Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Interpolation of Missing Precipitation Data Using Kernel Estimations for Hydrologic Modeling

Precipitation is the main factor that drives hydrologic modeling; therefore, missing precipitation data can cause malfunctions in hydrologic modeling. Although interpolation of missing precipitation data is recognized as an important research topic, only a few methods follow a regression approach. In this study, daily precipitation data were interpolated using five different kernel functions, namely, Epanechnikov, Quartic, Triweight, Tricube, and Cosine, to estimate missing precipitation data. This study also presents an assessment that compares estimation of missing precipitation data through th nearest neighborhood (NN) regression to the five different kernel estimations and their performance in simulating streamflow using the Soil Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) hydrologic model. The results show that the kernel approaches provide higher quality interpolation of precipitation data compared with the NN regression approach, in terms of both statistical data assessment and hydrologic modeling performance.
Where are we? A Review of Effort and Cost Estimation Techniques used for Web Applications

The rapid growth of the World Wide Web(WWW) and the growing demand for web sites and web applications to compliment and even replace business processes have witnessed an equally rapid growth in the number of companies offering web development solutions. A reliable effort and cost estimation approach can help companies bid and compete for web development projects and more importantly, assist in timely and within budget development of projects undertaken. This paper examines the literature on Effort and Cost Estimation Techniques for both Web Applications and Traditional Software Applications and the effort and cost estimation techniques used. It attempts to argue that web applications have inherent differences compared to traditional software applications to merit customised estimation approaches from traditional software effort estimation through. However, we suggest some areas where web applications may have converging characteristics to traditional software applications and that the techniques used currently in traditional software estimation may be useful to explore for web application estimation. This paper concludes by suggesting some recommendations for consideration.
Smart foam for applications in passive–active noise radiation control

The development of a smart foam for passive–active noise control is discussed. The smart foam consists of cylindrically curved sections of PVDF film embedded in partially reticulated polyurethane acoustic foam forming a very thin, compact arrangement. The device is designed to reduce sound by the simultaneous action of the passive absorption of the foam (effective at high frequencies) and the active input of the PVDF element driven by an oscillating electrical input (effective at low frequencies). The PVDF actuator is configured to behave in a linear sense and to couple in-plane strain associated with piezoelectric effect with out-of-plane motion needed to radiate sound from the foam surface. The performance of the passive–active device is studied for controlling sound radiation from a vibrating piston. A feedforward LMS controller is used to minimize the signal from a far-field error microphone. Results of harmonic and broadband control are presented. The potential of the smart foam for globally reducing.
A New Fractal-Based Miniaturized Dual Band Patch Antenna for RF Energy Harvesting

The growth of wireless communications in recent years has made it necessary to develop compact, lightweight multiband antennas. Compact antennas can achieve the same performance as large antennas do with low price and with greater system integration. Dual-frequency microstrip antennas for transmission and reception represent promising approach for doubling the system capacity. In this work, a miniaturized dual band antenna operable at 2.45 and 5.8 GHz is constructed by modifying the standard microstrip patch antenna geometry into a fractal structure. In addition to miniaturization and dual band nature, the proposed antenna also removes unwanted harmonics without the use of additional filter component. Using a finite-element-method-based high frequency structure simulator (HFSS), the antenna is designed and its performance in terms of return loss, impedance matching, radiation pattern, and voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) is demonstrated. Simulation results are shown to be in close agreement with performance measurements from an actual antenna fabricated on an FR4 substrate. The proposed antenna can be integrated with a rectifier circuit to develop a compact rectenna that can harvest RF energy in both of these frequency bands at a reduction in size of 25.98% relative to a conventional rectangular patch antenna.
Roads versus Schooling: Growth Effects of Government Choices

Abstract This paper studies the growth effects of productive public expenditures on education and public capital in an endogenous growth model of overlapping generations. The model is calibrated to Latin American data, and the effects of raising government expenditures on education and public capital are computed. Results show that increases in these public expenditures have moderate, positive effects on per capita growth and income under different scenarios. In addition, re-allocating expenditures from public capital to education while keeping the budget constant can raise growth up to a threshold.
BUCKLING PRESSURE IN DOUBLE WALL CRYOGENIC STORAGE TANK BY FEM

ﻦﻣ تﺎﻧاﺰﺨﻟا ﻩﺬه ﻒﻟﺄﺘﺗ ﺎﻣ ةدﺎﻋ . ةدﺮﺒﻤﻟا ناﺰﺨﻟ جودﺰﻤﻟا راﺪﺠﻟا ﻲﻓ ءاﻮﺘﻟﻷا ﻂﻐﺿ بﺎﺴﺣ ﻪﻴﻓ بﻮﻏﺮﻤﻟا ﻦﻣ ﺖﻳﻻﺮﻴﺒﻟﺎﺑ ﻦﻳراﺪﺠﻟا ﻦﻴﺑ غاﺮﻔﻟا ﻸﻤﻳ نأ ﻲﻐﺒﻨﻳ . دﺮﺒﻤﻟا ﻞﺋﺎﺴﻟا ﻦﻳﺰﺨﺗ ﻦﻋ لوﺆﺴﻣ ﻲﻠﺧاﺪﻟا راﺪﺠﻟا. ﻦﻴﻠﺼﻔﻨﻣ ﻦﻳراﺪﺟ ﻲﻠﺧاﺪﻟا رﺎﺨﺒﻟا ﻂﻐﺿ ﻦﻣ ﺮﺜآأ ﺔﻴﺟرﺎﺧ طﻮﻐﻀﻟ ضﺮﻌﺘﺗ نأ ﻊﻗﻮﺘﻤﻟا ﻦﻣ ،ﻚﻟﺬﻟ . ﻂﻴﺤﻤﻟا ﻦﻣ ةراﺮﺤﻟا لﺎﻘﺘﻧا ﻞﻴﻠﻘﺘﻟ ﻢﺗ ﺔﺳارﺪﻟا ﻩﺬه ﻲﻓ ،ﻚﻟﺬﻟ . ﺎﻬﺤﻴﻘﻨﺗ ﻲﻐﺒﻨﻳو ﺔﻟﻮﺒﻘﻣ ﺮﻴﻏ ﺔﻴﻠﻴﻠﺤﺘﻟا تﻻدﺎﻌﻤﻟا ﺔﻗد نأ ﺞﺋﺎﺘﻨﻟا تﺮﻬﻇأ . ناﺰﺨﻟا راﺪﺟ ﻰﻠﻋ ANSYS ماﺪﺨﺘﺳﺎﺑ ﺎﻬﻴﻠﻋ لﻮﺼﺤﻟا ﻢﺗ ﻲﺘﻟا ﺔﻳدﺪﻌﻟا ﺞﺋﺎﺘﻨﻟا سﺎﺳأ ﻰﻠﻋ ةﺪﻳﺪﺟ تﺎﻃﺎﺒﺗرا حﺮﺘﻗا
Rational Expectations and the Term Structure of Interest Rates

THIS PAPER REPORTS SOME TESTS of two important hypotheses about the behavior of the tenn structure of interest rates. The first hypothesis is the "expectations hypothesis," which states that forward rates of interest are forced into equality with the short rates that investors expect to prevail in subsequent periods. Ee second hypothesis is that the expectations of investors are rational in the sense of John F. Muth [22]. 1 By this we mean that investors' expectations are equivalent with the optimal forecasts of statistical theory for a certain specifiled class of statistical models. A convenient way to characterize a market that satisfiles both of these hypotheses is as an "efficient market. "2 While the filrst hypothesis has been purportedly subjected to a bewildering variety of empirical "tests," it has only rarely3 been tested within a framework that requires maintaining that expectations incorporate available information efficiently, the second hypothesis. The criterion of acceptable empirical results has generally been that of "plausibility," a criterion with unfortunately little discriminatory power.
Task-driven multi-formation control for coordinated UAV/UGV ISR missions

The report describes the development of a theoretical framework for coordination and control of combined teams of UAVs and UGVs for coordinated ISR missions. We consider the mission as a composition of an ordered sequence of subtasks, each to be performed by a different team. We design continuous cooperative controllers that enable each team to perform a given subtask and we develop a discrete strategy for interleaving the action of teams on different subtasks. The overall multi-agent coordination architecture is captured by a hybrid automaton, stability is studied using Lyapunov tools, and performance is evaluated through numerical simulations. UNM Technical Report: ME-TR-06-001
Extension of the Capital Asset Pricing Model to Non-normal Dependence Structures

The Capital Asset Pricing Model arises in an economy where agents have exponential utility functions and aggregate consumption is normally distributed, and gives the prices of assets with payoffs which are jointly normal with consumption. Such assets have normal marginal distributions and have dependence with consumption characterised by a normal copula. Wang has derived a transform which extends the CAPM by allowing pricing of assets in such an economy which have non-normal marginal distributions but still are normal-copula with consumption. Here we set out the stochastic discount factors corresponding to this version of the CAPM and to Wang’s transform, and show how to calculate stochastic discount factors and hence asset prices for assets whose dependence with consumption is non-normal. We show that the impact of dependency structure on asset prices is significant.
Subtractive Genomics Approach for in Silico Identification and Characterization of Novel Drug Targets in Neisseria Meningitides Serogroup B

Meningococcal disease is a life-threatening illness with annual incidence rates varying from 1 to 1000 per 100 000 persons in different parts of the world. Effective polysaccharide and polysaccharide-protein conjugate vaccines that offer protection against infection with meningococcal serogroups A, C, Y and W-135 have been licensed and are available worldwide. Serogroup B remains the most prevalent cause of meningococcal disease responsible for 32% of all meningococcal disease in the United States, 45 to 80% of the cases in Europe, and for the majority of cases in the rest of the world. The development of a vaccine against serogroup B poses the biggest problem due to the similarity between the B capsular polysaccharide structure and a polysialic acid containing glycopeptides that are a part of human brain tissue. Prevention of meningococcal disease will require the development of an effective vaccine to combat serogroup B, which is the cause of most meningococcal cases in developed countries. The availability of the complete sequence information of Neisseria meningitides serogroup B proteome has made it possible to carry out the in silico analysis of its genome for identification of potential vaccine and drug targets. Our study revealed 1413 proteins which are non-homologous to human genome. Screening these proteins using the Database of Essential Genes (DEG) resulted in the identification of 362 proteins as essential proteins of the bacterium. Analysis of the identified essential proteins, using the KEGG Automated Annotation Server (KAAS) housed at Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways database, revealed 35 enzymes of N. Meningitides that may be used as potential drug targets, as they belongs to pathways present only in the bacterium and not present in humans. Subcelluler localization prediction of these essential proteins revealed that 9 proteins lie on the outer membrane of the pathogen which could be potential vaccine targets. Screening of the functional inhibitors against these novel targets may result in discovery of novel therapeutic compounds that can be effective against Neisseria meningitides Serogroup B.
Implementing Supply of Wind Energy - international comparisons of best practices and shortcomings

Wind energy is one of the fastest developing kind of green energy in Europe. The goal of this study is to provide an insight on implementing supply of wind energy. Analysis is based on PEST analysis and four case studies – two from German and two from Polish market. Above approach allowed to identification of best practices and shortcomings. Apart from this several drivers and barriers from macro and microenvironment of wind energy sector are described.
A Panel Data Analysis of Capital Structure Determinants: An Empirical Study of Non-Financial Firms in Oman

The aim of this research paper is to examine the firm-specific determinants of the capital structure for non-financing companies of Oman. Based on the existing literature and theories of capital structure, the probable determinants of capital structure are identified. The analysis is performed using panel data techniques; fixed and random effects, for a sample of 61 companies listed on the Muscat Securities Market during 2011-2015. The results suggest that tangibility, profitability and liquidity are having negative relationship with the leverage, whereas firm size and growth opportunity are positively related to the leverage. Non-debt tax shields do not appear to be significantly related to leverage of Omani firms. Pecking order theory is most successful in explaining the determinants of capital structure of the Omani companies. The results of this paper suggest that findings are consistent with the capital structure studies on other developed and developing countries. The study has important policy implications for the finance managers of the firms in Oman.
Species Assemblage Arriving at and Emerging from Trees Colonized by Ips pini in the Great Lakes Region: Partitioning by Time Since Colonization, Season, and Host Species

Abstract The pine engraver, Ips pini (Say), colonizes jack, red, and white pines in the Great Lakes region. Males select suitable hosts, bore through the bark into phloem tissue, and emit aggregation pheromones. Pheromones attract conspecifics, which aid in overcoming tree defenses, and predators, which exploit these cues as kairomones. Sampling was conducted over 2 yr to characterize the assemblage of insects that arrive at and reproduce in trees colonized by I. pini, and how this assemblage is partitioned by host species, time after colonization, and seasonal phenology. Over 70 species from three orders were obtained. I. pini was most abundant, especially during late summer. The first natural enemy to arrive was Medetera bistriata Parent, which came simultaneously with I. pini. Other Diptera such as Lonchaea corticis Taylor and Zabrachia polita Coquillett were also abundant. Roptrocerus xylophagorum (Ratzeburg), a late instar parasitoid, arrived last. Its emergence most closely coincided with I. pini emergence, whereas the other species emerged substantially after I. pini. Host species did not affect total I. pini emergence but strongly affected natural enemies. Most R. xylophagorum and Monochamus spp. emerged from white pine, and most Z. polita emerged from red pine. I. pini had the highest ratio of emergence to arrival per log. Only the predator T. dubius and the parasitoid R. xylophagorum showed numerical responses to the number of emerging I. pini. Exclusion of insects during the first 2 wk of colonization decreased reproduction of I. pini and other wood borers in the spring, but not summer.
Model of homeostatic artificial neuron

This paper presents a model of homeostatic neuron that is able to find its state of equilibrium by observing the others neurons weights. This method is based on measuring the weights that the other neurons of the neural network assign to the output of the reference neuron, and on improving the parameters of the reference neuron in order to maximize the weights of the other neurons. The basic presumption is that the neuron is trying to maximize its importance in the whole network, which means that it is trying to maximize the values of the weights of the other neurons. The neuron is changing its own input weights and is measuring the reaction of the other neurons. Several types of learning are presented, depending on the way in which the importance of the weights is evaluated.
Formulated Feed for Strombus pugilis (Mollusca, Gastropoda) Allowed Effective Gonad Maturity

Fighting conch Strombus pugilis is one of six Strombidae species distributed throughout the Caribbean. It is used as food, as an aquarium organism and its shell are popular in jewelry production. Conch aquaculture has been done traditionally by extracting egg masses from wild adults. This is an issue for several conch species protected by CITES. Intensive conch culture requires good growth rates and gonad maturity under laboratory conditions using formulated feed. An evaluation was done of the effect of inclusion of the red algae Halymenia and Spirulina on gonad maturity in S. pugilis using two experimental diets containing low and high concentrations of these algae (2% and 8% of each). Each diet was fed to six groups of conch kept in 20 L aquaria at 27.5°C. They were fed twice daily at 0.1 g feed/conch for 105 days. Gonad development and digestive gland structure were analyzed with histological techniques. Analysis of gonad development and vitellus granule diameter were analyzed for the two treatments and a control (wild conch). Wild conch females exhibited a reproductive cycle with 100% maturity at the beginning of this study, followed immediately by spawning (in two peaks: 50% and 34%) and initiation of a new oogenesis cycle. Females fed the 8% H. floresii and 8% Spirulina diet exhibited two spawning peaks (75% and 100%) spaced a month apart, and larger yolk granules than those in the control and the 2% H. floresii and 2% Spirulina diet. Proteoglycan granule abundance in the digestive cells did not differ between treatments. H. floressi and Spirulina may function as a feeding stimulant, enhancing feed intake and promoting gonadal maturity in S. pugilis broodstock under laboratory conditions.
The Black-White Gap in Mathematics Course Taking

Using data from the National Education Longitudinal Study, this study investigated differences in the mathematics course taking of white and black students. Because of lower levels of achievement, prior course taking, and lower socioeconomic status, black students are much more likely than are white students to be enrolled in low-track mathematics courses by the 10th grade. Using multilevel models for categorical outcomes, the study found that the black-white gap in mathematics course taking is the greatest in integrated schools where black students are in the minority and cannot be entirely accounted for by individual-level differences in the course-taking qualifications or family backgrounds of white and black students. This finding was obscured in prior research by the failure to model course taking adequately between and within schools. Course placement policies and enrollment patterns should be monitored to ensure effective schooling for all students.
Chemisorption of Pyrimidine Nucleotide Onto Exterior Surface of Pristine B12N12 Nanocluster: A Theoretical Study

In this research, the interaction of pyrimidine molecule with pristine B12N12 nanocluster is studied in different phases to understand the effect of environment on the electronic properties of the designated adsorption complexes. To this end, the pyrimidine adsorption over B12N12 in the gas phase and water medium is investigated using density functional theory (DFT) at the B97D/6-31+G(d,p) level of theory. Geometry and electronic structures of the fragments and their interacting systems are studied, and then natural bond orbitals (NBO) analysis is applied to interpret the perturbation caused by molecular adsorption. Our results confirm a chemical adsorption between pyrimidine molecule and exterior surface of pristine B12N12 One of the interesting features of this interaction is that pyrimidine adsorption in water medium is more favorable than that in the gas phase and exhibits an increase in adsorption energy (Eads) compared to gas phase, from 120.44 to -141.85 kJ/mol. It is hoped that pristine B12N12 will be used in designing novel materials for potential applications to detect pyrimidine molecule in the gas phase and water medium.
Implementing Collusion by Delegating Punishment: The Role of Communication ∗

This paper studies collusion in a Bertrand duopoly with imperfect monitoring. Firms cannot directly commit to marginal cost pricing, but they can delegate the implementation of punishment to a third party, called the arbitrator. Communication arises because the arbitrator must learn the firms’ profit realizations in order to know when to start punishment. I show that the optimal collusive equilibrium is Nash implementable by a fairly simple ”cartel mechanism”, though not uniquely so. I also study the effect of public demand information on collusion with and without strategic delegation. I conclude that suppressing inter-firm communication is a key element in any antitrust policy designed to prevent collusion.
Novel Phase Shifter Based on Dielectric Resonator on Liquid Crystal Substrate

─ In this paper, a novel design of microwave phase shifter with enhanced high level of flexible integration is proposed and analyzed using 3D finite difference time domain. The proposed design is based on the combination of dielectric resonators and nematic liquid crystal (NLC) layer of type E7. The effects of the structure geometrical parameters on the transmission angle are carried out. Based on the simulation results, optimizations of the geometries are curial for varying the phase of the transmitted signal. In addition, the use of NLC layers placed in silica pan as a substrate to the dielectric resonator offers a number of advantages over existing microwave phase shifters such as simple design, high bandwidth and phase tunability. Moreover, the suggested design has an excellent potential for being very useful in microwave encryption systems. Index Term ـ ـ ـ Dielectric resonator filter, finite difference time domain, liquid crystal, phase shifter.
RISK SURVEILLANCE OF MULTIDRUG RESISTANT PSEUDOMONAS AERUGINOSA IN WATER AND PLASMID RELATEDNESS WITH CLINICAL STRAINS IN ABEOKUTA, SOUTHWEST NIGERIA

Pseudomonas aeruginosa as an opportunistic pathogen has been a subject of investigation due its intrinsic drug resistance. a¤? a¤? Its frequent presence in drinking, domestic and recreational water highlights its significance to public health. a¤? a¤? This study was aimed at risk surveillance of multidrug resistant environmental P. aeruginosa in water and their plasmid relatedness with clinical strains in Abeokuta, southwestern Nigeria. a¤? a¤? A total of forty-one (41) strains with prevalence: well water (29.3%); swimming pool (22.0%) hospital storage tank (19.5%); tap water (14.6%); sachet water (12.2%); and bottled water (2.4%) respectively were isolated from two hundred and eighty eight (288) water samples and were compared with 43 clinical strains from wound (37.3%), blood (11.6%), ear swab (20.9%)a¤? and urine (20.9%)a¤? and eye swab (9.3%). a¤? a¤? a¤? a¤? Both environmental and clinical strains were all multidrug resistant, though with different plasmid profile. a¤? Plasmid with molecular weight size of 2010bp was detected in only 1 (2.5%) out of the 41 environmental strains as against 9 (20.93%) of the 43 clinical strains having between 22520-23130bp molecular weight. a¤? All strains harboring plasmid were resistant to varied types of more than seven drugs out of the eleven tested (gentamycin 10a¤? g, erythromycin 15a¤? g, ampicillin 10a¤? g, augmentin 10a¤? g, cotrimoxazole 25a¤? g, tetracycline 30a¤? g, streptomycin 10a¤? g, ciprofloxacin 5a¤? g, cloxacillin 5a¤? g, amoxicillin 25a¤? g, and cefuroxime 30a¤? g). a¤? Strains without plasmid were also multidrug resistant. a¤? This finding would be important in the control of multidrug resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection in Nigeria.