Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Generation Capacity Expansion in a Risky Environment: A Stochastic Equilibrium Analysis

We cast models of the generation capacity expansion type formally developed for the monopoly regime into equilibrium models better adapted for a competitive environment. We focus on some of the risks faced today by investors in generation capacity and thus pose the problem as a stochastic equilibrium model. We illustrate the approach on the problem of the incentive to invest. Agents can be risk neutral or risk averse. We model risk aversion through the CVaR of plants' profit. The CVaR induces risk-adjusted probabilities according to which investors value their plants. The model is formulated as a complementarity problem (including the CVaR valuation of investments). An illustration is provided on a small problem that captures several features of today's electricity world: a choice often restricted to coal and gas units, a peaky load curve because of wind penetration, uncertain fuel prices, and an evolving carbon market. We assess the potential of the approach by comparing energy-only and capacity market organizations in this risky environment. Our results can be summarized as follows: a deterministic analysis overlooks some changes of capacity structure induced by risk, whether in the capacity market or energy-only organizations. The risk-neutral analysis also misses a shift towards less capital-intensive technologies that may result from risk aversion. Last, risk aversion also increases the shortage of capacity compared to the risk-neutral view in the energy-only market when the price cap is low. This may have a dramatic impact on the bill to the final consumer. The approach relies on mathematical programming techniques and can be extended to full-size problems. The results are illustrative and may deserve more investigation.
Linear backstepping output feedback control for uncertain linear systems

This paper presents a variation on adaptive backstepping output feedback control design for uncertain minimum‐phase linear systems. Unlike the traditional nonlinear design, the proposed control method is linear and Lyapunov‐based without utilizing overparametrization, tuning functions, or nonlinear damping terms to address parameter estimation error. Local stability of the closed‐loop system and trajectory tracking are guaranteed. If the system dimension equals to the relative degree, the global stabilization and asymptotic convergence are achieved. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
IMMERSIVE VISUALIZATION OF SAR IMAGES USING NONNEGATIVE MATRIX FACTORIZATION

Interactive visual data mining, where the user plays a key role in learning process, has gained high attention in data mining and human-machine communication. However, this approach needs Dimensionality Reduction (DR) techniques to visualize image collections. Although the main focus of DR techniques lays on preserving the structure of the data, the occlusion of images and inefficient usage of display space are their two main drawbacks. In this work, we propose to use Non-negative Matrix Factorization (NMF) to reduce the dimensionality of images for immersive visualization. The proposed method aims to preserve the structure of data and at the same time reduce the occlusion between images by defining regularization terms for NMF. Experimental validations performed on two sets of image collections show the efficiency of the proposed method in respect to controlling the trade-off between structure preserving and less occluded visualization.
Diel Migrations of Microorganisms within a Benthic, Hypersaline Mat Community

We studied the diel migrations of several species of microorganisms in a hypersaline, layered microbial mat. The migrations were quantified by repeated coring of the mat with glass capillary tubes. The resulting minicores were microscopically analyzed by using bright-field and epifluorescence (visible and infrared) microscopy to determine depths of coherent layers and were later dissected to determine direct microscopic counts of microorganisms. Microelectrode measurements of oxygen concentration, fiber optic microprobe measurements of light penetration within the mat, and incident irradiance measurements accompanied the minicore sampling. In addition, pigment content, photosynthesis and irradiance responses, the capacity for anoxygenic photosynthesis, and gliding speeds were determined for the migrating cyanobacteria. Heavily pigmented Oscillatoria sp. and Spirulina cf. subsalsa migrated downward into the mat during the early morning and remained deep until dusk, when upward migration occurred. The mean depth of the migration (not more than 0.4 to 0.5 mm) was directly correlated with the incident irradiance over the mat surface. We estimated that light intensity at the upper boundary of the migrating cyanobacteria was attenuated to such an extent that photoinhibition was effectively avoided but that intensities which saturated photosynthesis were maintained through most of the daylight hours. Light was a cue of paramount importance in triggering and modulating the migration of the cyanobacteria, even though the migrating phenomenon could not be explained solely in terms of a light response. We failed to detect diel migration patterns for other cyanobacterial species and filamentous anoxyphotobacteria. The sulfide-oxidizing bacterium Beggiatoa sp. migrated as a band that followed low oxygen concentrations within the mat during daylight hours. During the nighttime, part of this population migrated toward the mat surface, but a significant proportion remained deep.
Cesar Pereida Garcia Cache-Timing Techniques : Exploiting the DSA Algorithm

Side-channel information is any type of information leaked through unexpected channels due to physical features of a system dealing with data. The memory cache can be used as a side-channel, leakage and exploitation of side-channel information from the executing processes is possible, leading to the recovery of secret information. Cache-based sidechannel attacks represent a serious threat to implementations of several cryptographic primitives, especially in shared libraries. This work explains some of the cache-timing techniques commonly used to exploit vulnerable software. Using a particular combination of techniques and exploiting a vulnerability found in the implementation of the DSA signature scheme in the OpenSSL shared library, a cache-timing attack is performed against the DSA’s sliding window exponentiation algorithm. Moreover, the attack is expanded to show that it is possible to perform cache-timing attacks against protocols relying on the DSA signature scheme. SSH and TLS are attacked, leading to a key-recovery attack: 260 SSH-2 handshakes to extract a 1024/160bit DSA hostkey from an OpenSSH server, and 580 TLS 1.2 handshakes to extract a 2048/256-bit DSA key from an stunnel server.
Detection of Cardiac Disease using Data Mining Classification Techniques

Cardiac Disease (CD) is one of the major causes of death. An important task is to identify the Cardiac disease very minutely and precisely. Generally medical diagnostic errors are dangerous and costly. Worldwide they are leading to deaths. Data mining techniques are very important to minimize the diagnostic errors as well as to improve the patient’s safety. Data mining techniques are very effective in designing a medical support system and enrich ability to determine the unseen patterns and associations in clinical data. In this paper, the application of classification technique, decision tree for the detection of heart disease have been introduced. Classification tree uses many factors including age, blood sugar and blood pressure; it can detect the probability of patients fallen in CD by using fewer diagnostic tests which save time and money.
Dancing with the Stars: Innovation Through Interactions

An inventor's own knowledge is a key input in the innovation process. This knowledge can be built by interacting with and learning from others. This paper uses a new large-scale panel dataset on European inventors matched to their employers and patents. We document key empirical facts on inventors' productivity over the life cycle, inventors' research teams, and interactions with other inventors. Among others, most patents are the result of collaborative work. Interactions with better inventors are very strongly correlated with higher subsequent productivity. These facts motivate the main ingredients of our new innovation-led endogenous growth model, in which innovations are produced by heterogeneous research teams of inventors using inventor knowledge. The evolution of an inventor's knowledge is explained through the lens of a diffusion model in which inventors can learn in two ways: By interacting with others at an endogenously chosen rate; and from an external, age-dependent source that captures alternative learning channels, such as learning-by-doing. Thus, our knowledge diffusion model nests inside the innovation-based endogenous growth model. We estimate the model, which fits the data very closely, and use it to perform several policy exercises, such as quantifying the large importance of interactions for growth, studying the effects of reducing interaction costs (e.g., through IT or infrastructure), and comparing the learning and innovation processes of different countries.
Applying the Corporate Social Responsibility to the Shipping Industry

Corporate financial distress and cashflow liquidity constraints are seen to intensify during prolonged recessionary business cycle phases. On the other hand, companies that consistently pursue corporate social responsible strategies pay attention to smoothly cater towards their stakeholders even at harsh market times. This study investigates dynamic perspectives of corporate financial distress and social responsibility interactions, in a company life-cycle setting. The shipping industry is taken as an empirical case to study these issues at hand, based on a selected sample of 84 publicly-listed shipping companies, over 2010–2016. The empirical findings indicate that positive corporate social responsibility approaches minimize financial distress probabilities for shipping companies. Furthermore, this inverse interaction between positive corporate social responsibility and financial distress is found to be more robust for shipping companies in their mature stage of their life-cycle path.
Simvastatin regulates oligodendroglial process dynamics and survival

Simvastatin, a lipophilic statin that crosses the blood‐brain barrier, is being evaluated as a potential therapy for multiple sclerosis (MS) due to its anti‐inflammatory properties. We assessed the effects of simvastatin on cultures of rat newborn and human fetal oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) and human adult mature oligodendrocytes (OLGs) with respect to cellular events pertaining to myelin maintenance and repair. Short‐term simvastatin treatment of OPCs (1 day) induced robust process extension, enhanced differentiation to a mature phenotype, and decreased spontaneous migration. These effects were reversed by isoprenoid products and mimicked with an inhibitor of Rho kinase (ROCK), the downstream effector of the isoprenylated protein RhoA GTPase. Prolonged treatment (2 days) caused process retraction that was rescued by cholesterol, and increased cell death (4 days) partially rescued by either cholesterol or isoprenoid co‐treatment. In comparison, simvastatin treatment of human mature OLGs required a longer initial time course (2 days) to induce significant process outgrowth, mimicked by inhibiting ROCK. Prolonged treatment of mature OLGs was associated with process retraction (6 days) and increased cell death (8 days). Human‐derived OPCs and mature OLGs demonstrated an increased sensitivity to simvastatin relative to the rodent cells, responding to nanomolar versus micromolar concentrations. Our findings indicate the importance of considering the short‐ and long‐term effects of systemic immunomodulatory therapies on neural cells affected by the MS disease process. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The Correlation of Event Tourism towards Travel Motivation and Its Impact on Destination Image of Bali

The implementation of Event Tourism is one form of promotion of a destination that combines a variety of products and displayed in the form of festivals, special events, Meeting, Incentive, Convention, and Exhibition Tourism (MICE Tourism) with the aim of providing a personal experience at a destination. Bali that had degraded its destinations image after terrorist attacks in 2002 and 2005 has made various efforts to restore the image by organizing tourism events. Tourism Image Destinations is an essential component in selecting decision by tourists about travel destinations. This research was focusing on the study of the relationship of organizing event tourism in Bali toward tourist motivation. The study was done to 50 respondents during the silent day in Bali in 2016. By using association correlation test or Chi-Square ( X 2 ), which was analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 23 showed that there was a positive correlation of the implementation of tourism event toward travel motivation and its impact in establishing the destination image of Bali Island itself. Pearson Chi-Square line showed the price of p-value was 0.000 < 0.05 or Ho was rejected. So that through this study, Bali local government must continue to improve creativity in encouraging the growth of Event Tourism for the realization of destination image which safe, peaceful, and superior because of its cultural attractions, natural or man-made art. The local government is also expected to pay particular attention to the potential of this special interest market.
Deficiency in a Very-Long-Chain Fatty Acid β-Ketoacyl-Coenzyme A Synthase of Tomato Impairs Microgametogenesis and Causes Floral Organ Fusion1[W]

Previously, it was shown that β-ketoacyl-coenzyme A synthase ECERIFERUM6 (CER6) is necessary for the biosynthesis of very-long-chain fatty acids with chain lengths beyond C28 in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) fruits and C26 in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) leaves and the pollen coat. CER6 loss of function in Arabidopsis resulted in conditional male sterility, since pollen coat lipids are responsible for contact-mediated pollen hydration. In tomato, on the contrary, pollen hydration does not rely on pollen coat lipids. Nevertheless, mutation in SlCER6 impairs fertility and floral morphology. Here, the contribution of SlCER6 to the sexual reproduction and flower development of tomato was addressed. Cytological analysis and cross-pollination experiments revealed that the slcer6 mutant has male sterility caused by (1) hampered pollen dispersal and (2) abnormal tapetum development. SlCER6 loss of function provokes a decrease of n- and iso-alkanes with chain lengths of C27 or greater and of anteiso-alkanes with chain lengths of C28 or greater in flower cuticular waxes, but it has no impact on flower cuticle ultrastructure and cutin content. Expression analysis confirmed high transcription levels of SlCER6 in the anther and the petal, preferentially in sites subject to epidermal fusion. Hence, wax deficiency was proposed to be the primary reason for the flower fusion phenomenon in tomato. The SlCER6 substrate specificity was revisited. It might be involved in elongation of not only linear but also branched very-long-chain fatty acids, leading to production of the corresponding alkanes. SlCER6 implements a function in the sexual reproduction of tomato that is different from the one in Arabidopsis: SlCER6 is essential for the regulation of timely tapetum degradation and, consequently, microgametogenesis.
Evaluation of low-cost technology options for sustainable water supply and sanitation in two peri-urban areas of Lusaka, Zambia: opportunities and constraints

Presently, at least 70% of the total urban population in Zambia resides in peri-urban areas. Peri-urban settlements are characterized by high population growth, high poverty levels and inadequate access to water and sanitation which often result in increased prevalence of diseases. The situation is even made worse because of the position that many local authorities have taken regarding the implementation of infrastructure and service development in these settlements. Local authorities in developing countries have continuously focused on implementation of traditional and unsustainable technologies for service provision to meet the demand despite the technologies’ inability to serve the rapidly growing peri-urban areas. These technologies have high costs, lack proper operation and maintenance, and are not affordable to majority of peri-urban residents. Therefore, this study was set out to identify and evaluate the existing and possible low-cost technology options for sustainable water supply and sanitation in two selected peri-urban areas of Lusaka, Zambia, namely Kanyama and Chazanga. This was achieved through a household survey conducted in the selected communities. Questionnaires and focus group discussions were held in the respective areas to obtain baseline data on the current water supply and sanitation situation, the type of technologies used, challenges faced regarding water and sanitation technologies, and to get the communities perceptions and preferences of different technology options. Thereafter, a Multi-Criterion Analysis methodological approach was used to assess the selected technologies by the communities, taking into consideration of the economic, socio-cultural, technical, institutional and environmental aspects. Results from the study revealed that a few low-cost water supply and sanitation technologies are feasible for peri-urban areas. For Chazanga, communal taps, boreholes, protected wells, and rain water harvesting were found to be feasible for water supply. For sanitation, on-site sanitation services such as compost toilets, dry toilets, as well as Ventilated Improved Pits (VIP) and Pour-flush, Fossa Alterna and the Urine Diversion Dry Toilet (UDDT) are some of the low-cost technologies that can be implemented in the area. The VIP is suitable for households that rely on water from communal taps for their use. As majority of households in the area have taps on their plots, the Pour-flush can be an alternative. The Fossa Alterna and the Urine Diversion Dry Toilet (UDDT) have low initial cost and can accommodate different households.
Systematic analysis of Persson’s contact mechanics theory of randomly rough elastic surfaces

We systematically check explicit and implicit assumptions of Persson’s contact mechanics theory. It casts the evolution of the pressure distribution Pr(p) with increasing resolution of surface roughness as a diffusive process, in which resolution plays the role of time. The tested key assumptions of the theory are: (a) the diffusion coefficient is independent of pressure p, (b) the diffusion process is drift-free at any value of p, (c) the point p = 0 acts as an absorbing barrier, i.e., once a point falls out of contact, it never re-enters again, (d) the Fourier component of the elastic energy is only populated if the appropriate wave vector is resolved, and (e) it no longer changes when even smaller wavelengths are resolved. Using high-resolution numerical simulations, we quantify deviations from these approximations and find quite significant discrepancies in some cases. For example, the drift becomes substantial for small values of p, which typically represent points in real space close to a contact line. On the other hand, there is a significant flux of points re-entering contact. These and other identified deviations cancel each other to a large degree, resulting in an overall excellent description for contact area, contact geometry, and gap distribution functions. Similar fortuitous error cancellations cannot be guaranteed under different circumstances, for instance when investigating rubber friction. The results of the simulations may provide guidelines for a systematic improvement of the theory.
An improved delay-dependent H∞ filtering of linear neutral systems

An improved delay-dependent H/sub /spl infin// filtering design is proposed for linear, continuous, time-invariant systems with time delay. The resulting filter is of the Luenberger observer type, and it guarantees that the H/sub /spl infin//-norm of the system, relating the exogenous signals to the estimation error, is less than a prescribed level. The filter is based on the application of the descriptor model transformation and Park's inequality for the bounding of cross terms. The advantage of the new filtering scheme is clearly demonstrated via simple examples.
Hidden covariation detection: a fundamental and ubiquitous phenomenon.

H. Hendrickx, J. De Houwer, F. Baeyens, P. Eelen, and E. Van Avermaet (1997) reported a series of (mostly unsuccessful) studies on nonconscious hidden covariation detection (HCD); for example, they reported that out of 3 attempts to replicate P. Lewicki et al.'s studies, only 1 produced the expected results. They concluded that HCD may be not as general and robust as the previous research suggested, and they considered boundary conditions. In this article, the authors discuss a number of weaknesses of H. Hendrickx et al.'s experiments (and systematic deviations from the original methodology) that are potentially responsible for the lack of the expected results and discuss missing facts in their arguments (e.g., they failed to mention any published replications of the HCD studies from other than the present authors' laboratories). It is argued that when all evidence is considered, the proper conclusion is that nonconscious processing of covariations is not only general and robust but also a ubiquitous phenomenon mediating a variety of processes of acquisition of information.
The Preliminary Study of Applying TOPSIS Method to Assess an Elderly Caring Center Performance Ranking

It is most important to evaluate performance between profit and not-profit organizations. Profit-“the bottom line”-is an unambiguous measure of a business organization’s effectiveness. Not-for-profit organizations make performance measurement more difficult. However, we do not think this means that managers in those organizations can ignore finances for continuous operating. The study analyze ten successive years nonfinancial and financial information variables of the case elderly caring center, ranking surface reflectivity can help the strategic decision-making. Using TOPSIS method as based on financial and nonfinancial information of ten consecutive years for an elderly caring center to examine past performance and systematically exploring alternative ways to make better-informed decisions in the future. The results indicate based on the comparison among of the ten years, performance ranking from the first to sixth are respectively 2013, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2011. Among the ten years, there are four years (e.g. 2007, 2012, 2013, and 2016) are as excellent by the government in Taiwan. The elderly caring center also has good execution efficiency in accordance with budgets at the end of year. As an “excellent” elderly caring center should has a unique operational pattern and TOPSIS is very usefully to support organizational strategic decision-making.