Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Markov Switching Unobserved Component Analysis of the CDX Index Term Premium

Using a Markov switching unobserved component model we decompose the term premium of the North American CDX index into a permanent and a stationary component. We establish that the inversion of the CDX term premium is induced by sudden changes in the unobserved stationary component, which represents the evolution of the fundamentals underpinning the probability of default in the economy. We find evidence that the monetary policy response from the Fed during the crisis period was effective in reducing the volatility of the term premium. We also show that equity returns make a substantial contribution to the term premium over the entire sample period.
CO 2 dispersion modelling over Paris region within the CO 2 -MEGAPARIS project

Abstract. Accurate simulation of the spatial and temporal variability of tracer mixing ratios over urban areas is a challenging and interesting task needed to be performed in order to utilise CO 2 measurements in an atmospheric inverse framework and to better estimate regional CO 2 fluxes. This study investigates the ability of a high-resolution model to simulate meteorological and CO 2 fields around Paris agglomeration during the March field campaign of the CO 2 -MEGAPARIS project. The mesoscale atmospheric model Meso-NH, running at 2 km horizontal resolution, is coupled with the Town Energy Balance (TEB) urban canopy scheme and with the Interactions between Soil, Biosphere and Atmosphere CO 2 -reactive (ISBA-A-gs) surface scheme, allowing a full interaction of CO 2 modelling between the surface and the atmosphere. Statistical scores show a good representation of the urban heat island (UHI) with stronger urban–rural contrasts on temperature at night than during the day by up to 7 °C. Boundary layer heights (BLH) have been evaluated on urban, suburban and rural sites during the campaign, and also on a suburban site over 1 yr. The diurnal cycles of the BLH are well captured, especially the onset time of the BLH increase and its growth rate in the morning, which are essential for tall tower CO 2 observatories. The main discrepancy is a small negative bias over urban and suburban sites during nighttime (respectively 45 m and 5 m), leading to a few overestimations of nocturnal CO 2 mixing ratios at suburban sites and a bias of +5 ppm. The diurnal CO 2 cycle is generally well captured for all the sites. At the Eiffel tower, the observed spikes of CO 2 maxima occur every morning exactly at the time at which the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) growth reaches the measurement height. At suburban ground stations, CO 2 measurements exhibit maxima at the beginning and at the end of each night, when the ABL is fully contracted, with a strong spatio-temporal variability. A sensitivity test without urban parameterisation removes the UHI and underpredicts nighttime BLH over urban and suburban sites, leading to large overestimation of nocturnal CO 2 mixing ratio at the suburban sites (bias of +17 ppm). The agreement between observation and prediction for BLH and CO 2 concentrations and urban–rural increments, both day and night, demonstrates the potential of using the urban mesoscale system in the context of inverse modelling
Can We Stabilize the Price of a Cryptocurrency?: Understanding the Design of Bitcoin and Its Potential to Compete with Central Bank Money

This paper discusses the potential and limitations of Bitcoin as a digital currency. Bitcoin as a digital asset has been extensively discussed from the viewpoints of engineering and security design. But there are few economic analyses of Bitcoin as a currency. Bitcoin was designed as a payments vehicle and as a store of value (or speculation). It has no use bar as money or currency. Despite recent enthusiasm for Bitcoin, it seems very unlikely that currencies provided by central banks are at risk of being replaced, primarily because of the market price instability of Bitcoin (i.e. the exchange rate against the major currencies). We diagnose the instability of market price of Bitcoin as being a symptom of the lack of flexibility in the Bitcoin supply schedule ‐ a predetermined algorithm in which the proof of work is the major driving force. This paper explores the problem of instability from the viewpoint of economics and suggests a new monetary policy rule (i.e. monetary policy without a central bank) for stabilizing the values of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.
Static and Dynamic Calculation Approaches for Mechanical Design Assessment of Type B Packages for Radioactive Material Transport - 10193

Demonstration of compliance with the IAEA regulatory requirements [1] for Type B packages can be accomplished by experimental tests with prototypes or small scale models, by reference to previous satisfactory demonstrations of a sufficiently similar nature as well as by calculation, when the calculation procedures and parameters are generally agreed to be reliable or conservative. In practice a combination of these methods is usually applied. This paper shows exemplarily how numerical and experimental approaches can be combined reasonably in the assessment of mechanical package integrity. The paper will also concentrate on how static mechanical approaches can be applied and what their problems related to dynamic calculation approaches are.
The effect of synthesis parameters on mesoporous silica particles morphology and size distribution

The interest for mesoporous silica materials have increased significantly during the past decades due to the benefits these materials can provide. The characteristic for mesoporous silica materials are the high surface area to volume ratio which results in a wide range of potential applications, from catalyst to drug delivery. A lot of effort has been made to develop processes for synthesis of mesoporous silica materials since the first reports released on mesoporous materials. One property that has proved hard to obtain is monodisperse particle size distributions for micrometer sized spherical mesoporous particles. In 2006, Nina Andersson et al. reported a new method, the emulsion with solvent evaporation method, ESE-method, for synthesizing mesoporous spherical silica particles. According to them, this method has several potential advantages over classic precipitation routes. The aim of the thesis was to investigate the ESE-method for synthesis of spherical mesoporous silica particles and to see how different reaction parameters affect the particle morphology and size distribution. The aim was also to modify the process with a Couette cell and investigate which parameters that can be used to further control the particle size distribution. In this thesis spherical mesoporous silica particles were successfully synthesized with the ESEmethod. Through variations in the synthesis conditions different particle morphologies and size distributions were obtained. Small particles with narrow size distribution were achieved by increasing the stirring rate or by increasing the viscosity of the continuous phase. The type and amount of emulsifier affected the particle size distributions. The temperature during gelation turned out to have a minor effect on the particle morphology and size distribution. The Couette cell had major effect on the particles size distribution. The significant parameters, which have impact on the final particle morphology and size distribution are stirring rate, viscosity of dispersed phase and continuous phase. The phase ratio, that is the ratio between the inorganic and organic phase, had a minor effect, while the temperature during gelation did not have significant impact. For the process modified with Couette cell the viscosity of the continuous phase and the retention time in the Couette cell did not have a significant impact on the particle size distribution, while stirring rates and viscosity of the dispersed phase had major effects. Syntheses conditions with high viscosity of the dispersed phase and high stirring rates proved to result in the narrowest particle size distributions.
An assessment of rehabilitation success in an African grassland using ants as bioindicators

Many studies that evaluate rehabilitation make use of invertebrate bioindicators. Invertebrates, especially ants, make useful indicators as they are sensitive to environmental change. We compared ant assemblages in rehabilitated and control sites in the Rietvlei Nature Reserve, a protected area important for grassland conservation in South Africa. Pitfall traps were used to sample ant assemblages at six control sites and six rehabilitated sites. In addition, environmental and vegetation surveys were conducted at each site. We found that the ant assemblages differed significantly between the control and rehabilitated sites, although there was considerable overlap; the control sites supported a greater species density and higher abundance of ants than the rehabilitated sites. In total, 36 ant species were collected (control sites: 34 species; rehabilitated sites: 26 species). The environmental survey revealed that percentages of bare ground and coarse sand, as well as soil pH, differed significantly between the control and rehabilitated sites. The control and rehabilitated sites also supported significantly different plant assemblages. Three indicator ant species were identified for the control sites: Crematogaster rectinota , Crematogaster amita and Monomorium fastidium . No indicator species were identified for the rehabilitated sites. These results suggest that recovery from the previous agricultural use of the area is still incomplete and highlights the lack of research examining the success of rehabilitation in the grassland biome. Conservation implications: The present study illustrates the need for further research on rehabilitation techniques utilised in the grassland biome. This is of value as the remainder of South African grasslands are considered critically endangered.
Evaluation of various mineralization methods and measurement techniques for trace element analysis of plant materials

Three decomposition methods (pressurised microwave digestion, classical dry ashing and dry ashing in a mixture of oxidising gases) for predominantly plant samples, and three measurement techniques (ICP-MS, FAAS, ETAAS) for the determi- nation of Cd , Cu, Pb and Zn were compared. As confirmed by the statistical evaluation, no significant differences between ana- lytical methods were found.
Mediterranean Diet attenuates risk of frailty and sarcopenia: New insights and future directions

Sarcopenia and physical frailty are associated with progressive disability and predictive of negative health outcomes. Dietary interventions are considered the cornerstone in the management of sarcopenic symptomology and physical frailty. However few studies have investigated preventative strategies. Moreover, most studies have focused on the efficacy of individual nutrients or supplements rather than dietary patterns. The Mediterranean Diet (MedDiet) is a dietary pattern that provides evidence for an association between diet quality, healthy ageing and disease prevention. The purpose of this paper was to examine, synthesise and develop a narrative review of the current literature, investigating the potential benefits associated with adherence to a MedDiet and attenuation of physical frailty and sarcopenic symptomology in older adults. We also explored the underlying mechanisms underpinning the potential benefits of the MedDiet on ameliorating physical frailty and sarcopenic symptomology. Synthesis of the reviewed literature is suggestive of a decreased risk of physical frailty and sarcopenic symptomology with greater adherence to a MedDiet. We identified the anti‐inflammatory and high antioxidant components of the MedDiet as two potential biological mechanisms involved. Due to a lack of evidence from RCTs to support the proposed physiological mechanisms, we suggest investigating these observations in older adults with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) whom are vulnerable to physical frailty and disability. A number of biological mechanisms describing the pathway to disability in older adults with T2DM have been postulated with many of these mechanisms potentially mitigated with dietary interventions involving the MedDiet. Exploring these mechanisms with the use of well‐designed, longer‐term dietary intervention studies in older adults with an increased vulnerability to physical frailty and sarcopenia is warranted.
Pendekatan Flexibly Shaped Spatial Scan Statistic untuk Deteksi

Abstrak— Menurut Laporan Profil Kesehatan Jawa Timur tahun 2013, Jawa Timur adalah provinsi dengan jumlah kejadian luar biasa (KLB) DBD tertinggi di Indonesia dengan angka kematian masih di bawah target yakni 1,04 persen. Dalam penelitian ini dilakukan pendeteksian wilayah kantong penyakit DBD dengan Flexibly Shaped Spatial Scan Statistic. Untuk melakukan pendeteksian tersebut dibutuhkan nilai ramalan jumlah kasus DBD di setiap kabupaten. Nilai ramalan dapat diperoleh dengan melakukan pemodelan regresi binomial negatif. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa variabel yang berpengaruh signifikan terhadap jumlah kasus DBD di Jawa Timur adalah persentase rumah tangga berperilaku hidup bersih dan sehat dan persentase sarana pendidikan dibina lingkungan kesehatannya. Hasil Flexibly Shaped Spatial Scan Statistic menunjukkan bahwa terdapat dua belas kantong DBD. Daerah paling rawan yaitu Kota Surabaya yang memiliki nilai resiko relatif sebesar 3,16. Daerah dengan resiko terbesar kedua yakni Kabupaten Bondowoso dan Kabupaten Jember dengan resiko relatif sebesar 2,10. Kabupaten dengan resiko relatif tertinggi ketiga yakni Kabupaten Sampang denganresiko relatif 1,90.
Late Quaternary glacial episodes and sea level changes in the northeastern Billefjorden region, Central Spitsbergen

Within the sequence of marine and glacial sediments from the northeastern Billdjorden region, Central Spitsbergen, five glacial episodes are distinguished. Two of them are referred to the Late Pleistocene: the older, about 87 ka, which remains unnamed, and the younger, about 40-56 ka, which is named the Petuniabukta-Adolfbukta Stage and correlated with the Billefjorden Stage from the Kapp Ekholm section. The other three glacial episodes are referred to the Holocene: the oldest, about 8-9 ka (and named the Ebbadalen-ThomsondaIen Stage), the middle, probably about 2 - 3 ka, and the youngest, correlated with the Little Ice Age. The mollusk fauna (11 species) is described from the Holocene marine and glacial sediments; its composition proves Arctic and Boreal climatic conditions with Lusitanian influences.
Engineering M 13 Bacteriophage Platforms for Cancer Therapy Applications

Two novel schemes for engineering M13 bacteriophage for application in the diagnosis, imaging and treatment of human tumors are proposed. Firstly, by exploiting the uniquely malleable biology of the M13 filamentous phage, we have engineered filamentous phages of shorter lengths by constructing our own set of small viral ssDNA that are packaged by M13 capsid proteins. These 'inho' phages can be sized to ~50nm and above in length. The small phage retains the M13 major and minor coat proteins which have previously been manipulated to serve as tethers to carry various therapy and imaging agents and target specific cancer sites. Now with the ability to control the aspect ratio of these rigid, rod-like phages we can further improve on M13 based cancer detection by optimizing for phage blood circulation and tumor extravasation. Secondly, we have added to our cancer targeting M13 platform collection by cloning for chlorotoxin display on the tail p3 capsid protein of M13. Chlorotoxin can induce passage across blood-brain barrier, targets for cancer cells, and specifically internalizes to glioma cells. Expression of chlorotoxin on M13 will allow us to capitalize on its strong affinity for tumors of neuroectodermal origin and expand the M13 therapy and imaging platform to tumor masses in the brain. Thesis Supervisor: Angela M. Belcher Title: W.M. Keck Professor of Energy in Materials Science and Engineering and Biological Engineering Thesis Supervisor: Alan J. Grodzinsky Title: Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Biological Engineering
IDDR Scheme for a Potential Based Multi Path Dynamic Routing Algorithm

Applications running on the same (WSN) stage more often than not have diverse Quality of Service (QoS) prerequisites. Two fundamental prerequisites are low deferral and high information integrity. In any case, by and large, these two prerequisites can't be satisfied at the same time. In this work, in view of the idea of potential in material science, we propose IDDR, a multi-path dynamic routing algorithm, to determine this contention. By building a virtual half and half potential field, IDDR separates packets of uses with various QoS necessities as indicated by the weight doled out to every bundle, and courses them towards the sink through various ways to enhance the information constancy for honesty touchy applications and also decrease the end-to-end postpone for deferral delicate ones. Utilizing the Lyapunov float strategy, we demonstrate that IDDR is steady. Results comes about show that IDDR gives information respectability and delay differentiated services.
Optimum Performance-Based Seismic Design Using a Hybrid Optimization Algorithm

A hybrid optimization method is presented to optimum seismic design of steel frames considering four performance levels. These performance levels are considered to determine the optimum design of structures to reduce the structural cost. A pushover analysis of steel building frameworks subject to equivalent-static earthquake loading is utilized. The algorithm is based on the concepts of the charged system search in which each agent is affected by local and global best positions stored in the charged memory considering the governing laws of electrical physics. Comparison of the results of the hybrid algorithm with those of other metaheuristic algorithms shows the efficiency of the hybrid algorithm.
Two massive stars possibly ejected from NGC 3603 via a three-body encounter

We report the discovery of a bow-shock-producing star in the vicinity of the young massive star cluster NGC 3603 using archival data of the Spitzer Space Telescope. Follow-up optical spectroscopy of this star with Gemini-South led to its classification as O6 V. The orientation of the bow shock and the distance to the star (based on its spectral type) suggest that the star was expelled from the cluster, while the young age of the cluster (∼2 Myr) implies that the ejection was caused by a dynamical few-body encounter in the cluster’s core. The relative position on the sky of the O6 V star and a recently discovered O2 If*/WN6 star (located on the opposite side of NGC 3603) allows us to propose that both objects were ejected from the cluster via the same dynamical event – a three-body encounter between a single (O6 V) star and a massive binary (now the O2 If*/WN6 star). If our proposal is correct, then one can ‘weigh’ the O2 If*/WN6 star using the conservation of the linear momentum. Given a mass of the O6 V star of ≈30 M� , we found that at the moment of ejection the mass of the O2 If*/WN6 star was ≈175 M� . Moreover, the observed X-ray luminosity of the O2 If*/WN6 star (typical of a single star) suggests that the components of this originally binary system have merged (e.g., because of encounter hardening).
Object-oriented programming in nonlinear ® nite element analysis

Object-oriented programming has already shown to provide numerical scientists with adequate means for improving modularity in basic linear ®nite element codes. It is demonstrated here that this holds for nonlinear analysis, provided that the right types of objects with adequate capabilities are de®ned for handling nonlinear behaviours. In order to implement nonlinear models together with alternative methods for solution control, for nonlinear equation solving and for linear equation solving, a set of three classes is introduced: Problem, NonlinearSolver and LinearSolver. C++ examples implementing advanced algorithms indicate that these classes achieve a fair degree of programming ̄exibility and reusability. They thus provide an appropriate basis for modular nonlinear ®nite element programming. # 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
Trimmed simulation of a transport aircraft using fluid-structure coupling

The accurate prediction of the aerodynamic coefficients under cruise conditions is of major importance for assessing the aircraft’s fuel consumption. To this end, fluid dynamics, structural mechanics and flight mechanics have to be considered: on the one hand, the structure elastically deforms under the influence of the flow and a state of static aeroelastic equilibrium is reached; on the other hand, the aircraft’s loads are balanced by adjusting control surfaces, which influences the flow. A procedure has been developed to account for this interplay. For the interaction between fluid and structure (FSI), a partitioned approach is followed to make use of highly-specialized solvers for each discipline: for the equations governing the flow, the hybrid RANS DLR-TAU-code is employed, whereas for the structural equations, ANSYS is used. The trimmed states are computed using a Newton method, in which the derivatives are calculated using finite difference approximations or, alternatively, using the discrete adjoint. The first test case shows the trim results for a 2-dimensional wing-tail configuration, comparing the approach using finite difference approximations with the one using the discrete adjoint. The second test case uses finite differences for finding the trimmed state for the DLR-F12 transport aircraft configuration in viscous flow, comparing the results of a rigid aircraft with the ones where the wing was allowed to deform elastically.
Intercomparison of 14C Analysis of Carbonaceous Aerosols: Exercise 2009

Radiocarbon analysis of the carbonaceous aerosol allows an apportionment of fossil and non-fossil sources of airborne particulate matter (PM). A chemical separation of total carbon (TC) into its subtractions organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC) refines this powerful technique, as OC and EC originate from different sources and undergo different processes in the atmosphere. Although 14C analysis of TC, EC, and OC has recently gained increasing attention, interlaboratory quality assurance measures have largely been missing, especially for the isolation of EC and OC. In this work, we present results from an intercomparison of 9 laboratories for 14C analysis of carbonaceous aerosol samples on quartz fiber filters. Two ambient PM samples and 1 reference material (RM 8785) were provided with representative filter blanks. All laboratories performed 14C determinations of TC and a subset of isolated EC and OC for isotopic measurement. In general, 14C measurements of TC and OC agreed acceptably well between the laboratories, i.e. for TC within 0.015–0.025 F14C for the ambient filters and within 0.041 F14C for RM 8785. Due to inhomogeneous filter loading, RM 8785 demonstrated only limited applicability as a reference material for 14C analysis of carbonaceous aerosols. 14C analysis of EC revealed a large deviation between the laboratories of 28–79% as a consequence of different separation techniques. This result indicates a need for further discussion on optimal methods of EC isolation for 14C analysis and a second stage of this intercomparison.