Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Visualising context and hierarchy in social media

The amount of data available online for analysis and reuse has dramatically increased in the last few years, with the advent of Linked Data and the mass adoption of social media. This has created a new class of users that want and need to consume available datasets to support their information needs but do not possess the technical expertise or the time to use complex querying systems. An example is Emergency Responders (ERs), teams of specialised users that monitor, react and respond to emergencies. Whilst ERs want and need to use these new sources of information, they have very stringent requirements on the type of interface that suits their information needs: the interface needs to be intuitive, highlight important data at a glance, and allow them to understand the context and the specificity of the data. Our contribution to this issue is a new visual analytics approach that focuses on context and specificity of social media content. We extract contextual and hierarchical features from social media messages and use them to provide co-occurring and hierarchical structures to explore large scale, unknown datasets in a highly visual and interactive manner. We introduce a new visualisation paradigm, called Context and Hierarchy chain, that provides means to explore such multidimensional datasets.
Model Predictive Control Based Energy Management Strategy for a Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle

In this paper, the model predictive control (MPC) method is researched for energy management problem of plug-In hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV). Multi-step Markov prediction method is selected for the prediction. Dynamic programming (DP) is chosen to solve the optimization problem within the prediction horizon. Through the comparison of MPC result with the results of dynamic programming strategy and a rule-based strategy, it is certified that the control effect of MPC strategy is much better than the ruled-based strategy and close to the global optimal control under DP strategy.
Estimation of Void Fraction for Homogenous Regime of Two-Phase Flows in Unstable Operational Conditions Using Gamma-Ray and Neural Networks

Almost all the multi-phase flow meters (MPFMs) using gamma-ray attenuation, are calibrated for liquid and gas phases with constant density and pressure. When operational conditions such as temperature and pressure change in pipelines, the radiation-based multi-phase flow meters would measure the flow rate with error. Therefore, performance of MPFMs would be improved by eliminating any dependency on the fluid properties such as density. In this work, a method based on dual modality densitometry combined with Artificial Neural Network (ANN) is proposed in order to estimate the void fraction in homogenous regime of gas-liquid two-phase flows in unstable operational conditions (changeable temperature and pressure) in oil industry. An experimental setup was implemented to generate the optimum required input data for training the network. ANNs were trained on the registered counts of the transmission and scattering detectors in various liquid phase densities and void fractions. Void fractions were predicted by ANNs with mean relative error of less than 0.78% in density variations range of 0.735 up to 0.98 g/cm3.
Impact of IEC 61850 on power quality monitoring and recording

The new IEC 61850 international standard for substation communications enables the development of different power quality monitoring and recording systems. It allows a new approach to detection and recording of power quality events with sampling rate of 256 samples/cycle. Sampled analog values from multiple interface units are multicast and used by a central power quality monitoring and recording unit. Time synchronization accuracy better than 1 microsecond is achieved using a dedicated synchronizer. Systems with hybrid implementation of IEC 61850 that use GOOSE messages exchanged between IEDs when an event occurs can also be used as distributed power quality monitoring and recording systems. (6 pages)
Venture Capital and Risk Management: Evidence from Initial Public Offerings

This study analyzes a sample of initial public offerings (IPOs) to examine the sources of firm-specific risk associated with investment by venture capitalists. The results indicate that IPO backing by venture capitalists is associated with risk factors related to operating profit margins and ongoing sales generation, but not operational financing. The results also indicate that venture-backed IPOs are associated with greater reductions in firm-specific risk over the course of a year that includes the date of the IPO. In sum, the findings suggest venture capitalists are willing to accept higher levels of risk in those instances where they might have an advantage in terms of managerial skill or are able to reduce firm-specific risk subsequent to investment in order to maximize returns when they cash out. The study also makes use of proxies that are representative of the ex-ante nature of firm-specific risk at the time of a new issue.
Intending fathers: heterosexual men planning for a first child

ABSTRACT Having a child is often treated as a taken for granted part of heterosexual relationships, a norm so entrenched that there is often little discussion amongst couples as to why they want children. In terms of research, while women’s reasons for having children have been explored in detail, little attention has been paid to heterosexual men’s reasons for having children. This article presents a thematic analysis of interview data with 10 Australian heterosexual men in couples who were planning to have a first child in the near future. The men’s responses involved both self-focused motivations, where the child is essentially positioned as an object (e.g. continuing the bloodline), and other-focused motivations, where reasons focused on a future relationship with the child (e.g. teaching and watching a child grow). Our findings show that participants reported self-focused and other-focused motivations for wanting a child, reflecting both traditional and newer approaches to fatherhood.
Sustainable development : a model Indonesian SRI co-operative : this research paper is presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of International Development, Massey University, New Zealand

This research report explores how ‘sustainable livelihoods’ have been achieved at a model cooperative using the ‘System of Rice Intensification’ named SIMPATIK. To conduct the research a novel template was developed. The framework was required following a review of sustainable livelihood literature which found deficiencies with the ‘sustainable livelihoods framework’, particularly its treatment of equity, social capital, culture and agro-ecology which disqualified the framework as an appropriate approach for the research. Amekawa’s (2011) ‘Integrated Sustainable Livelihoods Framework’ which synthesises agro-ecology and the sustainable livelihoods framework is then discussed. Further work is then presented on social capital which this paper argues has a critical role in facilitating access to livelihood capitals. A discussion of the significance of culture then follows to underline its importance as a form of livelihood capital. The research then introduces an operational model that is appropriate to the local cultural, institutional and geographical context to demonstrate how livelihood capitals are linked to livelihood outcomes, a model I have labelled the ‘Apt-Integrated Sustainable Livelihoods Framework’. This framework is then informed through field research at the SIMPATIK co-operative. Impact pathways through ‘synergetic forms of social capital’ and the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) are shown indeed to lead to sustainable livelihood outcomes for research participants. The ‘sequencing’ of livelihood capitals is seen to be critical and the research culminates in the development of a ‘SRI Co-operative Template for Sustainable Livelihoods’; a transferable model that shows how SRI can be promoted as a sustainable livelihood strategy.
The Weigh to a Healthy Pregnancy: Evaluation of a Regional Weight Management Programme for Obese Pregnant Women

Background: Maternal obesity is associated with significant health risks and costs. Identifying effective interventions for treatment and management of obese women in pregnancy is required to reduce these risks. The aim of this project was to evaluate the feasibility of the ‘Weigh to a Healthy Pregnancy Programme’ (WTHP), designed to help limit gestational weight gain (GWG) in women with a body mass index (BMI) ≥ 40 kg/m2 through healthy lifestyle changes. Pregnant women in Northern Ireland with body mass index (BMI) ≥ 40 kg/m2 were recruited to participate in this programme between April 2013-April 2014. Women received a structured support programme including tailored advice and group sessions during pregnancy. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected at 9 time points during pregnancy and in early postnatal period. Results: Of 381 women invited to participate 306 (80%) agreed to take part of which 217 (71%) completed the programme. Women were approximately 118 kgs at recruitment (average 10.7 weeks gestation). Overall, women gained an average of 4.65 kgs from their booking appointment ( 40 kg/m2.
Photoacclimation of four marine phytoplankton species to irradiance and nutrient availability

Photoacclimation to different light and nutrient regimes was studied in 4 common marine phytoplankton species from northern European coastal waters. Significant changes were observed for all species in their cellular nutrient content, pigment packaging and composition, and chl a-specific in vivo light absorption (a* chla (λ)). From exponential to stationary growth, the C:N and carotenoid:chl a ratios increased, while the cellular chl a content decreased. All phytoplankton species acclimated to increasing irradiance by reducing their cellular chl a content and increasing the carotenoid:chl a ratio, resulting in higher chl a-specific absorption coefficients (a* chla ). Similar results were observed for N-depleted cultures. Although acclimation to different irradiance and nutrient conditions introduced a substantial variability in pigment composition and intracellular pigment concentration, significant interspecies differences in a* chla were still apparent. The interspecies differences were primarily due to differences in cell size, which covaried with pigment packaging and composition. On this basis, we suggest that optical acclimation (i.e. changes in pigment composition and packaging) to the prevailing growth conditions (light, temperature and nutrient availability) is less important than differences in phytoplankton composition (dominant cell size and pigment composition) for the variation in a* chla (λ) of natural phytoplankton communities.
Naturally occurring genetic markers in lactobacilli and their use to verify the authenticity of Swiss Emmental PDO cheese

A general method for the detection and identification of specific strains of bacteria is described. The assay is based on the observation that insertion sequences (IS) in different strains of bacteria occur at diverse loci on the bacterial genome. Exclusive PCR primers can be selected for a particular strain where one of the primers is specific for a particular IS element and the other is specific for the adjacent DNA sequence in the genome. Only bacterial strains containing the IS element at the particular point on the genome will yield an amplicon of the expected size after PCR. We have illustrated this method by selecting primers to detect some lactobacilli strains that are used exclusively in the manufacture of Swiss Emmental cheese. Using this method we were able to differentiate cheeses manufactured in Switzerland from those made in other European countries.Abstract(IS) PCR DNA PCR EmmentalRésuméUne méthode générale pour la détection et l’identification spécifique de souches bactériennes est décrite. Elle est basée sur l’observation que les séquences d’insertion (IS) sont présentes à divers endroits sur le génome bactérien. Des amorces PCR spécifiques à une souche peuvent être conçues, l’une étant située sur un élément IS et l’autre sur la séquence ADN adjacente. Seules les souches avec l’élément IS à cet endroit particulier du génome donneront un produit d’amplification de la taille attendue après PCR. Cette méthode est illustrée ici par des paires d’amorces permettant de détecter spécifiquement des souches de lactobacilles utilisées exclusivement dans la fabrication de l’Emmental suisse. Ainsi, nous avons pu différencier les fromages fabriqués en Suisse des fromages provenant d’autres pays européens.
Testing the Relevance of Alternative Capital Structure Theories in Serbian Economy

Decisions on capital structure and leverage can significantly determine the capabilities of the company to survive, grow and develop. However, there is as yet no unified theoretical viewpoint on the capital structure that maximizes company value. The objective of this study is to investigate the relevance of alternative capital structure theories in Serbian economy by analyzing the influence of company’s financial performances on the leverage. The research was conducted from 2008 to 2012 on a sample of 300 largest non-financial companies from Serbia ranked by revenue in 2012. We find that financial performances influence differently the capital structure of production and service companies. The results of our study are not in accordance with any capital structure theory taken into consideration. The relations between financial performances and capital structure observed in the study are typical of companies in developing economies.
Towards understanding the diversity of banana bunchy top virus in the Great Lakes region of Africa

The genetic variability of banana bunchy top virus (BBTV) isolates from the Great Lakes region of Africa (GLRA) spanning Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda was assessed to better understand BBTV diversity and its epidemiology for improved disease management. DNA-R and DNA-S fragments of the virus genome were amplified and sequenced in this study. These two BBTV fragments were previously used to classify isolates into the South Pacific and the Asian groups. Phylogenetic analyses based on nucleotide sequences involving GLRA isolates and those obtained from the GenBank database were carried out. Sequence similarity for both DNA-R and DNA-S fragments ranged between 99.1 to 100.0% among the GLRA isolates, 96.2 to 100.0% and 89.7 to 94.3% between the GLRA isolates and those previously clustering in the South Pacific and the Asian groups, respectively. These results showed that GLRA isolates belong to the South Pacific group and are phylogenetically close to the reference Indian isolate. The similar banana cultivars and BBTV isolates across the GLRA implied that the disease may have mainly spread through exchange of planting material (suckers) between farmers. Thus, farmers’ awareness and quarantine measures should be implemented to reduce BBTV spread in the GLRA. Key words: Banana bunchy top disease (BBTD), Musa spp. , Pentalonia nigronervosa, virus genome.
Variability in the Geometric Accuracy of Additively Manufactured Test Parts | NIST

A.L. Cooke and J.A. Soons National Institute of Standards and Technology Gaithersburg, MD, USA Abstract This paper describes the results of a study on the variability in the geometric accuracy of a metal test part manufactured by several service providers using either an electron beam or laser beam powder bed thermal fusion process. The part was a circle-diamond-square test part with an inverted cone that is used to evaluate the performance of five-axis milling machines. The study was conducted to aid development of standardized parameters and test methods to specify and evaluate the performance of additive manufacturing systems. Without standards for performance characterization, it is difficult to match system capabilities with part requirements and ensure consistent and predictable part quality across systems, operators, and manufacturing facilities. Introduction There are many additive manufacturing (AM) system vendors with various types of AM systems on the market. No standards exist for the unambiguous specification, comparison, and evaluation of AM system performance. This makes it difficult to match machine/process capabilities with part requirements and ensure consistent and predictable results across systems, operators, and manufacturing facilities. There are many aspects of system performance to consider, such as processing speed, part accuracy, surface finish, maximum part size, minimum feature size, feasibility of overhang features, and part material properties. This paper focuses on part accuracy.
Love Waves in Nonuniform Wave Guides: Finite Difference Calculations

A simple finite difference approximation to the elastic equations of motion is successfully used to solve various wave-propagation problems possessing analytical solutions. On this basis the method is extended to the problem of Love waves propagating across an ocean-continent type boundary. Numerical propagation of an initial transient solution results in seismograms at various distances. The Fourier transforms of these seismograms are used to calculate phase velocity, group delay, and amplitude-transfer coefficients for various seismometer combinations across the transition region. Some results are' the transition zone can have a small but noticeable effect on phase velocities measured between stations situated away from the zone; a phase-velocity anisotropy exists for waves propagating in opposite directions across the same array. In general, waves propagating into the region of thinning have anomalously high-phase velocities and vice versa. This is especially noticeable for velocities measured over the zone of transition, where the perturbations of the phase velocity of continent-to-ocean waves from the expected local phase velocity can exceed the variations expected from the continent-ocean structural differences. The behavior at a distance from the boundary justifies the well-established method of calculating effective group velocities by means of inverse averages of regional group velocities and also indicates a simple correction for the effect of the ocean-continent boundary that can be applied to calculations of earthquake-source mechanisms based on the method of amplitude equalization.
Deriving Correlation Matrices for Missing Financial Time-Series Data

The problem of missing data is prevalent in financial time series, particularly data such as foreign exchange rates and interest rate indices. Reasons for missing data include the clo-sure of financial markets over weekends and holidays and that sometimes, index data do not change between consecutive dates, resulting in stale data (also considered as missing data). Most statistical software packages function best when applied to complete da-tasets. Listwise deletion – a commonly-used approach to deal with missing data, is straightforward to use and implement, but it can exclude large portions of the original dataset (Allison, 2002). Where data are randomly missing or if the deleted data are insignificant (measured by statistical power), listwise deletion may add value. Techniques to handle missing data were suggested and implemented. These techniques were assessed to ascertain which provided the most accurate reconstructed datasets compared with complete dataset.
Enabling the Architectural Designer to Move within a Graph of Interconnected Decisions: A Case Study Dealing With a Parametric Object

This paper examines a new way of using computers to enhance the ideation process. Our goal is to investigate methods for implementing digital tools that would help the architectural designer tackle the design process in a different way. Using these tools, the designer would be able to explore a given design space and coherently reuse prior work. This research project aims to develop a methodology that is as flexible as possible for implementing backtracking and forwarding mechanisms that would go beyond the mere notion of undo/redo (characteristic of commercial CAD packages). Instead of tackling the design process as a linear sequence of decisions, we wish to enable the architectural designer to move within a graph of interconnected decisions. We are currently working on a case study dealing with stair design. We plan to evaluate the relevance of such digital tools through working sessions involving potential users. Before doing so, we summarize the questions raised within the framework of this research project.
GREEN SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT PRACTICES AND PERFORMANCE OF ISO 14001 CERTIFIED MANUFACTURING FIRMS IN EAST AFRICA

Increasing levels of environmental degradation by manufacturing firms has resulted in heterogeneous pressures from various organizational groups on the need for them to conduct environmentally friendly operations. A viable option for these firms has been the implementation of green supply chain practices. The key concern however is whether the implementing these practices actually lead to improved performance. The main objective of this study therefore was to examine the relationship between the implementation of GSCM practices and performance of ISO 14001 certified firms in East Africa. Through the use of positivist research paradigm and descriptive cross-sectional research design, primary data was collected from persons in charge of environmental issues in ISO 14001 manufacturing firms in East Africa. Based on the objective, the study establishes a statistically significant positive direct relationship between implementation of GSCM practices and organizational performance. The study therefore confirms existence of a positive link between GSCM practices and organizational performance thus helping to reduce the uncertainty which has arisen out of contradictory findings from past studies on whether it is beneficial to pursue these practices. The results support the natural resource based view that GSCM practices affords the firm an opportunity for competitive advantage and performance improvement through unique causally ambiguous and socially complex resources. The study recommends that manufacturing firms should implement environmentally sound practices in all phases of the supply chain, beginning with procurement of raw materials through to design, manufacture, packaging, distribution and end of life disposal of their products. Regulators can use the findings to scale up the level of implementation of GSCM practices by enforcing stricter environmental legislation and giving incentives to firms that have already implemented these practices. The findings also provide future researchers’ with a useful conceptual and methodological reference to pursue further studies in this under-studied GSCM area especially in the African context.
Phase Behavior of Poly ( ethylene glycol ) in Supercritical CO 2 , C 3 H 6 , and C 4 H 8

Cloud-point data for the poly(ethylene glycol) [PEG]-CO2 system were measured in the temperature range from 35 to 195 C, to pressures as high as 2360 bar, and with weight-average molecular weights (Mw) of 200, 300, 400, 600, 1000, 2000, and 4000. The phase behavior for the PEG [standard: Mw = 960]-CO2 system was between those of the PEG [Mw = 600]-CO2 and PEG [Mw = 1000]-CO2 mixtures. The phase behavior for the PEG-CO2-diethylene glycol system was measured in terms of the changes of the pressure-temperature slope, and with diethylene glycol concentrations of 0, 5, and 15 wt%. The PEG [Mw = 600 and 1000]-propylene system is analyzed in the temperature range from 113 to 190 C and pressures of up to 2200 bar. The PEG [Mw = 400, 600, 1000, 2000, and 4000]-1-butene systems exhibited the upper critical solution temperature (UCST) region in the temperature range 122∼170 C.