Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Perceived Usefulness and Use of Information Technology: the Moderating Influences of the Dependence of a Subcontractor towards His Contractor

The perceived usefulness is a concept that has been used by several authors in different fields of study. The analysis of these studies shows, as suggested by Davis (1989), that when the individual perceives the information and communication technologies (ICT) to improve his performances, he uses them more frequently in his daily activities at work. However, one may think, as does this research, that the external factors can lead to relativize the significance of this hypothesis. Indeed, the mobilization of the research on the sociology of use and the organizational dispersion of the company allowed us to deduct that within the subcontractor enterprises, the use of ICT by the employees, who favourably perceive their usefulness, depends on the degree of the enterprises’ dependency towards their contractors, in the sense that when this dependency grows, the reactive and standard use of these technologies is requested to the detriment of their creative use, and vice versa. The analysis of results, based on a positivist paradigm, a deductive reasoning and a quantitative empirical investigation, enabled us to empirically validate a conceptual model indicating, in fact, that in the subcontractor companies highly depending on their contractors, employees who are convinced that ICT improves their work performance made more reactive use in their administrative activities, while the creative use of these technologies in disseminating the information permanently and in real time has not been promoted within companies which are weakly dependent on their contractors.
Ground tilt monitoring at Phlegraean Fields (Italy): a methodological approach

Among geodetic methods used for monitoring ground deformation in volcanic areas, tiltmetry represents the most rapid technique and therefore it is used by almost all the volcanological observatories in the world. The deformation of volcanic building is not only the result of endogenous causes (i.e. dykes injection or magma rising), but also non-tectonic environmental factors. Such troubles cannot be removed completely but they can be reduce. This article outlines the main source of errors affecting the signals recorded by Phlegraean tilt, network, such as the dependence of the tilt response on temperature and to the thermoelastic effect on ground deformation. The analytical procedure used to evaluate about such errors and their reduction is explained. An application to data acquired from the tilt network during two distinct phases of ground uplift and subsidence of the Phlegraean Fields is reported.
Common acute and chronic musculoskeletal injuries among female adolescent field hockey players in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Objective. To document the prevalence and nature of musculoskeletal injuries among female adolescent hockey players over a 12-month period (1 November 2011 - 31 October 2012). Methods. Data were collected from 148 high school players who belonged to the KwaZulu-Natal Hockey League via voluntary, parentalinformed consent. Players completed a self-report musculoskeletal questionnaire probing the prevalence and nature of acute and chronic injuries. Probability was set at p ≤0.05. Results. Ninety-four players sustained acute musculoskeletal injuries in the 12-month study period, indicating the knee (23%) and lower back (18%) to be the most prevalent sites of injury ( p <0.001). The mechanisms producing the acute injuries were rapid rotational movement (36%) and physical trauma (63%) ( p <0.05). The hip/lower back was the most prevalent anatomical site of chronic musculoskeletal injury ( p <0.001). The intrinsic factors predisposing players to chronic hip/lower-back injury were hip flexion contractures and posture ( p <0.05). Conclusion. Hockey players experience a high prevalence of acute musculoskeletal knee injuries and chronic hip/lower-back injuries. The hockey fraternity should be educated about the various ways in which to prevent injury by complying with appropriate training regimes, alterations in technique and stretching exercises.
First-Passage Time Model Driven by Lévy Process for Pricing CoCos

Contingent convertible bonds (CoCos) are typical form of contingent capital that converts into equity of issuing firm or writes down if a prespecified trigger occurs. This paper proposes a general Levy framework for pricing CoCos. The Levy framework indicates that the difficulty in giving closed-form expression for CoCos price is the possible introduction of the Levy process whose first-passage time problem has not been solved. According to characteristics of new Levy measure after the measure transform, three specific Levy models driven by drifted Brownian motion, spectrally negative Levy process, and double exponential jump diffusion process are proposed to give the solution keeping the form of the driving process unchanged under the measure transform. These three Levy models provide closed-form expressions for CoCos price while the latter two possess them up to Laplace transform, whose pricing results are given by combining with numerical Fourier inversion and Laplace inversion. Numerical results show that negative jumps have large influence on CoCos pricing and the Black-Scholes model would overestimate CoCos price by simply compressing jumps information into volatility while the other two models would give more accurate CoCos price by taking jump risk into consideration.
Modelling hedonic residential rents for land use and transport simulation while considering spatial effects

The application of UrbanSim requires land or real estate price data for the study area. These can be difficult to obtain, particularly when tax assessor data and data from commercial sources are unavailable. The article discusses an alternative method of data acquisition and applies hedonic modeling techniques in order to generate the required data. Many studies have highlighted that ordinary least square (OLS) regression approaches lack the ability to consider spatial dependency and spatial heterogeneity, consequently leading to biased and inefficient estimations. Therefore, a comprehensive data set is used for modeling residential asking rents by applying and comparing OLS, spatial autoregressive, and geographically weighted regression (GWR) techniques. The latter technique performed best with regard to model fit, but the issue of correlated coefficients favored a spatial simultaneous autoregressive model. Overall, the article reveals that when housing markets are a particular concern in UrbanSim applications, significant efforts are needed for the price data generation and modeling. The study concludes with further development potentials for UrbanSim.
High flux expansion divertor studies in NSTX

Projections for high-performance H-mode scenarios in spherical torus (ST)-based devices assume low electron collisionality for increased efficiency of the neutral beam current drive. At lower collisionality (lower density), the mitigation techniques based on induced divertor volumetric power and momentum losses may not be capable of reducing heat and material erosion to acceptable levels in a compact ST divertor. Divertor geometry can also be used to reduce high peak heat and particle fluxes by flaring a scrape-off layer (SOL) flux tube at the divertor plate, and by optimizing the angle at which the flux tube intersects the divertor plate, or reduce heat flow to the divertor by increasing the length of the flux tube. The recently proposed advanced divertor concepts [1, 2] take advantage of these geometry effects. In a high triangularity ST plasma configuration, the magnetic flux expansion at the divertor strike point (SP) is inherently high, leading to a reduction of heat and particle fluxes and a facilitated access to the outer SP detachment, as has been demonstrated recently in NSTX [3]. The natural synergy of the highly-shaped high-performance ST plasmas with beneficial divertor properties motivated a further systematic study of the high flux expansion divertor. The National Sphericalmore » Torus Experiment (NSTX) is a mid-sized device with the aspect ratio A = 1.3-1.5 [4]. In NSTX, the graphite tile divertor has an open horizontal plate geometry. The divertor magnetic configuration geometry was systematically changed in an experiment by either (1) changing the distance between the lower divertor X-point and the divertor plate (X-point height h{sub X}), or by (2) keeping the X-point height constant and increasing the outer SP radius. An initial analysis of the former experiment is presented below. Since in the divertor the poloidal field B{sub {theta}} strength is proportional to h{sub X}, the X-point height variation changed the divertor plasma wetted area due to variations in a SOL flux expansion, or more generally, area expansion. The flux expansion factor is defined as f{sub exp} = {lambda}{sub q}{sup SP}/{lambda}{sub q}{sup MP} {approx_equal} (B{sub {theta}}/B{sub tot}){sup MP}/(B{sub {theta}}/B{sub tot}){sup SP}, where B{sub tot} is the total magnetic field at the strike point R{sub SP} and midplane R{sub MP} major radii, and {lambda}{sub q} is the SOL parallel heat flux width. The SOL area expansion factor is f{sub exp} R{sub MP} = R{sub SP}. « less
Fiber composition and degradability of cold season green forage and pre-dried silage harvested at pre-flowering

O objetivo do trabalho foi avaliar os teores de hemicelulose, celulose e lignina, bem como a taxa de degradabilidade da materia seca (MS), da forragem e da silagem pre-secada, de diferentes cereais de estacao fria colhidos em estadio de pre-florescimento. O experimento foi conduzido pelo Nucleo de Producao Animal (NUPRAN) junto ao Curso de Mestrado em Agronomia na area de Producao Vegetal, pertencente ao setor de Ciencias Agrarias e Ambientais da Universidade Estadual do Centro-Oeste (UNICENTRO), localizado no municipio de Guarapuava – PR. Como material experimental utilizou-se aveia preta (Avena strigosa) cv. EMB 139 e cv. IAPAR 61; aveia branca (Avena sativa) cv. IPR 126 e cv. URS Taura; cevada (Hordeum vulgare) cv. BRS Brau e cv. BRS Caue; trigo (Triticum aestivum) cv. BRS Umbu e cv. BRS Taruma; centeio (Secale cereale) cv. Temprano e cv. BRS Serrano; e triticale (X Triticosecale) cv. IPR 111 e cv. BRS Saturno. A degradabilidade da materia seca foi estimada pela tecnica in situ, em um delineamento de blocos inteiramente casualizados, com tres repeticoes (animal), em arranjo de parcelas subdivididas. Os tratamentos constituiram as parcelas e os tempos de digestao as subparcelas. Os tempos de incubacao utilizados foram de 0, 6, 12, 24 e 48 horas. Para tal, foram utilizados dois novilhos com 24 meses de idade, peso vivo (PV) medio de 350 kg, portadores de fistula ruminal. Notou-se uma similaridade entre os resultados de degradabilidade da forragem e da silagem pre-secada, tomando as mesmas tendencias. A cevada cv. BRS Brau obteve o maior teor de hemicelulose em sua composicao, porem, o triticale IPR 111 foi o tratamento com maior potencial de degradabilidade, tanto como forragem quanto silagem pre-secada.
Wrist Vein Recognition by Ordinary Camera Using Phase-based Correspondence Matching

With rapid advances in technology, biometric control systems have become part of the contemporary world. Wrist pattern is a biometric that is unique to the individual and can be seen on the skin of most individuals. This study focuses on the left wrist vein images of 20 people, in a visible light band, using a simple smartphone 5 MP camera. Selecting a reference line on wrist wrinkle, the wrist vein regions are cropped as square. The red layer of the RGB vein image has been filtered with Gaussian Low Pass Filter to eliminate any high frequency noise. Sharpening and contrast stretching operations have been used on the filtered images. Sub-pixel correspondence matching, using phase-only correlation method, can yield efficient results for biometric image matching. In this paper, phase-based correspondence matching pattern recognition method is used in order to perform person recognition from wrist vein patterns, which have been captured by a smartphone camera. It is argued that, the experiments this study has conducted demonstrates that phase-based correspondence matching provides an effective means for wrist vein recognition.
The Gendering of Entrepreneurship Context

The paper builds on the understanding of context as suggested by Welter (2011) who introduced different dimensions of context along a continuum of where entrepreneurship takes place and when this happens. Where context has been studied in relation to gender and women, the focus has been on the influence of social contexts such as networks, family and household embeddedness of women entrepreneurs or the institutional environment for women's entrepreneurship. We contribute to the literature by identifying three further themes, based on a systematic literature review: how to conceptualise the spatial and institutional contexts for women's entrepreneurship and their intersections, as informed by entrepreneurship, gender and geography studies; the paradox of empowering women and the debate around mumpreneurship. Our analysis highlights the influence of spatial-institutional contexts on entrepreneurship: Entrepreneurial behaviour is gendered because of place which itself is gendered, reflecting local institutions such as accepted gender norms which may force women into specific industries or business sizes. We also highlight the agency of women entrepreneurs in influencing their spatial-institutional contexts.
4-2014 Environment and Growth

This paper examines the implications of the mutual causality between environmental quality and economic growth. While economic growth deteriorates the environment through increasing amounts of pollution, the deteriorated environment in turn limits the possibility of further economic growth. In a less developed country, this link, which we call “limits to growth,” emerges as the “poverty-environment trap,” which explains the persistent international inequality both in terms of income and environment. This link also threatens the sustainability of the world’s economic growth, particularly when the emission of greenhouse gases raises the risk of natural disasters. Stronger environmental policies are required to overcome this link. While there is a trade-off between the environment and growth in the short run, we show that an appropriate policy can improve both in the long run.
Prosthodontic using Rapid Prototyping

Rapid prototyping is a set of technicality which applied to create a scale model of a physical part or assembly rapidly utilizing three-dimensional computer aided design (CAD) data. 3D printing or "additive layer manufacturing" technology was used to Develop the part or assembly. It is a CAD/CAM technology which was created initially to manufacture prototypes for industrial purposes. RP technology encouraged the configuration and quick generation of mass quantities of precise parts by the industrial manufacturing in a convenient time with exactness and pace. In the previous two decades this technology was utilized efficiently in the medical field with a promising results. In this review the technique, methods and various uses of this fast emerging technology regarding prosthodontic will be discussed.
Value hierarchies of students

According to the importance of values in the value structure of society, the present study aims to evaluate the value structure of students based on the Schwartz's theory. To do this, we used 258 male and female undergraduate university students of Ghachsaran. This is a survey study with the following results: About Schwartz's value system, universalism and generosity value priorities are considered as the first and second priorities of male and female students. But the difference in power orientation, conformity and traditionalism are used as the sixth, seventh and eighth priority among men. These types of values for women are located in eighth, seventh and sixth priorities from which we can infer that women are more conservative than men, although this issue was statistically significant. The results also showed that there was a significant relationship between gender and traditionalism.
The feasibility of thermal and compositional convection in Earth’s inner core

Inner core convection, and the corresponding variations in grain size and alignment, has been proposed to explain the complex seismic structure of the inner core, including its anisotropy, lateral variations and the F-layer at the base of the outer core. We develop a parametrized convection model to investigate the possibility of convection in the inner core, focusing on the dominance of the plume mode of convection versus the translation mode. We investigate thermal and compositional convection separately so as to study the end-members of the system. In the thermal case the dominant mode of convection is strongly dependent on the viscosity of the inner core, the magnitude of which is poorly constrained. Furthermore recent estimates of a large core thermal conductivity result in stable thermal stratification, hindering convection. However, an unstable density stratification may arise due to the pressure dependant partition coefficient of certain light elements. We show that this unstable stratification leads to compositionally driven convection, and that inner core translation is likely to be the dominant convective mode due to the low compositional diffusivity. The style of convection resulting from a combination of both thermal and compositional effects is not easy to understand. For reasonable parameter estimates, the stabilizing thermal buoyancy is greater than the destabilizing compositional buoyancy. However we anticipate complex double diffusive processes to occur given the very different thermal and compositional diffusivities.
Robust Concentric Circular Antenna Array with Variable Loading Technique in the Presence of Look Direction Disparity

The performance of a Concentric Circular Antenna Array (CCAA) is presented in this paper with variable loading technique. A CCAA geometry is chosen because of its symmetrical configuration which enables the phased array antenna to scan azimuthally with minimal changes in its beam width and side-lobe levels. The performance of CCAA system is degraded, if any disparity occurs between the original signal direction and the steering direction of the beamformer. This performance degradation problem due to look direction disparity can be improved by using robust techniques. This paper proposes a technique, named variable diagonal loading (VDL) technique for CCAA system and compares the performance of the proposed robust CCAA processor with existing CCAA processors. The proposed robust CCAA beamformer enhances the output power 28.9 dB, 9.34 dB and 1.63 dB at 1◦ disparity angle in comparison to the CCAA standard capon beamformer (SCB), robust SCB and existing novel loading technique. Numerical examples are presented to analyze the performance of the proposed robust beamformer in different scenarios.
Prevalence and Genotype of Salmonella Choleraesuis in Gunma Prefecture, Japan

บทคดยอ การศกษาความชกของโรคซลโมเนลลาในสกรและจโนทยปของเชอซลโมเนลลาโดยวธ PFGE ในจงหวด Gunma ประเทศญปน ผลการศกษา พบวาระหวางป ค. ศ. 2005-2008 มความชกของโรคนในสกร ประมาณรอยละ 0.02 คอ พบวาสกรจำนวน 430 ตว (จาก2,707,402 ตว) ทโรงงานฆาสตว มการตดเชอซลโมเนลลา โดยเชอทงหมดเปน Salmonella Choleraesuis ชนดไมสราง H2S ทำการทดลองโดยนำ เชอซลโมเนลลาจำนวน 30 ตวอยาง ทเพาะแยกจากฟารมสกร 15 ฟารมในปทมการระบาดของโรคน คอป ค. ศ. 2006-2007มาศกษาหาความไวของเชอตอยาปฏชวนะ พบวาเชอทงหมดไวตอยาจำนวนมาก เชน cephems (cefotaxime) quinolones (norfloxacinและ ciprofloxacin) และ fosfomycin ในทางตรงขามพบวาเชอทงหมดดอตอยา tetracycline (TC) และรอยละ 97 ของเชอดอตอยาstreptomycin (SM) โดยม แบบ(profile) การดอยาเปนแบบ SM-TC (จำนวน 26 ตวอยาง) เมอนำเชอมายอยดวยเอนไซม Bln I ในขบวนการ PFGE พบวา สามารถแบงเชอเปน 6 แบบ (profile) คอ แบบ G1 ถง G6 และแบงยอยไดเปน 4 cluster (I ถง IV) โดยแบบ G1ประกอบดวย เชอ 22 ตว แบบ G3 ประกอบดวย เชอ 3 ตว และแบบ G2 ประกอบดวย เชอ 2 ตว เชอทมรปแบบการดอยาเปนแบบ SM-TCและมแบบ PFGE อยในกลม G1 นนมาจากฟารมสกร 5 ฟารม (ในจำนวน 15 ฟารม) คอ ฟารม A ถง E ระหวางทมการระบาดของโรคนในปค. ศ. 2006-2007 จากการศกษาสามารถสรปไดวา ความชกของโรคซลโมเนลโลซสในฟารมสกร คดเปนรอยละ 0.02 และเปนเชอSalmonella Choleraesuis ทดอตอยา SM-TC ในระหวางป 2005-2008 ในจงหวด Gunma ประเทศญปน เชอนทำใหเกดโรคทงในสกรและคนและมความจำเปนตองใชยาปฏชวนะในการรกษา ดงนนควรมการศกษาเรองการดอยาของเชอนในสกรตอไป คำสำคญ: การดอตอยาปฏชวนะ จโนทยป สกร เชอซลโมเนลลา Abstract We studied the prevalence of swine salmonellosis and PFGE genotype of isolates in Gunma Prefecture,Japan. Between 2005 and 2008, swine salmonellosis was confirmed in 430 of 2,707,402 (0.02%) swine atslaughterhouses. All isolates were identified as deriving from Salmonella Choleraesuis, biotype Choleraesuis (negativefor H2S production). We used 30 bacterial strains from 15 farms that had experienced outbreaks in 2006 and 2007. Allstrains were susceptible to various antibiotics such as cephems (cefotaxime), fluoroquinolones (norfloxacin andciprofloxacin), and fosfomycin. On the other hand, all strains were resistant to tetracycline (TC), and 29 of 30 (97%)strains were resistant to streptomycin (SM). The most predominant profiles were those of SM-TC (26 strains). DuringBln I digestion, 30 strains showed 6 profiles on PFGE as G1 to G6, and each profile was assigned into 1 of 4 clusters (Ito IV). The most prevalent profile was G1 (22 strains), followed by G3 (3 strains), and G2 (2 strains). Strains showingthe same antimicrobial resistance profiles (SM-TC) and the same PFGE profiles (G1) were isolated from 5 of 15 farms(A to E) during the 2006 and 2007 outbreaks. In conclusion, the prevalence of swine salmonellosis caused by SM-TCresistant-S. Choleraesuis biotype Choleraesuis is around 0.02%, as determined by infection rate at pig farms between2005 and 2008 in Gunma prefecture. S. Choleraesuis usually causes systemic infections in swine and humans andantimicrobial treatment is necessary. The antimicrobial susceptibility of Salmonella in swine should be surveyedfurther. Keywords: antimicrobial resistance, genotyping, pig, Salmonella