NFL Betting Market: Using Adjusted Statistics to Test Market Efficiency and Build a Betting Model

The use of statistical analysis has been prevalent in the sports gambling industry for years. More recently, we have seen the emergence of adjusted statistics , a more sophisticated way to examine each play and each result (further explanation below). And while adjusted statistics have become commonplace for professional and recreational bettors alike, little research has been done to justify their use. In this paper the effectiveness of this data is tested on the most heavily wagered sport in the world – the National Football League (NFL). The results are studied with two central questions in mind: Does the market account for the information provided by adjusted statistics? And, can this data be interpreted to create a profitable betting strategy? First, the Efficient Market Hypothesis is introduced and tested using these new variables. Then, a betting model is built and tested

FY2020 Maine Economic Improvement Fund Annual Report

Maine statute requires the University of Maine System to provide an annual report to the Governor and Legislature each year. In addition to listing the annual financial data, we also include an assessment of the achievement of the annual goals and objectives, and a summary of the research and development projects that have been funded. The annual report is included in the meeting materials for review and approval

A Resilience-Based Approach to the Conservation of Valley Oak in a Southern California Landscape

Conservation thinking will benefit from the incorporation of a resilience perspective of landscapes as social-ecological systems that are continually changing due to both internal dynamics and in response to external factors such as a changing climate. The examination of two valley oak stands in Southern California provides an example of the necessity of this systems perspective where each stand is responding differently as a result of interactions with other parts of the landscape. One stand is experiencing regeneration failure similar to other stands across the state, and is exhibiting shifts in spatial pattern as a response to changing conditions. A nearby stand is regenerating well and maintaining spatial and structural patterns, likely due to the availability of imported water associated with upstream urban development. Valley oak stands have a capacity for reorganization as a response to changes in the landscape and environmental conditions. This reorganization can benefit conservation efforts; however, we must ask what limits there are to valley oak’s capacity to reorganize and still maintain its ecological function in face of increasing changes in climate and land cover. The usefulness of resilience as a concept in conservation is discussed at several scales from the stand to the landscape

Spatial Clustering and Ecological Crowding of Valley Oak (Quercus lobata, Née) Associated with Shifts in Recruitment Establishment Sites in Southern California

Premise of research. Valley oak (Quercus lobata, Née) has received much attention due to concerns about regeneration failure and, more recently, compositional and structural community changes associated with this foundation species. Changes in the structure and spatial distribution of valley oak stands, as examined in this article, are likely affecting ecological processes and interactions throughout communities where it is found. Methodology. We used quadrat-based methods of spatial analysis, Morisita’s index of aggregation (IM), and a derived index (IMr ) to examine patterns of clustering, intensity of crowding, and changes in the probability of crowding as the definition of crowding (stems/area) is changed. Saplings, defined as stems with a diameter at breast height (dbh) greater than 1 cm and less than 10 cm (1 cm ≤ dbh ! 10 cm) and adults (dbh ≥ 10 cm) were analyzed using four quadrat sizes. We mapped clusters of stems on the basis of spatial autocorrelation of dbh using Anselin’s local Moran’s I to identify the location of sapling and adult stem clusters. Pivotal results. Adults and saplings were clustered for all quadrat sizes, although the intensity of clustering and crowding differed among sites. Two sites had much higher intensity of clustering and crowding, and saplings were spatially segregated from adults away from open savannah habitat. At a third site, stems were less intensely clustered, and saplings did not show clustering away from adults. The intensity of sapling crowding differed among sites as the definition of crowding changed, revealing that saplings experience greater levels of crowding at two of the sites than at the third. Conclusions. Valley oak regeneration is spatially aggregated and ecologically crowded, indicating a shift to higher-density riparian woodland and increasingly open grassland seen at other sites and in other studies. Land change is an important driver of spatial regeneration patterns and may be playing a role here, although additional work is needed to examine the effects of possible drivers of crowding and the habitat shift. Future work should consider the ecological implications of structural and spatial changes in valley oak stands for associated species and processes

Diketopyrrolopyrrole derivatives for bulk heterojunction and dye sensitised solar cells

This thesis describes the synthesis and characterisation of a series of molecules for use in bulk heterojunction and dye sensitised solar cells. The target molecules were based on a central diketopyrrolopyrrole subunit. Molecules based on diketopyrrolopyrrole have a conjugated structure, allowing for π-π interaction. Diketopyrrolopyrrole molecules also have relatively low lying HOMO and LUMO levels and high absorption coefficients and exhibit efficient charge transport properties. Furthermore, their electron withdrawing properties have warranted their use as promising organic photovoltaic materials. A number of molecules were successfully synthesised and sent to collaborators for testing in organic photovoltaic devices and development of this series of molecules continues to be of interest within the research group