Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Statistically-Guided Optimization of the Catalysis of Cellulose Hydrolysis via Sulfamic Acid Functionalized Magnetic Iron/Iron(III) Oxide Core-Shell Nanoparticles

Effective optimization of the degradation of cellulose into glucose, via a magnetic catalyst is achieved, for the first time, using statistically guided modification of reaction conditions. A highly efficient procedure for the large-scale synthesis of iron/iron(III) oxide (Fe/Fe3O4) magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs), functionalized with sulfamic acid, has been developed. The acid functionalized MNPs have been used successfully, as a heterogeneous catalyst in the hydrolysis of cellulose to glucose and other yeast-convertible sugars, with a cellulose conversion of >50%. Optimization of the reaction conditions for the catalytic reactions has been accomplished, via the Doehlert matrix statistical approach. The Catalyst has been recovered up to 82% of its original weight, over 20 reaction cycles, with only marginal losses of magnetic property and catalytic activity. Based on its’ robustness and efficiency, we propose that the above catalyst is an excellent candidate for the industrial production of ethanol from plant cellulose.
Fate of the Product Mix of a Firm with a Mandate to Adopt a Food Quality Metasystem: The Case of Adoption of the SLS in the Fruit Processing Sector in Sri Lanka

This study assesses the impact of a number of characteristics pertaining to fruit processing firms in the Western Province in Sri Lanka to adopt the Sri Lankan Standards (SLS). It hypothesized that in the presence of a "mandatory" government regulation to adopt the SLS on the firm, the decision of the management to "invest" on it without removing any of their major products in the product mix or to exercise a "product exit" (i.e. removing a major product) will depend on factors such as the type of ownership, recent modifications made to the facility by introducing modern processing technologies, other enhanced food safety controls in place, whether the firm is involved with international markets, availability of skilled labour, and annual returns of the firm (adjusted to the number of employees and major products). The primary data collected through a series of in-depth personnel interviews with quality assurance managers and site visits to 36 firms during May to July 2005 were analyzed using Logit Regression technique. The results suggest that firms that modify their facilities, hire skilled labour, promote exports, and possess other advanced food safety controls have a tendency to adopt the SLS without a partial exit. The outcome of the analysis elaborates that policy makers must take into account the business environment of the firm implicitly and explicitly in their attempts to adopt the mandate for the implementation of enhanced food safety controls like the SLS on agri-food processing enterprises. DOI: 10.4038/sjae.v7i0. 1822 Sri Lankan Journal of Agricultural Economics , Vol. 7, 2005 pp.33-50
Multitask Learning of Environmental Spatial Data

The present research deals with an application of artificial neural networks for multitask learning from spatial environmental data. The real case study (sediments contamination of Geneva Lake) consists of 8 pollutants. There are different relationships between these variables, from linear correlations to strong nonlinear dependencies. The main idea is to construct a subsets of pollutants which can be efficiently modeled together within the multitask framework. The proposed two-step approach is based on: 1) the criterion of nonlinear predictability of each variable “k” by analyzing all possible models composed from the rest of the variables by using a General Regression Neural Network (GRNN) as a model; 2) a multitask learning of the best model using multilayer perceptron and spatial predictions. The results of the study are analyzed using both machine learning and geostatistical tools.
A Doublet-Lattice Method Correction Approach for High Fidelity Gust Loads Analysis

This paper presents a new methodology to increase the accuracy of gust loads analysis, evaluated by means of traditional potential ﬂow models. Linearised frequency domain aerodynamic loads have been used to estimate the correction factors necessary to update the Aerodynamic Interference Coeﬃcients matrices for gust and mode shapes deformation. The results, obtained using a corrected doublet-lattice method, are presented and compared to the fully coupled CFD/FEM results computed with a Fluid Structure Interaction interface. The application of this technique to a wing model, representative of a general single aisle civil aircraft, has shown an excellent agreement to the fully coupled results, both for rigid and ﬂexible aerodynamic loads in the transonic regime
Nonlinear analyses of self-paced reading

Nonlinear methods of fractal analysis and recurrence quantification analysis are becoming more commonplace in the cognitive and behavioral sciences. These methods are illustrated here in a tutorial style using self-paced reading data. Self-paced reading was performed in which each spacebar press revealed a story word-by-word or else sentence-by-sentence. Participant readers were either Ph.D. candidates in English literature or undergraduates from an introductory psychology course and the same story was read by all, either one time only or reread another time on another occasion. The nonlinear analyses revealed crucial differences between the word unit and sentence unit conditions. Performance in the word unit condition was dominated by a task specific strategy, yielding data patterns more like those observed in tapping tasks. Nonlinear analyses of the sentence unit condition, however, discriminated between graduate and undergraduate readers, and first readings of the story from re-reading. From these analyses, the repeated reading of the same story reveals a kind of uber-fluency, in a manner of speaking, of the Ph.D. candidates in English literature, whose performance stayed at or closer to a performance ceiling in both readings.
Landowner Perceptions of Protecting and Establishing Riparian Forests: A Qualitative Analysis

While the ecological importance of riparian forests is widely recognized, identifying the best policies for reforesting privately owned stream lands also requires an understanding of societal perceptions. Forty semistructured interviews with riparian landowners in central Pennsylvania revealed a study population driven by competing considerations. On one hand, these landowners expressed a community obligation to consider the downstream consequences of their management styles. On the other, they often failed to appreciate their own contributions to water pollution and were reluctant to abandon the ordered landscapes to which they were accustomed. Possible implications of these findings are advanced.
The distributional impact of the crisis in Greece

The severe economic crisis affecting Greece is widely expected to have a significant social impact in terms of greater inequality and increased poverty. We provide an early assessment of whether (and to what extent) this is the case. More specifically, we distinguish between two inter-related factors: on the one hand, the austerity measures taken to reduce fiscal deficits; on the other hand, the wider recession. Using the European tax-benefit model EUROMOD we attempt to quantify the distributional implications of both. With respect to the austerity measures, we focus on the changes introduced in spring 2010 in income tax, public sector pay and pension benefits. With respect to the wider recession, we attempt to estimate the distributional impact of the recent rise in unemployment by adjusting the model's input dataset in the light of recent Labour Force Survey data. We simulate the (ceteris paribus) impact of these changes on the distribution of incomes, while also estimating how the total burden of the crisis is shared across income groups, taking into account tax evasion and benefit non take up. We conclude by discussing the methodological pitfalls and policy implications of our research.
European policy diffusion and the Global South: A constructivist institutionalist analysis of the EU-ACP Economic Partnership Agreements

The following paper offers a theoretical and substantive contribution to recent debates on EU policy diffusion with a specific focus on the ACP group of countries. The question we are most concerned with is why - in spite of the obvious material power asymmetries - has the EU encountered such difficulties in the attempt to translate its normative preferences for freer trade and closer economic integration into a series of binding agreements? We take our cue from the embryonic (predominantly) constructivist literature in this area emphasising the role of transnational advocacy coalitions - but argue that these accounts do not go far enough in the exploration of non-material correlates of trade negotiations by considering the EU’s own discursive strategy. To address this oversight, we draw on Craig Parsons’ (2007) distinction between ideational and institutional logics of explanation to understand how the invocation of institutional constraints affects the impact of particular discursive strategies. We argue that the EU’s case for reform initially rested on a strong convergence between institutions and ideas, enabling the EU to discursively present desired policy reforms as necessary to satisfy multilateral trade rules. However, in due course the institutional dynamics behind the latter began to diverge from the EU’s policy preferences and blunt the EU’s discursive strategy - thus creating the space for transnational coalitions to, first, question and, ultimately, in small measure undermine the EU’s trade and development prospectus for the ACP.
Modelling of mechanical systems basing on interconnected differential and partial differential equations

The paper considers a boundary-value problem for a hybrid system of di erential equations, which represents a generalized mathematical model for a system of interconnected rigid bodies attached to the rod by elastic-damping links. A hybrid system of di erential equations is understood as a system of di erential equations composed of ordinary di erential equations and partial di erential equations. For the theoretical foundations of our approach to investigation of the boundary value problem for the hybrid system of di erential equations we propose a method of nding eigenvalues for the boundaryvalue problem. The comparative analysis of the results of numerical computations conducted with the use of the proposed method and the results obtained by other techniques known from the literature have proved the validity and the universal character of the proposed approach.
A Small New Keynesian Model to Analyze Business Cycle Dynamics in Poland and Romania

In this paper, we derive a small textbook New Keynesian DSGE model to evaluate Polish and Romanian business cycles during the 2003-2014 period. Given the similarities between the two economies, we use an identical calibration procedure for certain coefficients and marginal prior distributions for the others, rendering the resulting cross-country differences as primarily data-driven. The estimated structural coefficients for the two countries have comparable values, implying similar qualitative macroeconomic transmission mechanisms. However, the Romanian shocks display much more variability, and the impulse response functions have similar shapes but deeper trajectories. The model-simulated theoretical moments for the output growth, the inflation rate and the nominal interest rate (means, standard deviations and cross-correlations) are close to their actual data counterparts, demonstrating the models’ ability to match and replicate statistical properties of the observed variables. Shock decompositions of the output and the inflation rate revealed the driving forces of the business cycles; demand shocks explain much of the GDP growth dynamics (persistent positive contributions before the crisis and negative thereafter), whereas prices were also driven by supply and monetary policy shocks, the latter being more important for Poland.
A study of in situ degradability: heterogeneity of variances and correlated errors

Degradation models exhibit a non-linear behavior and the selection of a model to describe the degradability depends on the coherence of the model with the involved biological events. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the behavior of the parameters of the degradation model proposed by Mertens & Loften, adjusted to the results of an in situ degradability trial. The experiment evaluated the potential degradable residue of neutral detergent fiber (NDF) of coastcross grass (Cynodon dactylon × Cynodon nlemfuensis) submitted to two cutting ages (30 and 90 days), with three replicates. For each cutting age, the potentially degradable residue of NDF was studied using fifteen incubation times (0; 0,5; 1; 3; 6; 9; 12; 18; 34; 35; 48; 56; 72; 96 e 120 hours). The experimental unit comprised one non-lactating cow with a permanent ruminal fistula. Mean and individual adjustments were obtained for the animals in three different configurations: inverse variance weight without autoregressive errors; unweighted with autoregressive errors, and unweighted without autoregressive errors. Variances of parameter estimators were also obtained by means of the mean parameter covariance matrix, providing expressions for the estimation of the confidence age for the parameters of the model. A weighting of the model by the inverse variance resulted in estimates statistically equal to zero for the colonization time. The use of a structure of second order autoregressive errors improved the fit of the model of Mertens & Loften, providing more precise estimates of the parameters.
NUMERICAL SIMULATION OF BALLAST WATER BY SPH METHOD

Ballast water has frequently been used in ships to provide stability and adjust trim, stress, and torsion for optimal steering and propulsion. Numerical simulation of the movement of ballast water and its interaction with the solid walls of operating ships are very difficult for traditional grid-based numerical models. In this paper, the smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) method is applied to simulate water tank sloshing and the movement of ships carrying ballast water in three cases. Numerical results of water tank sloshing are compared with experimental ones. Numerical results of ships indicate that carrying ballast water in several separated small tanks generally makes a ship more stable, but keeping ballast water in one big tank generally makes a ship more unstable.
Trust and commitment in the formation of donor loyalty

ABSTRACT This cross-national study empirically tests a model that explains the ways in which trust and commitment lead to loyalty in the organization–donor relationship. This research fills a gap in the literature by contrasting the formation of loyalty in a developing nation, with the national culture in which the framework was initially developed. Findings indicate that while trust and commitment are significant in the formation of behavioral loyalty in both Latin America and the United States, this relationship is mediated by cognitive and affective loyalty. The respective contributions of affective and cognitive loyalty are, however, different based on cultural context. In Latin America, the model is more affectively focused, whereas in the United States it is more cognitively focused. Theoretical, practical and managerial implications are discussed.
MICROFLUIDIC DEVICES FOR THE DETECTION OF SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTIOUS AGENTS IN A URINE-BASED MATRIX

This paper describes work delivered under the Innovation R&D Programme (National Measurement System, UK Department for Business, Innovation and Skills) to develop a microfluidic Lab-on-a-Chip (LOC) platform facilitating nucleic acid-based detection of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) from a urine-based matrix. Optimisation of DNA extraction methodologies, utilising silica-based monoliths on a microfluidic device, enabled direct processing of clinically-relevant large volume samples of artificial urine in reduced time, by maximising sample loading flow rate and minimising chaotropic salts added to drive DNA binding. Extracted DNA was successfully amplified by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) demonstrating potential for process integration in LOC formats.
How archivists think: Exploring the archival reasoning process using cognitive task analysis and verbal protocols

Development of visual analytics technologies to support archival analysis, such as that conducted during arrangement and description, requires an understanding of the analytic task that the technology is being designed to support. Visualization technologies developed for archival application currently pay little attention to the analytic, cognitive and perceptual aspects of the design process. This paper, based on first results from a cognitive task analysis using verbal protocols, provides a broad brush description of archival analysis during arrangement and description. It then suggests some possible leverage points where visual analytics technology might be applied to support archival arrangement and description practices.
Computerized Adaptive Testing

The Bible in the book of Judges (12:4–6) records an early example of testing with a one-item test that had very high stakes: Jephthah then called together the men of Gilead and fought against Ephraim. The Gileadites struck them down because the Ephraimites had said, “You Gileadites are renegades from Ephraim and Manasseh. ”
Asymmetric and negative return-volatility relationship: The case of the VKOSPI

ABSTRACT KOSPI 200 index options are the most actively traded exchange-listed derivative contracts in the world. And, unlike most other active options markets, trading is dominated by individual investors. This study examines the short-term relationship between stock market returns and implied volatility in the Korean financial market using high frequency data on the recently introduced volatility index (VKOSPI) implied by KOSPI 200 options. We find a strong asymmetric and negative return-volatility relationship at both the daily and intraday levels, which cannot be explained by either leverage or volatility feedback hypotheses on the asymmetric volatility phenomenon. Moreover, we also find that the asymmetric relationship is more pronounced for extremely negative stock market returns. We conjecture that behavioral factors better explain the observed asymmetric return-volatility relationship.
Variation in Reproductive Life History Traits between Two Populations of Blackbanded Darters (Percina nigrofasciata)

We examined the life history of Blackbanded Darters (Percina nigrofasciata) from two streams in the Choctawhatchee River drainage, Florida, over a three-year study period. Blackbanded Darters from Turkey Creek were longer than fish from Ten Mile Creek; however, size-adjusted clutch and egg sizes were similar between populations. Larger females produced larger clutches, whereas egg size did not vary with female body size. Seasonally, clutch sizes were greater in May than in August. When contrasted with previous studies of Blackbanded Darters in Alabama and Louisiana, the reproductive season of Blackbanded Darters in Florida was unusually long, ceasing for only a few months in late fall. The reproductive season was longer in Turkey Creek than in Ten Mile Creek. Differences in thermal regime among streams may explain differences in life history traits among local and distant populations of Blackbanded Darters. This research, alone and in combination with previous studies of this species, emphasizes two main points. First, it reaffirms that life history studies based on a single locality or conducted at a single point in time may fail to capture the full range of variation in life history traits. Second, it highlights the extensive phenotypic variation found in species with broad geographic ranges. Such species lend themselves to comparative and experimental research on patterns and causes of life history variation.
MULTI-TEMPORAL CLASSIFICATION AND CHANGE DETECTION USING UAV IMAGES

Abstract. In this paper different methodologies for the classification and change detection of UAV image blocks are explored. UAV is not only the cheapest platform for image acquisition but it is also the easiest platform to operate in repeated data collections over a changing area like a building construction site. Two change detection techniques have been evaluated in this study: the pre-classification and the post-classification algorithms. These methods are based on three main steps: feature extraction, classification and change detection. A set of state of the art features have been used in the tests: colour features (HSV), textural features (GLCM) and 3D geometric features. For classification purposes Conditional Random Field (CRF) has been used: the unary potential was determined using the Random Forest algorithm while the pairwise potential was defined by the fully connected CRF. In the performed tests, different feature configurations and settings have been considered to assess the performance of these methods in such challenging task. Experimental results showed that the post-classification approach outperforms the pre-classification change detection method. This was analysed using the overall accuracy, where by post classification have an accuracy of up to 62.6 % and the pre classification change detection have an accuracy of 46.5 %. These results represent a first useful indication for future works and developments.
ELECTROMAGNETIC RETARDED POTENTIAL INDUCED BY QUANTUM VACUUM POLARIZATION

Based on 1st order one-loop effective Lagrangian derived from the 2-point photon vertex in quantum electrodynamics, we obtaine a quantum modified Maxwell equations, and the classical expression of retarded potential is consequently modified by these equations. The results indicate that, due to the time-space non-locality of vacuum polarization, the vacuum polarization current is delayed relative to the field variation and induces a series of additional retarded potentials except for the classical part of retarded potential. Particularly, compared to the classical potential, these additional potentials are further retarded. Because the retarded potential is the base of theory of electromagnetic radiation, the results of this work are of great value to the studies of quantum effect in ultra-intense electromagnetic radiation.
Chitosan activity in an inhibition of in vitro growth of Phomopsis viticola and protection of grapevine canes against the pathogen.

The effectiveness of Biochicol 020 PC, based on chitosan, in inhibiting Phomopsis viticola development was tested under laboratory conditions and on stored grapevine canes. Chitosan inhibited linear growth of P. viticola colonies to smaller extent than azoxystrobin and mancozeb, which were used for comparison. However, canes dipped in chitosan solutions and inoculated with the pathogen showed reduction of incidence and severity of grapevine bark necrosis, as compared to control, and to fungicides. Besides, the higher chitosan concentration the greater reduction of P. viticola development, both in in vitro and in planta.
How to do (or not to do) . . . Calculating QALYs, comparing QALY and DALY calculations

Quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) have been used in the assessment of health interventions for three decades. The popularity of the QALY approach has been constantly increasing, although the debate on its theoretical underpinnings and practical implications is still ongoing. Disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), also widely debated, were shaped some 20 years later, broadly within the same conceptual framework but with a number of important differences.