Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Expression of Pax gene family members in the anthozoan cnidarian, Nematostella vectensis

SUMMARY Pax genes are a family of homeodomain transcription factors that have been isolated from protostomes (e.g., eight in Drosophilia) and deuterostomes (e.g., nine in vertebrates) as well as outside the Bilateria, from sponges, a placozoan, and several classes of cnidarians. The genome of an anthozoan cnidarian, the starlet sea anemone, Nematostella vectensis, has been surveyed by both degenerate polymerase chain reaction and in silico for the presence of Pax genes. N. vectensis possesses seven Pax genes, which are orthologous to cnidarian Pax genes (A,B,C, and D) previously identified in another anthozoan, a coral, Acropora millepora. Phylogenetic analyses including data from nonchordate deuterostomes indicates that there were five Pax gene classes in the protostome–deuterostome ancestor, but only three in the cnidarian‐bilaterian ancestor, with PaxD class genes lost in medusozoan cnidarians. Pax genes play diverse roles in bilaterians, including eye formation (e.g., Pax6), segmentation (e.g., Pax3/7 class genes), and neural patterning (e.g., Pox‐neuro, Pax2/5/8). We show the first expression data for members of all four Pax classes in a single species of cnidarian. N. vectensis Pax genes are expressed in both a cell‐type and region‐specific manner during embryogenesis, and likely play a role in patterning specific components of the cnidarian ectodermal nerve net. The results of these patterns are discussed with respect to Pax gene evolution in the Bilateria.
From Virtue to Competence: Changing the Principles of Public Service

Virtue has long been a central principle in the tradition of public service—to what extent is it still relevant today? Focusing on the role of the monitoring officer, a key official in the ethical framework of local government in the United Kingdom, this essay asks which virtues, if any, are still needed for public service and whether these virtues have been displaced by managerial notions of technical competence as the principles of public service delivery. The authors draw an initial distinction between virtue and competence that, upon further investigation, does not appear to be sustainable. Despite being drawn from two different academic perspectives—moral philosophy and management development—the concepts of virtue and competence are, in practice, very similar. This theoretical convergence is reflected in the practical concerns of monitoring officers and their perspective on public service ethics.
An empirical evidence of small business financing in China

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide empirical quantitative evidence concerning small business financing in China and highlight the financing problems faced by small to medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) in developing their businesses.Design/methodology/approach – A semi‐structured questionnaire survey was conducted to collect data from a sample of 60 small businesses in three cities in China. Descriptive methods and the SPSS statistical software package were used to analyse the data and interpret the results.Findings – The data gathered covered current topic in research including the capital structure of SMEs at start‐up, the types and extent of funding shortage, the preference of financial resources as SMEs grow, the significant factors, which help SMEs secure bank loans and the influence of a firm's size, age and the like. The findings generally support financial theories and previous studies about SMEs but also offer the basis for new arguments about financing SMEs in China.Research limitati.
RoboCup Small-Size League: Using Neural Networks to Learn Color Segmentation during Visual Processing

Optimizing vision processing is crucial for real-time performance of robots in RoboCuppsilas small-size league (SSL). We describe in this paper our current approach to improve visual processing in ITAMpsilas Eagle Knights SSL team. We describe our use of a neural network to classify camera image pixels to a discrete set of color classes that is robust under different light conditions. We show how we can improve the recall time of the neural network to achieve vision processing of over 30 fps using high resolution images. We present our solution and compare to previous methods showing improvements in real time image segmentation and varying light conditions.
Relationships between bone morphology and bone elastic properties can be accurately quantified using high‐resolution computer reconstructions

It would be advantageous if the mechanical properties of trabecular bone could be directly inferred from stereomorphometric parameters. For that purpose, apparent density and mean intercept length, as measures of bone mass and directionality (fabric), are commonly correlated with the elastic characteristics of bone samples, as determined in compression tests. However, complete and accurate relationships have not yet been established in this way. This may be due not only to the occurrence of artifacts in both the stereomorphometric and the mechanical assessments but also to an inherent inadequacy of mean intercept length in characterizing the full mechanical significance of bone architecture or nonhomogeneities in trabecular tissue properties not accounted for in stereomorphometry. In this study, we introduce a computer modeling approach allowing these biases to be eliminated. With use of high‐resolution three‐dimensional computer reconstructions of trabecular bone specimens for stereomorphometry and for microstructural finite element models to simulate mechanical tests, unbiased comparisons become feasible. The purpose was to investigate if accurate and complete relationships can be established in this way. Four different fabric measures were considered: mean intercept length and three volume‐based ones. Compliance matrices were calculated from fabric tensors, with use of the mathematical relationship proposed by Cowin for 29 vertebral whale‐bone specimens. These were correlated with the compliance constants determined directly from the microstructural finite element, model simulation. The nine orthotropic elastic constants of all 29 specimens were well predicted from their stereomorphometric fabric and volume fraction values, with correlation coefficients ranging from R adj2 = 0.9934 to O. 9963. When individual compliance components were considered (1/Ei,. 1/Gij, or ‐vij/Ei), correlation coefficients ranged from R adj2 = 0.924 to 0.9X2. All four fabric measures performed equally well. It is concluded that volume fraction and fabric measures correlate highly with the apparent elastic properties of bone samples, provided the anisotropy and nonhomgoencity in the elastic properties of the trabecular tissue itself have negligible effects on the apparent propertie Whether this is true for bone in general remains to be seen, as only a subset was analyzed here. These methods, however, can be valuable in similar assessments of other subsets.
Why Is Russian GDP Growth Slowing

Driven by expanding oil production and investment, the Russian economy began the new millennium with robust real GDP growth averaging close to 6 percent from 1999 to 2004. However, GDP growth, a remarkable 7 ½ percent in 2004, was down to 5 ½ percent in 2005. Oil production and investment in the economy also began a growth slowdown from mid-2004. Again, core inflation of 10 percent in 2004, excluding the volatile food and energy prices, rose to 12 percent in 2005. These economic features with some deterioration starting from mid-2004 raise two issues that are analyzed in this paper. Does the Russian economy carry the burden of the Dutch Disease contributing to its growth slowdown? More to the point, does the continuing real appreciation of the ruble, associated with expanding oil exports and the strong economy, damage the manufacturing sector via reduced competitiveness of its exports and import substitutes? i The second issue relates to the impact of the escalating taxation of the oil sector on investment in the economy and its growth. Is the impact negative suggesting a fiscal drag during the sample period adopted in the paper? The basic data used for investigating these two hypotheses are presented in figures 1-6 of section II. The Vector Auto Regression (VAR) models, employed for testing the impact of real ruble appreciation on manufacturing sector performance and the impact of oil taxation on investment, are stated in section II. The VAR-based estimates in section III suggest two conclusions: the continuing ruble appreciation seems to have a negative impact on the manufacturing sector performance but the result is statistically not significant. On the other hand, rising oil taxation in a given period has a negative,
Have the frills really left the European airline industry

The emergence of low-cost scheduled carriers in European aviation has attracted attention from business and leisure travellers as well as from established carriers. This paper examines low-cost carriers in terms of their operating features and considers implications for European transport markets. Relevant aspects of the operating environment of European airlines are examined. An analysis of the USA situation in relation to low-cost carriers is also provided. It is suggested that further research into the development of budget air travel in Europe needs to be undertaken. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Design of Recurrent Fuzzy Neural Network and General Regression Neural Network Controller for Traveling-wave Ultrasonic Motor

The traveling-wave ultrasonic motor (TWUSM) has significant features such as high holding torque at low speed range, high precision, fast dynamics, simple structure, no electromagnetic interference. The TWUSM has been used in many practical areas such as industrial, medical, robotic, and automotive applications. However, the dynamic model of the TWUSM motor has the nonlinear characteristic and dead-zone problem which varies with many driving conditions. This paper presents a novel control scheme, recurrent fuzzy neural network (RFNN) and general regression neural network (GRNN) controller, for a TWUSM control. The RFNN provides a real-time control such that the TWUSM output can track the reference command. The back-propagation algorithm is applied in the RFNN to automatically adjust the parameters on-line. The adaptive laws of the RFNN are derived by Lyapunov theorem such that the stability of the system can be absolute. The GRNN controller is appended to the RFNN controller to compensate the dead-zone of the TWUSM system using a predefined set. The experimental results are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed controller.
Characterization of hepatitis E virus from outbreak and sporadic cases in Turkmenistan

Large outbreaks and sporadic cases of hepatitis E have been reported in Central Asia. We assessed the genetic relatedness of hepatitis E virus (HEV) strains from outbreak and sporadic cases in Turkmenistan. Specimens from outbreak and sporadic cases of acute hepatitis non‐A, non‐B were tested by reverse transcription (RT)‐polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to identify the presence of HEV RNA; nucleotide sequences were analyzed. HEV RNA was detected from 23/156 (15%) outbreak cases and 2/23 (9%) sporadic cases. The HEV outbreak isolates represented 14 unique sequences with genetic distances varying between 0.3% and 8.6%, 12 of which were closely related, with distances between 0.3% and 5.6%. Two unique sequences from outbreak cases 32 and 42 were closely related (99.7%) and shared 91.8–93.4% of sequence with the other 12 strains. The two strains were closely related to the previously published isolates from Burma (99.7–100%) and India‐Madras (95.7–96.1%). The two 1994 sporadic HEV strains were 97.4% distinct, wile revealing 91.4–94.1% homology to 1985 strains, and 94.4–94.7% to HEV from the neighboring China and Pakistan. Genetic diversity of HEV that caused the hepatitis E outbreak in Turkmenistan in 1985 suggests heterogeneity of viral sources. Sporadic hepatitis E that occurred in 1994 was caused by viral strains genetically distinct from those causing the outbreak in 1985, yet closely related to HEV from neighboring countries. The study suggests that circulation of a broad variety of strains of HEV may occur in Central Asia, regardless of international borders, presenting a significant public health threat to the population of the region. J. Med. Virol. 79:1696–1702, 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Highly efficient distributed MPPT architecture driven by α − β algorithm for partially shaded PV modules

A modern Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) method based on the incremental conductance (IncCond) control algorithm is discussed. This method features a variable step iteration of duty ratio in order to get over the trade-off between dynamic performance and steady state oscillation around maximum power point (MPP). This is done through an MPP pass-through detection α and an acceleration mechanism β. Besides, a full stability test of the DC-DC power converter transfer functions is carried out using the Z-transform and has shown satisfactory results. Moreover, and since partially shaded series-connected PV modules exhibit multiple power maxima due to their integrated bypass diodes, all the centralized MPP trackers with all the available optimizations cannot harvest the max power delivered by the total PV sources and hence, are considered as non cost-effective. From that point on, the authors propose a distributed architecture driven by an intelligent α − β MPPT-based algorithm.
The impact of fiscal policies on consumers spending

The economic impasse experienced in the UK is being counteracted by aggressive fiscal policies geared toward encouraging spending on consumables. Using the retail price index and data obtained from the Office of National Statistics, this paper assessed the effectiveness of the government’s fiscal measures to stabilize the economy through spending. The article developed a consumer spending model (CSM) and assessed its impact on intrinsic fiscal policies such as bank rate, inflation, percentage earnings increase and mortgage rate. The study finds bank rate and annual inflation as most significant factors affecting consumer spending and suggests that fiscal measures targeted at reducing bank lending rates and controlling inflation should be the government’s policy priority. Key words: Bank rate, spending, mortgage rate.
Financial Development, Openness Relation and the Role of Financial Institutions: A Case of Pakistan

There is a lack of empirical research on the specific relationship between financial institutions, capital account liberalization and trade-openness; but there is no particular and comprehensive study on the theme in case of Pakistan. This study investigates the importance of financial institutions, net financial capital inflows and trade-openness for financial sector's development. Further, it also examines the hypothesis by Rajan and Zingales (2003). In doing so, three approaches i.e. Johansen test, DOLS and ARDL bounds testing approach to cointegration have been applied for long-term relationship. The empirical results reveal that long-term relationship among variables is robust. Coefficient of net capital inflows is having positive impact on financial development. Trade openness is the main contributor to financial sector's development. On the other hand, financial institutions and economic growth also improve the efficiency of financial markets in the country. The rise in inflation declines the performance of financial sector.
Federal Categorical Aid To Cities: Who Needs It Versus Who Wants It

j C HANGES in federal-city aid policies have frequently been the American government's method of response to demands for changes in urban policy. The depression of the 1930s brought forth added domestic spending and limited categorical grants to cities. Concern over the decline of the central city in the 1950s resulted in more broadly based programs in the form of urban renewal. An important response to the civil rights and minority crises of the 1960s were Model Cities and Poverty grants which emphasized citizen participation provisions. Most recently, reactions against both federal and citizens control of federal programs have led to more general grants of funds to cities in the form of general and special revenue sharing. An assumption implicit in most forms of federal legislation providing categorical grants of aid to cities is that resources should be distributed to people and neighborhoods who presently lack them. ' Several recent analyses of the incidence of federal aid have lent some support to this inference.2 Yet local resistance to such aid, insufficient managerial skills, and conflict between federal and local officials during the implementation process has also been documented and such practices may cause resources to be distributed in other ways.3 Some cities with large numbers of needy citizens and primitive public services, such as Houston, Texas, have consistently foregone federal aid for which they have been eligible. Others such as New York and Chicago have been able to acquire huge sums in part because of the entrepreneurial skills of civic leaders such as Richard Daly and Robert Moses.4 This suggests that the attitudes of and procedures followed by local decision makers may intervene between the need for aid and its distribution.
Access to Natural Resources on Private Property: Factors Beyond Right of Entry

Discussions of access to natural resources on private lands in the United States often focus on property rights and ownership. In Maine, changing ownership of private forestland has been associated with increased posting against trespass. This raises concerns about the terms of physical entry to land for resource use. While the right of entry is an important component of access to natural resources, other factors also affect access. Building on a theory proposed by Ribot and Peluso (2003), this study of nontimber forest product gatherers and forest landowners/managers in northern Maine examines social and biophysical factors that affect access to natural resources. We consider who is affected by these factors, and suggest ways forward to promote more equitable access to nontimber forest products, especially for Native Americans in the region.
How the Maastricht Criteria and the Stability and Growth Pact Affected the Convergence Process in the European Union: A Panel Data Analysis

The European Central Bank (ECB) monetary policy has been criticised for giving more attention to price stabilisation in Europe rather than encouraging higher growth and employment. It is now largely accepted that the Maastricht norms reinforced by the Stability Pact have imposed serious macroeconomic constraints on economic performance by not taking into account specific problems of the individual economies. An interesting issue to examine is how the Maastricht obligations and the Stability Pact restrictions have affected the process of real convergence between the European economies in the last two decades. The purpose of this paper is to test for convergence in living standards, productivity, investment and unemployment among the European countries. From this analysis and using panel data estimation techniques, it is possible to detect any significant influence (favourable or not) of the Maastricht rules on real convergence.
Panax Ginseng Extracts Accelerate TCDD Excretion In Rats

2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) is the most potent member of a large family of dioxin-like compounds that are ubiquitous environmental contaminants. The lipophilic nature of TCDD causes the compound to be stored in the liver, adipose tissue and breast milk. It has been reported that TCDD is not completely eliminated from human milk and blood1. TCDD has been reported to be one of the most toxic molecules, causing acute and chronic toxicity, including chloracne, thymic atrophy and immunotoxicity, wasting syndrome, hepatotoxicity and teratogenicity in animals2,3. To prevent toxicity in humans, it is important to inhibit the absorption of dioxin from the gut and to excrete the dioxin stored in the body into feces.
INNOVATIVE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES IN ENERGY- ECONOMY MODELS Assessing economic, energy and environmental impacts of climate policy and technological change in Germany

Energy technologies and innovation are considered to play a crucial role in climate change mitigation. Yet, the representation of technologies in energy-economy models, which are used extensively to analyze the economic, energy and environmental impacts of alternative energy and climate policies, is rather limited. This dissertation presents advanced techniques of including technological innovations in energy-economy computable general equilibrium (CGE) models. New methods are explored and applied for improving the realism of energy production and consumption in such top-down models. The dissertation addresses some of the main criticism of general equilibrium models in the field of energy and climate policy analysis: The lack of detailed sectoral and technical disaggregation, the restricted view on innovation and technological change, and the lack of extended greenhouse gas mitigation options. The dissertation reflects on the questions of (1) how to introduce innovation and technological change in a computable general equilibrium model as well as (2) what additional and policy relevant information is gained from using these methodologies. Employing a new hybrid approach of incorporating technology-specific information for electricity generation and iron and steel production in a dynamic multi-sector computable equilibrium model it can be concluded that technology-specific effects are crucial for the economic assessment of climate policy, in particular the effects relating to process shifts and fuel input structure. Additionally, the dissertation shows that learning-by-doing in renewable energy takes place in the renewable electricity sector but is equally important in upstream sectors that produce technologies, i.e. machinery and equipment, for renewable electricity generation. The differentiation of learning effects in export sectors, such as renewable energy technologies, matters for the economic assessment of climate policies because of effects on international competitiveness and economic output.
The Impact of Director Reputation and Performance on the Turnover and Board Seats of Target Firm Directors

This study examines factors that explain the turnover and board seats held by target firm directors post-takeover. Following successful takeovers the proportion of the board replaced is lower when the target has better performance. In failed takeovers, executive directors have lower turnover and the rate of turnover is reduced after a hostile takeover. Inconsistent with ex-post settling-up, actions that advance target shareholder wealth during the takeover does not assist a director obtain an increase in future board seats. Confirming a reputation effect, directors with multiple directorships have a lower rate of turnover and a higher increase in future board seats.
based on the German micro-censuses 1976-2004 The growing educational divide in mothers' employment: an investigation

This article investigates whether the increase in the labour force participation of mothers in western Germany has been accompanied by growing social inequalities in maternal employment. The focus is on education-related differences in full-time, parttime and marginal employment, and, in particular, changes therein over time. It is assumed that worsening labour market opportunities for the less educated and a ‘familialistic’ social policy context have resulted in growing differentials in mothers’ employment by education. Data from the scientific use files of the German micro-censuses for the years 1976 to 2004 show that the part-time and marginal employment rates of mothers have increased, while full-time employment rates have declined. Reductions in full-time employment are most pronounced among less educated mothers, resulting in growing educational differences in the employment of mothers.