Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Thinking Outside the Box: An Absorptive Capacity Approach to the Product Development Process

In high technology markets, the development of new products has received widespread interest among marketing and management scholars. Popular wisdom suggests that a consumer driven approach to the product development process is key to a firm’s competitive success. Organizational learning research however has argued that a narrow focus on customer needs restricts a firm’s ability to search for unconventional product market opportunities. Hence, a greater openness to external ideas that extend beyond the interests of the consumer has been called for. In drawing on concepts of absorptive capacity and strategic alliances, this study develops a conceptual model to examine a firm’s product development process. This conceptual model is examined in the biotechnology industry. Regression analyses show a firm’s absorptive capacity exhibits a positive yet diminishing effect on a firm’s ability to introduce products to the market. Findings also indicate the type of knowledge possessed by a firm yields a distinct moderating effect to the product benefits of alliances.
Conductivity enhancement mechanism of the poly(ethylene oxide)/modified‐clay/LiClO4 systems

This study demonstrates that adding clay that was organically modified by dimethyldioctadecylammonium chloride (DDAC) and d2000 surfactants increases the ionic conductivity of polymeric electrolyte. A.C. impedance, differential scanning calorimetric (DSC), and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) studies revealed that the silicate layers strongly interact with the dopant salt lithium perchlorate (LiClO4) within a poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO)/clay/LiClO4 system. DSC characterization verified that the addition of a small amount of the organic clay reduces the glass-transition temperature of PEO as a result of the interaction between the negative charge in the clay and the lithium cation. Additionally, the strength of such a specific interaction depends on the extent of PEO intercalation. With respect to the interaction between the silicate layer and the lithium cation, three types of complexes are assumed. In complex I, lithium cation is distributed within the PEO phase. In complex II, lithium cation resides in an PEO/exfoliated-clay environment. In complex III, the lithium cation is located in PEO/agglomerated-clay domains. More clay favors complex III over complexes II and I, reducing the interaction between the silicate layers and the lithium cations because of strong self-aggregation among the silicate layers. Notably, the (PEO)8LiClO4/DDAC-modified clay (DDAC-mClay) composition can form a nanocomposite electrolyte with high ionic conductivity (8 × 10−5 S/cm) at room temperature. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 40: 1342–1353, 2002
COORDINATION STABILIZATION FOR MULTI-AGENT NETWORKS AND CONTROL PARAMETRIZATION

This paper investigates coordination control for multi-agent systems with linear controllable agent dynamics. The parametrization and related geometric structures of the formation controllers for multi-agent systems are considered. Necessary and sufficient conditions to characterize stabilizing controllers are obtained. Then the multi-agent systems with nonlinearities and time-varying uncertainties are studied by linear differential inclusion (LDI).
Why a positive link between age and income-related health inequality?

This study uses Swedish data to analyze why the SES-health gradient increases with ageing. Since different measures of SES and health capture different aspects, we use this information to explore the age increase in health inequality and to discriminate between three types of explanations, namely: i) age increase in the causal SES effect; ii) reversed health effect on SES, and iii) lifecycle variation in the measurement errors in SES and health. Thus, our analysis points in the direction that the age increase in health inequality is primarily caused by a reversed causality going from health to annual income, and the probable mechanism is health affecting the labour supply of the individual. In addition the study report that the age variation in health inequality seem to have increased over time, and during the 1980th the age variation was rather limited. The evidence in our study is not conclusive, but all evidence documented agrees and supports this conclusion.
Somatization in the Social Environment: Relations to Victimization and Friendship Processes Among Middle School Students

Aversive peer experiences, such as overt and relational peer victimization, have been shown to predict somatic symptoms in early adolescents (Nixon, Linkie, Coleman, & Fitch, 2011). Few studies, however, have assessed somatic symptoms in the context of positive social relationships, such as peer friendships. The present study examined relations between somatic symptoms and both negative and positive friendships to determine whether friend support may buffer youth against somatic symptoms. Data were collected from 200 youths enrolled in middle school (Mage = 12.66, 53.0% female, 75.5% White), who responded to questions assessing friendship quality with a reciprocated mutual best friend, victimization experiences, emotion talk, co-rumination, and somatic symptoms. Mothers also reported on their child’s somatic symptoms. Multiple regression analyses demonstrated that overt victimization and relational victimization predicted higher somatic symptoms, particularly among girls. Actor-Partner Interdependence Modeling (APIM; Kenny, Kashy, & Cook, 2006) was used to analyze dyadic data from youths’ reports about their best friendships. Friends’ perceived unsupportive responses to emotion predicted higher somatic symptoms, whereas positive features of best friendships, including instrumental help, validation, conflict resolution, and supportive responses to emotion predicted fewer somatic symptoms. Findings with validation, conflict resolution, and emotion talk were more evident for girls than boys. These findings emphasize the need to examine further both positive and negative peer relationships as antecedents or outcomes associated with somatization.
Co-Managing Ecosystem Services of Forest Reserves in Ghana: The Case of the Bobiri Forest Reserve (BFR) in Kubease in the Ashanti Region of Ghana

The communal/admitted rights of the people of Kubease to the Bobiri Forest Reserve (BFR) allow the locals to collect certain quantities of specific Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) for personal use without any payment. However, if these NTFPs are to be collected in larger quantities for commercial purposes, a permit is needed. The communal/admitted rights of the Community to the ecosystem services of the Reserve make them important stakeholders in its management. Over the years however, there have been the over exploitation and continual decline of the ecosystem services provided by the Reserve. The Study concludes that there is the need to put in place the right institutional and legislative framework that allow the knowledge and understanding of all stakeholders to be reflected in making and implementing sustainable forest management decisions. Here, the resource users are important, as they directly tend to have a greater knowledge of their local environment. Keywords: Co-Management, Ecosystem Services, Livelihood, Stakeholders
DIVERSITY AND RELATIVE ABUNDANCE OF MEDICALLY IMPORTANT FLEAS IN THE RURAL AREAS OF KOHGILOYE-AND-BOYERAHMAD, IRAN

Background and Aim: Fleas are the most important ectoparasites of huma ns and domestic animals. Their bites are painful, usually accompani ed with itching; in addition, they transmit diseases such as plague, tularemia, and endemic typhus. The aim of this study was to i dentify species of fleas in the rural areas and animal farm s in Boyerahmad Materials and Methods: This study, conducted for 6 months, from April to September 2007, included 30 villages of the Boyerahmad District (30 ° 9'-31 ° 32 'N: 49 ° 57'50 ° 42'). To collect fleas, the common catch methods, such as fly paper, light trap, etc. were District, Kohgiloyeand-Boyerahmad Province, Iran. used. The samples collected were kept in 70%-ethano l, and then, after clarifying and dehydration, were identified in the laboratory using valid keys. Results: A total of 2435 fleas (54% males and 46% females) belonging to two families (Placida and Ceratophylidae) , 4 genera and 7 species were collected. The most c ommon species was Xenopsylla buxtoni (24.7%), followed by the dog flea, Ctenocephalides canis (21.4%), the cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis (18.5%), Xenopsylla astia (14.5%), Xenopsylla nuttalli (7.6%), Pulex irritans (7.2%), and N. fasciatus (6.1%). The fleas abundance (mean ± SE) in human and animal habitats was found to be 0 . 7±0.06 and 3.4± 0.2, respectively. Conclusion: On the whole, the flea species are quite diverse a nd abundant in the rural areas of Boyerahmad District in human and, particularly, ani mal habitats. This is a serious problem. Measures should be taken to control the fleas, part icularly in rural areas.
Exact solution of dark energy and a primordial and undisturbed magnetic field at an anisotropic cosmological space-time of Petrov type D

In the present paper it is obtained and analyzed an exact solution of dark energy and a primordial magnetic field, so that the magnetic field does not induce currents or electric fields. It is determined that the main role in relation to the present anisotropy, in said solution, is played by the magnetic field. The solution is analyzed in points where, in appearance, some sort of singularity could exist or change to a complex regimen (gμν ∈ C), using the Kretschmann invariant and analyzing the metric’s functions and it is established that this is free of singularities and is not complex, especially when t −→ 0; a point that in appearance is singular and the solution tends to be a flat world (without being one). It is determined that the solution has such a behavior that, for large time values, tends to become isotropic and equivalent to the solution of dark energy that is obtained for the flat model of Friedmann, Robertson, Walker and Lemaitre (FRWL).
Minor drug-resistant human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 variants in the cellular DNA of Tanzanian women following triple antiretroviral regimen to prevent vertical transmission

Antenatal zidovudine (AZT), intrapartal nevirapine (NVP) and postpartal lamivudine (3TC)/AZT to prevent mother-to-child transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 as recommended in 2006 World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines has shown to select HIV-resistant plasma virus in Tanzanian women. During viral replication, HIV integrates into the cellular host genome where resistant strains may remain archived. This study analyzed the dimension of integration of drug-resistant HIV-strains into the host cells as provirus by analyzing corresponding peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) for key resistance mutations selected by AZT/NVP/3TC, applying highly-sensitive allele-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR). HIV-resistance was detected in PBMC-DNA of 10 (28%) and in plasma virus of 15 of 36 women (42%). Most resistance mutations were selected by AZT in comparable proportions in PBMCs (25%) and in plasma virus (22%). In conclusion, antenatal AZT may select for AZT-resistance potentially persisting as provirus, and therefore is likely to negatively impact future treatment options. Key words: Tanzania, prevention of mother-to-child transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1, triple prophylaxis, HIV-1 drug resistance, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), proviral DNA, minor variants, allele-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR).
Chained, exact and superlative hedonic price changes: estimates from microdata

Scanner data are used to calculate chained, exact (and superlative) hedonic price indexes for television sets. The data source is available for a wide range of goods, the application providing an example of how this method can be more widely applied. The indexes correspond to constant utility, hedonic cost-of-living indexes. The approach improves on the existing direct method, which takes its estimates directly from the coefficients on time dummies in a hedonic regression. It also improves on the matched model method used by statistical agencies. The differences between actual price changes and exact hedonic quality-adjusted price changes are found to be substantial. Base-period and current-period weighted exact hedonic indexes are similar, thus providing good approximations to a superlative index. Estimates from the direct, dummy variable approach were compared to the superlative indexes. The disparities between the results argue for caution in the use of the direct, dummy variable approach to estimating quality-adjusted price changes.
Risk Preferences and the Role of Emotions

There is a large volume of research showing that emotions have relevant effects on decision-making. We contribute to this literature by experimentally investigating the impact of four specific emotional states - joviality, sadness, fear, and anger - on risk attitudes. In order to do so, we fit two models of behavior under risk: the Expected Utility model (EU) and the Rank Dependent Expected Utility model (RDEU), assuming several functional forms of the weighting function. Our results indicate that all emotional states mitigate risk aversion. Furthermore, we show that there are some differences across gender and participants' experience in laboratory experiments.
Factors that affect the formation of networks for collaborative learning: an empirical study conducted at a chilean university

This article shows the results of applying social network analysis techniques to explore the antecedents in the formation of collaborative learning networks in Chile. Immersed in learning analytics, the paper indicates a set of individual variables of students that explain the relationship structure between them for the purpose of collaborating in the study. In particular, the study used a Multiple Regression Quadratic Assignment Procedure to analyze a network of students belonging to a Chilean university. The results support the existence of three antecedents in the formation of a network to collaborate in the learning: homophily, closeness in the academic performance and looseness in the happiness level.
NÚCLEO DE INVESTIGAÇÃO EM POLÍTICAS ECONÓMICAS UNIVERSIDADE DO MINHO

Recently, a new resolve for both increased economic integration and monetary and exchange rate cooperation has started to emerge in ASEAN, especially since the 19971998 Asian financial crisis. According to the optimum currency area theory, the degree of trade integration is one most important criterion for joining a currency union. The large increase in intra-ASEAN trade in recent years naturally raises the question of whether the ASEAN countries are becoming better prepared to form a currency union. This paper sets to test whether the recorded increase in intra-ASEAN trade is leading the ASEAN members to closer economic integration and thus to better satisfy the criteria for a common currency. Two separate models are estimated for that purpose. First, a variation of the model of Frankel and Rose (1997) was estimated for the ASEAN members. As the results were not very significant, a new methodology that uses the whole sample period data instead of dividing the data into sub-periods was conducted. The results with our own model were very significant and robust when four of the ASEAN5 countries were considered, and showed a clear positive correlation between intra-industry trade and business cycle synchronization in ASEAN. This result has important implications for the prospects of the creation of a common currency in the region. Keywords; Intra-Industry Trade; Business Cycle Harmonization; Economic Integration; Asean. JEL Classifications: F15; F33; E42 ∗ The Economic Policies Research Unit (NIPE), The University of Minho, Portugal; ccortinhas@eeg.uminho. pt. I would like to thank Francisco Veiga and Miguel Ângelo of The University of Minho and John Maloney, Malcolm Macmillen and Cherif Guermat of The University of Exeter for useful comments and suggestions. The usual disclaimer applies.
The Effect of Loneliness in the Elderly Population: A Review

Loneliness is a significant but neglected circumstance in which many individuals, particularly the elderly, find themselves. This review aims to discuss the various effects that loneliness has on mental and physical health and the potential interventions that may alleviate this problem. This review used the PubMed, ScienceDirect, and WHO IRIS databases to search for relevant studies on the topic, mainly focusing on longitudinal studies due to the difficulty in distinguishing the causality between loneliness and its associated factors. In collating these studies, loneliness can be shown to be a significant independent risk factor for a number of conditions such as poor health behaviors (eg, smoking and alcohol consumption), physical health problems (eg, hypertension and motor decline), and psychiatric conditions (eg, depression and cognitive impairment). The interventions discussed, both low tech and high tech, have the potential to benefit patients at both an individual level and a population-wide level.
Variability and character association analysis in Taramira (Eruca sativa).

One hundred eight accessions of Taramira (Eruca sativa Mill.) evaluated for seed yield during rabi 2010-11 revealed highly significant differences among the accessions for days to 50% flowering, plant height, number of primary and secondary branches per plant, silique per plant, siliqua length, 1000-seed weight, seed yield per plant and oil content. High estimates of heritability along with high genetic advance were observed for siliquae per plant, number of secondary branches per plant and seed yield per plant. Whereas, high heritability and moderate to low genetic advance were observed for siliqua length, 1000-seed weight, days to 50 per cent flowering, plant height, number of primary branches per plant and oil content. The seed yield per plant was positively correlated with number of primary branches per plant (0.185), plant height (0.184), 1000-seed weight (0.097) and siliquae per plant (0.027). The path coefficient analysis revealed that on seed yield of plant height had highest direct effect followed by 1000-seed weight and number of primary branches per plant. Based upon correlation and path analysis it was concluded that plant height, 1000-seed weight and number of primary branches per plant are the most important yield contributing traits in taramira. Based on the per se performance the accessions RTM-809, RTM-815, RTM-814, RTM-845, RTM-855, RTM-861, RTM-844, RTM-862, RTM-874 and RTM-848 were found superior in seed yield while accessions RTM-831, RTM-869, RTM-808, RT-845, RTM-884, RTM-868, RTM-830, RTM-852, RTM-870 and RTM-821 showed maximum oil content in their seeds. These accessions may further be utilized in breeding programme aimed at improving high seed yield along with oil content.
TOWARDS INTEGRATING PERSON CENTERED AND GESTALT THERAPIES

In the now famous tape of Gloria in Three approaches to psychotherapy (Shostrom (1964)), Gloria reports at the end of the session that a combination of Rogers and Perls would be ideal for her. Although subsequently she kept in contact with Rogers, this observation in the actual situation reflects the felt experience at that moment in time for Gloria. It manifested the here and now observation rather than retrospective comments on the event.
2D-FFT implementation on FPGA for wavefront phase recovery from the CAFADIS camera

The CAFADIS camera is a new sensor patented by Universidad de La Laguna (Canary Islands, Spain): international patent PCT/ES2007/000046 (WIPO publication number WO/2007/082975). It can measure the wavefront phase and the distance to the light source at the same time in a real time process. It uses specialized hardware: Graphical Processing Units (GPUs) and Field Programmable Gates Arrays (FPGAs). These two kinds of electronic hardware present an architecture capable of handling the sensor output stream in a massively parallel approach. Of course, FPGAs are faster than GPUs, this is why it is worth it using FPGAs integer arithmetic instead of GPUs floating point arithmetic. GPUs must not be forgotten, as we have shown in previous papers, they are efficient enough to resolve several problems for AO in Extremely Large Telescopes (ELTs) in terms of time processing requirements; in addition, the GPUs show a widening gap in computing speed relative to CPUs. They are much more powerful in order to implement AO simulation than common software packages running on top of CPUs. Our paper shows an FPGA implementation of the wavefront phase recovery algorithm using the CAFADIS camera. This is done in two steps: the estimation of the telescope pupil gradients from the telescope focus image, and then the very novelty 2D-FFT over the FPGA. Time processing results are compared to our GPU implementation. In fact, what we are doing is a comparison between the two different arithmetic mentioned above, then we are helping to answer about the viability of the FPGAs for AO in the ELTs.
The influence of work family conflict and fuel subsidy removal on tax compliance: A proposed framework for small and medium enterprises

Several factors have been suggested to influence tax compliance behaviour.To date, some of the factors that have been considered include economic and noneconomic.Despite these studies, however, few studies have attempted to consider the influence of work family conflict and fuel subsidy removal on tax compliance behaviour.This paper proposes work family conflict and fuel subsidy removal to influence the compliance behaviour of the SMEs taxpayers.The proposed model will have several critical implications for understanding the factors that may influence the behaviour of the SMEs taxpayers.
On the Mechanics of Firm Growth

The Pareto-like tail of the size distribution of firms can arise from random growth of productivity or stochastic accumulation of capital. If the shocks that give rise to firm growth are perfectly correlated within a firm, then the growth rates of small and large firms are equally volatile, contrary to what is found in the data. If firm growth is the result of many independent shocks within a firm, it can take hundreds of years for a few large firms to emerge. This paper describes an economy with both types of shocks that can account for the thick-tailed firm size distribution, high entry and exit rates, and the relatively young age of large firms. The economy is one in which aggregate growth is driven by the creation of new products by both new and incumbent firms. Some new firms have better ideas than others and choose to implement those ideas at a more rapid pace. Eventually, such firms slow down when the quality of their ideas reverts to the mean. As in the data, average growth rates in a cross section of firms will appear to be independent of firm size, for all but the smallest firms.