Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effectiveness of the balanced scorecard : the impact of strategy and causal links

Many of the claimed benefits of the Balanced Scorecard (BSC) rely on the linkage of its performance measures to strategy and on causal relations among its measures. Using a survey research method, this study examines the extent to which adopters of BSC consider these features and whether they result in more effective performance measurement systems. A survey of medium and large Australian manufacturing organisations reveals that varying forms of scorecards are used in practice and that managers who perceive that their scorecard measures are linked to strategy and affect each other in a causal manner also perceive a higher level of effectiveness of the BSC. The study also suggests that strategic use of BSC is not as widespread as might be expected.
The Relationship between Income and Morbidity—Longitudinal Findings from the German Ageing Survey

It is often assumed that higher income contributes to physical health. Indeed, there is a huge amount of research showing a strong significant association between income and health. However, very few studies have used longitudinal data and an objective variable for health, such as morbidity. Therefore, this study aims to examine the association between the income and morbidity of individuals over time. Data from a total of four waves (year 2008 to year 2017) of the nationally representative German Ageing Survey was analyzed by linear fixed-effects regressions. The used equivalized income was based on the respondents’ monthly net household income. To obtain a comprehensive picture of the dependent variable morbidity, self-reported diseases, current symptoms, and physician-diagnosed diseases were examined. The analyses showed no significant association between percentage changes in income and morbidity in the total sample. Even after considering selected socioeconomic groups in further subgroup analyses, there was no significant within-person association found over time. In summary, the unexpected results of this study suggest that the previously assumed link between income and health in Germany may be called into question. Further research based on longitudinal studies is, therefore, required.
The effects of on-the-job embeddedness and its sub-dimensions on small-sized hotel employees’ organizational commitment, work engagement and turnover intentions

Purpose This paper aims to examine the impacts of links, fit and sacrifice as the sub-dimensions of on-the-job embeddedness (JE) on turnover intentions through the mediating roles of affective organizational commitment (AOC) and work engagement (WENG) and explore AOC and WENG as the two mediators linking on-the-JE to quitting intentions. Design/methodology/approach Data collected from small-sized hotels in three waves in Ghana were used to assess the aforesaid relationships. The hypothesized relationships were tested using structural equation modeling. Findings The findings reveal that on-the-JE is negatively related to turnover intentions. Additionally, the relationship between on-the-JE and turnover intentions is partly mediated by AOC and WENG. The findings further demonstrate that AOC and WENG partly mediate the impact of links on turnover intentions. Practical implications Management of hotels should enhance formal and informal connections between employees and their coworkers and supervisors through socialization tactics. Establishing and maintaining an environment that fosters social support would increase employees’ sense of belongingness and their proclivity to remain with the organization. Originality/value Little is known about the effects of the sub-dimensions of on-the-JE on work-related consequences in the hospitality and tourism literature. The literature is also devoid of evidence concerning affective variables as the potential mediators relating the sub-dimensions of on-the JE to turnover intentions. The study sets out to fill in these gaps.
Repurposing Antipsychotics for Cancer Treatment

Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide, with approximately 19 million new cases each year. Lately, several novel chemotherapeutic drugs have been introduced, efficiently inhibiting tumor growth and proliferation. However, developing a new drug is a time- and money-consuming process, requiring around 1 billion dollars and nearly ten years, with only a minority of the initially effective anti-cancer drugs experimentally finally being efficient in human clinical trials. Drug repurposing for cancer treatment is an optimal alternative as the safety of these drugs has been previously tested, and thus, in case of successful preclinical studies, can be introduced faster and with a lower cost into phase 3 clinical trials. Antipsychotic drugs are associated with anti-cancer properties and, lately, there has been an increasing interest in their role in cancer treatment. In the present review, we discussed in detail the in-vitro and in-vivo properties of the most common typical and atypical antipsychotics, along with their mechanism of action.
Discriminating Fruit for Robotic Harvest Using Color in Natural Outdoor Scenes

ABSTRACT This research investigated the use of chrominance and intensity information from natural outdoor scenes as a means of guidance for a robotic manipulator in the harvest of fruit. A classification model was developed which could discriminate oranges from the natural background of an orange grove using only color information in a digital color image. A Bayesian classifier correctly classified over 75% of the fruit pixels in the natural scenes analyzed. The decision model was simple enough that a real-time search and centroid calculation technique could be implemented to provide guidance information for the robotic manipulator at the 60 Hz video frame rate.
Big Five Personality Traits and Motivation in Learning Mandarin as Foreign Language

Abstract: The present study aims to develop a model illuminating the relationship between student personality traits and motivation towards learning Mandarin as a foreign language. A model framework consisting of five exogenous variables and one endogenous variable of motivation are examined in the present study. Sample of 260 undergraduates taking Mandarin language at public university in East Malaysia was used as respondents for the present work. The path analysis revealed that the big five personality traits significantly influence and explained 52% of the variance in students' motivation. The analysis further indicates that extraversion and conscientiousness produce the strongest correlation with students' motivation. The results inferred that students who enjoy social visibility and self-discipline are also who will be motivated to learn the Mandarin language. Findings also demonstrated that agreeableness positively influence motivation, and neuroticism, as expected, produce negative direct relations with motivation towards learning Mandarin as a foreign language. On the contrary, the present study did not find any correlation between openness and motivation. The implications of this study are also discussed and interpreted within the context of what educators could do to encourage students' motivation. Keywords: Big five, Extraversion, Mandarin language, Neuroticism, Personality traits.
Durability-related properties of mortar and concrete containing copper tailings as a cement replacement material

This paper reports the results of research investigating the impact of copper tailings on some durability properties of cement pastes, mortars and concretes. Four mixtures incorporating copper tailings at 0% to 15% cement substitution levels by mass were used. Minor reductions in sulfate resistance of mortars and improved performance against autoclave expansion of pastes were observed in mixtures containing copper tailings. Despite increased water absorption and total permeable voids in concrete samples containing copper tailings, sample compressive and tensile strengths comparable to those of the control specimens were obtained. Resistance to acid attack and chloride penetration improved as the copper tailings content of mixtures increased. Moreover, chloride penetration depths obtained from immersion tests suggest that because the rapid chloride permeability test is an indicator of sample conductivity rather than chloride permeability, it may not be appropriate for evaluating mixtures with high-conducti.
The Effect of Fuel Quantity and Location on Small Enclosure Fires

Results from an experimental program undertaken to study the effect of fuel quantity and location on ethanol pool fires in the open and in a small enclosure (an ISO 9705 room) are compared with simulations using the Fire Dynamics Simulator version 4.03 (FDS4). The fuel in trays is placed at three locations (front, back, and center) within the room enclosure as well as directly under the calorimeter hood. The measured heat release rate (HRR) is found to vary substantially when a fuel package consisting of different quantities of ethanol is placed at different locations within the room. Instead of prescribing this HRR into the FDS simulation, these experimental results are compared with HRR predictions obtained using the FDS4 combustion model. The comparison reveals that there are significant and variable differences between the experimental results and the FDS4 predictions in contrast to simulations where the HRR is prescribed.
Life-cycle cost assessment model for fiber reinforced polymer bridge deck panels

To enhance the application of fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) bridge deck panels in the infrastructure area, a practical method is required that would allow probable assessment of the life-cycle cost of advanced composite applications in construction compared with that of conventional materials, at various discount rates, while integrating the available reference data. The overall objective of this research is to develop a performance-based probable life-cycle cost assessment model for FRP bridge deck panels. The life-cycle cost assessment model for FRP bridge deck panels comprises a life- cycle performance module (module-1) and a life-cycle cost optimization module (module-2). The model thus developed in this paper can then be used for other applications of composites in construction. The objective of module-1 is to develop an analytical model that is capable of predicting the structural deterioration over time to assess the deterioration rating per year of FRP bridge deck panels. The objective of module-2 is to develop an analytical model that is capable of assessing the optimal life-cycle cost of FRP bridge deck panels. Three case studies were conducted to validate the logic and results of the process algorithm for the life-cycle cost assessment. The model will be very helpful for the construction industry in evaluating various material options and to justify or deny the feasibility of using composite materials on specific construction projects. Since the life-cycle cost assessment of composite materials in construction has not been dealt with as proposed, it is anticipated that many of the procedures and systems mentioned would include fundamental research and possible innovations.
The differentiated politicization of free movement of people in the EU. A topic model analysis of press coverage in Austria, Germany, Poland and the UK

ABSTRACT The free movement of people (FMP) has been a core principle of European Union (EU) integration since its beginnings, but it has recently become contested. This article traces the politicization of FMP, and the topics associated with it, over time and across countries. Rather than constituting a linear or uniform trend, we argue that the politicization of FMP is differentiated: it is driven by particular events such as Eastern enlargement, mitigated by restrictive domestic policies anticipating the expansion of EU free movement rights, and that FMP is salient, but not polarized, from an emigration country perspective. Combining structural topic modelling and qualitative text analysis, we compare three decades of news coverage of FMP in Austria, Germany, Poland and the UK.
Performance and reliability of InGaAsP superluminescent diode

The performance and reliability of a 1.3- mu m superluminescent diode (SLD) with a novel structure are reported. A window structure with a tapered active layer is applied to suppress lasing oscillation. A V-groove structure is introduced to achieve high coupling efficiency into a single-mode fiber. The design of optimized device dimensions allows SLD operation to be obtained even at 0 degrees C. 1.3 mW is coupled into a single-mode fiber at 150 mA and 25 degrees C. The spectral modulation depth is 15% over the entire emission spectral width of 32 nm. The operating life of a SLD has been estimated from the results of accelerated aging carried out for 5000 h at the ambient temperatures of 50 and 125 degrees C. The activation energy of degradation is estimated to be 0.58 eV, and the extrapolated life is 10/sup 6/ h at an ambient temperature of 25 degrees C. >
Blood Performance: A New Formula for Fish Growth and Health

Simple Summary The use of haematological and blood biochemistry parameters has proven to be effective and repeatable ways to monitor fish health. Testing these parameters is becoming more common in aquaculture studies. Further, it is widely accepted that fish with better health status are more likely to grow faster as less energy should be consumed for non-growth purposes. Here, a new formula (Blood Performance) is introduced, which contains five common haematological and blood biochemistry parameters: red blood cells, white blood cells, haemoglobin, haematocrit, and total protein. The idea behind this formula is that any single component of this formula cannot be reliable enough as a biomarker of fish health and growth. However, interestingly, Blood Performance can be much more reliable and accurate for monitoring fish health and growth. Abstract Monitoring fish health in a repeatable and accurate manner can contribute to the profitability and sustainability of aquaculture. Haematological and blood biochemistry parameters have been powerful tools and becoming increasingly common in aquaculture studies. Fish growth is closely related to its health status. A fish with a higher growth rate is more likely to be a healthy one. Any change in the physiological status of the fish, from pollution to nutritional stress, can cause changes in the blood parameters. Various aquaculture studies have measured the following components: red blood cells, white blood cells, haemoglobin, haematocrit, and total protein. However, because these parameters do not always follow the same trend across experimental fish, it is difficult to draw a firm conclusion about which parameter should be considered. Therefore, Blood Performance (BP) as a new formula is introduced, which is a more reliable indicator. This formula is simple and sums up the natural logarithm of the five above-mentioned parameters. More than 90 published peer-reviewed articles that measured these five parameters in the last six years confirmed the reliability and validity of this formula. Regardless of which supplements were added to the diets, the fish with a higher growth rate had higher BP as well. In addition, in 44 studies out of 53 articles, there was a significant positive correlation between specific growth rate and BP. Under different stressful situations, from pollution to thermal stress, the fish under stress had a lower BP than the control. Fish meal and fish oil replacement studies were further evidence for this formula and showed that adding excessive alternative proteins decreased growth along with BP. In conclusion, BP can be a reliable indicator of fish health and growth when it is compared between groups in the same experiment or farm. Although there was a positive correlation between specific growth rate and BP, comparing BP between experiments is not recommended. Standardising the haematological assays can improve the reliability and accuracy of BP across experiments.
NOISE OPTIMIZATION OF ULTRA-SHORT GATE HEMTs USING MONTE CARLO SIMULATION

By using a Monte Carlo simulator the static and dynamic characteristics of a 50 nm gate AlInAs/GaInAs δ−doped HEMTs are investigated. The Monte Carlo model includes some important effects that are indis-pensable when trying to reproduce the real behaviour of the devices, such as degeneracy, presence of surface charges, T-shape of the gate, presence of dielectrics and contact resistances. Among the large quantity of design parameters that enter into the fabrication of the devices, we have studied the influence on their per-formance of two factors: the doping level of the δ -doped layer and the length of the recess. We will show that the first one has a very important effect on the cutoff frequency and other important figures of merit of the transistor, and its value has to be carefully chosen. Conversely, we have also checked that the influence of the recess length is quite slight.
Uncertainty assessment of effective radiating area and beam non-uniformity ratio of ultrasound transducers determined according to IEC 61689:2007

This work presents the uncertainties in the effective radiating area (AER) and beam non-uniformity ratio (RBN) for ultrasound (US) transducers in the range of 1.0 MHz to 3.5 MHz, and for head diameters of 1.27 cm and 2.54 cm. Measurements were performed using the US pressure field mapping system developed at the Laboratory of Ultrasound located at the Brazilian National Metrology Institute, which provides national traceability for the assessed quantities. The calculation protocol was developed based on Standard IEC 61689:2007. The type A uncertainty was estimated from four repetitions of the full measurement procedure for determinations of AER and RBN, and the type B uncertainty was estimated from mathematical models for both parameters, based on IEC 61689:2007 and the ISO ‘Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement’. The maximum combined expanded uncertainties (95% confidence level) were 6.8% for AER and 14.9% for RBN.
Topological localisation based on monocular vision and unsupervised learning

Global localisation is a very fundamental and challenging problem in robotics. This paper presents a new method for mobile robots to recognise scenes with the use of a single camera and natural landmarks. In a learning step, the robot is manually guided on a path. A video sequence is acquired with a font-looking camera. To reduce the perceptual alias of features easily confused, we propose a modified visual feature descriptor which combines colour information and local structure. A location features vocabulary model is built for each individual location by an unsupervised learning algorithm. In the course of travelling, the robot uses each detected interest point to vote for the most likely location. In the case of perceptual aliasing caused by dynamic change or visual similarity, a Bayesian filter is used to increase the robustness of location recognition. Experiments are conducted to prove that application of the proposed feature can largely reduce wrong matches and performance of proposed method is reliable.
Energy cane yield simulated by the DSSAT/CANEGRO model using climate scenarios in Teotônio Vilela, AL, Brazil

Energy cane is a sugarcane variety obtained through genetic improvement and it has higher biomass production, essential for energy generation. Mathematical models for crop forecasts are excellent tools to support crops and can assist in the establishment of energy cane in different environments and in climate change scenarios. The objective of this work was to evaluate the impacts of climate change on energy cane yield simulated by the DSSAT/CANEGRO model in Alagoas, Northeast of Brazil. We used meteorological, crop and soil data from a field experiment conducted in Teotônio Vilela/AL in 2016 and 2017. The energy cane variety used was Vertix 2, cultivated in a plant cane cycle, with planting date on February 4, 2016, and harvesting date on January 31, 2017. Climate projections (2017-2060) were used based on RCPs (2.6, 4.5, 6.0 and 8.5). The model showed high precision and accuracy in simulations with values of 0.98 and 0.94 for fresh matter and 0.99 and 0.88 for dry matter, for d and r indices, respectively. In the RCP8.5 scenario, the yield reduction may be up to 15% (fresh matter) and 13.5% (dry matter) by 2060.
Spatial Correlation Network and Regional Differences for the Development of Digital Economy in China

The rapid development of the digital economy is a powerful driving force to promote high-quality economic growth all over the world. Although a number of studies have been conducted to investigate the development of the digital economy in China, these studies pay little attention to the spatial linkages between the 30 provinces in China and the developmental differences between northern and southern China. Using Chinese digital economic data from 2004 to 2019, we propose an index system to measure the developmental levels of the digital economy and obtain the annual developmental levels of these provinces by using the factor analysis method. We analyze the regional differences of developmental levels by using the Theil index and kernel density estimation method. More importantly, the network method is used to analyze the correlations between the developmental levels of the digital economy in all provinces of China. By decomposing regional differences, our study shows that polarized and uncoordinated development is prominent. The development level of the digital economy in the southern region is higher than that in the northern region. In terms of regional correlations, the network study suggests that there are beneficial and spillover effects of the digital economy development between provinces. Based on the analysis results, we propose policies for improving the development of the digital economy in China.
Effective Implementation of Complex Engineering Problems and Complex Engineering Activities in Malaysian Engineering Curricular

Abstract: The Engineering Accreditation Council Standard 2020 requires the stipulated 12 programme outcomes that address complex engineering problems (CEP) and complex engineering activities (CEA) to be incorporated in the engineering programmes. However, the implementation of outcome-based education with regards to CEP and CEA is still in the infancy stage. This study was carried out to give an overview of the implementation of complex engineering problems and activities in Malaysian engineering programmes in relation to the types of assessment used to address CEP and CEA, and the typical weightage and taxonomy level of CEP and CEA employed in these assessments. A survey questionnaire was administered to 256 engineering educators from 25 universities to enquire about the implementation of CEP and CEA in their engineering programmes, particularly in the online teaching and learning during the Covid19 pandemic. The findings showed that most of the programmes addressed complex engineering problems in assignments or projects as compared to final examinations or mid-term tests. Complex engineering activities were found to be addressed in Final Year Project, Industrial Training and Integrated Design Project and laboratory courses. The findings in this study could act as a guideline for educators to enhance the teaching and learning activities incorporating CEP and CEA elements, and hence facilitating the continual quality improvement for an engineering programme. Keywords: Complex Engineering Problems, Complex Engineering Activity, Engineering Accreditation Council, Outcome-Based Education