Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Structural capital value addition to timber and related industries value chain

Purpose – Structural capital is a component of intellectual capital. Its measurement is essential to obtain the real value of intellectual capital and its influence on profitability. This article aims at understanding the impact of structural capital on timber and related industries value chain of Galicia (Spain). Design/methodology/approach – The wood sector chain was divided into three major sectors: extraction, conversion and finished products. Using a panel data model, we measured the value addition created by structural capital for the period of 2002-2018. Findings – Structural capital brings value addition to extraction and finished products sectors of the value chain. The sector and the territory limit value generation and efficiency of structural capital. Research limitations/implications – We took an extensive data set ranging from 2002 to 2018 of a relatively small region (Galicia). The findings could change if the area is expanded and/or other regions covered. Practical implications – For business managers and consultants, this study suggests the need for benchmarking and cooperation practices between companies to increase efficiency. Entrepreneurs must concentrate more on intellectual capital in order to better performance. Social implications – Local governments and social entities should acknowledge the importance of intellectual capital while implementing regulations and specific actions to improve SMEs profitability. Originality/value – This paper measures the impact of structural capital on the timber value chain. SC is taken as an independent variable, unlike previous measurement models, where it was a remainder value after deducting HC from IC.
Neutronic Analysis of the European Sodium Fast Reactor: Part I - Fresh Core Results

In the framework of the Horizon 2020 project ESFR-SMART (2017-2021), the European Sodium Fast Reactor (ESFR) core was updated through a safety-related modification and optimization of the core design from the earlier FP7 CP-ESFR project (2009-2013). This study is dedicated to neutronic analyses of the improved ESFR core design. The conducted work is reported in two parts. Part I deals with the evaluation of the safety-related neutronic parameters of the fresh Beginning-of-Life (BOL) core carried out by 8 organizations using both continuous energy Monte Carlo and deterministic computer codes. In addition to the neutronics characterization of the core, a special emphasis was put on the calibration and verification of the computational tools involved in the analyses. Part II is devoted to once-through and realistic batch-wise burnup calculations aiming at the establishing of the equilibrium core state, which will later serve as a basis for detailed safety analyses.
Additive manufacturing of polymer-based structures by extrusion technologies

Extrusion-based additive manufacturing (AM) enables the fabrication of three-dimensional structures with intricate cellular architectures where the material is selectively dispensed through a nozzle or orifice in a layer-by-layer fashion at the macro-, meso-, and micro-scale. Polymers and their composites are one of the most widely used materials and are of great interest in the field of AM due to their vast potential for various applications, especially for the medical, military, aerospace, and automotive industries. Because architected polymer-based structures impart remarkably improved material properties such as low density and high mechanical performance compared to their bulk counterparts, this review focuses particularly on the development of such objects by extrusion-based AM intended for structural applications. This review introduces the extrusion-based AM techniques followed by a discussion on the wide variety of materials used for extrusion printing, various architected structures, and their mechanical properties. Notable advances in newly developed polymer and composite materials and their potential applications are summarized. Finally, perspectives and insights into future research of extrusion-based AM on developing high-performance ultra-light materials using polymers and their composite materials are discussed.
A Valid and Reliable Scale for Developing Programming-Oriented Computational Thinking

In this research, a scale was developed to determine the programming-oriented computational thinking skills of university students. The participants were 360 students studying in various departments at different universities in Turkey for computer programming. The scale consists of 33 items under conceptual knowledge, algorithmic thinking, and evaluation subscale. While there was no significant difference between the students’ conceptual knowledge and algorithmic thinking skills, the evaluation skills of male students differed significantly compared to females. Programming experience has a significant effect on conceptual knowledge, algorithmic thinking, and evaluation. The algorithmic thinking skills of the students who have low, middle, and high-level programming experience differed significantly. In terms of the development of conceptual knowledge and evaluation skills, it was observed that students should have at least one year of programming experience, but this experience will not make a significant difference if it is four years or more. It is thought that this scale, which is structured for different applications (e.g., web, game, robot) and learning environments (e.g., text, block) within the framework of its programming capabilities (conceptual, semantic, strategic knowledge), will contribute significantly to the evaluation of computational thinking as programming oriented.
Preparation of Anode Material for Lithium Battery from Activated Carbon

This research study describes the preparation of corncob derivedactivated carbon to be used as anodematerial for the preparation of lithium ion battery.The corncob was activated at 900 °C for 3 hours with KOH used in a 1:3 weight ratio.The final product was analyzed for chemical, physical, and electrical properties.The results show that the activated carbon is amorphous and contains some graphitic carbon with interconnected nano-channels. Furthermore,carboxyl functional groups were detected on the surface of the activated carbon product.The observed morphological characteristics in terms of surface area, total pore volume, micropore volume, and average pore size are 1367.4501 m²/g, 0.478390 cm³/g, 0.270916 cm³/g, and 2.10872 nm, respectively.In addition, the product also exhibits low electrical resistance in the range 0.706W-1.071W. Finally, the specific discharge capacities at the 1st and the 2nd cycles of the corncob derived activated carbon anode material were 488.67mA h/g and 241.45 mA h/g, respectively with an average of about 225 Ah/kg between the 3rd cycle and the 5th cycle. The averagespecific charge capacities/specific discharge capacities at increasing charging rate of 0.2C, 0.5C, 1C, 2C, and 5C were approximated 190 mAh/g, 155 mAh/g, 135 mAh/g, 120 mAh/g, and 75 mAh/g, respectively, with 100%Coulombic efficiency in all 5 cycles.It was shown that the corncob derived activated carbon anode material has a relatively high rate capability, high reversibility, and rapid and stable capacity when compared to the general of biomass-derived carbon
Is a Client’s Corporate Social Responsibility Performance a Source of Audit Complexity?

This study examines whether corporate social responsibility (CSR) performance impacts financial audit fees of US listed firms from2000 to 2016. We use the CSR performance ratings from the KLD database to measure firms’ CSR performance. Using the sum of a firm’s CSR strengths and concerns as a measure of a firm’s overall involvement in CSR related matters, we find that a greater score is associated with higher audit fees. Further, we disaggregate this measure into CSR concerns and CSR strengths and find that both measures are positively related to audit fees. In additional analyses, we find that firms involved in certain CSR initiatives (strengths) as well as controversies (concerns) pay higher audit fees due to increased audit complexity. Our findings suggest that firms’ CSR performance is a source of audit complexity, in addition to other sources that have been documented in prior literature.
Vascular effects on the BOLD response and the retinotopic mapping of hV4

Despite general acceptance that the retinotopic organisation of human V4 (hV4) takes the form of a single, uninterrupted ventral hemifield, measured retinotopic maps of this visual area are often incomplete. Here, we test hypotheses that artefact from draining veins close to hV4 cause inverted BOLD responses that may serve to obscure a portion of the lower visual quarterfield — including the lower vertical meridian — in some hemispheres. We further test whether correcting such responses can restore the ‘missing’ retinotopic coverage in hV4. Subjects (N=11) viewed bowtie, ring, drifting bar and full field flash stimuli. Functional EPIs were acquired over approximately 1.5h and analysed to reveal retinotopic maps of early visual cortex, including hV4. Normalised mean maps (which show the average EPI signal amplitude) were constructed by voxel-wise averaging of the EPI time course and used to locate venous eclipses, which can be identified by a decrease in the EPI signal caused by deoxygenated blood. Inverted responses are shown to cluster in these regions, and correcting these responses improves maps of hV4 in some hemispheres, including restoring a complete hemifield map in one. A leftwards bias was found in which 11/11 hV4 maps in the left hemisphere were classified as incomplete, while this was the case in only 3/11 right hemisphere maps. Incomplete hV4 maps did not correspond with venous artefact in many instances, with incomplete maps being present in the absence of a venous eclipse and complete maps coexisting with a proximate venous eclipse. We also show that mean maps of upper surfaces (near the boundary between cortical grey matter and CSF) provide highly detailed maps of veins on the cortical surface. Results suggest that venous eclipses and inverted voxels can explain some incomplete hV4 maps, but cannot explain the remainder nor the leftwards bias in hV4 coverage reported here.
Vis-Responsive Copper-Modified Titania for Decomposition of Organic Compounds and Microorganisms

Seven commercial titania (titanium(IV) oxide; TiO2) powders with different structural properties and crystalline compositions (anatase/rutile) were modified with copper by two variants of a photodeposition method, i.e., methanol dehydrogenation and water oxidation. The samples were characterized by diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Although zero-valent copper was deposited on the surface of titania, oxidized forms of copper, post-formed in ambient conditions, were also detected in dried samples. All samples could absorb visible light (vis), due to localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) of zero-valent copper and by other copper species, including Cu2O, CuO and CuxO (x:1-2). The photocatalytic activities of samples were investigated under both ultraviolet (UV) and visible light irradiation (>450 nm) for oxidative decomposition of acetic acid. It was found that titania modification with copper significantly enhanced the photocatalytic activity, especially for anatase samples. The prolonged irradiation (from 1 to 5 h) during samples’ preparation resulted in aggregation of copper deposits, thus being detrimental for vis activity. It is proposed that oxidized forms of copper are more active under vis irradiation than plasmonic one. Antimicrobial properties against bacteria (Escherichia coli) and fungi (Aspergillus niger) under vis irradiation and in the dark confirmed that Cu/TiO2 exhibits a high antibacterial effect, mainly due to the intrinsic activity of copper species.
A solar-electro-thermal evaporation system with high water-production based on a facile integrated evaporator

Newer efficient photo-thermal materials and structural engineering have been developed to combine solar energy with seawater to produce water for human consumption or irrigation. However, the water production rate still needs to be increased. Herein, we report a simple approach for developing an integrated photo-electro-thermal evaporation system that provides a high evaporation rate in the day and produces water continually using the electro-thermal effect in the dark. Solar energy is not only absorbed and directly converted to heat in an evaporator, electric power from solar cells is also converted into heat to produce even more vapor. Such a photo-electro-thermal evaporation system reached a record high water-generation rate of 4.73 kg m−2 h−1 under 1 sun illumination. The evaporation system capable of continuous day and night operation provides a water generation of 79.39 kg m−2 under the conditions of a simulated day, near 100% salt rejection, and excellent bactericidal performance.
Cassava planting material movement and grower behaviour in Zambia: implications for disease management

Cassava is an important food crop for most small-holder growers across sub-Saharan Africa, where production is largely limited by the presence of two viral diseases: cassava mosaic disease (CMD) and cassava brown streak disease (CBSD), both propagated by a vector whitefly and via human-mediated movement of infected cassava stems. Despite its importance, there is limited knowledge of growers’ behaviour related to planting material movement, as well as growers’ perception and knowledge of cassava diseases, which have major implications for disease spread and control. This study was conducted to address the knowledge gaps by surveying small-holder growers in Zambia. A total of 96 subsistence cassava growers across five provinces were surveyed between 2015 and 2017. Most growers interviewed used planting materials from their own (94%) or nearby (<10 km) fields of family and friends, although some large transactions with markets, middlemen, and NGOs occurred over longer distances. Information related to cassava diseases and uninfected planting material, however, only reached 48% of growers. Growers with access to information were more concerned about the disease, compared to uninformed growers. These data provide a basis for future planning of cassava clean seed systems to control virus diseases, emphasising the critical role of grower knowledge, and consequently education, in success of these systems. In particular, we highlight the importance of extension workers in this education process, as well as farmer’s groups and the media.
Environmental enrichment on neural plasticity in juvenile Baltic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus)

Conservation biologists have long emphasized the importance of environmental enrichment in hatcheries which main objective is restocking. In this study, we evaluated the impact that long-term exposure of environmental enrichment in an artificial river section (surface water, ambient light and temperature) has on neural plasticity in juvenile Baltic sturgeons (Acipenser oxyrinchus) in comparison to fish that were reared in glass-fiber tanks in a recirculation system (aquaculture control group) under constant light and temperature conditions and an intermediate group reared in glass-fiber tanks with ambient water and natural photoperiod and temperature fluctuation. All expositions were carried out in triplicate. From the three markers reported to indicate neural plasticity, only an up-regulation of neurod1 in the forebrain of Baltic sturgeon (A. oxyrinchus) reared in enriched environment was observed in comparison to the semi-natural group and to the aquaculture (control) group. The two other markers (brain-derived neurotropic factor (bdnf), and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (pcna) did not reveal any significant differences between the groups. In conclusion, only minor effects of environmental enrichment on neuroplasticity were observed here.
The Impact of Game-Specific Factors on Brand Recall and Brand Attitude

Purpose: This experimental study provides empirical evidence of the effect of brand prominence in advergames on gamers’ brand recall and brand attitude under varied game-involvement conditions from attention and elaboration perspectives. Design/methodology/approach: A 2 (brand prominence: prominent or subtle) x 2 (game-involvement: high or low) between-subject measures design is used. 229 student gamers participated in the study. A between-subject measures MANOVA is used to test the hypotheses. Findings: The results reveal that for an advergame with prominent brand placement, low game-involvement results in greater brand recall than high game-involvement. However, for an advergame with prominent brand placement, high game-involvement results in more favorable brand attitude than low game-involvement. Discussion: These experimental findings suggest to marketers and game designers to cogitate for a right mix of game-specific factors while creating effective advergames to have stoutest positive advergaming effect on players’ brand recall and brand attitude.
Volatility Jump: The Effect of COVID-19 on Turkey Stock Market

Bu calisma Koronavirus (COVID-19)’un Turkiye hisse senedi piyasasi uzerindeki etkisini incelemektedir. Bu amac icin, Borsa Istanbul’da islem goren 23 birincil sektor endeksinin Haziran 2019 ile Temmuz 2020 arasindaki aylik gerceklesen oynakliklari hesaplanmistir. Gerceklesen oynaklik degerleri analiz edildikten sonra (1) COVID-19’un Turkiye'deki vakalarin ortaya ciktigi ve hizla arttigi Mart 2020'de tum sektor endekslerinde volatilite sicramasina neden oldugu; (2) En fazla oynaklik sicramasinin spor sirketlerinin hisselerinde goruldugu, en az oynaklik sicramasinin ise sigorta firmalarinin senetlerinde goruldugu; (3) Mart 2020’den sonra butun sektor endekslerinin gerceklesen oynaklik degerlerinin normale dondugu ve COVID-19’un Turkiye hisse senedi piyasasi oynakligina etkisinin kayboldugu bulunmustur. COVID-19’un Turkiye hisse senedi piyasasina etkisini ve piyasanin guncel durumunu gosteren bu calismanin, sadece yatirimcilar, portfoy yoneticileri ve politika yapicilar icin degil ayni zamanda COVID-19'un ekonomik ve finansal etkilerini gostermek isteyen ekonomi ve finans alanindaki akademisyenler icin de onemli cikarimlar saglayacagina inanilmaktadir.
Application of a Vine Copula for Multi-Line Insurance Reserving

This article introduces a novel use of the vine copula which captures dependence among multi-line claim triangles, especially when an insurance portfolio consists of more than two lines of business. First, we suggest a way to choose an optimal joint loss development model for multiple lines of business that considers marginal distribution, vine copula structure, and choice of family for each pair of copulas. The performance of the model is also demonstrated with Bayesian model diagnostics and out-of-sample validation measures. Finally, we provide an implication of the dependence modeling, which allows a company to analyze and establish the risk capital for whole portfolio.
Enhanced Production of Pro-IL-1Βeta Contributes to Immunopathology during the Coinfection of Influenza a Virus and Streptococcus Pneumoniae

Viral bacterial coinfections are known to cause severe pneumonia, especially in the elderly and in pediatric patients. Antibiotics like β-Lactams kill the bacteria but fail to improve symptoms suggesting a faulty immune system may play an important role in the disease. Interleukin-1β (IL-1β) is an important immune signaling cytokine responsible for inflammation. It exists as an inactive precursor that can be activated by caspase-1 containing inflammasomes (multi-protein complex). Influenza A virus (IAV) and Streptococcus pneumoniae (S. pneumoniae) activate the inflammasome through the NOD-like receptor protein NLRP3 and/or AIM2. Previous reports in mice indicate that IL-1β levels are dramatically elevated during coinfection with IAV and S. pneumoniae. However, how IL-1β levels increase and their importance in coinfection is not known. We have discovered that IL-1β expression and secretion is increased during coinfection as a result of activation of multiple signaling pathways simultaneously. This was concluded in experiments where macrophages or mice deficient in various immune pathways including Myd88, Aim2 or Nlrp3 genes were examined for their effects on IL1β production. Treatment options were then explored. Mice were given an antibiotic and/or an IL-1β neutralizing antibody. Treatment of mice with clindamycin antibiotic significantly improved mortality and simultaneously reduced IL-1β levels. Further inhibition of IL-1β using neutralizing antibodies resulted in improved weight gain compared to clindamycin alone. Thus, we concluded that IL-1β plays an important role during the coinfection of IAV and S. pneumoniae.
Biological Resource Center for Toxoplasma

(1) Bioresource Overview Project description The Biological Resource Center (BRC) for Toxoplasma gondii is a certified structure (NF S96-900 standard) that manages the storage of Toxoplasma gondii strains (protozoan parasite) and strain derivatives from human or animal toxoplasmosis to make them available to the scientific community. The BRC Toxoplasma works through a network of correspondents who send isolates to the parasitology departments of Reims and Limoges University hospitals (France). The managers are Pr Isabelle VILLENA (Reims) and Pr Marie-Laure DARDE (Limoges). The biological resources are stored in cryobanks located in both sites. Toxoplasma gondii strains which integrate the BRC Toxoplasma collection come from:
Determination of Optimal Harvest Time for Preventing Seed Browning Associated With Hot Pepper Seed Maturity During Cold Storage

Chilling injury (CI), which causes seed browning in pepper, may arise following long-term cold storage, and is a major cause of postharvest losses. To explore potential strategies of minimizing the associated postharvest losses, the present study investigated the optimal pepper harvest time that could reduce levels of seed browning, in addition to the relationship between fruit maturity and seed browning. Fruit harvested 15 days after flowering (DAF) were sensitive to cold storage at 4°C and exhibited 100% seed browning (CI index, 4.0); in contrast, the seed browning rate of fruit harvested 35 DAF was 10% (CI index, 0.4) within 7 d of cold storage. Seed antioxidant activity was higher in seeds harvested at early stages (15 DAF to 20 DAF) than in seeds harvested at later stages (40 DAF to 50 DAF) at the beginning of storage. Pericarps of fruit harvested at 50 DAF exhibited the highest antioxidant activity. Lipoxygenase, catalase, and peroxidase activity, and the expression levels of cell wall-related genes, pectin methylesterase-like protein, and endo-β-1,4-glucanase were higher in seeds of immature fruit harvested 15 DAF than in seeds of mature fruit harvested 35 DAF. The endosperm separated from the seed coat in fruit harvested 35 DAF and the seeds did not brown under low-temperature storage. The lack of seed browning observed in mature fruit under low-temperature storage could be attributed to physical protection provided by the seed coat rather than cold stress resistance conferred by antioxidants.