Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
ASSESSMENT OF MINIMUM VERTICAL REINFORCEMENT LIMITS FOR RC WALLS

During the 2010/2011 Canterbury earthquakes, several reinforced concrete (RC) walls in multi-storey buildings formed a single crack in the plastic hinge region as opposed to distributed cracking. In several cases the crack width that was required to accommodate the inelastic displacement of the building resulted in fracture of the vertical reinforcing steel. This type of failure is characteristic of RC members with low reinforcement contents, where the area of reinforcing steel is insufficient to develop the tension force required to form secondary cracks in the surrounding concrete. The minimum vertical reinforcement in RC walls was increased in NZS 3101:2006 with the equation for the minimum vertical reinforcement in beams also adopted for walls, despite differences in reinforcement arrangement and loading. A series of moment-curvature analyses were conducted for an example RC wall based on the Gallery Apartments building in Christchurch. The analysis results indicated that even when the NZS 3101:2006 minimum vertical reinforcement limit was satisfied for a known concrete strength, the wall was still susceptible to sudden failure unless a significant axial load was applied. Additionally, current equations for minimum reinforcement based on a sectional analysis approach do not adequately address the issues related to crack control and distribution of inelastic deformations in ductile walls.
The puzzle of patent value indicators

Given the growing size of patent databases and portfolios, scholars and practitioners alike need metrics to help them in weighting patent counts or in ranking patents to focus on the most important ones. The main objective of this paper is to help them in this task with a practical and replicable approach. The discriminating criterion chosen is the potential market for the patented invention and the approach uses five different patent features (forward citations, grant decisions, families, renewals, and oppositions) that (1) have been found positively correlated with the value of patents in the literature, (2) can be extracted from patent databases, and (3) could inform on the existence of a potential market for the invention. The paper therefore discusses the main methodological issues in measuring and interpreting these metrics over a large international dataset and proposes one approach to extract from the different measures a consistent score that can be used to weight or rank patents.
Political Advertising and Electioneering in Nigeria: An Analysis of 2015 General Election Newspaper Advertisements

This is content analysis of political advertising during Nigeria’s 2015 general election with a view to ascertaining the following: The extent to which the ads fanned religious sentiments, the scale with which the ads resorted to personal attacks, the level to which the ads employed ethnic/tribal/regional/tendencies, the degree to which the ads adopted hate messages, the magnitude to which the ads embraced issue-based approaches to the campaign and finally, the scope to which the ad copies complied to the APCON code on political advertising. The ad copy constituted the unit of analysis while the period of study covered January to March, 2015. Two newspapers namely: The Guardian and The Punch were studied giving off a total of 240 issues. A census sampling procedure was undertaken while the major parameter for coding was the frequency of occurrence of the identified categorisation scheme. The results of the study showed that 63% of the ads dealt with non-issues. Regarding issue-based ads, socio-cultural issues constituted the majority. Of the non-issues analysed in the study, neutral (celebratory) messages were as high as 44.42% while personal attack ads amounted to 41.04%. However, religious, ethnic and sectional sentiments and violent/hate messages occurred at 6.23%, 3.89% and 1.82% respectively. The conclusion of the study is that political advertising in the two Nigerian newspapers was largely non-issue based and still some marks off compliance with APCON code on political advertising. These findings have serious implications for journalism and political advertising practice in Nigeria necessitating the recommendations made herein.
Preparation Methods and Application of Silicon Oxide Films

Silicon oxide is widely used as a thin film to improve the surface properties of materials, because it is of anti-resistance, hardness, corrosion resistance, dielectric, optical transparency etc. Just as these excellent performances, silicon oxide thin films are used in many fields. There are many ways to get silicon oxide films, such as evaporating deposition, sputtering deposition, ion plating, plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), atmospheric pressure plasma deposition, sol-gel method and oxidation method etc. and the preparative techniques have obtained a certain research results so far. In this article, the principle and research status of different preparation technologies were summarized, and the application of silicon oxide films were discussed in aspects of packaging industry, microelectronics field, andoptical field. Besides, its application prospect is forecasted. Silicon oxide film swith more stable performance will gradually become industrialization and occupy the dominant position in surface modification for a long time.
Study of High-Reynolds Number Isotropic Turbulence by Direct Numerical Simulation

We review studies of the statistics of isotropic turbulence in an incompressible fluid at high Reynolds numbers using direct numerical simulation (DNS) from the viewpoint of fundamental physics. The Reynolds number achieved by the largest DNS, with 4096 3 grid points, is comparable with the largest Reynolds number in laboratory experiments. The high-quality DNS data in the inertial subrange and the dissipative range enable the examination of detailed statistics at small scales, such as the normalized energy-dissipation rate, energy and energy-flux spectra, the intermittency of the velocity gradients and increments, scaling exponents, and flow-field structure. We emphasize basic questions of turbulence, universality in the sense of Kolmogorov’s theory, and the dependence of the statistics on the Reynolds number and scale.
Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) in therapy

Komorki progenitorowe stanowią tkankową rezerwe czynnościową, ktora "na ządanie" moze dojrzewac do komorek docelowych. Komorki progenitorowe dla środblonka charakteryzuje ekspresja markerow powierzchniowych, takich jak np. endoglina (CD105), vWF, PECAM-1/CD31, VE-kadheryna, CD146, CD62E, CD51/61, CD106, CD41a, CD41b, CD34, AC133, receptory czynnikow wzrostu (np. Flt-1, KDR, Tie-1) i inne. W toku roznicowania środblonkowe komorki progenitorowe mogą prezentowac cechy czynnościowe dojrzalych komorek środblonka (np. wchlanianie zmodyfikowanych LDL). Badania przeprowadzone na zwierzetach dowiodly proangiogennej skuteczności stosowania znakowanych ludzkich i zwierzecych komorek progenitorowych w modelach doświadczalnych niedokrwienia serca, konczyn dolnych i mozgu. Podstawowym kryterium oceny eksperymentow byla poprawa unaczynienia i funkcji narządu docelowego. Nie obserwowano istotnych objawow ubocznych, chociaz trzeba brac pod uwage mozliwe zagrozenia. Badania kliniczne dotyczące miazdzycy naczyn obwodowych i choroby niedokrwiennej serca wykazaly skutecznośc kliniczną subfrakcji ludzkich komorek mononuklearnych szpiku i krwi obwodowej w zmniejszaniu niekorzystnych nastepstw niedokrwienia obwodowego i mieśnia sercowego. Konieczne są jednak dalsze badania potwierdzające skutecznośc i bezpieczenstwo tej metody.
Error Analysis of Fixed-Gain AF Relaying with MRC over Nakagami-m Fading Channels

This article investigates the error performance of wireless communication systems that employ binary mod- ulations and Amplify-and-Forward (AF) relaying over flat Nakagami-m faded links with maximum ratio combining (MRC) at destination. Specifically, we derive a simple yet accurate closed-form approximation for the average bit er- ror probability (ABEP) and closed-form expressions for its tight upper and lower bounds. The eect of power imbalance between the relayed links is also studied. Numerical investi- gations show good agreement between proposed theoretical resultsandsimulationswhereasourperformanceboundsare shown to be tighter than previously proposed bounds for the case of unbalanced relayed links.
"Can I Be at Risk of Getting AIDS?" A Linguistic Analysis of Two Internet Columns on Sexual Health

Recent global statistics highlight that, out of all new cases of HIV infection, 45% are diagnosed in young people (UNAIDS 2008). Despite a range of new initiatives aimed at increasing young people's knowledge of HIV at the beginning of the first decade of the twenty-first century (UNAIDS 2001), latest figures highlight that such initiatives have not been wholly successful in preventing new infection in young people (UNAIDS 2011). In light of this, the language patterns that young people use when seeking information about HIV/AIDS are investigated. Our focus in particular is on computer-mediated-communication, a relatively under-researched area in the sphere of health communication. Building on previous research (Locher 2006, 2010; Harvey et al. 2008; Harvey 2013), we examine one UK and one US Internet-based, professional, health advice column as sources of advice-information for young people. Despite numerous established health campaigns, young advice-seekers' questions reflect misinformed conceptions, such as the conflation of HIV and AIDS and confusion as to the way in which the virus can be contracted. Our linguistic research gives access to young people's lay beliefs about sexual health and highlights the need to redress such beliefs, with the aim of improving the effectiveness of health education initiatives. We suggest that computer-mediated communication can be one effective medium through which to assess young people's knowledge about HIV/AIDS, as well as effectively disseminating sexual health advice and information by health care bodies.
Multimode mediated qubit-qubit coupling and dark-state symmetries in circuit quantum electrodynamics

Microwave cavities with high quality factors enable coherent coupling of distant quantum systems. Virtual photons lead to a transverse interaction between qubits when they are nonresonant with the cavity but resonant with each other. We experimentally investigate the inverse scaling of the interqubit coupling with the detuning from a cavity mode and its proportionality to the qubit-cavity interaction strength. We demonstrate that the enhanced coupling at higher frequencies is mediated by multiple higher-harmonic cavity modes. Moreover, we observe dark states of the coupled qubit-qubit system and analyze their relation to the symmetry of the applied driving field at different frequencies.
The Impact of Entrepreneur–CEOs in Microfinance Institutions: A Global Survey

Microfinance is a global high–growth industry, in which entrepreneurship is prevalent and substantial. Based on the theoretical argument that microfinance entrepreneur–chief executive officers (CEOs) are “motivated agents” with a unique ability to hire and socialize mission–oriented staff, we hypothesize that these CEOs produce more sustainable microfinance institutions (MFIs) with better social performance and lower costs. This study utilizes data from 295 MFIs in 73 developing countries, assessed between 1998 and 2010. Our empirical evidence suggests that entrepreneur–managed MFIs feature higher social performance, greater financial sustainability, and lower costs.
Determinants of Consumer Attitude towards E-Tailing in Indian Retail Sector: A Study on Factors of Technological Acceptance Model (TAM)

This research papers studies and investigate the determinants of consumers attitude affecting the E-purchase in retail sector. This current study developed the theoretical model based on Technological acceptance model (TAM) by incorporating the variables such as perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, compatibility, privacy, security, capability (Self-efficacy) and trust. The study collected the data from a sample of 374 users of E-tailing. The data collection tool was a structured questionnaire. The reliability of the tool was confirmed by Cronbach’s α coefficient which was above the threshold (0.7) for all variables. The data were analyzed by correlation and regression to determine the relationship between dependent variables and independent variables. The results revealed that Perceived Usefulness, Ability to use (Self Efficacy), Relationship building and Trust have a positive effect on use of internet for E-purchase (E-tailing) whereas privacy and security have negative relation with use of internet for E-purchase (E-tailing). However, the value of impact varies slightly from variable to variable. Therefore retailing companies should build and devise trust worthy strategies that would reduce insecurity in consumers and more and more consumers can be attracted to e-purchase.
Original Contribution CHENOPODIUM BONUS HENRICUS L. (PERENNIAL GOOSEFOOT) IN BULGARIA: I. POPULATION VARIABILITY

Ten populations of Chenopodium bonus-henricus L. , belonging to 6 different phytogeographic regions have been karyologically and morphologically tested. Intrapopulation and interpopulation variability have been traced. The rеlationship between morphological and karyological variability, the number, area, ecological, and geographic appurtenance of the studied populations has been explored.
The search for high-energy neutrinos coincident with fast radio bursts with the ANTARES neutrino telescope

In the past decade, a new class of bright transient radio sources with millisecond duration has been discovered. The origin of these so-called fast radio bursts (FRBs) is still a mystery, despite the growing observational efforts made by various multiwavelength and multimessenger facilities. To date, many models have been proposed to explain FRBs, but neither the progenitors nor the radiative and the particle acceleration processes at work have been clearly identified. In this paper, we assess whether hadronic processes may occur in the vicinity of the FRB source. If they do, FRBs may contribute to the high-energy cosmic-ray and neutrino fluxes. A search for these hadronic signatures was carried out using the ANTARES neutrino telescope. The analysis consists in looking for high-energy neutrinos, in the TeV–PeV regime, that are spatially and temporally coincident with the detected FRBs. Most of the FRBs discovered in the period 2013–2017 were in the field of view of the ANTARES detector, which is sensitive mostly to events originating from the Southern hemisphere. From this period, 12 FRBs were selected and no coincident neutrino candidate was observed. Upper limits on the per-burst neutrino fluence were derived using a power-law spectrum, |${{{\rm d}N}/{{\rm d}E_\nu }\propto E_\nu ^{-\gamma }}$|⁠, for the incoming neutrino flux, assuming spectral indexes γ = 1.0, 2.0, 2.5. Finally, the neutrino energy was constrained by computing the total energy radiated in neutrinos, assuming different distances for the FRBs. Constraints on the neutrino fluence and on the energy released were derived from the associated null results.
Wielding Peer Effects in Online Production: Evidence from a Series of Field Experiments

With the rise of online labor markets, remote work, and other forms of computer-mediated production, firms have an increasing ability to tailor the information environment of workers, including their engagement with virtual peers. Using a series of field experiments conducted in an online labor market, we find strong evidence that even brief exposure to peers strongly affects output. Workers exposed to high-output peers subsequently raise their own output. However, there is no “free lunch”; exposure to high-output also causes some workers to exit. Even having one worker evaluate another worker—a common quality control pattern—affects subsequent output. We show that this peer effect is not solely due to social learning about employer expectations. When we remove all uncertainty about an employer’s expectations, workers still increase output, even beyond the employer’s expectations when exposed to other workers doing the same. *We thank Iwan Barankay, Raj Chetty, Lydia Chilton, Nicholas Christakis, Malcolm WileyFloyd, Larry Katz, Renata Lemos, and Rob Miller for helpful comments and suggestions. We thank Robin Horton, David Yerkes, and Heidi Yerkes for their help in preparing the manuscript. Horton would like to thank the NSF-IGERT Multidisciplinary Program in Inequality and Social Policy (Grant No. 0333403), the University of Notre Dame, and the John Templeton Foundation’s Science of Generosity Initiative for their generous financial support. We were greatly aided by the excellent research assistance of Alex Breinen, John Comeau, Talia Goldman, Michelle Lindner, and Justin Keenan. Author contact information, datasets, and code are currently, or will be, available at http://www.john-joseph-horton.com/.
Processing of fundamental frequency changes, emotional prosody and lexical tones by pediatric CI recipients

As cochlear implants (CIs) do not provide adequate representation of the harmonic structure of complex sounds, the perception of the voice fundamental frequency (F0) is severely limited in CI users. As F0 plays an important role in speech prosody and in lexical tones, this deficit has a negative impact on communication. Here we focus on the pediatric CI population, most of whom were prelingually deaf and were implanted before three years of age, within the most adaptive period of the brain’s development. Our results suggest that, relative to their normally-hearing peers, school-age children with CIs have significant deficits in their sensitivity to both static and dynamic F0-changes. In addition, children with CIs also have deficits in their identification of emotional prosody and in lexical-tone recognition.
Winter diet of the stone marten (Martes foina) in central Bulgaria

1 Carnivore Ecology and Conservation Research Group, Graduate School of Agriculture, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Saiwaicho 3-5-8, Fuchu, Tokyo 183-8509, Japan 2 Agricultural Faculty, Trakia University, Student’s Campus, 6000 Stara Zagora, Bulgaria 3 Research Center for Wildlife Management, Gifu University, 1-1 Yanagido, Gifu, 501-1193, Japan 4 Department of Natural History Sciences, Faculty of Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0810, Japan
Biogenic hydrocarbon emissions from southern African savannas

Biogenic nonmethane hydrocarbon (NMHC) emissions were investigated at two field sites in the Republic of South Africa that include five important southern African savanna landscapes. Tropical savannas are a globally important biome with a high potential for biogenic emissions but no NMHC emission measurements in these regions or in any part of Africa have been reported. Landscape average hydrocarbon emissions were estimated by characterizing plant species composition and foliar density at each site, identifying and characterizing NMHC emissions of the most abundant plant species, and identifying and characterizing NMHC emissions of plant species with the highest NMHC emission rates. A hand-held portable analyzer proved to be a useful tool for identifying plants with high emission rates. A branch enclosure system, with gas chromatography and flame ionization detector, was used to quantify isoprene and monoterpene emission rates. Emission rates were species-specific and several genera had both high and low emitters. At least some species with high emission rates were identified in most savanna types. High and low emitters were found on both nutrient-rich and nutrient-poor soils. Landscape average emission capacities for the five savanna types range from 0.6 to 9 mg C m-2 h-1 for isoprene and about 0.05 to 3 mg C m-2 h-1 for monoterpenes. The savanna emission rates predicted by existing global models are within the range estimated for these five savanna types.
2-D Large Inverse Transform (16×16, 32×32) for HEVC (High Efficiency Video Coding)

This paper proposes a 16×16 and 32×32 inverse transform architecture for HEVC (High Efficiency Video Coding). HEVC large transform of 16×16 and 32×32 suffers from huge computational complexity. To resolve this problem, we proposed a new large inverse transform architecture based on hardware reuse. The processing element is optimized by exploiting fully recursive and regular butterfly structure. To achieve low area, the processing element is implemented by shifters and adders without multiplier. Implementation of the proposed 2-D inverse transform architecture in 0.18 ㎛ technology shows about 300 ㎒ frequency and 287 Kgates area, which can process 4K (3840×2160)@ 30 fps image.
Effects of cattle ingestion on viability and germination rate of calden (Prosopis caldenia) seeds

Calden (Prosopis caldenia Burkart) is the dominant tree of the xerophytic open forest in the semiarid pampa of Argentina. Calden has gradually increased its distribution throughout the region during the past century as a result of livestock grazing in the pampa forest. Calden has an indehiscent legume fruit that is consumed by livestock during the February-April fruit shedding period (FSP). Both free seeds and pod segments (1 seed inside the endocarp) can be found in cattle dung. Free seeds and pod segments coming from fruits (uningested) and dung (excreted) were collected during the fruit shedding period on 22 February (D1), 7 March (D2) and 27 March (D3) to compare viability and germination rate. Viabilities of uningested free seeds and pod segments averaged 95% and 65%, respectively, and were unaffected (P less than or equal to 0.01) by date of collection. Excreted free seed from D1 was 37% viable, which was lower (P less than or equal to 0.01) than the 72% viable for D2 and D3. Excreted pod segments averaged only 10% viable seeds. Ingestion increased (P less than or equal to 0.01) germination rate of free seed for D1 and D3. However, excreted seed displayed a range of delayed germination response. This diversity would increase the probability of seed germination for a variety of environmental and site conditions.
The Extent of Implicit Taxes at the Corporate Level and the Effect of TRA 86 0 F †

We examine the extent of implicit taxes at the corporate level and the effect on implicit taxes of the Tax Reform Act of 1986 (TRA86) in the United States. Using a variety of specifications, we find consistent evidence that implicit taxes eliminate virtually all of the cross-sectional differences in explicit tax preferences prior to TRA86, and then abruptly decline and eliminate only about one-third of the crosssectional differences in tax preferences in years following TRA86. We triangulate this evidence that implicit taxes declined following TRA86 by also providing evidence (a) of a decline in the relation between changes in tax preferences and changes in pre-tax returns, (b) of an increase in the persistence of tax-related earnings changes, (c) that these dramatic economic changes are priced by investors. Finally, we provide evidence suggesting that the decline in implicit taxes after TRA86 is driven at least in part by expansion of aggressive tax planning and use of tax shelters. Taken together these results indicate that TRA86 had a profound and lasting effect on implicit taxes at the corporate level. JEL classification : M41, H25