digital PID Control—A Case Study

The huge influence of the sampling rate on the performance of the digital PID control of a voltage source inverter (VSI) is revealed. It is shown that an appropriately chosen continuous-time model of a digital controller with the PWM power converter behaves like the actual discrete-time system, which allows for a simple controller analysis and design. The variable structure nature of the inverter with both the RC rectifier and an abruptly changing resistive load with two modes of operation within the sampling period is directly taken into account. Two simulation models, a discrete-time PWM and a continuous-time, of an inverter are presented, which are used to tune the PID controller and to evaluate the control performance. The behavior of the system in both modes is explained on the basis of the root loci and frequency characteristics. The results obtained for three sampling rates: 12.8, 25.6, and 51.2 kHz, are presented and compared with an actual VSI experiment. A comparison with other results obtained for this VSI shows that properly tuned PID control outperforms the more sophisticated solutions based on the coefficient diagram method (CDM) and the passivity based control (PBC).
Ethical sensitivity of Finnish and Estonian teachers

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to investigate teachers’ ethical sensitivity in Finland (N = 255) and Estonia (N = 412). The survey included the quantitative Ethical Sensitivity Scale Questionnaire and a qualitative open-ended question about successful teaching. In order to capture its essential characteristics, ethical sensitivity was examined using a four-factor structure. Triangulated data indicated that Caring by connecting to others was the most essential dimension of ethical sensitivity among both Finnish and Estonian teachers. By contrast, Reading ethical issues was the lowest rated and least mentioned dimension of ethical sensitivity. Approximately 30% of teachers from both countries did not perceive ethical sensitivity to be part of successful teaching. The results indicate the need for moral education to help teachers gain a more holistic understanding of the moral nature of teaching and recognize and visualize solutions for moral dilemmas in school communities.
Partnerships and Network Governance for Urban Food-Energy-Water (FEW) Nexus

ABSTRACT Few studies have examined the critical role of policy and network governance mechanism in addressing sustainability and FEW nexuses. This study aims to examine the efforts in meeting the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the urban environment. More specifically, the study seeks to examine how growing demands on the food-energy-water (FEW) nexuses can be met through partnerships in dense urban areas as population growth and human migration continue to accelerate in metropolitan areas worldwide. The goal of the article is to address the role of multi-stakeholder partnership in the successful implementation of FEW nexus projects. The study highlights how FEW nexus projects can improve urban sustainability and equity with the aid of stakeholder involvement. The study contributes how FEW nexus projects can improve urban sustainability with stakeholder engagement with varying degrees of partnerships with public, private, and nonprofit sector organizations in both policy and governance.
The Importance of Self-Care Skills Development for Children With Autistic Spectrum Disorder From the Parents’ Perspective

This research aims to explore the awareness of parents of children with autistic spectrum disorder about rehabilitation services developing self-care skills. A quantitative research method was used in this work, which allows to form knowledge based on precise logic, mathematical-statistical calculations. The study included an online and paper-based questionnaire survey where 35 parents of children with autistic spectrum disorder have participated. The use of the quantitative method for data collection and analysis made it possible to rigorously adhere to the aim and the objectives of the study as well as to obtain objective results, test the accuracy of the hypothesis, and establish causation. The summary of the results showed that the majority of parents of children with autistic spectrum disorder (81.8%) have a clear idea of ​​the services aimed at improving self-care activities and realize the importance of performing them independently. For 6.7% of parents, it was important that their children can perform self-care activities independently, but they did not take steps in that direction, and only 26.7% wanted to seek professional help. However, as parents of children with autistic spectrum disorder, select rehabilitation services for enhancing their children’s skills, being aware of appropriate services, and suitable intervention approaches were considered to be important points for approving children’s future independent life.
TEACHERS' PERCEPTIONS TOWARD COOPERATIVE LEARNING IMPLEMENTATION IN EFL CLASSROOMS

In teaching-learning English, the teaching-learning method is essential that should be available in the school. The teaching-learning method in this study is Cooperative Learning. CL is a student-center learning method. CL allows students to have a group discussion about conducting the task. The teachers' CL as the teaching advice in planning the students’ activities in the classroom. Meanwhile, the students used Cooperative Learning as the learning method in obtaining the subject lesson. Regarding the Cooperative Learning issue, the researcher conducted the study of the Cooperative Learning implementation based on the teachers’ perspectives. This research investigates the teachers’ perceptions of the Cooperative Learning implementation and explores the students’ changes found by teachers in EFL classrooms. This research implemented a qualitative case study in gaining the data, by using questionnaire and interview. The data were analyzed descriptively. The research participants were three English teachers who taught using Cooperative Learning method. The results showed that the teachers perceived Cooperative Learning positively. Cooperative Learning was suitable to the students’ needs in achieving learning goals. In choosing the appropriate Cooperative Learning, the school environment and students’ background needed to be considered. Cooperative Learning fostered students’ independence in fulfilling the assignment. While Cooperative Learning attractions, students looked enjoying the learning process. They seemed more active in conducting class activity. In addition, according to students’ personal benefits, Cooperative Learning method influenced students’ self-esteem, self-confidence, motivation, and interest in learning English.
Cyber Risk Modeling: A Discrete Multivariate Count Process Approach

In the past decade, cyber insurance has raised much interest in the insurance industry, and cyber risk has evolved from a type of pure operational risk to both operational and liability risk for insurers. However, the modeling of cyber risk is still in its infancy. Compared with other insurance risks, cyber risk has some unique features. In particular, discrete variables regularly arise both in the frequency component (e.g. number of events per unit time), and the severity component (e.g. the number of data breaches for each cyber event). In addition, the modeling of these count variables are further complicated by nonstandard properties such as zero inflation, serial and cross-sectional correlations, as well as heavy tails. Previous cyber risk models have largely focused on continuous models that are incompatible with many of these characteristics. This paper introduces a new count-based frequency-severity framework to the insurance literature, with a negative binomial autoregressive process for the multivariate frequency component, and the generalized Poisson inverse-Gaussian distribution for the severity component. We unify these new modeling tools by proposing a tractable Generalized Method of Moments for their estimation and apply them to the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse (PRC) dataset.
Mixing QE and Interest Rate Policies at the Effective Lower Bound: Micro Evidence from the Euro Area

In the presence of negative monetary-policy rates and a zero lower bound on deposit rates, banks that are more exposed to central banks' asset-purchase programs reduce their lending to the real economy by more than their counterparts. When banks face a lower bound on customer deposit rates, an asset swap between securities and reserves reduces banks' net worth as the cost of holding reserves cannot be matched with a reduction in their cost of funding. Exploiting euro-area syndicated lending data and the German credit registry, we provide evidence that deposit-reliant banks with relatively higher funding costs and greater exposure to large-scale asset purchases reduce corporate lending relatively more, have lower stock returns, and rebalance their interbank lending from safe to risky countries.
ESG Confusion and Stock Returns: Tackling the Problem of Noise

How strongly does ESG (environmental, social and governance) performance affect stock returns? Answering this question is difficult because existing measures of performance, ESG ratings, are noisy. To tackle the bias, we propose a noise-correction procedure, in which we instrument ESG ratings with ratings of other ESG rating agencies, as in the classical errors-in-variables problem. The corrected estimates demonstrate that the effect of ESG performance on stock returns is stronger than previously estimated; the standard regression estimates of ESG ratings' impact on stock returns are biased downward by about 60%. Our dataset includes scores of eight ESG rating agencies for firms located in North America, Europe, and Japan. We determine which agencies’ scores are valid instruments (not all of them are) and estimate the noise-to-signal ratio for each ESG rating agency (some of which are very large). Overall, our results suggest that it is advantageous to rely on several complementary ratings. In our sample, stocks with higher ESG performance have higher expected returns. Our model provides several explanations for this finding.