cometadata/datacite-rtg-text-other-reclassification-records huggingface dataset:
Determinants of Long-Term Sustainability and Efficiency of Ethiopian Microfinance Institutions
Creators: name: Shifa, Muhidin
Publisher: name: National Academic Digital Repository of Ethiopia
Year: 2015

description: Excessive reliance on subsidies, coupled with uncertainties in the macroeconomic environment in which MFIs operate, has become an increasingly prominent issue in the world of microfinance. While earlier studies in Ethiopia, on MFIs' performance, focused mostly on their internal characteristics, analysis of sustainability and efficiency have not been dealt sufficiently within the context of a joint analysis of funding structures, firm specific characteristics and macroeconomic environments. In an effort to fill this gap this study is made to independently identify the influence of funding sources, firm characteristics and macroeconomic variables on both sustainability and efficiency of MFIs in Ethiopia. It employs the most common indicators for microfinance sustainability and efficiency and introduces new evidence and possible explanations from an explicit perspective that might be relevant in the context of subsidies, deposit mobilization, scale of operation, gender, age and macroeconomic variables. It is found that increased dependence on donor funds erodes sustainability while maintaining higher percentage of deposits as a percent of loans, increased commercialization, helped MFIs to improve their sustainability. High proportion of women is also found to erode MFIs' sustainability due to perceived reason of their small size of loans and high administrative costs. Consistent with theories and most empirical evidences, the experience of MFIs and GDP growth rate is revealed to enhance their sustainability. On the cost efficiency side having grants as a larger percent of assets significantly erodes MFIs' efficiency in Ethiopia by increasing their cost per borrower. On the other hand larger loan size is found to decrease cost per borrower significantly .The study further revealed that, during the study period ,older Ethiopian MFIs were less efficient as a result of their failure to take advantage of (and lack of focus on) innovations, technology and economies of scale . The study recommends that, to realize financial sustainability and cost efficiency, MFIs should resort to commercialization of their operation rather than relying on grants and soft loans. They are required to maintain a higher level of deposits to loan ratio and a lower level of grants to asset ratio. Poorly performing and highly subsidized MFIs should give much regard for operational costs and subsidies and pay attention to any inefficiency in operations. Visa Vis their deposits level MFIs should also maintain a significant level of gross loan size to enhance efficiency by decreasing their cost per borrower. Key words: MFIs, sustainability, efficiency
Chemical Abundances in a Sample of Red Giants in the Open Cluster NGC 2420 from APOGEE
Creators: name: Souto, Diogo
name: Cunha, Katia
name: Smith, Verne
name: Prieto, Carlos Allende
name: Pinsonneault, Marc
name: Zamora, Olga
name: García-Hernández, D. Anibal
name: Meszaros, Szabolcs
name: Bovy, Jo
name: Pérez, Ana Elia García
name: Anders, Friedrich
name: Bizyaev, Dmitry
name: Carrera, Ricardo
name: Frinchaboy, Peter
name: Holtzman, Jon
name: Ivans, Inese
name: Majewski, Steve
name: Shetrone, Matthew
name: Sobeck, Jennifer
name: Pan, Kaike
name: Tang, Baitian
name: Villanova, Sandro
name: Geisler, Douglas
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2016
Subjects: subject: Solar and Stellar Astrophysics (astro-ph.SR)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: NGC 2420 is a $\sim$2 Gyr-old well-populated open cluster that lies about 2 kpc beyond the solar circle, in the general direction of the Galactic anti-center. Most previous abundance studies have found this cluster to be mildly metal-poor, but with a large scatter in the obtained metallicities for this open cluster. Detailed chemical abundance distributions are derived for 12 red-giant members of NGC 2420 via a manual abundance analysis of high-resolution (R = 22,500) near-infrared ($λ$1.5 - 1.7$μ$m) spectra obtained from the Apache Point Observatory Galactic Evolution Experiment (APOGEE) survey. The sample analyzed contains 6 stars that are identified as members of the first-ascent red giant branch (RGB), as well as 6 members of the red clump (RC). We find small scatter in the star-to-star abundances in NGC 2420, with a mean cluster abundance of [Fe/H] = -0.16 $\pm$ 0.04 for the 12 red giants. The internal abundance dispersion for all elements (C, N, O, Na, Mg, Al, Si, K, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Co and Ni) is also very small ($\sim$0.03 - 0.06 dex), indicating a uniform cluster abundance distribution within the uncertainties. NGC 2420 is one of the clusters used to calibrate the APOGEE Stellar Parameter and Chemical Abundance Pipeline (ASPCAP). The results from this manual analysis compare well with ASPCAP abundances for most of the elements studied, although for Na, Al and V there are more significant offsets. No evidence of extra-mixing at the RGB luminosity bump is found in the $^{12}$C and $^{14}$N abundances from the pre-luminosity-bump RGB stars in comparison to the post-He core-flash RC stars.
description: 35 pages, 9 figures, 5 tables. Accepted for publication in the ApJ 2016
The Nonexistence of Vortices for Rotating Bose-Einstein Condensates in Non-Radially Symmetric Traps
Creators: name: Guo, Yujin
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2020
Subjects: subject: Analysis of PDEs (math.AP)
subject: Mathematical Physics (math-ph)
subject: Functional Analysis (math.FA)
subject: FOS: Mathematics
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: We consider ground states of rotating Bose-Einstein condensates with attractive interactions in non-radially harmonic traps $V(x)=x_1^2+Λ^2x_2^2 $, where $0<Λ\not =1$ and $x=(x_1, x_2)\in R^2$. For any fixed rotational velocity $0\le Ω<Ω^*:=2\min \{1, Λ\}$, it is known that ground states exist if and only if $ a0$ denotes the product for the number of particles times the absolute value of the scattering length. We analyze the asymptotic expansions of ground states as $a\nearrow a^*$, which display the visible effect of $Ω$ on ground states. As a byproduct, we further prove that ground states do not have any vortex in the region $R(a):=\{x\in R^2:\,|x|\le C (a^*-a)^{-\frac{1}{12}}\}$ as $a\nearrow a^*$ for some constant $C>0$, which is independent of $0
description: 29 pages, this is the revised version. The further revised version is published by Journal de Math\'ematiques Pures et Appliqu\'ees in 2023
A new pelican (Aves: Pelecanidae) from the Upper Miocene of Argentina: new clues about the origin of the New World lineages
Creators: name: Noriega, Jorge I.
name: Cenizo, Marcos
name: Brandoni, Diego
name: Pérez, Leandro M.
name: Tineo, David E.
name: Diederle, Juan M.
name: Bona, Paula
Publisher: name: Taylor & Francis
Year: 2023
Subjects: subject: Genetics
subject: FOS: Biological sciences
subject: Evolutionary Biology
classificationCode: 59999
subject: Environmental Sciences not elsewhere classified
subject: Ecology
classificationCode: 69999
subject: Biological Sciences not elsewhere classified
subject: Marine Biology
subject: Plant Biology

description: Pelecanus paranensis sp. nov., a new pelican (Aves, Pelecanidae) from the marine Upper Miocene Paraná Formation, which crops out in the Province of Entre Ríos, Argentina, is described. This record constitutes the first report of a fossil pelican from Argentina and the southernmost from South America. The holotypical specimen consists of a very large and nearly complete pelvis, which is characterized by having the cristae iliacae dorsales continuous throughout its entire length and a large foramen acetabuli. The U-shaped morphology of the postacetabular section of the pelvis of the new species as well as the wide incisura sutura iliosynsacralis, allow to infer its phylogenetic position within the New World pelican species clade, showing a close relationship with the clade (P. occidentalis + P. thagus). A probable trans-Atlantic dispersal route for the ancestor of the New World pelicans is thus inferred. The inland Paranaense Sea, which flooded the South American Chaco-Paraná basin during the mid-Neogene, is proposed as a south-north pathway for ancestral forms of the clade (P. occidentalis + P. thagus). These regressive marine paleoenvironments of the Late Miocene may have acted as the evolutionary driver for the transition of pelican species from brackish or freshwater habitats to those inhabiting strictly marine coastlines.
The role of weldment geometry in the fatigue behaviour of line pipe
Creators: name: Fletcher, Allan Leigh.
Publisher: name: Monash University
Year: 2022

description: This thesis was scanned from the print manuscript for digital preservation and is copyright the author.
 Researchers can access this thesis by asking their local university, institution or public library to
 make a request on their behalf. Monash staff and postgraduate students can use the link in the References field.
The Determinants of Profitability on Insurance Sector: Evidence from Insurance Companies in Ethiopia
Creators: name: Sisay, Mistre
Publisher: name: National Academic Digital Repository of Ethiopia
Year: 2015

description: Organizational performance has attracted scholarly attention in corporate finance literature over several decades. However, in the context of insurance sector, it has received a little attention in developing economies. The objective of this study is to determine the relationship between factors affecting insurance profitability (Age of companies, Size of companies, Leverage, Tangibility of assets, Liquidity, Premium Growth, Loss ratio, Reinsurance dependence, Solvency margin and GDP growth rate and financial performance of insurance companies in Ethiopia. In order to carry out the study, secondary data of 9 insurance companies over the period of 2003-2014 was obtained on the financial performance from the annual reports and audited financial statements and secondary data supported by primary data obtained through open-ended questionnaires held with insurance companies chief finance officers .Data collected was analyzed using Eviews 7 econometrics software . Regression analysis was used to analyze the data from secondary source and data from primary source were streamlined presented to support regression result. The study findings indicate that the variables are statistically significance to influencing financial performance of insurance companies in Ethiopia. This implies that loss ratio, size of insurance companies, leverage ratio, and solvency margin has significant impact at one percent significance level on profitability of insurance companies operating in Ethiopia and the primary source data also supports that the above variable has an impact on profitability of insurance companies. Based on the findings, the study recommends that insurers must work towards improving their solvency margin, underwriting risk, and increase their size of asset, financing decision and improving management and employee's competency. Further studies should be undertaken to analyze the different sectors in the economy to determine any significant differences in the relationship between firm characteristics and financial performance in the insurance sectors by incorporating other independent variable. Key Terms: Financial Performance, Profitability, Insurance Companies in Ethiopia, Return On Asset (ROA)
A note on fractional covers of a graph
Creators: name: Gauci, John Baptist
name: Zerafa, Jean Paul
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2020
Subjects: subject: Combinatorics (math.CO)
subject: FOS: Mathematics
subject: 05C15, 05C72

description: A fractional colouring of a graph $G$ is a function that assigns a non-negative real value to all possible colour-classes of $G$ containing any vertex of $G$, such that the sum of these values is at least one for each vertex. The fractional chromatic number is the minimum sum of the values assigned by a fractional colouring over all possible such colourings of $G$. Introduced by Bosica and Tardif, fractional covers are an extension of fractional colourings whereby the real-valued function acts on all possible subgraphs of $G$ belonging to a given class of graphs. The fractional chromatic number turns out to be a special instance of the fractional cover number. In this work we investigate fractional covers acting on $(k+1)$-clique-free subgraphs of $G$ which, although sharing some similarities with fractional covers acting on $k$-colourable subgraphs of $G$, they exhibit some peculiarities. We first show that if a simple graph $G_2$ is a homomorphic image of a simple graph $G_1$, then the fractional cover number defined on the $(k+1)$-clique-free subgraphs of $G_1$ is bounded above by the corresponding number of $G_2$. We make use of this result to obtain bounds for the associated fractional cover number of graphs that are either $n$-colourable or $a\!\!:\!\!b$-colourable.
description: 8 pages
Artificial intelligence applied to bailout decisions in financial systemic risk management
Creators: name: Petrone, Daniele
name: Rodosthenous, Neofytos
name: Latora, Vito
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2021
Subjects: subject: Mathematical Finance (q-fin.MF)
subject: FOS: Economics and business
subject: I.2.0

description: We describe the bailout of banks by governments as a Markov Decision Process (MDP) where the actions are equity investments. The underlying dynamics is derived from the network of financial institutions linked by mutual exposures, and the negative rewards are associated to the banks' default. Each node represents a bank and is associated to a probability of default per unit time (PD) that depends on its capital and is increased by the default of neighbouring nodes. Governments can control the systemic risk of the network by providing additional capital to the banks, lowering their PD at the expense of an increased exposure in case of their failure. Considering the network of European global systemically important institutions, we find the optimal investment policy that solves the MDP, providing direct indications to governments and regulators on the best way of action to limit the effects of financial crises.
description: 12 pages, 6 figures
Formalising the Use of the Activation Function in Neural Inference
Creators: name: Sakthivadivel, Dalton A R
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2021
Subjects: subject: Neurons and Cognition (q-bio.NC)
subject: Disordered Systems and Neural Networks (cond-mat.dis-nn)
subject: Statistical Mechanics (cond-mat.stat-mech)
subject: Machine Learning (stat.ML)
subject: FOS: Biological sciences
subject: FOS: Physical sciences
subject: FOS: Computer and information sciences

description: We investigate how the activation function can be used to describe neural firing in an abstract way, and in turn, why it works well in artificial neural networks. We discuss how a spike in a biological neurone belongs to a particular universality class of phase transitions in statistical physics. We then show that the artificial neurone is, mathematically, a mean field model of biological neural membrane dynamics, which arises from modelling spiking as a phase transition. This allows us to treat selective neural firing in an abstract way, and formalise the role of the activation function in perceptron learning. The resultant statistical physical model allows us to recover the expressions for some known activation functions as various special cases. Along with deriving this model and specifying the analogous neural case, we analyse the phase transition to understand the physics of neural network learning. Together, it is shown that there is not only a biological meaning, but a physical justification, for the emergence and performance of typical activation functions; implications for neural learning and inference are also discussed.
description: 14+2 pages, two figures. TikZ code included in submission
Dense core properties in the Infrared Dark cloud G14.225-0.506 revealed by ALMA
Creators: name: Ohashi, Satoshi
name: Sanhueza, Patricio
name: Chen, Huei-Ru Vivien
name: Zhang, Qizhou
name: Busquet, Gemma
name: Nakamura, Fumitaka
name: Palau, Aina
name: Tatematsu, Ken'ichi
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2016
Subjects: subject: Astrophysics of Galaxies (astro-ph.GA)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: We have performed a dense core survey toward the Infrared Dark Cloud G14.225-0.506 at 3 mm continuum emission with the Atacama Large Millimeter/Submillimeter Array (ALMA). This survey covers the two hub-filament systems with an angular resolution of $\sim3$\arcsec ($\sim0.03$ pc). We identified 48 dense cores. Twenty out of the 48 cores are protostellar due to their association with young stellar objects (YSOs) and/or X-ray point-sources, while the other 28 cores are likely prestellar and unrelated with known IR or X-ray emission. Using APEX 870 $μ$m continuum emission, we also identified the 18 clumps hosting these cores. Through virial analysis using the ALMA N$_2$H$^+$ and VLA/Effelsberg NH$_3$ molecular line data, we found a decreasing trend in the virial parameter with decreasing scales from filaments to clumps, and then to cores. The virial parameters of $0.1-1.3$ in cores, indicate that cores are likely undergoing dynamical collapse. The cumulative Core Mass Function (CMF) for the prestellar cores candidates has a power law index of $α=1.6$, with masses ranging from 1.5 to 22 $M_\odot$. We find no massive prestellar or protostellar cores. Previous studies suggest that massive O-tpye stars have not been produced yet in this region. Therefore, high-mass stars should be formed in the prestellar cores by accreting a significant amount of gas from the surrounding medium. Another possibility is that low-mass YSOs become massive by accreting from their parent cores that are fed by filaments. These two possibilities might be consistent with the scenario of global hierarchical collapse.
description: 12 pages, 7 figures, 2 tables, accepted for publication in ApJ
Registries walkthrough
Creators: name: Droesbeke, Bert
name: Lister, Allyson
Publisher: name: F1000 Research Limited
Year: 2022

description: This presentation gives a walkthorugh of all the connections between ELIXIR’s registries (TeSS, bio.tools, FAIRsharing, WorkflowHub) and ELIXIR's RDM resources (RDMkit, FAIR Cookbook and DSW).
Reduction of pressure fluctuation in gear pump delivery lines
Creators: name: Duke, Kevin Thomas.
Publisher: name: Monash University
Year: 2022

description: This thesis was scanned from the print manuscript for digital preservation and is copyright the author.
 Researchers can access this thesis by asking their local university, institution or public library to
 make a request on their behalf. Monash staff and postgraduate students can use the link in the References field.
First records of Ischnacanthiformes (“Acanthodii”) from the Upper Devonian Catskill Formation in north-central Pennsylvania, U.S.A.
Creators: name: Broussard, David R.
name: Burrow, Carole J.
name: Trop, Jeffrey M.
name: Kennedy, Sage
name: Daeschler, Edward B.
name: Zippi, Pierre A.
Publisher: name: Taylor & Francis
Year: 2023
Subjects: subject: Molecular Biology
subject: Physiology
subject: FOS: Biological sciences
subject: Pharmacology
subject: Evolutionary Biology
classificationCode: 59999
subject: Environmental Sciences not elsewhere classified
classificationCode: 39999
subject: Chemical Sciences not elsewhere classified
subject: Ecology
classificationCode: 69999
subject: Biological Sciences not elsewhere classified
classificationCode: 80699
subject: Information Systems not elsewhere classified
subject: Cancer

description: First records of Ischnacanthiformes (“Acanthodii”) from the Upper Devonian Catskill Formation in north-central Pennsylvania, U.S.A.
Governance in Saving and Credit Associations Operating in Addis Ababa
Creators: name: Abebe, Meseret
Publisher: name: National Academic Digital Repository of Ethiopia
Year: 2017

description: Corporate Governance in Saving and Credit Cooperative Societies (SACCOs) is pivotal for such institutions having a peculiar nature of member-owner attributes. This study aimed at the assessment of governance practices in SACCOs. The study has targeted on three functional SACCOs in Addis Ababa of Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation (EEPCo), Ethiopian Airports Enterprise, & Catholic Relief Services. Purposive sampling techniques were used to gather data from the selected SACCOs. Pertinent data were collected through primary data sources using structured questionnaires and secondary data sources. Data collected has been entered, edited and analyzed using SPSS tool. Based on the study, there are no consistencies as to ownership within the SACCOs. The Board size ranges from seven to nine members in these SACCOs with limited representation of female members at around 30% of total board size. The study identified challenges in conducting periodic meeting and performance assessments at Board level. Annual audits in the SACCOs were not conducted timely after closure of a fiscal period. Trainings related to governance and management of SACCOs was not adequately provided to Board members. Incentive schemes either in cash or in kind for Board members are poor, if not none at all like at CRS. SACCOs mostly pay an annual interest rate of 5% on saving depositors which is the risk free market rate offered in most commercial banks on saving accounts. Interest rate on loans of the three SACCOs remains stagnant ranging from 6% to 8% which doesn't consider at least yearly inflation and time value of money. Finally, it is commendable to consider on a clear definition of ownership, improving capital adequacy position, periodic and timely supervision and audit, strengthening sound financial discipline in optimal utilization of huge savings mobilized to productive loan portfolios and better investment opportunities. It necessitates revisiting interest rates both on savings and loans to reflect administrative costs, cost of funding, inflation and elements of capitalization
Information technology for light-sheet microscopy image processing & analysis
Creators: name: Haase, Robert
Publisher: name: F1000 Research Limited
Year: 2022

description: A 30 minute tutorial about challenges and solution for processing big image data as acquired by light sheet microscopy.

 Related publications:
 * BigStitcher, Hörl et al. (2019) https://doi.org/10.1038/s41592-019-0501-0
 * BigDataProcessor, Tischer et al. (2021) https://doi.org/10.1093/bioinformatics/btab106
 * LabKit, Arzt et al. (2021) https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomp.2022.777728/full
 * CLIJ, Haase et al. (2020) https://www.nature.com/articles/s41592-019-0650-1
The impact of protocluster environments at z = 1.6
Creators: name: Hatch, N. A.
name: Cooke, E. A.
name: Muldrew, S. I.
name: Hartley, W. G.
name: Almaini, O.
name: Conselice, C. J.
name: Simpson, C. J.
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2016
Subjects: subject: Astrophysics of Galaxies (astro-ph.GA)
subject: Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics (astro-ph.CO)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: We investigate the effects of dense environments on galaxy evolution by examining how the properties of galaxies in the z = 1.6 protocluster Cl 0218.3-0510 depend on their location. We determine galaxy properties using spectral energy distribution fitting to 14-band photometry, including data at three wavelengths that tightly bracket the Balmer and 4000A breaks of the protocluster galaxies. We find that two-thirds of the protocluster galaxies, which lie between several compact groups, are indistinguishable from field galaxies. The other third, which reside within the groups, differ significantly from the intergroup galaxies in both colour and specific star formation rate. We find that the fraction of red galaxies within the massive protocluster groups is twice that of the intergroup region. These excess red galaxies are due to enhanced fractions of both passive galaxies (1.7 times that of the intergroup region) and dusty star-forming galaxies (3 times that of the intergroup region). We infer that some protocluster galaxies are processed in the groups before the cluster collapses. These processes act to suppress star formation and change the mode of star formation from unobscured to obscured.
description: Accepted for publication in MNRAS. http://mnras.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2016/09/16/mnras.stw2359
FAIR Cookbook – a walkthrough
Creators: name: Rocca-Serra, Philippe
name: Gu, Wei
name: Susanna-Assunta Sansone
name: The FAIR Cookbook Community (Editorial Board, Section Editors, Bookdashes’ Participants, All Authors)
Publisher: name: F1000 Research Limited
Year: 2022

description: Created by researchers and data managers professionals, the FAIR Cookbook is an online resource for the Life Sciences with recipes that help you to make and keep data Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable (FAIR). The FAIR Cookbook provides recipes for you to learn: how to FAIRify datasets, the levels and indicators of FAIRness, the maturity model, the technologies, the tools and the standards available, as well as the skills required, and the challenges, to achieve and improve FAIRness.
 The FAIR Cookbook is developed by a thriving community of Life Science professionals, in the academia and the industry sectors, including members of the ELIXIR community. The FAIR Cookbook is a community-driven resource that is being populated and improved, iteratively, in an open manner. If you want to participate, join us and contribute, or contact us at fairplus-cookbook@elixir-europe.org.
Geometric Approaches on Persistent Homology
Creators: name: Adams, Henry
name: Coskunuzer, Baris
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2021
Subjects: subject: Algebraic Topology (math.AT)
subject: Computational Geometry (cs.CG)
subject: Geometric Topology (math.GT)
subject: FOS: Mathematics
subject: FOS: Computer and information sciences
subject: 55N31, 55U10, 57R19, 62R40

description: We introduce several geometric notions, including the width of a homology class, to the theory of persistent homology. These ideas provide geometric interpretations of persistence diagrams. Indeed, we give quantitative and geometric descriptions of the "life span" or "persistence" of a homology class. As a case study, we analyze the power filtration on unweighted graphs, and provide explicit bounds for the life spans of homology classes in persistence diagrams in all dimensions.
Effects of different pressure relief valves on dynamic response of hydraulic control systems
Creators: name: Chong, Fo Kui.
Publisher: name: Monash University
Year: 2022

description: This thesis was scanned from the print manuscript for digital preservation and is copyright the author.
 Researchers can access this thesis by asking their local university, institution or public library to
 make a request on their behalf. Monash staff and postgraduate students can use the link in the References field.
Exoplanet Orbital Eccentricities Derived From LAMOST-Kepler Analysis
Creators: name: Xie, Ji-Wei
name: Dong, Subo
name: Zhu, Zhaohuan
name: Huber, Daniel
name: Zheng, Zheng
name: De Cat, P.
name: Fu, J. N.
name: Liu, Hui-Gen
name: Luo, Ali
name: Wu, Yue
name: Zhang, Haotong
name: Zhang, Hui
name: Zhou, Ji-Lin
name: Cao, Zihuang
name: Hou, Yonghui
name: Wang, Yuefei
name: Zhang, Yong
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2016
Subjects: subject: Earth and Planetary Astrophysics (astro-ph.EP)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: The nearly circular (mean eccentricity ~0.06) and coplanar (mean mutual inclination ~3 deg) orbits of the Solar System planets motivated Kant and Laplace to put forth the hypothesis that planets are formed in disks, which has developed into the widely accepted theory of planet formation. Surprisingly, the first several hundred extrasolar planets (mostly Jovian) discovered using the Radial Velocity (RV) technique are commonly on eccentric orbits ( ~ 0.3). This raises a fundamental question: Are the Solar System and its formation special? The Kepler mission has found thousands of transiting planets dominated by sub-Neptunes, but most of their orbital eccentricities remain unknown. By using the precise spectroscopic host star parameters from the LAMOST observations, we measure the eccentricity distributions for a large (698) and homogeneous Kepler planet sample with transit duration statistics. Nearly half of the planets are in systems with single transiting planets (singles), while the other half are multiple-transiting planets (multiples). We find an eccentricity dichotomy: on average, Kepler singles are on eccentric orbits with ~0.3, while the multiples are on nearly circular ( = 0.04^{+0.03}_{-0.04}) and coplanar ( = 1.4^{+0.8}_{-1.1} deg) orbits similar to the Solar System planets. Our results are consistent with previous studies of smaller samples and individual systems. We also show that Kepler multiples and solar system objects follow a common relation ~(1-2)x between mean eccentricities and mutual inclinations. The prevalence of circular orbits and the common relation may imply that the solar system is not so atypical in the galaxy after all.
description: 2016 PNAS published, see http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2016/09/21/1604692113.abstract
Reviving the precision of multiple entangled probes in an open system by simple $π$-pulse sequences
Creators: name: Dong, Yang
name: Chen, Xiang-Dong
name: Guo, Guang-Can
name: Sun, Fang-Wen
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2016
Subjects: subject: Quantum Physics (quant-ph)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: Quantum metrology with entangled states in realistic noisy environments always suffers from decoherence. Therefore, the measurement precision is greatly reduced. Here we applied the dynamical decoupling method to protect the $N$-qubit quantum metrology protocol and successfully revived the scaling of the measurement precision as ${N^{-k}}$ with $k\in \left[{5/6,11/12}\right]$. The degree of the precision revival, as determined by the noise spectrum distribution, indicates that the performance of the protected protocol can be further improved by controlling the noise spectrum. Such a protected protocol is proved to be universal for entanglement-based quantum metrology in the pure dephasing and relaxation noise, which should stimulate the development of practical quantum metrology for weak signal detection of microscopic physics.
description: 8 pages, 4 figures, to appear in PRA
Perception Towards the Burden of Regulations on Small and Medium Enterprises in Gulele Sub-city: Addis Ababa
Creators: name: Kenubeh, Derbew
Publisher: name: National Academic Digital Repository of Ethiopia
Year: 2011

description: The study focuses on Perception towards the burden of regulations on small and medium enterprises in Gulele sub-city: Addis Ababa. The study adopts a mixed methods research approach to address the broad objective through answering research questions and testing the hypotheses developed from the literature review. Specifically, the study uses quantitative surveys of SMEs, in-depth interviews with a sample of SMEs owners, managers or employees. The study statistically analyzes the data elicited from surveys of SMEs. It also supports the result from survey questionnaire by triangulating the results with in-depth interviews and document studies The result of this mixed approach methodology explores that SMEs face challenges from different factors but, they perceived challenges from regulatory burden outweigh other factors. The result also identifies mechanisms mostly used by SMEs to mitigate problems from regulations and how much the regulators have smooth contact with them and to what extent the regulators made inspection, consultation and communication. Moreover, the result identifies the relation between regulations and SMEs performance and growth based on their view i.e. they have positively related each other. As a whole, the study suggests a series of measures which could be taken by the government policy makers/regulators and for SMEs. This measure includes to adopt government impact assessment task force and review the existing regulations how much they enable and constrain businesses and at the same manner suggest for SMEs to incorporate different mechanisms to comply with regulation rather than rely more on specific mechanisms
Did COVID-19 Induce A Strenuous Effect on the 311 Non-Emergency Services System?
Creators: name: Tran, Thao
Publisher: name: University of Chicago
Year: 2022
Subjects: subject: crisis response
subject: 311
subject: crowd out effect
subject: covid-19
subject: text mining

description: In this paper we examine whether COVID-19 imposed a crowd out effect on the 311 non-emergency services using data from Kansas City, Missouri during the early stage of the pandemic. Using description text data, we identify covid-related requests and use them as a proxy for the strains put on the 311 systems by the health crisis. We find robust evidence through our difference in difference approach that zip code with an additional covid-related request would experience half an hour delay the response time for non-covid related requests. In addition, the strains on the 311 system mainly affected three categories: “Mowing / Weeds”, “Trash / Recycling”, and “Animals & Pets”.
Efficient systematic scheme to construct second-principles lattice-dynamical models
Creators: name: Escorihuela-Sayalero, Carlos
name: Wojdeł, Jacek C.
name: Íñiguez, Jorge
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2016
Subjects: subject: Materials Science (cond-mat.mtrl-sci)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: We start from the polynomic interatomic potentials introduced by Wojdeł et al. [J. Phys. Condens. Matt. 25, 305401(2013)] and take advantage of one of their key features -- namely, the linear dependence of the energy on the potential's adjustable parameters -- to devise a scheme for the construction of first-principles-based ({\em second-principles}) models for large-scale lattice-dynamical simulations. Our method presents the following convenient features. The parameters of the model are computed in a very fast and efficient way, as it is possible to recast the fit to a training set of first-principles data into a simple matrix diagonalization problem. Our method selects automatically the interactions that are most relevant to reproduce the training-set data, by choosing from a pool that includes virtually all possible coupling terms, and produces a family of models of increasing complexity and accuracy. We work with practical and convenient cross-validation criteria linked to the physical properties that will be relevant in future simulations based on the new model, and which greatly facilitate the task of identifying a potential that is simultaneously simple (thus computationally light), very accurate, and predictive. We also discuss practical ways to guarantee that our energy models are bounded from below, with a minimal impact on their accuracy. Finally, we demonstrate our scheme with an application to ferroelastic perovskite SrTiO$_{3}$, which features many non-trivial lattice-dynamical features (e.g., a phase transition driven by soft phonons, competing structural instabilities, highly anharmonic dynamics) and provides a very demanding test.
description: 22 pages, 13 figures
A Bayesian View on the Dr. Evil Scenario
Creators: name: Azhar, Feraz
name: Guth, Alan H.
name: Namjoo, Mohammad Hossein
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2021
Subjects: subject: History and Philosophy of Physics (physics.hist-ph)
subject: General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology (gr-qc)
subject: High Energy Physics - Theory (hep-th)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: In "Defeating Dr. Evil with Self-Locating Belief", Adam Elga proposes and defends a principle of indifference for self-locating beliefs: if an individual is confident that his world contains more than one individual who is in a state subjectively indistinguishable from his own, then he should assign equal credences to the hypotheses that he is any one of these individuals. Through a sequence of thought experiments, Elga in effect claims that he can derive the credence function that should apply in such situations, thus justifying his principle of indifference. Here we argue, using a Bayesian approach, that Elga's reasoning is circular: in analyzing the third of his thought experiments, he uses an assertion that is justifiable only if one assumes, from the start, the principle of indifference that he is attempting to justify. We agree with Elga that the assumption of equal credences is a very reasonable principle, in the absence of any reason to assign unequal credences, but we do not agree that the equality of credences can be so derived.
description: 11 pages. Matches the published version in Erkenntnis, but with updated references
Development of an urban hydrologic model
Creators: name: Wootton, Richard Murray.
Publisher: name: Monash University
Year: 2022

description: This thesis was scanned from the print manuscript for digital preservation and is copyright the author.
 Researchers can access this thesis by asking their local university, institution or public library to
 make a request on their behalf. Monash staff and postgraduate students can use the link in the References field.
Robust Design of H-infinity Controller for a Launch Vehicle Autopilot against Disturbances
Creators: name: Graells, Antonio
name: Carrabina, Francisco
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2016
Subjects: subject: Systems and Control (eess.SY)
subject: FOS: Electrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineering

description: Atmospheric flight phase of a launch vehicle is utilized to evaluate the performance of an H-infinity controller in the presence of disturbances. Dynamics of the vehicle is linearly modeled using time-varying parameters. An operating point was found to design a robust command tracker using H-infinity control theory that guarantees a stable maneuver. At the end, the controller was employed on the launch vehicle to assess the capability of control design on the linearized aerospace vehicle. Experimental results illustrate the excellent performance of the H-infinity controller and accurate tracking implemented by the autopilot. Also the robustness of the entire system against disturbances is demonstrated to be acceptable.
description: 6 pages, 6 figures
Multinational corporations and their effects on female garment workers
Creators: name: Diaz, Nohely
Publisher: name: University of Chicago
Year: 2022
Subjects: subject: International human rights
subject: Human rights
subject: Garment workers

description: The issue of multinational corporations and the exploitation of their labor force, which is largely made up of women of lower economic standing in Asian countries, is not a new occurrence. However, businesses have engaged in practices that have expanded their level of reach, contributing to harmful working conditions. This thesis introduces several key examples that establish the responsibility of major corporations, pushing back against claims that they did not know about worker mistreatment. This paper will examine what some of the solutions can be, and how current support can be built upon to navigate the disparities workers experience because of their social status.
Chichen Household Simulation Model. Domestic Food and Packaging Waste Insights from UK Households
Creators: name: Martin Torrejon, Virginia
name: Reynolds, Christian
Publisher: name: figshare
Year: 2023
Subjects: Waste management, reduction, reuse and recycling

description: This research presents the new Household Simulation Model (HHSM), using Arena Simulation Software, designed to simulate waste generation, shopping, and consumption patterns within households. By incorporating food product characteristics, packaging specifications, and household behaviours, the model can evaluate the impact of various market and consumer-centred interventions on waste reduction. The model has specific modules for different food types, such as chicken, grapes, and mushrooms, each addressing unique consumption and waste generation patterns. This report demonstrates the application of the HHSM through a case study on chicken fillet waste, one of the most wasted food items in the UK. For this investigation, the model simulated interventions like altering pack sizes, extending shelf-life through packaging innovations and improving household storage and planning dynamics. Results suggest that these interventions, combined with a holistic approach to consumer education, can significantly reduce food and packaging waste, contributing to a more sustainable food supply system.
Visual Servoing Approach for Autonomous UAV Landing on a Moving Vehicle
Creators: name: Keipour, Azarakhsh
name: Pereira, Guilherme A. S.
name: Bonatti, Rogerio
name: Garg, Rohit
name: Rastogi, Puru
name: Dubey, Geetesh
name: Scherer, Sebastian
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2021
Subjects: subject: Robotics (cs.RO)
subject: Systems and Control (eess.SY)
subject: FOS: Computer and information sciences
subject: FOS: Electrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineering

description: Many aerial robotic applications require the ability to land on moving platforms, such as delivery trucks and marine research boats. We present a method to autonomously land an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle on a moving vehicle. A visual servoing controller approaches the ground vehicle using velocity commands calculated directly in image space. The control laws generate velocity commands in all three dimensions, eliminating the need for a separate height controller. The method has shown the ability to approach and land on the moving deck in simulation, indoor and outdoor environments, and compared to the other available methods, it has provided the fastest landing approach. Unlike many existing methods for landing on fast-moving platforms, this method does not rely on additional external setups, such as RTK, motion capture system, ground station, offboard processing, or communication with the vehicle, and it requires only the minimal set of hardware and localization sensors. The videos and source codes are also provided.
description: 18 pages. Published in Sensors Journal
The Eventful Life of Galaxy Clusters: from Violent Proto-Clusters to Present-day Monsters
Creators: name: Remus, Rhea-Silvia
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2023
Subjects: Galaxy Clusters
Protoclusters
Simulations

description: Galaxy Clusters at present day are the most massive nodes of the cosmic web, and hosts to thousands of individual galaxies as well as massive hot gas halos that shine brightly in the X-ray. They strongly influence and shape the properties of the galaxies they host, including large fractions of quiescent non-star-forming galaxies, and they are even used as cosmological probes. At higher redshifts, the properties of the most massive observed structures change in time, being dominated by massive star-bursting galaxies at redshifts of z=4 or higher. Connecting the different stages of galaxy clusters from the protocluster core stages to the most massive galaxy clusters observed today reveals that galaxy clusters can have very different evolutional pathways: some have formed their cores already at redshifts of z=4 an higher, but some of the most massive nodes have assembled to achieve cluster masses only recently below a redshift of z=1. In this talk I review our current understanding on galaxy cluster evolution through cosmic time, combining knowledge from both observations and simulations.
description: This review was presented at the Workshop "First Structures 2023"
The Relationship Between Chicago Gangs and Youth Mental Health
Creators: name: Hsu, Joy
Publisher: name: University of Chicago
Year: 2022
Subjects: subject: gangs
subject: affiliation
subject: trauma
subject: belonging
subject: identity
subject: self-esteem

description: While previous research on gang affiliation in youth has focused on areas such as predictors of or protective factors against gang involvement, little work has been done investigating the relationship between gangs and youth mental health. However, research has also shown that adolescence is a crucial point in human development, with mental health during this time period greatly predicting future life outcomes (Newcomb & Bentler, 1988). If gang affiliated youth indeed exhibit different mental health symptoms and needs compared to non affiliated youth, it is important to understand these differences in order to best meet their needs and ensure healthy psychosocial development. With increasing numbers of adolescents joining gangs at younger ages, the need to understand this relationship rises (Stuart, 2020). In order to better understand this relationship, this study focuses on exploring both positive mental health traits such as belonging, identity, and self-esteem, and also negative mental health traits such as trauma. From there, it aims to determine the relationship between these variables and level of gang affiliation to investigate if youth who are more gang involved are affected more strongly by these mental health traits. By doing so, this study aims to better understand the mental health needs of affiliated youth and how to best meet them.
Role and Potential of 'IQQUB' in Ethiopia
Creators: name: Teshome, Temesgen
Publisher: name: National Academic Digital Repository of Ethiopia
Year: 2008

description: This paper examined the role of 'Iqqub' with in the community. The findings show that people participate in 'Iqqub' for more than economic reasons. With in the paper two types of 'Iqqub' are identified, the Traditional small scale and simple 'Iqqub's and Emerging large scale complex 'Iqqub's. The operations, number of members they incorporate, the cycle period and their fund allotment mechanisms of these two 'Iqqub's differed widely. 'Iqqub' plays a dominant role in serving the financial needs of households that are excluded from the formal sector due to bureaucratic working processes and high collateral requirements. The paper also examined features of emerging 'Iqqub's, including safety, return, Liquidity, divisibility. The default rate as observed in surveyed 'Iqqub's is very low, implying good collateral management and loan screening in these informal financial sectors. The paper also examined the potential of 'Iqqub' to be further enhanced to provide more services and accordingly, two potential areas were identified, based on other country's experience: Linking 'Iqqub' with the formal sector and transforming it into village bank. This potential of 'Iqqub', if utilized effectively, can solve the existing problem of 'Iqqub' and makes it more attractive, however further research in this areas must be made