Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The impact of board directors on the innovation of new ventures

This paper studies the impact of knowledge spillovers on innovation in newly founded firms. Analyzing patent statistics for 12 cohorts of about 7,600 Swedish startups, we apply a recursive bivariate probit model to identify a causal impact from board members of existing innovators on potential new innovators. The results show that new entrants with members of the board linked to innovative firms are more likely to apply for patents than other young entrepreneurial firms. The spillover effect is even stronger when we substitute trademarks for patents as an innovation indicator.
Photometry, imaging and rotation period of comet 46P/Wirtanen during its 2018 apparition

We report on photometry, imaging and the rotation period of the Jupiter Family Comet (JFC) 46P/Wirtanen (hereafter 46P) observed with both TRAPPIST telescopes (TN and TS [1]). We monitored the comet regularly during 8 months, following the evolution of the production rates of the gaseous species, e.g. OH, NH, CN, C3 and C2, as well as the evolution of the A(θ)fρ parameter, a dust proxy. Measurements along the orbit of the production rates and the relative abundance with respect to CN and OH will be discussed. We measured the rotation period of the comet using high cadence observations of the CN flux on several nights, we obtained a value of (9.2±0.5) hr on Dec. 9, 2018. The comparison of the coma morphology exhibited by the gas species and the dust will be presented. 1. Observation & Data Reduction 46P’s return was long expected, as it did an unusually close approach to the Earth (0.0775 au) in December 2018, about only 30x the distance to the moon and with an excellent visibility from both hemispheres. This allowed to observe the comet in great detail with a large set of ground-based telescopes1. We collected TRAPPIST data for 46P over 8 months, from the beginning of August 2018 (rh=1.88 au) to the end of March 2019 (rh=1.70 au), with both TN and TS telescopes. 46P reached its perihelion on December 12, 2018 a distance of 1.06 au from the Sun and only at 0.08 au from the Earth. Data calibration followed standard procedures using frequently updated master bias, flat and dark frames. The removal of the sky contamination and the flux calibration were performed. In order to derive the production rates, we converted the flux for different gas species (OH, NH, CN, C3 and C2), through the 1http://wirtanen.astro. umd.edu/46P/index.shtml HB narrow band cometary filters [2], to column densities and we have adjusted their profiles with a Haser model [3]. The model adjustment is performed around a physical distance of 10000 km from the nucleus. We derived the water production rate from our OH production rates using Q(H2O)=1.36 r−0.5 Q(OH) [4]. We derived the Afρ parameter, proxy of dust production [5], from the dust profiles using the HB cometary dust continuum BC, GC and RC filters and the broad-band Rc and Ic filters. We corrected the A(θ)fρ from the phase angle effect to obtain A(0)fρ.
THRESHOLD EFFECT IN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT AND ECONOMIC GROWTH: EVIDENCE FROM ASEAN COUNTRIES

To date, the evidence on the impact of inward foreign direct investment (FDI) on economic growth is still ambiguous. On one hand, many studies have found significant and positive effects of FDI on the host countries’ economy through contributing to domestic investment and employment, transferring technology and generating more inter-sectoral linkages. On the other hand, some other studies indicated that FDI might have a negative impact on economic growth. These conflicts in results can be explained by the differences in the absorptive capacity of host countries in terms of its policy regime, the level of human capital, development and investment environment. The aim of this paper is to revisit the relationship between foreign direct investment and economic growth using Threshold Auto Regressive (TAR) model. The study suggests that the scale of FDI inflows into a country needs to be appropriate to its absorptive capacity. The level of FDI inflows is used as a threshold variable. The Fixed-effect panel threshold model proposed by Hansen (1999) is used. Also, this paper adopts the bootstrap method by Hansen (1999) to test the statistical significance of the threshold effect. By using a panel data of eight ASEAN countries in the period from 2002 – 2014, the findings indicate that the relationship between FDI and economic growth is non-linear. Furthermore, the results show that FDI can influence growth in different ways, depending on the level of FDI inflows. The study finds strong evidence that there are two threshold levels of FDI in the regression relationship. They are 4.73% and 4.91% of GDP with asymptotic 95% confidence interval. These thresholds divide the observations into three regimes, in which the impact of FDI on growth will be reversed, once FDI scale reaches the threshold levels. The results also suggest that with a current absorptive capacity of selected host countries, the optimal level of FDI is 4,73% of GDP to make the most of FDI to recipient economies.
C:/Dokumente und Einstellungen/user_wdr1/Science/Conferences/ICRC2007/icrc2007-macros/ICRC07_0653/icrc0653.dvi

Based on numerical solutions of the focused transport equation we stud y the question whether pitch angle diffusion coefficients calculated from various suggested mod els for wave-particle interactions and different assumptions about the nature of magnetic fluctuations in the solar wind can lead to measurable differences in observables such as the rigidity dependence of th mean free path and the angular distributions of solar particles.
Methodological Perspectives on Second Language Prosody

This study presents preliminary results on the differences of pitch range in selected utterances produced by American English native speakers and Italian learners of English. The hypothesis being tested is that Italian learners of English transfer their L1 pitch range variation into their L2: The English sentences produced by the Italians are expected to have overall higher pitch levels and narrower pitch span than those produced by the Americans. A cross-linguistic study was conducted to compare pitch level and span in 5 sentences in English and Italian as produced by 8 American English speakers from California and 8 Italian speakers from North Eastern Italy. LTD and linguistic measures were calculated to analyze differences in pitch range across the groups. The results show that Italians use high pitch levels when speaking Italian and lower levels when speaking English. Their pitch spans are overall wider in Italian and narrower in English. Linguistic measures were found to be more effective than LTD measures in capturing differences in pitch range across languages.
Sensitivity of seasonality effects on mean and conditional volatility to error distributional assumptions: evidence from French stock market

This paper examines seasonality effects on both the return and volatility of a GARCH family model for the French CAC-40 daily index returns. Four calendar effects — day-of-the-week, turn-of-the-month, month-of-the-year and holiday effect — are simultaneously examined. We examine the changes in inferences that might occur when the error terms of descriptive models modeling volatility are specified under different error distributions: normal, Student’s-t, generalized error distribution and double exponential distribution. The usefulness of the in-sample significant estimated seasonality patterns for out-of-sample forecasts in return and volatility is also examined. We find that the few significant seasonality patterns in descriptive models, in the mean and conditional volatility equations, are sensitive to the underlying distributions of the error term. Additionally, the significant estimated effects are not useful in explanatory models and do not introduce predictive ability against the random walk model.
PERMEABILITY-POROSITY RELATIONSHIP ASSESSMENT BY 2-D NUMERICAL SIMULATIONS

An accurate evaluation of the permeability of a porous structure is critical for predicting fluid flow rates. In this study, we report the results of two-dimensional simulations of creeping flow through porous structures with porosities between 0.2 and 0.99. Our numerical results demonstrate that in this range, permeability is an exponential function of the porosity. This result is found to be in good agreement with experimental data. In addition, we compare our simulation results with some permeability-porosity relationship available in literature. We found that Carman– Kozeny’s correlation agrees very well with our results for porosities up to 0.87 and Koponen et al.’s relationship holds well for porosities higher than 0.95. Based on the results obtained in this study, a new permeability-porosity relationship is presented, for the model system used.
Photodynamic Therapy

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) employs light activation of tissue‐localized photosensitizer in an oxygen‐dependent process which initiates oxidative stress, inflammation, and cell death. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) involves the activation of a previously administered photosensitizing agent by visible light to induce tumor necrosis. Photosensitizers are topically applied in the treatment of skin tumors to avoid systemic side effects. The main dermatology indications for topical PDT are superficial nonmelanoma skin cancer and dysplasia, notably superficial basal carcinoma (BCC), Bowen's disease (BD), and actinic keratosis (AK). In this chapter, we evaluated the feasibility and efficacy of aminolevulinic acid (ALA) as a photosensitizer (ALA‐PDT) in combination with CO 2 laser in the treat‐ ment of dermatological disease from basics to clinic research.
Cultural adaptation for country diversity: A systematic review of injury prevention interventions caused by domestic accidents in children under five years old

Background: Children under five years old are the most vulnerable in home-injuries. More than half of the accident happens at home. Intervention programs are effective ways to reduce the risk of injuries. The use of cultural strategies has been recommended for effective interventions. The aim of this study was to evaluate cultural adaptability in interventional studies which were performed to prevent injuries caused by domestic accidents in children under five years old in all countries. Methods: This systematic review has been conducted from June to July 2016. Iran Medex, Magiran, SID from Persian databases and Scopus, Web of Science, Science direct, Pub Med, Biomed central from English databases were employed. Available cultural adaptation guidelines were used to compare the cultural adaptation strategies. A search of studies had been conducted from the creation of databases until July 2016. Results: Overall, 15 studies were entered into the analyses. The interventional approach in 11 studies was an educational approach. Consequently, 8 studies from 11 reported that they had significantly achieved all expected outcomes. Three studies had used behavioral change models or theories to achieve the desired changes. Seven studies had considered socio-cultural strategy in their interventions, and six studies had reported achieving outcomes. Only seven studies acquired a minimum score of cultural adaptation. Conclusion: In this systematic review, an educational intervention was effective in preventing child injuries. If cultural strategies are taken into consideration in interventions, they will have a change in behavior in this regard. Also, theoretical frameworks and models can be effective.
NONLINEAR COINTEGRATING POWER FUNCTION REGRESSION WITH ENDOGENEITY

This paper develops an asymptotic theory for nonlinear cointegrating power function regression. The framework extends earlier work on the deterministic trend case and allows for both endogeneity and heteroskedasticity, which makes the models and inferential methods relevant to many empirical economic and financial applications, including predictive regression. A new test for linear cointegration against nonlinear departures is developed based on a simple linearized pseudo-model that is very convenient for practical implementation and has standard normal limit theory in the strictly exogenous regressor case. Accompanying the asymptotic theory of nonlinear regression, the paper establishes some new results on weak convergence to stochastic integrals that go beyond the usual semimartingale structure and considerably extend existing limit theory, complementing other recent findings on stochastic integral asymptotics. The paper also provides a general framework for extremum estimation limit theory that encompasses stochastically nonstationary time series and should be of wide applicability.
WST 48(3) 039-046

The characterisation of the risk of (new) chemicals to species/communities, when both the exposure/environmental concentration and effects (species sensitivity) are variable and uncertain, is the central issue in Probabilistic Environmental Risk Assessment. The spatial variability is one of the largest components of the total variability. This paper tries to explicitly account for this spatial variability by georeferencing the exposure, effect and finally probabilistic risk. Geo-referencing makes the risk assessment more refined and realistic. In addition, it is also highlighted that geo-referencing the effects of chemicals (species sensitivity distribution) is still a large unexplored area but has large potential to improve probabilistic ecological risk assessments.
Streamlined subglacial bedforms in southern Sweden

This thesis investigates stream-lined subglacial bedforms (often referred to as drumlins) in southern Sweden. The broad aim of this is to contribute to the solution of the ‘drumlin problem’. The term drumlin has come to be applied to a wide range of features whose internal architecture (core) and overall morphology are seen to vary greatly. This range in characteristics is in part responsible for the various competing theories of drumlin formation, each different type of core and morphology generating a new idea for how it came about. Here the new Swedish national height model, a high resolution LiDAR derived digital elevation model, in combination with detailed sedimentological work is used to characterise streamlined terrain in southern Sweden and investigate the formation processes associated with it. The findings of this are that drumlinoids in southern Sweden are predominantly rock cored. Soft cored features tend to be significantly longer than rock cored features. In general, drumlinoids in southern Sweden are located at the lower end of the size spectrum in terms of global streamlined sub-glacial features. Additionally it has been found that drumlinoids can form rapidly at glacial margins as well as within the main body of ice sheets. And finally, the most important contextual geological factor in drumlinoid parameter (morphology) formation appears to be drift depth/properties. The bedrock type beneath a feature and the hydrological system as recorded in eskers do play a role, but the exact nature of this is not certain and the correlations are difficult to analyse. In addition to these findings a generalised conceptual model of drumlinoid formation is proposed and a discussion of the possible ways in which physical processes influence said formation is offered. It is suggested that chaotic behaviour and the role of scale might be useful to consider and that whilst it is something of semantic point, the use of the term drumlinoid is deliberate and important. This is because due to equifinality there are many landforms that researchers can split into different categories, e.g. rock drumlins, clone drumlins, emergent drumlinds, downwards emergent drumlins or obstacle drumlins. These are all valid divisions as there are different physical processes involved in their formation. However these processes and the final landforms that result from them are all part of the sub-glacial continuum and so at one level must be considered part of the same family.
PERIODONTAL REGENERATION WITH AND WITHOUT ENDODONTIC TREATMENT: A COMPARATIVE STUDY

It is frequently considered that the endodontic tre atment have an effect on the periodontal regenerati on. However, contradictory conclusions have been drawn by variou s nvestigators, thus it remains doubtful. Consider ing this, the present study was carried out to evaluate the periodontal r egeneration with and without endodontic treatment i nvolving 36 sites, comprising control (n=18, received only open flap d ebridement) and case sites (n=18, received combined op n flap debridement and endodontic therapy) in 12 subjects having at least 2 sites of periodontal defects. Gin gival index, probing pocket depth, clinical attachment levels were asses sed clinically, while bony defects were assessed ra diographically. All the parameters were recorded on day 0 (baseline ) a d at the end of 3 and 6 months postsurgically. Significant improvement was observed in all the parameters in t he case sites compared to that of control sites, ex cept gingival health which showed no difference. This may suggest a pos itive influence of endodontic treatment on the outcome of periodontal therapy.
WST 48(3) 017-024

The diversity and community structure of the β-proteobacterial ammonia oxidising bacteria (AOB) in a range of different lab-scale industrial wastewater treatment reactors were compared. Three of the reactors treat waste from mixed domestic and industrial sources whereas the other reactor treats waste solely of industrial origin. PCR with AOB selective primers was combined with denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis to allow comparative analysis of the dominant AOB populations and the phylogenetic affiliation of the dominant AOB was determined by cloning and sequencing or direct sequencing of bands excised from DGGE gels. Different AOB were found within and between different reactors. All AOB sequences identified were grouped within the genus Nitrosomonas. Within the lab-scale reactors there appeared to be selection for a low diversity of AOB and predominance of a single AOB population. Furthermore, the industrial input in both effluents apparently selected for salt tolerant AOB, most closely related to Nitrosococcus mobilis and Nitrosomonas halophila.
WST 48(3) 135-142

Different operational parameters of the nitritation process were investigated in both jar tests and pilot scale Sequencing Batch Reactors (SBRs). In the laboratory study, 100–1,200 mg N l–1 of ammonia was used. The pH and temperature were varied. Batch experiments were done on municipal sludge, pectin industrial sludge and sludge from a reject water treatment unit. Ammonia oxidation was observed with relative nitrite accumulations from 2% to 100% and ammonia oxidation rates from 0.01 to 0.58 g N g VSS–1 d–1. The nitritation process and relative nitrite accumulation were highly affected by pH, temperature and the sludge type. pH 8.0–8.5 and temperature 30°C were found favourable for the nitritation. Pilot SBR systems for treating reject water achieved 100% of nitrite accumulation under the operational conditions of pH 7.5–8.0, temperature 30°C and dissolved oxygen (DO) 1.0 mg l–1. Six months of operation revealed that pH regulations were essential to avoid the inhibitions by either free ammonia or nitrous acid. At an unionized ammonia concentration of approximately 20 mg NH3-N l –1, half of the normal nitritation ability still remained. Total inhibition occurred when the concentration of nitrous acid reached 3.0 mg HNO2-N l –1. However, both types of inhibitions were reversible in the SBR with a proper operation control. Stable and controllable nitritation could be achieved in pilot scale.
Applications of Microbial Laccases: Patent Review of the Past Decade (2009–2019)

There is a high number of well characterized, commercially available laccases with different redox potentials and low substrate specificity, which in turn makes them attractive for a vast array of biotechnological applications. Laccases operate as batteries, storing electrons from individual substrate oxidation reactions to reduce molecular oxygen, releasing water as the only by-product. Due to society’s increasing environmental awareness and the global intensification of bio-based economies, the biotechnological industry is also expanding. Enzymes such as laccases are seen as a better alternative for use in the wood, paper, textile, and food industries, and they are being applied as biocatalysts, biosensors, and biofuel cells. Almost 140 years from the first description of laccase, industrial implementations of these enzymes still remain scarce in comparison to their potential, which is mostly due to high production costs and the limited control of the enzymatic reaction side product(s). This review summarizes the laccase applications in the last decade, focusing on the published patents during this period.
Simple Bedside Predictors of Survival after Percutaneous Gastrostomy Tube Insertion

Background Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tube insertion is an increasingly used minimally invasive method for long-term enteral feeding. Identification of simple predictors for short-term mortality (up to one month) after PEG insertion is of paramount importance. Aim We aimed to explore a simple noninvasive parameter that would predict survival following PEG insertion. Methods We performed a retrospective study of all patients who underwent PEG insertion at the Galilee Medical Center from January 1, 2014 to December 30, 2018. We collected simple clinical and laboratory parameters and survival data and looked for predictors of short-term mortality. Results A total of 272 patients who underwent PEG insertion were included. Sixty-four patients (23.5%) died within one month after PEG insertion compared to 208 patients (76.5%) who survived for more than one month. Univariate analysis revealed several short-term mortality-related predictors, including older age (OR 1.1, P=0.005), ischemic heart disease (OR 2, P=0.0197), higher creatinine level (OR 2.3, P=0.0043), and elevated CRP level and CRP-to-albumin ratio (OR 1.1, P < 0.0001; OR 1.0031, P < 0.0001, respectively). In multivariate logistic analysis, older age (OR 1.1, P=0.019), higher creatinine level (OR 1.6, P=0.074), and elevated CRP-to-albumin ratio (OR 1.1, P=0.002) remained significant predictors of short-term mortality after PEG insertion with an ROC of 0.7274. Conclusion We could identify several simple parameters associated with high risk of mortality, and we recommend considering using these parameters in decision-making regarding PEG insertion. Further prospective studies are needed to validate our findings.
Epidemio-entomological Study of Japanesse Encephalitis in Bhaktapur District, Nepal

A descriptive cross-sectional questionnaire survey on Japanese encephalitis was conducted in Bhaktapur district. Mosquitoes were collected for six months by means of dark activated rechargeable CDC light trap. Out of 884 mosquitoe individuals collected, 73.41 percent were Culex species. The highest numbers of mosquitoes were collected in July and August. There was no significant variation in Culex vectors abundance during six months in three study sites Tathali, Bode and Bhelukhel. Significant correlation was found between level of knowledge and attitude towards JE prevention. Fair level of practice towards JE prevention but having no good attitude shows that though people are supportive towards JE control. Journal of Institute of Science and Technology, 2015, 20(1) : 112-118