pinecone/core-2020-05-10-deduplication huggingface dataset:
Using Taguchi method to optimize welding pool of dissimilar laser welded components

In the present work CO2 continuous laser welding process was successfully applied and optimized for joining a dissimilar AISI 316 stainless steel and AISI 1009 low carbon steel plates. Laser power, welding speed, and defocusing distance combinations were carefully selected with the objective of producing welded joint with complete penetration, minimum fusion zone size and acceptable welding profile. Fusion zone area and shape of dissimilar austenitic stainless steel with ferritic low carbon steel were evaluated as a function of the selected laser welding parameters. Taguchi approach was used as statistical design of experiment (DOE) technique for optimizing the selected welding parameters in terms of minimizing the fusion zone. Mathematical models were developed to describe the influence of the selected parameters on the fusion zone area and shape, to predict its value within the limits of the variables being studied. The result indicates that the developed models can predict the responses satisfactorily
Catchability of pelagic trawls for sampling deep-living nekton in the mid-North Atlantic

Material collected in summer 2004 from the Mid-Atlantic Ridge between Iceland and the Azores with three pelagic trawls was used to estimate relative catchabilities of common fish, cephalopod, decapod, and jellyfish species. Catchability is defined as the ratio of numbers caught between two trawls, standardized for towed distance. Taxon-specific catchability coefficients were estimated for two large pelagic trawls with graded meshes, using a smaller pelagic trawl with a uniform mesh size as the reference  trawl. Two of the trawls were equipped with multiple opening–closing codends that allowed sampling of different depth layers. Generalized linear and mixed models suggest that most of the taxa have catchabilities much lower than expected from the area of opening alone, indicating that only a few species are herded by the large mesh at the mouth of larger trawls. Catchability coefficients across taxa show a very large spread, indicating that the sampled volume for the larger trawls with graded meshes was highly\ud
taxon-specific. Part of this variability can be explained by body size and taxonomic group, the latter probably  reflecting differences in body form and behaviour. The catchability estimates presented here form the basis for combining data for quantitative analyses of community structure
Raman scattering by coupled plasmon-LO phonons in InN nanocolumns

Raman measurements on high quality, relaxed InN nanocolumns grown on Si(001) and Si(111) substrates by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy are reported. A coupled LO phonon-plasmon mode around 430 cm-1, together with the uncoupled LO phonon appears in the nanocolumnar samples. The coupled mode is attributed to spontaneous accumulation of electrons at the lateral surfaces of the nanocolumns, while the uncoupled phonon originates from their inner part. Infrared reflectance measurements confirm the presence of electrons in the nanocolumns. The electron density in the accumulation layer depends on the growth temperature and is sensitive to exposure of HCl. Our results indicate that accumulation of intrinsic electrons occurs not only at the polar surfaces of InN layers, but also on non-polar lateral surfaces of InN nanocolumns. Its origin is attributed to an In-rich surface reconstruction of the nanocolumns sidewalls
A new set of relativistic screening constants for the screened hydrogenic model

AnewRelativisticScreenedHydrogenicModel has been developed to calculate atomic data needed to compute the optical and thermodynamic properties of high energy density plasmas. The model is based on anewset of universal screeningconstants, including nlj-splitting that has been obtained by fitting to a large database of ionization potentials and excitation energies. This database was built with energies compiled from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) database of experimental atomic energy levels, and energies calculated with the Flexible Atomic Code (FAC). The screeningconstants have been computed up to the 5p3/2 subshell using a Genetic Algorithm technique with an objective function designed to minimize both the relative error and the maximum error. To select the best set of screeningconstants some additional physical criteria has been applied, which are based on the reproduction of the filling order of the shells and on obtaining the best ground state configuration. A statistical error analysis has been performed to test the model, which indicated that approximately 88% of the data lie within a ±10% error interval. We validate the model by comparing the results with ionization energies, transition energies, and wave functions computed using sophisticated self-consistent codes and experimental data
Image Segmentation Using Ant System-based Clustering Algorithm

Industrial applications of computer vision sometimes require detection of atypical objects that occur as small groups of pixels in digital images. These objects are difficult to single out because they are small and randomly distributed. In this work we propose an image segmentation method using the novel Ant System-based Clustering Algorithm (ASCA). ASCA models the foraging behaviour of ants, which move through the data space searching for high data-density regions, and leave pheromone trails on their path. The pheromone map is used to identify the exact number of clusters, and assign the pixels to these clusters using the pheromone gradient. We applied ASCA to detection of microcalcifications in digital mammograms and compared its performance with state-of-the-art clustering algorithms such as 1D Self-Organizing Map, k-Means, Fuzzy c-Means and Possibilistic Fuzzy c-Means. The main advantage of ASCA is that the number of clusters needs not to be known a priori. The experimental results show that ASCA is more efficient than the other algorithms in detecting small clusters of atypical data
The Determinants of privatization: a comparative analysis of developing countries

Privatization has altered the traditional relationship between the state and the productive sector. However, only a handful of empirical studies concerned with the determinants of privatization exist, and explanations have tended to diverge. Drawing on the new World Bank database on privatization transactions, we estimate the main determinants of privatization across 77 developing world economies, between the years 1988 and 2008. Our findings indicate that the initial decision to privatize is driven primarily by exogenous factors while the extent and scale of privatization is shaped by a range of domestic political and economic conditions
Cyclic and monotonic testing of free and constrained recovery properties of a chemically crosslinked acrylate

The definitive version is available at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/app.39813/fullA chemically crosslinked acrylate network was submitted to various thermomechanical strain and stress recoveries while changing the experimental parameters in order to better define the benefits and the limits of using chemically crosslinked polymers for multicycle applications or applications under external constraints. The results showed that the free recoveries and the constrained recoveries remained the same at the first cycle and during the next ones. It was also shown that the low stress usually generated by a crosslinked network when submitted to a constrained recovery can be significantly increased by choosing suitable experimental conditions.Projet ANR REFORM 10-JCJC-091
On the Geometry of Rolling and Interpolation Curves on  S  n , SO n , and Grassmann Manifolds

Abstract  We present a procedure to generate smooth interpolating curves on submanifolds, which are given in closed form in terms of the coordinates of the embedding space. In contrast to other existing methods, this approach makes the corresponding algorithm easy to implement. The idea is to project the prescribed data on the manifold onto the affine tangent space at a particular point, solve the interpolation problem on this affine subspace, and then project the resulting curve back on the manifold. One of the novelties of this approach is the use of rolling mappings. The manifold is required to roll on the affine subspace like a rigid body, so that the motion is described by the action of the Euclidean group on the embedding space. The interpolation problem requires a combination of a pullback/push forward with rolling and unrolling. The rolling procedure by itself highlights interesting properties and gives rise to a new, but simple, concept of geometric polynomial curves on manifolds. This paper is an extension of our previous work, where mainly the 2-sphere case was studied in detail. The present paper includes results for the n-sphere, orthogonal group SO n , and real Grassmann manifolds. In particular, we present the kinematic equations for rolling these manifolds along curves without slip or twist, and derive from them formulas for the parallel transport of vectors along curves on the manifold.http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10883-007-9027-
Effects of nickel hyperaccumulation in  Alyssum pintodasilvae on model arthropods representatives of two trophic levels

Abstract  An experimental assessment of the defence hypothesis of nickel (Ni) hyperaccumulation in Alyssum was lacking. Also, to date no study had investigated the effects of hyperaccumulator litter on a detritivore species. We performed several experiments with model arthropods representatives of two trophic levels: Tribolium castaneum (herbivore) and Porcellio dilatatus (detritivore). In no-choice trials using artificial food disks with different Ni concentrations, T. castaneum fed significantly less as Ni concentration increased and totally rejected disks with the highest Ni concentration. In choice tests, insects preferred disks without Ni. In the no-choice experiment, mortality was low and did not differ significantly among treatments. Hence, this suggested a deterrent effect of high Ni diet. Experiments with P. dilatatus showed that isopods fed A. pintodasilvae litter showed significantly greater mortality (83%) than isopods fed litter from the non-hyperaccumulator species Iberis procumbens (8%), Micromeria juliana (no mortality) or Alnus glutinosa (no mortality). Also, isopods consumed significantly greater amounts of litter from the non-hyperaccumulator plant species. The behaviour of isopods fed A. pintodasilvae litter suggested an antifeedant effect of Ni, possibly due to post-ingestive toxic effects. Our results support the view that Ni defends the Portuguese serpentine hyperaccumulator A. pintodasilvae against herbivores, indicating that Ni can account both for feeding deterrence and toxic effects. The effects of hyperaccumulator litter on the detritivore P. dilatatus suggest that the activity of these important organisms may be significantly impaired with potential consequences on the decomposition processes.http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11104-006-9174-
A two-way process? A qualitative and quantitative investigation of majority members’ acculturation

Acculturation refers to changes that result from intercultural contact. Although it is commonly\ud
defined as a two-way process with changes occurring among both minority members and majority\ud
members, surprisingly little research has focused on the acculturation of majority members.\ud
Using a combination of qualitative and quantitative data, the present study attempted to fill this\ud
gap by exploring how and how much majority members change because of exposure to immigrant\ud
cultures. In the first part, using an open-response format, majority members reported\ud
positive as well as negative cultural change across a broad range of life domains. Most changes\ud
were reported in the private as compared to public sphere, and in terms of behaviours rather than\ud
values. Second, based on their responses to quantitative acculturation scales, the majority-group\ud
participants could meaningfully be clustered into three acculturation strategies commonly used\ud
to describe minority-group members’ acculturation, namely a separation, integration and undifferentiated\ud
acculturation cluster. No evidence for an assimilation cluster was found. Separated\ud
majority members (i.e., who maintain their majority culture but do not adopt immigrant cultures)\ud
reported significantly more identity threat and perceived ethnic discrimination, but also\ud
higher self-esteem. Interestingly, integrated majority members (i.e., who both maintain their\ud
majority culture and adopt immigrant cultures) were three times less likely to live in multi-ethnic\ud
neighbourhoods as compared to separated participants. The results of this study offer important\ud
insights into majority members’ acculturation experiences and their psychological importance.\ud
Implications for culturally plural societies and future research are discussed
The effects of dissociation on willingness to eat meat are moderated by exposure to unprocessed meat: A cross-cultural demonstration

Dissociating meat from its animal origins helps consumers deal with the cognitive dissonance resulting\ud
from liking meat but disliking causing pain to animals. Extending previous research, we tested whether\ud
dissociation would play less of a role for meat consumption in a country where average consumers are\ud
more frequently exposed to unprocessed meat (i.e., Ecuador) than where such exposure is rare (i.e., the\ud
US). Specifically, we randomly showed Ecuadorians and US Americans a pork roast with the head present\ud
or removed. Showing the head led to less dissociation, and subsequently more disgust and empathy for\ud
the killed animal in both countries, but to significantly larger degrees in the US. Follow-up analyses with\ud
participants' self-reported exposure to unprocessed meat supported the notion that these cross-cultural\ud
variations indeed reflected differences in unprocessed meat exposure. In contrast, disgust and empathy,\ud
in turn, predicted a lower willingness to eat meat and a higher willingness to choose a vegetarian\ud
alternative dish equally in both countries. Because the dissociation part of our model was substantially\ud
stronger in the US, it explained about double as much variance in willingness to eat meat and vegetarian\ud
choice in the US (63e72%) as compared to Ecuador (30e32%). In sum, the potency of the dissociation\ud
mechanism seems to depend on how used consumers in a country are to seeing unprocessed meat,\ud
whereas the subsequent affective mechanisms universally influence meat consumption
A vanishing result for strictly $$p$$ -convex domains

In view of Andreotti and Grauert (Bull Soc Math France 90:193–259, 1962) vanishing theorem for q -complete domains in Cn , we reprove a vanishing result by Sha (Invent Math 83(3):437–447, 1986), and Wu (Indiana Univ Math J 36(3):525–548, 1987), for the de Rham cohomology of strictly p -convex domains in Rn in the sense of Harvey and Lawson (The foundations of p -convexity and p -plurisubharmonicity in riemannian geometry. arXiv:1111.3895v1 [math.DG]). Our proof uses the L2 -techniques developed by Hörmander (An introduction to complex analysis in several variables, 3rd edn. North-Holland Publishing Co, Amsterdam 1990), and Andreotti and Vesentini (Inst Hautes Études Sci Publ Math 25:81–130, 1965)
La impurity effects on quadrupolar ordering in PrPb3

We study low-temperature properties of Pr1-xLaxPb3 with the ground state of a non-Kramers ﾎ・sub>3 for 0<~x<~0.8. From the concentration dependence of the specific heat, quadrupolar ordering is expected to occur only up to x竏ｼ0.02. For a wide range of La concentrations where the ordering is absent, the specific heat shows a T linear variation, which is in an excellent agreement with the result obtained by the model for amorphous materials with a random configuration of a two-level system. Impurity effects on quadrupolar moments will be discussed
Effect of process parameters and optimization of CO2 laser cutting of ultra high performance polyethylene

The aim of this work is to relate the cutting edge quality parameters (responses) namely: upper kerf, lower kerf, ratio of the upper kerf to lower kerf and cut edge roughness to the process parameters considered in this research and to find out the optimal cutting conditions. The process factors implemented in this research are: laser power, cutting speed and focal point position. Design of experiment (DoE) was used by implementing Box-Behnken design to achieve better cut qualities within existing resources. Mathematical models were developed to establish the relationship between the process parameters and the edge quality parameters. Also, the effects of process parameters on each response were determine. Then, a numerical optimization was performed to find out the optimal process setting at which the quality features are at their desired values. The effect of each factor on the responses was established and the optimal cutting conditions were found
The President of Ireland in comparative perspective

There is long-standing belief that the Irish presidency is a unique or at least a very unusual institution. To what extent is this interpretation correct? This article compares the Irish presidency with other presidencies. It examines the spread of direct presidential elections and the gradual diffusion of constitutions with a mix of presidential and parliamentary features. It then compares the Irish president with 42 other presidencies, including countries with a directly elected president and those with an indirectly elected president. The article compares the powers of these presidents, the process of election, and the prospects for constitutional reform. The comparison shows that Ireland is now one of a small group of countries that have a directly elected but weak presidency and that while the Irish presidency may be unusual in almost all aspects of the electoral process the Irish case has equivalents elsewhere. The main conclusion is that the Irish presidency is not unique. In all significant respects, the presidency exhibits and has always exhibited commonalities with equivalent institutions. That said, in a number of regards the presidency has always been and/or remains relatively unusual
ISM analysis of CPFR implementation barriers

Collaborative Planning, Forecasting and Replenishment (CPFR) as an interconnection scheme between organizations has been shown to have significant benefits. Since its inception in the 1990s, its uptake has been lower than originally predicted. This paper identifies the major barriers and their interrelationships in CPFR implementations with a focus on high-tech industries. Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM) is used with a group of CPFR experts from industry/academia and Matrice d’Impacts Croisés Multiplication Appliquée àun Classement (MICMAC) analysis to identify the driving and dependence powers. The paper identified 45 CPFR barriers and classifies them into four categories based on expert opinion, with only 13 of these determined to be significant. The results indicate that in terms of categories, managerial barriers are a significant root cause for both process and cultural barriers and CPFR implementation difficulties. It also indicates that although the importance of information technology to launch collaborative schemes has been addressed by many scholars, technology alone is not the complete solution for successful CPFR implementation. The paper has significant practical implications for organizations as it identifies the main CPFR barriers and their causal relationships. This will help firms in the process of CPFR strategy development particularly for mitigation strategies for dominant barriers
Propagation of Statistical and Nuclear Data Uncertainties in Monte-Carlo Burn-up Calculations

Two methodologies to propagate the uncertainties on the nuclide inventory in combined Monte Carlo-spectrum and burn-up calculations are presented, based on sensitivity/uncertainty and random sampling techniques (uncertainty Monte Carlo method). Both enable the assessment of the impact of uncertainties in the nuclear data as well as uncertainties due to the statistical nature of the Monte Carlo neutron transport calculation. The methodologies are implemented in our MCNP–ACAB system, which combines the neutron transport code MCNP-4C and the inventory code ACAB. A high burn-up benchmark problem is used to test the MCNP–ACAB performance in inventory predictions, with no uncertainties. A good agreement is found with the results of other participants. This benchmark problem is also used to assess the impact of nuclear data uncertainties and statistical flux errors in high burn-up applications. A detailed calculation is performed to evaluate the effect of cross-section uncertainties in the inventory prediction, taking into account the temporal evolution of the neutron flux level and spectrum. Very large uncertainties are found at the unusually high burn-up of this exercise (800 MWd/kgHM). To compare the impact of the statistical errors in the calculated flux with respect to the cross uncertainties, a simplified problem is considered, taking a constant neutron flux level and spectrum. It is shown that, provided that the flux statistical deviations in the Monte Carlo transport calculation do not exceed a given value, the effect of the flux errors in the calculated isotopic inventory are negligible (even at very high burn-up) compared to the effect of the large cross-section uncertainties available at present in the data files
Improving detection of surface discontinuities in visual-force control systms

In this paper, a new approach to detect surface discontinuities in a visual–force control task is described. A task which consists in tracking a surface using visual–force information is shown. In this task, in order to reposition the robot tool with respect to the surface it is necessary to determine the surface discontinuities. This paper describes a new method to detect surface discontinuities employing sensorial information obtained from a force sensor, a camera and structured light. This method has proved to be more robust than previous systems even in situations where high frictions occur
Virtual reality applied to a full simulator of electrical sub-stations

This paper presents an application designed to train electrical sub-station operators by means of a virtual reality environment. The application allows full viewing of any of the sub-stations in the power supply network. With the appropriate hardware (HMD, 3D mouse and tracking systems) it is possible to navigate into the virtual world and interact with the elements. Each of the sub-station components has been reproduced in the simulation model, including the behavior laws associated with it, so the complete functionality of the sub-station can be simulated. This module is built into a larger and more complex computer system composed of the actual sub-station control system, the Geographical Information System which defines the topology of the network, and the functional system which simulates the electrical behavior of the sub-station. The application automatically updates in the virtual environment any changes to the sub-station's design and allows access, from this environment, to information on every component. The virtual reality application has been implemented in a hardware configuration and has the same interface as that used in the control system of the real sub-station. In this way, the system developed can be integrated into a replica of the complete power supply network control system emulating a real sub-station, it being able to fully interact with the global system, and allow totally real situations to be simulated