Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Thermodynamic Study of Adsorption of Phenol, 4-Chlorophenol, and 4-Nitrophenol on Activated Carbon Obtained from Eucalyptus Seed

Activated carbons from shell eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus) were prepared by chemical activation through impregnation with solutions of two activators: sulfuric acid and sodium hydroxide, the surface areas for activated carbons with base were 780 and 670 m2 g−1 and the solids activated with acid were 150 and 80 m2 g−1. These were applying in adsorption of priority pollutants: phenol, 4-nitrophenol, and 4-chlorophenol from aqueous solution. Activated carbon with the highest adsorption capacity has values of 2.12, 2.57, and 3.89 on phenol, 4-nitrophenol, and 4-chlorophenol, respectively, and was activated with base. In general, all carbons adsorption capacity was given in the following order: 4-chlorophenol > 4-nitrophenol > phenol. Adsorption isotherms of phenols on activated carbons were fitted to the Langmuir, Freundlich, and Dubinin-Radusckevisch-Kanager models, finding great association between them and experimental data. A thermodynamic study was performed, the exothermic nature and spontaneous nature of the adsorption process were confirmed, and the favorability of adsorption on activated carbons with NaOH was confirmed by energy relations and concluded that the adsorption process of phenolic compounds from the activated carbon obtained is physical. The pH of solutions and pH at point of zero charge of the solid play an important role in the adsorption process.
Real Exchange Rate Misalignments and Economic Performance

El presente trabajo se enmarca en un APT (Ross, 1976a) de la vertiente de Variables Macroeconomicas, que tiene la ventaja (en comparacion con Analisis Factorial) de permitir la interpretacion economica de los factores y los premios por riesgo factoriales. Similar a Burmeister y McElroy (1988), consideramos cuatro factores macroeconomicos medidos y un factor no observado; la presencia de factores no observados es una generalizacion del trabajo previo de Chen, Roll y Ross (1986). Partiendo del modelo de factores, la Teoria de Precios por Arbitraje (APT) impone restricciones, las que son comprobadas empiricamente en el periodo 1990-2003. Ademas, el Modelo de Valoracion de Activos de Capital (CAPM) esta anidado en el APT, lo que permite someter a prueba el modelo CAPM. Nuestros resultados son: (a) la restriccion del APT no es rechazada por los datos, (b) las sorpresas en la tasa de crecimiento del Indice Mensual de Actividad Economica (IMACEC), en el precio del cobre y en el precio del petroleo aparecen como factores con premios por riesgo estadisticamente distintos a cero en los retornos accionarios chilenos; mientras que las sorpresa en inflacion no aparecen preciadas en la muestra, y (c) el modelo CAPM es fuertemente rechazado por los datos, en favor del APT.
Isolated pliosaurid teeth from the Albian-Cenomanian (Cretaceous) of Annopol, Poland

Brachauchenine pliosaurids were a cosmopolitan clade of macropredatory plesiosaurs that are considered to represent the only pliosaurid lineage that survived the faunal turnover of marine amniotes during the Jurassic–Cretaceous transition. However, the European record of the Early to early Late Cretaceous brachauchenines is largely limited to isolated tooth crowns, most of which have been attributed to the classic Cretaceous taxon Polyptychodon . Nevertheless, the original material of P. interruptus, the type species of Polyptychodon , was recently reappraised and found undiagnostic. Here, we describe a collection of twelve pliosaurid teeth from the upper Albian–middle Cenomanian interval of the condensed, phosphorite-bearing Cretaceous succession at Annopol, Poland. Eleven of the studied tooth crowns, from the Albian and Cenomanian strata, fall within the range of the morphological variability observed in the original material of P. interruptus from the Cretaceous of England. One tooth crown from the middle Cenomanian is characterized by a gently subtrihedral cross-section. Similar morphology has so far been described only for pliosaurid teeth from the Late Jurassic and Early Cretaceous. Even though it remains impossible to precisely settle the taxonomic distinctions, the studied material is considered to be taxonomically heterogeneous.
Governance without a state: Can it work?

In this article we explore how much state is necessary to make governance work. We begin by clarifying concepts of governance and the “shadow of hierarchy” and we follow this clarification with a brief overview of empirical findings on governance research in developed countries. We then discuss the dilemmas for governance in areas of limited statehood, where political institutions are too weak to hierarchically adopt and enforce collectively binding rules. While prospects for effective policymaking appear to be rather bleak in these areas, we argue that governance research has consistently overlooked the existence of functional equivalents to the shadow of hierarchy. We assert that governance with(out) government can work even in the absence of a strong shadow of hierarchy, we identify functional equivalents to the shadow of hierarchy, and we discuss to what extent they can help overcome issues of legitimacy and effectiveness in areas of limited statehood.
Dynamic profiling through repeated surveys: a customer satisfaction study

Customer Satisfaction management has been long studied as a cross-sectional phenomenon. Today, a shift in emphasis from a static to a dynamic approach appears to be a worthwhile change, although the design and monitoring of panel data is not simple to achieve. In our paper, we propose the usage of pseudo panels, which are less costly and easy to build with the available data for the firms. Our approach is based on a model-free technique: Dual Multi- ple Factor Analysis. The synthesis of the multivariate table is visualised on a common space that sheds light on customers’ trajectories of satisfaction. A real case study of an Italian bank is illustrated. Results related to the dynamic profiling of the clients highlights highly different behaviours that warn the management of the future trends of the services.
Two-dimensional photonic crystal semiconductor lasers: computational design, fabrication, and characterization

We have designed, fabricated, and tested two-dimensional (2-D) slab photonic crystal semiconductor lasers at communication wavelengths. Wavelength-size microresonators defined on the 2-D slab photonic crystal have been effective in photon confinement and functioned well as ultra-small lasers by optical pumping. The photonic crystal laser structures that we have tested have shown large quality factors and low thresholds.
11 Day

Excess of boron in soil and irrigation water is a se rious constrain to crop production in many areas of the World as well as in Turkey. A pot experiment was carri ed out with to screen safflower cultivars in order t o investigate the effects of boron toxicity stress on early growth and ions composition. Three safflower c ultivars (Carthamus tinctorius cv. Balci, Yenice, Remzi Bey) were grown in pots cont aining alkaline and potassium rich soil, additionally supplemented with 0, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64 and 128 mg kg –1 boron. Chlorophyll content of all cultivars decreased with excessive bo ron levels. Plant height, shoot fresh and dry weight significantly increased at 4 mg kg –1 boron level followed by sharp decline with the other tr atments. Boron content of cultivars increased and the highest amou nt was observed at 128 mg kg –1 boron level. Sodium content of all cultivars gradually increased with in crease in B concentration. Whereas, potassium and c lcium content reduced with increased B. Phosphorus co ntent of all cultivars were least at 128 mg kg boro n level. Results revealed that cv. balci appeared to tolerant to boron in soil up to 32 mg kg –1 and can be recommended for growing and breeding material for boron rich soils of Central Anatolia.
Determination of nutritional composition of Enteromorpha intestinalis and investigation of its usage as food

Bu calismada Mugla Akyaka Kadin Azmagi’indan toplanan yesil makroalg Enteromorpha intestinalis ’in besinsel kompozisyonunun mevsimsel olarak belirlenmesi ve gida amacli kullaniminin tespiti amaclanmistir. Ortam kosullari ve ardindan etuvde kurutma isleminden sonra, E. intestinalis cay, corba ve baharat seklinde hazirlanmis ardindan duyusal degerlendirmeye alinmistir. Besinsel kompozisyon analiz sonuclarina gore; ancak E. intestinalis ‘in icerdigi daha yuksek miktarda protein, ilkbaharda kul ve C vitamini, sonbaharda coklu doymamis yag asitleri nedeniyle, kullanim alanina bagli olarak 12 ay boyunca degerlendirilebilecegi dusunulmektedir. Duyusal analiz bulgularina gore ise; elde edilen urunler Turk damak tadina cok yakin olmasa da, urunlerin farkli iceriklerle cesitlendirilmesinin kabul edilebilirliklerini arttirdigi sonucuna varilmistir .
Modelling long-term fire occurrence factors in Spain by accounting for local variations with geographically weighted regression

Abstract. Humans are responsible for most forest fires in Europe, but anthropogenic factors behind these events are still poorly understood. We tried to identify the driving factors of human-caused fire occurrence in Spain by applying two different statistical approaches. Firstly, assuming stationary processes for the whole country, we created models based on multiple linear regression and binary logistic regression to find factors associated with fire density and fire presence, respectively. Secondly, we used geographically weighted regression (GWR) to better understand and explore the local and regional variations of those factors behind human-caused fire occurrence. The number of human-caused fires occurring within a 25-yr period (1983–2007) was computed for each of the 7638 Spanish mainland municipalities, creating a binary variable (fire/no fire) to develop logistic models, and a continuous variable (fire density) to build standard linear regression models. A total of 383 657 fires were registered in the study dataset. The binary logistic model, which estimates the probability of having/not having a fire, successfully classified 76.4% of the total observations, while the ordinary least squares (OLS) regression model explained 53% of the variation of the fire density patterns (adjusted R2 = 0.53). Both approaches confirmed, in addition to forest and climatic variables, the importance of variables related with agrarian activities, land abandonment, rural population exodus and developmental processes as underlying factors of fire occurrence. For the GWR approach, the explanatory power of the GW linear model for fire density using an adaptive bandwidth increased from 53% to 67%, while for the GW logistic model the correctly classified observations improved only slightly, from 76.4% to 78.4%, but significantly according to the corrected Akaike Information Criterion (AICc), from 3451.19 to 3321.19. The results from GWR indicated a significant spatial variation in the local parameter estimates for all the variables and an important reduction of the autocorrelation in the residuals of the GW linear model. Despite the fitting improvement of local models, GW regression, more than an alternative to "global" or traditional regression modelling, seems to be a valuable complement to explore the non-stationary relationships between the response variable and the explanatory variables. The synergy of global and local modelling provides insights into fire management and policy and helps further our understanding of the fire problem over large areas while at the same time recognizing its local character.
Woodpecker Nest Survival in Burned and Unburned Managed Ponderosa Pine Forests of the Northwestern United States

Abstract. Woodpeckers are particularly susceptible to habitat changes resulting from forest management because of their reliance on trees and snags for nesting and foraging. However, the influence of habitat variables on the reproductive success of woodpeckers has received less attention than it has in other avian taxonomic groups. We estimated nest-survival rates for the White-headed Woodpecker (Picoides albolarvatus), Hairy Woodpecker (P. villosus), and Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) in managed ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) forests along the eastern slope of the Cascade Range in Washington, 2005–2010. Using a model-selection framework, we found that the most supported models included terms for a quadratic effect of date and habitat type for the Hairy Woodpecker, a negative effect of percent shrub cover for the White-headed Woodpecker, and a negative linear effect of date and habitat type, a negative linear effect of snag density, and a positive linear effect of tree density for the flicker. Survival rates over the entire cycle (laying + incubation + nestling stages) were 0.51 in unburned stands and 0.41 in burned stands for the Hairy Woodpecker, 0.70 for the White-headed Woodpecker, and 0.41 in unburned stands and 0.80 in burned stands for the flicker. In both habitats of our study survival rates of Hairy Woodpecker nests are lower than those reported in other studies, while those of White-headed Woodpecker nests are comparable to those reported in other areas of that species' range.
Information Technology (IT) Knowledge and Skills of Accounting Graduates: Does an Expectation Gap Exist? (Pengetahuan dan Kemahiran Teknologi Maklumat (IT) Siswazah Perakaunan: Adakah Wujud Jurang Jangkaan?)

The present research explores the expectation gap in information technology (IT) skills development in an accounting degree course using grounded theory methodology. Data were collected using multiple qualitative approaches, including interviews; focus groups; observations; and document reviews, focusing on respondents at one traditional university in the UK and involving respondents from one of the big four accounting firms operating in the UK. The findings indicate that some of the required understanding and skills relating to accounting, tax and auditing software is lacking, suggesting an expectation gap. Different opinions concerning who should assume the responsibility for the development of the IT skills of the graduates; the understanding concerning the nature of IT skills; unclear expectations; and a lack of communication among stakeholders in accounting education are the factors perceived to cause the existence of such a gap. The findings also reveal that educators, as major players in the education process, should initiate a platform to promote communication among all stakeholders in educations, including potential employers and students, so that skills needs and expectations can be clearly identified and communicated, thus bridging the gap.
Extracción de características de la cubierta vegetal del viñedo mediante imágenes RGB y RGIR obtenidas de forma dinámica

Diversas investigaciones han intentado resolver el problema de identificacion de frutos u hojas mediante imagenes digitales, pero solo lo han logrado parcialmente. Por esto, el objetivo de este trabajo es explorar una metodologia de identificacion que permita estimar areas de hojas y racimos en vinedos, empleando imagenes en el espectro visible (RGB) y en el infrarrojo cercano (RGIR). El problema de la identificacion fue abordando por dos vias, forma y color. En el caso de la identificacion por forma se empleo la transformada circular de Hough y en el de la identificacion por color se emplearon las tecnicas de clasificacion no supervisada denominadas kmeans y Fuzzy c-means. Se determino que la clasificacion mediante k-means sobre el espacio L*a*b*, para imagenes RGB y sobre el indice SAVI en las imagenes RGIR, son las tecnicas mas adecuadas. En cuanto a la identificacion por forma, esta resulto aplicable solo en condiciones muy particulares
Methods to enhance the efficiency of Quality Management Systems (QMS) in both aerospace and automobile industry

Quality Management Systems (QMS) that incorporate with the Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) are tactical to any manufacturer’s business that provides absolute insight to field use, manufacturing and service information. This information helps to advance the design of the future product and the production optimization which allows faster ramp up in the manufacturing sector. This continuously improves quality and helps the manufacturing processes to diminish waste and decrease per-product costs. Quality Management Systems (QMS) can categorize potential problems before the quality issues occur when incorporated efficiently as part of the closed-loop quality method which proactively monitors events in any enterprise source. Enterprise sources comprise of supplier problems, manufacturing nonconformance, complaints, and services—both globally and locally. The combined capabilities provide risk evaluation, corrective action, and preventative methods, and hence reduce the impact of quality recalls.AS9100 Standard stands out as the first international attempt to devise quality management system standard for the aerospace industry specifically. The standardized systems include Six Sigma, Total Quality Management (TQM) and Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) is three major systems implemented by major manufacturing companies will be conferred here in this paper.
Implicaciones hidrológicas de la deforestación de tierras abandonadas: simulación del balance del agua en una pequeña cuenca de montaña Mediterránea = Hydrological implications of afforestation of abandoned lands: water balance simulation of a small Mediterranean mountainous basin

The intense human activity suffered by Mediterranean mountainous areas till 50 years ago induced important geoecological modifications that played a significant hydrological and geomorphological role during agricultural land use and still have relevant consequences after land abandonment. Reforestation of these areas is perceived to suppose in the next future a senous water management problem, but more research is needed to quantify the magnitude of the hydrological implications of this change. This paper presents a simulation model made to analyze the role that vegetation cover changes can play on water resowces. This simulation model compares the actual hydrological behaviour of a small mountainous catchment covered by grassland with its behaviour modeled considering that the whole area is covered by a Pinus sylvestris stand. Simulation results during a sensitivity analysis, with forest water consumption parameters taken from literature, show that differences in vegetation cover can modify all the water balance components but effect especially both quickfiow and baseflow. The differences depend much more on the parameters used for the simulation of interception than on those used for stomatal control of transpiration.
Decision Making in an Intracellular Genetic Classifier

A model for an intracellular genetic classifier is introduced and studied to investigate how cellular decision making will function under the stochastic conditions. In particular, this provides a basis to investigate whether a binary classification under the effects of intrinsic noise is still possible. More precisely, a mathematical model of a genetic classifier is derived using a standard approach using Hill functions and its dynamical properties are explored. Classification mechanism is studied considering the effects of low copy number of mRNA and proteins in terms of the degree of cooperativity, inputs and transcription rates. It is shown that the intrinsic noise blurs the separation line between the classification classes, but the influence of stochasticity is qualitatively different for the case of monostable or bistable dynamics. Finally, potential applications are discussed.
Optimal Product Proliferation in Monopoly: A Dynamic Analysis

The monopolist’s incentives towards product proliferation are evaluated in an optimal control model considering three alternative regimes: profit-seeking; social planning; and a hybrid case with monopoly pricing and a regulator setting product innovation to maximise welfare. In equilibrium, the profit-seeking firm supplies a socially suboptimal number of varieties to reduce cannibalisation while the social planner exploits the same effect to satisfy consumers’ love for variety and decrease the market price of all products. In terms of the Schumpeter vs Arrow debate on the relationship between market structure and innovation incentives, the results obtained in this model have a definite Arrovian flavour
Investigation of carbon nanotube quantum dots connected to ferromagnetic leads

The implementation of ferromagnetic contacts in complex nanoelectronic devices, e.g. in spin-valves bears great potential for applications and fundamental investigations. Spin-valves are structures with two magnetic contacts and a non-magnetic medium (M) in-between, where a step-like change in magnetoresistance (MR) is observed when the relative orientation of the strip magnetization is changed by an external magnetic field. There is already a very successful use of the electron spin in electronic devices for magnetic field sensing for example in read-and-write heads of computer hard discs. Another upcoming application of spin valves are for example non-volatile random-access memories (MRAMs) for data storage. However, electronic devices which use the electron spin directly, like in a spintransistor or as quantum bits requires materials for the non-magnetic medium exhibiting long coherence times and electrical tunability. Carbon based materials like graphene or carbon nanotubes are due to their intrinsic large coherence times in principle ideal candidates for spintronic devices, as demonstrated in nonlocal spin-accumulation experiments on graphene or in electrically tunable spin valves on carbon nanotubes. Especially the observation of a gate dependent magneto-resistance in carbon nanotube quantum dots contacted with ferromagnetic leads in 2005 by S. Sahoo promises an electrical control over spin transport. These devices analog to field-effect transistors might pave the way for multi-functional spintronic devices. However, the implementation of ferromagnetic contacts in nanoelectronic devices has been a proven challenging task due to the complex nature of ferromagnets and interfaces, where oxidation, surface roughness and mesoscopic details may induce uncontrolled instabilities in transport measurements. Spintransport experiments on carbon nanotube quantum dots suffer mainly from irreproducibilities in the magneto resistance and from the low yield of electrical contacts to the nanotube. Therefore in this thesis carbon nanotube quantum dots connected to ferromagnetic leads are investigated, focusing on the fabrication of stable devices with higher contact yields and first experiments on stable devices. This allows for further investigations of the not well understood gate dependence of the magneto resistance in such devices. Moreover with such stable devices, even more complex experiments or applications like detectors for spin entanglement can become possible.