Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Breathing space or hiding place? Graduate entrepreneurs' perspectives of entrepreneurship education in Ireland

Entrepreneurship education (EE) has become a panacea for graduate unemployment despite a lacuna of empirical evidence to demonstrate that it can generate more entrepreneurial activity (Matlay, 2007; Potter, 2008). This research examines graduate entrepreneurs’ perspectives of EE at third level in their formation as entrepreneurs. The South East Enterprise Platform Programme (SEEPP) provides an interesting case study of graduate entrepreneurship within South East region of Ireland, where research was conducted amongst 30 graduate entrepreneurs i.e., 15 SEEPP participants and 15 non-SEEPP entrepreneurs. This research also included the perspectives of 15 enterprise enablers, namely SEEPP lecturers and enterprise development agency (EDA) personnel to provide a triangulated perspective of EE at third level. The graduate entrepreneurs and enterprise enablers acknowledged initiatives by HEIs to promote entrepreneurship but they believed that EE does not adequately prepare students for self-employment mainly because: (i) HEIs are focused on preparing students for employment; (ii) lecturers lack critical enterprise experience; (iii) the academic nature of EE; and (iv) EE’s ‘one size fits all’ approach fails to recognise the heterogeneity of learners’ needs. The notion that more EE will lead to greater numbers of graduate entrepreneurs is unrealistic because graduates’ route to self- employment is not linear, moreover, there is a paucity of supports for ‘raw graduates’ in their transition to self-employment. Whilst some EDA personnel regarded EE at third level as a ‘hiding place’, many graduate entrepreneurs believed that HEIs provided a ‘breathing space’ to develop their business. This research offers a nuanced understanding of EE at third level and the prevailing economic conditions for graduate entrepreneurship in Ireland. It contributes to the advancement of knowledge, practice and policy by proposing a conceptual framework for EE at third level to meet the diverse needs of graduate entrepreneurs. It concludes with the identification of areas worthy of further research.
Bumps along the long and winding road: Factors related to truck driver turnover and job-induced tension

This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations and Theses by an authorized administrator of PDXScholar. For more information, please contact pdxscholar@pdx.edu. Recommended Citation Mansfield, Layla Rhiannon, "Bumps along the long and winding road: Factors related to truck driver turnover and job-induced tension" (2014). Dissertations and Theses. Paper 1874.
SCOUR AT SELECTED BRIDGE SITES IN MISSISSIPPI

Scour data were collected during 193894 at 22 selected bridge sites in Mississippi. The drainage area of the bridge-scour sites ranged from 60.8 to 5,720 square miles, and the slope in the vicinity of each site ranged from 0.00011 to 0.00163 foot per foot. Measured pier-scour depths ranged from 0.6 to 20.4 feet. Measured total-scour depths at minimum-bed elevation ranged from 5.2 to 29.8 feet. Recurrence intervals of measured discharges ranged from less than 2 to about 500 years. At several sites, measured scour depths were possibly affected by heterogeneous bed material, primarily where a clay stratum was overlain by sand or gravel. Limited data indicate the pier-scour depths decreased as shear strength of the clay increased. Debris piles significantly obstructed more of the approach flow than the pier for some measurements. The normal width of the largest debris pile was as much as 1.5 times the actual pier width. All of the Mississippi pier-scour depths were within 2.3 times the normal pier width, which agreed with previous research. Only 12 (6 percent) of the 190 measured pier-scour depths were greater than 1.1 times the normal pier width. Measured pier-scour depths were as much as 2.24 times a normal pier width of 3.3 feet. However, for pier widths greater than about 4 feet, measured pier-scour depths were significantly less than 2.3 times the normal pier width. An envelope-curve equation for the Mississippi pier-scour data was developed by relating pier-scour depth divided by normal pier width to approach-flow depth divided by normal pier width. Measured pier-scour depths were compared to computed pier-scour depths using this envelope-curve equation and using the scour-prediction equation currently (1994) recommended in the Federal Highway Administration Hydraulic Engineering Circular No. 18 (HEC-18). The HEC-18 equation predicted pier-scour depths ranging from 3.9 to 25.7 feet with residuals (measured pier scour minus computed pier scour) ranging from -21.7 to 0.2 feet. The envelope-curve equation developed during this study, excluding one distorted measurement, predicted pier-scour depths ranging from 2.2 to 19.7 feet with residuals ranging from -16.8 to 0.5 feet. The envelopecurve equation predictions could be used for reasonable verifications of the HEC-18 pierscour predictions, which currently are required for the design and maintenance of bridges in Mississipp
Critical Chain Project Scheduling: Do Not Oversimplify

Critical chain scheduling/Buffer management (CCS/BM)—the direct application of the theory of constraints (TOC) to project management—has received much attention in project management literature. There still is controversy over the merits and pitfalls of the CCS/BM methodology. This paper focuses on the fundamental elements of CCS/BM logic and pinpoints some intricacies that are not commonly referred to in the available literature. The authors’ analysis is based on a critical review of the relevant sources and experimentation with both commercial CCS/BM software and an internally developed CCS/BM-based tool.
Chondroitinase ABC Administration in Locomotion Recovery After Spinal Cord Injury: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Introduction: The present systematic review and meta-analysis aims to conduct a comprehensive and complete search of electronic resources to investigate the role of administrating Chondroitinase ABC (ChABC) in improving complications following Spinal Cord Injuries (SCI). Methods: MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Sciences databases were searched until the end of 2019. Two independent reviewers assessed the studies conducted on rats and mice and summarized the data. Using the STATA 14.0 software, the findings were reported as pooled standardized mean differences (SMD) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results: A total of 34 preclinical studies were included. ChABC administration improves locomotion recovery after SCI (SMD=0.90; 95% CI: 0.61 to 1.20; P<0.001). The subgroup analysis showed that the differences in the SCI model (P=0.732), the severity of the injury (P=0.821), the number of ChABC administrations (P=0.092), the blinding status (P=0.294), the use of different locomotor score (P=0.567), and the follow-up duration (P=0.750) have no effect on the efficacy of ChABC treatment. Conclusion: The findings of the present study showed that prescribing ChABC has a moderate effect in improving locomotion after SCI in mice and rats. However, this moderate effect introduces ChABC as adjuvant therapy and not as primary therapy.
The Effect of Motivation and Compensation on Job Performance through Job Satisfaction of Vocational Higher Education Lecturers in East Kalimantan

This research aims to analyze and prove the effect of motivation and compensation directly on Job Performance and indirectly through Job Satisfaction of Vocational Higher Education lecturers in East Kalimantan. Primary data were collected through questionnaire distribution designed with Likert scale to 259 students, fellow lecturers, and leaders. Analysis of the data collected using multivariate linear regression analysis with the AMOS program Structural Equation Model as a tool. The analysis revealed that motivation directly had a significant positive effect on Job Performance and indirectly through Job Satisfaction. Meanwhile, indirect compensation through Job Satisfaction has a significant positive effect, but indirectly has no significant effect on Job Performance. The implication of this research is that increased motivation encourages the creation of Job Satisfaction and Has an effect on the increase of Job Performance. Meanwhile, the increase in compensation can encourage an increase in Job Satisfaction but it does not necessarily increase the Job Performance of Vocational Higher Education lecturers in East Kalimantan. Job Satisfaction is able to be a good mediator in the realization of Job Performance or in other words job satisfaction is a prerequisite for achieving Job performance.
Network properties of cancer prognostic genes and their gene sets in the human protein interactome

Background Identifying prognostic genes (PG) is crucial for estimating survival time and providing pinpoint treatments for patients with cancer. However, prognostic genes sets (PGS) reported in most existing research have low reproducibility and overlap ever between the same cancers or their subtypes. Their common characteristic as well as the molecular mechanism of action is still elusive. Methods Here, we obtained nine prognostic gene sets (including 1,439 prognostic genes) of different types of cancer from 23 high quality literatures, and systemically investigated eight network topological properties for PG and PGS compared with background and four other gene sets (cancer gene set CA, essential gene set ES, housekeeping gene set HK, and metastasis-angiogenesis gene set MA) based on the HPRD and String networks. Results The results showed that PG did not occupy key positions in the human protein interactome network, and were more similar to ES rather than CA. Also, PGS had significantly small intraset distance (IAD) and interset distance (IED) in comparison with random sets. Further, we also found that PGS tended to have be distributed within network modules rather than between modules, the functional intersection of the modules enriched with PGS was closely related to cancer. Conclusions Our research reveals the common properties of cancer PG and PGS in the human protein interactome network, and can help us understand and discover cancer prognostic biomarkers.
Difficulties in accessing information in libraries: pilot study of Osijek library customers

The main purpose of this paper is to see the extent of librarian's professionalism and to see how much librarians observe ethical principals of their profession. The interviews with various types of library customers are supposed to reveal the kind of problems in accessing information they have had in their lives. One of the basic rights of any individual is a right to information. Libraries are places that, among other things, mediate information/knowledge, but sometimes that does not happen and people cannot get the necessary information. Even though library profession, like any other profession, is regulated by a number of documents that insist on customers’ right to obtain information in the library, this does not always happen. One of the most important documents that regulate the behaviour of librarians is the Code of Ethics. Croatian Library Association also has the Code. This document determines basic principles of behaviour that oblige members of the library profession. This study will reveal in what degree librarians in Croatia behave in accordance to the Code of Ethics and what kind of problems customers meet when they look for information.
Parametric and Semiparametric Competing Risks Models for Statistical Process Control with Reliability Analysis

The work in this thesis is concerned with the development of techniques for the assessment of statistical process control in data that include censored observations. Various regression models with censored data are presented and we concentrate on four competing risks models namely, two parametric Cox’s model that is, Cox’s with Weibull distribution, Cox’s with exponential distribution and two semiparametric Cox’s model with subdistribution function that is, the weighted score function (W) and censoring complete (CC). The Expectation Maximization (EM) algorithm is utilized to obtain the estimate of the parameters in the models. A generated data where the failure times are taken as exponentially distributed are used to further compare these two parametric models. From the simulation study for this particular case, we can conclude that Weibull distribution describes well the nature of the model concerned as compared to the exponential distribution in terms of the mean value of parameter estimates, bias, and the root means square error. Plots of survival distribution function against failure time are used to examine the predicted survival patterns for the two types of failures. In this thesis we develop a modified Fine and Gray methods to increase the sensitivity of the models and these methods are tested and compared. A simulation data using subdistribution function for the two types of failure are carried out to compare the performance of the modified model. The results of the study indicate the models show better result compared to Fine and Gray models. However, the weighted score function (W) shows better result compared to the censored complete data (CC). Residual-based approaches are used to assess the validity of the two models (MW, CC) assumptions. Plots of this residual against failure time are used to investigate whether important explanatory variables have been omitted from the model. The study also carries out an investigation of the causes of failure for statistical process control. The x chart, R chart and Cp, and Cpk are examined for the possibility of being used to detect the state of control of the covariates in the two competing risks models (Cox’s with Weibull distribution (PHW2) and modification of weighted score function (MW)). The result of this study indicates that both models are successful in investigating the causes of failure for statistical process control. However, the results from the real data sets which involves the measurement of stress against three covariates (aluminum, wood and plastic) showed that the tubes wrapped on plastic mandrel have excellent crashworthiness performance with respect to the x chart, R chart, Cp, and Cpk.
Strategic interdependence and preferences for debt mutualization in the eurozone

Abstract Existing research argues that a ‘democratic constraint’ blocks the path towards fiscal integration in the eurozone: Voters in creditor countries are fundamentally opposed to debt sharing, while voters in debtor countries are unwilling to leave the euro, which constrains the ability of their politicians to negotiate a more equitable distribution of the burden of adjustment. However, this literature neglects that preferences are strategically interdependent across countries and are affected by the type of information processed by individuals. Based on two linked survey experiments in Germany and Italy, conducted at a crucial moment during the COVID-19 pandemic, we show that Germans respond to information that highlights the possibility of a break-up of the euro as a result of Italexit by increasing their support for debt mutualization. In contrast, Italians are more affected by information about the costs of remaining in the euro than of exiting it and drastically reduce their support for the euro if they are told that austerity and structural reforms are required to remain in it. Our results help to explain why German politicians relaxed their hostility to joint debt and agreed to the introduction of the EU’s pandemic recovery fund in 2020.
Investigation into nonlinear dynamics of rotor-floating ring bearing systems in automotive turbochargers

As a high speed rotating device, a modern turbocharger rotor is commonly supported by floating ring bearings (FRBs), owing to their cost effectiveness for mass production and good damping performance. Thanks to the rapid growth of the power of the modern computer, rotordynamic analysis of turbocharger rotor-bearing systems becomes feasible, and it is closely related to the healthy operation and noise generation of turbochargers. The work in this thesis is concerned with the nonlinear rotordynamic modelling, simulation and analysis in the rotor-FRB system of turbochargers. The conventional linear eigenvalue analysis is shown first in a gradually deepening manner to provide a deeper insight into the results from nonlinear simulations and reported experimental results. It is subsequently found the onset of first two nonlinear jumps can be effectively predicted by the linearized FRB model, although the rotordynamic characteristics at higher rotor speeds can hardly be linearly predicted. The desired oil-film forces for nonlinear simulations are calculated from a newly proposed analytical method, which is extended from the Capone’s journal bearing model. Stationary simulations under the perfectly balanced condition show two major subsynchronous components throughout the considered speed range, while the inclusion of in-phase unbalance places a considerable effect on the rotor response at relatively low speed and delays the occurrence of oil-film instability. However, at higher rotor speeds, the lower subsynchronous component can still establish the dominance. The engine induced vibrations are also considered, and it is seen the rotor response over the lower end of the speed range will be considerably affected, whereas, at higher rotor speeds, the engine induced vibrations can be suppressed by the dominant lower subsynchronous vibrations. Through carrying out many run-up and run-down simulations, the FRB outer clearance is found to be a critical parameter of the rotordynamic performance of the investigated TC rotor-FRB system, since distinct frequency maps are obtained with varying FRB outer clearances. The nonlinear effects of unbalance are also investigated, and it is observed the rotor response can be considerably affected by the amount and distribution of the imposed unbalance.
Integration of dye lasers and microfluidics for biochemical analysis

This dissertation describes the study of two important aspects of integration in microfluidics: optics and biochemistry. In optics integration, two types of miniaturized dye lasers, namely the solid-state polymer dye lasers and optofluidic dye lasers were demonstrated. Both of the dye lasers possess a resonant cavity with circular grating geometry, and they are suitable to serve as low-threshold, surface-emitting coherent light source in microfluidic networks. The mass production and large scale fabrication of such low-cost dye laser arrays can be realized by the well developed nanoimprint and soft lithography, making this technology attractive for various biochemical applications. In biochemistry integration, a microfluidic system was developed to fully utilize the complexity of microfluidic circuits to process single cells and extract gene expression information in a parallel manner. The work presented here explored both the optics and biochemistry integration in microfluidics, which are the key issues for further development of complete “lab-on-a-chip” systems.
Impulse of a Single-Pulse Detonation Tube

This report describes experimental and numerical investigations on pulse detonation tubes carried out in the Explosion Dynamics Laboratory at Caltech during 1999-2002. The goal of this work was to develop a database on impulse measurements using direct ballistic measurement of impulse; and to develop a model based on simple gas dynamic principles that could be used to predict impulse for a wide range of fuels and initial conditions. At the time we started this work, there was a great deal of conflicting information regarding the values of impulse that could be obtained. Our goal was to clarify this situation and to develop a better understanding of the factors that controlled impulse generation in a pulse detonation tube - the simplest version of a pulse detonation engine. Since we began this project, many groups from throughout the world have made impulse models, carried out new numerical studies, and made direct experimental measurements of impulse. The work of these researchers has been invaluable to us as we refined and tested our ideas against their data and ours. We would like to acknowledge discussions with Fred Schauer (AFRL, USA), Chris Brophy (NPS,USA), K. Kailasanath (NRL, USA), R. Santoro (PSU, USA), Andrew Higgins (McGill University), Paul Harris (DREV, Canada), and E. Daniau (ENSMA - France). In particular, we thank Fred Schauer for generously sharing his data with us. We initially began preparing this report in 2000 and it went through a number of revisions with portions being presented at the Joint Propulsion Conference in the summer of 2001. Subsequently, the material underwent further revision and additions in preparation for journal publication and the orginal report was significantly out of date. We have chosen to replace the original text with preprints of our journal articles and retained the appendices to the original report. The material in Parts II and III consist of preprints of revised versions (accepted for publications) of two papers submitted to the Journal of Propulsion and Power in the winter of 2001-2002. The Appendices contain additional details about the modeling, details on the experimental setup, tabulated data from the experiments, and tabulated results of model computations.