Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Analysis of cyclic variations during mode switching between spark ignition and controlled auto-ignition combustion operations

Controlled auto-ignition, also known as homogeneous charge compression ignition, has been the subject of extensive research because of their ability to provide simultaneous reductions in fuel consumption and NOx emissions from a gasoline engine. However, due to its limited operation range, switching between controlled auto-ignition and spark ignition combustion is needed to cover the complete operating range of a gasoline engine for passenger car applications. Previous research has shown that the spark ignition –controlled auto-ignition hybrid combustion (SCHC) has the potential to control the ignition timing and heat release process during the mode transition operations. However, it was found that the SCHC is often characterized with large cycle-to-cycle variations. The cyclic variations in the in-cylinder pressure are particularly noticeable in terms of both their peak values and timings while the coefficient of variation in the indicated mean effective pressure is much less. In this work, the cyclic variations in SCHC operations were analyzed by means of in-cylinder pressure and heat release analysis in a single-cylinder gasoline engine equipped with Variable Valve Actuation (VVA) systems. First, characteristics of the in-cylinder pressure traces during the spark ignition–controlled auto-ignition hybrid combustion operation are presented and their heat release processes analyzed. In order to clarify the contribution to heat release and cyclic variation in SCHC, a new method is introduced to identify the occurrence of auto-ignition combustion and its subsequent heat release process. Based on the new method developed, the characteristics of cyclic variations in the maximum rate of pressure rise and different stages of heat release process have been analyzed and discussed.
Popping of Amaranth Seeds in Hot Air and Superheated Steam

Abstract: Amaranth seeds can be popped by evaporation of contained moisture during heating. The relationships among the expansion ratio by popping and the type of heating media, gas temperature, initial moisture content of the seeds and heating time were clarified based on empirical study. And using a simple calculation model, the popping mechanism and effect of initial condensation of superheated steam were investigated. According to the results, the maximum volume of the seeds after popping was 8.7 times greater than that of raw seeds at optimal conditions. Compared with the case of hot air, the expansion ratio by superheated steam was slightly lower.
AI based algorithms for the detection of (ir)regularity in musical structure

Abstract Regularity in musical structure is experienced as a strongly structured texture with repeated and periodic patterns, with the musical ideas presented in an appreciable shape to the human mind. We recently showed that manipulation of musical content (i.e., deviation of musical structure) affects the perception of music. These deviations were detected by musical experts, and the musical pieces containing them were labelled as irregular. In this study, we replace the human expert involved in detection of (ir)regularity with artificial intelligence algorithms. We evaluated eight variables measuring entropy and information content, which can be analysed for each musical piece using the computational model called Information Dynamics of Music and different viewpoints. The algorithm was tested using 160 musical excerpts. A preliminary statistical analysis indicated that three of the eight variables were significant predictors of regularity (E cpitch, IC cpintfref, and E cpintfref). Additionally, we observed linear separation between regular and irregular excerpts; therefore, we employed support vector machine and artificial neural network (ANN) algorithms with a linear kernel and a linear activation function, respectively, to predict regularity. The final algorithms were capable of predicting regularity with an accuracy ranging from 89% for the ANN algorithm using only the most significant predictor to 100% for the ANN algorithm using all eight prediction variables.
Are Women Really Paid More than Men in Kosovo? Unpicking the Evidence

Abstract A recent survey found that the unadjusted average hourly net wage rate of female employees in Kosovo exceeded that of male employees. This reverse gender wage gap makes Kosovo a curiosity, though results from other countries suggest that there is an inverse relationship between the size of the gender pay gap in a country and its female labour force participation rate. In the analysis below we estimate earning functions for female and male employees in Kosovo. Using decomposition analyses we then examine the size of the explained and unexplained gender wage gaps. A novel feature of the investigation is that we incorporate into the analysis gender differences in the allocation of time. We find that the superior productivity-related characteristics of female employees in Kosovo hides the magnitude of the difficulties they still face in the labour market. Hence, we conclude that once we focus on workers with similar observed productivity-related characteristics, women in Kosovo are paid significantly less than men.
Electric scooter vs. motorcycle injuries – little toys with an underestimated impact

Abstract Introduction: The study weighs the impact of accidents involving electric scooters and motorcycles, its main purpose being that of showing the injuries produced by the use of electric scooters. Materials and method: The retrospective study was conducted in the Emergency Unit of the University Emergency Hospital Bucharest, Romania, between 01.06. 2020 and 30.09. 2020, by analyzing the data from the presentation sheets and the hospital database. It followed and compared a total of 55 cases, out of which 29 patients were involved in motorcycle accidents, and 26 patients were involved in electric scooter accidents, by number, age, sex, imaging investigations, severity of injuries, hospitalization days, and the treatment of discharged patients. General data about the number of analyzed presentations was extracted and compared to similar data from the same period of the year 2019. Results: The study showed an increase in presentations due to electric scooter accidents. Also, most of the injuries in both types of accidents are musculoskeletal (96.5% in motorcycle accidents and 84.61% in electric scooter accidents), and the percentage of discharged patients who needed immobilization by various orthopedic devices was higher in electric scooter accidents (34.8%) than in motorcycle accidents (26%). Discussions: The study was conducted in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, in an atypical situation, due to regulations imposed by the authorities. Conclusion: There was an increase in the use of electric scooters in the summer of 2020, which resulted in an increased number of mainly orthopedic injuries, and implicitly of immobilization for discharged patients, underestimated by the population, as protective equipment is not mandatory for people aged over 16 years.
Comparison of different phosphorus-containing ligands complexing 68Ga for PET-imaging of bone metabolism

Abstract 99mTc-phosphonate structures are well established tracers for bone tumour imaging. Our objective was to investigate different 68Ga-labelled phosphonate ligands concerning labelling kinetics, binding to hydroxyapatite and bone imaging using μ-PET. Seven macrocyclic phosphorus-containing ligands and EDTMP were labelled in nanomolar scale with n.c. a. 68Ga in Na-HEPES buffer at pH∼4. Except for DOTP, all ligands were labelled with >92% yield. Binding of the 68Ga-ligand complexes on hydroxyapatite was analysed to evaluate the effect of the number of the phosphorus acid groups on adsorption parameters. Adsorption of 68Ga-EDTMP and 68Ga-DOTP was >83%. For the 68Ga-NOTA-phosphonates an increasing binding with increasing number of phosphonate groups was observed but was still lower than 68Ga-DOTP and 68Ga-EDTMP. μ-PET studies in vivo were performed with 68Ga-EDTMP and 68Ga-DOTP with Wistar rats. While 68Ga-EDTMP-PET showed uptake on bone structures, an excess amount of the ligand (>1.5 mg EDTMP/kg body weight) had to be used, otherwise the 68Ga3+ is released from the complex and forms gallium hydroxide or it is transchelated to 68Ga-transferrin. As a result, the main focus of further phosphonate structures has to be on complex formation in high radiochemical yields with macrocyclic ligands with phosphonate groups that are not required for complexing 68Ga.
Eriodictyol corrects functional recovery and myelin loss in SCI rats

Abstract Background This study investigated the therapeutic potential of eriodictyol (EDC) in spinal cord injury (SCI) rats and also the mechanism involved. Methods The SCI model was created in Sprague-Dawley rats by the weight drop method. The SCI rats were divided into four groups, namely, Sham operated group (submitted for laminectomy only), control rats (vehicle treated), rats treated with 10 mg/kg EDC and rats treated with 20 mg/kg EDC. EDC or vehicle was injected in The SCI rats via subarachnoid route at the lumbar level 4 just after inducing SCI. The open field and inclined plane tests were done for assessing the locomotor activity. Histopathological analysis of the injured site of the spinal cord was done. Western blot analysis and immunohistochemical analysis were done for the expression of Bcl-2, Bax, glial cell line–derived neurotrophic factor (GCDNF) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). Results The outcomes suggested that EDC-treated rats showed significant improvement in the locomotor activity and also exhibited low myelin loss. The rats also showed overexpression of Bcl-2 and Bax. The treatment of EDC also increased the levels of GCDNF and BDNF after SCI. These outcomes suggested that EDC exerted the neuroprotective effect and also improved the locomotor activity by improving the levels of GCDNF and BDNF and blocking the apoptosis-related proteins. Conclusion This study suggests that EDC could ameliorate the locomotor function, and the neuroprotective action may be attributed to modulation of GCDNF and BDNF and blockade of apoptosis-associated proteins.
Generation of PWM Based on Simple Relay Feedback Systems

Abstract This paper is concerned with the analysis of the tracking capability of Relay Feedback Control Systems (RFCS). The envisioned application is the generation of Pulse-Width-Modulation (PWM) with variable duty-cycle and frequency known also as Duty-Cycle Modulation. In general, two main issues have to be solved with RFCS when used for regulation and tracking. The first issue concerns the determination of autonomous self-oscillations which are generated by the closed loop. The second issue concerns the determination of the relationship between the reference and the output signals. However, if the first issue has beneficiated from different approaches and has been solved particularly in case of zero reference signal, the second issue has got insufficient theoretical results because of mathematical difficulties for obtaining analytical expressions. Considering these reasons, a deep analysis of RFCS constituted of a hysteretic relay and linear systems of first order is presented. Analytical expressions relating self-oscillations and output mean values with respect to the reference signals are obtained. The analysis of these relationships led to infer some conditions under which the relay feedback control can generate commands for regulating and tracking reference signals. It highlights also the key role played by the hysteresis band width for applications based on RFCS. Our analysis, exploiting the analytical expressions, can be used to achieve a complete design for power converters. Moreover, simulation and experiments have confirmed our results.
Challenges of Banking Profitability in Eurozone Countries: Analysis of Specific and Macroeconomic Factors

Abstract Numerous factors affect the rate of return that a financial institution earns. Some of these factors include external forces that shape earnings performance and internal elements found in each financial institution. Policy implications are determined by the type of explanation and should be taken seriously. This paper classifies determinants of bank profitability as well as reviews existing literature on bank performance. The second section of this study quantifies how external factors and internal determinants have influenced the profitability of EU banks. This paper constructs fixed-effect models and Ordinary Least Squares (OLS), which sheds new light on understanding various factors influencing how the EU banking industry performs. The observation period was from 2012 to 2019, and the findings revealed that EU bank profitability is influenced by both external macroeconomic environment and management decisions. The results of this study suggest that equity to assets ratio (EA), Gap ratio, and GDP have a positive impact on bank profitability, while the loan to assets ratio (LA) and the provision for loan losses to total loans ratio (PLL/TL) hurt EU bank profitability. The empirical findings are consistent with the expected results, although, they are different from those of studies that investigated the structure-performance relationship of EU banks because they found that market share and concentration have a positive effect on bank profitability.
The Effect of Financial Deepening on Economic Growth, Inequality, and Poverty: Evidence from 73 Countries

Abstract This study aims to analyze the effect of financial deepening on economic growth, income inequality, and poverty rates in 73 countries during the period 1991–2015. Panel data regression and the interaction of dummy variables are used to measure the effect. The results indicate that financial deepening has positive effects on economic growth, but negative effects on income inequality and poverty rates; has significant effect on economic growth in advanced economies (AEs) and significant effect on income equality and poverty rates in emerging markets and developing economies (EMDEs). These findings show that countries have to be selective in developing their financial sectors as it either can have positive or negative effect.
The influence of osteogenic differentiation on the stem-like properties of adipose derived stem cells – an RT-qPCR study

Abstract ADSCs are readily accessible and widely available. Isolated through a minimally invasive procedure from adipose depots, they can be found at diverse body location, where they served various functions, including energy homeostasis. They can be obtained upon surgeries from otherwise waste tissues, like after excision of fat tissue or liposuction. In addition, due to the possibility to isolate many ADSCs, in vitro proliferation can be performed in a short time period, resulting in cells showing more predictable results[1]. For this study ADSCs were obtained from waste material following routing sterilization procedures of dogs. This study aimed to analyse the expression of MSC specific markers before and after in vitro differentiation of ASCs. Three positive and three negative markers were analysed, CD105, CD73, CD90, CD34, CD14 and CD45. There were significant differences detected in the expression of all of the genes, with most of them exhibiting notable downregulation. The only exception, CD14 showed major upregulation after the process of differentiation. These changes confirm the success of differentiation, as well as suggest that this process significantly lowers the stem-like ability of ASCs. This knowledge should serve as a reference for further molecular and clinical studies, possibly aiding the understanding of the internal mechanisms governing the differentiation and stemness of ASCs, to enable their widespread and safe application in regenerative medicine. Running title: Mesenchymal markers during ASC osteogenic differentiation
Improving characteristics of LUT-based Mealy FSMs

Abstract Practically, any digital system includes sequential blocks represented using a model of finite state machine (FSM). It is very important to improve such FSM characteristics as the number of logic elements used, operating frequency and consumed energy. The paper proposes a novel technology-dependent design method targeting a decrease in the number of look-up table (LUT) elements and their levels in logic circuits of FPGA-based Mealy FSMs. It produces FSM circuits having three levels of logic blocks. Also, it produces circuits with regular systems of interconnections between the levels of logic. The method is based on dividing the set of internal states into two subsets. Each subset corresponds to a unique part of an FSM circuit. Only a single LUT is required for implementing each function generated by the first part of the circuit. The second part is represented by a multi-level circuit. The proposed method belongs to the group of two-fold state assignment methods. Each internal state is encoded as an element of the set of states and as an element of some of its subsets. A binary state assignment is used for states corresponding to the first part of the FSM circuit. The one-hot assignment is used for states corresponding to the second part. An example of FSM synthesis with the proposed method is shown. The experiments with standard benchmarks are conducted to analyze the efficiency of the proposed method. The results of experiments show that the proposed approach leads to diminishing the number of LUTs in the circuits of rather complex Mealy FSMs having more than 15 internal states. The positive property of this method is a reduction in energy consumption (without any overhead cost) and an increase in operating frequency compared with other investigated methods.
Computer assisted language learning in English language classrooms in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Abstract The paper examines the application of computer assisted language learning (CALL) in English language classes in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The research was designed as an empirical examination of the attitudes of teachers and students on the successful application of computer assisted language learning in English language classrooms in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Lack of motivation is one the problems that most teachers are faced with. There are many causes of poor motivation, but one of them is certainly the unattractiveness and dullness of traditional methods, teaching materials and resources. However, many authors with educational experience point out that the use of information technology can positively influence students’ motivation and encourage them to work actively. While adults, as digital immigrants, might not use modern information technology excessively, children and teens are true digital natives, who have grown up with the latest technologies and use them with great pleasure in all aspects of their lives adapting them to their needs (Prensky, 2001). The results obtained in this research are an indicator of the current attitude of teachers and students towards these issues, but they also highlight some important necessary reforms in the field of teacher education.
Patients with shoulder pain referred to specialist care; treatment, predictors of pain and disability, emotional distress, main symptoms and sick-leave: a cohort study with a 6-months follow-up

In the last issue of the Scandinavian Journal of Pain, Engebretsen et al. [1] describe a cohort of patients with subacromial shoulder pain referred to a clinic specializing in complex shoulder problems – the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Ullevaal, Oslo University. At baseline, demographic data were collected as well as data to develop a modified psychological profile plus clinical data related to shoulder pathology. The primary aim was to attempt to use all this data to be able to predict pain and disability at six month’s followup. A majority of the subjects were assigned to different treatment paradigms after the initial evaluation – 44% to physiotherapy in the Ullevaal specialist clinic and 38% to physiotherapy in primary care. Of the 71% that returned questionnaires at the six month’s follow-up, the mean change (improvement) in the shoulder pain and disability (SPADI) score was 10.5/100 points with only 29% showing more than the least detectable difference. Was this a clinically important improvement? There was also a statistical improvement in pain at rest and with activity. However, there were no improvements in psychological variables. Fourteen subjects took fewer pain medications. More importantly for this discussion, there were no differences in all variables between those treated in the specialized clinic and those referred for physiotherapy in primary care. Perhaps the fact that those selected for care in the clinic were slightly worse – longer duration of pain, more emotional distress, and more failures in previous treatment – could account for this. The researchers’ final conclusion, based on the intent of the study, was that low education, higher initial pain levels and more severe initial disability were predictors for higher levels of pain and disability at followup after treatment.
ABSCISIC ACID INSENSITIVE5 Interacts With RIBOSOMAL S6 KINASE2 to Mediate ABA Responses During Seedling Growth in Arabidopsis

ABSCISIC ACID INSENSITIVE5 (ABI5) is an important regulator of abscisic acid (ABA) signaling pathway involved in regulating seed germination and postgerminative growth in Arabidopsis, which integrates various phytohormone pathways to balance plant growth and stress responses. However, the transcriptional regulatory mechanisms underlying ABI5 and its interacting proteins remain largely unknown. Here, we found that inhibition of AtTOR could increase ABA content by up-regulating the expression levels of ABA biosynthesis-related genes, and thus activated the expression of ABA-responsive genes. Pharmacological assay showed that abi5-1 mutant was insensitive to TOR inhibitor AZD8055, whereas AtABI5 overexpression lines were hypersensitive to AZD8055 in Arabidopsis. Biochemical interaction assays demonstrated that ABI5 physically interacted with the RIBOSOMAL S6 KINASE2 (S6K2) protein in plant cell. S6K2 positively regulated ABA responses during seedling growth and upregulated ABA-responsive genes expression. Furthermore, genetic and physiological analysis indicated that AtS6K2 overexpression lines enhanced resistance to drought treatment while AtS6K2 interference lines were sensitive to drought. These results indicated that AtABI5 interacted with AtS6K2 to positively modulate ABA responses during seedling growth and shed light on a underlying mechanism of the crosstalk between TOR and ABA signaling pathways in modulating seedling growth in Arabidopsis.