Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Explorative Analysis of Household Energy Consumption in Bauchi State, Nigeria

This study was conducted with the major aim of conducting descriptive and exploratory analyses on the socio-economic characteristics of households in Bauchi state and their pattern of energy choice and consumption. A total sample of 539 household responses were analysed, which were selected using cluster area sampling. The analysis indicates that the average monthly household income is USD 220, and the average monthly firewood consumption per household is about 35 bundles. Moreover, about 70% of the respondents argued that they use firewood as their main source of cooking fuel. For the lighting source of energy, 65% of the households argued that they use electricity as their main source of lighting. Additionally, the correlation analysis indicates that income has a positive relationship with the quantity of energy consumption, while there is a negative relationship between the price of a particular source of energy and its consumption. The study suggests that there is a need of a good policy that will reduce the households much dependence on firewood to other cleaner sources of energy.
Balancing herding and congestion in service systems: a queueing perspective

Abstract In service industries such as restaurants and tourism, empirical findings show that uninformed customers may consider queues as a signal of service quality and choose to join a longer queue. Service managers become aware of this phenomenon and stimulate customer purchase by maintaining a queue. In this paper, we explore issues related to the balance between herding and congestion for service systems using a state-dependent queue. In our model, the herding effect is represented by system idle probability (as opposed to system busy probability) and the congestion is represented by a non-decreasing function of queue length. An optimization problem with the objective of minimizing the long-run average cost and constraints on traffic intensities is formulated, and the structure of its optimal solution is characterized. Further, we find closed-form solutions of the optimal state-dependent traffic intensity and the optimal service rate switching state, and characterize the relationship between the optimal solution and system parameters. Through a series of propositions and numerical examples, we gain insight into the balance between stimulation of herding effect and reduction of customer waiting, and propose that service managers should intentionally slow down when the queue is short and operate at their full speed when the queue is long.
Molecular dynamics simulations of the effect of temperature and strain rate on mechanical properties of graphene–epoxy nanocomposites

ABSTRACT In this study, the mechanical properties of graphene–epoxy nanocomposites were investigated using experimental tests, molecular dynamics (MD) simulation and Halpin_Tsai semi-empirical micromechanical model. To fabricate graphene/epoxy nanocomposite, specimens containing 0, 0.3, 0.5 and 0.7 weight percent (wt.%) of graphene nanoparticle (GNP), high power dispersion sonicating method and high-speed shearing were employed. Then, tensile and flexural modulus of manufactured nanocomposites were obtained, and the results illustrated that the elastic and flexural modulus of GNP/epoxy nanocomposites increased significantly until GNP was added up to 0.5 wt. % and after that, the trend of increasing elastic modulus declined which could be due to local GNP agglomerations within the nanocomposites with higher contents of filler. Furthermore, graphene, epoxy and graphene–epoxy nanocomposites were simulated by MD, and the mechanical properties of simulated graphene–epoxy nanocomposites were calculated. However, the effect of temperature and strain rate on tensile properties of graphene–epoxy nanocomposites was studied, which showed that increasing temperature decreased the strength of graphene–epoxy nanocomposites, and also increasing the strain rates led to an increase in the elastic modulus. Finally, experimental results and the Halpin_Tsai model were compared in which a good agreement between experimental and analytical results was observed.
Not Published Is Not Perished: Addressing Publication Bias in Meta-Analytic Studies in Communication

Publication bias has been recognized as a threat to the validity of meta-analytic findings and scientific knowledge in general. Given the recent rise in meta-analytic research in communication, how well publication bias concerns are addressed by communication meta-analysts merits attention. In this essay, after a brief overview of publication bias and some major methods of assessment, we provide a systematic review of meta-analyses published in six major communication journals between 2005 and 2018. The review focuses on two aspects of addressing publication bias in meta-analyses: (a) reducing the potential impact of bias via an inclusive literature search; and (b) empirically assessing the extent and impact of bias in meta-analytic findings. Our review shows that the current practices in communication meta-analyses are inadequate in both aspects. We offer recommendations on ways of improving practices in meta-analyses, as well as in research and publication processes, to better safeguard knowledge claims.
Situating simultaneity: an initial schematization of the lexicogrammatical rank scale of British Sign Language

A central tenet of systemic functional theory is the rank scale: an ordered representation of the part-whole relationships of units within semiotic systems. Linguists have schematized the rank scales for the lexicogrammars of English, French, Spanish and Chinese, to name a few. However, such schematization has yet to occur for languages in the visual-spatial modality (i.e. sign languages). This paper contributes to current literature by establishing a working schematization of the lexicogrammatical rank scale of British Sign Language (BSL). By taking a glottocentric perspective and with reference to systemic functional theory and BSL data, this work demonstrates that it is possible to create an organized rank scale for a language operating the visual-spatial modality as long as the productive simultaneity found within is accounted for sufficiently. This is enacted through a more detailed elaboration of the morpheme rank, so that higher ranks may be represented accurately. This study provides the foundations for similar rank scales of semiotic systems operating in the visual-spatial modality to be schematized, while also suggesting areas for further empirical investigation in both systemic functionalism and sign linguistics.
Voicing the system: How formerly fostered adults make meaning of the U.S. foster care system

The U.S. foster care system aims to provide care to children who are unable to live safely with their families of origin. Yet, fostered youth endure negative experiences before, during, and after foster care. This study investigates tensions between stated goals and experiences of foster care, from the perspective of (formerly) fostered youth. Framed by relational dialectics theory, contrapuntal analysis of 32 narrative interviews revealed two discourses that construct meaning of the foster care system: (1) Discourse of System as (a Necessary) Good aligned with stated goals, constructing the system as helpful and (2) Discourse of System as Harmful (but Necessary) competed with assumptions that foster care is helpful, constructing the system as broken. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
Effect of the Curing Properties and Viscosities of Nonconductive Films on the Solder Joint Morphology and Reliability of Chip-On-Board Packages Using Cu-Pillar/Sn–Ag Bumps

In this article, flip chip assembly using nonconductive films (NCFs) was evaluated for chip-on-board (COB) packages using Cu/Sn–Ag hybrid bumps. In general, significant thermomechanical stress can be induced at the Cu-pillar/Sn–Ag solder joint because of a large coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) mismatch between the Si chip and printed circuit board (PCB). If a concave-shaped solder joint morphology is generated at the solder joint, thermomechanical stress could be concentrated at the solder joint, resulting in an early failure of T/C reliability. To obtain the solder joint morphology without a concave-shaped solder joint, NCFs’ curing properties and viscosity should be controlled. In particular, the NCFs’ viscosity at the solder melting temperature, at which metallurgical bonding between molten solder and Cu pads occurs, will significantly affect the solder joint morphology. For this reason, solder joint formation was investigated at each viscosity of NCFs and bonding temperature during the thermo compression (TC) flip chip bonding process. In addition, specific viscosities at certain bonding temperatures during the flip chip bonding process were obtained from measured degrees of cure and viscosity approximation. Finally, the material properties of NCFs were optimized without NCF traps at the solder joint and concave-shaped solder joint, and T/C reliability was evaluated for each silica powder content. As a result, it was confirmed that the COB packages using Cu/Sn–Ag hybrid bumps and optimized NCFs show stable resistance changes within 10% of the initial resistance after the T/C reliability test.
Student Preferences for Learning Resources on a Land-based Postgraduate Online Degree Programme

Creating engaging online resources is an important part of the rapidly changing discipline of e-tutoring. There is increasing use of a wide range of media for online training but only a limited number of studies assessing their effectiveness. This study involved an educator working collegiately with cohorts of online students studying a specialist land-based postgraduate degree programme (n = 79). The opinions of these mature online students, on current and potential learning resources, informed two interventions that provided novel online resources to the course. Student opinion on these new resources was captured and subjected to thematic analysis. The results identify that these students’ favoured resources were online lectures, course notes, primary literature and tutors’ opinion pieces because they were perceived as accessible, easy to engage with, assignment-related and/or provided something akin to a ‘university campus experience’. In contrast, podcasts and knowledge review quizzes were strongly disfavoured by the majority of respondents. The implications of this study in relation to online teaching practice are discussed.
Quantities and Quantification Methodologies of Food Waste in Swedish Hospitals

To move towards a sustainable food system, we cannot continue to waste substantial amounts of the food produced. This is especially true for later stages in the food supply chain, where most sub-processes consume resources in vain when food is wasted. Hospitals are located at the end of the food supply chain and the sector has high levels of food waste. This study investigated food waste quantification practices in Swedish hospitals, examined whether a questionnaire is an appropriate methodology for such mapping, and compiled data for the sector in order to determine the amount of food waste and its composition. A questionnaire was sent to all 21 regional authorities, formerly known as county councils, responsible for hospitals in Sweden. The questionnaire responses were supplemented with food waste records from three regions that organize the catering in a total of 20 hospitals. The results showed that it is common practice in most hospitals to quantify food waste, with quantification focusing on lunch and dinner in relation to the number of guests served. It was also clear that waste quantification practices have been established for years, and in the majority of the hospitals studied. The data revealed that, in comparison with other sectors, food waste was still high, 111 g guest−1 meal−1, consisting of 42% plate waste, 36% serving waste, and 22% kitchen waste. However, there was great variation between hospitals, which, in combination with well-established, standardized waste quantification routines, meaning that this sector has strong potential to spread best practices and improve overall performance in reducing food waste generation.
Impact of Network Topology on the Spread of Infectious Diseases

The complex network theory constitutes a natural support for the study of a disease propagation. In this work, we present a study of an infectious disease spread with the use of this theory in combination with the Individual Based Model. More speciﬁcally, we use several complex network models widely known in the literature to verify their topological effects in the propagation of the disease. In general, complex networks with different properties result in curves of infected individuals with different behaviors, and thus, the growth of a given disease is highly sensitive to the network model used. The disease eradication is observed when the vaccination strategy of 10% of the population is used in combination with the random, small world or modular network models, which opens an important space for control actions that focus on changing the topology of a complex network as a form of reduction or even elimination of an infectious disease.
Entangled educator evaluation apparatuses: Contextual influences on new policies

Drawing on an actor-network articulation of evaluation theory, this article examines the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction’s transition from a punitive teacher evaluation model to a promising new development and support model, which focuses on teacher growth and environmental adjustments. Supported by dozens of interviews and observations of teachers, school and district administrators, support staff, and regional and state education organization employees, the article explains how material, discursive, and affective entanglements within and outside the evaluation apparatus constrained the realization of the new growth model of teacher evaluation. Actor-network evaluation provides a new articulation of evaluation contextualization that provides insight into why some promising changes may run out of steam.
Örgüt İkliminin İşyeri Nezaketsizliği Üzerine Etkisinde Makyavelist Kişilik Özelliklerinin Düzenleyici Rolü

Bu arastirmanin amaci destekleyici ve ilimli orgut iklimi algisinin is yeri nezaketsizligi uzerine etkisinde kisilik ozelliklerinden makyavelizmin duzenleyici rolunun belirlenmesidir. Kayseri ve Eskisehir il merkezinde faaliyet gosteren banka calisanlari uzerine gerceklestirilen bu arastirmada bagimli ve bagimsiz degiskenler ile duzenleyici degiskenin birbiri ile iliskileri, ortaya konulan arastirma modeli ile incelenmistir. Arastirma sonucunda calisanlarin destekleyici ve ilimli orgut iklimi algilari ile is yeri nezaketsizligi ve makyavelizm arasinda negatif yonlu anlamli iliski tespit edilmistir. Yapilan hiyerarsik regresyon analizi sonucunda ise calisanlarin destekleyici ve ilimli orgut iklimi algilari ile is yeri nezaketsizligi arasindaki iliskide makyavelist kisilik ozelliklerinin duzenleyici bir role sahip oldugu gorulmustur. Buna gore dusuk makyavelist kisilik ozelligine sahip calisanlar icin destekleyici ve ilimli orgut iklimi algisi yukseldikce is yeri nezaketsizligi azalirken; yuksek makyavelist kisilik ozelligine sahip calisanlar icin destekleyici ve ilimli orgut iklimi algisi artikca is yeri nezaketsizligide artmaktadir. Bu anlamda orgut icinde yaratilacak destekleyici ve ilimli orgut iklimi her zaman yikici tutum ve davranislar butunu olan is yeri nezaketsizligini onlemeye yardimci olmamaktadir. Arastirma sonuclarina gore burada ki asil belirleyici unsurun kisilerin sahip olduklari makyavelist kisilik ozellikleri oldugu soylenebilir.
Gene expression studies of lytic infection and chromosomal integration of human herpesvirus 6

Human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) was discovered in 1986 in patients with lymphoproliferative diseases and it has a predominant tropism for CD4+ T cells in vitro and in vivo. The virus can be divided into two variants: HHV-6A and 6B, based on the differences in biological properties and DNA sequences. HHV-6B has been shown to be the causative agent of exanthem subitum while HHV-6A has no clear association with any disease yet. The genome for both variants has been defined and each encodes just over 100 open readings frames (ORFs). However, there is limited knowledge regarding the functions and transcription kinetics of most ORFs. This thesis discusses the development of DNA microarrays for HHV-6 and the application of the arrays to characterise HHV-6B gene expression in the SupT1 cell line. The expression pattern of individual viral genes over a 60h time course (<1 replication cycle) was profiled. Viral genes were further classified into three kinetic groups: immediately-early (IE), early (E), and late (L), according to their transcriptional activity in the absence of de novo protein synthesis or DNA replication. In addition, HHV-6 presents an atypical stage in the herpesvirus life cycle in which the viral genome is integrated into host chromosomes. The prevalence of HHV-6 integration was estimated to be between 0.21% to 3%. An individual harbouring integrated HHV-6 was previously identified. The molecular biology and gene expression of this integrated HHV-6 DNA were characterised. Expression of viral genes belonging to all three kinetic classes (IE, E, and L) was detected in vitro and ex vivo. The data strongly suggest that the chromosomal HHV-6 sequence is transcriptionally active and the implications of this are discussed.
Effects of Dam Regulation on the Hydrological Alteration and Morphological Evolution of the Volta River Delta

The Volta River in West Africa is one of the most regulated rivers influenced by dams in the world, and the regulation has resulted in substantial impacts on the hydrological alteration and morphological evolution of the Volta River Delta. However, comprehensive analyses of the relevant effects are still lacking to date. In this study, inter-annual variations of river discharge and sediment load for pre- and post-Akosombo Dam periods (1936 to 2018) were analyzed through simple regression and Mann–Kendall (MK) trend analysis whereas the intra-annual variations were dictated by the non-uniformity and regulated coefficients. The shoreline changes were further evaluated using Landsat remote sensing images (1972 to 2018) to explore the effects of hydrological alteration on the morphological evolution of the Volta River Delta. Hydrological analyses show that the inter- and intra-annual variations are much higher in the pre-dam period, suggesting the substantial regulation of the Akosombo Dam on the Volta River. The dam regulation has more significant effects on the sediment load delivered to the delta than the river discharge, which decreased by 92.32% and 23.23%, respectively. Morphological analyses show that the progradation-erosion of the Volta River Delta constantly fluctuates within a relatively small range (maximum 0.5%) after the 1970s. The relationship between the variations of the delta area and sediment load implicates that a quasi-equilibrium state may have been established at the Volta River Delta, given the current sediment load. Our findings provide references for the future regulation and restoration of the Volta River Delta.
Exploring relationships between health professionals through the implementation of a reablement program for people with dementia: A mixed methods study

Abstract Aims: Implementation of novel interventions occurs within broad organisational contexts, which contain many relationships and moving parts. Efforts need to be made to understand these relationships as they are an important predictor of successful implementation. This study examines the relationships between health professionals involved in the implementation of an evidence-based community program for people with dementia and their carers in Australia, The Care of People with dementia in their Environments program. Methods: This study utilised mixed methods including in-depth interviews and organisational diagrams. Qualitative data from 28 interviews were collected from occupational therapists, nurses and their managers. Recruitment ensured a variety of different organisational contexts were represented. Thematic analysis was used to capture key emergent themes. Findings: The strongest relationships were usually between the occupational therapist and their manager. Strong trusting relationships with managers were instrumental in advocating for the need for reablement programs and the occupational therapy professional role in dementia care. Large teams of occupational therapists were seen to be beneficial in supporting each other in case complexities. Relationships between occupational therapists and nurses were often missing or perceived as weak relationships. A conducive physical environment contributed to stronger more collaborative relationships, where individuals were visible and therefore felt to be more approachable. Conclusion: Our study highlights the additional preparation work that is required of organisations to consider relationships in their strategies for implementation.
Distributing Personal Income: Trends Over Time

This paper constructs a distribution of Personal Income for the United States (2007-2016) to investigate the relationship between inequality and macroeconomic growth. We extend a perspective first presented in Fixler and Johnson (2014) and further developed in Fixler et al. (2017) and Fixler, Gindelsky, and Johnson (2018, 2019) to develop a national account-based measure using a decade of publicly available survey, tax, and administrative data. By using (equivalized) households as the base unit of analysis and focusing on a more inclusive definition of income than most inequality studies (i.e., including health, transfers, and financial assets), we improve on existing economic measures of inequality in a meaningful way and bridge the gap between micro data and macro statistics. We produce a wide set of inequality results over the period, drawing a comparison with other studies (including Auten and Splinter (2019) and Piketty, Saez, and Zucman (2018)).
Dermal Targeting Delivery of Terbinafine Hydrochloride Using Novel Multi-Ethosomes: A New Approach to Fungal Infection Treatment

This research aimed to develop and evaluate a novel multi-ethosome (ME) system for the dermal delivery of terbinafine hydrochloride (TH) as a new approach to fungal infection treatment. TH-loaded MEs were successfully prepared using cinnamaldehyde as a penetration enhancer. Mean diameter of ME was found as ~100 nm with monodispersed size distribution. Drug entrapment efficiency reached up to 86% ± 1.4%. MEs exhibited excellent colloid stability and no drug leakage after 2 months of storage. In contrast to a commercial Lamisil® cream, ME significantly improved the targeting efficiency by increasing the fluidity of stratum corneum layer, revealed by attenuated total reflection Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR). The dermal targeting effect was visualized using confocal microscopy. Moreover, skin irritation and allergy tests showed that ME was not irritating to the skin. The improved antifungal activity of ME was proved in vitro on Candida albicans strains by minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) assay. This study paves the way towards design of MEs for dermal fungal infection treatment.