Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The ionizing star of the North America and Pelican nebulae

We present the results of a search for the ionizing star of the North America (NGC 7000) and the Pelican (IC 5070) nebulae complex. The application of adequate selection criteria to the 2MASS JHKS broad-band photometry allows us to narrow the search down to 19 preliminary candidates in a circle of 0 ◦ 5 radius containing most of the L935 dark cloud that separates both nebulae. Follow-up near-infrared spectroscopy shows that most of these objects are carbon stars and mid-to-late-type giants, including some AGB stars. Two of the three remaining objects turn out to be later than spectral type B and thus cannot account for the ionization of the nebula, but a third object, 2MASS J205551.25+435224.6, has infrared properties consistent with it being a mid O-type star at the distance of the nebulae complex and reddened by AV � 9.6. We confirm its O5V spectral type by means of visible spectroscopy in the blue. This star has the spectral type required by the ionization conditions of the nebulae and photometric properties consistent with the most recent estimates of their distance. Moreover, it lies close to the geometric center of the complex that other studies have proposed as the most likely location for the ionizing star, and is also very close to the position inferred from the morphology of cloud rims detected in radio continuum. Given the fulfillment of all the conditions and the existence of only one star in the whole search area that satisfies them, we thus propose 2MASS J205551.25+435224.6 as the ionizing star of the North America/Pelican complex.
EFFECTS OF TRANSVERSE DISTRIBUTION OF HEAVY VEHICLES ON THICKNESS DESIGN OF FULL-DEPTH ASPHALT PAVEMENTS

One of the most important parameters involved in the design of road pavements is the expected traffic load. This factor has a direct bearing on the thickness requirements of the pavement. For practical purposes, only the loading from heavy-goods vehicles should be considered as, in comparison, the loading from private cars has a negligible effect. When deciding on the layer thicknesses of a road pavement, it is essential to know whether the traffic will be concentrated in one wheel path, or distributed across the width of the traffic lane. When commercial vehicles travelling along a roadway use wheel paths that are transversely distributed across the traffic lane (lateral shifts of the wheel path), the pavement is less severely loaded at representative points in the cross section than when the vehicles all follow the same wheel path (uniform wheel path). The Road and Hydraulic Engineering Division of the Dutch Department of Public Works has carried out further research into the phenomenon of transversely distributed heavy-goods vehicles and the ffect of lateral shifts of the wheel path on the design of flexible pavements. The study was particularly concerned with investigating how this phenomenon relates to roads with a full-depth asphalt pavement with specific material properties.
Acceleration and Pickup Ring of Energetic Electrons Observed in Relativistic Magnetic Reconnection Simulations

Pickup ring of energetic electrons found in relativistic magnetic reconnection (MR) driven by two relativistic intense femtosecond laser pulses is investigated by particle simulation in 3D geometry. Magnetic reconnection processes and configurations are characterized by plasma current density distributions at different axial positions. Two helical structures associated with the circular polarization of laser pulses break down in the reconnection processes to form a current sheet between them, where energetic electrons are found to pile up and the outflow relativistic electron jets are observed. In the field line diffusion region, electrons are accelerated to multi-MeV with a flatter power-law spectrum due to MR. The development of the pickup ring of energetic electrons is strongly dependent upon laser peak intensities.
Toward Small-Scale Wind Energy Harvesting: Design, Enhancement, Performance Comparison, and Applicability

The concept of harvesting ambient energy as an alternative power supply for electronic systems like remote sensors to avoid replacement of depleted batteries has been enthusiastically investigated over the past few years. Wind energy is a potential power source which is ubiquitous in both indoor and outdoor environments. The increasing research interests have resulted in numerous techniques on small-scale wind energy harvesting, and a rigorous and quantitative comparison is necessary to provide the academic community a guideline. This paper reviews the recent advances on various wind power harvesting techniques ranging between cm-scaled wind turbines and windmills, harvesters based on aeroelasticities, and those based on turbulence and other types of working principles, mainly from a quantitative perspective. The merits, weaknesses, and applicability of different prototypes are discussed in detail. Also, efficiency enhancing methods are summarized from two aspects, that is, structural modification aspect and interface circuit improvement aspect. Studies on integrating wind energy harvesters with wireless sensors for potential practical uses are also reviewed. The purpose of this paper is to provide useful guidance to researchers from various disciplines interested in small-scale wind energy harvesting and help them build a quantitative understanding of this technique.
Behavioural Study of Captive Sloth Bears Using Environmental Enrichment Tools

Effects of environmental enrichment on behavioural changes were studied in five captive sloth bears kept in confined enclosure at Zoological Park, Chennai, India. Behavioural categories like active, passive, and abnormal behaviours were taken for the study. The activity budget was recorded as a single animal scan. The detailed baseline data of 150 hours, over a period of 30 days, were collected. At baseline, bears exhibited passive and more abnormal behaviours. Similarly, after application of the environmental tools like honey-log, underground food pipes, and wobbling box in the enclosure, the data were collected for 150 hours (30 days). Increased active behaviours and decreased abnormal behaviours were observed and showed highly significant changes in the abnormal behaviour as a whole when compared to the baseline level. During the postenrichment period, the data that were collected for 150 hours (30 days) showed no significant differences statistically between the behavioural categories. But certain level of difference was evident from the percentage of abnormal behaviours exhibited by individual bears. Among the enrichment devices, honey-log was the most preferred enrichment tool as revealed by the percentage of time spent by individual animal. The results show that application of enrichment tool continuously may bring long term effect in stereotypic behaviour.
The habitat type and trophic state determine benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages in lowland shallow lakes of China

Benthic macroinvertebrates play important roles in shallow lake ecosystems. Several studies based on qualitative comparisons of the amount of macrophytes were carried out to relate benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages to habitat conditions in shallow lakes. Our main aim was to analyze the effects of habitat type and trophic state on taxonomic composition and abundance of benthic macroinvertebrates in lowland shallow lakes based on quantitative classification of habitat types. The benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages were investigated in eight shallow lakes of eastern China in four seasons. A total of 33 species was collected from these lakes, including four Oligochaeta, eight Chironomidae, eight Gastropoda, four Bivalvia and nine other miscellaneous species. According to the ratio of the dry weight of macrophytes to the dry weight of phytoplankton, the study lakes were separated into three lake types; macrophytedominated, transitional, and algae-dominated regions. The total abundance of macroinvertebrates was significantly higher in the group of algae-dominated regions than in the macrophyte-dominated regions. Scrapers had the highest abundance in the macrophyte-dominated regions. Univariate and multivariate analyses results showed that abundance, biomass and characteristic species of benthic macroinvertebrates were affected by their habitat types. The abundance and biomass of macroinvertebrates showed significant positive correlations with the trophic state index (TSI). TSI and turbidity were significantly correlated with DC1 (Axis 1 of detrended correspondence analysis), while Chlorophyll a and the ratio of the dry weight of macrophytes to the dry weight of phytoplankton were significantly correlated with DC2. The findings indicated that the habitat type and trophic state were the key factors determining the structure of macroinvertebrate assemblages in lowland shallow lakes. Our study was one of the few studies that had demonstrated the distinct influence of habitat type on macroinvertebrate assemblages in shallow lakes according to the ratio of the dry weight of macrophytes to the dry weight of phytoplankton.
Electricity Energy Saving in Indonesia Households: A Look at Communication Campaign Programs and the Importance of Environmental Attitudes to Help Address the Electricity Crisis

The objectives for electricity-saving in the household sector created by Government of Indonesia are quite demanding . This study was used to encourage households ( n = 884 ) in Depok, Indonesia to reduce their direct electricity use to explore the potential for achieving those targets. The purpose of this analysis was to find out whether the environmental attitudes act as a moderator between mass media exposure and interpersonal communication on electricity-saving behavior. The preliminary finds that mass media exposure is not directly related to environmental attitudes. O n t he other hand, i nterpersonal communication has linkages to the environmental attitudes and electricity-saving behavior among households . However, environmental attitudes are also believed to be one of the important factors that do a major role. When assessing the importance of mass media exposure and interpersonal communication on electricity-saving behavior, this occurs because the environmental attitudes was not the role of moderator . We conclude that by discussing the implications for the targeting of policy measures to tap the e lectricity- saving potential in households, it is necessary to examine changes in electricity-saving behavioral determinants. Communications cultural context of Indonesian society to change environmental attitudes and their behavior can use a small group communication preceded the use of mass media in furthering the message of energy conservation and electricity-saving.
Preliminary results on associations between leptin gene (LEP) and some reproduction performance traits of boars

Summary Studies on porcine genome contributed to identification of polymorphic loci of the genes that may influence the level of reproduction-related traits. The LEP gene codes for leptin – a protein secreted to blood from adipocytes, important for food intake, energy expenditure, and immune response; the protein also influences some functions of mammalian reproductive system. The aim of this study was to determine the polymorphism of HinfI in the leptin gene and its effect on selected qualitative and quantitative traits of the semen. The analyses included 54 AI boars, which had been derived from crossing Duroc with Pietrain breeds. The genotypes were established with PCR-RFLP. Two alleles LEP/HinfI were identified: LEP T (152 bp) and LEP C (68 and 84 bp) with the frequencies 0.713 and 0.287 respectively. The genotype frequencies were as follows: LEP
Determinants and Uses of Remittances to Southern and Eastern Mediterranean Countries: Insights from a New Survey

In this paper, we analyze the determinants and the final use of remittances of migrants settled in France sending remittances to the southern Mediterranean and Sub-Saharan African countries. Research using microdata is very scarce in this region; we rely on a specially designed survey (2MO) we conducted in 2007-2008 of 1,000 people who remit to the three Maghreb countries, to Turkey and to the countries of Sub-Saharan Africa. We also use a second survey conducted by the French Ministry of Social Affairs and Health (DREES) which includes a sample of 3,500 people from the regions we are interested in. DREES microdata set enables us to understand who is more likely to remit (extensive margin). 2MO microdata allows an analysis of remittance behavior amongst those who remit (intensive margin) including sum and reported final use of remittances (housing, investment, current expenditures). Using these two microdatasets, we examine the likelihood to remit across the different waves of immigrants, the motivations to remit and the intended final use of remittances to highlight behavior differences between the different waves of immigration on the one hand, and on the other hand, the importance of looking beyond classical variables to better understand remittance behavior and its changing nature.
Suppression of Phytophthora infestans in Potatoes by Foliar Application of Food Nutrients and Compost Tea

The efficacy o f co mpost tea (CT), fo od nutrients (F D), a nd manzate (MZ) a pplied foliarly against l ate blight ( Phytophthora i nfestans) of potato ( Solanum tuberosum L.) 'Green Mountain' and 'Russet Burbank' was evaluated in greenhouse trials conducted in N ew B runswick, Canada. Percent of late blight incidence and severity were assessed four weeks after treatment and inoculation. Relative to the untreated cont rol treatments, MZ r educed l ate bl ight severity by 92% and 99 %; CT reduced severity by 29% and 27 %; and FD reduced severity by 22 and 35% in ' Green Mountain' and ' Russet Burbank', respectively. In a separat e st udy on the cul tivar 'Shepody' c omprising of 13 different treatments including combinations of compost tea and f ood nutrients, treatment with a combination of compost tea and seaweed extract r esulted in 36 % reduction i n l ate b light severity relative t o the inoculated control treatment. The combinations of CT + whey, CT + potassium bicarbonate, CT + Neptune's, and CT + organic gem reduced disease severity by 2 1, 1 0, 1 0, an d 5%, re spectively, relative to the inoculated control t reatment. The results of t his stud y sh ed the light o n the potentially positive effect of combinations of compost tea and f ood nutrients as an alternative, relatively cheap, and e nvironmentally safe tool for late blight control in potatoes. Such new tools are essential for fungicide resistance management.
Meshless Local Petrov-Galerkin Micromechanical Analysis of Periodic Composites Including Shear Loadings

In this paper the meshless local Petrov-Galerkin (MLPG) method is used in the micromechanical analysisof a unidirectionalfiber composite. The methods have been extended to include shear loadings, thus permitting a more complete micromechanical analysis of the com- posite subjected to combined loading states. The MLPG formulation is presented for the analysis of the representative volume element (RVE) of the periodic composite containing material dis- continuities. Periodic boundary conditions are imposed between opposite faces of the RVE. The treatment of periodic boundary conditions in the MLPG method is handled by using the multipoint constraint technique. Examples are presented to illustrate the effectiveness of the current model, and it is validated by comparing the results with available analytical and numerical results. The current method shows a great potentialin applica- tions to compositematerial analysis, especially in micromechanics of composites, wherein the com- plexities of meshing can be avoided. Keyword: Composite Materials; Elastic Con- stants; Meshless Local Petrov-Galerkin (MLPG) Method; Micromechanical Analysis; Periodic Boundary Conditions
Chemical composition of fine and coarse aerosol particles in the Central Mediterranean area during dust and non-dust conditions

A two-month field campaign was carried out from May to June 2010 at a remote site (Trisaia ENEA Research Centre) in the Southern Italy aiming to identify and quantify the changes of aerosol chemical composition in the presence of Saharan dust. The 24-hr PM_(10) and PM_(2.5) filter samples were analyzed by mass, carbonaceous species, inorganic ions and elemental composition. Saharan dust transport events were identified with two approaches: one recommended by EC (2011) and one based on indicators derived from measurements. Three indicators were used: PM_(2.5)/PM_(10) mass concentrations ratio, Ca/Al ratio and Al concentration. Based on these criteria, four Saharan dust transport events were identified, but only one had elevated dust concentration and leaded to an exceedance of the European short-term (24 hour) limit value of 50 μg/m^3 for PM_(10) (June 16^(th)). The comparison of chemical composition of fine and coarse aerosol fractions during dust and non-dust conditions shows that the presence of dust increases NH_4 and nssSO_4 concentrations in the fine fraction and NO_3 and nssSO_4 concentrations in the coarse fraction. OC and EC concentrations also increase in the fine fraction during dust transport. The uptake of primary and secondary species, inorganic and organic, by dust particles changes their composition and, thus, their properties and this may have implications for human health and climate change.
Screening for Malnutrition and Nutritional Care in HIV-Infected Children Followed up in the Pediatric Unit of CNHU-HKM in Cotonou

Abstract Objective: This study aims to screen malnutrition and assess the effect of systematic nutritional care on the growth of HIV-infected children followed up in the Pediatric Unit of the HKM National University Teaching Hospital (CNHU HKM) in Cotonou. Method: It is a pilot intervention, descriptive and prospective survey, which was conducted from September 15, 2014 to August 28, 2015 with an exhaustive sampling. Results: 96 children were included in the study. Sex ratio was 1. On inclusion, malnutrition frequency was 11.45% for severe malnutrition, 15.62% for moderate malnutrition.72. 93% of children had a good nutritional status. Comorbidity was found in 29.16% of children 6 months before the intervention started. Among the children included, 71% were at WHO clinical stage 1. At the end of the study, 51.04% were lost to follow up and severe malnutrition frequency was 4.25%, the one of moderate malnutrition was 12.76%, and 82.99% of children followed up enjoyed a good nutritional status. Factors associated with malnutrition were WHO clinical stage (p = 0.00), micronutrient supplementation (p = 0.02) and immunological stage (p = 0.01). Conclusion: In HIV-infected children receiving ART, nutritional support should be compulsory in order to improve child care in the different cohorts.
Mandated Versus Negotiated Severance Pay

While most of the literature on employment protection has focused on government-mandated severance pay, it has recently been documented that a substantial share of severance payments derives from private contracts or collective agreements. This paper studies the determination of these payments. We analyze the problem of joint bargaining over wages and severance payments and examine the impact of unions on these choices. To do so, we use a search and matching model with risk averse workers, in which we assume that workers may be unionized and that bargaining is over wages and severance pay. Bargaining results in levels of severance pay providing full insurance, which depend on the generosity of unemployment benefits and on the job finding rate. Unions opt for higher levels of severance pay given that their higher wage demands imply reduced job creation. Calibrated to 8 European economies, the model predicts bargained levels of severance pay which are close to those found in reality.
International Monetary Transmission, a Factor-Augmented Vector Autoregressive (FAVAR)Approach: The Cases of Mexico and Brazil

This paper studies whether and how U.S. monetary shocks are transmitted to emerging economies utilizing as samples Mexico and Brazil. A Factor-Augmented Vector Autoregressive (FAVAR) methodology is employed to take advantage of the wide array of variables that can be included in this model to provide a more accurate picture of the transmission process. The results suggest that differences exist in the transmission of foreign monetary shocks. This implies that no generalizations can be made even for countries of equal economic size and in the same geographic region. When international transmission does exist, as it is in the case of Mexico, it induces large responses in several macroeconomic variables. Interest rate is the main channel of transmission, with some impact on the trade channel. Although little transmission exists in the case of Brazil, it appears that this country slightly benefits from U.S. contractional monetary shocks. In the Brazilian case, the channel of transmission appears to be interest rates.
Foreign Aid and Fiscal Policy

Foreign aid has been on a downward trend since at least the early eighties. Despite the commitments of donor governments, the GDP share of foreign aid for DAC countries has fallen to slightly more than 0,2% in the early part of this decade. The purpose of this paper is to explore the macro determinants of the amount of foreign aid. Surprisingly enough, not much attention has been devoted in the literature to this issue. Most of the research has focussed either on the effectiveness of aid ("does aid promote growth and help alleviating poverty"? ) or to the cross country allocation of a given amount of foreign aid ("is foreign aid motivated by donor's political and commercial interests or by recipients' needs"? ). In both cases, the total aid budget is taken as given and its determinants remain therefore unexplored. Our main finding is that the size of the budget aid is a function of the donor country's fiscal situation, even after controlling for the government's political orientation, the cyclical position of the donor economy, and its income per capita level. In light of these results, we argue that advocates of foreign aid should strongly lobby in favour of fiscal discipline. The alternative strategy of pushing for a more lenient budgetary treatment of foreign aid may be loaded with risks, and even turn to be counterproductive, particularly if the list of "virtuous" exceptions becomes exceedingly long. This is exactly what seems to have happened with the revision of the Stability and Growth pact.
Bregman $f$-Projection Operator with Applications to Variational Inequalities in Banach Spaces

Using Bregman functions, we introduce the new concept of Bregman generalized -projection operator , where is a reflexive Banach space with dual space is a proper, convex, lower semicontinuous and bounded from below function; is a strictly convex and Gâteaux differentiable function; and is a nonempty, closed, and convex subset of . The existence of a solution for a class of variational inequalities in Banach spaces is presented.
Enhanced terahertz detection by localized surface plasma oscillations in a nanoscale unipolar diode

By using a two-dimensional ensemble Monte Carlo method, we have studied the terahertz-frequency response of a self-switching device (SSD), which is a semiconductor rectifier consisting of an asymmetric nanochannel. The simulations reveal that the performance can be improved by adjusting the shape and dielectric material filling of the insulating trenches that define the SSD. We show that the rectified current of the SSD has a nonmonotonic frequency dependence with a pronounced peak occurring just below the cutoff frequency. Through optimizations of the geometry, the peak current can reach twice that at low frequencies, enabling not only a higher detection sensitivity but also a degree of frequency selectivity. The effect is discussed in terms of a localized surface plasma oscillation in the asymmetric nanostructure.