Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
New searches for H i 21 cm in damped Lyman α absorption systems

We present the results of three separate searches for H I 21-cm absorption in a total of twelve damped Lyman-� absorption systems (DLAs) and sub-DLAs over the redshift range zabs = 0:86 3:37. We find no absorption in the five systems for which we obtain re asonable sensitivities and add the results to those of other rece nt surveys in order to investigate factors which could have an effect on the detection rate: We provide evidence that the mix of spin temperature/covering factor ratios seen at low redshift may also exist at high redshift, with a correlation between the 21-cm line strength and the total neutral hydrogen column density, indicating a roughly constant spin temperature/cove ring factor ratio for all of the DLAs searched. Also, by considering the geometry of a flat expandi ng Universe together with the projected sizes of the background radio emission regions, we find, for the detections, that the 21-cm line strength is correlated with the size of the absorb er. For the non-detections it is apparent that larger absorbers (covering factors) are requ ired in order to exhibit 21-cm absorption, particularly if these DLAs do not arise in spiral g alaxies. We also suggest that the recent zabs = 2:3 detection towards TXS 0311+430 arises in a spiral galaxy, but on the basis of a large absorption cross-section and high metallicity, r ather than a low spin temperature (York et al. 2007).
UvA-DARE ( Digital Academic Repository ) Communities of learners for vocational orientation

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IMPACT OF HARMONISATION ON DISTRIBUTION OF VAT IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC

The aim of this paper is to analyse progressivity of value added tax in the Czech Republic under the framework of both annual incidence and lifetime incidence. Moreover, impact of the harmonisation of VAT rates connected with the accession of the Czech Republic to the EU on the income distribution is examined. The burden table serves to show the distribution of the VAT burden among households by income categories; the generalised entropy measures and the Gini coefficient are used for measurement of inequality of income. Results show that the Czech VAT is regressive when annual income is analysed while the lifetime income analysis indicated that VAT is progressive. Furthermore, the results suggest that the distribution of income (annual as well as lifetime) after taxation was more equal before the harmonisation, and that impact of the changes in VAT rates in 2004 was likely larger on the lower-income households.
Family-Wage Gap and Highly Skilled Women

The paper estimates the family wage gap (FWG), which is the pay gap between women with children and women without children, among highly skilled female scientists and researchers. The paper uses a rich dataset from the longitudinal Survey of Doctorate Recipients in the US to estimate FWG and to investigate its sources. The sources evaluated include, one, human capital characteristics such as: field of majors, school quality, and years since Ph.D. Two, maternity leaves and other self-reported-career breaks adjusted experience. Three, current job characteristics such as: extent to which job is related to highest degree, authority level, tenure status, occupation major group, choice to work part-time, working outside field of research, employment type, experience in current job, average number of hours worked and average number of weeks worked in a year. Lastly, the paper examines the role of family and the demographic status of women such as: marital status, number of children, age of the youngest child, age of woman at the time of first born, and timing of first born before or after graduation. The results indicate that the family wage gap does exist among women with Ph.D. and is about 6.8 percent. However, most of the existing wage difference can be explained by differences in human capital characteristics and current job characteristics. Results indicate that this wage difference increases with the increase in number of children. The wage gap is highest for married women, women with younger children, for women who opt for early motherhood, and for women who plan children before the doctoral degree.
An improved ASM matching method

The traditional active shape model (ASM), according to the principal component analysis, gets main components for the shape, and then the average shape model is obtained to approximately express target object model. However, when the difference between the feature shape model of target and the average shape model is large, it is difficult to match. Therefore, this paper analyses the shortage of the traditional matching algorithm, and proposes an improved algorithm. This algorithm searches the most similar image to the target object from the training sample set, and uses the shape model of the most similar image instead of the average shape model to approximately express target object model, so it can avoid the failure caused by the large difference between the feature shape model of the target and the average shape model. Keywords-ASM; average shape; matching algorithm; similar image
Urea and salt as supplementary diet for crossbreed milk cows

This study aimed to evaluate the use of supplementary feed with different percentages of urea and mineral salt for crossbred milk cows. Ten animals were used, mean body weight 480 kg ± 9,7, distributed in a 5 x 5 double Latin square, with treatments of supplements with different urea and mineral salt percentages, namely, 10:10; 10:20; 20:10 and 20:20, completed to 100% with corn meal. Data underwent statistical analysis by SAS at 0.05 significance level. The use of supplements increased (p < 0.05) the total dry matter (DM) intake of diet. The increase in the level of urea in the supplement decreased DM intake of supplement. The use of supplements increased (p < 0.05) DM digestibility. The treatments with presence of supplement showed higher (p < 0.05) milk production. Supplemented diets may be used to correct nutritional deficiencies of sugar cane, with higher intake, digestibility and milk production. Treatments with 20% urea in the composition of the supplement caused a lower DM consumption with the same performance in the animals. The above-mentioned treatments had the best efficiency.
Phylogenetic analysis of g-proteobacteria inferred from nucleotide sequence comparisons of the housekeeping genes adk , aroE and gdh : Comparisons with phylogeny inferred from 16 S rRNA gene sequences

The proteobacteria, often referred to as “purple bacteria and their relatives,” are a major division of the eubacterial tree and encompass bacteria with a great diversity of phenotypes, physiological attributes, and habitats (Gupta, 2000; Stackebrandt et al., 1988). This division of predominantly Gram-negative bacteria contains more than 200 genera. Proteobacteria have been classified based on homology of 16S ribosomal RNA or by hybridization of ribosomal DNA with 16S and 23S ribosomal RNA (De Ley, 1992; Fox et al., 1980; Woese, 1987; Woese et al., 1985a). The division has been sub-divided into five major groups, a(Woese et al., 1984a), b(Woese et al., 1984b), g(Woese et al., 1985b), dand e-. The g-proteobacteria include several families of utmost biological importance, most notably the Enterobacteriaceae, Coxiellaceae, PasteurelPhylogenetic analysis of g-proteobacteria inferred from nucleotide sequence comparisons of the house-keeping genes adk, aroE and gdh: Comparisons with phylogeny inferred from 16S rRNA gene sequences
A generalization of fuzzy Boundary

The concept of fuzzy C - boundary is introduced by using the arbitrary complement function C and by using fuzzy C - closure of a fuzzy topological space where C: [0, 1] [0, 1] is a function. Let A be a fuzzy subset of a fuzzy topological space X and let C be a complement function. Then the fuzzy C - boundary of A is defined as BdC A = ClC A  ClC (CA), where ClC A is the fuzzy C - closure of A and CA(x) = C (A(x)), 0  x  1. In this paper we discuss the basic properties of fuzzy C – boundary. MSC 2010: 54A40, 3E72. Key words: Fuzzy C - boundary, fuzzy C - closed sets and fuzzy topology.
The photosynthetic electron transport in thylakoids of the facultative CAM plant Mesembryanthemum crystallinum (L.)

Crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) is characterized by a circadianally varying demand for ATP relative to NADPH. In addition, the absolute demand for electrons could fluctuate with the availability of CO2. In CAM phases II and IV (nomenclature according to Osmond 1978) CO2 is fixed in a C3 like manner and the whole chain electron transport in thylakoids is considered to be sufficient to deliver ATP and NADPH in the required stochiometric ratio of 1.2 to 1.5. In the malate decarboxylation phase (CAM phase III) one pyruvate per reduced CO2 is regenerated to hexoses by gluconeogenesis (Holtum and Osmond 1981, Winter and Smith 1996). In this cycle, the pyruvate-P-dikinase (PPDK) requires 2 extra ATP. As in M. crystallinum the PPDK is located in the chloroplasts (Kondo et al. 1998), the plastidic demand for ATP, relative to NADPH, transiently increases to a value of 1.6 to 2.0. This extra demand for ATP cannot be covered by linear electron flow. In this phase, chloroplasts need an additional source of ATP, otherwise, the photosynthetic carbon cycle and related reactions would become limited by ATP availability. This would diminish the efficiency of photosynthetic metabolism and provide the danger of photodynamic damage in high light. One possible mechanism to produce the required extra ATP could be the induction of cyclic electron flux around PS I. As cyclic flux requires Cyt. -bf and PS I otherwise involved in linear flux (Albertsson 1995), its induction could also serve to reduce linear electron flux and thus prevent photooxidative reactions like the Mehler reaction. In this study, we investigated the photosynthetic electron transport in the facultative CAMplant M. crystallinum. Our results provide evidence for a substantial circadian reorganization of the photosynthetic electron transport chain, which could serve to adjust the electron fluxes to the variable demand for NADPH and ATP during the CAM cycle. In CAM phases II and III the intrinsic capacity of the electron transport from H2O to PS I was diminished, but completely recovered during the C3-like phase IV. Obviously, in phases II and III one fraction each of PS I and cyt. -bf was deprived from whole chain electron transport.
THE IMPACT OF RESTART ON RESERVATION WAGES AND LONG‐TERM UNEMPLOYMENTS†

This paper examines the Restart program which consists of an interview of the long term unemployed to counsel them on effective job search. We estimate the elasticities of the reservation wage with respect to the benefit level and the arrival late rate of offers using nonparametric methods based on the optimal job search model for a sample who experience the Restart interview and for an experimental control group who are excluded from the interview. We also analyze the effect of the Restart program on reservation wages and long term unemployment duration via a simultaneous equation model. The results, indicate that the Restart program has no effect on the reservation wages of the long term unemployed. Copyright 1995 by Blackwell Publishing Ltd
Low cross-talk, deep subwavelength plasmonic metal/insulator/metal waveguide intersections with broadband tunability

We suggest a low cross-talk plasmonic cross-connector based on a metal/insulator/metal cavity and waveguides. We separately investigate the isolated cavity mode, the waveguide mode, and the combination of cavity and waveguide modes using a finite-different time-domain method. Due to resonant tunneling and the cutoff frequency of the odd waveguide mode, our proposed structure achieves a high throughput transmission ratio and eliminates cross-talk. Furthermore, the proposed structure has a broadband tunability of 587 nm, which can be achieved by modulating the cavity air gap thickness. This structure enables the miniaturization of photonic integrated circuits and sensing applications.
Empirical Methods for Public Policy Analysis

In this . rst part of the course we will go through some econometric techniques that have become increasingly popular in public economics. In particular, I will focus on what has become known as treatment evaluation. Treatment evaluation is concerned with measuring the impact of interventions on outcomes of interest. The approach and the terminology originates from medical research where an intervention frequently means exposing someone to some form of treatment. In public economics the techniques can be used to study the e¤ect of e.g. welfareand social insurance programs on various aspects of behaviour including labour supply, unemployment duration, family structure etc. We will encounter these methods frequently during the course, which motivates why I wanted to start with spending some time providing an overview of these methods.
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Recent Work Title EVALUATION OF INDOOR AEROSOL CONTROL DEVEICES AND THEIR EFFECTS ON RADON PROGENY CONCENTRATIONS Permalink

Eleven portable air cleaning devices have been evaluated for control of indoor concentrations of respirable particles, and their concomitant effects on radon progeny concentrations have been investigated. The experiments were conducted in a room-s1ze chamber using cigarette smoke and radon injection from an external source. Of the devices examined the electrostatic precipitators and extended surface filters had significant particle removal rates, while the particle removal rates for several small panel-filters, an ion-generator, and a pair of mixing fans were found to be essentially negligible. The evaluation of radon progeny control produced similar results; the air cleaners which were effective in removing particles were also effective in reducing radon progeny concentrations. At the low particle concentrations, deposition of the unattached radon progeny on room surfaces was found to be a significant removal mechanism. Deposition rates of attached and unattached progeny have been estimated from these data, and were used to calculate the equilibrium factors for total and unattached progeny concentrations as a function of particle concentration. While particle removal reduces total airborne radon progeny concentrations, the relative alpha decay dose to the lungs appears to change very little as the particle concentration decreases due to the greater radiological importance of unattached progeny.
An Empirical Study of Inter-Sectoral Linkages and Economic Growth in India

The objective of the present paper is to examine casual relationship between GDP, agricultural, industrial and service sector output in India using time series data from 1950-51 to 2011-12.The study conducts an econometric investigation by applying methodologies, viz., Stationary tests, and Johansen’s Cointegration test, Johansen’s Vector Error Correction Model (VECM) in VAR and Impulse Response Function and Variance Decomposition Analysis. With all the variables in log terms being I(1), Johansen’s co-integration test confirms two long run relationships among the variables at 5% significance level. It reveals that there exists bidirectional causality among the agriculture, industry, service sector and GDP and agriculture and industrial sector with services sector, while there is a unidirectional causality between agriculture and industry sector. However, results based on vector error correction model indicate a weak association between the sectors in the short run. Dynamic causality results show that contribution GDP forecast error by the services sector is the highest, followed by agriculture and industry sectors, while the contribution to the agriculture sector forecast error by GDP is the highest, followed by the service sector and industry. In the case of the industry sector, the explanatory power of one standard deviation innovation in the agriculture sector and the services sector to forecast error variance is quite high (33.38% and 5.38%). Further, results of decomposition variance analysis and impulse response suggest that the agriculture sector plays the main role in determining the overall growth rate of the economy through its linkages to other sector. The analysis of inter – sectoral linkages identify agriculture as the main economic activity that controls most economic activities in India.
Z in company names: trendy clothing for a typical Vietnamese sound

The letter Z is not part of the Vietnamese alphabet, any more than F, J and W. But it is far from uncommon in language use. It appears in the names of companies that target a popular audience, e.g. Zing for a local competitor to Yahoo. Why is Z, the least used letter of the English alphabet, so trendy in present-day Vietnamese? The evidence reported here suggests that the letter Z constitutes foreign-looking clothing for a typical Vietnamese sound. In Hanoi Vietnamese, historical /ð/, /ʒ/ and /r/ (orthographic D, GI and R) merged to /z/, making the voiced alveolar fricative a highly frequent sound – and a potential identity marker for Hanoian speakers, with Z as a unified written rendering. The results of an automated search through a large corpus of contemporary texts support the conclusions drawn from the qualitative analysis of examples.
Estimation of hurst parameter and minimum variance spectrum

Consider FARIMA time series with innovations that have infinite variances. We are interested in the estimation of self-similarities $H_n$ of FARIMA$(0, d, 0)$ by using modified $R/S$ statistic. We can confirm that the $H_n$ converges to Hurst parameter $H=d+\frac12$. Finally, we figure out ARMA and minimum variance power spectrum density of FARIMA processes.
Directional relays without voltage sensors for distribution networks

In this study, algorithms for directional relays using only current measurements are presented. Developed for radial distribution networks, these algorithms will determine fault direction based on ratios between variations of sequence currents during and before faults: Δ I 2 /Δ I 0 ratio for line-to-ground faults and the Δ I 2 /Δ I 1 ratio for line-to-line faults. The ratios are used as input of a support vector machine classifier, which was trained beforehand thanks to simulation tools. The classifier classifies ratios into two categories, according to the fault location: upstream or downstream towards the relay. Test results from simulations show good performances of the algorithms in most cases, with the presence of different distributed generation technologies. Moreover, impact of certain factors on algorithms, such as measurement errors, high-impedance faults or network reconfiguration, is studied. Finally, the implementation of algorithms is also discussed.
Climate Change Awareness and Attitudes Among Adolescents in the Czech Republic

Tato studie analyzuje povědomi o změně klimatu u ceských dospivajicich studentů a zabýva se jejich souvisejicimi postoji. I když větsina studii popisuje vliv dostupných informaci na skutecne chovani jako poměrně malý, autor chce upozornit na to, že vliv znalosti na urcite chovani může být významný z dlouhodobeho hlediska, přicemž pro tento zavěr dosud chyběly akademicky podložene argumenty, a to z metodologických důvodů (Bas, 2010). Hlavnim cilem teto explorativni studie je tak ukazat nazory ceských adolescentů na problematiku klimatických změn, a to ve vztahu k informacnim zdrojům, jimž důvěřuji, a take ve vztahu k urcitým druhům informaci v oblasti změny klimatu – jež jsou soucasti dokumentů, procesů, podminek nebo ciselných udajů. Vzorek studentů z Masarykovy univerzity a z několika střednich skol v Ceske republice se (dle vlastniho výběru) zucastnil kvantitativni studie zaměřene na jejich znalosti změny klimatu, na informacni zdroje, ktere použivaji, a na pro-environmentalni postoje. Setřeni odhalilo extremně nizkou uroveň znalosti studentů. Byla nalezena uzka spojitost mezi množstvim studentům dostupných informaci a jejich hodnocenim zavažnosti klimatických změn. Důvěra studentů ve vědecke poznatky a jejich snaha se neopirat pouze o jediný zdroj informaci koreluji s jejich povědomim. Studenti, kteři velmi dobře rozumi změnam klimatu, jsou větsinou post-materialiste. Na druhe straně, dobře informovani studenti neciti větsi obavy a nejsou vice globalně orientovani než ostatni. I když jasna korelace mezi vědomim a urovni spotřeby nebyla nalezena, platilo, že cim lepe jsou studenti informovani, tim vice se citi osobně zodpovědni za změnu klimatu. Ženy nemaji v průměru lepsi informace než muži, ale pocit osobni odpovědnosti je mnohem silnějsi u žen. Studie tedy potvrdila obecne předpoklady o vagnim povědomi o změně klimatu ve specifickem kontextu, jimž se zabývala, a představila rozděleni ceske studentske populace, což lze dale využit napřiklad v socialnim marketingu.
The impact of firm-level transparency on the ex ante risk decisions of insurers: Evidence from an empirical study

A greater firm-level transparency through enhanced disclosure provides more information regarding the risk situation of an insurer to its outside stakeholders such as stock investors and policyholders. The disclosure of the insurer's risktaking can result in negative influences on, for example, its stock performance and insurance demand when stock investors and policyholders are risk-averse. Insurers, which are concerned about the potential ex post adverse effects of risk-taking under greater transparency, are thus inclined to limit their risks ex ante. In other words, improved firm-level transparency can induce less risktaking incentive of insurers. This article investigates empirically the relationship between firm-level transparency and insurers' strategies on capitalization and risky investments. By exploring the disclosure levels and the risk behavior of 52 European stock insurance companies from 2005 to 2012, the results show that insurers tend to hold more equity capital under the anticipation of greater transparency, and this strategy on capital-holding is consistent for different types of insurance businesses. When considering the influence of improved transparency on the investment policy of insurers, the results are mixed for different types of insurers.
Transfecting CHOK 1 Cells : Comparison of CaPO 4 , Electroporation and Lipoplex Method with In-house Prepared

The extensive demand of large scale therapeutic protein production in Chinese Hamster Ovarian cell lines increased the need of developing efficient and cost effective transfection reagent. Polyethylenimine has recently emerged as an attractive alternative to currently employed conventional transfection methods. In the present report, we attempted to develop inexpensive and easy to prepare polyethylenimine-based transfection reagent and compared its transfection efficiency with calcium phosphate, electroporation and lipoplex mediated transfection methods. Our results indicated highest transfection efficiency with in-house prepared polyplexes as marked by maximum percentage of enhanced cyan fluorescence protein positive cells. These findings contribute towards the development of economical and effective solution for high protein expression in Chinese hamster ovarian system.