Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Advance booking discount in the presence of spot market

We consider a risk-neutral firm that can procure raw material via long-term contract as well as in spot market, using the material as a one-to-one input to produce a seasonal product and selling it in the customer market. The firm can use the advance booking discount (ABD) program to entice customers to place their orders prior to the selling season. The ABD program provides an opportunity for the firm to update its understanding of the regular demand and spot price. We separately analyse two cases: (NI) no information updating and (IU) information updating cases. In each case, we derive the optimal discount pricing strategy and corresponding expected profit of the firm. By comparing them, we investigate the value of information updating obtained from the pre-committed order. Among others, our study finds that if the product has a relatively high profit margin, or a low profit margin where the raw material spot price is more sensitive to the trading volume, it is optimal for the firm to implement the discount strategy. The optimal discount coefficient in the IU case is never lower than in the NI case. We further find that the optimal discount coefficient in the NI case decreases in spot market volatility; however, it increases in spot market volatility if and only if the firm’s market share is larger than half of the total market demand in the IU case.
Assessment of solar electricity production in the United Arab Emirates

In this work the possible large-scale integration of photovoltaic (PV) systems and parabolic trough concentrated solar power (CSP) technologies in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) power system is investigated in technical, economic and environmental terms. The analysis takes into account the available solar potential for UAE and in particular for the Emirate of Sharjah. In order to identify the least-cost feasible option for each renewable energy source for power-generation (RES-E) technology, a parametric analysis is carried out by varying each RES-E candidate system capital cost. From the analysis it is evident that an alternative cost-effective technology to the installation of a 50 MWp PV system might be the utilisation of a 50 MWe parabolic trough CSP system with either a 14.5 h thermal storage system or a 24/7 operation. The advantages of the latter are the dispatchability and the increased electricity output due to the utilisation of a thermal storage system, which leads to higher amounts of annual CO2 avoided emissions. However, the electricity selling prices are higher than the current UAE electricity tariffs; therefore, for the promotion of solar RES-E technologies in the UAE, relevant financial supporting mechanisms need to be developed such as feed-in tariffs or feed-in premiums.
Outcomes of job autonomy and its effect on work engagement: A study of the banking industry in Nigeria

An individual’s ability to exercise freedom in how he/she plans his/her work is referred to as job autonomy, and this is associated with many positive work outcomes. Work engagement is a positive work outcome that many organizations desire to see in their employees due to its impact on productivity. This study was carried out to examine the extent of job autonomy in ensuring that banking industry employees in Nigeria attain a certain level of work engagement. The study used a mixed investigation method, including both quantitative and qualitative research techniques. The quantitative analysis involved the distribution of 438 copies of the questionnaire, of which 353 copies were retrieved from bank employees. For a qualitative assessment, 15 respondents were randomly selected from among the senior officers of the selected banks. Data were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (PLS). As a result, job autonomy was found to be stronger with cognitive engagement (β = 0.524, Tval = 6.268, P = 0.000) and emotional engagement (β = 0.440, Tval = 4.372, P = 0.000) than with physical engagement (β = 0.341, Tval = 2.485, P = 0.000). This implied that though job autonomy had a significant influence on employee work engagement, the aspects of scheduling work and making decisions were weak areas. This study concludes that there is a need to rethink the decision-making element in the banking system, given that the workplace is tilting to a more dynamic and flexible culture, fueled by digital innovation.
Modeling of electron mobility degradation by remote Coulomb scattering in ultrathin oxide MOSFETs

This paper presents a comprehensive, numerical model for the remote Coulomb scattering (RCS) in ultrathin gate oxide MOSFETs due to ionized impurities in the polysilicon. Using a nonlocal screening approach, the model accounts for the static screening of the scattering centers produced both by electrons in the channel and in the polysilicon. Electron mobility is then calculated using a relaxation time approximation that consistently accounts for intersubband transitions and multisubband transport. Our results indicate that neglecting the screening in the polysilicon and making use of the Quantum Limit (QL) approximation can lead to a severe underestimate of the RCS limited electron mobility, thus hampering the accuracy of the predictions reported in some previous papers on this topic. Using our model, we discuss the oxide thickness dependence of the electron mobility in ultrathin gate oxide MOSFETs and the possible benefits in terms of RCS limited mobility leveraged by the use of high K dielectrics.
Management of Dark Fermentation Broth via Bio Refining and Photo Fermentation

Lignocellulose and starch-based raw materials are often applied in the investigations regarding biohydrogen generation using dark fermentation. Management of the arising post-fermentation broth becomes a problem. The Authors proposed sequential processes, to improve the efficiency of both hydrogen generation and by-products management carried under model conditions. During the proposed procedure, the simple sugars remaining in broth are converted into organic acids, and when these products are used as substrates for the photo fermentation process. To enhance the broth management also conditions promoting Deep Eutectic Solvents (DES) precursors synthesis are simultaneously applied. Application of Box-Behnken design allows defining of the optimal conditions for conversion to DESs precursors. During the procedure hydrogen was obtained, the concentration of hydrogen in the photo fermentation reached up to 819 mL H2/L medium/7 d, depending on the broth type, i.e., when the broth was optimized for formic acid concentration. The DESs precursors were separated and engaged in DESs synthesis. To confirm the formation of the DESs, FT-IR analyses were performed. The Chemical Oxygen Demand of post-fermentation broths after dark fermentation optimized for formic acid was reduced by ca. 82%. The proposed procedure can be successfully used as a method of post-fermentation broth management.
Comparison of Walkway Safety Tribometers: Part Two

Fall accidents generate large injury, morbidity, and mortality costs. Many falls are caused by pedestrian slips, which are in turn a result of one or a combination of factors: pedestrian, walkway surface, footwear, or environmental. It is important to be able to quantify and characterize the slipperiness of walkways and shoe bottoms, both separately and in combination. There presently exist on the market many tribometers (walkway-friction measuring instruments); different tribometers do not necessarily give the same results under identical conditions. In the summer of 1991, ASTM Committee F-13 on Safety and Traction for Footwear organized a workshop at Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA to compare nine tribometers against each other and against a force plate, which measures ground-reaction forces. Briefly, we found that different tribometers gave different results. An earlier paper contained results of data aggregated by tribometer. It appeared that the differences were at least in part a result of the fact that the tribometers measured different types (mechanisms or models) of friction. The force plate “saw” and mimicked whatever the tribometer “saw. ” Thus, if the tribometer's design made it incapable of seeing the correct frictional mechanism vis a vis pedestrian-generated friction, the force plate saw the same incorrect model. This paper summarizes the procedures used and continues the analysis of the workshop data, aggregating it by test condition.
Hedonomics: The Power of Positive and Pleasurable Ergonomics

8 ERGONOMICS IN DESIGN. WINTER 2005 n this article, we introduce a new term into the human factors/ergonomics lexicon: hedonomics. We define hedonomics as that branch of science and design devoted to the promotion of pleasurable human-technology interaction. In advocating for hedonomics, we seek to augment and expand ergonomists' arsenal for improving the design of all human-machine technology. Our intention here is to (a) provide a philosophical framework for hedonomics; (b) contribute a model of a design priority hierarchy, in which we explain in detail the concept of individuation as the ultimate human approach to technology; and (c) offer potential design guidelines for and areas of hedonomic research that we believe should be pursued as an agenda for progress in the near future.
Investigation of Shale Gas Reserves in The World and A Case Study for Electricity Production from Shale Gas in Turkey

S hale gas reserves, which is globally accepted as unconventional gas resource, scattered around the world and can be used in order to meet the growing energy needs due to limited amounts of conventional resources. Since notable effort has to be put in order to investigate and drill shale gas resources the early decision has to be made carefully, especially considering the economic benefits. Several factors must be considered including the known technically recoverable shale gas amount at the selected region, current technology to drill the shale source and the amount of investment before the extraction of shale gas. In this study, global underground shale gas amount and recent discoveries as well as the potential shale gas areas in Turkey are presented. Benefits of using shale gas for electricity generation and common methods being used during shale gas extraction are studied along with gas and liquid flow mechanisms. At the end, general overview of separation and utilization of shale gas components is schematically presented. In the case study, the potential of electricity generation in the SE Anatolia region in Turkey is estimated with only using methane obtained from the shale gas purification process at the power generation step. According to the estimations, 3337.8 MW installed power may be generated for 50~55 years, at the appropriate gas engine by using 8.5 billion cubic meter shale gas annually.
Self-organised Sound with Autonomous Instruments: Aesthetics and experiments

Autonomous instruments are computer programmes that generate music algorithmically and without realtime interaction, from the waveform level up to the large scale form. This thesis addresses questions of aesthetics and the role of the composer in music made with more or less autonomous instruments. Furthermore, a particular form of autonomous instruments, called feature-feedback systems, are developed. These instruments use feature extractors in a feedback loop, where features of the audio output modulate the synthesis parameters. Methods adopted mainly from chaos theory are used in experimental investigations of several feature-feedback systems. Design principles are also introduced for controlling limited aspects of these instruments. These experimental methods and design strategies are not widely used in current research on synthesis models, but may be useful to anyone who wishes to build similar instruments. Whereas Varèse preferred to designate music as “organised sound”, autonomous instruments may be said to engender self-organised sound, in the sense that the result was not specified in detail by the composer—in fact, the result may not even have been expected. Thus, there is a trade-off between a deliberate sound-shaping by the composer on the one hand, and truly autonomous instruments on the other. The idiomatic way of operating an autonomous instrument is experimentation followed by serendipitous discovery.
Characteristics of erbium-doped superfluorescent fiber sources for interferometric sensor applications

The characteristics of 1.55 /spl mu/m Er-doped superfluorescent fiber sources (SFS's), intended for fiber-optic gyroscope (FOG) applications, are explored theoretically and experimentally. With proper selection of the source configuration, fiber length, pump wavelength, pump power, and fiber composition, we show that it is possible to meet the stringent requirements of the FOG, including a high output power, broad emission bandwidth, and excellent spectral thermal stability. Variations of the mean wavelength, spectral width, and output power of the SFS with fiber length, pump power, pump wavelength, and temperature are modeled for representative sources pumped near 980 nm or 1.48 /spl mu/m, and are shown to be in good agreement with experimental results. The effects of a multimoded pump, erbium ion pair, and optical feedback are also assessed. This study indicates that the Er-doped SFS is an excellent candidate for the FOG and for other applications requiring spatial coherence and low temporal coherence. >
Green message strategies and green brand image in a hotel context

ABSTRACT This research investigates the effects of different green (environmental) message types on hotel customers’ green brand image perceptions and behavioral intentions. A 2 (green message abstractness: abstract vs. concrete) x 2 (green message framing: gain vs. loss) between-subject factorial experimental design was utilized for testing the main and interaction effects of message types on green brand image. A two–way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed to test whether brand image perceptions differed across the levels of green message abstractness and green message framing. PROCESS Model was employed to test the mediating effects of messages on behavioral intentions through green brand image. The findings demonstrated that green message abstractness had a significant main effect on green brand image. Abstract green message led to a stronger effect on green brand image than the concrete one. Furthermore, green message abstractness influenced behavior intention indirectly through green brand image. However, green message framing did not yield any significant results for the direct and indirect effects.
The Meissner effect in high-temperature hydrogen-rich superconductors under high pressure

In the last few years, the superconducting transition temperature, Tc, of hydrogen-rich compounds has increased dramatically, and is now approaching room temperature. However, the pressures at which these materials are stable exceed one million atmospheres and limit the number of available experimental probes - superconductivity has been primarily identified based on electrical transport measurements. Here, we report definitive evidence of the Meissner effect – a key feature of superconductivity – in H3S and LaH10. Furthermore, we have determined characteristic superconducting parameters: a lower critical field Hc1 of ∼1.9 and ∼1.0 T, and a London penetration depth λL of ∼13 and ∼21 nm in Im-3m-H3S and Fm-3m-LaH10, respectively. These compounds have low values of the Ginzburg-Landau parameter κ ∼7–14 and belong to the group of “moderate” type II superconductors.
Identification of Atlantic water inflow on the north Svalbard shelf during the Holocene

Nordaustlandet is located in the northeastern part of the Svalbard archipelago, within the northernmost reach of the West Spitsbergen Current. This current transports Atlantic water to the Arctic Ocean along the western and northern Svalbard margins. This region is well‐suited for reconstructing the history of changing Atlantic water inflow to the Arctic Ocean. We studied the marine sediment core HH12‐04‐GC from Rijpfjorden. Benthic foraminiferal assemblages and sedimentological data are combined to reconstruct the palaeoenvironment of the fjord from the end of the last local deglaciation to the late Holocene. The local deglaciation, between 11.3 and 10.6 cal ka bp, was dominated by active glacier calving processes, associated with a strong inflow of Atlantic water. This led to the establishment of glaciomarine conditions. The Holocene was initially characterised by a relatively stable and warm environment associated with a strong contribution of Atlantic water. Glaciomarine influence progressively decreases after 9.7 cal ka bp and the Atlantic water contribution increases. The late Holocene displayed a similar environment to today, with the influence of glaciomarine conditions and limited Atlantic water inflow. These results confirm that Atlantic water inflows made a continuous contribution to northern Nordaustlandet throughout the postglacial period.
Quorum-based Blockchain Network with IPFS to Improve Data Security in IoT Network

: The Internet of Things (IoT) is an emerging technology. It enables users and various IoT-enabled devices to be linked across the IoT network in order to exchange their data and resources, which would result in a more relaxed and connected lifestyle. There are still several challenges facing the new centralized IoT network. For illustrative purposes, the method for computing all connected nodes within the network relies on a centralized server. The centralized IoT model prompts a single point of failure when the central server is offline. The centralized IoT model is a clear target for privacy and security issues, as a centralized system completely handles all IoT data of several connected devices. The implementation of the Quorum Blockchain Network (QBN) with the InterPlanetary File System (IPFS) on the IoT network will solve these problems. It provides an unchangeable ledger that would ensure the reliability of transactions between linked nodes on a distributed blockchain network thereby replacing the central authority. This paper aims to propose a distributed IoT data store and a decentralized IoT network using a QBN model with an IPFS protocol.
Culture-Based Green Workplace Practices as a Means of Conserving Energy and Other Natural Resources in the Manufacturing Sector

The purpose of this research is to analyze the role of organizational culture in fostering green practices in the workplace while investigating the mediating role of intrinsic motivation in the context of energy conservation. Based on a cross-sectional quantitative study with a sample of 203 employees from the manufacturing sector, the hypothesized relationships were verified. Based on the mediation analysis, statistical analyses revealed positive relationships between organizational culture and green workplace practices, as well as organizational culture and intrinsic motivation. Additionally, the study found that intrinsic motivation mediates the relationship between organizational culture and green workplace practices. This study supported the importance of organizational culture in enhancing green workplace practices aimed at conserving energy and natural resources. The underlying mechanism behind the significant positive effect of intrinsic motivation on proenvironmental behavior in the workplace was also identified. The research demonstrates the importance of an organizational culture to reinforce green practices in the workplace. Furthermore, based on the used models, this study illustrates the importance of each organizational culture dimension: leadership, sense of community, communication, collaboration, and structure in promoting green behavior. Additionally, the research suggests a key role of intrinsic motivation in this relationship. This study provides valuable guidance for the implementation of specific environmental measures in companies.
Use of Greenway Trails in Indiana

The quality of existing data about the use of urban trails is poor, and planners need better data to plan new trails and manage existing ones. This note presents descriptive analyses of pedestrian and bicycle traffic counts taken with infrared counters on urban multiuse greenway trails in Indiana during the fall 2000 and spring 2001. Monthly traffic, average daily, weekday, and weekend traffic, and average hourly and peak hour traffic are presented for trails in six municipalities and for five locations on one trail in Indianapolis. Trail traffic was higher in municipalities with larger populations and higher on weekend days than on weekdays. Peak hour traffic accounted for higher proportions of traffic on weekdays than on weekend days. Traffic at different locations on one trail in Indianapolis varied considerably. Planners can use these results to estimate the demand for proposed trails, describe congestion, as inputs to benefit–cost analyses and level of service studies, and help manage use.
Can ingroup love harm the ingroup? Collective narcissism and objectification of ingroup members

We examined how collective narcissism (a belief in ingroup greatness that is underappreciated by others) versus ingroup identification predicts treatment of ingroup members. Ingroup identification should be associated with favorable treatment of ingroup members. Collective narcissism, however, is more likely to predict using ingroup members for personal gain. In organizations, collective narcissism predicted promoting one’s own (vs. group) goals (prestudy: N = 179), and treating coworkers instrumentally (Study 1: N = 181; and longitudinal Study 2: N = 557). In Study 3 (N = 214, partisan context), the link between collective narcissism and instrumental treatment of ingroup members was mediated by self-serving motives. In the experimental Study 4 (N = 579, workplace teams), the effect of collective narcissism on instrumental treatment was stronger when the target was an ingroup (vs. outgroup) member. Across all studies, ingroup identification was negatively, or nonsignificantly, associated with instrumental treatment. Results suggest that not all forms of ingroup identity might be beneficial for ingroup members.
A Routine Activities Approach to Evidence-Based Risk Assessment: Findings From Two Simulated Phishing Attacks

To assess the efficacy of routine activity theory (RAT) for explaining phishing victimization and guide evidence-based policy, we launched two phishing attacks via a university Listserv (N = 25,875). The first email offered access to a pdf file; the second offered free concert tickets. Several interesting findings emerged demonstrating phishing victimization results from network users’ routine behaviors. Students were significantly less likely to open the phishing email sharing a pdf but more likely to open the email offering free concert tickets. Moreover, students were more likely to click the malicious link embedded within the phishing email in both studies, often using mobile devices. Conversely, employees were more likely to click the link while connected to the university network, thus exposing the network to greater levels of risk. Finally, the email offering concert tickets was opened at a frequency more than double the email containing the pdf. Theoretical and policy implications are discussed.