Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Improved Double Line Voltage Synthesis Strategies of Matrix Converter for Input/Output Quality Enhancement

This paper presents two improved double line voltage synthesis strategies for matrix converters. Both strategies redistribute the on-time intervals of the switches to reduce the output voltage error caused by the limit of minimum safe pulsewidth during commutation process. The first strategy reconstructs the modulation law according to the relationship between the input and the output voltages. The second strategy takes the current relationship into account, and the on-time intervals are calculated using the instantaneous output currents. Without increasing the commutation times and switching losses, the proposed strategies can decrease the number of pulses whose duty cycles are less than the minimum limit and improve the output voltage waveform. Moreover, the second one can also enhance the input current quality. Numerical simulations and experiments with a 10-kW prototype are carried out. The results are given to verify the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed strategies.
Overlapping Generations and Representative Agent Models of the Equity Premia: Implications from a Growing Economy

This paper compares the risk premia on stock (both conditional and unconditional) implied by a class of overlapping generations and re presentative agent models in an exchange economy with stochastic endo wment growth rates. It is shown that, when shocks are independently d istributed, the models are observationally equivalent. However, with positively autocorrelated growth rates, the risk premia can become ne gative in a representative agent model, while bounded above zero in a n overlapping generations model. These results are interpreted via th e consumption-based capital asset pricing model and highlight the end ogenous consumption levels in an overlapping generations model.
Rabbits' eye globe sonographic biometry.

OBJECTIVE To measure intraocular structures in New Zealand White breed rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus Linnaeus, 1758) using A-mode and B-mode ultrasound with a 20 MHz transducer. PROCEDURES In this study, the eyes of 15 rabbits were evaluated for determination of intraocular measurements using an ophthalmic ultrasound unit able to operate in both A and B-modes. The distances from the cornea to the anterior capsule of the lens (D1), from the anterior capsule of the lens to the posterior capsule of the lens (D2), from the posterior capsule of the lens to the retina (D3) and the complete length of the eye, which corresponds to the distance from the cornea to the retina (D4) were taken. RESULTS The mean values obtained were 2.70 mm (± 0.22 mm) for D1, 7.32 mm (± 0.40 mm) for D2, 7.10 mm (± 0.45 mm) for D3 and 17.12 mm (± 0.41 mm) for D4. Statistical analyses using the Student's t-test showed that there were no differences between the eyes. CONCLUSIONS The study was feasible without the need of pharmacological restraint and yielded normal mean values for ocular sonographic biometry in rabbits.
Transfusion‐related acute lung injury caused by human leucocyte antigen class II antibody

Summary. Fcγ receptor (FcγR)‐mediated destruction of immunoglobulin‐coated red blood cells (RBCs) is the underlying mechanism of haemolytic disease of the newborn. Human leucocyte antigen (HLA) antibodies in vitro are able to block monocyte FcγRs and prevent phagocytosis. The intention was to demonstrate this effect in vivo upon a volunteer. Plasma containing a non‐cytotoxic HLA‐DR alloantibody was infused into the subject. The FcγR blockade was achieved and persisted for about 2·5 d, but, unexpectedly, a mild transfusion‐related acute lung injury (TRALI) was also caused. Monocytes disappeared completely from the peripheral blood within the first hour after infusion and a mild pulmonary oedema was observed within 3–4 h. The subject recovered within 2 d.
Oil and Economy

Economic literature has recently paid increased attention to the interrelationships between resource (oil) wealth (i.e. dependence on exports of oil and other raw materials) on one hand, and macroeconomic performance (and socio-political system) on the other. Most authors find that resource wealth has a negative impact on economic development, and suggest that resource-oriented countries should diversify their economies. This article reviews some economic-policy dilemmas, and also examines the need for, and the constraints of, structural changes in Russia, an atypical, but quite important resource-dependent country. The negative implications of the “resource curse”are valid in the case of this country, as well. Russia has become resource-oriented despite the priority of heavy (military) industry development during the Soviet period. Although in some fields Soviet manufacturing was extensive and strong, it proved inefficient and internationally non-competitive. Engineering - the largest industrial sector -.
Efficacy of Web-Based Weight Loss Maintenance Programs: A Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing Standard Features Versus the Addition of Enhanced Personalized Feedback over 12 Months

Few randomized controlled trials (RCT) have evaluated the efficacy of web-based programs targeting maintenance of lost weight. The aims of this study were to evaluate two versions of a commercially available web-based weight loss maintenance (WLM) program and examine whether the provision of enhanced feedback was associated with better WLM. The study was an assessor-blinded RCT of change in body mass index (BMI) over 12 months WLM. Participants were 227 adults (44% male, 42.3 ± 10.1 years, BMI 30.4 ± 4.1 kg/m2) randomized to either a basic (Basic WLM) or enhanced program with additional support (Enhanced WLM). Analysis was intention-to-treat with imputation using last observation carried forward. There was no significant weight rebound from the start of weight loss maintenance to 12 months for either group (mean: basic 1.3%, enhanced 1.5%) and limited change in secondary outcomes for either program. There were no significant between-group differences in the primary outcome of change in BMI (basic −0.5 (1.9) kg/m2, enhanced −0.5 (1.6) kg/m2, p = 0.93). In conclusion, a web-based WLM program was effective in preventing weight regain over one year following weight loss. However, the addition of personalized e-feedback provided limited additional benefits compared to a standard program. Given the potential reach of web-based approaches, further research examining which web-based program components optimize weight outcomes long-term is required.
Labouring and Learning: Part-Time Work and Full-Time Education

The labour supply of teenagers in full-time education has been largely neglected in analyses both of the UK youth labour market and of educational decisions and policy. The teenage years have been seen as when a single transition takes place from full-time education to employment (or unemployment), in the form of a ‘school-leaving’ decision. The possibility that the transition from school to work may be more gradual, and involve a phase when school and work overlap, has been less discussed. Yet there are indications that the part-time work of teenagers in full-time education is a far from trivial aspect of teenage labour supply; an analysis of data from the Labour Force Survey for autumn 1992 (Sly, 1993) found that about one third of 16 and 17 year olds in full-time education also had a job, and that there were as many 16 and 17 year olds in full-time education who had jobs as there were school-leavers in work in the same age group.
Evaluating Policies to Prevent Another Crisis: An Economist&Apos;S View

I consider four policies created to address the financial crisis: (1) the ability-to-repay requirement in mortgage underwriting; (2) reform of rating agency compensation, (3) risk retention in securitization, and (4) mandatory loan renegotiation. I show that according to standard models, policies (1)-(3) do not address the standard asymmetric information problems that afflict financial markets. Policy (4) could reduce the deadweight losses associated with asymmetric information but requires that policy makers allocate gains and losses.
Cussonosides A and B, two triterpene-saponins from Cussonia barteri.

Two major saponins have been isolated from the stem bark of CUSSONIA BARTERI Seem (Araliaceae). Structural elucidation employing mainly 1 H- and 13 C-NMR, FAB-MS and GC-MS spectroscopic methods revealed a new hederagenin 28- O-[α- L-rhamnopyranosyl (1 → 4)-β- D-glucopyranosyl (1 → 6)]-β- D-glucopyranosyl ester (Cussonoside A), and the corresponding oleanolic acid analogue (Cussonoside B). Cussonoside A exhibits a pronounced sedative effect.
Natural antimicrobial peptides from bacteria: characteristics and potential applications to fight against antibiotic resistance

Because of the emergence of antibiotic‐resistant pathogens worldwide, a number of infectious diseases have become difficult to treat. This threatening situation is worsened by the fact that very limited progress has been made in developing new and potent antibiotics in recent years. However, a group of antimicrobials, the so‐called bacteriocins, have been much studied lately because they hold a great potential in controlling antibiotic‐resistant pathogens. Bacteriocins are small antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) produced by numerous bacteria. They often act toward species related to the producer with a very high potency (at pico‐ to nanomolar concentration) and specificity. The common mechanisms of killing by bacteriocins are destruction of target cells by pore formation and/or inhibition of cell wall synthesis. Several studies have revealed that bacteriocins display great potential in the medical sector as bacteriocinogenic probiotics and in the clinic as therapeutic agents. In this review, we discuss the emerging antibiotic resistance and strategies to control its dissemination, before we highlight the potential of AMPs from bacteria as a new genre of antimicrobial agents.
Investor Sentiment and Value and Growth Index Options

This paper examines the relationship between investor sentiment and stock index options. More specifically, it investigates the contrasting impact of individual and institutional investor sentiment on value and growth stock options. We take the Nasdaq 100 and Russell 2000 Growth indexes as proxies for growth portfolios and the Michigan Consumer Confidence Index as a proxy for individual sentiment. The findings show that individual sentiment exerts a significantly positive impact on the risk-neutral skewness of the Nasdaq 100 and Russell 2000 Growth index options while it is unrelated to the risk-neutral skewness of the Russell 2000 Value index option. Our empirical results support the conjecture that options on growth stock indexes are more likely to be affected by individual investor sentiment because proportionally more individual customers trade these contracts as compared with those on value indexes.
Modulated Predictive Control for Indirect Matrix Converter

Finite state model predictive control (MPC) has been recently applied to several converter topologies, as it can provide many advantages over other MPC techniques. The advantages of MPC include fast dynamics, multitarget control capability, and relatively easy implementation on digital control platforms. However, its inherent variable switching frequency and lower steady-state waveform quality with respect to standard control, which includes an appropriate modulation technique, represent a limitation to its applicability. Modulated model predictive control (M2 PC) combines all the advantages of MPC with the fixed switching frequency characteristic of pulse-width modulation algorithms. The work presented in this paper focuses on the indirect matrix converter (IMC), where the tight coupling between rectifier stage and inverter stage has to be taken into account in the M2PC design. This paper proposes an M2PC solution, suitable for IMC, with a switching pattern that emulates the desired waveform quality features of space vector modulation for matrix converters. The switching sequences of the rectifier stage and inverter stage are rearranged in order to always achieve zero-current switching on the rectifier stage, thus simplifying the current commutation strategy.
Impact of sleep nasendoscopy on the outcome of mandibular advancement splint therapy in subjects with sleep-related breathing disorders

Aim: To evaluate the impact of positive sleep nasendoscopy, with simultaneous mandibular advancement, on the outcome of mandibular advancement splint therapy in 120 subjects with sleep-related breathing disorders. Methodology: Overnight polysomnography and sleep nasendoscopy were performed prior to splint therapy. Follow-up sleep studies, with the appliance in situ, were undertaken for those patients with obstructive sleep apnoea. Subjective outcome measures assessed daytime sleepiness and snoring. Results: One hundred and seven (89 per cent) subjects completed the study. Follow-up sleep studies confirmed the efficacy of treatment, with patients showing a mean reduction in apnoea/hypopnoea index (from 18.9 to 4.9, p<0.001), Epworth sleepiness scale scores (from 11 to seven, p<0.001) and partner-recorded snoring scores (from 14 to eight, p<0.001). Conclusion: Sleep nasendoscopy, with concomitant mandibular advancement to mimic the treatment effect, could be of prognostic value in determining successful mandibular advancement splint therapy.
Successful performance management? Apply the strategic performance management development cycle!

Purpose – This paper seeks to provide a method which increases the chance of successful implementation and use of a performance management system (PMS). This method should incorporate both the instrumental and behavioral sides of performance management, be based on a solid theoretical foundation, and have been proven in practice.Design/methodology/approach – The method is called the strategic performance management development cycle, which consists of three stages: design a strategic management model; design a strategic reporting model; and design a performance‐driven behavioral model. The workings of the cycle are illustrated with a case study of a publishing company which used the method during the implementation of a new PMS.Findings – Applying the strategic performance management development cycle makes it possible for an organization to create in a short time period a new PMS, which will then improve the organization's results dramatically.Practical implications – During the implementation of a PMS a.
Explaining the Growth in the Number of Recipients of the Disability Support Pension in Australia

This article shows that one‐third of the growth in the Disability Support Pension (DSP) recipiency rate over the last 30 years can be explained by population ageing and increases in the retirement age for women. A wide range of factors is likely to have contributed to the remaining growth, but we argue that the growing attractiveness of DSP compared to other income‐support payments has played an important role. Looking forward, population growth and planned increases in the retirement age will both put upward pressure on the DSP roll, which, without major reform, could plausibly hit 1 million recipients within 10 years.
Hourly Earnings of Female Part-time versus Full-time Employees

Investigations of the earnings gap between males and females in the British labor market have highlighted the role of part-time employment in women's working lives. The vast majority of part-time jobs are held by women and, at sometime in their labor-market experience, most women hold part-time jobs. This paper attempts to determine the extent to which part-time employment lowers the hourly earnings of women. The approach adopted involves decomposing the part-time/full-time wage gap into that part attributable to the characteristics of the employees and that part attributable to the jobs themselves. Allowance is made for the endogeneity of the part-time work decision. Copyright 1988 by Blackwell Publishers Ltd and The Victoria University of Manchester
Population subdivision and genetic diversity in two narrow endemics of Antirrhinum L.

Genetic diversity and its partition within and among populations and families of two species of Antirrhinum L. , A. charidemi Lange and A. valentinum F.Q. , have been studied. Both species are narrow‐range endemics, self‐incompatible, ecologically specialized and form small isolated populations. Despite these similarities, the species differ markedly in the distribution of genetic diversity. In A. valentinum, 61.64% of the total variation was distributed among populations, whereas in A. charidemi it was only 8.55%. A. charidemi showed little population divergence (GST = 0.0542) relative to A. valentinum (GST = 0.4805). In neither species was within‐population genetic diversity correlated with population size, nor were there significant correlations between genetic and geographical distances. These results are discussed in relation to differences in flowering time and habitat continuity. They suggest that caution should be taken when making generalizations about levels of genetic variation and patterns of plant reproduction, life history and geographical distribution.
ARTIFICIAL NEURAL NETWORK MODELING FOR REFORESTATION DESIGN THROUGH THE DOMINANT TREES BOLE‐VOLUME ESTIMATION

Abstract In the management of restoration reforestations or recreational reforestations of trees, the density of the planted trees and the site conditions can influence the growth and bole volume of the dominant tree. The ability to influence growth of these trees in a reforestation contributes greatly to the formation of large dimension trees and thereby to the production of commercially valuable wood. The potential of two artificial neural network (ANN) architectures in modeling the dominant Pinus brutia tree bole volume in reforestation configuration at 12 years of age was investigated: (1) the multilayer perceptron architecture using a back‐propagation algorithm and (2) the cascade‐correlation architecture, utilizing (a) either the nonlinear Kalman's filter theory or (b) the adaptive gradient descent learning rule. The incentive for developing bole‐volume equations using ANN techniques was to demonstrate an alternative new methodology in the field of reforestation design, which would enable estimation and optimization of the bole volume of dominant trees in reforestations using easily measurable site and competition factors. The usage of the ANNs for the estimation of dominant tree bole volume through site and competition factors can be a very useful tool in forest management practice.
The Economic Effects of Industrial Relations Legislation Since 1979

This is the fourth article from members of the CLARE Group to appear in the Review. Future articles will normally appear about twice a year. The Review is pleased to give hospitality to the deliberations of the CLARE Group but is not necessarily in agreement with the views expressed. Members of the CLARE Group are M.J. Artis, A.J.C. Britton, W.A. Brown, C.H. Feinstein, C.A. E. Goodhart, D.A. Hay, J.A. Kay, R.C. O. Matthews, M.H. Miller, P.M. Oppenheimer, M.V. Posner, W.B. Reddaway, J.R. Sargent, M.F-G. Scott, Z.A. Silberston, J.H. B. Tew, J.S. Vickers, S. Wadhwani. The industrial relations legislation of the 1980s has been widely credited with having made a major contribution to Britain's economic performance. This study evaluates its actual impact. The costs to trade unions of strike action have increased, but the legislation has had some perverse effects, not least in encouraging unions to tighten up their own organisation. The economic consequences predicted by the policy makers are investigated by means of a number of econometric studies. They suggest that the expected employment and wage effects did not occur. They also failed to provide improvements in labour productivity. The study offers an alternative explanation of these findings.
Geographical ancestry of Lake Malawi's cichlid fish diversity

The Lake Malawi haplochromine cichlid flock is one of the largest vertebrate adaptive radiations. The geographical source of the radiation has been assumed to be rivers to the south and east of Lake Malawi, where extant representatives of the flock are now present. Here, we provide mitochondrial DNA evidence suggesting the sister taxon to the Lake Malawi radiation is within the Great Ruaha river in Tanzania, north of Lake Malawi. Estimates of the time of divergence between the Lake Malawi flock and this riverine sister taxon range from 2.13 to 6.76 Ma, prior to origins of the current radiation 1.20–4.06 Ma. These results are congruent with evaluations of 2–3.75 Ma fossil material that suggest past faunal connections between Lake Malawi and the Ruaha. We propose that ancestors of the Malawi radiation became isolated within the catchment during Pliocene rifting that formed both Lake Malawi and the Kipengere/Livingstone mountain range, before colonizing rivers to the south and east of the lake region and radiating within the lake basin. Identification of this sister taxon allows tests of whether standing genetic diversity has predisposed Lake Malawi cichlids to rapid speciation and adaptive radiation.
Foreign Aid as Counterterrorism Policy

This paper presents a model where foreign aid bolsters a developing country's proactive counterterrorism efforts against a resident transnational terrorist group. In stage 1 of the game, the donor country allocates resources to terrorism-fighting tied aid, general assistance, and defensive actions at home. The recipient country then decides its proactive campaign against the common terrorist threat in stage 2, while the terrorists direct their attacks against the donor and recipient countries in stage 3. Terrorists' choices in the final stage provide a solid microfoundation for the terrorists' likelihood of success function. In stage 2, greater tied aid raises the recipient country's proactive measures and regime instability, while increased general aid reduces these proactive efforts and regime instability. In stage 1, a donor's homeland security decisions are interdependent with its aid package to a recipient country, hosting resident transnational terrorists. This interdependency and its implications have gone unrecognized to date. Copyright 2011 Oxford University Press 2010 All rights reserved, Oxford University Press.
The Effect of Uncertainty on Investment: Some Stylized Facts

The theoretical relationship between investment and uncertainty is ambiguous. This paper briefly surveys the insights that theory has to offer and then runs a series of simple tests aimed at evaluating the empirical significance of various theoretical effects. Our results from a panel of U.S. manufacturing firms indicate a negative effect of uncertainty on investment consistent with theories of irreversible investment. We find no evidence for a positive effect via the channel of the convexity of the marginal product of capital, and we find no evidence for the presence of a CAPM-based effect of risk.
Informal Investment in Canada: Financing Small Business Growth

Abstract This paper reports an empirical study of Canadian informal “angel” investors. A key contribution is the development of a portrait of the decision making of these angels as well as a framework which was successful in structuring this decision making. Angels are well educated and experienced as investors. They tend to hold other full time jobs. They invest in new growth-oriented businesses, usually at the earliest stages of business development. They report a shortage of investment-ready businesses in which the principals are willing to partner with experienced investor-mentors. Investors learn about opportunities mostly from business associates. Evaluation tends to be informal, although some investors have extensive sets of due diligence materials. The key dimensions of investable business opportunities are the market potential of the business, the capability of the principals to commercialize the service or product, and the opportunity for investors to make substantive non-financial contributions to the firm.