Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Marketing Actions and the Value of Customer Assets

This article develops a framework for assessing how marketing actions affect customers’lifetime value to the firm. The framework is organized around four critical actions that firms must take to effectively manage the asset value of the customer base: database creation, market segmentation, forecasting customer purchase behavior, and resource allocation. In this framework, customer lifetime value is treated as a dynamic construct, that is, it influences the eventual allocation of marketing resources but is also influenced by that allocation. By viewing customers as assets and systematically managing these assets, a firm can identify the most appropriate marketing actions to acquire, maintain, and enhance customer assets and thereby maximize financial returns. The article discusses in detail how to assess customer lifetime value and manage customers as assets. Then, it identifies key research challenges in studying customer asset management and the managerial challenges associated with implementing effective customer asset management practices.
A spectroscopic survey of Herbig Ae/Be stars with X-shooter – I. Stellar parameters and accretion rates

Herbig Ae/Be stars (HAeBes) span a key mass range that links low- and high-mass stars, and thus provide an ideal window from which to explore their formation. This paper presents Very Large Telescope/X-shooter spectra of 91 HAeBes, the largest spectroscopic study of HAeBe accretion to date. A homogeneous approach to determining stellar parameters is undertaken for the majority of the sample. Measurements of the ultraviolet are modelled within the context of magnetospheric accretion, allowing a direct determination of mass accretion rates. Multiple correlations are observed across the sample between accretion and stellar properties: the youngest and often most massive stars are the strongest accretors, and there is an almost 1:1 relationship between the accretion luminosity and stellar luminosity. Despite these overall trends of increased accretion rates in HAeBes when compared to classical T Tauri stars, we also find noticeable differences in correlations when considering the Herbig Ae and Herbig Be subsets. This, combined with the difficulty in applying a magnetospheric accretion model to some of the Herbig Be stars, could suggest that another form of accretion may be occurring within Herbig Be mass range.
Simultaneous optimization of personalized integrated recovery for pilots and copilots

Various disturbances such as adverse weather conditions may result in delayed or canceled flights and affect the optimized schedules planned for airline crew members. In this paper, we solve the recovery problem via an integrated approach to reoptimize both the pairings and the personalized monthly plans. We solve this problem simultaneously for the pilots and copilots to obtain robust schedules that have the same pairings for pilots and copilots when possible. We propose a set partitioning formulation and we use column generation. We present results for seven instances from a major US carrier.
Preprint-To appear in The Studies in History and Philosophy of Modern Physics

We historically trace various non-conventional explanations for the origin of the cosmic microwave background and discuss their merit, while analyzing the dynamics of their rejection, as well as the relevant physical and methodological reasons for it. It turns out that there have been many such unorthodox interpretations; not only those developed in the context of theories rejecting the relativistic (“Big Bang”) paradigm entirely (e.g., by Alfvén, Hoyle and Narlikar) but also those coming from the camp of original thinkers firmly entrenched in the relativistic milieu (e.g., by Rees, Ellis, Rowan-Robinson, Layzer and Hively). In fact, the orthodox interpretation has only incrementally won out against the alternatives over the course of the three decades of its multi-stage development. While on the whole, none of the alternatives to the hot Big Bang scenario is persuasive today, we discuss the epistemic ramifications of establishing orthodoxy and eliminating alternatives in science, an issue recently discussed by philosophers and historians of science for other areas of physics. Finally, we single out some plausible and possibly fruitful ideas offered by the alternatives.
Biodegradable Polylactide and Its Nanocomposites: Opening a New Dimension for Plastics and Composites

The academic and industrial aspects of the preparation, characterization, mechanical and materials properties, crystallization behavior, melt rheology, and foam processing of pure polylactide (PLA) and PLA/layered silicate nanocomposites are described in this feature article. Recently, these materials have attracted considerable interest in polymer science research. PLA is linear aliphatic thermoplastic polyester and is made from agricultural products. Hectorite and montmorillonite are among the most commonly used smectite-type layered silicates for the preparation of nanocomposites. Smectites are a valuable mineral class for industrial applications because of their high cation exchange capacities, surface area, surface reactivity, adsorptive properties, and, in the case of hectorite, high viscosity, and transparency in solution. In their pristine form, they are hydrophilic in nature, and this property makes them very difficult ot disperse into a polymer matrix. The most common way to overcome this difficulty is to replace interlayer cations with quaternized ammonium or phosphonium cations, preferably with long alkyl chains. In general, polymer/layered silicate nanocomposites are of three different types: (1) intercalated nanocomposites, in which insertion of polymer chains into the layered silicate structure occurs in a crystallographically regular fashion, regardless of polymer to layered silicate ratio, with a repeat distance of few nanometer; (2) flocculated nanocomposites, in which intercalated and stacked silicate layers are sometimes flocculated due to the hydroxylated edge-edge interactions between the silicate layers; (3) exfoliated nanocomposites, in which individual silicate layers are uniformly distributed in the polymer matrix by average distances that totally depend on the layered silicate loading. This new family of composite materials frequently exhibits remarkable improvements in its material properties when compared with those of virgin PLA. Improved properties can include a high storage modulus both in the solid and melt states, increased flexural properties, a decrease in gas permeability, increased heat distortion temperature, an increase in the rate of biodegradability of pure PLA, and so forth.
Religion as an Existential Resource : On Meaning-Making, Religious Coping and Rituals

In this paper, we make a contribution to the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder. We show how religion can function as an existential resource. Religions enable people to perceive an underlying pattern of order and purpose below the surface of life’s incomprehensible inevitabilities such as death and suffering. Religion then works as a meaning-making system that can positively influence the individual’s mental health. Recently, the relations between religion and health have been studied particularly in the context of the ‘religious coping paradigm’. Religious coping is aiming at a ‘search for significance’. Religious coping will often occur where non-religious coping fails, especially in situations involving loss of life, health and relational embeddedness. Religious activities and acts can also enable religious coping. A crucial religious act is the ritual. What are the functions of ritual, and how can a ritual contribute to the mental health of an individual in crisis? What is, in this context, the role of myths and symbols? Several examples are given of how rituals can work as therapeutic tools in the treatment of traumatic disorders. We conclude by stating that religion, being a robust form of meaning-making, is not the sole system able to contribute to working through a trauma, and that its success is far from guaranteed.
Infectivity of Mikrocytos mackini, the causative agent of Denman Island disease in Pacific oysters Crassostrea gigas, to various species of oysters

In addition to Crassostrea gigas, Mikrocytos mackini Farley 1988, a pathogenic intracellular protistan of unknown taxonomic affiliations, produces disease and mortalities in other species of economically important oysters (Crassostrea virginica, Ostrea edulis and Ostrea conchaphila). Preliminary evidence suggests that these alternate species may be more susceptible to infection and the resulting disease than the usual host C. gigas. M. mackin1 ~solated from C. vlrginica and 0. edulis were infective for oysters. Warm temperatures (above 15°C) prevented the development of M. mackini in C. gigas, C. virginica and 0. edulis.
Floral development in Anemoneae (Ranunculaceae)

The floral development of two Clematis species and four Anemone species (including Pulsatilla) (Anemoneae, Ranunculaceae) is described. Shared features are: (1) sepals shortly after initiation broad, crescent-shaped, as opposed to the other organs, which are narrow and hemispherical; (2) outermost organs of the androecium often smaller than the others and sometimes sterile; (3) carpels ascidiate, with distinctive stalk, stigma papillate, decurrent; the carpels have one median fertile ovule and a few lateral sterile ovules in all species studied; the fertile ovule appears before the carpel closes. Generic differences are: (1) In Clematis, four sepals are initiated in two pairs; sometimes one of the sepals in the second pair appears to be divided into two organs (double position) resulting in a pentamerous perianth; the first eight stamens are positioned in two alternating whorls, the outer whorl alternating with the four sepals. In Anemone, the perianth organs, if five, are initiated in spiral sequence; in the Pulsatilla group of Anemone, six sepals are initiated in two whorls; the first three organs of the androecium (staminodes) alternate with the inner sepals. (2) Further androecial organs are mostly in complex whorls (i.e. including double positions) in Clematis, but in an irregular spiral or in irregular complex whorls in Anemone. (3) Anther maturation is largely centripetal in Clematis, but centrifugal or bidirectional in Anemone. In Clematis macropetala, the outermost organs of the androecium lack anthers and the filaments expand and become petal-like. In contrast, in the Pulsatilla group of Anemone, these organs retain sterile anthers and become small, capitate organs. © 2010 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2010, 162, 77–100.
Model predictive control for optimization of combined heat and electric power microgrid

Abstract This is a contribution to the economic dispatch problem of combined electrical and heat power microgrids. A mixed integer linear microgrid model has been developed; the microgrid operations optimization problem has been formulated using Mixed-Integer Linear Programming and Model Predictive Control technique has been applied to take system uncertainties into account. The proposed optimization algorithm has been applied to a tertiary site microgrid, located in Finland; the obtained numerical results have been compared with a heuristic algorithm.
Spectral Separation for Multispectral Image Reproduction Based on Constrained Optimization Method

The constrained optimization method is employed to calculate the colorant values of the multispectral images. Because the spectral separation from the 31-dimensional spectral reflectance to low dimensional colorant values is very complex, an inverse process based on spectral Neugebauer model and constrained optimization method is performed. Firstly, the spectral Neugebauer model is applied to predict the colorants’ spectral reflectance values, and it is modified by using the Yule-Nielsen -value and the effective area coverages. Then, the spectral reflectance root mean square (RRMS) error is established as the objective function for the optimization method, while the colorant values are constrained to 0~1. At last, when the nonlinear constraints and related parameters are set appropriately, the colorant values are accurately calculated for the multispectral images corresponding to the minimum RRMS errors. In the experiment, the colorant errors of the cyan, magenta and yellow inks are all below 2.5% and the average spectral error is below 5%, which indicate that the precision of the spectral separation method in this paper is acceptable.
DETAILED 3D REPRESENTATION OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES

The compilation of detailed 3D representation of archaeological sites is of great importance either for documentation needs or for restoration purposes. The development of special tools and means and the appropriate use of the capabilities of Spatial Information Systems for the data classification, management and visualisation is indispensable. An application of such procedures and techniques was done for the archaeological site of the Acropolis of Mycenae, which was the most important center of the prehistoric hellenism. The necessary 3D data are derived from the extant analog planimetric diagrams, produced in various periods of time and at varying scales, by photogrammetric procedures, stereoplotting and rectification of aerial photos taken by helicopter and terrestrial photos, and by field measurements, for the data completion. The adjustment and 3D-editing of all geometric data was done by a CAD software. The product and its quality characteristics, as attributes, were used as input to a SIS, where the data manipulation is done. Proper interfaces and special scripts for semi-automatic interactive compilation of the 3D model of the Acropolis were written in the SIS environment. For the data visualisation the rendering operation of CAD and the existing operation of the 3D-scene modelling of SIS were used. The 3D views of the site were derived by fully automated procedures. A product which provides valuable and impressive tools for better documentation, with all the geometric data in 3D and in various thematic layers and a reliable data base for the support of various studies of the monument.
Analysis of an infrared burner working with hybrid fuel: LPG / bio-oil

From the pyrolysis of biomass is possible to obtain bio-oil with higher energy density and better use properties. The use of infrared burners has many advantages, for example, uniformity in the heat in the form of radiation and convection. This paper presents a commercial infrared burner adapted with an ejector proposed to burn a hybrid configuration of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and bio-oil diluted. The dilution of bio-oil with absolute ethanol aimed to decrease the viscosity of the fluid, and improving the stability and atomization. It was introduced a temperature controller with thermocouple modulating two stages and solenoid valves for fuels supply. The infrared burner has been tested and evaluated its performance by conducting energy balance. The method of thermodynamic analysis to estimate the load was used an aluminum plate and the distribution of temperatures measured by thermocouples. The dilution reduced the viscosity and increased the lower heating value (LHV), providing a stable combustion to the burner through the atomizing with compressed air and burns combined with LPG. Injecting the hybrid fuel there was increase in the heat transfer from the plate to the environment and gain useful benefit, due to the improved in the efficiency of the infrared burner.
Growth, Employment Creation and Poverty Reduction: An Overview Evidence and Possible Applications to Africa

I: Introduction Whilst there has developed, over the last number of years, a fairly rich literature exploring the relationship between economic growth, poverty and inequality, the role and importance of the labour market in these interactions remains under-researched. Despite the existing lacuna, this paper attempts to provide an overview of current and ongoing research which does attempt to understand labour market linkages not only within the economic growth-poverty nexus, but also the centrality of inequality in our broader appreciation of the welfare impacts of economic growth. In doing so, the paper will also attempt a few modest suggestions for new lines of enquiry through the possible tweaking of prevalent methodological techniques, in order to generate a more nuanced analysis of the role of labour markets analysing the linkages between economic growth, poverty and inequality. The paper endeavours to suggest specific African economies where economic growth and welfare outcomes may be intermediated through the labour markets of these respective economies.
Effects of supplements of water hyacinth and cassava hay on the performance of local "yellow" cattle fed a basal diet of rice straw

Eighteen male local “Yellow” cattle with average weight of 101±14.5 kg were allocated in a randomized complete block design (RCB) to a 3*2 factorial combination of 6 treatments, with three replicates of each treatment. The factors were: 3 sources of rumen supplement (water hyacinth leaves, water hyacinth leaves+stems and urea-mineral mixture), and supplementation or not with cassava hay. The basal diet was untreated rice straw fed ad libitum. The rumen supplements were offered at levels to provide 100 g crude protein (CP) per 100 kg live weight. The cassava hay was offered at levels equivalent to 200 g CP per 100 kg live weight. Live weight gain was increased dramatically when cassava hay was fed. However, there was a significant interaction between the effect of the cassava hay and the rumen supplements. When cassava hay was fed growth rates were higher when the leaves of water hyacinth were given as the rumen supplement with no difference between water hyacinth leaves plus stem and the urea-mineral mixture. In the absence of cassava hay, the cattle fed either leaves or leaves plus stem of water hyacinth lost body weight while those fed the urea-mineral mixture gained in weight. It is concluded: (i) that water hyacinth leaves can be used effectively as a source of rumen nutrients for growing cattle on a basal diet of rice straw provided a source of bypass protein (in this case cassava hay) is also fed; and (ii) that the limiting factors in water hyacinth foliage are the presence of anti-nutritional factors the negative effects of which are exacerbated at low levels of dietary crude protein.
Influence of the shadow economy on economic growth

Shadow economy is being paid a lot of attention in the world. This fi eld of research is rather complex, specifi c and has a number of changeable characteristics. Therefore, the shadow economy has a number of problems to study. The scale and scope of the shadow economy are so that it is becoming the second one. Mean-time, it has a great potential for an ordinary economy to grow. Therefore, it is obvious that the paper is relevant from a practical point of view. The aim is to study the infl uence of shadow activities on economic growth and to identify devel-opment prospects based on the analysis of the existing capacity. The authors use scientifi c methods of research such as empirical, historical and theoretical ones (for example, literature analysis, system analysis and research, settlement and constructive analysis, vertical and hori-zontal analysis). Economical and statistical methods (comparison, summary and grouping; the method of absolute and relative values, average values) are also used in the study. The authors believe that the development of the shadow economy causes both negative and positive conse-quences for the economy and for society itself. Therefore, they should be considered when im-plementing the economic policy of the country.
Agricultural Science and Technology Policy System Institutions and Their Impact on Efficiency and Technical Progress in Kenya and Uganda

Results of an evaluation of the impact of agricultural science and technology (AS and T) policy system institutions on efficiency and technical change in Kenyan and Ugandan agriculture are presented here. Data envelopment analysis was used to derive efficiency and technical change and logistic regression applied to delineate AS and T institutions that induced efficiency and technical progress. Technical progress was positively influenced by transboundary technology transfer, decentralization of extension services, thematic agricultural research and the literacy rate of the agricultural labour force. The intellectual property rights regulatory system negatively impacted on technical progress. On the other hand, efficiency progress was supported by the enactment of a regulatory framework for intellectual property rights system, but negatively influenced by transboundary technology transfer and decentralization of extension services.
MICROMECHANICAL MODELS FOR TRANSVERSAL ELASTIC MODULUS IN UNIDIRECTIONAL LAMINATES

This paper deals with the first step required for composite design: the equivalent macromechanical properties according to the constituents. Assuming a transversally isotropic lamina, the material has five independent properties, namely longitudinal and transversal elastic modulus, in-plane and out-of-plane shear modulus and in-plane Poisson ratio. The longitudinal elastic modulus has a very reasonable prediction by the well-known Rule of Mixtures. On the other hand, the transversal elastic modulus estimative by the same model is poor compared with experimental data. There exist many additional proposed models, therefore all of them are based in hypotheses that usually are not true for real composites, as unit cell symmetry. Due to this fact, the predictions of the following nine models are evaluated: Asymptotic Homogenization with hexagonal unit cell, Asymptotic Homogenization with square unit cell, Bridging, Chamis, Generalized Self Consistent, Halpin-Tsai, modified Halpin-Tsai, Mori-Tanaka and Rule of Mixture. To stablish a comparison, a set of 65 experimental data are compiled from the literature. A semi-empirical modification of the Rule of Mixture is proposed based in a statistical adjust of the experimental data.