Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Assessment cultivated period and farm yard manure addition on some soil properties, nutrient content and wheat yield under sprinkler irrigation system

This study examined changes in some soil hydrophysical, chemical properties and wheat yield (grain; straw yield, N, P, K, Protein and carbohydrates contents) as trends under two cultivated period 10 and 25 year and Farm Yard manure (FYM) addition under sprinkler irrigation system on a newly reclaimed soils, Nubaria, Beheira Governorate, Egypt. Obtained results noticed that cultivation period has more pronounced effect than FYM addition on soil water content at field capacity, wilting point and available water with increase percent 15.1%, 9.3%; 19.0% and 25.7%, 19.5% and 30.0% for FYM and cultivation period comparing with control one. Hydraulic conductivity values were strongly affected by cultivation period and FYM addition and significantly decreased values by about 18.9% and 12.1% in same sequences. Wheat straw content from protein had a superior effect under 25 than 10 years cultivated periods with values 61.9 and 6.7 comparing with control, respectively as affected by FYM addition, while FYM alone improved protein content in straw by about 31.9% comparing with untreated one. Slightly increase in straw protein content was attained relative to the increase of cultivated period by about 7.8%. Nutrients content in grain is more than FYM, where the increase percentage were 5.2%, 13.5%; 3.8% and 26.5, 21.3; 22.6 comparing cultivated periods 25 with 10 years and FYM addition with control, respectively. FYM individually under two studied cultivated periods is more effective under 10 years (28.0%, 25.2%; 15.1%) than the 2nd one (25.1%, 25.2%; 15.1%) comparing with untreated FYM plots. While N, P and K content in wheat straw had unclear trend and the increase were 6.8, 23.23; 56.5% and 62.9, 6.0; 29.8 as a result of FYM addition under 10 and 25 years cultivated periods, respectively. The highest values of protein and carbohydrates content in wheat grains as affected by studied factors were 12.86% and 67.43%) were obtained under cultivated period 25 years after FYM addition. Cultivated periods had a highly significant effect on the field water use efficiency values of grain more than the effect of FYM. The highest values of grain and straw yield were recorded at 10 years cultivated periods + treated FYM (2966.8 kg/fed) and 25 years cultivated periods treated with FYM (3835.6 kg/fed). Cultivated periods increased grain and straw yield of wheat crop by about 57.6% and 8.3%. Whereas, FYM increased grain and straw yield by about 39.8% and 58.8% relative to the control, respectively.
Performance consequences of management accounting system information usage in Jordan

The purpose of this study is to contribute to the body of knowledge in the area of management accounting systems (MAS) within the context of Jordanian manufacturing companies. The current study empirically investigated the relationship between MAS information usage and companies' performance. Data were collected from manufacturing companies listed in Amman Stock Exchange. The results of this study provide ample confirmation on the role of the usage of MAS information in enhance the manufacturing companies performance in Jordan.
Manufacturing Postponement: reducing upstream vulnerability by means of an improved flexibility

As supply chain vulnerabilities and the dependence of companies to their parents (i.e., suppliers) intensify, companies are adopting manufacturing postponement in order to reduce potential negative effects of supply risks. Indeed, manufacturing postponement allows firms to properly manage point of differentiations along their production lines, improving companies' reactions capabilities. This study built a framework that relates the adoptions of postponement underlying tactics (i.e., product modularity and process re-sequencing) to the development of flexibility and to the achievement of competitive advantage (i.e., reduced exposition to supply risks). Based on data collected from 54 Italian manufacturing companies we show that the adoption of manufacturing postponement directly influence firms' resiliency. Furthermore, we show that this relationship can be partially explained by an indirect path through flexibility.
ALTERNATIVE QUERY DISCOVERY FROM THE WEB FOR DAILY MOBILE DECISION SUPPORT

We daily make decisions on whether or not we should do an activity (behavior) and further on whether or not we had better do its alternative activity. If we can acquire the necessary information for making such decisions situation by situation in mobile/ubiquitous computing environments, we would be able to make better decisions and might be happier. So, this paper proposes a Mobile DSS (Decision Support System) that discovers the alternative activities to a mobile user’s intending (original) activity from the Web by using text mining techniques and then automatically generates her/his activity-based query to the existing location-free information retrieval systems such as mobile Web search engines.
Habilitation à diriger des recherches. Debregeas Georges

This work aims at describing the mechanical response of divided materials such as aqueous foams and granular materials. These systems exhibit a solid-like behavior under moderate shear, and flow plastically beyond a threshold strain. The local nature of plastic events and the long range elastic interactions are responsible for the existence of characteristic mechanisms such as strain localization, intermittency or strain-induced aging. We have probed them using various experimental and numerical approaches that combine local and global measurements. We have also developed spatially resolved measurements of interfacial deformations at frictional joints. Among them, we have developed a tribological sensor, based on the use of MEMS micro-force sensors, which allows one to monitor the friction-induced stress at the bottom of a thin elastic film. This sensor, which provides a rudimentary analogue of the mechanoreceptor/skin system, was used to study the transduction of tactile information in human touch, through a bio-mimetic approach.
Ask of National Pension Service for Higher Dividend and Firm Value: Evidence from Korea

In this chapter, we examine the effect of ask of Korea’s National Pension Service for higher dividend on the firm value. There is a conflicting view on the dividend pressure of the National Pension Service. First, the dividend pressure of the National Pension Service contributes not only to reducing the agency problem, which is a disadvantage for Korean companies’ ownership management, but also to reducing the Korea discount, which is a low dividend. The other hand, it is the so-called pension socialism that National Pension Service engages in the dividend policy which is the essence of corporate management with a high stake. This study is conducted on Korean listed companies from 2011 to 2016 and has constructed a test sample using propensity score matching. The results show that the dividend pressure of National Pension Service doesn’t have a significant effect on the firm value. This study is expected to provide useful information for pension funds to exercise voting rights. Also, this study is expected to provide further evidence of a study that verifies the relationship between dividend and firm value by examining the effect of external pressures on dividend policy on firm value.
Lanczos tridiagonalization, Golub‐Kahan bidiagonalization and coreproblem

Consider an orthogonally invariant linear approximation problem Ax ≈ b. In [8] it is proved that the partial upper bidiagonalization of the extended matrix [b, A] determines a core approximation problem A11x1 ≈ b1, with all necessary and sufficient information for solving the original problem given by b1 andA11. It is shown how the core problem can be used in a simple and efficient way for solving different formulations of the original approximation problems. In [3] the core problem formulation is derived from the relationship between the Golub-Kahan bidiagonalization [2] and the Lanczos tridiagonalization [5], and from the known properties of Jacobi matrices. Here we briefly recall the approach from [3], and outline a possible direction for further research.
Letsmap do Brasil - a web-based planning support tool for sediment management in Western Central Brazil

A central element of a sediment management plan for the Federal District of Brasília, Western Central Brazil is a planning support tool that enables the user to test the effects of land use changes on landscape processes and functions (LPF). In this paper, we present the web based tool Letsmap do Brasil. The tool has two principal interacting levels. The upper level contains information on effects of land use on LPF, i.e. runoff control, sediment retention, nitrogen availability, and agronomic value. The parameterized relation between land use and LPF is the core of the system. For each LPF a value specific to land use has been assigned. Values for LPF ́s were taken from published research, e.g. C factor from USLE (sediment retention) and curve number (runoff control), or statistics, e.g. agronomic yield. All values were standardized on a scale from 0-100. On this level, the users are allowed to act as land planners or managers. By creating land use patterns the effect of land use change on LPF ́s might be tested. The lower level contains information on landscape properties and potentials (LPP), e.g. potential of runoff control or potential of sediment retention. By linking land use and LPP ́s a site specific assessment of effects of land use changes on LPF is possible.
Assessing storm surge hazard and impact of sea level rise in the Lesser Antilles case study of Martinique

Abstract. In the Lesser Antilles, coastal inundations from hurricane-induced storm surges pose a great threat to lives, properties and ecosystems. Assessing current and future storm surge hazards with sufficient spatial resolution is of primary interest to help coastal planners and decision makers develop mitigation and adaptation measures. Here, we use wave–current numerical models and statistical methods to investigate worst case scenarios and 100-year surge levels for the case study of Martinique under present climate or considering a potential sea level rise. Results confirm that the wave setup plays a major role in the Lesser Antilles, where the narrow island shelf impedes the piling-up of large amounts of wind-driven water on the shoreline during extreme events. The radiation stress gradients thus contribute significantly to the total surge – up to 100 % in some cases. The nonlinear interactions of sea level rise (SLR) with bathymetry and topography are generally found to be relatively small in Martinique but can reach several tens of centimeters in low-lying areas where the inundation extent is strongly enhanced compared to present conditions. These findings further emphasize the importance of waves for developing operational storm surge warning systems in the Lesser Antilles and encourage caution when using static methods to assess the impact of sea level rise on storm surge hazard.
A fresh look at the basic principles of the design and analysis of experiments

When Professor Neyman invited me to attend the Fifth Berkeley Symposium, and give a paper on the basic principles of the design and analysis of experiments, I was a little hesitant. I felt certain that all those here must be thoroughly conversant with these basic principles, and that to mull over them again would be of little interest. This, however, is the first symposium to be held since Sir Ronald Fisher's death, and it does therefore seem apposite that a paper discussing some aspect of his work should be given. If so, what could be better than the design and analysis of experiments, which in its modern form he created? I do not propose today to give a history of the development of the subject. This I did in a paper presented in 1963 to the Seventh International Biometrics Congress [14]. Instead I want to take a fresh look at the logical principles Fisher laid down, and the action that flows from them; also briefly to consider certain modern trends, and see how far they are really of value.
The relationship between Environmental Characteristics and Training Transfer

This study carried out to investigate the relationship between Environmental Characteristics and training transfer among non- academic staff of university. This empirical research conducted through distributing the original questionnaire via simple random sampling style. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the collected data.The result of study show there is a significant positive relationship between all dimensions of Environmental Characteristics and Training Transfer.
Valuation in US Commercial Real Estate

We consider a log-linearized version of a discounted rents model to price commercial real estate as an alternative to traditional hedonic models. First, we verify a key implication of the model, namely, that cap rates forecast commercial real estate returns. We do this using two different methodologies: time series regressions of 21 US metropolitan areas and mixed data sampling (MIDAS) regressions with aggregate REIT returns. Both approaches confirm that the cap rate is related to fluctuations in future returns. We also investigate the provenance of the predictability. Based on the model, we decompose fluctuations in the cap rate into three parts: (i) local state variables (demographic and local economic variables); (ii) growth in rents; and (iii) an orthogonal part. About 30% of the fluctuation in the cap rate is explained by the local state variables and the growth in rents. We use the cap rate decomposition into our predictive regression and find a positive relation between fluctuations in economic conditions and future returns. However, a larger and significant part of the cap rate predictability is due to the orthogonal part, which is unrelated to fundamentals. This implies that economic conditions, which are also used in hedonic pricing of real estate, cannot fully account for future movements in returns. We conclude that commercial real estate prices are better modelled as financial assets and that the discounted rent model might be more suitable than traditional hedonic models, at least at an aggregate level.
Loss Recognition Timeliness in Brazilian Banks: The Influence of State Ownership

This paper investigates the effect of state ownership on the conditional conservatism of financial reports of Brazilian banks. State controlled banks in Brazil face additional monitoring from government authorities and managers risk litigation as individuals with potential effects on their personal wealth. Thus we hypothesize that state ownership would have a positive marginal effect on conditional conservatism in this institutional environment. Using a times series conditional conservatism model our results confirm our expectations and show that state ownership has a positive effect on the conditional conservatism of earnings in Brazil. Using a logit model we also corroborate this effect after controlling for the effect of unconditional conservatism and earnings smoothing****.
Real-Time Seismic Monitoring Needs of a Building Owner—and the Solution: A Cooperative Effort

A recently implemented advanced seismic monitoring system for a 24-story building facilitates recording of accelerations and computing displacements and drift ratios in near-real time to measure the earthquake performance of the building. The drift ratio is related to the damage condition of the specific building. This system meets the owner's needs for rapid quantitative input to assessments and decisions on post-earthquake occupancy. The system is now successfully working and, in absence of strong shaking to date, is producing low-amplitude data in real time for routine analyses and assessment. Studies of such data to date indicate that the configured monitoring system with its building specific software can be a useful tool in rapid assessment of buildings and other structures following an earthquake. Such systems can be used for health monitoring of a building, for assessing performance-based design and analyses procedures, for long-term assessment of structural characteristics, and for long-term damage detection.
Kinetics of trifluorovinyl ether cyclopolymerization via Raman spectroscopy

Polymerization kinetics of tris(trifluorovinyloxyphenyl)ethane (TVE) in the bulk are characterized by measuring the disappearance of the fluoro-olefin Raman signal at 1831 cm -1 normalized to an aromatic ring signal as an internal standard. The nth order kinetic model (dx/dt = k(1-x) n ) was applied to determine a reaction order of 2.0. Reaction rates below 85% conversion measured for various temperatures ranged from 2.2 x 10 -3 min -1 (t 1/2 =454 min) to 3.1 x 10 -1 min -1 (t 1/2 = 3.3 min) for 130°C and 210°C, respectively. Above 85% olefin conversion, second order rate constants deviated from linearity as gelation ensued. An Arrhenius activation energy of 24.6 kcal mol -1 was determined. The non-destructive Raman technique was found to be an excellent method for measuring the cure kinetics in the bulk and may be applicable to 'on-line' needs for general application of perfluorocyclobutane (PFCB) polyarylether materials.
Behaviour of Dickey–Fuller Unit‐Root Tests Under Trend Misspecification

Abstract. We analyse the case where a unit‐root test is based on a Dickey–Fuller regression the only deterministic term of which is a fixed intercept. Suppose, however, as could well be the case, that the actual data‐generating process includes a broken linear trend. It is shown theoretically, and verified empirically, that under the I(1) null and I(0) alternative hypotheses the Dickey–Fuller test can display a wide range of different characteristics depending on the nature and location of the break.
STRENGTHENING THE VALIDITY OF SOFTWARE PROCESS IMPROVEMENT MEASUREMENTS THROUGH STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: A CASE STUDY AT ERICSSON AB

Measuring Software Process Improvements is a challenge for software organizations. It is difficult to find a non-questionable way to show that improvement actually has taken place. Through process employee surveys it is possible to design questions and key ratios that help us understand current situations and trends. The telecom company Ericsson AB has been working with such measurements since early 2001. In this thesis we investigate the result of such a survey through basic statistical analysis. We conclude that the statistical analysis of the process employee survey investigated in this thesis shows strong consistency and validity of both survey questions and key ratios. We also conclude that we can strengthen the statistical validity in SPI measurements through the use of basic statistical analysis. In this study we suggest a set of practical steps that can be performed on SPI measurements in order to strengthen their validity. We also present an iterative process model that could be used at Ericsson to assure quality in their SPI measurements and improve future SPI measurements. Index Terms — Software Process Improvement, Statistical Analysis, Measurement
Evaluation of the impacts of projects to reduce human-induced soil losses in watersheds

Watershed management projects, especially in developing countries under pressures of rising populations, present peculiar challenges in design and evaluation, because they aim to produce specific physical outcomes through socio-economic actions. Efforts to reduce human-induced soil losses, without displacing the relevant communities, need time and persistence, because such efforts must involve persuasion, rather than direction, of the communities towards both different styles of socio-economic behaviour and new land-use practices. In tropical and subtropical environments, several encouraging successes in community-based projects of this kind have been reported over the last 10-15 years. Such projects address multiple goals: reducing soil loss, increasing dry-season flows, reducing floods as well as improving the economic value of land and livelihood of people. Therefore, such projects must be multi-dimensional and multidisciplinary, and these considerations have time and cost implications. In these circumstances, evaluation of project packages is necessary though difficult. Developing better insights into the benefit-cost effects of their various characteristic components would be valuable. Identifying and quantifying intermediate benefit targets are desirable, since the apparently slow rate of delivery of intended ultimate benefits may lead to fatigue and weakening of support from funding agencies; this, in turn, can lead to some displacement of objectives, or to substitution of more modest objectives. Persistence of funding support may, on the other hand, be enhanced by establishing programmes of continuous evaluation, internal to such projects. This paper discusses the methodologies of monitoring and evaluation programmes that focus primarily on measuring the physical results that are due to promoting socio-economic actions and adjustments of land-use behaviour within the community.
Metamodels in Optimisation of Plywood Sandwich Panels

In this paper, the strength and the weight effectiveness for the plywood I-core sandwich structure is elaborated. For the plywood sandwich concept the plywood sheets are used at the outer surfaces to maximize rigidity while introducing in between adhesively bonded plywood stiffeners to keep the whole sandwich structure together. The structural stiffness capacity and weight efficiency are elaborated for the pure plywood structure and the I-core sandwich panel with the corresponding height and width dimensions. A metamodelling procedure is applied by approximating the finite element stiffness response values with parametrical functions employing the Adaptive Basis Function Construction approach. The resulting design procedure provides an effective optimal design tool that enables to estimate the stiffness and the weight optimum solutions. ing practice, as they require low number of sample points and are computationally very efficient. On other hand they are loosing efficiency when highly nonlinear behaviour should be approximated. Instead, higher-degree polynomials can be employed. However, if no special care is taken, they tend to overfit the data and produce high errors especially in regions where the sample points are relatively sparse. One possible remedy for the overfitting problem is employment of the subset selection techniques. These are aimed to identify the best (or near best) subset of individual polynomial terms (basis functions) to include in the model while discarding the unnecessary ones, in this manner creating a sparse polynomial model of increased predictive performance. However the approach of subset selection assumes that the chosen fixed full set of userpredefined basis functions (usually predefined just by fixing the maximal degree of a polynomial) contains a subset that is sufficient to describe the target relation sufficiently well. Hence the effectiveness of subset selection largely depends on whether or not the predefined set of basis functions contains such a subset. In this study a different sparse polynomial model building approach is used – Adaptive Basis Function Construction, ABFC (Jekabsons 2008, Jekabsons & Lavendels 2008). The approach enables generating sparse polynomials of arbitrary complexity and degree without the requirement to predefine any basis functions or to set the degree – all the required basis functions are constructed adaptively specifically for the data at hand. Additionally, in contrast to a number of other state-of-the-art metamodelling techniques the models built by the ABFC can be expressed as explicit and simple-to-use regression equations. Assuming that x is an input to the actual computer analysis or natural test, generally a polynomial regression model can be defined as a basis function expansion: