Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
"What can you Teach me?": (Re)thinking Responses to Difference for Multi- disciplinary Teamwork

Skillful multidisciplinary collaboration will be paramount for engineers working in a global society. Much of their industry work will require that they partner with people from various backgrounds, areas of expertise, gender, ethnicity, etc. Despite the importance of learning about different perspectives relevant to problem solving, it seems that engineers accept difference conditionally. That is, individuals who exhibit ways of thinking, doing, and being that are “outside the norms” of engineering are marginalized within engineering culture. This attitude toward difference may present challenges for engineers when they enter the workplace. Thus, the question becomes how do we adequately prepare engineering students for the diversity of values, ideas, and approaches to problem solving that characterize the workforce? The purpose of this project is to explore the concept of difference as represented through gender. A thematic qualitative analysis of data revealed that engineering students experience dissonance and (re)negotiate their positionality of being an engineer in the presence of difference. These findings not only have implications for how we model interdiciplinarity in the classroom, but more importantly, results from this project show that acceptance of difference is conditional. As educators, we have more work to do to prepare students for the multidisciplinary work that will be required of them as practicing/professional engineers.
Only customer satisfaction and customer loyalty is not enough: A study of Pakistans telecom sector

Service industry is totally reliable upon customer satisfaction because its first stage is to catch the customers and the final achievement is the loyal customer; but this is not enough because there are many things that lie between customer satisfaction and customer loyalty. So this study focuses on it and the major element involved like trust. This research is an attempt to explore the customer’s behavior that how much they become loyal when satisfied and also to look into the pros and cons of the telecom sector boom in Pakistan. Key words: Customer satisfaction, trust, telecom industry, customer loyalty.
A two-step scheme for high-resolution regional atmospheric trace gas inversions based on independent models

Abstract. Mixing ratio measurements of atmospheric tracers like CO 2 can be used to estimate regional surface-air tracer fluxes using inverse methods, involving a numerical transport model. Currently available transport models are either global but rather coarse, or more accurate but only over a limited spatial and temporal domain. To obtain higher-resolution flux estimates within a region of interest, existing studies use zoomed or coupled models. The two-step scheme developed here uses global and regional models sequentially in separate inversion steps, coupled only via the data vector. This provides a nested atmospheric inversion scheme without the necessity of a direct coupled model implementation. For example, the scheme allows an easy nesting of Lagrangian models with their potential of very high resolution into global inversions based on Eulerian models.
Expressions of Affect in English and Japanese Novels

It is generally acknowledged that Japanese novels have more verbal resources to express affect than novels written in English. By comparing English and Japanese versions of certain novels, I will analyze how and why affective expressions differ between English and Japanese novels. In Japanese novels, the viewpoint often shifts from the narrator’s to the character’s, or the narrator often comments as an interlocutor, sometimes seemingly speaking to readers in a friendly way even in third-person narratives. On these occasions Discourse Modality (DM) indicators (Maynard,1993) such as sentence-final particles and auxiliary verbs like desu and masu are employed. In English, on the other hand, tag questions, discourse markers, and the frequent insertion of address terms or endearments function as DM indicators. But the Japanese DM indicators mentioned above are phonetically shorter and more easily incorporated into sentence ends as morphemes. Therefore the rate at which DM indicators appear in English novels is much lower than in Japanese novels. In this respect, Japanese novels have more expressions of affect. The use of such DM indicators is part of the pragmatic competence of a language user, and translators should adjust the amount of DM indicators to suit the cultural and linguistic norms.
Th e Dynamics of Capabilities in the Transition to Telecommunications Next Generation Networks

This paper examines the dynamics of capabilities in the transition to the socalled Next Generation Network (NGN), in the telecommunications industry. This transition is occurring in major incumbent fixed telecommunications operators likeBT (British Telecom), France Telecom and Deutsche Telekom, among others, where the innovation gap seems to be more challenging compared to mobile operators and cable TV companies. We analyze the capabilities development of BT in the United Kingdom, using documentary and interview data. The main conclusion is that, during the transition, capabilities vary rapidly in intensity: at the very beginning, strategic capabilities infl uence the decision-making and defi ne the transition, andthen project capabilities are put in place to deploy the strategy, until functional capabilities take over and maintain the evolutionary path of the technology until a next major transition may occur.
A CONCEPT DESIGN OF A COMPTON SCATTERING LIGHT SOURCE BASED ON THE HLS ELECTRON STORAGE RING

Hefei Light Source (HLS) is a 2nd generation light source lasering high flux ultraviolet and soft x-ray with 200 MeV to 800 MeV electron beam. To explorer other applications of the electron storage ring of HLS, a concept design of Hefei Compton Scattering Light Source (HCSLS) is proposed. In this paper, Compton Scattring Simulation Code(CSSC), a parallel code based on the analytical method to simulate the Compton scattering between the laser beam and the electron beam, is presented. Using the CSSC, it is computed that HCSLS will produce photons with a total flux of 10 9 s -1 to 10 11 s -1 , and energy of 0.07 MeV to 1.15 MeV at the maximum spectral flux density with the 200 MeV to 800 MeV electron beam scattering with a kilo-watts CO2 laser. With a much shorter wave laser beam from an Nd:YVO4 laser, the scattered photons energy at the maximum spectral flux density is improved by a factor of 10, while its flux is reduce by a factor of 10,000 due to the lower peak laser power.
CEO Compensation Among Firms Controlled by Large Shareholders: Evidence from Emerging Markets

Using a novel data base for three emerging markets, we find that the type of large shareholder matters for CEO compensation. In particular, we find a compensation premium of about 30 log points for professional (not controller-related) CEOs working in firms controlled by a family compared to firms controlled by other large shareholders. The premium cannot be explained away by standard firm characteristics, observable executive skills (e.g., education or tenure), or the compensation of the CEO in her former job. The premium comes mostly from family firms with absent founders and when sons are involved.
Employment Effects of Dispersal Policies on Refugee Immigrants, Part Ii: Empirical Evidence

How do dispersal policies affect labour market integration of refugee immigrants subjected to such policy? To investigate this, we estimate the effects of location characteristics and the average effect of geographical mobility on the hazard rate into first job of refugee immigrants subjected to the Danish Dispersal Policy 1986-1998. We correct for selection into relocation to another municipality by joint estimation of the duration of the first non-employment spell and time until relocation. The main estimation results are as follows: First, the hazard rate into first job is increasing in the concentration of fellow countrymen and decreasing in the regional unemployment rate, the size of the local population and the percentage of immigrants in the local population. The two latter findings support dispersal policies. The two former findings emphasize that refugees should be dispersed in big clusters of refugees of the same ethnic origin across regions with low unemployment. Second, on average, geographical mobility had large, positive effects on the job finding rate, suggesting that either relocations were carried out to improve employment prospects, or they were carried out to improve place utility and thereby lower the reservation wage. Hence, restrictions on placed refugees’ subsequent migration (or on their initial choice of location) would hamper labour market integration.
Integrated Master in Chemical Engineering Interfacing Metal-Organic Frameworks with Structured Supports

Some attrition can occur when performing a reaction with Metal-Organic Frameworks, MOFs, in a slurry operation system. In order to maintain the catalytic properties of the material and also to avoid its loss during the, after reaction, separation and purification processes, a new approach for using Metal-Organic Frameworks in catalysis was studied, which consisted of coating a structured support, as Cordierite, with MOF. The MOF studied within this project was MIL-101 (Cr). Firstly, a direct impregnation of Chromium Oxide followed by both microwave and hydrothermal synthesis was tested and compared using two different supports: cordierite monoliths and -alumina disks. Due to some uncertainty about the origin of the crystals being synthesized a different route was tested, consisting of a secondary growth after different seeding techniques. First the most appropriate particles to be used as seeds were studied. In -alumina disks, seeds were applied on the support by dip and spin coating, followed by a secondary growth. The effectiveness of the methods was then compared. In order to apply some seeding techniques in a monolithic support, a previous wash coating with -alumina was done using also two different procedures that differ essentially in the total time of the monolith preparation, before the secondary growth, and in the temperature of calcination. After obtaining a layer of MIL-101 (Cr) on a monolithic support, several catalytic tests were performed. The reaction chosen was Knoevenagel condensation which can be catalyzed by bases. Two different bases, Guanidine Nitrate and 1,5,7-Triazabicyclo[4.4. 0]dec-5-ene, were grafted into the MOF by a post-synthetic modification and, before starting performing reactions in a monolithic stirrer reactor, some studies were done in a slurry system to find out if the grafting was effective and a activity for the reaction was introduced with the grafting. Then, some catalytic tests involving a MOF grafted and covered on the monolith were tried but several obstacles were encountered that are also discussed, as part of the scope of this project. MIL-101 (Cr) was interfaced successfully with both -alumina disks and cordierite monoliths wash-coated with -alumina. The most promising way for seeding the disks was spin coating but a clear layer of MOF was obtained in cordierite monoliths using a dip coating and followed by vacuum treatment. The two bases grafted in MOFs proved to make it an active catalyst even after three runs, using it as particles. Regarding the reaction using monoliths, the basicity was introduced in the MOF coated although relevant catalytic activity is still to be encountered.
Characterization of antifungal compounds produced by Pseudomonas stutzeri (EGB3) isolated from gut of earthworm (Eisenia foetida)

Strain EGB3 was isolated from the gut of earthworm fed with sterile soil and identified as Pseudomonas stutzeri on the basis of biochemical tests and by comparison of 16S rDNA sequences. This bacterium exhibits a broad-spectrum antifungal activity towards soil borne phytopathogenic fungi (Fusarium oxysporum, Fusarium solani, Fusarium moniliformae, Fusarium udum, Macrophomena phaseolina, Rhizoctonia solani, Colletotrichum capsicii, Aspergillus flavus, and Aspergillus niger). The antifungal metabolite produced by EGB3 was extracted and characterized to determine the nature of the active molecules (volatile and non-volatile). The bioactive compound was thermostable upto 80°C for 10 min. The zone of inhibition was observed after 6 h of incubation and increased up to 36 h and there was no change in zone of inhibition after 36 h of incubation. EGB3 was an antagonist against a range of phytopathogenic fungi that infect groundnut plants. Key words: phytopathogenic fungi, EGB3, Pseudomonas stutzeri, antifungal metabolites.
Use of a vision model to quantify the significance of factors effecting target conspicuity

When designing camouflage it is important to understand how the human visual system processes the information to discriminate the target from the background scene. A vision model has been developed to compare two images and detect differences in local contrast in each spatial frequency channel. Observer experiments are being undertaken to validate this vision model so that the model can be used to quantify the relative significance of different factors affecting target conspicuity. Synthetic imagery can be used to design improved camouflage systems. The vision model is being used to compare different synthetic images to understand what features in the image are important to reproduce accurately and to identify the optimum way to render synthetic imagery for camouflage effectiveness assessment. This paper will describe the vision model and summarise the results obtained from the initial validation tests. The paper will also show how the model is being used to compare different synthetic images and discuss future work plans.
Stereo Matching Algorithm Based On Illumination Control To Improve The Accuracy

This paper presents a new method of pixel based stereo matching algorithm using illumination control. The state of the art algorithm for absolute difference (AD) works fast, but only precise at low texture areas. Besides, it is sensitive to radiometric distortions (i.e., contrast or brightness) and discontinuity areas. To overcome the problem, this paper proposes an algorithm that utilizes an illumination control to enhance the image quality of absolute difference (AD) matching. Thus, pixel intensities at this step are more consistent, especially at the object boundaries. Then, the gradient difference value is added to empower the reduction of the radiometric errors. The gradient characteristics are known for its robustness with regard to the radiometric errors. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm performs much better when using a standard benchmarking dataset from the Middlebury Stereo Vision dataset. The main contribution of this work is a reduction of discontinuity errors that leads to a significant enhancement on matching quality and accuracy of disparity maps.
Preparation of N-alkylamides of highly methylated (HM) citrus pectin

N-Alkylamides of highly methylated (HM) citrus pectin (DM = 73%) were prepared using heterogeneous amino-dealkoxylation (aminolysis) with five selected n-alkylamines. The reaction was carried out in N,N-dimethylformamide at 8°C (n-butylamine), 25°C (n-hexylamine), and 45°C (n-octylamine, n-dodecylamine and n-octadecylamine). All the derivatives were converted into acid forms by washing with acidic water-ethanol mixture. The products were analysed by organic elemental analysis, diffusion reflection FT-IR spectroscopy and by 1 3 C CP/MAS NMR. Both FT-IR and NMR spectra indicate the presence of alkylamide substituents bound to pectin. The degrees of amidation (DA) of the derivatives and molar and mass reaction yields (Y m and Y n ) were calculated based on the results of elemental analysis. The DA values of the N-alkylamides were 39-55% that corresponded to Y n of 54-75%.
In vitro antioxidant activity and inhibitory hepatic steatosis effect on oleic acid-induced fatty liver model of consecutive extracts from Rosa davurica Pall.

The nutrient and phytochemical composition of Rosa davurica Pall. fruit (RDF) from China were determined, including sugar, reducing sugar, ascorbic acid, caroteniods and phenolics. RDF was successively extracted with chloroform, ethyl acetate (EA), water-saturated n-butanol, ethanol and distilled water, respectively. Among the five fractions, EA fraction revealed the highest total phenolic content and the strongest antioxidant ability in cyclic voltammograms (CV) and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) assays. Moreover, the strongest inhibitory activity against oleic acidinduced (OA-induced) fatty liver in vitro was also the EA fraction. Further, it was separated by a semipreparative high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) on C18 column. The most active fraction (EA-FII) of EA in all assays above, which mainly included catechin, quercetin-sedoheptulose and quercetin-94, was identified by LC/MS, HPLC and ultraviolet (UV)/V spectrum analysis. Keywords : RDF extracts, composition properties, antioxidant ability, inhibitory activity, oleic acid-induced, HPLC, LC/MS. African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 12(31), pp. 4944-4951
Terpenoid Chemoprofiles Distinguish Drug-type Cannabis sativa L. Cultivars in Nevada

An unintended consequence of state-mandated cannabis testing regulations has been the resulting database from the analysis of thousands of individual cannabis flower samples from artificially restricted geographical regions. The resulting detailed chemical database can serve as the basis for the development of a chemotaxonomic classification scheme outside of conjectural cultivar naming by strain. Chemotaxonomic classification schemes for cannabis cultivars have previously been reported by others based largely on cannabis strains grown in California under an unregulated testing environment or in Europe from strains grown by a single cultivator. In this study 2,237 individual cannabis flower samples, representing 204 individual strains across 27 cultivators in a tightly regulated Nevada cannabis testing market, were analyzed across 11 cannabinoids and 19 terpenoids. Even though 98.3% of the samples were from Type I cannabis strains by cannabidiolic acid/tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA) ratio of <0.5 CBDA, principal component analysis (PCA) of the combined dataset resulted in three distinct clusters that were distinguishable by terpene profiles alone. Further dissection of individual strains by cultivators within clusters revealed striking fidelity of terpenoid profiles and also revealed a few outliers. We propose that three terpenoid cluster assignments account for the diversity of drug type cannabis strains currently being grown in Nevada.
Impact of various extents of experimental subarachnoid hemorrhage induced by the endovascular filament model on mortality and changes of cerebral blood flow

Objective: Among various animal models of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), the endovascular filament model has been found particularly suitable to investigate acute pathophysiological changes after experimental SAH. Its major drawback, however, are high mortality and high variability of results. The present studies were carried out to examine the impact of various extents of experimental SAH in rats induced by different filament sizes. Methods: In study 1, Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to vessel perforation with a 3-0, 4-0 or 5-0 monofila-ment or served as controls (n = 8). Intracranial pressure (ICP), mean arterial blood pressure (MABP), cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP) and local cortical blood flow (LCBF) were continuously monitored for 6 hours after SAH. 24 hours later, the animals were sacrificed to evaluate subarachnoid blood effusion. In study 2, the ani-mals were subjected to SAH using a 3-0 monofilament or served as controls (n = 8). After 7 days, they were sacrificed for quantification of tissue damage. Results: With increasing filament size, the decrease of CPP and LCBF and subarachnoid blood effusion were more pronounced. In all SAH-groups, the decline of LCBF after SAH exceeded the decline of CPP. Hippocam-pal damage was moderate but consistent. In both studies, the acute mortality was lower than previously re-ported. Conclusion: With controlled pre-hemorrhage blood pressure values and longer mechanical ventilation mortality can be kept low even if stronger filaments are used. The impact of subarachnoid vessel perforation on patho-physiological changes and blood effusion can be graded by the use of different filament sizes. The persisting mismatch between CPP and LCBF both in major and minor SAH suggests sustained vasoconstriction occurring independent of the extent of hemorrhage.
A Capability-Based View of Service Transitions

This paper describes the initial steps of a study that is examining the cases of 138 companies from the aerospace and defence industry to provide evidence on how manufacturing companies configure and orchestrate service-relevant capabilities in practice. In particular, we focus on the documentation of the capabilities identified by the Alliance ‘Service Capability Audit’ tool and examine their link with composition of the service offering and company’s financial performance.
Theoretical Study on Electronic Structure and Optical Performance of Nickel and Nitrogen Codoped Rutile Titanium Dioxide

The nickel doped, nitrogen doped and nickel + nitrogen codoped rutile titanium dioxide have been investigated by ab initio calculations based on density functional theory. The electronic structure and optical performance of different ions doping models are researched through the obtained results, which reflects that the band gap of nickel and nitrogen codoped system declines apparently; the decrease of electron-hole pairs separation and charge carriers recombination rate becomes more desirable. Moreover, the optical absorption curves of nitrogen and nickel codoped rutile titanium dioxide demonstrate the higher photoresponse for visible-light than that of nickel or nitrogen single doped. The above results could provide theoretical basis for further developing of titanium dioxide photocatalyst and related experimental studies.
A Family of Boundary Value Methods for Systems of Second-Order Boundary Value Problems

A family of boundary value methods (BVMs) with continuous coefficients is derived and used to obtain methods which are applied via the block unification approach. The methods obtained from these continuous BVMs are weighted the same and are used to simultaneously generate approximations to the exact solution of systems of second-order boundary value problems (BVPs) on the entire interval of integration. The convergence of the methods is analyzed. Numerical experiments were performed to show efficiency and accuracy advantages.