Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Hardware Emulation for Real-Time Power System Simulation

The classical approach used to implement digital real-time power system simulators (DRTPSS) consists in modeling the power system network and devices in software, and using numerical integration techniques and parallel processors to solve the resulting equations. This approach has many advantages, but it is subjected to the processor-memory hardware paradigm and the inter-processor communication overhead. The latter imposes a minimum time step that cannot be much decreased even when using higher performance processors. Typically, the minimum time step reported in the literature is around 20 mus. This paper presents a new approach to design and implement high-performance DRTPSS that consists in modeling the power system network and devices directly in VLSI hardware. The network topology and device models are described in a hardware description language (HDL) and mapped to a programmable device (FPGA) by using automatic synthesis tools. The simulation runs directly in hardware resulting in very short simulation time steps. Indeed, the initial results obtained and presented in this work show that time steps in the order of microseconds are possible
Immobilization of Lipase from Penicillium sp. Section Gracilenta (CBMAI 1583) on Different Hydrophobic Supports: Modulation of Functional Properties

Lipases are promising enzymes that catalyze the hydrolysis of triacylglycerol ester bonds at the oil/water interface. Apart from allowing biocatalyst reuse, immobilization can also affect enzyme structure consequently influencing its activity, selectivity, and stability. The lipase from Penicillium sp. section Gracilenta (CBMAI 1583) was successfully immobilized on supports bearing butyl, phenyl, octyl, octadecyl, and divinylbenzyl hydrophobic moieties wherein lipases were adsorbed through the highly hydrophobic opened active site. The highest activity in aqueous medium was observed for the enzyme adsorbed on octyl support, with a 150% hyperactivation regarding the soluble enzyme activity, and the highest adsorption strength was verified with the most hydrophobic support (octadecyl Sepabeads), requiring 5% Triton X-100 to desorb the enzyme from the support. Most of the derivatives presented improved properties such as higher stability to pH, temperature, and organic solvents than the covalently immobilized CNBr derivative (prepared under very mild experimental conditions and thus a reference mimicking free-enzyme behavior). A 30.8- and 46.3-fold thermostabilization was achieved in aqueous medium, respectively, by the octyl Sepharose and Toyopearl butyl derivatives at 60 °C, in relation to the CNBr derivative. The octyl- and phenyl-agarose derivatives retained 50% activity after four and seven cycles of p-nitrophenyl palmitate hydrolysis, respectively. Different derivatives exhibited different properties regarding their properties for fish oil hydrolysis in aqueous medium and ethanolysis in anhydrous medium. The most active derivative in ethanolysis of fish oil was the enzyme adsorbed on a surface covered by divinylbenzyl moieties and it was 50-fold more active than the enzyme adsorbed on octadecyl support. Despite having identical mechanisms of immobilization, different hydrophobic supports seem to promote different shapes of the adsorbed open active site of the lipase and hence different functional properties.
On informality and productivity of micro and small enterprises: evidence from MENA countries

The objective of this paper is twofold. First, it aims to examine the impact of informality on productivity in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) in order to identify existing barriers to formality. Second, it pinpoints factors that boost productivity of micro and small enterprises (MSEs). Using firm-level micro data from the Egyptian and Turkish MSEs surveys, we first find that firm's age, entrepreneur's gender, age and education have a significant impact on the probability of belonging to the informal sector. In addition, we find a negative effect of informality on productivity in both Egypt and Turkey. While this result is sensitive to the estimation method for the Egyptian case, it remains robust for the Turkish one. Consequently, there is a clear and significant productivity differential between formal and informal firms in Turkey, but not in Egypt.
Modulation of rat atrial G protein‐coupled K+ channel function by phospholipids

1 G protein‐gated K+ channels (KACh channels) in the heart and brain are activated by the βγ subunit of inhibitory G protein. Phosphatidylinositol‐4,5‐bisphosphate (PIP2) has recently been reported to directly activate KACh channels (GIRK) expressed in oocytes, as well as to support activation by the βγ subunit in the presence of Na+. We examined the effect of Na+, PIP2 and other phospholipids on the KACh channel to understand better their role in KACh channel activation and modulation. 2 In atrial membrane patches, none of the phospholipids tested including PIP2 caused activation of the KACh channel in either the presence or the absence of 30 mM Na+. PIP2 (3 μM) and other phospholipids (30 μM) blocked acetylcholine‐induced activation of the KACh channel. 3 When KACh channels were first activated with GTPγS, however, all phospholipids (100 μM) tested augmented the KACh channel activity 1·5‐ to 2‐fold. Phosphatidylinositol‐4‐phosphate (PIP) and PIP2 were an order of magnitude more potent than other phospholipids. The increase in KACh channel activity was the result of a shift in the gating mode of the channel from a short‐lived to a longer‐lived open state. Such a modulatory effect was qualitatively similar to that produced by intracellular ATP. Trypsin blocked the ATP effect but not the phospholipid effect on the KACh channel kinetics. 4 The phosphate group linked to the glycerol backbone was important for KACh channel modulation by phospholipids. The higher potency of PIP and PIP2 was due to the presence of inositol phosphates. 5 Intracellular Na+ (30 mM) increased the frequency of KACh channel opening ≈2‐fold if the channels were already active, but did not affect modulation by phospholipids. The effects of Na+ and phospholipids on KACh channel activity were additive. 6 A low concentration of ATP (20 μM), which had no effect on the KACh channel by itself, potentiated the stimulatory action of phospholipids, indicating that ATP and phospholipids interacted to modulate KACh channel function. 7 We conclude that exogenously applied PIP2 and other phospholipids block agonist‐mediated KACh channel activation. However, if the KACh channel is already activated with GTPγS, phospholipids augment the existing activity by increasing the number of longer‐lived channel openings. The evidence for and against the role of PIP and PIP2 in the stimulatory effect of ATP on the KACh channel is presented and discussed.
An Unconditional Asset-Pricing Test and the Role of Firm Size as an Instrumental Variable for Risk

In an intertemporal economy where both risk (stock beta) and expected return are time varying, the authors derive a linear relation between the unconditional beta and the unconditional return under certain stationarity assumptions about the stochastic process of size-portfolio betas. The model suggests the use of long time periods to estimate the unconditional portfolio betas. The authors find that, after controlling for the betas thus estimated, a firm-size proxy, such as the logarithm of the firm size, does not have explanatory power for the averaged returns across the size-ranked portfolios.
Political Influence and Coexistence of a Uniform Accounting System and Accounting Standards: Recent Developments in China

This article investigates the role of political influence, as well as accounting tradition and the equity market, in China's recent changes in accounting regulation. We find that the Chinese government, in part self-motivated and in part under external pressure, has been active in developing accounting standards in harmony with international accounting standards. However, it has retained a uniform accounting system in the Enterprise Accounting System issued in 2000 to accommodate the special circumstances of a transforming government, strong state-ownership, a weak accounting profession, a weak and imperfect equity market, and the inertial effect of accounting tradition and cultural factors. This article also contributes to existing models of accounting system classification by illustrating the need for considering political influence as a factor that affects the rate of transition towards full implementation of international accounting standards.
The effects of information presentation on real estate market perceptions

The study seeks to identify systematic differences in perception of the real estate market caused by the frames through which people obtain market information. We operationalise the frames through manipulation of data presentation in a commercial real estate market report, selectively controlling time scale, proportionality distortion and negative value presentation. Our findings suggest that such differences are real and their effects should be taken into account in the design and interpretation of market reports.
The association of meaningfulness, wellbeing and engagement with absenteeism: a moderated mediation model

We theorized that absence from work is a resource-based process that is related to perceived meaningfulness of work, well-being, and engagement. Broaden-and-build theory (Fredrickson, 1998, 2001) and engagement theory (Bakker, Schaufeli, Leiter, & Taris, 2008; Kahn, 1990) were used to develop a framework for explaining absence. Results of a study of 625 employees and human resource records of subsequent absenteeism data for a three-month period supported our hypotheses that meaningful work increases engagement with work, and that engagement is associated with low levels of absenteeism. Furthermore, data showed that engagement fully mediated the relationship between meaningfulness and absence, and that well-being strengthened the relationship between meaningfulness and engagement. The results have implications for understanding the role of individual-level resources in the workplace, and how meaningfulness, well-being, and engagement influence absence.
Is HOPE Enough? Impacts of Receiving and Losing Merit-Based Financial Aid

In 1993, the creation of Georgia’s HOPE Scholarship Program accelerated interest in understanding the effects of merit-based student financial aid. This article compares a sample of “borderline” HOPE recipients (students just above the eligibility threshold) with similar nonrecipients to examine differences on four college performance outcomes. The HOPE Scholarship recipients accumulated more credit hours, achieved slightly higher grade point averages, and were more likely to have graduated after 4 years of college. In addition, HOPE recipients who attended 4-year institutions of higher education were more likely to persist in college. Most merit aid recipients lost their scholarships, however, which slightly reduced recipients’advantages on grade point average and credit hour accumulation. Differences in persistence and graduation are significant only for those who maintain eligibility for the scholarship, suggesting that scholarship retention is critical if merit aid programs are to help achieve several of the broad goals of higher education.
Agriculture Credit in Developing Economies: A Review of Relevant Literature

This paper aims to present a comprehensive review of 110 studies on agriculture credit in developing countries during 1995 to 2015. The literature has been classified and presented on the basis of time period, country of study, methodology used, issues covered, and sources of study. Agriculture credit has gained interest of policy makers and researchers in developing economies in recent years with raising concerns of issues like food security and rising population. However, the situation of small and marginal farmers is still vulnerable and they lack timely and adequate access to institutional sources of finance. Non-institutional sources of credit are still dominant in rural credit markets; while the role of micro-finance appears dubious. This study will prove helpful for policy makers and future researchers who wish to study diverse issues in rural finance in general and agriculture credit in particular.
Asymmetric Pricing of Implied Systematic Volatility in the Cross-Section of Expected Returns

Assuming a symmetric relation between returns and innovations in implied market volatility, Ang, Hodrick, Xing, and Zhang (2006) find that sensitivities to changes in implied market volatility have a cross-sectional effect on firm returns. Dennis, Mayhew, and Stivers (2006), however, find an asymmetric relation between firm-level returns and implied market volatility innovations. We incorporate this asymmetry into the cross-sectional relation between sensitivity to volatility innovations and returns. Using both portfolio sorting and firm-level regressions, we find that sensitivity to VIX innovations is negatively related to returns when volatility is rising, but is unrelated when it is falling. The negative relation is robust to controls for other variables, suggesting only the increase in implied market volatility is a priced risk factor.
The Effects of the Intensity, Timing and Persistence of Personal History of Mobility on Support for Redistribution in Transition Countries

type="main" xml:id="ecot12073-abs-0001"> This paper examines the effect of the intensity, timing and persistence of personal history of mobility on individual support for redistribution. Using both rounds of the Life in Transition Survey, we build measures of downward mobility for about 57,000 individuals from 27 countries in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. We find that more intensive, recent and persistent downward mobility increases support for redistribution. Accounting for systematic bias in perceived mobility experience and omitted variable bias and considering alternative definitions of redistributive preferences do not alter the basic results.
Clotting of bovine fibrinogen. Kinetic analysis of the release of fibrinopeptides by thrombin and of the calcium uptake upon clotting at high fibrinogen concentrations.

Kinetic data on the release of fibrinopeptides A and B from bovine fibrinogen by human thrombin were obtained at high fibrinogen concentrations, within the 0.8-8.8% range (0.227 X 10(-4) to 2.60 X 10(-4) M), at 25 degrees C, pH 7.26, 0.30 ionic strength, and 10(-4) M free Ca2+ concentration. Release of fibrinopeptide A followed strictly first-order kinetics at all concentrations, in spite of the fact that the highest concentration was 26 times larger than the value of KM found in the literature. This behavior can be explained by inhibition of thrombin by the reaction products, with KI = KM. The equation describing the course of the reaction under these conditions can be rearranged into a linear relationship between 1/kobsd and substrate concentration. The slope of the line is equal to 1/kcat and the intercept to KM/kcat. The data points fell accurately on a straight line, and with the parameters of the latter, kcat and KM were calculated as (6.3 +/- 0.11) X 10(-10) M s-1 (unit of thrombin)-1 L-1 and (11.0 +/- 3.0) X 10(-6) M, respectively. These values agree well with those found in the literature. Release of fibrinopeptide B follows complex kinetics. Higgins et al. [Higgins, D. L. , Lewis, S.D. , & Shafer, J.A. (1983) J. Biol. Chem. 258, 9276-9282] suggested that it can be described as the result of two consecutive reactions, the first one being the release of fibrinopeptide A and the second one of fibrinopeptide B from those molecules that have already lost fibrinopeptide A in the previous step. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Comparison of sampling methods for animal manure

Currently available and recently developed sampling methods for slurry and solid manure were tested for bias and reproducibility in the determination of total phosphorus and nitrogen content of samples. Sampling methods were based on techniques in which samples were taken either during loading from the hose or from the transport vehicle after loading. Most methods were unbiased. New sampling methods for slurry from the hose were substantially more reproducible than existing methods. For practical reasons, the mechanization of sampling is desirable, and to minimize the influence of human activity on sample quality, the automation of sampling is advisable.
Organizational and professional commitment on dysfunctional audit behaviour

Dysfunctional audit behaviour is an accepted problem, associated with decreased audit quality. This study develops and tests a theoretical model that identifies factors contributing to dysfunctional audit behavior. Organizational commitment and professional commitment were examined as antecedents of attitudes toward dysfunctional audit behaviour. A path analysis from a partial least squares (PLS) approach was employed based on survey results from 225 Audit Managers in Malaysia. The findings produced evidence to show that organizational commitment was a significant predictor of dysfunctional audit behaviour. The results of the study should impact auditing procedures, hiring, training and promotion decisions, and help to minimize the occurrence and acceptance of dysfunctional audit behaviour. The study is significant, in that, it provides a timely response to regulators concerned about the impairment of audit quality. Key words: Dysfunctional audit behaviour, organizational commitment, professional commitment.
On the sources of submicron aerosol particles in savannah: implications for climate and air quality

Aerosol is defined as solid or liquid particles suspended in a gas lighter than the particles, which means that the atmosphere we live in is an aerosol in itself. Although aerosol particles are only a trace component of the atmosphere they affect our lives in several ways. The aerosol particles can cause adverse health effects and deteriorate visibility, but they affect also the Earth’s climate directly by scattering and absorbing solar radiation and indirectly by modulating the properties of the clouds. Anthropogenic aerosol particles have a net cooling effect on the climate, but the uncertainty in the amount of cooling is presently as large as the heating effect of carbon dioxide. To reduce the uncertainty in the aerosol climate effects, spatially representative reference data of high quality are needed for the global climate models. To be able to capture the diurnal and seasonal variability the data have to be collected continuously over time periods that cover at least one full seasonal cycle. Until recently such data have been nearly non-existing for continental Africa and hence one aim of this work was to establish a permanent measurement station measuring the key aerosol particle properties in a continental location in southern Africa. In close collaboration with the North-West University in South Africa this aim has now been achieved at the Welgegund measurement station. The other aims of this work were to determine the aerosol particle concentrations including their seasonal and diurnal variation and to study the most important aerosol particle sources in continental southern Africa. In this thesis the aerosol size distribution and its seasonal and diurnal variation is reported for different environments ranging from a clean rural background to an anthropogenically heavily influenced mining region in continental southern Africa. Atmospheric regional scale new particle formation has been observed at a world record high frequency and it dominates the diurnal variation except in the vicinity of low-income residential areas, where domestic heating and cooking are a stronger source. The concentration of aerosol particles in sizes that can act as cloud condensation nuclei was found to increase during the dry season because of reduced wet removal and increased aerosol production from incomplete combustion, which can be either domestic heating or savannah and grassland fires depending on location. During the wet season new particle formation was shown to be an important source of particles in the size range of cloud condensation nuclei.
Angiogenesis and mast cells in human breast cancer sentinel lymph nodes with and without micrometastases

Aims: An increasing number of mast cells have been reported in angiogenesis associated with solid and haematopoietic tumours. Data concerning the number of mast cells in neoplastic lymph nodes and their relationship with microvessel density are controversial. The aim was to correlate the extent of angiogenesis with the number of mast cells reactive with tryptase in biopsy specimens of sentinel lymph nodes with and without micrometastases obtained from patients with breast cancer.
Computed tomography is not necessary to assess rotation of the femoral component in navigation-assisted total knee replacement

Objective To demonstrate that postoperative computed tomography (CT) is not needed if navigation is used to determine the rotational position of the femoral component during total knee replacement (TKR). Methods Preoperative CT, navigational, and postoperative CT data of 70 TKR procedures were analysed. The correlation between the rotational angulation of the femur measured by CT and that measured by perioperative navigation was examined. The correlation between the femoral component rotation determined by navigation and that determined by CT was also assessed. Results The mean femoral rotation determined by navigation was 2.64° ± 4.34°, while that shown by CT was 6.43° ± 1.65°. Postoperative rotation of the femoral component shown by CT was 3.09° ± 2.71°, which was closely correlated with the angle obtained through the intraoperative transepicondylar axis by navigation (Pearson’s R = 0.930). Conclusions Navigation can be used to collect the preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative data and final position of the TKR. The rotation of the femoral component can be determined using navigation without the need for CT.
Perfect Opportunity∼Perfect Storm? Raising the Standards of Social Work Education in England

Government plans to reform social work in England, led by the Social Work Reform Board, have resulted in far-reaching changes to social work education. These include establishment of The College of Social Work and adoption of its Performance Capability Framework, and transfer of regulation to the Health Care Professions Council whose Standards of Proficiency competences gate-keep the threshold to practice. A critical scrutiny of the literature on competence and capability used by the architects of change provides a lens with which to explore findings from a content analysis of the new standards. Comparisons are made with the 2008 Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS) competences approved by the American Council on Social Work Education. Fault lines are identified that might seriously jeopardise the future of social work education in England and ways forward are explored to address these. First, given the importance of making what's important assessable, the choice is presented between opting for ‘wicked competences’ or investing in the design of complex assessment models and their operation. Second, the priority of building robust partnerships to contain different stakeholder objectives is underlined. Both are essential to prevent fault lines developing into a perfect storm.