Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Closing the Gap in Undergraduate Supply Chain Education through Live Experiential Learning

With the supply chain industry suffering from a lack of available managerial talent, U.S. companies are stepping up efforts to recruit qualified and skilled professionals from universities. The supply chain industry will need to fill about 1.4 million new jobs over the next four years, but there are concerns regarding where the talent will come from given that demand greatly exceeds supply. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that employment for supply chain management will increase by 20 percent through 2018, which is nearly twice as fast as the 11 percent average for all industries combined. The Georgia Center of Innovation also reports that the U.S. will be short one million supply chain workers in 2016 alone. Related to the talent shortage, industry has also made clear that they are struggling to evolve their supply chain processes to match business needs. Nearly a third of all supply chain processes are inadequate, according to research from Crimson & Co. In response to these industry demands, Western Michigan University’s Integrated Supply Management Program has placed a strong focus on process management through lean problem-solving techniques. This paper reflects on the industry factors that are currently hampering the process of matching new college graduates with professional positions. It also describes how WMU’s ISM undergraduate program is successfully bridging those gaps and preparing its students by partnering with local businesses on live experiential learning projects.
Four Visions of Democracy: Powell's Elections as Instruments of Democracy and beyond

The article critically reviews the conceptual ideas of G. Bingham Powell's Elections as Instruments of Democracy and explores ways to develop them further. Powell's conceptual alternative to the Westminster model – the ‘proportional’ vision of democracy – comes in two variants, one focusing on proportional representation (PR) and the other on proportional legislative influence. If one focuses on the former, it is possible to distinguish four visions of parliamentary democracy based on the main stage at which majorities are formed. The four stages are: party, alliance, cabinet, and law formation. The corresponding normative visions can be placed on a conceptual continuum between ‘simple’ and ‘complex’ majoritarianism. This article discusses the goals and trade-offs associated with them as well as their underlying institutional designs. It also re-emphasises Powell's insight that the congruence between policy makers and the median voter in a unidimensional policy space is a more appropriate normative standard for some visions of democracy than for others.
Characterization of Fosinopril Natrium-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin Inclusion Complex

LAURA SBARCEA1*, LUCRETIA UDRESCU2, LIANA DRÃGAN1, CRISTINA TRANDAFIRESCU1, VIOREL SASCA3, PAUL BARVINSCHI4, MARIUS BOJITA5 1 “Victor Babeo” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Departament of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, 2 Eftimie Murgu Square, 300041, Timiooara, Romania 2 “Victor Babeo” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Departament of Drug Analysis, 2 Eftimie Murgu Square, 300041, Timiooara, Romania 3 Romanian Academy, Chemistry Institute, 24 Mihai Viteazu Blvd, 300223, Timiooara, Romania 4 West University of Timiooara, Faculty of Physics, 4 Vasile Pârvan Blvd, 300223, Timiooara, Romania 5 “Iuliu Haþieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Departament of Drug Analysis, 6 Louis Pasteur St., 400015, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
A tale from the field: Reflexivity during management research in an African-based development organisation

This article is a product of the reflexive experience of data collection and analysis in a development organisation in Uganda. Several studies provide helpful debates about managing people in Africa. However, existent literature seldom covers pertinent issues related to collecting and analysing ethnographic data reflexively in African-based organisations. And yet, critical self-scrutiny and reflexivity to account for the researcher’s identity in the research processes is vital for the quality of the findings. The key research questions for this paper are: how does the identity of an African researcher who was trained in ‘Western’ management theories, worked in an organisation in Africa, and then educated within a ‘Western’ setting affect the character of data generated? And does such as researcher fully become ‘one of them’, or effectively remain an independent researcher? This paper discusses the process and results of the reflexive process through which answers to these questions were explored.
Controlling chaotic dynamics of a continuous ecological model Abstract In this paper a technique of controlling chaotic behavior of a three species food chain model with Sokol-Howell functional response by involving intraspecific competition

In this paper a technique of controlling chaotic behavior of a three species food chain model with Sokol-Howell functional response by involving intraspecific competition is discussed. The model is proved to be dissipative in the positive octant. Controlling conditions of chaotic behavior of the system are carried out. Stability analysis of the equilibrium points is analyzed. Lyaponuv exponents and bifurcation diagrams are used to study the complex dynamics of the model. The impact of the intraspecific competition in the dynamics of the foodchain model with Sokol-Howell response is investigated theoretically as well as numerically.
Title A SCO-based tower crane system for prefabrication

Prefabrication construction has been increasingly applied to the construction industry. Automation and intelligentization of construction site and construction objects has become the fore for the development of the prefabrication construction. In this study, a SCO-based tower crane system, as the core resource site on the critical path of prefabrication construction, is proposed to make the cranes more intelligent and efficient. A set of smart units are applied to the tower cranes and prefabricated components to make them into Smart Construction Objects (SCOs), enabling the functions of awareness, communicativeness and autonomy. The smart tower crane could “talk” with prefabrication components through sensors and real-time wireless connections. A system operation flow is developed for fetching and placing target components. The SCO-based tower crane system can provide the operation instruments, real-time traceability of the components, and necessary warning. The system is being tested in a pilot project, which is delivered through BIM and prefabrication construction. It is envisaged that the SCO-based tower crane system could significantly improve the safety performance and operation efficiency of the tower crane operations in prefabrication construction.
A study of awareness on cervical cancer and prevalence of pathological leucorrhoea among women in rural Chennai

The non-communicable diseases are showing increasing trend while majority of the communicable diseases are decreasing in most of the developing countries. NCDs are the leading cause of death globally and were responsible for up to 68% of global deaths in the year 2012. Almost three quarters of all NCD deaths (28 million) occurred in low and middle income countries. India is categorized as a lower middle income country according to the World Bank income groups.
Mechatronic design and genetic-algorithm-based MIMO fuzzy control of adjustable-stiffness tendon-driven robot finger

Abstract. This work presents a detailed design of a three-jointed tendon-driven robot finger with a cam/pulleys transmission and joint Variable Stiffness Actuator (VSA). The finger motion configuration is obtained by deriving the cam/pulleys transmission profile as a mathematical solution that is then implemented to achieve contact force isotropy on the phalanges. A VSA is proposed, in which three VSAs are designed to act as a muscle in joint space to provide firm grasping. As a mechatronic approach, a suitable type and number of force sensors and actuators are designed to sense the touch, actuate the finger, and tune the VSAs. The torque of the VSAs is controlled utilizing a designed Multi Input Multi Output (MIMO) fuzzy controller. The fuzzy controller input is the force sensors' signals that are used to set the appropriate VSA torque. The fuzzy controller parameters are then tuned using a genetic algorithm as an optimization technique. The objective function of the genetic algorithm is to avoid unbalance torque in the individual joints and to reduce the difference between the values of the supplied VSAs torques. Finally, the operation of the aforementioned finger system is organized through a simple control algorithm. The function of this algorithm is to enable the detection of the unknown object and simultaneously automatically activate the optimized fuzzy controller thus eliminating the necessity of any external control unit.
Personal and situational factors as the predictors of risk taking propensity in the sample of Lithuanian students

Background, purpose. The current study is based on the combination of situational and individual approaches to risk propensity through consideration of individual responses to different risk domains. The main goal of the investigation is to find out the interaction between several personality and situation factors as the predictors of students’ risk-taking propensity, measured as a complex phenomenon – dispositional and behavioural. Material and methods. In order to investigate the relationship between gender, extraversion, emotional stability, social desirability, rigidity, and risk-taking propensity we sampled 253 students from two Lithuanian universities. Each participant was asked to complete a questionnaire, which consisted of socio-demographic information, Eysenck’s personality questionnaire, two risk-taking propensity measures (dispositional and behavioural) – Kogan and Wallach’s Choice Dilemma Questionnaire and behavioural risk-taking scale. Results. Results revealed that dispositional risk-taking propensity was higher among the students with higher extraversion and higher rigidity, but neuroticism, as well as social desirability, was not associated with dispositional risk-taking propensity. Students with higher levels of extraversion and rigidity and with lower levels of social desirability were more prone to behavioural risk-taking. Gender differences as well as the differences in health, monetary, ethical and social risk areas were discussed. Conclusions. Personal factors (personality traits and gender) add to the prediction of risk-taking propensity in different domains (physical, monetary, ethical and social), still the explanatory value of the prediction is not robust and measurement approach to risk-taking propensity (behavioural or dispositional) might moderate the results.
THE EFFECT OF OPEN SPACES ON A HOME'S SALE PRICE

The relationship between a home's sale price and its proximity to different open spaces types is explored using a data set comprised of single-family home sales in the city of Portland, within Multnomah County, between 1990 and 1992. Homes located within 1,500 feet of a natural area park, where more than 50% of the park is preserved in native and/or natural vegetation, are found to experience, on average, the largest increase in sale price. The open space size that maximizes a home's sale price is calculated for each open space type. Natural area parks require the largest acreage to maximize sale price, and specialty parks are found to have the largest potential effect on a home's sale price. A zonal approach is used to examine the relationship between a home's sale price and its distance to an open space. Natural area parks and specialty parks are found to have a positive and statistically significant effect on a home's sale price for each zone studied. Homes located adjacent to golf courses (within 200 feet) are estimated to experience the largest increase in sale price due to open space proximity although the effect drops off quickly as distance from the golf course increases. Copyright 2001 Western Economic Association International.
Livelihood Strategies of Indigenous Nationalities in Nepal : A Case of Chepangs

This paper analyses the livelihood strategies adopted by the Chepangs, a highly marginalized indigenous nationalities of Nepal. Household survey was conducted in Shaktikhor Village Development Committee (VDC) in Chitwan district and Handikhola VDC in Makawanpur district among 120 randomly selected households. Additional information was collected through participatory techniques. Six major livelihood sources were identified viz., farming, wage laboring, forest, handicrafts, skilled non-farm jobs, and remittance. Farming forms the mainstay of livelihood for majority of the households. Skilled non-farm jobs and remittances are comparatively more remunerative livelihood sources, however it forms primary livelihood source for only a few households due to lack of education, assets possession, investment capital and skills. Diversification is adopted as the livelihood strategy by entire households. Combination of farming, wage laboring, and forest is the most dominant strategy although it derives lower income. This implies that the households are constrained from adopting the more remunerative livelihood options. Policies and development efforts should be aimed at improving farming, access to forest resources, and promoting non-farm opportunities for sustainable livelihoods of the Chepangs. 100 Luni PIYA, Keshav Lall MAHARJAN and Niraj Prakash JOSHI
Predicting Sexual Satisfaction from Self-Objectification and Alcohol Consumption

This study was conducted to examine if gender, self-objectification and alcohol consumption were predictors of sexual satisfaction. It was expected that females would self-objectify more than males and self-objectification would negatively relate to satisfaction. It was expected that drinking alcohol would also negatively relate to satisfaction. Undergraduate participants (n=235) who reported a heterosexual sexual encounter within the past three months completed an online survey. Multiple linear regression analyses were conducted separately for males and females. It was found that gender was not a predictor of satisfaction; self-objectification did however negatively relate to sexual satisfaction for males and females, and alcohol consumption at most recent sexual encounter also negatively related to sexual satisfaction. Alcohol consumption over the last month did not negatively relate to satisfaction. Control variables included gender, BMI, year in school, and relationship status.
PATHOLOGICAL EFFECT OF LOW GRADE AFLATOXICITY IN BROILERS

Experimental mycotoxicoses was induced into broiler chickens by feeding 100 and 150 ppb aflatoxin from 0 to 45 days of age to evaluate the gross and histopathological changes. Grossly, the liver was enlarged, icteric, mottled soft and friable. Histopathologically, the liver showed hepatomegaly, focal necrosis, degenerative changes of hepatic cell, icteric mucous membranes, petechial haemorrhages, diffuse centrilobular necrosis, fatty change, chronic toxicity resulted in cirrhosis and bile duct hyperlpasia. Renal parenchyma showed degeneration and necrosis of tubules with focal lymphocytic infiltration in kidneys. In lungs shows congestion and oedema. Brain was showed occasional congestion & vacuolation. Spleen was congested and slightly increased in size. Bursa of fabricius was showed slight congestion throughout the study. Thus from above observations it was concluded that aflatoxin fed at 100 and 150 ppb have adverse effect on general health of broilers.
Geographical distribution of the cryptic species Agrodiaetus alcestis alcestis, A. alcestis karacetinae and A. demavendi (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) revealed by cytogenetic analysis

Agrodiaetus alcestis (Zerny, 1932) and A. demavendi (Pfeiffer, 1938) be- long to the "brown" complex of the genus Agrodiaetus Hubner, 1822. This complex includes several cryptic species which are extremely uniform in wing colouration and genitalia structure, but have distinct chromosome numbers. In this paper we analyse karyotypes of A. alcestis karacetinae Lukhtanov et Dantchenko, 2002 and A. demav- endi in populations from Iran. We demonstrate that A. alcestis karacetinae and A. de- mavendi are sympatric in the provinces Esfahan, Lorestan, Hamadan, Kurdestan, Ker- manshah, and Markazi. The haploid chromosome number of A. alcestis karacetinae is found to be n=19 in all the populations studied. The karyotype of A. demavendi is not stable. The lowest chromosome numbers n=63-67 is observed in the south of the re- vealed distribution range (provinces Esfahan and Lorestan). The highest chromosome numbers (n=73-74) is found in Northwestern Iran in provinces Kurdestan and Zanjan. We also confi rm that A. alcestis sensu lato appears as a polyphyletic taxon on the Bayesian phylogenetic tree inferred from the mitochondrial COI barcodes and should be most likely divided in two different species: A. alcestis sensu stricto and A. karacet- inae. The new data on occurrence of A. admetus and A. ripartii in Iran are discussed.
A STUDY ON HUMIDITY DISTRIBUTION IN A ROOM

It is well known that humidity influences cooling load, thermal comfort and durability of buildings and various items in them. Many works on prediction of humidity variation in a room have regarded the humidity as unique in a space. However, it does depend on air movement. This paper describes calculations of minute moisture distributions in a room affected by moisture buffering of porous walls. The air velocity distribution is calculated by CFD using two different turbulence models. Then the heat and vapor transient transport in walls and space is calculated. This shows that moisture distribution is not negligible. The difference between the two turbulence models is also determined.
Formal verification of dynamic hybrid systems: a NuSMV-based model checking approach

Software security is an important and challenging research topic in developing dynamic hybrid embedded software systems. Ensuring the correct behavior of these systems is particularly difficult due to the interactions between the continuous subsystem and the discrete subsystem. Currently available security analysis methods for system risks have been limited, as they rely on manual inspections of the individual subsystems under simplifying assumptions. To improve this situation, a new approach is proposed that is based on the symbolic model checking tool NuSMV. A dual PID system is used as an example system, for which the logical part and the computational part of the system are modeled in a unified manner. Constraints are constructed on the controlled object, and a counter-example path is ultimately generated, indicating that the hybrid system can be analyzed by the model checking tool.
At-Home Convenience Food Consumption and BMI

A variation of the household production theory was used to select relevant explanatory variables for the demand for convenience foods. A convenience food index was used to measure the convenience in food preparation. Because of the nature of the measure of convenience, the tobit regression technique was used to examine the importance of these explanatory variables to the demand for convenience foods. Results show that the presence of children in a household increases the demand for convenience, especially in those households that have children of different age groups. Results show that the number of end dishes eaten is positively related to the demand for convenience foods and primary users of convenience foods are non-black, single, and higher income respondents.
Oligomerization of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in membranes with DHA-enriched domains

OF THE THESIS Oligomerization of Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors in Membranes with DHA-Enriched Domains by KRISTEN N. WOODS Thesis Director Dr. Grace Brannigan The nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) is an excitatory neurotransmitter receptor that mediates muscle functioning by forming nAChR-associated, lattice networks. At the neuromuscular junction (NMJ), synaptic and intracellular proteins, notably Agrin, MusK, and rapsyn, ultimately stabilize these highly dense networks. Interestingly, experimental evidence suggests that cholesterol-rich domains, known as lipid rafts, facilitate signaling among Agrin-Musk and rapsyn, and their presence is essential for healthy nAChR clustering. In spite of their importance, the structural and functional mechanisms of lipid domains are currently unknown. Alongside cholesterol, Docosahexaenoic acid omega-3 fatty acids (DHA-PUFAs) are prevalent at the NMJ, correlate with domain formation, and strongly promote neuronal health. In the present study, we computationally explored the role of DHA-PUFAs on nAChR clustering in the presence and absence of lipid domains. Within coarse-grained (CG) model membranes, nAChRs consistently partitioned into flexible, liquid-disordered domains; boundary lipids were rich in DHA-PUFAs regardless of the number of nAChR molecules, but preventing domain formation also reduced the likelihood of these acyl chains aggregating around nAChR. Taken together, our findings suggest that by inducing domain
Carbon stocks and flows in forest ecosystems based on forest inventory data

Countries are currently reporting changes in carbon pools of forests to UNFCCC. According to the reporting guidelines methods should be transparent and verifi able, and also the quantifi cation of the uncertainty is asked. The objective of the thesis was to develop methods for quantifying carbon stocks and fl uxes at national scale based on forest inventory data. To estimate tree biomass of forests, representative BEFs (biomass expansion factors) with uncertainty estimate were developed for Finland. A method for quantifying carbon fl ux of branches to soil was also developed. Both biomass and branch litterfall estimates were tested against independent measurements. Biomass estimation method and litterfall estimates were applied with Finnish forest inventory data to estimate carbon stocks and their changes for Finnish forests for 1922-2004. In this application main sources of litter were quantifi ed based on forest inventory data and fed into dynamic soil decomposition model in order to estimate soil carbon stocks and its changes. Application of BEFs, litterfall estimates and soil model gave time series of carbon stocks in Finnish forests. Results showed that tree carbon stock of Finland increased from 510 Tg to 780 Tg, while carbon in mineral soils increased from 850 Tg to 960 Tg during 80 year period. It was also found that there were high inter annual variation with soiland tree carbon stocks caused by harvestings and temperature. According to the results, the NPP (net primary production) of Finnish forests has increased from 0.3 to 0.4 kg m during studied period, while NBP (net biome production) was positive since 1970s. Results emphasize the importance of complete counting of changes of forest carbon pools i.e., trees, litter, soil and dead wood. Completeness will be important especially if forest management is used as a tool to mitigate climate change by enhancing carbon sinks of forests.