Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
ERASMUS UNIVERSITY ROTTERDAM

Based on behavior science theory (March & Simon’s, 1958) and economic theory (Hedberg, 1981), handling and dealing with information is one of the most important issues for companies. As a result, managers should always consider making the information management process more. This essay focuses on one of the recent information systems – Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system and aims to determine its influence on two non-financial perspectives: information exchange costs and employee motivation. A case study in one of the biggest construction and design companies – Gold Mantis Ltd. is performed to test the hypotheses. After t-test and regression analysis, the results show that the ERP implementation has a negative effect on information exchange costs and a positive effect on employee motivation.
The Burden of Labour Costs in Mexico

We analysed labour costs in Mexico and evaluated their impact in terms of firm performance. Using a new survey, we studied how firms chose to conduct a firing procedure (i.e. mandatory payment, negotiation, or legal dispute) and the actual costs derived from that decision. We found that firms that negotiate have, on average, lower costs. This may mean that workers subvaluate the legal benefits. Moreover, legal disputes may increase firing costs by 50 per cent. We contributed to the analysis of the impact of such costs on employment and found that, when firms negotiate or pay higher costs, this decreases the level of employment. We also analysed the impact of Social Benefits on employment using an industrial survey. We found that a 10 per cent increment in these benefits may have a negative long-term impact of 9 per cent on the level of employment. Copyright 2007 The Authors; Journal compilation 2007 CEIS, Fondazione Giacomo Brodolini and Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
A Novel Three-Port Power Divider with Compensation Networks for Non-Ideal Isolation Resistor

This paper describes a three-port power divider with compensation networks for non-ideal isolation resistor. The compensation networks consist of two additional lines and cancel out the parasitic reactance of the non-ideal isolation resistor. The design method to provide perfect return loss and isolation at the center frequency are presented. The availability of the proposed power divider has been verified by the comparison between calculated and experimental results in the Ku-band.
Evolutionary history of an alpine shrub Hippophae tibetana (Elaeagnaceae):allopatric divergence and regional expansion

Increasing evidence suggests that geological or climatic events in the past promoted allopatric speciation of alpine plants in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and adjacent region. However, few studies have been undertaken to examine whether such allopatric divergences also occurred within a morphologically uniform species. In the present study, we report the evolutionary history of an alpine shrub species, Hippophae tibetana, based on examining chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) and nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) DNA variations. We sequenced two cpDNA fragments (trnL-F and trnS-G) and the nuclear ITS region in 183 individuals collected from 21 natural populations. Ten chlorotypes and 17 ITS types were identified. Phylogenetic analyses of both chlorotypes and ITS sequence variations suggested two distinct lineages distributed in the eastern and western region, respectively. On the basis of the fast and low plant substitution rates, these two lineages were estimated to have diverged from each other between 1 and 4 million years ago, during the period of the major glaciations and orogenic processes. In addition, ITS has undergone the accelerated evolution in two populations in the southern Himalaya isolated by the high mountains with a surprising accumulation of the private variations. The east-west split was also supported by an analysis of molecular variance, which partitioned around 91% of the total cpDNA variance between these two groups of populations. A single chlorotype was found for most populations in eastern or western region, suggesting a recent postglacial expansion within each region. Star-phylogeny and mismatch analyses of all chlorotypes within the eastern group of populations suggested an earlier regional expansion before the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). The local fixture of the different chlorotypes in multiple populations suggested more than one refugia remained for eastern or western region. Coalescent tests rejected the hypothesis that all current populations originated from a single refugium during the LGM. Instead, they supported hypothesis that two lineages diverged before the late Pleistocene. These findings, when taken together, suggested that this species had experienced long allopatric divergence and recent regional range expansions in response to orogenic processes and the climate changes. The evolutionary history of this shrub species highlights importance of geographical isolations to the intraspecific divergence of alpine plants occurring in the world's ruff. (c) 2010 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2011, 102, 37-50.
Effects of two production systems in the mineral content in the fruit of Musa AAB Simmonds

Organic and/or ecological production systems aim to ensure the sustainability and renewal of natural base by limiting the use of chemical synthesis products to promote the environment and human health. Regarding these benefits, we studied the effect of organic and conventional production systems on mineral nutrient contents of the plantain fruit (Musa AAB Simmonds) during the ripening process. Measurements were performed at the University of Córdoba (Montería, Colombia) in order to differentiate the mineral content of fruits between the two systems, and at different stages of maturity. A complete randomized design with 2 x 5 factorial arrangements with five replications was used. The factors were: production system and stage of maturity. The five levels of the second factor corresponded to the following levels of maturity: dark green (V), light green (VC), yellow-green (AV), yellow (A) and very yellow (MA). The results showed that the two production systems and the different degrees of maturity had significant differences (P < 0.05) in Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium, Sodium, Iron and Zinc contents.
1995 EDO-CG-95-15 Assessment of Temperament Hedwig Teglasi

Temperament refers to basic dimensions of personality that are grounded in biology and explain individual differences in the developmental process rather than universal dynamics. While these dimensions show continuity over time, they are subject to change with maturation and experience. The view of behavior as a function of the organism and of the environment is basic to psychology. Accordingly, temperament serves as a mechanism to explain how individuals contribute to their own development in a given environmental context. Harmony between persons and their surroundings is produced through bidirectional interplay between inborn, temperamental attributes and external demands, supports, and circumstances.
Resiliency Among Inner-City Youths from Selected Areas of Ibadan City, Nigeria: Intervening Protective Factors in Response to Risk and Disadvantage

Abstract Resiliency is exhibited by many youths who are under very difficult situations in life while others suffer permanent developmental delays or disruptions. Two conditions which classify youths as resilient in this study include presence of a significant threat to the youth (such as loss of a parent through death) typically indexed by high risk status and successful adjustment to the high risk such that the youth turned out better than expected. This study attempted to identify protective factors considered important by 75 inner-city youths randomly drawn from Sapati, Oke-Are, Agbowo and Bodija market areas of Ibadan, Nigeria using autobiographical life-history approach to qualitative inquiry. Content analysis of the autobiographical interview was then carried out. The result of the study showed that individual attributes, supportive family environment and extra-familial individuals constitute the protective factors which intervene in the resiliency process of the youths despite the unfavourable circumstances which they have had to face in life.
Fabrication of Tissue-Mimetic Environments Using Projection Stereolithography

Hang Yin (M.S., Mechanical Engineering) Fabrication of tissue-mimetic environments using projection stereolithography Thesis directed by Prof. Xiaobo Yin & Prof. Wei Tan The stiffness of an extracellular matrix (ECM) can exert great influence on cellular functions such as proliferation, migration and differentiation. Challenges still remain, however, in the fabrication of artificial ECMs with well-controlled stiffness profiles in three dimension (3D). In this thesis, we developed a projection micro-stereolithography system to fabricate 3D structures with quantitative control over stiffness using biocompatible materials. The technique is based on a grayscale printing method, which spatially controls the crosslinking density in the 3D hydrogel structures without influencing their appearance. Mimetic tissue environments in the form of 2D striped patterns and 3D tubes with stiffness gradients were fabricated. Finally, we seeded bovine pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells on these engineered environments, and during the culturing, cells migrated to stiffer regions. This work provides a method for fabricating tissue mimetic environments that can benefit the study of cellular behavior and other biomedical research.
Interactive comment on “Deriving a global river network map at flexible resolutions from a fine-resolution flow direction map with explicit representation of topographical characteristics in sub-grid scale” by D. Yamazaki et al

The paper proposes to represent drainage directions in global hydrological or river routing models not only by allowing drainage from one cell to one of the neighbouring eight cells but to allow drainage to any cell, which is innovative and interesting. It also presents an innovative method for implementing this idea, a method for automatically deriving such coarse-grid drainage directions from fine-grid flow direction maps. This method also results in supplementary data sets on river channel length, river channel
Establishing a continuous corporate business model innovation process: Process antecedents

The concept of business model innovation has gained growing interest in the past years to cope with the demanding challenges of increasingly dynamic market environments and the advent of the network economy. While most research in the field has previously focused on analysis and design of business models, as well as taxonomies, there has been paucity in how to pursue this demanding endeavor systematically and on a continuous basis in a corporate environment. This paper focuses on the exploration of process antecedents. We use data from three firms from different industries to explore this question and identify five antecedents:(1) Sense of need of continuous business model innovation, (2) adoption of a common firm-wide 'language' to develop new business models, (3) process variation based on organizational characteristics and degree of business model innovation, (4) cross-firm facilitation of process and collaboration, and (5) culture of constructive dialogs across functions and business areas.
Community based- flood risk management: experiences and challenges in Malawi

Current flood risk management strategies in Malawi are focused on communitybased flood risk management (CBFRM), but studies explicitly exploring the realities of CB-FRM stay limited. Through presenting results of a fieldwork undertaken in April 2016 in the Lower Shire Valley, this paper discusses flood impacts, provides an overview of CB-FRM practices in Malawi and the challenges faced. The fieldwork involved 11 focus group discussions, survey and field visits. Findings indicate that CB-FRM in Malawi presents a multistakeholder effort and calls for more risk reduction and preparedness oriented approach. Current practice requires a number of improvements in terms of financing, participation, governance and project management. INTRODUCTION Malawi is a developing country and one of the worlds’ poorest nations. It is prone to a range of disasters, with flooding and drought being the most common hazards, together causing annual losses of 1.7 % of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) (Pauw et al. 2011). In a country where the economy is predominantly agro-based, and the majority of population lives in rural areas, flooding as an almost annual episode presents a serious threat to livelihoods (Shela et al. 2008; Nkomwa et al. 2014). Recurrent and extreme floods damage infrastructure, wash away crops and livestock and leave negative impacts on local communities social, economic, cultural and psychological values (Mijoni & Izadkhah 2009; Nillson & Chavula 2010). In January and February 2015, Southern Malawi was affected by one of the largest floods on record, causing destruction to properties, loss of more than 170 lives, with many more displaced from their homes and livelihoods (Rudari et al. 2016). This event attracted extensive media coverage and received international aid for flood response and recovery. Following the Local Government Act and Decentralisation Policy of 1998, Malawi developed a decentralised institutional system for disaster risk management (DRM), providing administrative and political power to local governments. The central coordinating body at the national level is the Department of Disaster Management Affairs
Developing a Straightforward Tuning Method for Weak Acid or Weak Base Neutralization Control System

Control of pH in chemical reactors is a challenging issue due to the complex chemistry and the highly nonlinear nature of the dynamic model. The authors focus on the case in which weak acid (or weak base) is fed to a continuous stirred-tank reactor (CSTR) and neutralized by another stream of strong base (or strong acid). We developed a procedure of finding controller parameters: (1) Instead of pH, this work uses [H+] as the controlled or process variable; (2) Steady-state balance equations are established for “non-reactants”, which in turn allow one to calculate [H+] (or [OH-] ) in CSTR by introducing water product K w , acid dissociation constant K a (or base dissociation constant K b ), and equation of electrical neutrality; (3) First-order dynamic model for the response of [H+] (or [OH-]) to a small change in base (or acid) stream flow rate is derived; (4) A schedule of tuning parameters for a proportional-integral (PI) controller is established for various steady states by using internal model control (IMC) method. Simulation results suggest that IMC tuning method yields satisfactory performance of the feedback PI control system in tracking [H+] setpoint.
The effective temperature scale of giant stars (F0–K5) - II. Empirical calibration of versus colours and [Fe/H]

We present calibrations of the effective temperatures of giant stars versus [Fe/H] and colours , , , , , , , , , , and . These calibrations are based on a large sample of field and globular cluster stars which roughly cover spectral types from F0 to K5. Their effective temperatures, scaled to direct determinations via reliable angular diameter measurements, were derived by applying the infrared flux method. The empirical relations have been fitted to polynomials of the form by using the least squares method. The precision of the fits ranges from 40 K for to 170 K for . We tabulate intrinsic colours of giant stars in the ranges: 3500 K 8000 K; -3.0 . We also present the calibration of BC(V) as a function of log and metallicity. Finally, we compare the resulting scale of temperatures with previous works.
When a Thousand Words Are (Not) Enough: An Empirical Study of the Relationship between Firm Performance and Attention to Shareholders

The aim of this study is to concurrently test the explanatory power of the attention-based view (ABV) of the firm and of the resource dependence theory (RDT). We propose a conceptual model of attention to shareholders based on assumptions of both ABV and RDT. We test these hypotheses using a unique dataset, consisting of content-analyzed data on attention allocation for 313 firms from 24 different countries. Our research findings highlight the complementary nature of the RDT and ABV and add to the literature about attention, providing empirical evidence and theoretical explanation for the scarcely explored relationship between firm performance and organizational attention.
Genetic Structure of Cactus Pear (Opuntia Ficus Indica) in Moroccan Collection

Recently, a large plantation has been established in Morocco, to reduce water and wind erosion, rangeland degradation, sand movement and to enhance the restoration of the vegetation cover. However, this plant material has unknown genetic characterization. In addition, several local classifications and morphological descriptions were used. The objective of this study was to analyze the genetic diversity using RAPD markers in a collection of 13 provenances of Moroccan Opuntia ficus indica (L.). Based on 13 random primers, the result showed that the level of diversity (h) and polymorphism varied according to the provenance. A high genetic differentiation was found between the provenances (Gst = 0.29), thus some loci were characteristic of certain provenances. These results can be used to characterize genetic resources of Morocco cactus pear, and to initiate a program of genetic improvement and selection.
Cognitive Style Differences of Novice Serial and Portfolio Entrepreneurs: A Two-Sample Test

Based on research and conceptualizations of cognition, we propose a model that provides a process explanation for habitual entrepreneurship. The model includes three paths that illustrate how distinct push and pull factors may influence an owner-manager to engage in habitual entrepreneurship. We propose that a more intuitive (less rational) cognitive style operates as a direct pull factor and influences other pull and push factors through the greater tendencies to (1) be attracted to entrepreneurial contexts, (2) recognize new opportunities, and (3) experience negative psychosocial outcomes in formal organizations. Empirical tests provide support for our basic premise that an intuitive cognitive style is associated with entrepreneurial behavior in general and habitual entrepreneurship.
Macronutrient Intake and Life Style Factors Associated to HbA1c Status in Type-2 Diabetic Patients

Background: This study aims to determine the relationship between macronutrients intake and lifestyle factors to HbA1c status of type-2 diabetic patients in improving the effectiveness of patient’s nutritional support therapy and preventing diabetic complications. Methods: Type-2 diabetic patients were categorized into 2 groups, i.e. patients with good glycemic control with HbA1c < 7.0 and patients with poor glycemic control with HbA1c ≥ 7.0. Data collection included clinical characteristics (i.e. age, gender, body mass index, duration of illness, type and amount of diabetic medication, and diabetic complication). Macronutrient intake consisted of total daily calories and carbohydrate, protein, fat and fiber intakes, whilelifestyle factors consisted of the adherence to dietary advice and medication, physical activities, smoking habit, and alcohol intake. The relationships between all data to HbA1c status were analyzed using
Energy and exergy analysis of parabolic trough collectors

Received: 2 August 2017 Accepted: 31 August 2017 In this paper, the effect of evacuated glass cover on convective heat loss and exergetic efficiency is studied. First, the evacuated receiver tube of LS-2 parabolic trough collectoris simulated and analyzed with computational fluid dynamics (CFD). The results have good agreements with tested results. Secondly, this mentioned collector and its absorber tube are simulated without evacuated glass cover for various wind speeds and collector orientations. Finally, exergetic analysis of each case-studies are calculated and effect of wind blast and collector orientation on the exergy destruction and exergy loss are investigated. It is found that when wind blows on the convex side of the parabolic mirror, the impressibility of outlet temperature from wind speed is least than other orientations. Also, if the wind blows on the convex side of the parabolic mirror, the impressibility of outlet temperature from the variation of orientation is most than other orientations. Therefore exergy efficiency of collector will be decreases. With increasing of wind blast, the exergy loss and the destruction of collector increase. Therefore exergy efficiency of collector will be decreases. Also, using evacuated tube leads to increasing of exergy from 10 to 60 percent.
Determination of thermal conductivity of pine wood dust filled epoxy composites

In the present investigation the Thermal conductivity in particulate filler filled (Pine wood dust) epoxy composites at different volume fractions (6.5%, 11.3%,26.8% and 35.9%) have been determined experimentally by using Forced Convection apparatus. The composites of pine wood dust particles of 150 micron size have been prepared by using hand-lay-up technique. The experimental results show that the incorporation of pine wood dust results in reduction of thermal conductivity of epoxy resin and there by improves its thermal insulation capability. From the experiments it is also observed that the composite with 35.9% volume fraction of pine wood dust exhibited lowest thermal conductivity i.e 0.246 W/m-0K on comparison to 6.5%,11.3% and26.8% volume fractions. Therefore the composite with 35.9% wood dust may be more suitable for insulation application. Experimental results (22mm pipe diameter) are also compared with theoretical models such as Rule of mixture model, Maxwell model, Russell model and Baschirow & Selenew model to describe the variation of thermal conductivity versus the volume fraction of the filler. All these models exhibited results close to each other at low dust filler content. On comparison, It has been found that the errors associated with experimental (26mm Dia.) along with all the above four models with respect to experimental ones (22mm Dia.) lie in the range of 19.60 to 44.10%, 0.76 to 12.10%, 1.86 to 5.12% and 8.24 to 19.68% respectively.
Multicore PSO Operation for Maximum Power Point Tracking of a Distributed Photovoltaic System under Partially Shading Condition

This paper identifies the partial shading problem of a PV module using the one-diode model and simulating the characteristics exhibiting multiple-peak power output condition that is similar to a PV array. A modified particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm based on the suggested search-agent deployment, retracking condition, and multicore operation is proposed in order to continuously locate the global maximum power point for the PV system. Partial shading simulation results for up to 16 modules in series/parallel formats are presented. A distributed PV system consisting of up to 8 a-silicon thin film PV panels and also having a dedicated DC/DC buck converter on each of the modules is tested. The converter reaches its steady state voltage output in 10 ms. However for MPPT operation, voltage, and current measurement interval is set to 20 ms to avoid unnecessary noise from the entire electric circuit. Based on the simulation and experiment results, each core of the proposed PSO operation should control no more than 4 PV modules in order to have the maximum tracking accuracy and minimum overall tracking time. Tracking for the global maximum power point of a distributed PV system under various partial shading conditions can be done within 1.3 seconds.