Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Using a latent variable choice model to capture heterogeneous attitudes and preferences toward the landscape externalities of wind power generation

This paper incorporates individuals’ attitudes in a discrete choice model by applying an Integrated Choice and Latent Variable (ICLV) model (Ben-Akiva et al., 2002; Bolduc et al., 2005) ICLV models are expected to provide better insights into individuals’ choice behavior recognizing their latent nature while at the same time avoiding problems such as endogeneity and measurement error when incorporating these attitudes directly as explanatory variables in choice models. The model and has been used in various fields (Daly et al., 2012; Glerum et al., 2012; Hess and Beharry-Borg, 2012). We jointly estimate attitudinal and choice models using a case study concerned with the valuation of landscape externalities of wind power generation by analyzing the role of latent attitudes in environmental context and taking into account the repeated choice nature of the data. The ordinal nature of the indicators is taken into account by using an ordered logit structure for their incorporation in the ICLV model. The landscape externalities are provoked by building new turbines or by replacing old ones. Respondents were presented with a choice set including three generic alternatives, which showed how wind power generation might look in 2020 in their region. The choice sets comprise five attributes including a price: size of wind farms, maximum height of windmills, effect on the red kite population in the region, and the minimum distance windmills have to be from villages. The monetary attribute was a price as a surcharge on energy bills (Meyerhoff et al., 2010). The results show that individuals’ latent attitudes are significantly related to variables in the structural equation influence (household income and distance to turbines). People who are more in favor of wind power generation are more likely to choose alternative that restrict the location of turbines in a landscape less than respondents who hold rather negative attitudes towards wind power generation. It is especially noteworthy that the latent variable is significantly related to variable distance measuring the distance from each respondent’s place of residence to the closest turbines in the landscape. However, results regarding the same data set but presented elsewhere (Meyerhoff et al. 2010; Mariel et al. 2012) have revealed that the sample is characterized by strongly antagonistic preferences among respondents, i.e., people who are advocates or opponents of wind power generation. This antagonism is only partly reflected by the ICLV model. Although the WTP estimates reveal heterogeneity among respondents, results from a latent class analysis indicate more clearly the differences among respondents and indicate larger groups of people with opposing preferences.
A Novel Exactly Theoretical Solvable of Bound States of the Dirac-Kratzer-Fues Problem with Spin and Pseudo-Spin Symmetry

New exact bound state solutions of the deformed radial upper and lower components of Dirac equation and corresponding Hermitian anisotropic Hamiltonian operator are studied for the modified Kratzer-Fues potential (m.k.f.) potential by using Bopp’s shift method instead to solving deformed Dirac equation with star product. The corrections of energy eigenvalues are obtained by applying standard perturbation theory for interactions in one-electron atoms. Moreover, the obtained corrections of energies are depended on two infinitesimal parameters    ,  ,which induced by position-position noncommutativity, in addition to the discreet nonrelativistic atomic quantum numbers: ( l s l j ~ , 2 / 1 , 1 / 1 ~     and m~ ) and we have also shown that, the usual relativistic states in ordinary three dimensional spaces are canceled and has been replaced by new degenerated   1 ~ 2 2  l sub-states in the extended quantum symmetries (NC: 3D-RS).
Android forensics: Simplifying cell phone examinations

It is hardly appropriate to call the devices many use to receive the occasional phone call a telephone any more. The capability of these devices is growing, as is the number of people utilizing them. By the end of 2009, 46.3% of mobile phones in use in the United States were reported to be smart phones (AdMob, 2010). With the increased availability of these powerful devices, there is also a potential increase for criminals to use this technology as well. Criminals could use smart phones for a number of activities such as committing fraud over e-mail, harassment through text messages, trafficking of child pornography, communications related to narcotics, etc. The data stored on smart phones could be extremely useful to analysts through the course of an investigation. Indeed, mobile devices are already showing themselves to have a large volume of probative information that is linked to an individual with just basic call history, contact, and text message data; smart phones contain even more useful information, such as e-mail, browser history, and chat logs. Mobile devices probably have more probative information that can be linked to an individual per byte examined than most computers -and this data is harder to acquire in a forensically proper fashion. Part of the problem lies in the plethora of cell phones available today and a general lack of hardware, software, and/or interface standardization within the industry. These differences range from the media on which data is stored and the file system to the operating system and the effectiveness of certain tools. Even different model cell phones made by the same manufacture may require different data cables and software to access the phone's information. The good news is there are numerous people in the field working on making smart phone forensics easier. Already there is material available on how to conduct an examination on Blackberry phones and a growing number of resources about the iPhone. However, there is a new smart phone OS on the market named Android and it will likely gain in appeal and market share over the next year. While Android initially launched with only one phone on T-Mobile, phones are now available on Sprint, Verizon and AT&T as well.
Modeling of UPFC Using Model Predictive Control andBacterial Foraging Algorithm

Power system harmonics and oscillations are an inevitable phenomenon of the electrical system. Faults protection relaying operation can cause the oscillation to collapse the system. In order to damp these power system oscillations, different control methods and different devices are used. Flexible ac transmission systems (FACTS) technology is the newest way of improving power system operation controllability and power transfer limits which has been added in the stream with the progress in the field of power electronics devices. A number of researches had been done to find out the control schemes for performing the oscillation-damping task of UPFC. Here we propose a method based on Model predictive control (MPC) and using Bacterial Forging Algorithm (BFA) for modeling Unified Power Flow Controller. Modeling of UPFC is designed with its unique capability to control simultaneously real and reactive power flows on a transmission line as well as to regulate voltage at the bus where it is connected. Therefore this device create a remarkable quality impact on power system stability. UPFC with additional PI controller is used along with the UPFC main controller for this purpose. The simulation is carried out in MATLAB/simulink which shows promising results.
An inventory model with controllable lead time and ordering cost, log-normal-distributed demand, and gamma-distributed available capacity

Abstract Studying the inventory management literature regarding the models with controllable lead time, many researchers have assumed the random demand follows the normal distribution. However, in practice, it is observed that an accurate demand distribution is often skewed to the right for many items and fitting the normal distribution to the random demand may cause a great financial loss for an inventory/production system. Hence, the motivation of this study is to design a mathematical model where the demand follows the log-normal distribution. Also in order to expand upon previous research concerning the random available capacity, we assume that the random capacity follows a gamma-type distribution to cover a wide range of distribution shapes. Moreover, we consider the ordering cost is a deterministic variable and it is reduced by an extra investment. Also, to find an optimal policy of the proposed probabilistic mathematical model, a solution algorithm is established and a numerical example is proposed showing that utilizing the proposed model rather than the standard continuous-review model with the normal demand may reduce the total expected cost more than 20%.
On the Configuration Issue of Coordination

This paper analyzes the structure of coordinate complexes. New crosslinguistic arguments are presented in this paper to support four claims. First, coordinate complexes have a binary-branching structure, and thus one conjunct is structurally closer to the coordinator than the other conjunct. This constituency is not captured by traditional flat multiple branching representations. Second, the head of the structure is realized by a coordinator, and the conjunct that is structurally closer to the coordinator is the complement of the head, and the other conjunct is always Spec of the head. This is different from either any rightadjunction analysis or heterogeneous structure analysis of coordination. Third, the semantic relation between conjuncts does not need to be symmetrical. Fourth, conjuncts, which are non-projecting elements in coordinate complexes, can be of any constituency level (word-fragment, word, phrase).
Age and growth of round sardinella (Sardinella aurita) in the northeastern Mediterranean

The round sardinella, Sardinella aurita Valenciennes, 1847, was sampled monthly from commercial purse-seine vessels in Kavala Gulf (northern Aegean Sea, Greece) for two complete year cycles (September 2000-August 2002). Its maximum total length and age were 248 mm and 5 years respectively. The length-weight relationship was W=0.0062TL 3.064 for males and W=0.0059TL 3.084 for females. The marginal increment analysis on scales (n=1352) confirmed annulus formation during February-March, which coincided with the lowest sea surface temperature prevailing in the study area. The marginal increment ratio for ages 1, 2 and 3 was positively correlated with sea surface temperature (all r >0.4, P ? =248.678 mm, K=0.509 yr -1 and t 0 =-0.881 yr. The comparison of growth parameters for round sardinella, using the auximetric plot, from Mediterranean and northwest African waters indicated different growth patterns between the two areas.
Shift Working and Trade in Labour Services with Time Zone Differences

Using a two-factor (labor and capital), two-good (shift-working and non shiftworking commodities) model with two countries (Home and Foreign) which are located in different time zones, we highlight the impact of trade in labor services (via communication networks) on the comparative advantage of countries capable of such trade. It is shown that a comparative advantage in the shift-working commodity is held by pairs of countries in different time zones and connected through a good communication network. Concerning factor prices, if the shiftworking commodity is capital (resp. labor) intensive, the wage rate for day-shift labor will decrease (resp. increase) as a result of trade in labor services. It is also demonstrated that this kind of labor services utilization is mutual: some of Home’s day-shift labor will be utilized for Foreign night-shift, and vice versa. Thus, periodic trade in labor services occurs across countries.
Dynamic Immunization and Transaction CostsWith Different Term Structure Models

A bond portfolio selection model is developed in a dynamic framework using different term structures, but without transactions costs. We show that the optimal portfolios are consistent with Khang's dynamic immunization theorem, i.e., the optimal path consists of making portfolio duration equal to the investor's horizon planning period. The model is then extended to include transaction costs. The resulting optimal portfolios are no longer consistent with Khang's dynamic immunization theorem. In fact, the strategy for constructing the optimal portfolio consists of initially choosing a portfolio with a duration that is smaller than the horizon planning period.
Moisture Adsorption and Thermodynamic Properties of Sorghum-Based Complementary Foods

The moisture adsorption and thermodynamic properties of sorghum-based complementary foods were investigated. Non-fermented and fermented sorghum, crayfish, Mango mesocarp and fluted pumpkin leaf powders were blended in the ratios of 91.06% non-fermented sorghum: 0.17% mango mesocarp: 8.77% fish (NFSMC), 91.06% fermented sorghum: 0.17% mango mesocarp: 8.77% fish (FSMC), 91.04% non-fermented sorghum: 0.19% fluted pumpkin: 8.77% fish (NFSPC) and 91.04% fermented sorghum: 0.19% fluted pumpkin: 8.77% fish (FSPC). The sample formulations were done based on 16% protein using material balance. Established procedures were used for sample preparation and analyses. The equilibrium moisture contents (EMCs) generated through static gravimetric method was fitted with Guggenheim-Anderson-deBoer (GAB) model by polynomial regression analysis. The moisture adsorption isotherms of the samples exhibited sigmoidal shape (Type II). The enthalpy of monolayer ranged from 50.34 to 60.75kJ/mol, multilayer ranged from 43.83 to 45.89kJ/mol and bulk water ranged from 42.98 to 44.20kJ/mol. The isosteric heat of sorption decreased with increase in moisture content, the entropy of adsorption of NFSMC, FSMC and FSPC decreased as the moisture content increased. The isokinetic temperature ranged from 326.51 to 603.33K while the harmonic mean temperature was 297.78K. The adsorption process was enthalpy driven. Therefore, NFSMC, FSMC and NFSPC are recommended for their relatively lower moisture content.
Alignment of Plantar Pressure Image Sequences

Plantar pressure images carry crucial information about plantar diseases and deformations and allow inferring about postural issues. It is important to simplify and maximize the information acquired in plantar pressure measurements in order to help the study of plantar pressure related pathologies. Aiming to achieve such need, the alignment, i.e. the registration, of plantar pressure images has been studied. The alignment of two images can be described as the process of transforming one image in order to correspondent areas or features are optimally overlapped with the ones in a second image. In this work, sequences of images acquired during steps of individuals were aligned both in space and time. The spatial alignment is performed between peak pressure representative images of each sequence. Thus, a “moving” image is mapped into the “fixed” image by a rigid geometric transformation. The principal axes of both images are found and then the angle between them is calculated. The translation is determined by the differences between image centroids after rotation. An optimization algorithm is used in order to improve the estimated values. After the spatial alignment, the sampling frequency of the sequences is increased by interpolation of intermediate images in order to obtain more continuous data. Considering the “expanded” sequences, a cost matrix is built containing the mean standard errors (representing the individual matching cost) between all possible image pairs from both sequences to align. Images with the same index from different sequences may not correspond in time because the same person has different pressure patterns between steps. Consequently, a matching algorithm based on dynamic programming is used to establish the matching of minimum global cost. A polynomial relationship between both sequences is established using polynomial degrees up to 10 degree. The polynomial coefficients are found by the least squares technique. The accuracy of the solution developed was accessed through the mean standard error (MSE) calculation between the aligned and the template sequences. Additionally, control deformations were applied in order to find the residual errors between the original and re-aligned sequences. The spatio-temporal solution developed obtained high accuracy in the intra-subject spatiotemporal alignment when using high degree polynomials (p<0.001) up to 10th degree. Such finding is confirmed both by the mean MSE values and the residual errors. In addition, the temporal alignment algorithm presented fast computational speed. Another finding points to the fact that only a small increase in the sampling frequency influences the accuracy of the spatio-temporal alignment.
Hypoglycemic effect of the Rhizophora Mangle Cortex on STZ-NA- Induced Diabetic Rats

Summary This study sought to confirm the hypoglycemic effects of two extracts of the plant Rhizophora mangle (RM) in nicotinamide- streptozotocin induced diabetic rats (STZ-NA). RM is traditionally used in Mexico to treat type 2 diabetes, (T2D). Two different RM extracts were prepared and tested. The first extract was a water extract (WE), similar to the traditionally used tea, and the second extract was an ethanol:water extract (EWE). The extracts (WE 5.9 and 59 mg/kg, and EWE 9 and 90 mg/kg) were tested on STZ-NA rats to determine whether hypoglycemia occurred after administration of the extracts. Phytochemistry- Two different extracts were prepared, n-hexane and buthanol, to test for the presence of alkaloids, terpenes and phenolic compounds. The extracts that were administered to the STZ-NA-induced diabetic rats produced a significant hypoglycemic effect compared with the control group, similar to that achieved with glibenclamide. We also determined that phenolic compounds were the main components of the RM cortex. Diabetic people living near the Mexican coastal zones use the cortex of the Rhizophora mangle plant to treat type 2 diabetes. The results presented here support that extracts of this plant have hypoglycemic effects, which is in agreement with the traditional use.
Dietary vitamin E requirements and growth performance of young-of-the-year beluga, Huso huso (L.) (Chondrostei: Acipenseridae)

Abstract An eight-week feeding trial was conducted using a flow-though system to determine the dietary requirements for vitamin E of young-of-the-year (YOY) beluga, Huso huso (L.), in relation to growth performance. Six diets, including the control diet (basal diet without vitamin E supplementation) and five diets supplemented with 25, 50, 100, 200, and 400 mg vitamin E (Dl-all-rac-α-tocopherol acetate) kg-1, were fed to triplicate groups of fish (mean initial body weight 49.7 ± 0.1 g). At the end of the trial, growth factors such as final body weight, weight gain (WG), feed conversion ratio (FCR), protein efficiency ratio (PER), specific growth rate (SGR), daily growth rate (DGR), and survival rate were determined. The values of WG, SGR, and DGR in the fish fed diet not supplemented with vitamin E were significantly lower than those of the fish fed the five supplemented diets. The final body weight and PER in fish fed diet not supplemented with vitamin E were significantly lower than fish fed diets supplemented with 25, 50, 100, and 200 mg vitamin E kg diet-1, but were similar in the control group and the group fed feed with 400 mg vitamin E kg diet-1. Moreover, the FCR in the fish fed the diet that was not supplemented with vitamin E was significantly higher compared to other groups. Based on observations, no mortality or any signs of deficiency were observed among the fish fed the control and other diets. Based on broken-line analysis, the dietary vitamin E requirement is in the range of 26.6-29.6 mg kg-1 dry diet based on the maximum values of WG, SGR, and minimum FCR, and can be added to the diet for the improved growth of this species.
Niche differentiation of ammonia and nitrite oxidizers along a salinity gradient from the Pearl River estuary to the South China Sea

Abstract. The niche differentiation of ammonia and nitrite oxidizers is controversial because they display disparate patterns in estuarine, coastal, and oceanic regimes. We analyzed diversity and abundance of ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) and β-proteobacteria (AOB), nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB), and nitrification rates to identify their niche differentiation along a salinity gradient from the Pearl River estuary to the South China Sea. AOA were generally more abundant than β-AOB; however, AOB more clearly attached to particles compared with AOA in the upper reaches of the Pearl River estuary. The NOB Nitrospira had higher abundances in the upper and middle reaches of the Pearl River estuary, while Nitrospina was dominant in the lower estuary. In addition, AOB and Nitrospira could be more active than AOA and Nitrospina since significantly positive correlations were observed between their gene abundance and the nitrification rate in the Pearl River estuary. There is a significant positive correlation between ammonia and nitrite oxidizer abundances in the hypoxic waters of the estuary, suggesting a possible coupling through metabolic interactions between them. Phylogenetic analysis further revealed that the AOA and NOB Nitrospina subgroups can be separated into different niches based on their adaptations to substrate levels. Water mass mixing is apparently crucial in regulating the distribution of nitrifiers from the estuary to open ocean. However, when eliminating water mass effect, the substrate availability and the nitrifiers' adaptations to substrate availability via their ecological strategies essentially determine their niche differentiation.
Green competitiveness research on Chinese automotive enterprises

Purpose: More and more executives of automobile industry in China start to recognize the concept of green competitiveness recently. However, relatively less research attention has been devoted to the consideration of measurement. This paper aims to find empirical approach to quantify green competitiveness for automotive enterprises. The connotation of green competitiveness is explored and one suite of evaluation index system has been proposed with four dimensions including environmental, resource, capability and knowledge.