Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A COMBINED CAPACITY SCALING AND LOCAL BRANCHING APPROACH FOR CAPACITATED MULTI-COMMODITY NETWORK DESIGN PROBLEM

The capacitated multi-commodity network design problem (CMND) represents a generic network design model for applications used in designing construction and improvements to telecommunication, logistics, transportation, distribution, and production networks. This paper presents an approach combining capacity scaling and local branching for CMND. Capacity scaling is an approximate iterative solution approach for capacitated network problems based on the principle of changing arc capacities that depend on flow volumes on arcs. Local branching is a method of solving new restricted problems based on an exploration of solution neighborhoods defined as local branching constraints. Capacity scaling with a strong path flow based formulation including forcing constraints can produce high-quality solutions within a short period of time allotted for computation. By combined capacity scaling and local branching, the combined approach can offer one of the best current solutions compared to previous heuristics for CMND.
SIRE-DP-2015-17 Choice , Deferral and Consistency

In this paper we study decision making in situations where the individual’s preferences are not assumed to be complete. First, we identify conditions that are necessary and sufficient for choice behavior in general domains to be consistent with maximization of a possibly incomplete preference relation. In this model of maximally dominant choice, the agent defers/avoids choosing at those and only those menus where a most preferred option does not exist. This allows for simple explanations of conflict-induced deferral and choice overload. It also suggests a criterion for distinguishing between indifference and incomparability based on observable data. A simple extension of this model also incorporates decision costs and provides a theoretical framework that is compatible with the experimental design that we propose to elicit possibly incomplete preferences in the lab. The design builds on the introduction of monetary costs that induce choice of a most preferred feasible option if one exists and deferral otherwise. Based on this design we found evidence suggesting that a quarter of the subjects in our study had incomplete preferences, and that these made significantly more consistent choices than a group of subjects who were forced to choose. The latter effect, however, is mitigated once data on indifferences are accounted for.
Influence of Food Extruder Die Dimensions on Extruded Products Expansion

This paper studied the effects of food extruder die dimensions on the extrudate expansion indices using twin-screw extruder. The extruder has 59.6 mm screw diameter and screw L/D ratio of 20. The die dimensions considered are die length, die diameter and die temperature. The feed material used is yellow corn flour. Dies with diameter ranging from 2.5 – 5.0 were used to determine the effect of die nozzle diameter on extrudate expansion. Results obtained showed that radial expansion of the extrudate decreased with increasing die diameter. An average reduction of about 42% in radial expansion was recorded for a difference of 2 mm in die diameter. The overall expansion of the extrudate was not affected by changes in die diameter for all the diameters and lengths of die studied. On the contrary, increase in die diameter caused increase in the longitudinal expansion of the extrudate. The longitudinal (axial) expansion obtained with a 3mm die diameter was 0.6, which increased to 1.2 for a 4mm die diameter. The regression model shows that SME decreased with increasing die diameter. Dies with length ranging from 16 – 54mm with a constant nozzle diameter of 3mm were used to determine the effects of die nozzle length on extrudate expansion. The die length significantly influenced axial expansion of extrudate. Axial expansion increased with increase in die length. A linear regression model was developed to relate die length to extruder SME. The quadratic effect is negligible in this case and as such was not included in the regression equation. Effects of die nozzle L/D on radial expansion of extrudate during extrusion were also studied. There was an initial sharp increase in the radial expansion of the extrudate from 8.9 to 13 as the nozzle L/D ratio increased from 5.33 to 6.4. The value then dropped to 10.5. At higher L/D ratio (above 6.4), the expansion decreased. At this high L/D ratio corresponding to a high extrusion pressure, the residence times and shear rates were high enough to cleave the starch molecules and thus reduce expansion. Experimental results on the effects of die diameter and die length on flow characteristics revealed that when all other extruder conditions are kept constant, increasing the diameter of the die nozzle causes increase in the volumetric flow rate of extrudate. Flow rate decrease proportionally with increasing die length.
Envy and Generalized Loss Aversion

We suggest that, beside the classical endowment and disappointment effects, also envy can be modeled as Kahneman-Tversky loss aversion in a reference-dependent preference framework. In a risk-free setting especially suited to test for envy, a decomposition of referencedependent utility into basic utility and a disappointment evaluation function is achieved, where basic utility is recovered by diagonalization. This feature sets our approach apart from disappointment theories of Sugden (JET 2003) and Bleichrodt (JMP 2009). Empirical evidences on the ultimatum game confirm this model and shows the presence of both inequality aversion on one’s disadvantage (envy), and on one’s advantage (Bellamare et al. Econometrica 2008). We propose a common measure of loss aversion and envy for reference dependent preferences, which generalizes the index of Kobberling and Wakker (JET 2005). The class of constant loss aversion/envy coincides with that of Kahneman and Tversky. We show that Arrow-Pratt absolute risk aversion increases by the relative marginal loss aversion. This inspires further tests of the loss aversion theory of envy.
Factor analysis, knowledge management and value creation

When companies face with the effort to comply with customer needs, their prior necessity is to acquire knowledge about the most sensitive variables that can condition customer satisfaction perceptions better than others. However the analysis of the firm-customer relationships seem to be very complex, given the high number of variables that potentially influence customer satisfaction, and hence the stability of their relationship with the company. Through a case study this paper describes a process to generate explicit knowledge about the main strategic customer satisfaction’s value drivers. This process can be considered as a knowledge management tool to support the planning of specific actions about strategic resources and competencies supposed to improve customer satisfaction. The paper discusses about contributions of the study, as well as managerial implications, findings, limitations, and directions for further research. 1 Value creation and knowledge Every company, in the perceiving of its competitive advantage, needs to acquire knowledge about its customers’ needs and expectations. However the high number of variables that potentially influence customer satisfaction, and hence the stability of their relationship with the firm, render analysis of the firm-customer relationship very complex. This is particularly true in business-to-business contexts [1, 2]. Thus, the generation of knowledge is the first step in a process that leads to the development of competencies necessary to successfully manage those key variables. This paper focuses attention on the processes and instruments able to allow the knowledge discovery directly from customers, about the key factors that mostly influence their satisfaction needs, expectations and perceptions, in a context of high complexity and multidimensional relations. The execution of the process involves suppliers and key customers in knowledge sharing and externalization, and 1 University of Macerata, Department of Economic and Financial Institutions, Macerata, Italy, ncaste@unimc.it, roberto.delgobbo@unimc.it
INVESTIGATION OF FORCE TRANSFER MECHANISMS IN RETROFITTED RC COLUMNS WITH RC JACKETS CONTAINING WELDS SUBJECTED TO AXIAL COMPRESSION.

In the current research program the force transfer mechanisms are investigated in retrofitted columns containing bend down welded steel bars. It includes 6 specimens of square section (150x150x500mm) of 24,37 MPa nominal concrete strength with 4 longitudinal steel bars of 8mm diameter (500 MPa nominal strength) and different transverse reinforcement ratios (ωc= 0,075, ωc=0,15 ). All columns were subjected to initial axial compression up to maximum load. After repair with thixotropic high strength concrete, all columns were retrofitted with RC jacket of 80mm width of 31,8 MPa concrete strength, including 4 longitudinal bars of 8mm diameter (500 MPa nominal strength) and different confinement ratios (ωcj= 0,035/0,071/0,142 ) . The jacket’s longitudinal bars are welded to the ones of the core using steel bars of either 8 or 10mm diameter. To test the strengthened columns a loading pattern is selected in order to simulate the real structures, even though the experimental set up includes only axial loads (moments and horizontal loads are not examined). The behavior of specimens is investigated through P-δ, σ-ε, energy absorbed diagrams and the levels of ductility achieved. The results indicate that the initial damages affect the total behavior of the column and the capacity of the interface to shear mechanisms and to slip: a) welded bars of higher diameter present early phenomena of buckling and as a result the retrofitted columns can bear lower maximum load, b) the presence of dowel action increases the capacity of the jacketed column to transfer load through the interface.
Local-scale controls of a low-severity fire regime (1750–1950), southern British Columbia, Canada

ABSTRACT Historical low-severity fire regimes are well characterized in ponderosa pine and mixed-conifer forests at many sites in the western United States, but not in the southern interior of British Columbia, Canada. We reconstructed a history of low-severity fires (1750–1950) near the northern limit of ponderosa pine and demonstrated that local-scale spatial variation in fire frequency varied with topography and that the intra-ring position of fire scars (a proxy for fire seasonality) varied somewhat with topography but more strongly by tree species. Fires were significantly more frequent on the south than the north aspect (14 versus 24 y mean plot fire intervals, respectively), likely due to differences in fuel type and condition. Frequency did not vary with elevation, although our range of elevation is likely too narrow to detect such variation (227 m). Ring-boundary scars were 5.6 times more likely on Douglas-fir than ponderosa pine, 1.8 times more likely on north than south aspects, and 1.6 times more likely at low than high elevation. Our results confirm the importance of understanding the effect of interspecific variation and topography on cambial phenology and hence intra-ring position before inferring historical fire seasonality from fire scars. Nomenclature: Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, 2005.
Informality and Bank Credit: Evidence from Firm-Level Data

The paper relies on a firm-level data on transition economies to examine the relationship between informality and bank credit. We find evidence that informality is robustly and significantly associated with lower access to and use of bank credit. We also find that higher tax compliance costs reduce firms' reliance on bank credit, while a stronger quality of the legal environment is associated with higher access to credit even for financially opaque informal firms. An interactive term between a country-wide measure of tax compliance costs and the level of informal activity is negative and significant, suggesting that the negative association between informality and bank credit is stronger in countries with weak tax administration.
Assessment of the impact of climate change on the freshwater availability of Kaduna River basin, Nigeria

Abstract Changes in runoff trends have caused severe water shortages and ecological problems in agriculture and human well-being in Nigeria. Understanding the long-term (inter-annual to decadal) variations of water availability in river basins is paramount for water resources management and climate change adaptation. Climate change in Northern Nigeria could lead to change of the hydrological cycle and water availability. Moreover, the linkage between climatic changes and streamflow fluctuations is poorly documented in this area. Therefore, this study examined temporal trends in rainfall, temperature and runoff records of Kaduna River basin. Using appropriate statistical tools and participatory survey, trends in streamflow and their linkages with the climate indices were explored to determine their amplifying impacts on water availability and impacts on livelihoods downstream the basin. Analysis indicate variable rainfall trend with significant wet and dry periods. Unlike rainfall, temperature showed annual and seasonal scale statistically increasing trend. Runoff exhibit increasing tendency but only statistically significant on annual scale as investigated with Mann–Kendall trend test. Sen’s estimator values stood in agreement with Mann–Kendall test for all variables. Kendall tau and partial correlation results revealed the influence of climatic variables on runoff. Based on the survey, some of the hydrological implications and current water stress conditions of these fluctuations for the downstream inhabitants were itemized. With increasing risk of climate change and demand for water, we therefore recommend developing adaptive measures in seasonal regime of water availability and future work on modelling of the diverse hydrological characteristics of the entire basin.
Super-Heating and Micro-Bubble Generation around Plasmonic Nanoparticles under cw Illumination

Under illumination, metal nanoparticles can turn into ideal nanosources of heat due to enhanced light absorption at the plasmonic resonance wavelength. In this article, we aim at providing a comprehensive description of the generation of microbubbles in a liquid occurring around plasmonic nanoparticles under continuous illumination. We focus on a common situation where the nanoparticles are located on a solid substrate and immersed in water. Experimentally, we evidenced a series of singular phenomena: (i) the bubble lifetime after heating can reach several minutes, (ii) the bubbles are not made of water steam but of air, and (iii) the local temperature required to trigger bubble generation is much larger than 100 °C: This last observation evidences that superheated liquid water, up to 220 °C, is easy to achieve in plasmonics, under ambient pressure conditions and even over arbitrary large areas. This could lead to new chemical synthesis approaches in solvothermal chemistry.
Year‐to‐year variation in plant competition in a mountain grassland

1 We used a series of removal experiments to examine how species response to competition and climatic differences varied in three different years. We tested the interaction between removal of the dominant grass species, Festuca rubra, and year‐to‐year environmental variation in a mown mountain grassland. 2 In each year, we quantified shoot frequency and above‐ground biomass of all remaining plant species. Above‐ground responses were tested both by analysis of covariance and by redundancy analysis with randomization tests of changes in total species composition. 3 Analysis of above‐ground biomass data showed that other species compensated for the removal of F. rubra biomass within 2 years and that the response in total biomass of the community did not differ among years in which the experiment was started. 4 Multivariate tests showed that species composition changed as a result of the removal; grass biomass and frequency increased more than that of dicotyledons. However, response of species composition to removal of F. rubra was significantly different between onset years. Specific conditions in individual years thus affect the competitive ability of individual species in a non‐additive way. 5 Our results indicate that the year‐to‐year variation at the site has the potential to affect species coexistence and richness. As a consequence, year‐to‐year variation of climatic parameters may be an important driving factor in community dynamics and should be taken into account in studies of ecosystem response to climate.
Orientation to finance (ORTOFIN) and its relationship with residential status

The two of factors Orientation towards Finance (ORTOFIN) Scale tests the financial information and personal financial planning of the respondents. The Scale helps in identifying the personal financial management behavior of a general and non-specific nature. The present study was undertaken to test the relationship between status of residence and financial orientation using ORTOFIN Scale. Towards this the ORTOFIN scale was administered on 167 resident employed Indians and 62 expatriates working in Saudi Arabia. Since most of the expatriates work in unique situations that are often beset with risks, they have to face an uncertain future. This unique situation was hypothesized, would induce in them a different type of financial behavior, distinct from those who are settled and work in the home country. Results of the study, however, show that there is no relationship between the status of residence and financial orientation of the respondents. The results of the study are of great significance and of practical implication to those financial institutions with which expatriates are associated.
The Application of Japanese Candlestick Trading Strategies in Taiwan

The Japanese candlestick is one of the most popular technical methods used to predict future price trends based on the relationships among opening, high, low, and closing prices. By using the daily data of 25 component stocks in the Taiwan Top 50 Tracker Fund and Taiwan Mid-Cap 100 Tracker Fund from 1997 to 2006, this study tries to explore which candlesticks can be used by investors and how many holding days will be profitable for each of them. The t-tests are applied to test the profitability of the candlesticks, and ANOVA and Duncan’s multiple range test are then used to examine and compare the profitability of candlesticks and holding days. Furthermore, this study also tries to implement a stop loss strategy to improve the performance of candlesticks. The research findings provide strong evidence that some of the candlestick trading strategies do have value for investors and different candlestick needs different holding days. Meanwhile, the performance of the most candlesticks has been improved with stop loss strategy.
Applying the Theory of Planned Behavior and Media Dependency Theory: Predictors of Public Pro-environmental Behavioral Intentions in Singapore

Applying the theory of planned behavior and media dependency theory, this study examines the effects of attitude, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control (PBC), media dependency, traditional media attention, Internet attention, and interpersonal communication on two types of pro-environmental behaviors (PEBs)—green-buying and environmental civic engagement. Regression analysis of a nationally representative survey of adult Singaporeans (N = 1168) indicated that attitude, PBC, media dependency, traditional media attention, and interpersonal communication were positively associated with green-buying. Notably, traditional media attention, as well as interpersonal communication, moderated the influence of media dependency on green-buying behavior. In addition, attitude, descriptive norms, media dependency, Internet attention, and interpersonal communication positively predicted environmental civic engagement. Findings suggest the importance of communication factors in the adoption of the two PEBs.
The characterizations and representations for the generalized inverses with prescribed idempotents in Banach algebras

In this paper, we investigate the various different generalized inverses in a Banach algebra with respect to prescribed two idempotents $p$ and $q$. Some new characterizations and explicit representations for these generalized inverses, such as $a^{(2)}_{p,q}$, $a^{(1,2)}_{p,q}$ and $a^{(2,l)}_{p,q}$ will be presented. The obtained results extend and generalize some well--known results for matrices or operators.
SHORT-TIMESCALE MONITORING OF THE X-RAY, UV, AND BROAD DOUBLE-PEAK EMISSION LINE OF THE NUCLEUS OF NGC 1097

Recent studies have suggested that the short-timescale (≲ 7 days) variability of the broad (∼10,000 km s−1) double-peaked Hα profile of the LINER nucleus of NGC 1097 could be driven by a variable X-ray emission from a central radiatively inefficient accretion flow. To test this scenario, we have monitored the NGC 1097 nucleus in X-ray and UV continuum with Swift and the Hα flux and profile in the optical spectrum using SOAR and Gemini-South from 2012 August to 2013 February. During the monitoring campaign, the Hα flux remained at a very low level—three times lower than the maximum flux observed in previous campaigns and showing only limited (∼20%) variability. The X-ray variations were small, only ∼13% throughout the campaign, while the UV did not show significant variations. We concluded that the timescale of the Hα profile variation is close to the sampling interval of the optical observations, which results in only a marginal correlation between the X-ray and Hα fluxes. We have caught the active galaxy nucleus in NGC 1097 in a very low activity state, in which the ionizing source was very weak and capable of ionizing just the innermost part of the gas in the disk. Nonetheless, the data presented here still support the picture in which the gas that emits the broad double-peaked Balmer lines is illuminated/ionized by a source of high-energy photons which is located interior to the inner radius of the line-emitting part of the disk.
Migration of Massive Planets

This thesis studies themigration of massive planets with massMP ≳ . MJupiter. Planetary migration is a process that changes the semi-major axis of the planetary orbit. The gravitational forces of disturbances in the disk density created by the planet result in a torque changing the angular momentum of the planet and thus reducing or increasing its distance to the star. Planets this massive also open an annular gap in the disk. Because of the gap the torques close to the planet are reduced resulting in a slowdown of the migration. At the same time the reduced density due to the gap will have effects on the growth of the planet. For this work and the embedded publications numerical simulations were conducted with different parameters as disk density, planet mass, strength of viscosity and accretion rate in order to study themigrational behavior in detail. The results show that type II migration is not working as the simple models used today suggest. The migration rate depends on the exact properties of the disk and is not just the viscous radial speed of the gas which can be slower or faster than the migration in this models. The reason is that the gap is not able to separate the inner from the outer disk because gas can cross the gap in both directions. Even though, accretion onto the planet will not prohibit gas crossing the planet’s orbit. Furthermore, the simulations show the migration and accretion rate depend mutually on each other. Planets migrating faster can accrete more gas because more gas must cross the gap. At the same time accretion leads to a deeper gap which then reduces the torques from the region close to the planet and this way leads to slower migration. Hence, to study type II migration in numerical models both migration and accretion should be considered at the same time. Under certain circumstances this might slow down migration and thus solve current problems of giant gas planet formation.