Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Efficiency of the Market for Racetrack Betting

Many racetrack bettors have systems. Since the track is a market similar in many ways to the stock market one would expect that the basic strategies would be either fundamental or technical in nature. Fundamental strategies utilize past data available from racing forms, special sources, etc. to "handicap" races. The investor then wagers on one or more horses whose probability of winning exceeds that determined by the odds by an amount sufficient to overcome the track take. Technical systems require less information and only utilize current betting data. They attempt to find inefficiencies in the "market" and bet on such "overlays" when they have positive expected value. Previous studies and our data confirm that for win bets these inefficiencies, which exist for underbet favorites and overbet longshots, are not sufficiently great to result in positive profits. This paper describes a technical system for place and show betting for which it appears to be possible to make substantial positive profits and thus to demonstrate market inefficiency in a weak form sense. Estimated theoretical probabilities of all possible finishes are compared with the actual amounts bet to determine profitable betting situations. Since the amount bet influences the odds and theory suggests that to maximize long run growth a logarithmic utility function is appropriate the resulting model is a nonlinear program. Side calculations generally reduce the number of possible bets in any one race to three or less hence the actual optimization is quite simple. The system was tested on data from Santa Anita and Exhibition Park using exact and approximate solutions that make the system operational at the track given the limited time available for placing bets and found to produce substantial positive profits. A model is developed to demonstrate that the profits are not due to chance but rather to proper identification of market inefficiencies.
The role of wild hosts (wild pigs and ticks) in the epidemiology of African swine fever in West Africa and Madagascar.

African swine fever (ASF) adversely affects pig production in Sub-Saharan Africa. In southern and eastern Africa, the virus is maintained in populations of wild pigs (Phacochoerus africanus) and soft ticks from the Genus Ornithodoros. The bushpig (Potamochoerus larvatus) has also been showed to be asymptomatically infected by the virus. In other parts of the African continent such as West Africa or Madagascar, the role of wild suids has not been demonstrated. The objectives of this study were to investigate the existence of a sylvatic cycle and its potential impact on the epidemiology of ASF in Senegal and Madagascar. Samples from Malagasy bushpigs and Senegalese warthogs have been collected from areas of interface between domestic and wild pigs where ASF had been reported and analyzed for anti-ASF antibodies (ELISA)and viral DNA (PCR). Ticks were collected in pig farms and near wild suids resting areas, and their infection status with ASFV was determined using PCR. In addition, sera from wild suids and domestic pigs were tested for anti-tick antibodies (ELISA). The preliminary results obtained so far suggest that the epidemiologic cycle of ASF in Senegal and Madagascar does not involve the warthog-tick-domestic pig transmission described in East and South Africa.
Concentrated Family Ownership Structures Weakening Corporate Governance: A Developing Country Story The Case of Indonesian Companies

This research, project examines the effect of ownership structures on corporate governance. De-tailed analysis allowed for the identification of the ultimate owner by carefully tracing the chain of owner-ship. Our findings show that 62.86% of Indonesian firms are controlled by the owners who have a majority ownership and that 63.81% of firms are owned by an individual or group of family members. These ownership structures are mote inhibited than most other countries (Claessens et al. 2000). Yet, the percentage of independent board (commissioners) is only 39.12%. A majority of independent board members remains a rare event in Indonesia. Multiple regression analysis reveals that both ownership type and identity are moderately significant predictors for board Independence. Ownership structures In Indonesia do influence the level of board independence. This Indonesian pattern is a somewhat extreme but not uncommon scenario in Asian financial markets. Western solutions may not be applicable or effective. New rules and regulations may be needed to provide more protection of the smaller investors. Key words: Ownership structures, governance, developing countries
The influence of climate change, site type, and disturbance on stand dynamics in northwest British Columbia, Canada

Stand and disturbance dynamics are key processes that need to be assessed along with climate-species interactions if we are to better understand the impacts of climate change on species. In this study we investigated the biotic interactions (competition) between species, the influence of disturbance type, and changes in resource availability (moisture and light) on the response of six tree species to climate change in the northwest region of central British Columbia, Canada. Two ecological models were parameterized, linked together and coupled to climate change scenarios to explore the interactions between: (1) the response of species in the regeneration phase and (2) the role of disturbance, resource availability and competition on determining stand composition and productivity. Climate change was found to reduce soil moisture availability which resulted in a decline in regeneration potential for all species on dry sites and negative to neutral responses on sites with higher water availability. Following fire, stand dynamics and composition were modeled to undergo significant changes under the 2080s climate compared to current climate conditions on dry and mesic sites. Changes in stand dynamics under climate change were marginal following bark beetle disturbances. While significant changes to stand dynamics were found on dry sites, the presented results suggest that the sites with the highest moisture availability maintain the same general stand dynamics and composition following disturbances under climate change. This study highlights the need to consider species response to climate change in interaction with existing stand conditions, disturbance type, competition, resource availability, not just temperature and precipitation.
The Measurement of Learning in the Museum

With increased interest in the educational role of museums, learning in museums and its measurement have become important questions. The most frequently used measures in museums are attracting power and holding power; but measures used by educators are of time on task, knowledge gained, thinking and problem- solving skills, motivation or attitudes, and creativity. The objective of this study was to delineate and to evaluate measures of learning applicable to museum experience. Different kinds of museums—fine arts, natural history, science, and centres of interpretation—promote different kinds of learning, but all pay attention to specific measures of learning: knowledge gain and thinking. Plus on s’interesse au role educatif des musees, plus l’apprentissage dans les musees et les instruments de mesure connexes prennent de l’importance. Les criteres de mesure souvent retenus dans les musees sont le pouvoir d’attraction et de retention; les educateurs, eux, considerent plutot le temps consacre a la tâche, les connaissances acquises, la pensee et l’aptitude a resoudre des prob- lemes, la motivation ou les attitudes et la creativite. L’etude presentee dans cet article visait a distinguer et a evaluer les mesures de l’apprentissage applicables a l’experience museale. Les divers types de musees—musees des beaux-arts, de sciences naturelles, des sciences et de la technologie, centres d’interpretation— privilegient differents types d’apprentissage, mais tous accordent de l’importance a deux criteres de mesure, l’acquisition des connaissances et la pensee.
Delft University of Technology Comparing overflow and wave-overtopping induced breach initiation mechanisms in an embankment breach experiment

As part of the SAFElevee project Delft University of Technology collabored with Flanders Hydraulics Research, and Infram B.V. in the preperation and execution of a full scale embankment breach experiment in November 2015. This breach experiment was performed on an 3.5m high embankment with a sand core and clay outer layer situated along the tidal river Scheldt in Belgium near Schellebelle. During the experiment a wave overtopping simulator and overflow simulator were used to initiate a breach. Both simulators were placed near the top of the waterside slope. The use of the simulators facilitated comparison between the effects of continueous overflow and the effects of intermittent wave overtopping. This paper presents the data collected during the experiment, describe the development of hypotheses on the failure processes using the latest insights, and comment on the failure initiation process of a grass covered flood embankment with a clay outer layer and a sandy core.
Capital Flight and Economic Growth in Iran

Beginning in the mid-1980s, the phenomenon of capital flight from developing countries received considerable attention in the economics literature. Capital flight destroys the domestic macroeconomic environment and decreases transparency and accountability. It restricts financial resources when a country is looking for economic growth and development. The purpose of this article is to measure the amount of capital flight in Iran during 1981-2012, and to investigate the long-run effects of estimated capital flight on the Iranian economic growth in this period. To do so, the amount of capital flight in Iran has been measured using World Bank (1985) and Erbe (1985) approach. Then, the Auto-Regressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) procedure has been applied in order to estimate a growth equation. Results show that capital flight has a negative impact on economic growth in Iran. JEL Classification: O4, E22, C01.
Identification of the Long-Run Determinants of U.S.-Canada Softwood Lumber Trade

This paper uses monthly data from 1994 to 2016 in order to analyze the time series properties of the determinants of Canadian softwood lumber exports to the United States. The key findings generally support the hypotheses of previous studies with the exception of the significance of bilateral exchange rate movements. Based on dynamic ordinary least square estimates and several robust cointegraton tests, the paper finds that the estimated coefficients of exchange rate, softwood lumber price ratio and the two softwood lumber trade agreements are highly sensitive to the lag order used in econometric models. On the other hand, the coefficient of housing starts index remains independent of the variation in number of lags included. In addition, we study the long-run response of Canadian exports of lumber to shocks in these determinants by generating impulse response functions.
LONG - TERM EFFECT OF ORGANIC MATERIALS AND FERTILIZERS ON SOIL PROPERTIES IN PEARL MILLET-WHEAT CROPPING SYSTEM

An investigation was undertaken to study the effect of long- term application of inorganic fertilizers and organic materials (farmyard manure, wheat straw and green manure) on soil physico-chemical properties, soil organic carbon, nutrient availability and crop yield after 22 cycles of pearl millet and wheat at Research Farm of CCS HAU, Hisar. The experiment consisted of five treatments including control, inorganic fertilizers alone, and fertilizers along with organic materials to substitute 50% N through farmyard manure (FYM), wheat straw and green manure (Sesbania aculeata). Continuous use of FYM, wheat straw and green manure in conjunction with fertilizers increased the soil organic carbon (OC), hydraulic conductivity, available N, P K status and wheat yield, and decreased soil bulk density, soluble salts and pH. Among organic materials, FYM resulted in highest OC (0.54%), available N (242.8 kg/ha), available P (17.7 kg/ha) and available K (318.5 kg/ha) level in soil. In general, the application of organic materials reduced the soil bulk density by 3.3% as compared to the fertilizers alone. Among different treatments, the grain and straw yield of wheat was highest where FYM (50% of N) was applied with fertilizers than the application of wheat straw, green manure or inorganic fertilizers alone. The results suggest that integrated use of inorganic fertilizer in combination with organic materials facilitates soil physical and chemical environment congenial for achieving higher crop productivity under pearl millet-wheat cropping system.
Stellar populations, neutral hydrogen, and ionised gas in field early-type galaxies

Aims. We present a study of the stellar populations of a sample of 39 local, field early-type galaxies whose H I properties are known from interferometric data. Our aim is to understand whether stellar age and chemical composition depend on the H I content of galaxies. We also study their ionised gas content and how it relates to the neutral hydrogen gas. Methods. Stellar populations and ionised gas are studied from optical long-slit spectra. We determine stellar age, metallicity and alpha-to-iron ratio by analysing a set of Lick/IDS line-strength indices measured from the spectra after modelling and subtracting the ionised-gas emission. Results. We do not find any trend in the stellar populations parameters with M(H I). However, we do find that, at stellar velocity dispersion sigma = 230 km s(-1) -objects is centrally rejuvenated independently of their H I mass. Concerning the ionised gas, we detect emission in 60% of the sample. This is generally extended and always characterised by LINER-like emission-line ratios at any radius. We find that a large H I mass is necessary (but not sufficient) for a galaxy to host bright ionised-gas emission. Conclusions. A plausible interpretation of our results is that gas-rich mergers play a significant role in E/S0 formation, especially at lower sigma. Within this picture, H I-poor, centrally-rejuvenated objects could form in mergers where gas angular-momentum removal (and therefore inflow) is efficient; H I-rich galaxies with no significant age gradients (but possibly uniformly young) could be formed in interactions characterised by high-angular momentum gas.
Importance of Social Media in Online Marketing and Use of Eye-Tracking Methods in Online Shopping

English The main objective of this study is examining how different attributes, presented in Internet sales on Facebook, can influence a consumer’s behavior. The study was done in collaboration with a fashion store called Mania and a marketing and research company called MMR. An emphasis was imposed on five independent variables, the position of the price and size tags, whether the size and price were mentioned or not and the prevalence of a human model. In addition to that, the total fixation time was explored, in regards to a difference between men and women. Tobii’s 1750 eye scanner device was used in real life setting to measured how much the attributes affected the total fixation time participants had on the product. Participants in the study were students at Reykjavik University in the year 2014. A hierarchical multiple regression was done to test if the main attributes in the study significantly predicted the length of the total fixation time. The results showed that three out of five independent variables had a significant impact on the dependent variable or the total fixation time. The results also showed that there was a significant difference between male and female fixation duration, with male participants in general looking longer than female participants. Based on the results it can be concluded that the prevalence of the human model, and when size is not revealed, has a positive effect on the participant‘s attention duration. Abstract – Icelandic Icelandic Meginmarkmið þessarar rannsoknar er að kanna hvernig mismunandi eiginleikar, sem koma fram i netsolu a Facebook, hafa ahrif a hegðun neytenda. Rannsoknin var gerð i samstarfi við fataverslunina Maniu i Reykjavik og markaðs og miðlunar fyrirtaekið MMR. Athugað var hvernig staðsetning a verði og staerð verðmiðans hafi ahrif a skynjun neytandans hvort verð og staerð vorunnar vaeru tekin fram og hvort tilvist fyrirsaetu hafi ahrif a heildar skynjun neytandans. Einng var athugað hvort munur vaeri a skynjun a milli kynja. Notast var við Tobii 1750 augnskanna til þess að maela skynjun þatttakanda. Þatttakendur i rannsokninni voru nemendur við Haskolann i Reykjavik. Stigveldis marghliða aðhvarfsgreining var gerð til þess að kanna hvernig frumbreyturnar i rannsokninni spa fyrir heildar skynjunartima þatttakanda. Niðurstoður sýndu að þrjar af fimm frumbreytum hofðu markaek ahrif a heildar skynjunartima þatttkanda. Niðurstoður sýndu einnig að munur vaeri a milli kynja, en karlmenn horfa að meðaltali lengur a voru heldur en kvennmenn. Ut fra niðurstoðum rannsoknarinnar ma alykta að tilvist fyrirsaetu og það að staerðin se ekki tekin fram hafi jakvaeð ahrif a athygli þatttakanda.
Descriptions of Difficult Conversations between Native and Non-Native English Speakers: In-Group Membership and Helping Behaviors

This study illustrated the perceptions of native English speakers about difficult conversations with non-native English speakers. A total of 114 native English speakers enrolled in undergraduate communication courses at a regional state university answered a questionnaire about a recent difficult conversation the respondent had with a non-native English speaker. A thematic analysis of their responses revealed that helping occurred when the non-native speaker was considered to be a customer, in-group member, or “fellow human being. ” Helping behavior was characterized by actions that fostered understanding between the interactants and aided the non-native speaker in completion of a task or goal. Non-helping occurred when the non-native speaker was considered to be an out-group member violating role expectations or cultural norms.
Response of halocarbons to ocean acidification in the Arctic

The potential effect of ocean acidification (OA) on seawater halocarbons in the Arctic was investigated during a~mesocosm experiment in Spitsbergen in June–July 2010. Over a period of 5 weeks, natural phytoplankton communities in nine ~50 m3 mesocosms were studied under a range of pCO2 treatments from ~185 μatm to ~1420 μatm. In general, the response of halocarbons to pCO2 was subtle, or undetectable. A large number of significant correlations with a range of biological parameters (chlorophyll a, microbial plankton community, phytoplankton pigments) were identified, indicating a biological control on the concentrations of halocarbons within the mesocosms. The temporal dynamics of iodomethane (CH3I) alluded to active turnover of this halocarbon in the mesocosms and strong significant correlations with biological parameters suggested a biological source. However, despite a pCO2 effect on various components of the plankton community, and a strong association between CH3I and biological parameters, no effect of pCO2 was seen in CH3I. Diiodomethane (CH2I2) displayed a number of strong relationships with biological parameters. Furthermore, the concentrations, the rate of net production and the sea-to-air flux of CH2I2 showed a significant positive response to pCO2. There was no clear effect of pCO2 on bromocarbon concentrations or dynamics. However, periods of significant net loss of bromoform (CHBr3) were found to be concentration-dependent, and closely correlated with total bacteria, suggesting a degree of biological consumption of this halocarbon in Arctic waters. Although the effects of OA on halocarbon concentrations were marginal, this study provides invaluable information on the production and cycling of halocarbons in a region of the world's oceans likely to experience rapid environmental change in the coming decades.
The Mean Metal-line Absorption Spectrum of Damped Lyα Systems in BOSS

We study the mean absorption spectrum of the Damped Lyα (DLA) population at z ∼ 2.6 by stacking normalized, rest-frame-shifted spectra of ∼27,000 DLA systems from the DR12 of the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS)/SDSS-III. We measure the equivalent widths of 50 individual metal absorption lines in five intervals of DLA hydrogen column density, five intervals of DLA redshift, and overall mean equivalent widths for an additional 13 absorption features from groups of strongly blended lines. The mean equivalent width of low-ionization lines increases with NH i, whereas for high-ionization lines the increase is much weaker. The mean metal line equivalent widths decrease by a factor ∼1.1–1.5 from z ∼ 2.1 to z ∼ 3.5, with small or no differences between low- and high-ionization species. We develop a theoretical model, inspired by the presence of multiple absorption components observed in high-resolution spectra, to infer mean metal column densities from the equivalent widths of partially saturated metal lines. We apply this model to 14 low-ionization species and to Al iii, S iii, Si iii, C iv, Si iv, N v, and O vi. We use an approximate derivation for separating the equivalent width contributions of several lines to blended absorption features, and infer mean equivalent widths and column densities from lines of the additional species N i, Zn ii, C ii*, Fe iii, and S iv. Several of these mean column densities of metal lines in DLAs are obtained for the first time; their values generally agree with measurements of individual DLAs from high-resolution, high signal-to-noise ratio spectra when they are available.
Adversarial Multiple Source Domain Adaptation

While domain adaptation has been actively researched, most algorithms focus on the single-source-single-target adaptation setting. In this paper we propose new generalization bounds and algorithms under both classification and regression settings for unsupervised multiple source domain adaptation. Our theoretical analysis naturally leads to an efficient learning strategy using adversarial neural networks: we show how to interpret it as learning feature representations that are invariant to the multiple domain shifts while still being discriminative for the learning task. To this end, we propose multisource domain adversarial networks (MDAN) that approach domain adaptation by optimizing task-adaptive generalization bounds. To demonstrate the effectiveness of MDAN, we conduct extensive experiments showing superior adaptation performance on both classification and regression problems: sentiment analysis, digit classification, and vehicle counting.
A Parsimonious Approach to Incorporating Economic Information in Measures of Potential Output

A popular strategy for estimating output gaps is to anchor them to structural economic relationships. The resulting output gaps, however, are often highly sensitive to numerous auxiliary assumptions inherent in the approach. This complicates their use in policymaking. We illustrate the point using the Phillips curve, arguably the most popular structural relationship in this context. Depending on the specification, we show that conditioning on this relationship either introduces a trend in the output gap - which is conceptually unappealing - or has little effect on it - which defeats the purpose of the exercise. Moreover, the estimated gaps perform poorly in real time, with large ex-post revisions. The opaqueness of the approach, which increases greatly with the dimension of the estimated system, can mask these problems. In order to address these limitations, we propose a more parsimonious and transparent approach to embedding economic information that is less vulnerable to misspecification. As an illustration, we apply the corresponding parsimonious multivariate filter to US data. We find that proxies for the financial cycle, notably credit growth, but also unemployment contain significant information and help generate robust real-time output gap estimates.