Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Regional Energy Efficiency and Energy Saving Potential Analysis based on Slack-Based Measurement Approach

This paper is committed to study Chinese provinces energy efficiency and energy saving potential, trying to provide decision-making information for China's emission reduction targets and policy formulation. For this purpose, this paper chooses slack-based measurement DEA model, improved to a standard linear programming style. In this model, Provincial wastewater, waste gas and industrial solid wastes are selected as undesirable output indicator to calculate energy efficiency and energy saving potential. The data sources from 2010 to 2012 Statistical Yearbook of China. Conclusion can be made that discrepancies of energy efficiencies are considerable among different provinces and China should start from central area to implement policies for energy saving.
Intertwined Federalism: Accountability Problems Under Partial Decentralization

Decentralization reforms typically lead to the coexistence of multiple tiers of government in a given policy area. To analyze the welfare effects of such partial decentralization, this paper develops a political agency model in which two levels of government are involved in public good provision and voters are imperfectly informed about each government's contribution to the public good. The model predicts that a departure from the polar cases of complete centralization and complete decentralization is desirable only if the benefits of vertical complementarity in public good provision outweigh the costs of reduced accountability, which result from detrimental vertical strategic interactions operating through the electoral process. La decentralisation mene typiquement a la coexistence de plusieurs niveaux de gouvernement dans un domaine donne de l'activite gouvernementale. Pour analyser les effets sur le bien-etre d'une telle decentralisation partielle, cet article developpe un modele principal-agent dans lequel deux niveaux de gouvernement sont impliques dans la fourniture d'un bien public et ou les electeurs sont imparfaitement informes de la contribution de chaque gouvernement au bien public. Le modele predit qu'une derogation aux cas limites de la centralisation complete et de la decentralisation complete n'est desirable que si les benefices associes a la complementarite verticale dans la fourniture du bien public l'emportent sur les couts decoulant d'une imputabilite reduite. Ces derniers resultent des interactions strategiques verticales operant a travers le processus electoral.
Biochemical changes induced in rats by aqueous and ethanolic corm extracts of Zygotritonia croceae

Zygotritonia crocea is a medicinal plant that belongs to the plant family of Iridaceae. It is well known traditionally in the Western Nigeria for treatment of intestinal disorder associated with typhoid, diarrhoea and dysentery, and as component of anti-tuberculosis recipes. In this present study, the biochemical changes occasioned by the oral administration of aqueous and ethanolic corm extracts of the plant were considered. Forty-two female rats were grouped into two (1 and 2) of twenty-one rats per group. Each group was divided into three sub-groups (1a, 1b, 1c, 2a, 2b and 2c,) of seven rats per subgroup. 1b and 1c were treated with 100 and 200 mg/kg body weight aqueous extract respectively for twenty-one days. 2b and 2c were also treated with 100 and 200 mg/kg body weight ethanolic extract respectively for twenty-one days. 1a and 2a served as control for each group. Both aqueous and ethanolic extracts produced significant reduction (p < 0.05) in the plasma glucose level. Protein level was significantly increased (p < 0.05) with aqueous extract while it was reduced with ethanolic extract. Cholesterol level was increased while ALT, AST and ALP activities were significantly reduced (p < 0.05) in rats treated with aqueous and ethanolic extracts. The results obtained clearly indicate that these extracts alter biochemical parameters in animals and its effects are dose-dependent.
Hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects of Cephalotaxus sinensis in STZ-induced diabetic rats

Hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic activities of Cephalotaxus sinensis extracts were studiedin streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. The animals were divided into normal control, diabetic control, diabetic treated and control treated group (n = 6). Effect of oral administration of 80% aqueous ethanolic extract (aq.EE), water extract (WtE), ethyl acetate fraction (EaF), and butanol fraction (BtF) of C. sinensis (200 mg/kg) based on the body weight for 28 days, level of blood glucose, total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) were determined. It was found that the ethyl acetate fraction of C. sinensis significantly lowered the elevated blood glucose level, cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL-C, and it showed a significant increase in body weight and HDL-C level (p<0.01). These results obviously indicated that C. sinensis possesses promising hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects, which could exert a beneficial action against high glucose level as well as reduced effect on HDL. Key words: Cephalotaxus sinensis, hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic.
Accurate Computation of Marginal Data Densities Using Variational Bayes

Bayesian model selection and model averaging rely on estimates of marginal data densities (MDDs) also known as marginal likelihoods. Estimation of MDDs is often nontrivial and requires elaborate numerical integration methods. We propose using the variational Bayes posterior density as a weighting density within the class of reciprocal importance sampling MDD estimators. This proposal is computationally convenient, is based on variational Bayes posterior densities that are available for many models, only requires simulated draws from the posterior distribution, and provides accurate estimates with a moderate number of posterior draws. We show that this estimator is theoretically well-justified, has finite variance, provides a minimum variance candidate for the class of reciprocal importance sampling MDD estimators, and that its reciprocal is consistent, asymptotically normally distributed and unbiased. We also investigate the performance of the variational Bayes approximate density as a weighting density within the class of bridge sampling estimators. Using several examples, we show that our proposed estimators are at least as good as the best existing estimators and outperform many MDD estimators in terms of bias and numerical standard errors.
Obstacle Detection Techniques in Outdoor Environment: Process, Study and Analysis

Obstacle detection is the process in which the upcoming objects in the path are detected and collision with them is avoided by some sort of signalling to the visually impaired person. In this review paper we present a comprehensive and critical survey of Image Processing techniques like vision based, ground plane detection, feature extraction, etc. for detecting the obstacles. Two types of vision based techniques namely (a) Monocular vision based approach (b) Stereo Vision based approach are discussed. Further types of above described approaches are also discussed in the survey. Survey discusses the analysis of the associated work reported in literature in the field of SURF and SIFTS features, monocular vision based approaches, texture features and ground plane obstacle detection.
The Inter-Firm Coordination of the Construction Project Supply Chain

The application of supply chain management to construction has been a challenging task. An important reason for that is the difference between the industrial context where it was originated and the construction industry. Although the literature suggests that the use of multiple theoretical approaches can provide a comprehensive description and understanding of construction supply chains, so far no framework has been offered for their joint use in practical situations. This paper aims to provide a multi-theoretical approach that can be used to comprehensively describe inter-organizational coordination of construction project supply chains. The use of three theoretical approaches is discussed: the Theory of Coordination (TC), the Transaction Costs Theory (TCT) and the Language/Action Perspective (LAP). A case study is presented to illustrate the joint use of these three theoretical approaches in a practical situation. The study shows that the three theoretical approaches are highly complementary and that their joint use provides a comprehensive view of how such construction project supply chains arise, develop and finally disband.
Is there a Modi effect in per capita income of Gujarat

Using time series data on per capita income of Gujarat, we look for the presence of structural breaks in the relative per capita Income series to see if any of the significant break dates in the series correspond to Narendra Modi's tenure as Chief Minister of Gujarat. We fail to find any Modi effect in per capita income of Gujarat. We also find that the per capita income of Gujarat, albeit impressive, does not drift too far from the per capita income of India.
Uncatalyzed Peptide Bond Formation In the Gas Phase

Several levels of electronic structure theory are used to analyze the formation of a peptide bond between two glycine molecules. Both a stepwise and concerted mechanism were considered. The energetic requirements for the stepwise and concerted mechanisms are essentially the same within the expected accuracy of the methods used. A simpler model system comprised of formic acid and ammonia is found to provide a good representation of the essential features of dipeptide formation. Total electron demities and localized molecular orbitals are used to interpret the mechanisms
Factors affecting professor facilitator and course evaluations in an online graduate program

Along with the rapid growth in Internet-based instruction there have been concerns about the quality of online instruction and whether traditional student evaluations of faculty are suitable in online environments. This study uses data collected from ongoing student evaluations of faculty in an MBA program within an online university to investigate the factors leading to student ratings of overall professor facilitator performance and overall satisfaction with the course. Using factor analysis we investigated the underlying factors related to the items on the survey which revealed factors relating to personal attributes of the professor facilitator, learning facilitation and quality of feedback. Results from regression analysis finds that evaluations of overall professor facilitator performance is predominantly driven by both the professor’s attributes and learning facilitation while overall student satisfaction is largely driven by factors associated with learning facilitation.
Topographic, latitudinal and climatic distribution of Pinus coulteri: Geographic range limits are not at the edge of the climate envelope

Author(s): Chardon, NI; Cornwell, WK; Flint, LE; Flint, AL; Ackerly, DD | Abstract: © 2014 The Authors. With changing climate, many species are projected to move poleward or to higher elevations to track suitable climates. The prediction that species will move poleward assumes that geographically marginal populations are at the edge of the species' climatic range. We studied Pinus coulteri from the center to the northern (poleward) edge of its range, and examined three scenarios regarding the relationship between the geographic and climatic margins of a species' range. We used herbarium and iNaturalist.org records to identify P. coulteri sites, generated a species distribution model based on temperature, precipitation, climatic water deficit, and actual evapotranspiration, and projected suitability under future climate scenarios. In fourteen populations from the central to northern portions of the range, we conducted field studies and recorded elevation, slope and aspect (to estimate solar insolation) to examine relationships between local and regional distributions. We found that northern populations of P. coulteri do not occupy the cold or wet edge of the species' climatic range; mid-latitude, high elevation populations occupy the cold margin. Aspect and insolation of P. coulteri populations changed significantly across latitudes and elevations. Unexpectedly, northern, low-elevation stands occupy north-facing aspects and receive low insolation, while central, high-elevation stands grow on more south-facing aspects that receive higher insolation. Modeled future climate suitability is projected to be highest in the central, high elevation portion of the species range, and in low-lying coastal regions under some scenarios, with declining suitability in northern areas under most future scenarios. For P. coulteri, the lack of high elevation habitat combined with a major dispersal barrier may limit northward movement in response to a warming climate. Our analyses demonstrate the importance of distinguishing geographically vs. climatically marginal populations, and the importance of quantitative analysis of the realized climate space to understand species range limits.
Effect of restricted forage intake in confinement on estimated fecal output from a sustained release bolus.

Two experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of restricted forage intake on patterns of chromium excretion to determine sample window duration and the accuracy and precision of fecal output estimates derived from the Captec Chrome sustained release bolus. In Experiment 1, 8 crossbred steers (mean = 243 +/- 14 kg) were assigned randomly to receive prairie hay (PH) at intake levels of either 1.12% body weight (BWT) or 0.75% BWT while maintained in individual metabolism crates and(or) pens. In Experiment 2, steers from Experiment 1 were rerandomized and assigned to receive PH at either 1.12% BWT or alfalfa hay (AH) at 1.30% BWT. The average post-dosing bolus failure rate across experiments exceeded 30%. Estimated fecal output exceeded actual fecal output under all experimental conditions (P 0.60). Treatment effects were similar for estimated fecal output, corrected estimated fecal output, and actual fecal output. Under conditions of pen feeding and restricted forage intake, estimated fecal output exhibited treatment differences similar to those of total fecal collection. However, unless adjusted for average marker recovery, these estimates were significantly greater than actual fecal output.
A MERGER SHOCK IN A 2034

We present a 250 ks Chandra observation of the cluster merger A2034 with the aim of understanding the nature of a sharp edge previously characterized as a cold front. The new data reveal that the edge is coherent over a larger opening angle and is significantly more bow-shock-shaped than previously thought. Within ∼27◦ about the axis of symmetry of the edge, the density, temperature, and pressure drop abruptly by factors of 1.83+0.09 −0.08, 1.85+0.41 −0.41, and 3.4 +0.8 −0.7, respectively. This is inconsistent with the pressure equilibrium expected of a cold front and we conclude that the edge is a shock front. We measure a Mach number M = 1.59+0.06 −0.07 and corresponding shock velocity vshock 2057 km s−1. Using spectra collected at the MMT with the Hectospec multi-object spectrograph, we identify 328 spectroscopically confirmed cluster members. Significantly, we find a local peak in the projected galaxy density associated with a bright cluster galaxy that is located just ahead of the nose of the shock. The data are consistent with a merger viewed within ∼23◦ of the plane of the sky. The merging subclusters are now moving apart along a north–south axis approximately 0.3 Gyr after a small impact parameter core passage. The gas core of the secondary subcluster, which was driving the shock, appears to have been disrupted by the merger. Without a driving “piston,” we speculate that the shock is dying. Finally, we propose that the diffuse radio emission near the shock is due to the revival of pre-existing radio plasma that has been overrun by the shock.
Totoralia, a new conical-shaped mollusk from the middle Cambrian of western Argentina

The new genus Totoralia from the late middle Cambrian of El Totoral (Mendoza Province, western Argentina) is described herein. It is a delicate, high, bilaterally symmetrical cone with a sub-central apex and five to seven prominent comarginal corrugations. In addition, its surface shows numerous fine comarginal lines, as well as thin, closely spaced radial lirae. Totoralia gen. nov., in most respects, resembles the Cambrian helcionellids Scenella BILLINGS and Palaeacmaea HALL and Whitfield. Although Scenella has been considered as a chondrophorine cnidarian by some authors in the past, now the predominant view is that it is a mollusk. Likewise, several aspects of Totoralia gen. nov. morphology indicate closer affinities with mollusks. The specimens studied constitute elevated cones that are rather consistent in height, implying that they were not flexible structures like those of the chondrophorines. The presence of a short concave slope immediately in front of the apex can also be interpreted as a mollusk feature. In addition, the numerous comarginal lines of the cone are uniform in prominence and constant in spacing, and are only represented on the dorsal surface of the shell; thus, they are most similar to the incremental growth lines of shells of mollusks. The morphology of Totoralia gen. nov. is regarded as primitive in the Helcionelloida because the ancestor of the class is likely to have had a minute, untorted limpet-shaped shell. Although the new genus herein described seems to be endemic to Argentina, the Cambrian occurrences of related scenellid genera suggest affinities with Laurentia.
Effects of 1α-Hydroxycholecalciferol and Phytase on Growth Performance, Tibia Parameter and Meat Quality of 1-to 21-d-old Broilers

This experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of interaction between la-hydroxycholecalciferol (la-OH D 3 ) and phytase on growth performance, parameters of tibia and plasma, and meat quality of 1- to 21-d-old broilers. Two hundred and forty male, 1-d-old Arbor Acres broilers were randomly assigned to 20 cages, with 12 chicks per cage. Five treatments were designed, with four cages each. A 2x2 factorial experiment was designed to test 0 and 5 μg/kg of la-OH D 3 in combination with 0 and 500 U/kg of phytase. A basal diet was formulated to contain 2.9 g/kg of non-phytate phosphorus (NPP), and the control diet was formulated to contain a normal level of NPP (4.5 g/kg). Results showed that la-OH D 3 alone increased tibia ash, contents of calcium and phosphate, breaking strength, concentrations of plasma calcium and phosphate, and water-holding capacity of breast and thigh meat, while it decreased growth of broilers. Phytase alone improved performance and tibia quality. Although growth of broilers was lower than that of the positive control when the diet was supplemented with la-OH D3 and phytase, tibia quality was significantly improved by the addition of la-OH D 3 and phytase. These data suggest that interaction between la-OH D 3 and phytase at 2.9 g/kg of dietary NPP could significantly increase bone quality of 1- to 21-d-old broilers, while not improving growth performance.
Well-Being and Fishery Governance

This paper provides summaries of presentations at a special session of IIFET 2012 that explored the potential value of a ‘wellbeing’ approach in small-scale fisheries, drawing on insights from the Governing Small-Scale Fisheries for Wellbeing and Resilience project. The research aimed to apply wellbeing concepts to both better understand fishery values and dynamics, and to improve fisheries management and governance. Wellbeing provides a framework to broaden the analysis of fisheries by addressing the three complementary elements of material, relational and subjective wellbeing, to properly consider the full range of values and objectives in fisheries, and to more comprehensively assess policy alternatives. The paper introduces the idea of wellbeing, then focuses on four themes: (1) the extent to which a wellbeing lens provides a more comprehensive way to approach concerns about poverty, livelihoods and vulnerability in smallscale fisheries; (2) how a wellbeing lens connects to a social-ecological systems perspective, and to analyses of resilience within a fisheries context; (3) how adoption of wellbeing perspectives can contribute to fishery governance thinking, and inform the implementation of fisheries management instruments, and (4) how a wellbeing lens can be applied in specific fisheries, through small-scale fishery case studies from South Africa.
Five-dimensional null and time-like supersymmetric geometries

We show that there exist supersymmetric solutions of five-dimensional, pure,  = 1 supergravity such that the norm of the supersymmetric Killing vector, built out of the Killing spinor, is a real not-everywhere analytic function such that all its derivatives vanish at a point where the Killing vector field becomes null. The norm of the Killing vector field then is not an analytic function on a neighborhood around this point. We explicitly construct such solutions by using a multi-center Gibbons–Hawking base. Although many of these solutions have infinite charges, we find explicit examples with finite charges that asymptote to AdS 3 × S 2 and discuss their physical interpretation.
Effect of chemical fertilization and green manure on the abundance and community structure of ammonia oxidizers in a paddy soil

Ammonia oxidization is a critical step in the soil N cycle and can be affected by the fertilization regimes. Chinese milk-vetch (Astragalus sinicus L., MV) is a major green manure of rice (Oryza sativa L.) fields in southern China, which is recommended as an important agronomic practice to improve soil fertility. Soil chemical properties, abundance and community structures of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) in a MV-rice rotation field under different fertilization regimes were investigated. The field experiment included six treatments: control, without MV and chemical fertilizer (CK); 100% chemical fertilizer (NPK); 18 000 kg MV ha-1 plus 100% chemical fertilizer (NPKM1); 18 000 kg MV ha-1 plus 40% chemical fertilizer (NPKM2); 18 000 kg MV ha-1 alone (MV); and 18 000 kg MV ha-1 plus 40% chemical fertilizer plus straw (NPKMS). Results showed that NPKMS treatment could improve the soil fertility greatly although the application of 60% chemical fertilizer. The abundance of AOB only in the MV treatment had significant difference with the control; AOA were more abundant than AOB in all corresponding treatments. The NPKMS treatment had the highest AOA abundance (1.19 x 108 amoA gene copies g-1) and the lowest abundance was recorded in the CK treatment (3.21 x 107 amoA gene copies g-1). The abundance of AOA was significantly positively related to total N, available N, NH4+-N, and NO3--N. The community structure of AOA exhibited little variation among different fertilization regimes, whereas the community structure of AOB was highly responsive. Phylogenetic analysis showed that all AOB sequences were affiliated with Nitrosospira or Nitrosomonas and all AOA denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) bands belonged to the soil and sediment lineage. These findings could be fundamental to improve our understanding of AOB and AOA in the N cycle in the paddy soil.