Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
e-tendering in construction: time for a change?

e-tendering is one of the information technology tools that has been highlighted by construction industry experts to assist in changing the industry’s culture and improving its processes. However the emergence of e-tendering in construction in the UK has been slow. This paper documents a questionnaire survey of quantity surveyors in northern England, identifying their views on different aspects of e-tendering, and providing an analysis of the perceived drivers and barriers to its implementation. Using a relative importance index, time and cost are confirmed as the two most significant perceived drivers in implementing e-tendering, while sustainability benefits are also recognised as important. The lack of experience and precedence in the legal realm is one of the main perceived barriers. The paper explores the impact of personal characteristics on attitudes towards e-tendering. Age and experience are particularly significant, with older and more experienced surveyors being more critical and negative than younger surveyors towards e-tendering. The analysis also identifies that the size and type of company affects attitudes with regard to electronic sharing of information and the related aspects of infrastructure and security. Smaller companies have more concerns with regard to security, while contractors’ quantity surveyors have much more concern over sharing information than clients’ consultants. Prior use also affects attitudes, with inexperienced users expressing more concerns over the use of e-tendering. The conclusion is that, amongst quantity surveyors, there is recognition of the benefits that e-tendering can bring about but that there are a number of barriers currently acting as a brake on the uptake of e-tendering.
Running head : Positive emotion and association-memory Positive emotion enhances association-memory

The influence of emotion on association-memory is often attributed to arousal, but negative stimuli are typically used to test for these effects. While prior studies of negative emotion on association-memory have found impairments, theories suggest that positive emotion may have a distinct effect on memory, and may lead to enhanced association-memory. Here we tested participants’ memory for pairs of positive and neutral words using cued recall, supplemented with a mathematical modeling approach designed to disentangle itemversus associationmemory effects that may otherwise confound cued-recall performance. We consistently found enhanced association-memory due to positive emotion. These results provide further evidence that positive information is processed differently than negative and that, when examining association formation, valence as well as arousal must be considered.
Perception of Job Characteristics and Age as Deteminants of Employee Creativity

The study investigated the perception of job characteristics and age as determinants of employee creativity. The study used 175 participants out of which 101 were males and 74 were females, drawn through a systematic random sampling. The age of the participants range from 20-60 years with a mean age of 32.4 and a standard deviation of 8.87. The study utilized job characteristics scale by Hackman and Oldham 1975 and Creativity Inventory adapted from Zhou and George 2001. The study adopted a 2×2 factorial design and accordingly 2-way ANOVA was used for the statistical analysis. The first hypothesis that stated that there will be a significant difference between workers who have positive perception of job characteristics and those with negative perception of job characteristics on their creativity to work was confirmed at F(1,171)= 47.582, p=<. 05 level of significance. The second hypothesis that stated that there will be a significant difference between workers who are young and old on their creativity to work was confirmed at F(1,171)= 15.631, p=<. 05 level of significance. From the result we can conclude that perception of job characteristics and age has an influence on employee creativity. Findings were discussed and recommendations were made accordingly. Keywords: Creativity, Job Characteristics and Age
ANALYSING INTERACTIONS OF RISK FACTORS ACCORDING TO RISK LEVELS FOR HEMODIALYSIS PATIENTS IN TURKEY: A DATA MINING APPLICATION

The End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) as a chronical health problem requires an expensive and a lifetime treatment called hemodialysis. It is important to obtain new information in order to reduce the cost of the treatment and to improve the quality of patient’s life. Treatment period requires a lot of clinical tests related to the risk factors for monitoring patient’s health and effectiveness of the treatment. These factors vary depending on demographic parameters such as age, gender, race, clinical parameters such as hematocrit level, albumine level, and also dialysis treatment prescription. In this paper, a data mining application including data preprocessing, data transformation, data mining algorithms and interpretation is used to find out patterns of risk factors as decision rules according to risk levels for dialysis patients in Turkey. A data set is formed by collecting 76 parameters of 170 patients on dialysis for 12 or more months at a dialysis center. CMS HCC (the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services -Hierarchical Coexisting Conditions) ESRD model which includes relative coefficients of age, gender and comorbid diseases as scoring parameters is employed on data set in order to calculate risk scores for each patient and these scores are added to data set as a parameter called “Risk Score”. ESTARD and WEKA softwares are used in order to achieve classification, clustering and decision tree algorithms. Decision rules as results of application are interpreted with domain expert for medical significance.
Development and Performance Evaluation of Optimal Control logics for the Two-Position- and Variable-Heating Systems in Double Skin Facade Buildings

This study aimed at developing and evaluating performance of the two logics for respectively operating two-position- and variable-heating systems. Both logics control the heating system and openings of the double skin facade buildings in an integrated manner. Artificial neural network models were applied for the predictive and adaptive controls in order to optimally condition the indoor thermal environment. Numerical computer simulation methods using the MATLAB (Matrix Laboratory) and TRNSYS (Transient Systems Simulation) were employed for the performance tests of the logics in the test module. Analysis on the test results revealed that the variable control logic provided more comfortable and stable temperature conditions with the increased comfortable period and the decreased standard deviation from the center of the comfortable range. In addition, the amount of heat supply to the indoor space was significantly reduced by the variable control logic. Thus, it can be concluded that the optimal control method using the artificial neural network model can work more effectively when it is applied to the variable heating systems.
Age at size and growth rates of early juvenile loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) in the Mediterranean based on length frequency analysis

Growth rate is a fundamental parameter in understanding sea turtle population dynamics and is also important for the conservation of these threatened species. It can be influenced by both environmental and genetic factors, and thus it can vary according to the area. Growth rates and age at size of loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) are estimated for the first time in the Mediterranean sea and in particular for the elusive first period of life, through length frequency data from 88 turtles ranging from 6.4 to 30 cm curved carapace length found in Italian waters. A visual examination of the length distribution of small turtles found in pelagic habitats suggests a preliminary growth curve for early juveniles in the Mediterranean. Results indicate that this size range includes turtles in the first four years of life. Growth rates ranged from 11.8 cm/yr in the first six months of life to 3.6 cm/yr at the age of 2.5-3.5 years and are similar to those estimated from the Atlantic. Results also suggest a secondary increase in growth rates in larger turtles recruiting to neritic habitats, supporting a polyphasic growth pattern proposed for other populations and other sea turtle species.
Modeling proper motions beyond the Galactic bulge BRUNETTI , Maura , PFENNIGER

We analyse the radial and tangential velocity fields in the Galaxy as seen from the Sun by using as a first approximation a simple axisymmetric model, which we then compare with the corresponding fields in a barred N-body model of the Milky Way. This provides a global description of these quantities missing in the literature, showing where they take large values susceptible to be used in future observations even for sources well beyond the Galactic center. Absolute largest proper motions occur at a distance slightly behind the Galactic Center, which are there 1.5 times larger than the highest local proper motions due to the Galactic differential rotation. Large proper motions well beyond the Galactic center are well within the current astrometric accuracy. BRUNETTI, Maura, PFENNIGER, Daniel. Modeling proper motions beyond the Galactic bulge. Astronomy and Astrophysics, 2010, vol. 510, no. A34 DOI : 10.1051/0004-6361/200913656
Control Speed Ratio Electro-Hydraulic System of Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) by Robust PI Controller

The electro-hydraulic systems are commonly used in the motion control applications. This paper represents an implementation of robust control for an electro- hydraulic system of CVT. The robust PI controlled system for speed ratio electro-hydraulic system of CVT is designed for adjusting speed ratio of CVT by using MATLAB environment. The objective of this study was to design the controller of an electro-hydraulic system using the robust PI control system which is to maintain guarantee of the speed ratio electro-hydraulic system performance in spite of model inaccuracies and alteration. The Mathematical modeling of the electro-hydraulic system of CVT is presented in terms of equations. The robustness and tracking ability of the designed controller were demonstrated through simulations. According to the results, the robust PI controlled system for speed ratio electro-hydraulic system of CVT gives the good performance, such as rise time, settling time, overshooting.
Herschel : the first science highlights Special feature L etter to the E ditor PEP : First Herschel probe of dusty galaxy evolution up to z ∼ 3

Aims. We exploit the deepest existing far-infrared (FIR) data obtained so far by Herschel at 100 and 160 μm in the GOODS-N, as part of the PACS evolutionary probe (PEP) survey, to derive for the first time the evolution of the rest-frame 60-μm, 90-μm, and total IR luminosity functions (LFs) of galaxies and AGNs from z = 0 to unprecedented high redshifts (z ∼ 2–3). Methods. The PEP LFs were computed using the 1/Vmax method. The FIR sources were classified by means of a detailed broad-band SED-fitting analysis and spectral characterisation. Based on the best-fit model results, k-correction and total IR (8–1000 μm) luminosity were obtained for each source. LFs (monochromatic and total) were then derived for various IR populations separately in different redshift bins and compared to backward evolution model predictions. Results. We detect strong evolution in the LF to at least z ∼ 2. Objects with SEDs similar to local spiral galaxies are the major contributors to the star formation density (SFD) at z 0.3, then, as redshift increases, moderate SF galaxies – most likely containing a low-luminosity AGN – start dominating up to z 1.5. At z 1.5 the SFD is dominated by the contributions of starburst galaxies. In agreement with previous findings, the comoving IR LD derived from our data evolves approximately as (1 + z)3.8±0.3 up to z ∼ 1, there being some evidence of flattening up to z ∼ 2.
Studies on the Optimization of Phenolics during Production of Xylitol from Water Hyacinth

The study investigates the production of xylose by acid hydrolysis from water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) and its subsequent bioconversion into xylitol. Lignin derived phenolic compound is inhibitory to the xylitol production process. Hence pretreatment of water hyacinth was first performed with sodium hydroxide to remove phenolics derived from lignin. Response surface methodology (RSM) was incorporated to evaluate the combined effect of independent factors affecting the pre-treatment process to remove lignin. The factors affecting the process are concentration of sodium hydroxide solution (2%, 3% and 4% w/v), soaking time (2-4 h), agitation speed (100 rpm, 130 rpm, 160 rpm), treatment time (7-15 min) and operating treatment temperature (30-70 o C) respectively. Acid hydrolysis was performed by autoclaving at 121 o C for 15 min with the pre-treated water hyacinth biomass, which released maximum phenolics (3524.16 mg/l) in the pre- treatment hydrolysate. 34.22 g/l of xylitol was produced by Pichia stipitis at 48 h of fermentation, with a yield of 0.645g xylitol/g xylose.
Morphological and Molecular (18S rDNA) Phylogeny of Five Species of Weevils in the Tribe Phyllobiini (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Entiminae) from Turkey 1

Five species of weevils in the tribe Phyllobiini (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Entiminae) [Phyllobius glaucus (Scopoli, 1763); Phyllobius virideaeris (Laicharting, 1781); Parascythropus mirandus Desbrochers, 1875; Oedecnemidius pictus (Steven, 1829); Oedecnemidius saltuarius (Heyden, 1888)] were studied to generate analyses of their relationships. Those interspecific relationships were inferred from morphological characters as well as 18S rDNA sequencing data. Phylogenetic trees based on sequencing data were built with Neighbor Joining (NJ), Maximum Likelihood (ML), and Maximum Parsimony (MP) algorithms; morphology-based trees were created using UPGMA (Unweighted Pair Group Method with Arithmetic Mean). The trees have a similar topology.
Failures of Entrepreneurial Learning in Knowledge-Based Startups

Entrepreneurial learning can occur when young firms learn from social networks, from failure events, and from real-time improvisation. This inductive paper explores three learning challenges young firms face in effective entrepreneurial learning. We draw on data from in-depth interviews in sixty young knowledge based firms. The data revealed striking patterns between the types of knowledge shaping the behavior of the firms in our sample and their patterns of entrepreneurial learning. First, we found a pattern of absorptive inertia - some new firms developed the capacity to absorb knowledge from outside the firm, but at the same time developed an unwillingness to absorb external knowledge. Second, we uncovered a rich pattern through firms succeeded or failed to learn from their own failure experience. Firms relying only on procedural knowledge about an activity seemed much more likely to fail to learn from failure than were firms with declarative knowledge about an activity. Third, our findings show that effective learning from improvisation may depend on the accumulation of declarative knowledge. Our propositions advance theories of organizational learning and entrepreneurship.
Predicting student performance: an application of data mining methods with an educational Web-based system

Newly developed Web-based educational technologies offer researchers unique opportunities to study how students learn and what approaches to learning lead to success. Web-based systems routinely collect vast quantities of data on user patterns, and data mining methods can be applied to these databases. This paper presents an approach to classifying students in order to predict their final grade based on features extracted from logged data in an education Web-based system. We design, implement, and evaluate a series of pattern classifiers and compare their performance on an online course dataset. A combination of multiple classifiers leads to a significant improvement in classification performance. Furthermore, by learning an appropriate weighting of the features used via a genetic algorithm (GA), we further improve prediction accuracy. The GA is demonstrated to successfully improve the accuracy of combined classifier performance, about 10 to 12% when comparing to non-GA classifier. This method may be of considerable usefulness in identifying students at risk early, especially in very large classes, and allow the instructor to provide appropriate advising in a timely manner.
What Type of Leadership in Higher Education Promotes Job Satisfaction and Increases Retention

The purpose of this quantitative study was to predict Job Satisfaction (Happiness at Work) and Employee Intention to stay with an organization, utilizing dimensions of servant leadership practices. The six dimensions of servant leadership practice were Values People, Develops People, Builds Community, Provides Leaderships, Displaying Authenticity, and Shared Leadership. The participants consisted of 59 respondents, from faith-based higher education institutions. Participants were given an 84-item questionnaire survey. A correlation and a structural equation model (SEM) were used. We found that all the variables significantly correlated with job satisfaction. Intention to Stay played a moderator role between the servant leadership variables and job satisfaction. Intention to Stay predicted 33% of the variance of job satisfaction; 54% of the variance of Intention to Stay is predicted by dimensions of servant leadership practices.
Thermal regime of a highly regulated Italian river (Ticino River) and implications for aquatic communities

Thermal alteration is one of the adverse effects of flow regulation sharpened in recent years due to climate changes. In this work, we characterize the thermal regime of a highly regulated river located in Northern Italy, which is the emissary of Lake Maggiore. The thermal characteristics of the study reach are influenced by the presence of two dams and by climate warming. In the 15-year monitored period (1999-2013) a significant increase of the mean annual river temperature (i.e., +1.8°C) was indeed recorded. Minimum and maximum water temperatures were detected in correspondence of low-flow periods in February and August, respectively. During August the temperature reached a maximum of 27°C, that is a value below the upper thermal limit of tolerance for most of the aquatic taxa collected in the study area. Moreover, the local presence of seeps and the interaction with groundwater play an important ecological role by guaranteeing patches of cool water to the aquatic communities. Nevertheless, the sensitive early life stages of fish species that spawn in spring/summer may be affected by the high summer temperatures and the expected future climate warming. The wider range of temperatures preferred by alien fish species could result into a competitive disadvantage for autochthonous species. The current minimum flows established by local laws as environmental flows appeared to be able to guarantee an acceptable thermal alteration in morphologically heterogeneous reaches where river/groundwater interaction occurred, at least within the current climatic conditions.
Efficiency of EU Merger Control in the 1990-2008 Period

The main goal of this paper is to provide an analysis of key regulatory changes in the European merger control and to evaluate their real impact on the efficiency of merger regulation. Our main contribution is an empirical analysis of a unique representative sample of 161 horizontal mergers covering the final regulatory assessments during the period from 1990 to 2008. We use stock market data to identify those cases where there are discrepancies between the Commission and market evaluation of the merger. The PROBIT model is then used to further investigate the sources of these discrepancies. Our results suggest that the Commission’s decisions are not purely explained by the motive of protecting consumer welfare and that other political and institutional factors do play a role in setting policy. We did not find evidence that the Commission protects competitors at the expense of consumers and foreign firms. Moreover, we conclude that the regulatory reform introduced in 2004 has significantly enhanced efficiency of the European merger control. To the authors’ best knowledge, this paper is the first study using stock market data to evaluate an impact of the recent EU merger control.
Characterization of the Rambutan Peels Fiber (nephelium Lappaceum) as a Lignocellulosic Material for Technological Applications

Characterization of the Rambutan Peel Fiber (Nephelium lappaceum) as a Lignocellulosic Material for Technological Applications Emanoel I. S. Oliveira*, Jean B. Santos, Ana Paula B. Gonçalves, Silvana Mattedi, Nadia M. José Federal University of Bahia, Polytechnic School. Aristides Novis Street, 02, Campus Federação. Zip code 40210-630 Federal University of Bahia, Institute of Chemistry. Barão de Jeremoabo Street, 147, Campus Ondina. Zip code 40170-115 eigor_oliv@hotmail.com
The modelling and analysis of queueing systems with QNM-ExSpect

In this paper the application of ExSpect to Queueing Networks (QN) is described. ExSpect is a simulation tool based on a formal framework closely related to Coloured Petri Nets (CPN). ExSpect supports hierarchical models and user defined modules. The fact that systems can be combined into larger systems is a very powerful feature and allows a structured top-down design. The module concept combined with the possibility to customise a system encourages the reuse of already specified components and the creation of 'toolboxes'. One of those toolboxes is the Q N M toolbox, developed to analyse queueing networks. The design interface of ExSpect permits the user to define the queueing network in a graphical manner and automatically generates a simulation model. If simulation takes too long to produce reliable results one can decide to use an analytical model. On certain conditions, it is possible to generate the network structure and parameters for such an analytical model from the description in QNM-ExSpect. In this paper we show how to translate a model in QNM-ExSpect to a BCMP network.
Upper Bound of Scalars in the Integer Sub-decomposition Method: The Theoretical Aspects

The focal point of this paper is to present the theoretical aspects of the building blocks of the upper bounds of ISD (integer sub-decomposition) method defined by n C k k  22 21 , max , where 1  C that uses efficiently computable endomorphisms j  for 2 , 1  j to compute any multiple kP of a point P of order n lying on an elliptic curve E. The upper bounds of sub-scalars in ISD method are presented and utilized to enhance the rate of successful computation of scalar multiplication kP. Important theorems that establish the upper bounds of the kernel vectors of the ISD reduction map are generalized and proved in this work. The values of C in the upper bounds, that are greater than 1, have been proven in two cases of characteristic polynomials (with degree 1 or 2) of the endomorphisms. The upper bound of ISD method with the case of the endomorphism rings over an integer ring Z results in a higher rate of successful computations kP. Compared to the case of endomorphism rings, which is embedded over an imaginary quadratic field   D Q  . The determination of the upper bounds is considered as a key point in developing the ISD elliptic scalar multiplication technique.