Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Higher-order Discretization Methods of Forward-backward SDEs Using KLNV-scheme and Their Applications to XVA Pricing

ABSTRACT This study proposes new higher-order discretization methods of forward-backward stochastic differential equations. In the proposed methods, the forward component is discretized using the Kusuoka–Lyons–Ninomiya–Victoir scheme with discrete random variables and the backward component using a higher-order numerical integration method consistent with the discretization method of the forward component, by use of the tree based branching algorithm. The proposed methods are applied to the XVA pricing, in particular to the credit valuation adjustment. The numerical results show that the expected theoretical order and computational efficiency could be achieved.
Valuing a translingual mindset in researcher education in Anglophone higher education: supervision perspectives

ABSTRACT This article explores some implications of plurilingualism and translingual practice for teaching and learning in higher education. Research in this area tends to focus on the undergraduate experience whereas our focus is on doctoral supervision, a less-discussed but rich site for studying plurilingual and translingual practice. We consider linguistic aspects of research supervision interactions and linguistic practices in research sites in real world contexts. Revisiting a data set of written, self-reported, researcher profiles, the article explores how doctoral researchers and supervisors explain, and reflect on, their linguistic practices in supervision interactions and associated research practices. The data set is analysed by means of a thematic analysis informed by our reading of applied linguistics research into plurilingualism and translingual practice. The analysis highlights a wide range of linguistic practices and conceptualisations of languages in research, including, on the one hand, a separation of languages, and, on the other, a fluidity in how researchers use their diverse linguistic resources for different purposes in their research practice. The article concludes with the recommendation that researcher education should foreground language more than is currently evident in some Anglophone higher education contexts, and that this can be framed in terms of plurilingualism and translingual practice.
WTO/GATS-Alien Framework Provisions in RTAs – A Closer Look

Abstract This article deals with a challenge in drafting regional trade agreements (RTAs) in services that has been widely ignored to date: the need to comply with, and ensure consistent use of, GATS-based framework provisions. This includes in particular the requirement for the RTA parties to eliminate substantially all discrimination between their services and service suppliers. Yet the criteria that are used in individual agreements to identify the benchmark services and service suppliers quite often depart from relevant GATS provisions (Article V on economic integration in combination with Article XVII on national treatment). These departures may not only affect the WTO/GATS-compatibility of the RTAs concerned, but contribute to further fragmenting international market conditions. This is particularly unfortunate at a time when regional agreements are the only realistic options to overcome the negotiating stalemate at multilateral level. Hence, given the stakes involved, there is an urgent need for participants to (re-)consider the framework provisions underpinning their RTAs.
Factors Affecting Tourism Marketing Demand: Evidence from Ethiopia Wildlife Conservation Authority and Bale Mountain National Parko in Ethiopia

The study was conducted to assess the Factors Affecting Tourism Marketing Demand in the case of Bale Mountain National Park. The main objective of the study is investigating factors affecting tourism marketing demand: the case of Bale mountain national park. The sample respondents were selected using Convenience sampling technique from non probability sampling. For the sake of achieving the objectives of this study, administered schedule were analyzed using statistical analysis both descriptive and inferential analysis. The information gathered through schedule from a sample of 220 tourists (domestic and international) and structured interviews were conducted with 8 workers of the park and analyzed using descriptive narrations. Regression and correlation analyses are also applied for the study. The findings indicate that poor image creation, lack of proper promotion of tourist attraction, inadequate infrastructure to and inside the destination, problem of safety and security, political risk, and seasonality nature of tourism demand are factors influencing tourism marketing demand. Based on findings, improving tourism infrastructure, Building institutional capacity and developing community based ecotourism are some of the recommendation forwarded.
X-ray and FTIR µ-CTs for morphological and chemical characterization of eco-sustainable insulating foams

Here it is reported a multidisciplinary approach based on tomography and infrared techniques applied to the characterization of tannin porous rigid foams, potentially usable as new insulating materials in green building technology. With conventional x-ray tomography it was possible to preliminary evaluate the homogeneity of the samples at low resolution, while then, thanks to the synchrotron source, it was possible to obtain more detailed information at a micro-scale level. At the same time chemical characterization was done through Fourier Transform infrared (FTIR) imaging. Conventionally, FTIR imaging is limited to a planar projection, not considering the 3D structure of the material. To avoid this limitation, a FTIR 3D-tomography setup was built and the foams characterized by a chemical point of view. The idea is to directly correlate these data with the 3D-structural information obtained with the x-ray computed tomography exploiting the synchrotron radiation as source, allowing a complete characterization of the material morphology and chemistry at the microscale.
Digital Government as Implementation Means for Sustainable Development Goals

One of the challenges for implementing Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is the measurement of indicators that represent progress towards such goals. Measuring such progress enables data-driven decision-making and management of SDG-relevant projects and strategies. The premise of this research is that measuring such indicators depends on measuring so-called means of implementation, i.e. activities that directly contribute to the achievement of SDGs. Building on this premise, this article studies how the measurement of digital government (DG) can contribute to the measurement of SDGs. In particular, how the indicators originating in three DG measurement instruments can inform the SDG indicators. The main finding is an alignment matrix, showing how the DG indicators contribute with varying level of specificity to the measurement of 10 SDG indicators.
Adoption of agroforestry practices and climate change mitigation strategies in North West province of South Africa

Purpose It is globally accepted that climate change is presently the greatest threat to the sustainability of human livelihood and biodiversity. Most farmers in the study area are highly aware of climate change and its consequences on the farming system; however, mitigation strategies are clearly lacking. Among the mitigation, mechanism to reduce the threat is achieved by increasing the amount of carbon sinks and reducing greenhouse gas emission through the adoption of agroforestry practices. The purpose of this study is to determine if awareness on climate change leads to the adoption of agroforestry practices, and to examine the determinants. Design/methodology/approach A total number of 117 questionnaires were administered to the farmers in the district using stratified random sampling technique. Data were captured and analysed using STATA and XLSTAT software. Descriptive statistics and Heckprobit sample selection model were used to determine the objectives of the study. Findings The result established that climate change awareness does not lead to the adoption of agroforestry in the study area in which information source and member’s association were statistically significant at (p < 0.1) and (p < 0.05), respectively, and determine the adoption of agroforestry practices, while farming experience (p < 0.1), age (p < 0.05), extension visit (p < 0.05) and education (p < 0.1), were the determining factors that influence the awareness of climate change in the study area. Practical implications Regular number of extensions visit, information and training on agroforestry should be provided to the farmers in the study area. Social implications Farmers’ association should be strengthened among the rural farmers. Originality/value The causal effect or relationship of climate change awareness on mitigation through the practice of agroforestry in South Africa, especially in the study area, has not been measured. This research set a pace in the area of climate change awareness leading to mitigation strategies through the use of agroforestry practices as an option to be used in the rural farming area of South Africa.
Talent management: context matters

Abstract There is little doubt that the attraction, development, and retention of talent are nowadays one of the most critical challenges faced by companies worldwide. Despite the increasing scholarly attention during the last years many questions remain, particularly, those related to how (and why) talent management (TM) is conceived, implemented and developed within organizations, not to mention about its outcomes or effectiveness. We argue that organizational context has been underappreciated in TM research, which is an omission since context affects the occurrence, meaning and implementation of TM. Therefore, we edited a special issue which seeks to contribute to advance our knowledge of how contextual factors affect the conceptualization, implementation and effectiveness of TM. In this opening article, we offer a brief overview of how context is integrated in previous TM research. We then introduce the four articles in this special issue and their contributions which addresses gap in TM research and, finally, we offer some suggestions on how to improve contextualized TM research.
HIGHER EDUCATION RE-IMAGINED, TO SUPPORT TEACHERS AND STUDENTS. AN EXPLORATION OF AN INNOVATIVE, FIT FOR PURPOSE PEDAGOGY

The classroom can be a ponderous and complicated place and teaching staff typically use their previous learning experiences as an example to build their own identity and pedagogical approach. Teaching higher education is a duel between equipping students with the breadth of subject specific knowledge and building the desirable ‘graduate’ skills expected for the workforce of the 21st Century. These approaches should include a student-centric and reflective approach to enable students to become producers of knowledge. The autoethnographic reflective narratives are separated into silos to effectively answer the research questions. My first narrative is based upon my secondary school education from 1994 to 1999, the second narrative is based upon my return to study 10 years later in 2009, and this data will attempt to explore how my previous learning experiences affect my pedagogical practice. The final reflective accounts, span from the time I have been employed in Computing at Blackpool and the Fylde College from 2013 to the present day, in order to explore what factors motivate me to change my pedagogical practice and prepare students with ‘graduate’ skills for the workforce of the 21st Century. The analysis of the reflective narratives identified that a co-collaborative approach enables students to take ownership of their learning, in addition the students shared the responsibility of teaching in a ritualised community of practice.
Analysing Technological Dimensions for Engagement with NGOs on Social Media

Social Media has grabbed the attention of government and business organizations to make the use of it for accomplishing their respective goals. Non-government organizations (NGOs) in India can also leverage the advantage of social network informatics for improving engagement with NGOs on social media. The review of the literature on social media and non-government organizations illustrates that promotion of events on social media can enable NGOs to reach out to donors and supporters more effectively than ever before. Social media posts somehow influence the decision of supporter in engaging with NGOs in India. This research paper is an attempt to analyze the technological dimensions for engagement with NGOs on Social Media. Moreover, this research explores social networking sites as an evolving tool for engaging supporters for greater participation in NGO activities. These dimensions of the technological factor, emerging from the qualitative study may be useful in targeting the appropriate donor and supporter. Identification of technological factors for engagement with NGOs may be useful in improving promotional strategies as well as engagement on social media. NGOs may adjust their programs by focusing on these dimensions for information dissemination on social media.
Vocational teachers’ personality, career calling and the aspects of teaching quality

Nowadays , the decline in the prestige of the vocational teacher profession is a great challenge and requires a thorough exa mination of teachers ’ personality and its relationship with teaching quality. The aim of the research is to analyse the relationship between vocational teachers’ personality traits, career calling and the aspects of tea ching quality. Three hundred and forty-six vocational teachers from Lithuania participated in the research. The results revealed that only slightly more than one-third of vocational teachers’ has chosen the tea ching profession as calling. The high level of extra version ( p < 0.01), openness to experience (p < 0.01) and low level of neuroticism (p < 0.01) are related to professional calling of vocational teachers. Also, the various aspects of teaching quality are closely related to teachers’ personality traits. Thus, the research findings might serve as the basis for providing a more comprehensi ve view of the ps ychologi cal fa ctors of the vocational teachers’ profession. Keywords : Vocational teacher, personality traits, career calling, teaching quality.
Seismic protection and preservation of the Newari architecture in Nepal

Traditional construction techniques in seismic areas have been characterized, for a long time, by a large variety of structural solutions based on the combined use of masonry and timber elements. Examples of this can be found also in Nepal, where the recent seismic event occurred on April 25th, 2015 has made the analysis of the traditional building technology very urgent. The interest for this comes from the consideration that the Newari vernacular architecture, developed in the Kathmandu valley, presents interesting earthquakeproof structural solutions, very different from the typical timber frame adopted in other nearby regions, like the Kashmir Dhajji-dewari. Through the analysis of the effects produced by the recent earthquake on vernacular structures in Nepal, this research aims at clarifying both the current state-of-the-art and the capabilities of the Newari architecture, which is nowadays subject to the risk of disappearing and needs therefore to be understood in order to preserve its identity and to improve restoration projects.
MODEL PROBLEM BASED LEARNING MENINGKATKAN KETERAMPILAN SENAM IRAMA PADA PEMBELAJARAN PENJASORKES

Abstrak. Penelitian bertujuan untuk mengetahui pengaruh penerapan Model Pembelajaran Problem Based Learning (PBL) terhadap hasil pembelajaran senam irama poco-poco olahraga, pada pembelajaran Pendidikan Jasmani, Olahraga dan Kesehatan (PJOK) di SD Negeri 79 Kota Bengkulu. Metode dan prosedur penelitian menggunakan rancangan Penelitian Tindakan Kelas (PTK) berkolaborasi (collaborative classroom action research) antara dosen pengampu mata kuliah Pembelajaran Senam, dengan guru PJOK SD Negeri 79. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa Penerapan model pembelajaran Problem Base Learning dalam pembelajaran senam irama Poco-poco olahraga mampu memberikan rangsangan yang kuat untuk belajar gerak secara mandiri, dan memecahkan masalah dalam kelompok secara efektif sehingga penguasaan keterampilan gerakan Poco-poco olahraga dapat mencapai ketuntasan mencapai 87%. Penerapan model pembelajaran Problem Base Learning dapat meningkatkan waktu efektif siswa dalam pembelajaran PJOK dengan indikator giat bergerak, berlatih dan aktif selama proses pembelajaran senam, peningkatan waktu efektif tersebut dari siklus pertama 21,11% menjadi 61,11% pada siklus kedua selama pembelajaran 70 menit. Penerapan model pembelajaran Problem Base Learning dapat meningkatkan motivasi mahasiswa dalam mengikuti pembelajaran, yang ditandai dengan meningkatnya perhatian mahasiswa dan waktu efektif giat bergerak; serta berkurangnya waktu bebas dan istirahat. Sesuai data bahwa siswa terbebas dari konteks pembelajaran hanya 4,12 %. Kata Kunci: Model Pembelajaran, Problem Based Learning (PBL), Senam Irama Poco-poco Olahraga
A Snapshot of Immigration Court at Stewart Detention Center

Changes to U.S. immigration policy have implications for social work, owing to the ethics-based foundation of the profession. The twin purposes of this mixed-methods case study are to describe the detainment and deportation processes, and their implementation at the Stewart Detention Center in Lumpkin, Georgia (notorious for its disparately high rate of deportation); and, to discuss social work’s ethical role in relation to immigrant populations and immigration policy issues. To achieve analysis, we collected data at the Stewart Detention Center, directly observing a sample of 39 immigration court hearings across 4 separate time points between June and September of 2018. We use univariate statistics to describe the sample in terms of hearing duration, demographics of detained persons, characteristics of judge and attorney interactions, removability charges, and hearing outcomes. Our analysis includes mappings of 2 courtrooms and a thick and rich narrative description of our first trip to the Stewart Detention Center in June, 2018. Identified themes across court observations include: (a) lack of uniformity in process, (b) adoption of criminal justice norms and procedures without inclusion of protective factors, (c) layers and barriers to communication that present as isolating, and (d) a seeming emphasis placed on the voluntary departure option. We conclude with a discussion of implications for social work and respective recommendations for engagement.
Determining Optimal Professional Development Formats: A Q-Methodology Study of Science Teachers’ Preferences

The necessity for meeting the professional renewal needs for science teachers in the US has generated abundant research on effective professional development (PD). Yet efforts in the state of Nebraska continue to demonstrate low enrollments in science teacher PD programs. Therefore, an innovation in research was needed to discover the beliefs and expectations about science teacher PD. A combination of Q methodology and focus group discussions with 29 science teachers in six geographical areas of the state identified three PD-seeking factors: the Scientists, the Veterans and the Entrepreneurs. The Scientists yearn to increase their own science knowledge and enable authentic science learning for students. Veterans seek new ideas and resources to improve science student learning and especially prefer stipend-supported PD options. Entrepreneurs desire opportunities to enhance teaching practices and exchange teaching ideas with scientists and other science teachers. Those who design PD for science teachers will benefit from understanding these three factors and the resulting research-informed suggestions for organizing appropriate PD models to satisfy the needs of each teacher factor.
Predictability of Microbial Adhesion to Dental Materials by Roughness Parameters

Microbial adhesion to intraoral biomaterials is associated with surface roughness. For the prevention of oral pathologies, smooth surfaces with little biofilm formation are required. Ideally, appropriate roughness parameters make microbial adhesion predictable. Although a multitude of parameters are available, surface roughness is commonly described by the arithmetical mean roughness value (Ra). The present study investigates whether Ra is the most appropriate roughness parameter in terms of prediction for microbial adhesion to dental biomaterials. After four surface roughness modifications using standardized polishing protocols, zirconia, polymethylmethacrylate, polyetheretherketone, and titanium alloy specimens were characterized by Ra as well as 17 other parameters using confocal microscopy. Specimens of the tested materials were colonized by C. albicans or S. sanguinis for 2 h; the adhesion was measured via luminescence assays and correlated with the roughness parameters. The adhesion of C. albicans showed a tendency to increase with increasing the surface roughness—the adhesion of S. sanguinis showed no such tendency. Although Sa, that is, the arithmetical mean deviation of surface roughness, and Rdc, that is, the profile section height between two material ratios, showed higher correlations with the microbial adhesion than Ra, these differences were not significant. Within the limitations of this in-vitro study, we conclude that Ra is a sufficient roughness parameter in terms of prediction for initial microbial adhesion to dental biomaterials with polished surfaces.
The political uses of the past in modern Russia: the images of the October revolution 1917 in the politics of memory of Russian parties

ABSTRACT The revolutionary theme gradually loses its relevance as a resource of the collective memory in Russia. Political parties differ in understanding the most important memorable dates. The parties that use it in politics of memory are the Communist parties. However, despite the preservation of the October revolution as a founding constituent myth, the differentiation of communist forces leads to the formation of parallel images of the revolution. The general political trend towards rejection of revolutionary changes manifested most clearly after the mass protests of 2011–2012. It can be stated that for the right-wing and centrist parties the revolution is an undesirable event and ‘uncomfortable past’. Treating the revolution as the destruction of order and historical continuity, they seek to achieve public consensus through the practice of forgetting. The rejection of the perception of revolutionary action as an integral part of one’s own past is combined with a political trend towards nostalgia for the Brezhnev’s era and it leads to the paradoxical formula ‘The Soviet Union, but without revolution’.