Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The H i mass function as a probe of photoionization feedback on low-mass galaxy formation

We explore the galaxy formation physics governing the low-mass end of the H i mass function in the local Universe. Specifically, we predict the effects on the H i mass function of varying (i) the strength of photoionization feedback and the redshift of the end of the epoch of reionization, (ii) the cosmology, (iii) the supernovae feedback prescription and (iv) the efficiency of star formation. We find that the shape of the low-mass end of the H i mass function is most affected by the critical halo mass below which galaxy formation is suppressed by photoionization heating of the intergalactic medium. We model the redshift dependence of this critical dark matter halo mass by requiring a match to the low-mass end of the H i mass function. The best-fitting critical dark matter halo mass decreases as redshift increases in this model, corresponding to a circular velocity of ∼50 km s−1 at z = 0, ∼30 km s−1 at z ∼ 1 and ∼12 km s−1 at z = 6. We find that an evolving critical halo mass is required to explain both the shape and abundance of galaxies in the H i mass function below M HI ∼10 8 h −2 M ⊙ MHI∼108h−2M⊙ . The model makes specific predictions for the clustering strength of H i-selected galaxies with H i masses >106 and >107 h−2 M⊙ and for the relation between the H i and stellar mass contents of galaxies which will be testable with upcoming surveys with the Square Kilometre Array and its pathfinders. We conclude that measurements of the H i mass function at z ≥ 0 will lead to an improvement in our understanding of the net effect of photoionization feedback on galaxy formation and evolution.
Ultrasound Assisted Extraction of Phenolic Compounds from Grapes

The grapes contain large amounts of polyphenols, especially anthocyanins which act as antioxidants. Phenolic compounds in grapes can be phenolic acids (precursors of flavonoids) and flavonoids (Shi et al., 2003). These compounds represent the third most abundant constituent after carbohydrates and fruit acids (Singleton, 1980). Polyphenolic compounds are commonly obtained by extraction with organic solvents (methanol, ethanol and acetone).
INDUSTRY PERSPECTIVES ON THE IMPACT OF IT AND E-COMMERCE

In recent years several new IT-based technologies such as e-commerce have been developed, which if applied to the construction industry can prove beneficial. Before the implementation of new technologies and applications, it is essential to identify the factors that the industry perceives as being the enablers and barriers to the uptake of these applications for greater effectiveness. This paper presents the results of a survey undertaken to establish the views of industry practitioners on the uptake of IT (and e-commerce in particular) within the UK construction sector. The survey explored attitudes, current usage, barriers and enablers amongst other things. The findings of the survey are briefly discussed and outline ideas for more effective deployment of IT and e-commerce in construction organisations presented. The paper also tries to outline some future prospects for using e-commerce in the UK construction industry, based on responses to the survey.
Biofouling control: a microfluidic assessment of patterned surfaces

Biofouling, by the sessile growth of microorganisms onto submerged surfaces, presents a serious problem for underwater structures. While biofouling can be controlled to various degrees with different patterned surfaces, the underlying mechanisms are still imprecise. Since long researchers are speculating that microtopographies might influence surface-near microfluidic conditions and thus micro-hydrodynamically preventing microorganism settlement. It is therefore very important to identify the microfluidic environment developed on patterned surfaces and its relation with antifouling behavior of those surfaces. This study considered the wall shear stress distribution pattern of microtopographies as a significant aspect of this microfluidic environment. Though the requirement of effective shear stress is quite low for removing microorganisms at their early stage of attachment, still the development of this critical shear stress is limited due to inadequate inetiial forces in the viscous dominated sublayer. So in this study, patterned surfaces were analyzed in the perspective of developing critical microfluidic shear stress with specific distribution pattern to inhibit the gregariousness of microorganisms. A shape comparison of patterned surfaces with equivalent rouglmess geometries was carried out using CFD simulations. Finally, the study pointed out some geometrical features of a pattemed surface and related fluid flow conditions to be considered while selecting the surface for biofouling control.
idrbt-team-a@IECSIL-FIRE-2018 : Relation Categorization for Social Media News Text

This working note presents a statistical based classifier for text classification using entity relationship information present in the input text. We observed that parts-of-speech tags and named entities information will help us to predict the relationship between entities. We also presented the procedure for predicting POS tags and named entities, which we considered as the sources of information for entity relationship. These features (POS tags, NE) along with the words, in input text sentence, are used as input features to classify the given input into any one of the predefined relationship class. It also presents the experimental details and performance results of this classifier on five Indian language datasets such as hindi, kannada, malayalam, tamil and telugu.
Computationally intensive Value at Risk calculations

Market risks are the prospect of financial losses- or gains- due to unexpected changes in market prices and rates. Evaluating the exposure to such risks is nowadays of primary concern to risk managers in financial and non-financial institutions alike. Until late 1980s market risks were estimated through gap and duration analysis (interest rates), portfolio theory (securities), sensitivity analysis (derivatives) or "what-if" scenarios. However, all these methods either could be applied only to very specific assets or relied on subjective reasoning.
Commensal Bugs from the Gut-Shaping Human Health and Disease

Gut microbiome is a collection of symbiotic microorganisms that resides in human gastrointestinal tract. This microbiota plays essential role in immunological responses and other host activities. A plentiful of evidences suggests that the alterations of the normal gut microbiota composition are associated with various human diseases and psychological disorders. Proper knowledge about the host-microbiota interaction may reveal the underlying cause of these pathophysiological responses from gut microbiota, which in turn may provide novel insights into the importance of gut flora in human health. This understanding is essential for the development of future personalized strategies of therapeutics. The present review is an endeavor to provide an account about the human gut microbiome their diversity and disease causing capability; discussing the significance of gut microbiome in few common and widespread diseases/disorders.
Metformin and Type 2 Diabetes Prevention

IN BRIEF Metformin, an established therapy for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, has demonstrated safety and effectiveness in the prevention or delay of type 2 diabetes in people at high risk. The Diabetes Prevention Program randomized clinical trial demonstrated that intensive lifestyle intervention and metformin therapy reduced progression to diabetes by 58 and 31%, respectively, compared to placebo in people at risk of type 2 diabetes. Although lifestyle intervention was beneficial in all groups, metformin had a selectively greater effect in those who were more obese, had a higher fasting glucose, had a history of gestational diabetes, or were younger. Long-term effects included an 18% diabetes reduction with metformin compared to placebo over 15 years, a reduction in microvascular complications among those who did not progress to diabetes (without difference among treatment arms), and suggestion by coronary calcium assessment of a possible impact on atherosclerosis in men. Although long-term follow-up to assess later-stage outcomes is underway, current efforts to address gaps in evidence and translation remain of significant public health interest.
Hyperspectral imaging of retinal microvascular anatomy

Background: Hyperspectral image processing has been applied to many aspects of astronomical and earth science research. Furthermore, advances in computed tomographic imaging spectroscopy and diffraction grating design have allowed biological applications for non-invasive tissue analysis. Herein, we describe a hyperspectral computed tomographic imaging spectroscope (HCTIS) that provides high spatial, spectral and temporal resolution ideal for imaging biological tissue in vivo . Methods: We demonstrate proof-of-principle application of the HCTIS by imaging and mapping the microvascular anatomy of the retina of a model organism (rabbit) in vivo . The imaging procedure allows rapid and dense spectral sampling, is non-toxic, non-invasive, and easily adaptable to a commercially available fundus camera system. Results: HCTIS provides highly co-registered temporal, spatial and spectral data with resolution capable of reconstructing the fine vascular tree of the rabbit retina in vivo . Conclusions: We show that HCTIS allows for reliable and reproducible tissue classification and detection using signature discriminant analysis. Future applications of this system may provide promising diagnostic methods for diseases of many tissues.
The spectroscopic signature of roAp stars

To reliably determine the spectroscopic signature of rapidly oscillating chemically peculiar (roAp) stars it is also necessary to investigate a sample of non pulsating chemically peculiar (noAp) as well as presumably "normal" stars. We describe in this study the sample of spectroscopically investigated stars and comment on the techniques used for the analysis. In particular we discuss ionization disequilibria of rare earths in roAp stars that distinguish them from noAp stars. In the light of the recently discovered pulsation of β CrB we see arguments that all magnetic CP2 stars up to a transition temperature of about 8100 K may be pulsating.
Traceability perception of beef: a comparison between Spanish and Italian consumers

Nowadays, the increasing demand by customers and consumers for information on food quality and safety determines, to a certain degree, the structure of the food chain. Traceability is considered as a tool to reach and keep consumers' confidence, which became a central issue to restore consumers' confidence in beef safety after the BSE crisis that strongly affected the EU market. Numerous researches have been carried out to determine consumers' preferences related to quality and food safety. However, the consumer perception of beef traceability has not yet been studied enough. In this paper we want to investigate the perception of Italian and Spanish consumers on this issue by analysing the results of six focus groups carried out in both countries, in the framework of an EU project (TRACE- Tracing the origin of food) funded through the Food and Quality Priority of the EU Framework VI research programme. The differences and similarities in consumers' perception are analysed on the basis of the different product valorisation approach followed by the national supply chain in order to promote beef quality and safety. Finally, the paper shows the necessity to organise the supply chain product development and differentiation strategies in a consumer - based way.
Influence of Selected Green Human Resource Management Practices on Environmental Sustainability at Menengai Oil Refinery Limited Nakuru, Kenya

The study was designed to analyze some of the Green HR practices and their influence on environmental sustainability. The main variable for the study was to establish the influence of Green Human Resource management practices on environmental sustainability at Menengai Oil Refinery in Nakuru; Kenya. The study adopted a descriptive design, specifically a case study at Menengai Oil Refinery. Primary method of data collection was applied where questionnaires were used. The study targeted 275 permanent employees, from which a sample size of 163 employees was selected. Questionnaires were used in the data collection. The data was then analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics and presented inform of tables. The findings included: Green employee sourcing had a weak insignificant influence on environmental sustainability, Green occupation health and safety had a significant influence on environmental sustainability, Green training and development programs did not influence much environmental sustainability, Green performance management had significant influence on environmental sustainability and finally the influence of NEMA policies and regulations had the greatest influence on environmental sustainability. The study thus recommended that Menengai Oil refinery should strengthen its green performance management and occupational health systems to ensure environmental sustainability.
A New Opposition-based Differential Evolution Variant Based on the Best and Worst Individuals

Considering the drawbacks of the traditional Opposition-based Differential Evolution (ODE), a new variant of ODE is presented. It makes full use of the information in the best and worst individuals in the current population to learn the opposite estimates, and follows the same framework of the traditional ODE in population initialization and generation jumping. The proposed approach is validated using the benchmark functions chosen from CEC 2015. Empirical results show that the proposed approach gains a better performance when compare to classical DE and ODE.
THE COMPOSITION AND STRUCTURAL FEATURE OF PLANT COMMUNITY IN DIFFERENT KARST STONY DESERTIFICATION AREAS

Information on the species composition and community structure of vegetation at different successional stages is useful for understanding successional mechanisms and for selecting species for vegetation recovery. We investigated the composition and structure of plant community in different succession stages by setting 270 sample plots in all 5 types stony desertification areas of Guizhou province, China. The results show that: (1) in the early succession stage of karst rocky desertification area, the environment adaptable species mainly are pioneer species of light-demanding and drought-tolerant. With the succession, species change following a variation trend of "increasing-decreasing-increasing", Shrub stage had the largest number of plant species. (2) There is difference in plant composition in different succession stages of 5 types stony desertification areas. (3) During natural succession stages, the cover degree, predominance degree, and density of plant community represents the horizontal structural feature of karst stony desertification area. The difference in predominance degree and density is considerable, and in certain proportion relation. (4) In early-mid succession stages of plant community, plants are in contagious distribution, while in climax community succession stage, most plants are in random distribution and less are in contagious distribution. From above results, it can be concluded that the variation feature of plant communication in karst stony desertification areas follows certain natural succession law, therefore, species collocation and optimal configuration should be arranged according to natural succession law for control of stony desertification.
The mortgage spread as a predictor of real-time economic activity

Abstract We analyse the predictive content of the mortgage spread for US economic activity. We find that the spread contains predictive power for real GDP and industrial production. Furthermore, it outperforms the term spread and Gilchrist–Zakrajšek credit spread in a real-time forecasting exercise. However, the predictive ability of the mortgage spread varies over time.
Effect of temperature on the evolution of colour during the maceration of fruits in liquor

Paz I. , Fernandez A. , Matias C. , Pinto G. (2014): Effect of temperature on the evolution of colour during the maceration of fruits in liquor. Czech J. Food Sci., 32: 90–95 . The effect of temperature on the kinetics of pigment extraction during the maceration of different fruits (raspberry, blackberry, and cranberry) into a commercially available hard spirit (orujo, with 42% v/v ethanol) was evaluated. The analytical method used was UV-Vis spectrophotometry. The initial extraction rate showed an Arrhenius-type dependence with apparent energy activation of 28.8, 69.8, and 55.6 kJ/mol, respectively. Furthermore, a study about the evolution of the colour (from colourless to reddish colour appearance) during the soaking process was done by calculating the CIE tristimulus values ( X, Y, Z) for illuminant C, until reaching the apparent stabilisation of colour, which occurs after about two to four weeks for the studied temperatures (5, 23, and 40°C). Studies about the evolution of colour in the soaking process of this kind of fruit liquors can lead to a better understanding of this process, and thus to a better control over the mechanisms underlying it.
TASK ASSIGNMENT IN HOME HEALTH CARE: A FUZZY GROUP GENETIC ALGORITHM APPROACH

The assignment of home care tasks to nursing staff is a complex problem for decision makers concerned with optimizing home healthcare operations scheduling and logistics. Motivated by the ever-increasing home-based care needs, the design of high quality task assignments is highly essential for maintaining or improving worker moral, job satisfaction, service efficiency, service quality, and to ensure that business competitiveness remains momentous. To achieve high quality task assignments, the assigned workloads should be balanced or fair among the care givers. Therefore, the desired goal is to balance the workload of care givers while avoiding long distance travels in visiting the patients. However, the desired goal is often subjective as it involves the care givers, the management, and the patients. As such, the goal tends to be imprecise in the real world. This paper develops a fuzzy group genetic algorithm (FGGA) for task assignment in home healthcare services. The FGGA approach uses fuzzy evaluation based on fuzzy set theory. Results from illustrative examples show that the approach is promising.
Technology Adoption and the Banking Agency in Rural Kenya

The paper looks at the ways of approaching the promotion of Mobile and Agency Banking technology adoption and its diffusion in Kenya. Technology adoption climates in developing countries are, by nature, problematic, characterized by poor business and governance conditions, low educational levels, and inappropriate infrastructure. The paper is informed by comparative survey data obtained from SMEs and Bank Agents in Karatina and Likuyani, both districts in rural set ups in Kenya. The study establishes that though a variety of mobile and agency banking services are on offer, only a very small proportion of customers who access it, actually use it. The paper recommends intervention addressing both internal and external factors that inhibit mobile and agency banking technology adoption to the full in rural Kenya and other similar developing countries. Keywords: Mobile and Agency Banking; Technology Adoption
Diiscussiion Paper and Workiing Paper Seriies Causes and Consequences of Tax Morale : An Empirical Investigation

Many taxpayers truthfully declare their income to the tax administration. Why? In this paper we have found a significant correlation between tax morale and tax evasion, controlling a variety of factors. Furthermore we have analysed tax morale as dependent variable and studied the determinants that shape it. The results indicate that factors such as the tax administration, tax system, tax awareness, compliance perceptions, trust in officials and others, and the willingness to obey have a relatively strong impact on tax morale. JEL Classifications: H260
The Divergence of Liquidity Commonality in the Cross-Section of Stocks

This paper demonstrates that the cross-sectional variation of liquidity commonality has increased over the period 1963-2005. The divergence of systematic liquidity can be explained by patterns in institutional ownership over the sample period. We document that our findings are associated with similar patterns in systematic risk, and have significant implications for expected returns. Our analysis also indicates that the ability to diversify systematic risk and aggregate liquidity shocks by holding large-cap stocks has declined. The evidence, therefore, suggests that the fragility of the US equity market to unanticipated events has increased over the past few decades.
A review on prospects of essential oils as biopesticide in insect-pest management

Plant essential oils in general have been recognized as an important natural source of pesticides. They represent a market estimated at US $ 700.00 millions and a total world production of 45000 tons. The genera capable of elaborating the compounds that constitute essential oils are distributed in a limited number of families but the widespread range of activities of essential oils is being considered for both industrial and household uses. Essential oil compounds and their derivatives are considered to be an alternative means of controlling many harmful insects and their rapid degradation in the environment have increased specificity that favours beneficial insects. Essential oils based commercial products are being developed for a wide range of human and animal uses, including pest control. Unfortunately, most of the natural products used for pest control, are not always subject to rigorous testing. In view of the above points, the present paper focuses on the work done in the field of essential oils as biopesticides with special emphasis on essential oil chemistry, extraction, pesticidal properties, mode of action, synergism, phytotoxicity, commercialization prospects, safety aspects, socioeconomic impacts and sustainability. Key words: Essential oil, insecticide, repellent, phytotoxicity, safety, economics.
Estimating the produced power by photovoltaic installations in shaded environments

A model to improve the estimation of the power and energy from photovoltaic installations under dynamic shading conditions is proposed in this paper. The model considers the shaded profile in each photovoltaic module and the temperature profile to update the model parameters of each photovoltaic module. The impact of dynamic shades on the power production is analyzed, illustrating the large errors introduced by classical prediction approaches, which consider non-shading at all or average shading. Moreover, a procedure to model the shades profile in any environment is described and illustrated. Finally, experimental irradiance and environment temperature profiles are used to evaluate the performance of the proposed model in contrast with the classical approaches. The results illustrate that the classical approaches overestimate the power produced by the photovoltaic array, in contrast with the power produced by the proposed model.
Maracujá: um alimento funcional?

Este artigo e uma revisao bibliografica sobre as especies brasileiras de Passiflora (Passiflora edulis fo. flavicarpa O. Deg., P. alata Curtis e P. edulis fo. edulis). A maioria dos artigos da literatura focaliza somente as folhas de Passiflora, enquanto que esta revisao contem informacoes sobre a polpa, cascas e sementes dos frutos do maracuja, com destaque para a composicao quimica, estudos nutricionais e farmacologicos. O enfoque nos frutos do maracuja fundamenta-se no amplo consumo do suco de maracuja (fresco ou industrializado) no Brasil e tambem nas investigacoes em andamento para avaliar o seu potencial uso como alimento funcional.