Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Magnetic Integration for Parallel Interleaved VSCs Connected in a Whiffletree Configuration

The voltage source converters (VSCs) are often connected in parallel to realize a high current rating. In such systems, the harmonic quality of the output voltage can be improved by interleaving the carrier signals of the parallel VSCs. However, an additional inductive filter is often required to suppress the circulating current that flows between the parallel interleaved VSCs. One of the ways to deal with the circulating current problem is to use the coupled inductors in a whiffletree configuration. This paper proposes the integration of the line filter inductor and the circulating current filter inductor in a single magnetic component for such systems. The fundamental frequency component of the flux is mostly confined to the limbs around which the coils are placed, whereas other parts of the magnetic structure only experiences high-frequency flux excitation. As a result, the integrated inductor can be made smaller and the power density of the overall converter system can be increased. The magnetic structure of the integrated inductor is analyzed and performance is verified by simulation and experimental studies.
Reactive Power Compensation and Negative-Sequence Current Suppression System for Electrical Railways With YNvd-Connected Balance Transformer—Part II: Implementation and Verification

This part mainly focuses on the implementation and verification of the reactive power compensation and negative-sequence current suppression system with YNvd-connected balance transformer, by means of simulation and experiment. The system model is presented, and a current control method, which explores the dissipation characteristic of the proposed system under two-phase rotating frame, is analyzed. Then, a stability analysis of this control is made, considering the deviations of system parameters and the time delay caused by the low-pass filter. Besides, dc-link overall control and balance control are investigated, and the self-balance ability of multiple dc links is briefly discussed. Both the simulation and experimental results verify the effectiveness of the proposed system topology, compensation strategy, and control method.
Earnings Management, Underwriter Reputation, and Marketization: Evidence from IPO Market in China

With a sample of 504 IPO issuers over a period of 2002-2008 in China, this paper studies a previously ignored issue by examining the relationship between pre-IPO earnings management and underwriter reputation for issuers with different level of marketization. We document that underwriter reputation is negatively related to pre-IPO earnings management only if the issuer is highly marketized. Specifically, we find a significantly negative relationship between pre-IPO earnings management and underwriter reputation if the issuer is a non-state-owned enterprise (NSOE) issuer, a small-size issuer, or is listed on the Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) Board. No significant association is found for the state-owned enterprise (SOE) issuers, the large issuers, or Main Board issuers. We argue that the results are driven by the fact that issuers in the NSOE, small-sized, or SME market segment have more incentives to signal their earnings quality to avoid adverse selection by the investors, and/or reputable underwriters are more influential over their clients in mitigating earnings management.
Investigation of a radioimmunoassay for plasma estrone and estradiol-17beta in males and nonpregnant females. Comparison with an independent method using fluorimetry.

A radioimmunoassay for estrone and estradiol-17β in plasma from males and nonpregnant females similar to those used by other workers has been investigated. Chromatography using Sephadex LH-20 separated estrone from estradiol-17β, but neither was separated from other naturally-occurring estrogens. Specifically, estrone was not separated from 2-methoxyestrone and 2-methoxyestradiol-17β, and estradiol-17β was not separated from estradiol-17α, 2-hydroxyestrone, 16-ketoestrone, l6-ketoestradiol-17β, 16α-hydroxyestrone, and 16β-hydroxyestrone. Crossreactions with the antiserum were found for several of these estrogens in both estrone and estradiol-17β assay systems, thus indicating the possibility of substantial interference in the assays. This possibility was investigated. The material measured as plasma estrone and estradiol-17β by radioimmunoasay was subjected to a number of identification procedures and found to have the characteristics of estrone and estradiol-17β. Comparison of plasma estrone and estradio.
A Noval Approach to the Treatment of Proliferative Verrucous Leukoplakia - A Case Report of Laser Therapy

Technology is rapidly growing in today's world and the advent of lasers has proved to be an innovative tool in various fields of dentistry. Nowadays soft tissue lasers are widely used among clinicians for various procedures. Likewise, smoking has become a growing trend especially among the youth paving way to oral mucosal lesions commonly, leukoplakia. The improvement in therapeutics have gained patient confidence for assuring better healing and cure of the lesions through these procedures.
Psychosocial benefits of postmastectomy lymphedema therapy

The effect of a comprehensive lymphedema management program was assessed in 25 patients in whom moderate to severe lymphedema had developed after surgery and/or radiotherapy for carcinoma of the breast. Intensive treatment (4 weeks) involved massage, compression bandaging, and sequential pneumatic compression, with an adjunct program of education to provide skills in exercise, massage, bandage, and containment garment use. The intensive treatment phase was followed by a self management phase based on the skills that had been acquired. A significant reduction in limb circumference and volume, with continuing improvement over 12 months of self-management, was observed. There was a decrease in need for physical assistance. Quality of life generally remained high and stable throughout the 12 months. Quality of life specific to lymphedema, however, declined during the intensive phase of treatment, but recovered and surpassed pretreatment levels during the self-management phase of treatment. Perceived comfort and strength in the lymphedematous limb improved, and perceived size decreased. The study confirmed that the combination of multimodal physical therapy and education for self-management reduces lymphedema and its adverse subjective consequences and maintains the improvement thus achieved.
Multi-Modal Learning over User-Contributed Content from Cross-Domain Social Media

The goal of the research is to discover and summarize data from the emerging social media into information of interests. Specifically, leveraging user-contributed data from cross-domain social media, the idea is to perform multi-modal learning for a given photo, aiming to present people’s description or comments, geographical information, and events of interest, closely related to the photo. These information then can be used for various purposes, such as being a real-time guide for the tourists to improve the quality of tourism. As a result, this research investigates modern challenges of image annotation, image retrieval, and cross-media mining, followed by presenting promising ways to conquer the challenges.
The Impact of Applying Open Innovation Practices on Performance of Firms in Nanotechnology Industry

A distributed innovation process based on purposively managed knowledge flows across organization boundaries, using pecuniary and non-pecuniary mechanism in line with each organization’s business model is called Open Innovation according to Chesbrough. This thesis has two main objectives. First is to investigate the application of Open Innovation business model in nanotechnology sector both in Canada and worldwide and to compare it from different aspects. The second objective involves finding a causal relation between applying different Open Innovation practices and having better performance of firms. The thesis’ methodology involves an extensive online survey run in several countries whose results were analyzed through descriptive and inferential statistical analyses. Moreover, based on the gathered data a simulation model was created and several scenarios tested. The findings revealed that it is mostly large companies which implement Open Innovation practices, while the level of implementation is much lower among the small and medium enterprises. In Canada, these types of practices are more common in Quebec than in other provinces. European countries are known to be pioneers in Open Innovation business model, the results revealed a higher frequency of applying Open Innovation practices in European firms than Canadian firms mostly in collaborating with universities. The results of inferential statistical analysis suggest that applying both Outside-In, which is opening up company’s own innovation to other companies for any kinds of contribution, and Inside-Out, which is unused and unutilized ideas and technologies to be used by other firms and companies for their businesses, pecuniary Open Innovation practices together has a significant effect on the performance of firms in terms of an increase in technological and scientific outcomes (measured by the number of patents and articles). However, if only one type of pecuniary Open Innovation practice (either Outside-In or Inside-Out type) is applied then there is no such positive impact detected. The simulation model built in Vensim has considered four different scenarios and confirmed these findings as well and predicted the close future of the firms in this industry by applying the proposed scenarios. It is thus suggested to embrace the Open Innovation model in its entirety instead of focusing on the implementation of isolated practices.
Design Science Approach to Developing and Evaluating a National Cybersecurity Framework for Jamaica

The cyber‐security landscape is continuing to evolve and it is therefore important for countries to understand the dynamic forces and be able to foresee the potential risks and vulnerabilities and stem them. One approach is through the development and implementation of proactive strategies, policies and procedures that is guided by a cyber‐security strategy and framework at the national level. A recent 2013 UN study revealed that a significant number of countries are without a national cybercrime strategy. This is true for countries in the Caribbean including Jamaica that are currently without a national cyber‐security strategy and framework. This has significant implications for our national security and development. This research project therefore seeks to develop and evaluate a National Cyber‐security framework, Jamaica National Cyber‐security Framework (JNCF) through the application of the Design Science methodology. JNCF incorporates international standards and best practices as a basis to aid in the protection of confidentiality, integrity and availability of national information in Jamaica and serve as a potential blue print for both the private and public sectors within Jamaica. The framework rests on due consideration for the critical assets and infrastructure, stakeholders and legislative and technical controls supported by the definition and scope of cybercrime and global best practices. We argue that these facets facilitate a sound national strategy for combatting cybercrime. Our study has implications for research, government and private sectors as it seeks to develop an artifact that is currently not in existence in Jamaica which can be used to inform the effective management of cyber‐crime and security in other developing countries.
Stock Market Reaction to Debt-Based Securities: Empirical Evidence

This paper tests for the stock market reaction to corporate debt-based securities offering. A standard event study framework is applied to calculate and test Average Abnormal Returns (AARs) and Cumulative Average Abnormal Returns (CAARs), both on and surrounding the announcement date. A noteworthy conclusion is the absenteeism of significant positive abnormal returns for events surrounding the issue date. Conversely, negative abnormal returns are reported where the AAR is negative on the announcement issue date and remains negative three days thereafter. As for the GCC case, such market behavior reflects the controversy about debt-based securities (Sukuk) and their full compliance with Islamic Law. In line with CAARs, the tests indicate insignificant results, including bounded asymmetric and symmetric event windows for periods before and after the announcement date, concluding insignificant CAARs, hence, no wealth effect. Within the equity marketplace, these results will be of practical relevance to corporations, practitioners and decision-makers.
On the Discriminatory Power of Adaptive Feed-Forward Layered Networks

This correspondence expands the available theoretical framework that establishes a link between discriminant analysis and adaptive feed-forward layered linear-output networks used as mean-square classifiers. This has the advantages of providing more theoretical justification for the use of these nets in pattern classification and gaining a better insight into their behavior and about their use. The authors prove that, under reasonable assumptions, minimizing the mean-square error at the network output is equivalent to minimizing the following: 1) the difference between the optimum value of a familiar discriminant criterion and the value of this criterion evaluated in the space spanned 2) the outputs of the final hidden layer, and 3) the difference between the values of the same discriminant criterion evaluated in desired-output and actual-output subspaces. The authors also illustrate, under specific constraints, how to solve the following problem: given a feature extraction criterion, how the target coding scheme can be selected such that this criterion is maximized at the output of the network final hidden layer. Other properties for these networks are explored. >
Retrovirus-Mediated Expression of Preprosomatostatin in Rat Pituitary GH3 Cells: Targeting of Somatostatin to the Regulated Secretory Pathway

Abstract Somatostatin (SRIF) is a 14-amino acid peptide hormone that is synthesized as part of a larger precursor, prepro-SRIF, consisting of a signal peptide and a proregion of 80–90 amino acids; mature SRIF is located at the carboxyl-terminus of the precursor. We have used a recombinant retroviral expression vector encoding anglerfish prepro-SRIF-I to infect rat pituitary GH3 cells. The aim of these studies was to investigate the intracellular storage and secretion of the total pool of endogenous GH compared to that of SRIF. Several clonal lines of GH3 cells expressing high or low levels of SRIF were treated with TRH, forskolin, or depolarizing concentrations of potassium, and the levels of intracellular and secreted GH or SRIF were determined using highly sensitive RIAs. Approximately 65% of the total GH was secreted basally, whereas less than 20% of the SRIF-immunoreactive material was basally secreted. Forskolin treatment or potassium depolarization stimulated GH release, but only about 50% above basal levels. In contrast, SRIF secretion was stimulated approximately 5-fold in response to these secretagogues. Based on its lower basal rate of secretion compared to GH and its enhanced release in response to a variety of secretagogues, we conclude that the heterologously expressed SRIF is preferentially targeted to the regulated pathway in GH3 cells.
CYP3A4-mediated hepatic metabolism of the HIV-1 protease inhibitor saquinavir in vitro

1. The aim was to identify the major metabolites of saquinavir (SQV) from human hepatic microsomal incubations and the CYP isoform(s) responsible. 2. Ten fractions containing various metabolites were separated by isocratic reversed- phase HPLC and characterized by HPLC, mass spectrometry and NMR. 3. Metabolites were either mono- or di-hydroxylated derivatives of SQV. Fast-atom bombardment and electrospray MS showed that hydroxylation was predominantly situated on the decahydroisoquinoline ring. A major metabolite (M4) was rigorously identified as 6-equatorial-hydroxy SQV. 4. Metabolism of saquinavir to all metabolites was inhibited by the CYP3A4-selective inhibitor ketoconazole (IC50 = 0.55 ± 0.12 µM). Other isoform-selective inhibitors were non-inhibitory. The protease inhibitors ritonavir, indinavir and nelfinavir potently inhibited SQV metabolism in hepatic microsomes with IC50 = 0.025 ± 0.004, 0.82 ± 0.26 and 0.58 ± 0:14 µM, respectively. 5. Saquinavir metabolism correlated with immunochemically determined CYP3A4 levels and testosterone 6(β-hydroxylation, but it failed to correlate with either immunochemically determined CYP1A2 levels or marker activities for CYP1A2, 2C9 or 2E1. 6. Heterologously expressed CYP3A4 metabolized saquinavir with a similar metabolic profile to that of human liver microsomes. 7. Km and Vmax for total SQV metabolism were 0.61±0. 19µM and 1.82 ± 1.13 nmolmg−1 min−1, respectively. 8 The extensive involvement of hepatic CYP3A4 in the metabolism of saquinavir predicts high intrinsic clearance of saquinavir. Inhibitors of CYP3A4 such as other protease inhibitors will substantially increase the bioavailability of saquinavir.
The factors affecting competitiveness of companies: contribution and limits of the statistical pattern recognition methods

The paper elaborates the methodical side of empirical research of factors infl uencing the economic success of companies. The analysis is based on the selective sample of more than 400 stock listed (share holding) companies and limited partnerships located in the Czech Republic. The main goal of the research is to verify, methodically and theoretically, the hypothesis that there is signifi cant mutual dependency between certain types of economic success of companies and a certain typical confi guration of values of selected characteristics which describe these companies. The paper concentrates on an analysis of applying the statistical pattern recognition methodology in the course of verifying this hypothesis. Our analysis confi rms the potential gains connected with the method. Within the sample we identifi ed group of potential factors of competitiveness which can characterize the interdependence between competitiveness and economic performance.
Methane-Oxidizing Bacteria in a California Upland Grassland Soil: Diversity and Response to Simulated Global Change

ABSTRACT We investigated the diversity of methane-oxidizing bacteria (i.e., methanotrophs) in an annual upland grassland in northern California, using comparative sequence analysis of the pmoA gene. In addition to identifying type II methanotrophs commonly found in soils, we discovered three novel pmoA lineages for which no cultivated members have been previously reported. These novel pmoA clades clustered together either with clone sequences related to “RA 14” or “WB5FH-A,” which both represent clusters of environmentally retrieved sequences of putative atmospheric methane oxidizers. Conservation of amino acid residues and rates of nonsynonymous versus synonymous nucleotide substitution in these novel lineages suggests that the pmoA genes in these clades code for functionally active methane monooxygenases. The novel clades responded to simulated global changes differently than the type II methanotrophs. We observed that the relative abundance of type II methanotrophs declined in response to increased precipitation and increased atmospheric temperature, with a significant antagonistic interaction between these factors such that the effect of both together was less than that expected from their individual effects. Two of the novel clades were not observed to respond significantly to these environmental changes, while one of the novel clades had an opposite response, increasing in relative abundance in response to increased precipitation and atmospheric temperature, with a significant antagonistic interaction between these factors.
Plasma Volume Determination in Pregnancies Complicated by Chronic Hypertension and Intrauterine Fetal Demise

Plasma volume determinations for 9 women with severe chronic hypertension who delivered live-born infants with birth weights appropriate for gestational age (AGA) were compared with those for 7 women with chronic hypertension whose pregnancies ended in intrauterine fetal demise. Plasma volume determinations using Evans blue dye dilution technique were performed at 20 to 25 weeks' gestation (12 patients) and at 26 to 29 weeks' gestation (16 patients). In addition, plasma volume measurements were performed at 8 weeks post partum in 5 patients who had intrauterine fetal demise. Analysis of the clinical course, laboratory findings, and pregnancy outcome revealed that the degree of plasma volume expansion was the factor most significantly differing between the 2 groups of patients. The plasma volumes of 9 women who delivered AGA infants were comparable with those values previously reported for normal singleton pregnancy. In contrast, each patient with intrauterine fetal demise demonstrated failure in plasma volume expansion at 20 to 25 weeks' gestation when compared with her own postpartum value. In each of the 6 patients who had a second plasma volume determination at 26 to 29 weeks' gestation, there was a decrease (mean decrease, 13.5%) from the value at 20 to 25 weeks. Plasma volume determinations may be very helpful in making clinical decisions regarding women with severe hypertension. Plasma volume determination may be most helpful in identifying a subgroup of women who are at particular risk for having infants with intrauterine growth retardation and intrauterine fetal demise.
Information Theoretic MPC Using Neural Network Dynamics

We introduce an information theoretic model predictive control (MPC) algorithm that is capable of controlling systems with dynamics represented by multi-layer neural networks and subject to complex cost criteria. The proposed approach is validated in two difficult simulation scenarios, a cart-pole swing up and quadrotor navigation task, and on real hardware on a 1/5th scale vehicle in an aggressive driving task.
Services marketing : a European perspective

Preface About the Authors PART I: UNDERSTANDING SERVICES 1 Distinctive Aspects of Service Management 2 Customer Involvement in Different Service Processes 3 Managing Service Encounters 4 Positioning a Service in the Marketplace PART II:UNDERSTANDING CUSTOMERS AND MANAGING RELATIONSHIPS 5 Customer Behaviour in Service Settings 6 Managing Relationships and Building Customer Loyalty 7 Complaint Handling and Service Recovery PART III: STRATEGIC ISSUES IN SERVICES MARKETING 8 Creating Services and Adding Value 9 Designing Service Delivery Systems 10 Pricing Services: Understanding Customer Costs and Corporate Costs 11 Communicating to Customers: Education and Promotion PART IV:CHALLENGES FOR SENIOR MANAGEMENT 12 Productivity and Quality: Two Sides of the Same Coin 13 Managing Demand 14 Managing Customer-Contact Personnel 15 Developing Integrated Service Strategies for International Operations