Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Impact of water quality changes on harbour environment due to port activities along the west coast of India

Physico-chemical and biological studies were carried out in 3 major harbours (Kandla, Mormugao and Mangalore) along the west coast of India over different periods from 2002 to 2007. R-mode factor analyses, water quality index (WQI) and hydrodynamic modeling were used to understand the dominant parameters influencing water quality, trace the sources of contaminants, their impact on harbour environments and their fate. Factor analyses showed the dominance of anthropogenic nutrients, petroleum hydrocarbons and phenols, while the dominance of suspended solids, turbidity and salinity from natural effects in Kandla harbour. Despite large availability of nutrients, a significant decrease in chlorophyll a and primary productivity during monsoon suggested detrimental effects of the dominant contaminants. Mormugao harbour showed year round dominance of microbes, anthropogenic nitrogen compounds, petroleum hydrocarbons and heavy metals from sewage, boat traffic and port activities, with significant negative effect on chlorophyll a during post-monsoon. New Mangalore harbour showed the dominance of anthropogenic nitrite, ammonia, petroleum hydrocarbons, cadmium and mercury from sewage, industrial discharges and port activities. Overall Index of Pollution (OIP values) of harbour waters, evaluated from WQI of each water quality parameter showed increases (OIP>4) in Kandla harbour suggesting polluted water during all seasons. Mormugao harbour showed acceptable to slightly polluted water (OIP: 2.51-2.75) mostly during post-monsoon, while New Mangalore harbour showed acceptable water quality (OIP: 1 2). Hydrodynamics indicated that strong ebb currents (0.09–2 m/s) in Kandla harbour transport anthropogenic contaminants to the inner Gulf of Kutch; while in Mormugao harbour, the coastal water enters the estuarine mouth from north and flows out towards south and transports the contaminants to the coastal water, augmented by E-W flowing tidal currents. In New Mangalore harbour, the strong seasonal currents and seasonal winds keep the water well mixed and aerated and help in driving the contaminants away from the shore.
On the notion of Jacobi fields in constrained calculus of variations

Abstract In variational calculus, the minimality of a given functional under arbitrary deformations with fixed end-points is established through an analysis of the so called second variation. In this paper, the argument is examined in the context of constrained variational calculus, assuming piecewise differentiable extremals, commonly referred to as extremaloids. The approach relies on the existence of a fully covariant representation of the second variation of the action functional, based on a family of local gauge transformations of the original Lagrangian and on a set of scalar attributes of the extremaloid, called the corners' strengths [16]. In dis- cussing the positivity of the second variation, a relevant role is played by the Jacobi fields, defined as infinitesimal generators of 1-parameter groups of diffeomorphisms preserving the extremaloids. Along a piecewise differentiable extremal, these fields are generally discontinuous across the corners. A thorough analysis of this point is presented. An alternative characterization of the Jacobi fields as solutions of a suitable accessory variational problem is established.
Short-Run and Long-Run Effects of Exchange Rate Volatility on the Volume of Exports: A Case Study for Pakistan

This paper investigates empirically the impact of exchange rate volatility on Pakistan's exports to its major trading partners under the floating exchange rate regime for the period 1985 to 2001. Estimates of the co-integrating relations are obtained using Johansen's technique, and estimates of the short-run dynamics are obtained utilizing an error-correction model. The major findings indicate that increases in exchange rate volatility approximated by the conditional variance of exchange rates exert a significant negative effect upon the volume of exports in the short-run.
Initial use of an idea capture app in a UK construction organisation

We report some results from an ongoing action research project to improve creativity, innovation diffusion and knowledge transfer in a large UK construction organisation and its supply-chain. Our focus is on the use of an interactive mobile and desktop app that enabled employees to submit, share, discuss and develop innovative ideas. We use longitudinal system data to determine: how many users register on the system, how many ideas are submitted, how many users actively contribute ideas, and where in the organisation ideators are based. The paper describes the background and organisational context of a company-wide initiative to promote an ‘innovation culture’ and to implement innovation management systems and processes. We describe the development and specifications of the app, associated innovation portfolio management processes, and the communication and change management activities that accompanied its launch and rollout. We discuss this analysis in terms of existing models of employee creativity and voice and previous research on suggestion schemes, ideas capture and innovation competitions in construction and other industries.
Genetic Relationships among Accessions of Four Species of Desmodium and Allied Genera (Dendrolobium Triangulare, Desmodium Gangeticum, Desmodium Heterocarpon, and Tadehagi Triquetrum)

Random amplified polymorphic DNA markers (RAPD) were used to assess the genetic relatedness among accessions of four species of Desmodium and allied genera (Dendrolobium triangulare, Desmodium gangeticum, Desmodium heterocarpon ssp. heterocarpon, and Tadehagi triquetrum) originating from Northeast Vietnam. Since information on the genetic diversity of these species is deficient, the creation of baseline data is an important means for the development of more sustainable and cost-efficient conservation approaches which eventually result in more comprehensive ex situ germplasm collections. The species analyzed are native to tropical and subtropical Asia, Australia, and Oceania and possess a potential as forage and/or medicinal plants. Moderate levels of inter-accession diversity represented by 37.5% and 33.3% of polymorphic fragments (P%) and average Jaccard's similarity coefficients (JSCs) of 0.60 and 0.64 were found in D. heterocarpon and T. triquetrum, respectively, while moderate to high levels were detected in D. triangulare (P% = 52.9 and JSC = 0.61) and D. gangeticum (P% = 34.5 and JSC = 0.49). Mantel tests failed to reveal a correlation between geographic and genetic distances. Based on the results of this study, baseline data for further marker-assisted research are generated and future collecting and ex situ conservation strategies for the species studied are discussed.
Implementation of an ERP System : Case

It is crucial for business organizations to constantly find new ways to improve their procedures in order to maintain their position in the industry. One possible way to achieve more cost-effectiveness is to introduce an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system. An ERP system is business solution software that can bring a lot of value to a company by integrating different applications. The main objective of this study was to improve the management of the human and material resources associated with the courses organized by Cimson Koulutuspalvelut Oy (Cimson) by implementing an ERP system that encompassed a resource management module that consisted of calendars collecting and displaying resource usage. The study was motivated by the emerging significance of ERP software among business organizations. Design science research was the utilized research method. The main observation of this study was that the ERP implementation at Cimson was successful. The main contribution of this study was to give more insight into the mitigation of multi-site issues by implementing a browser-based system, reinforcing the social cohesion of the implementation team, and having a person of top management as a solid part of that implementation team.
Increasing ion selective electrodes performance using neural networks

This paper reports the implementation of a neural processing structure as a component of an intelligent measuring system that uses ion selective electrodes (ISEs) as sensing elements of heavy metal ions (Pb/sup +2/, Cd/sup +2/) concentration. The neural network (NN), designed and implemented to reduce errors due to ion interference and to pH and temperature variations, is of the multiple-input multiple-output Multilayer Perception (MLP-NN) type The NN is a component of a virtual instrument that includes a PC laptop, a PCMCI data acquisition board with associated conditioning circuits and the specific ISE sensors. A practical approach concerning the optimal neural processing solution (number of NN structures, number of neurons, neuron transfer functions) to increase the performance of low cost ISEs is presented. Results are presented to evaluate the performance of the NN intelligent ISE system and to discuss the possibility of transferring the acquisition and processing task to a low cost acquisition and control unit such as a microcontroller.
Water use and crop coefficient of subsurface drip-irrigated lettuce in Central Arizona

Um estudo conduzido na Fazenda Experimental Maricopa (33o04'07" N; 111o57'18" W), pertencente a Universidade do Arizona, USA, nos anos agricolas de 1996/97 e 1997/98, objetivou determinar o uso de agua e derivar coeficientes de cultura (Kc) da alface de cabeca irrigada por gotejamento subsuperficial e cultivada em lisimetros de pesagem intermitente. O periodo de medicoes, expresso em graus-dia acumulados, variou de 480 a 1100 oC-dia em 96/97 e de 439 a 1098 oC-dia em 97/98. Esses intervalos corresponderam a segunda metade do ciclo da cultura, sendo que ate a colheita somou-se uma media de 1100 oC-dia. Os lisimetros eram pesados periodicamente e o balanco hidrico revelou um consumo medio de 117 mm, naqueles periodos. O Kc basal foi relacionado com o acumulo de graus-dia atraves de regressao multipla, seguindo um modelo dado por uma serie seno de Fourier, com ate seis coeficientes. As curvas de Kc foram determinadas com base nos metodos de Hargreaves, FAO Penman e FAO Penman-Monteith, para calculo da ETo e comparadas por aquela gerada pelo programa AZSCHED (AriZona SCHEDuling) de manejo da irrigacao. Valores maximos de Kc estimados foram 0,88 (metodo de Hargreaves), 0,80 (FAO Penman) e 0,81 (FAO Penman-Monteith) no intervalo de 1000 a 1050 oC dia, inferiores a 1,01 em 1150 oC dia, que e o maximo Kc previsto pelo programa AZSCHED.
The Influence of District Size, School Size and Socioeconomic Status on Student Achievement in Washington: A Replication Study Using Hierarchical Linear Modeling. Technical Report.

This study was a replication of the method used by R. Bickel and C. Howley (2000), applying the approach to Washington state academic performance of fourth and seventh graders. While Bickel and Howley focused on the 8th grade Iowa Test of Basic Skills and the 11th grade Georgia High School Graduate Test, this study examined performance on the Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL). Hierarchical linear modeling was used to attempt to specify the joint relationships and cross-level interactions of two structural levels (district and school) on academic performance. Data provided by the Washington State Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction consisted of all fourth and seventh grade WASL scale scores in reading and mathematics, aggregated to the school level. Findings show that large school district size is detrimental to achievement in fourth and seventh grades in Washington in that it strengthens the negative relationship between school poverty and student achievement. This finding replicates that of Bickel and Howley. The findings did not replicate another of the Bickel and-Howley findings, however, district affluence in this study did not have a significaftt impact over the school size-student achievement relationship. The nature and configuration of Washington schools and the nature of the WASL may explain the discrepancy between the two studies. Multilevel findings of this study argue against the simplistic conclusion that reducing school or district size will automatically improve student achievement or result in more educational equity. (Contains 4 tables, 4 figures, and 15 references.) (SLD) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the ori inal document. 0. Imo, . , Washington School Research Center Technical Report #3 November 2002 The Influence of District Size, School Size and Socioeconomic Status on Student Achievement in Washington: A Replication Study using Hierarchical Linear Modeling
Measurements of iodine monoxide (IO) above Spitsbergen

Zenith sky measurements of scattered light have been made at Ny‐Ålesund, Spitsbergen (79°N, 12°E) since the beginning of 1995. A differential optical absorption spectroscopy (DOAS) algorithm has been used to retrieve differential slant column densities (DSCD) of IO for the observations from 1995–1998. IO was detected every year for several days within each month. Model simulations result in an estimated stratospheric IO mixing ratio in the range from 0.65 to 0.80 (±0.2) pptv in polar spring 1997. In addition, indications for the presence of tropospheric IO have been found in late spring and summer of each year.
Sourcing Uncertainties: The Case of Outsourcing and Global Sourcing

This article investigates uncertainties in global sourcing and outsourcing. The empirical research design is a multiple-case study that captures the uncertainties that companies face when sourcing low-cost countries (LCC) and when outsourcing to supplier markets that are in close proximity, but are non-developed. This article finds that, regardless of whether companies source to LCC or outsource to nearby suppliers, they face the problem of suppliers not having experience with the operations they run.Under such circumstances, operational uncertainties come into focus, particularly in the absence of a well-functioning supplier market. For practitioners, it is important to consider that a company must mitigate or manage uncertainties when it does not have a given supplier partner. The present study has found that mixed strategies, in which parallel production is continued in-house whilst also outsourcing, are a particularly effective way of managing multiples of uncertainties.
Mirror-Symmetric Heterogeneous Resonant Nanostructures: Extrinsic Chirality and Spin-Polarized Scattering

We investigate a geometrically symmetric gold-silicon sphere heterodimer and reveal its extrinsic chiroptical response caused by the interaction with a substrate. The chiroptical response is obtained for oblique incidence owing to the coalescence of extrinsic chirality, heterogeneity and substrate induced break of symmetry. To quantify the chiral response we utilize k-space polarimetry. We elucidate the physics of the involved phenomena by considering scattering properties of the heterodimer in free space and find that incident linearly polarized light is scattered in a spin-split fashion. We corroborate our finding with a coupled dipole model and find that the spin-split behavior originates from the heterogeneity of the structure. This spin-split scattering, combined with the substrate-induced break of symmetry, leads to an extrinsic chiroptical response. Our work sheds new light on the potential and optical properties of heterogeneous nanostructures and paves the way for designing spectrally tunable polarization controlled heterogeneous optical elements.
Quality Assurance Strategy for Existing Homes: Final Quality Management Primer for High Performing Homes

This guide is designed to help Building America (BA) teams understand quality management and its role in transitioning from conventional to high performance home building and remodeling. It explains what quality means, the value of quality management systems, the unique need for QMS when building high performing homes, and the first steps to a implementing a comprehensive QMS. This document provides a framework and context for BA teams when they encounter builders and remodelers.
Growth of MoS2 Nanowires by Catalytic Chemical Vapor Deposition

Title Growth of MoS2 Nanowires by Catalytic Chemical Vapor Deposition [an abstract of dissertation and a summary of dissertation review] Author(s) WENG, Mengting Citation 北海道大学. 博士(総合化学) 甲第13226号 Issue Date 2018-03-22 Doc URL http://hdl.handle. net/2115/69946 Rights(URL) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/ Type theses (doctoral abstract and summary of review) Additional Information There are other files related to this item in HUSCAP. Check the above URL. File Information Mengting_Weng_abstract. pdf (論文内容の要旨)
A Si iv/O iv Electron Density Diagnostic for the Analysis of IRIS Solar Spectra

Solar spectra of ultraviolet bursts and flare ribbons from the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS) have suggested high electron densities of > 10 12 cm−3 at transition region temperatures of 0.1 MK, based on large intensity ratios of Si iv λ1402. 77 to O iv λ1401. 16. In this work, a rare observation of the weak O iv λ1343. 51 line is reported from an X-class flare that peaked at 21:41 UT on 2014 October 24. This line is used to develop a theoretical prediction of the Si iv λ1402. 77 to O iv λ1401. 16 ratio as a function of density that is recommended to be used in the high-density regime. The method makes use of new pressure-dependent ionization fractions that take account of the suppression of dielectronic recombination at high densities. It is applied to two sequences of flare kernel observations from the October 24 flare. The first shows densities that vary between 3 × 10 12 and 3 × 10 13 cm−3 over a seven-minute period, while the second location shows stable density values of around 2 × 10 12 cm−3 over a three-minute period.
Excitation energies, polarizabilities, multipole transition rates, and lifetimes of ions along the francium isoelectronic sequence

Relativistic many-body perturbation theory is applied to study properties of ions of the francium isoelectronic sequence. Specifically, energies of the 7s, 7p, 6d, and 5f states of Fr-like ions with nuclear charges Z=87-100 are calculated through third order; reduced matrix elements, oscillator strengths, transition rates, and lifetimes are determined for 7s-7p, 7p-6d, and 6d-5f electric-dipole transitions; and 7s-6d, 7s-5f, and 5f{sub 5/2}-5f{sub 7/2} multipole matrix elements are evaluated to obtain the lifetimes of low-lying excited states. Moreover, for the ions Z=87-92 calculations are also carried out using the relativistic all-order single-double method, in which single and double excitations of Dirac-Fock wave functions are included to all orders in perturbation theory. With the aid of the single-double wave functions, we obtain accurate values of energies, transition rates, oscillator strengths, and the lifetimes of these six ions. Ground state scalar polarizabilities in Fr I, Ra II, Ac III, and Th IV are calculated using relativistic third-order and all-order methods. Ground state scalar polarizabilities for other Fr-like ions are calculated using a relativistic second-order method. These calculations provide a theoretical benchmark for comparison with experiment and theory.
The Impact of Business Development Services on Entrepreneurial Orientation and Performance of Small and Medium Enterprises in Kenya

This study examined the influence of business development services on entrepreneurial orientation and performance. The study analyzed a total of 97 small and medium enterprises in Kenya out of a sample of 150 organizations. Data was collected in Nairobi county through a combination of drop and pick methods. Cronbachâ€™s alpha was used to measure reliability of the instrument during a pilot phase of the study. The collected data was analyzed in Statistical Package for Social Sciences using descriptive, correlation and multiple linear regressions techniques. The results show that there is a positive relationship between business development services and performance. They also demonstrate that business development services affect entrepreneurial orientation of the studied firms. However, the results indicate that entrepreneurial orientation does not mediate the relationship between business development services and performance. In conclusion, the firms studied and their similar counterparts should strive to access and use business development services. They should also adopt entrepreneurial inclination to improve how business development services may assist them achieve better performance. Recommendations and areas for further studies are also suggested.
Aggregate Dynamics with Heterogeneous Agents and State-Dependent Pricing

This paper examines the consequences of (S, s) pricing rules in a dynamic economy with heterogeneous costs of price adjustment. We construct the stationary distributions for aggregate output and prices for our model economy. As a result of our assumption of heterogeneous costs we find that: (i) Some sectors change prices more regularly than others; (ii) Price changes are asynchronized (relative prices may be moving in opposite directions in different sectors); (iii) The economy may be more sensitive to demand shocks. There is broad empirical support for the predictions of the model.
Calculating balance velocities with a membrane stress correction

Abstract Inverse methods, where surface data are ‘inverted’ in order to quantify basal properties of ice sheets, play a major role in initializations. The balance-velocity method is a unique linear initialization, in which accumulation, surface elevation and thickness data are used to calculate the velocities and basal conditions required to maintain the observed ice-sheet altimetric signal, resulting in an estimate of the basal sliding viscosity that is guaranteed to be non-negative. We examine the observation that balance velocities based on the shallow-ice approximation (SIA) are extremely dependent on grid size, showing that Antarctic balance velocities on a 1 km grid are excessively over-channelized. Incorporating the membrane-stress approximation into balance-velocity calculations and comparing them with a simplified analytical solution shows that numerical error monotonically decreases with grid resolution and over-channelization is eliminated for Newtonian and non-Newtonian rheology. In contrast, for the SIA reducing grid size below the membrane-stress coupling length fails to improve accuracy. However, since this approach is nonlinear, a unique viscosity solution is not guaranteed, and in practice ‘sliding viscosity’ estimates are noisy. This raises problems of the sensitivity of these estimates to data and model errors, which may mean using inverse or smoothing techniques in association with balance-velocity methods in many, if not all, practical applications.