Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The signed permutation group on Feynman graphs

The Feynman rules assign to every graph an integral which can be written as a function of a scaling parameter L. Assuming L for the process under consideration is very small, so that contributions to the renormalizaton group are small, we can expand the integral and only consider the lowest orders in the scaling. The aim of this article is to determine specific combinations of graphs in a scalar quantum field theory that lead to a remarkable simplification of the first non-trivial term in the perturbation series. It will be seen that the result is independent of the renormalization scheme and the scattering angles. To achieve that goal we will utilize the parametric representation of scalar Feynman integrals as well as the Hopf algebraic structure of the Feynman graphs under consideration. Moreover, we will present a formula which reduces the effort of determining the first-order term in the perturbation series for the specific combination of graphs to a minimum.
Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation of biofuel plant Jatropha curcas using kanamycin selection

Establishment of an efficient transformation system is a prerequisite for genetic improvement of Jatropha curcas , a promising biodiesel feedstock plant, by transgenic approach. In this study an efficient Agrobacterium-mediated transformation protocol using cotyledon explants from J. curcas seeds was developed. The integration and expression of the transgenes in the putatively transformed J. curcas plants was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), Southern blot analysis and β- glucuronidase (GUS) activity staining. In the protocol used, the critical step for successful transformation is that the selective agent kanamycin (20 mg/L) is not included in the callus-inducing medium within the first 4 weeks after co-cultivation with Agrobacterium . Keywords : Agrobacterium-mediated transformation, biofuel, Jatropha curcas, kanamycin, physic nut, plant regeneration, transgenic plants.
The Effects of Integrated Pest Management Techniques Farmer Field Schools on Groundnut Productivity: Evidence from Ghana

This study examines the impact of Integrated Pest Management-Farmer Field School (IPM-FFS) programs on groundnut productivity in Ghana. The program is conducted in the groundnut growing regions of Ghana with the goal to improve groundnut agriculture through the dissemination of information and technology to the producers. We use household data collected in 2011 from multiple villages with and without FFS sites. Treatment effects models are used to control for endogenous selection into FFS participation. The results suggest that farmers who participated in the IPM-FFS program have higher groundnut yields.
Fear of Crime and Victimization

This study models simultaneously three commonly used indicators of fear of crime — feeling unsafe alone at home after dark, feeling unsafe walking alone after dark and worry about becoming a victim of crime — against direct (being a victim) and indirect (knowing a victim) victimization, controlling for demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of individuals via multivariate, i.e. multiple responses, multilevel analysis of data from Athens, Greece. The results show that (a) the association of the three indicators weakens as key explanatory factors of fear of crime are accounted for, (b) crime experiences are related to feeling unsafe at home alone after dark only via its association with feeling unsafe walking alone after dark and worry about becoming a victim of crime and (c) indirect and direct prior victimization and crime exposure predominantly shape perceived future risk.
Plant Species Diversity in Jokhaneh Plain and Southern Slope of the Nil Mt. in Kohgilouyeh va Boyerahmad Province (Central Zagros Region of Iran)

Plant species diversity in Jokhaneh plain and the southern slope of Nil Mt. is investigated in order to determine the flora and life forms and chorotypes of plants in this area. The studied area is located in Kohgilouyeh va Boyerahmad province, covers 22’475 hectares and its average elevation is 2’315 m above sea level. In spite of a few studies in this region, broad knowledge of the flora of this area does not exist. In this study, plants were collected randomly along the growing seasons during 2015-2016. Vegetation of the studied area comprised of 157 species and 124 genera belonging to 42 families. Asteraceae, Lamiaceae and Poaceae were the most species-rich families. The most species-rich genera were Astragalus, Salvia, Scorzonera, Ranunculus, Galium and Bromus. Hemicryptophytes and therophytes were dominant life forms in this area. Endemic elements constitute 61% (92 species) of this flora, of which, 23 species were endemic to Irano-Turanian region. Species list of this area was both compared and combined with those of 27 more local floras in order to perform multivariate floristic analysis based on presence/absence data of 2039 plant species × 28 floras. Results showed that the set of local floras could be divided into four distinct clusters, showing geographical distribution of floristic diversity along NS, WE and center of the Zagros run. This study highlights the importance of the study area by introducing eleven species not previously collected from the region consisting 27 local floras, and also the importance of multivariate analyses in comparative floristic studies.
Socio-economic inequality in South Africa according to different disparity indices

The purpose of the paper is to identify areas in South Africa where social-economic disparity exists using 2011 census data. Different indices are used to measure spatial disparity with the aim of finding the most appropriate approach for measuring disparities under different circumstances. The following measures were used in the study: the multidimensional composite index of deprivation; range ratio; relative mean deviation; standard deviation of logarithms; Gini coefficient; Kuznets ratio; Theil inequality index, mean logarithmic deviation, and the Atkinson index. In the study settlements are either regarded as individual settlements or contiguous settlements as delimited at the main place level in the census. Due to the fragmenting impact of apartheid on the South African society, different measures tend to be the most appropriate in different parts of the country. This implies that different policy interventions are needed to address area-specific challenges.
Longitudinal momentum distributions of the reaction residues following fast two-nucleon knockout reactions

The longitudinal momentum distributions of the cross sections of heavy projectile-like residues after fast, direct two-like-nucleon knockout reactions are discussed. Both the two-nucleon inelastic breakup (stripping) and the stripping-diffraction removal events are considered. We show that, because the two mechanisms have a very similar nuclear surface localization, they generate essentially identical longitudinal momentum distributions. The approach used combines reaction dynamics, using the sudden, eikonal and spectator-core approximations, with structure wave functions from the many-body shell model. The sensitivities of the resulting longitudinal momentum distributions to the orbital angular momenta, the separation energies, and the angular momentum coupling of the two removed nucleons are clarified. In particular, the widths of these distributions are shown to provide a very clear signal of the total angular momentum of the removed-nucleon pair--pairs coupled to larger total angular momentum giving broader distributions. These now complete distributions, from correlated wave functions, are significantly different from earlier uncorrelated estimates. Confirmation of these theoretical expectations is presented, based on very recent intermediate-energy, residue final-state inclusive and exclusive two-nucleon removal measurements.
The Sensitivity of PM25 Source-Receptor Relationships to Atmospheric Chemistry and Transport in a Three-Dimensional Air Quality Model

ABSTRACT Air quality model simulations constitute an effective approach to developing source-receptor relationships (so-called transfer coefficients in the risk analysis framework) because a significant fraction of particulate matter (particularly PM2.5) is secondary (i.e., formed in the atmosphere) and, therefore, depends on the atmospheric chemistry of the airshed. In this study, we have used a comprehensive three-dimensional air quality model for PM2 5 (SAQM-AERO) to compare three approaches to generating episodic transfer coefficients for several source regions in the Los Angeles Basin. First, transfer coefficients were developed by conducting PM2.5 SAQM-AERO simulations with reduced emissions of one of four precursors (i.e., primary PM, sulfur dioxide (SO2), oxides of nitrogen (NOx), and volatile organic compounds) from each source region. Next, we calculated transfer coefficients using two other methods: (1) a simplified chemistry for PM2.5 formation, and (2) simplifying assumptions on transport using information limited to basin-wide emission reductions. Transfer coefficients obtained with the simplified chemistry were similar to those obtained with the comprehensive model for VOC emission changes but differed for NO and SO emission changes. The differences were due to the parameterization of the rates of secondary PM formation in the simplified chemistry. In 90% of the cases, transfer coefficients estimated using only basin-wide information were within a factor of two of those obtained with the explicit source-receptor simulations conducted with the comprehensive model. The best agreement was obtained for VOC emission changes; poor agreement was obtained for primary PM2.5.
Association of porcine UCP3 gene polymorphisms with fatness traits in a Pietrain×Jinhua F2 population

Uncoupling protein 3 (UCP3) is a mitochondrial transmembrane carrier which uncouples oxidative phosphorylation and plays an important role in energy homeostasis and fatty acid transporting. In this study, two missense mutations (T221C and A448G) were detected in porcine UCP3 gene. Genotype frequencies were analyzed using polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) in eight pig breeds (n = 384). The results revealed that Chinese native breeds had fixed genotype CC at T221C polymorphic loci. Allele G at the A448G loci has higher frequency than allele A in all pure breeds, except for Pietrain. Association analysis between variants and fatness traits was carried out in a Pietrain×Jinhua F2 population (n = 274). The results showed that two single nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs) were significantly associated with intramuscular fat content (p = 0.023 and p = 0.000, respectively). These results indicated that single nucleotide polymorphism of UCP3 gene is potentially associated with fatness traits in pig. Key words : Pig, uncoupling protein 3 (UCP3), polymorphism, fatness traits, association analysis.
Modeling and clustering water demand patterns from real-world smart meter data

Abstract. Nowadays, drinking water utilities need an acute comprehension of the water demand on their distribution network, in order to efficiently operate the optimization of resources, manage billing and propose new customer services. With the emergence of smart grids, based on automated meter reading (AMR), a better understanding of the consumption modes is now accessible for smart cities with more granularities. In this context, this paper evaluates a novel methodology for identifying relevant usage profiles from the water consumption data produced by smart meters. The methodology is fully data-driven using the consumption time series which are seen as functions or curves observed with an hourly time step. First, a Fourier-based additive time series decomposition model is introduced to extract seasonal patterns from time series. These patterns are intended to represent the customer habits in terms of water consumption. Two functional clustering approaches are then used to classify the extracted seasonal patterns: the functional version of K-means, and the Fourier REgression Mixture (FReMix) model. The K-means approach produces a hard segmentation and K representative prototypes. On the other hand, the FReMix is a generative model and also produces K profiles as well as a soft segmentation based on the posterior probabilities. The proposed approach is applied to a smart grid deployed on the largest water distribution network (WDN) in France. The two clustering strategies are evaluated and compared. Finally, a realistic interpretation of the consumption habits is given for each cluster. The extensive experiments and the qualitative interpretation of the resulting clusters allow one to highlight the effectiveness of the proposed methodology.
Secondary electron emission and yield spectra of metals from Monte Carlo simulations and experiments

In this work, we present a computational method, based on the Monte Carlo statistical approach, for calculating electron energy emission and yield spectra of metals, such as copper, silver and gold. The calculation of these observables proceeds via the Mott theory with a Dirac–Hartree–Fock spherical potential to deal with the elastic scattering processes, and by using the Ritchie dielectric approach to model the electron inelastic scattering events. In the latter case, the dielectric function, which represents the starting point for the evaluation of the energy loss, is obtained from experimental reflection electron energy loss spectra. The generation of secondary electrons upon ionization of the samples is also implemented in the calculation. A remarkable agreement is obtained between both theoretical and experimental electron emission spectra and yield curves.
Distributional Welfare Impact of the 2013 Adjustment of Tax-Free Income Threshold in Indonesia: A CGE Simulation

A tax-free threshold, the level of income that the tax rate is zero, in Indonesian tax system is initially motivated by equity principle. The government of Indonesia periodically adjusts the tax-free threshold to keep the purchasing power of the low-income household’s group. Within the last decade, there were three times adjustment in 2006, 2009, and the last started effectively implemented in January 2013. The magnitude of the last adjustment is relatively high, the tax-free threshold increased by 53.4%. The policy objective is not only to protect the poor from paying tax but also to stimulate the economic growth through consumption. This study analyses the impact of the 2013 tax-free threshold adjustment with the main focus on the distributional welfare impact using an integrated multi-households computable general equilibrium (CGE) model. The model’s database consolidated from three key data sources: (a) the 2008 Indonesian Input-Output Table; (b) the 2008 Indonesian Social Accounting Matrix; and (c) the 2008 National Socioeconomic Survey.
Numerical simulation of slurry flows in heterogeneous and saltation regimes in horizontal pipelines

Numerical Simulation of Slurry Flows in Heterogeneous and Saltation Regimes in Horizontal Pipelines Jaime Gonzalez*, Nazgul Sabirgalieva, Luis Rojas-Solórzano, Gustavo Zarruk Department of Petroleum Engineering, Escuela Politécnica Nacional, Quito, Ecuador School of Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering, Nazarbayev University, Astana, Kazakhastan Fluid Mechanics Laboratory, Simon Bolivar University, Caracas, Venezuela Restrack, Technology and Interpretation, Instituttveien 18, Kjeller, Norway jaime.gonzalez@epn.edu. ec
Simulating surveys for ELT-MOSAIC: status of the MOSAIC science case after phase A

We present the consolidated scientific case for multi-object spectroscopy with the MOSAIC concept on the European ELT. The cases span the full range of ELT science and require either ‘high multiplex’ or ‘high definition’ observations to best exploit the excellent sensitivity and wide field-of-view of the telescope. Following scientific prioritisation by the Science Team during the recent Phase A study of the MOSAIC concept, we highlight four key surveys designed for the instrument using detailed simulations of its scientific performance. We discuss future ways to optimise the conceptual design of MOSAIC in Phase B, and illustrate its competitiveness and unique capabilities by comparison with other facilities that will be available in the 2020s.
A 305-year continuous monthly rainfall series for the island of Ireland (1711–2016)

A continuous 305-year (1711–2016) monthly rainfall series (IoI_1711) is created for the Island of Ireland. The post 1850 series draws on an existing quality assured rainfall network for Ireland, while pre-1850 values come from instrumental and documentary series compiled, but not published by the UK Met Office. The series is evaluated by comparison with independent long-term observations and reconstructions of precipitation, temperature and circulation indices from across the British–Irish Isles. Strong decadal consistency of IoI_1711 with other long-term observations is evident throughout the annual, boreal spring and autumn series. Annually, the most recent decade (2006–2015) is found to be the wettest in over 300 years. The winter series is probably too dry between the 1740s and 1780s, but strong consistency with other long-term observations strengthens confidence from 1790 onwards. The IoI_1711 series has remarkably wet winters during the 1730s, concurrent with a period of strong westerly airflow, glacial advance throughout Scandinavia and near unprecedented warmth in the Central England Temperature record – all consistent with a strongly positive phase of the North Atlantic Oscillation. Unusually wet summers occurred in the 1750s, consistent with proxy (tree-ring) reconstructions of summer precipitation in the region. Our analysis shows that inter-decadal variability of precipitation is much larger than previously thought, while relationships with key modes of climate variability are time-variant. The IoI_1711 series reveals statistically significant multi-centennial trends in winter (increasing) and summer (decreasing) seasonal precipitation. However, given uncertainties in the early winter record, the former finding should be regarded as tentative. The derived record, one of the longest continuous series in Europe, offers valuable insights for understanding multi-decadal and centennial rainfall variability in Ireland, and provides a firm basis for benchmarking other long-term records and reconstructions of past climate. Correlation of Irish rainfall with other parts of Europe increases the utility of the series for understanding historical climate in further regions.
The Relationship between Learning Effectiveness, Teacher Competence and Teachers Performance Madrasah Tsanawiyah at Serang, Banten, Indonesia

In this study, the problem is limited factors relating to the learning effectiveness and teacher competence in improving the teacher performance. Therefore, this study will try to get explanations from some main issues which include the learning effectiveness issue, and teacher competence to increase teacher performance in Madrasah Tsanawiyah at Serang, Banten, Indonesia. The goal in this research is to get facts about correlation and to see the levels of effectiveness learning and teacher competence as well as the teacher performance in Madrasah Tsanawiyah at Serang, Banten, Indonesia. This research is directed in describing and analyzing the data findings in depth are using the quantitative analysis methods of descriptive and inferential. Collecting data is using the instrument, about the instrument is used as a primary assessment way to collect the information about factors of effectiveness learning, teacher competence, and teacher performance. The samples are 150 Teacher in Madrasah Tsanawiyah at Serang, Banten, Indonesia. The results of this research is there is a relationship between learning effectiveness and teacher performance, there is a relationship between teacher competence and teacher performance, the results of this study can be concluded that increasing teacher performance can be carried out in the presence of learning effectiveness and teacher competence in the Madrasah Tsanawiyah, teachers who have the good performance seen from an process of learning effectiveness as well as the teacher competency.
On the Student-t Mixture Inverse Gaussian Model with an Application to Protein Production Sobre el modelo gaussiano inverso mezclado t-Student y una aplicación a producción de proteínas

In this article, we introduce a mixture inverse Gaussian (MIG) model based on the Student-t distribution and apply it to bacterium-based protein production for food industry. This model is mainly useful to describe data that follow positively skewed distributions and accommodate atypical observations in a better way than its classical version. Specifically, we present a characterization of the MIG-t distribution. In addition, we carry out a hazard analysis of this distribution centered mainly on its hazard rate. Furthermore, we discuss the maximum likelihood method, which produces–in this case–robust parameter estimates. Moreover, to evaluate the potential influence of atypical observations, we produce a diagnostic analysis for the model. Finally, we apply the obtained results to novel bacterium-based protein production data and statistically compare two types of protein producers using the likelihood ratio test based on the MIG-t model as an alternative methodology to the procedures available until now. This fact is very important, since the evaluation of protein production using both constructions allows practitioners to choose the most productive one before the bacterial culture is scaled to an industrial level.