Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Design and Implementation of Low-Power and Wireless Multi-sensor Devices for Industrial Applications

Electrical devices integrate more and more capabilities, such as sensors, wireless communication, and low power consumption. They are mainly produced for the entertainment area, like mobile phones, video game console, or MP3 players. The research is about the creation of a network of wireless sensor-based devices. Each device will contain a set of sensors, such as three dimensional acceleration and gyroscopic, magnetic, pressure, humidity, temperature, light. That will allow providing a rich set of useful resources for many industrial applications, including marine, police, health and safety. The main aspect of this communication is that each device will be considered as a transmitter, a receiver and an access point. Therefore, no host point will be necessary, thus making the network more mobile. Each device will be composed of a microcontroller, a ZigBee transceiver and some sensors. The main criteria of success are low-power consumption, small size, low cost of the product’s design, fast and accurate responses between devices. This work also explores the design and creation of a complete board integrating all the components listed above.
Agglomeration Economies and Productivity in Indian Industry

"New"economic geography theory, and the development of innovative methods of analysis have renewed interest in the location, and spatial concentration of economic activities. The authors examine the extent to which agglomeration economies contribute to economic productivity. They distinguish three sources of agglomeration economies: 1) At the firm level, from improved access to market centers. 2) At the industry level, from enhanced intra-industry linkages. 3) At the regional level, from inter-industry urbanization economies. The input demand framework they use in analysis, permits the production function to be estimated jointly with a set of cost shares, and, makes allowances for non-constant returns to scale, and for agglomeration economies to be factor-augmenting. They use firm-level data for standardized manufacturing in India, together with spatially detailed physio-geographic information that considers the availability, and quality of transport networks linking urban centers - thereby accounting for heterogeneity in the density of transport networks, between different parts of the country. The sources, and magnitudes of agglomeration vary considerably between industrial sectors. Their results indicate that access to markets, through improvements in inter-regional infrastructure, is an important determinant of firm-level productivity, whereas the benefits of locating in dense urban areas, do not appear to offset the associated costs. Improving the quality, and availability of transport infrastructure, linking smaller urban areas to the rest of the inter-regional network, would improve market access for manufacturing plants. It would also give standardized manufacturing activities a chance to move out of large, costly urban centers, to lower cost secondary centers.
Enzyme‐Linked Immunosorbent Assays

This unit describes six different ELISA systems for the detection of specific antibodies, soluble antigens, or cell‐surface antigens. In all six systems, soluble reactants are removed from solution after specifically binding to solid‐phase reactants. In the first four protocols, solid‐phase reactants are prepared by adsorbing an antigen or antibody onto plastic microtiter plates; in the next two protocols, the solid‐phase reactants are cell‐associated molecules. In all protocols, the solid‐phase reagents are incubated with secondary or tertiary reactants covalently coupled to an enzyme. Unbound conjugates are washed out and a chromogenic or fluorogenic substrate is added. As the substrate is hydrolyzed by the bound enzyme conjugate, a colored or fluorescent product is generated. Finally, the product is detected visually or with a microtiter plate reader. The amount of product generated is proportional to the amount of analysate in the test mixture. One of the support protocols can be used to optimize the different ELISAs. A second support protocol presents a method for preparing alkaline phosphatase conjugates. © 2015 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Topical betamethasone butyrate propionate exacerbates pressure ulcers after cutaneous ischemia–reperfusion injury

Ischaemia–reperfusion (I/R) is involved in the development of various organ diseases. There has been increasing evidence that cutaneous I/R injury is associated with the pathogenesis of pressure ulcers (PUs), especially at the early stage presenting as non‐blanchable erythema. However, there is no evidence‐based treatment for early‐stage PUs. Our objective was to assess the effects of topical steroid on the development of PUs after cutaneous I/R injury in mice. Cutaneous I/R was performed by trapping the dorsal skin between two magnetic plates for 12 h, followed by plate removal. Topical application of betamethasone butyrate propionate (BBP) in I/R areas significantly increased the size of PUs after I/R. The number of thromboses was increased, and CD31+ vessels were decreased in the I/R area treated with topical BBP. The number of oxidative stress‐associated DNA‐damaged cells and apoptotic cells in the I/R area was increased by topical BBP treatment. In addition, the mRNA level of NADPH oxidase 4 (Nox4), the essential enzyme that produces reactive oxygen species, was significantly increased and that of NF‐E2‐related factor 2 (Nrf2), a transcription factor that regulates the expression of antioxidant proteins, was inhibited in the I/R area treated by BBP. The number of CD68+ macrophages and the level of transforming growth factor‐beta in lesional skin were also decreased by BBP. These results suggest that a topical steroid might accelerate the formation of PUs induced by cutaneous I/R injury by aggravating oxidative stress‐induced tissue damage. Topical steroids might not be recommended for the treatment of acute‐phase decubitus ulcers.
The moral equivalent of war

The war against war is going to be no holiday excursion or camping party. The military feelings are too deeply grounded to abdicate their place among our ideals until better substitutes are offered than the glory and shame that come to nations as well as to individuals from the ups and downs of politics and the vicissitudes of trade. There is something highly paradoxical in the modern man's relation to war. Ask all our millions, north and south, whether they would vote now (were such a thing possible) to have our war for the Union expunged from history, and the record of a peaceful transition to the present time substituted for that of its marches and battles, and probably hardly a handful of eccentrics would say yes. Those ancestors, those efforts, those memories and legends, are the most ideal part of what we now own together, a sacred spiritual possession worth more than all the blood poured out. Yet ask those same people whether they would be willing, in cold blood, to start another civil war now to gain another similar possession, and not one man or woman would vote for the proposition. In modern eyes, precious though wars may be they must not be waged solely for the sake of the ideal harvest. Only when forced upon one, is a war now thought permissible.
Assessment of Korean consumer exposure to sodium saccharin, aspartame and stevioside

The dietary intakes of sodium saccharin, aspartame and stevioside were estimated on the basis of food consumption data of the Korean consumer and the concentration of sweeteners in processed foods. Results were compared with the acceptable daily intake (ADI) of sweeteners. Among the 28 food categories for which the application of sodium saccharin, aspartame and stevioside is permitted in Korea, they were detected in 5, 12 and 13 categories, respectively. The estimated daily intake (EDI) of sodium saccharin and aspartame were high in infants and children, whereas the EDI of stevioside was high in adolescents and adults. The most highly consumed sweetener was aspartame, and the highest EDI/ADI ratio was found for sodium saccharin. The main food categories contributing to sweetener consumption were beverages, including alcoholic beverages. For most Korean consumers, the EDIs were no greater than 20% of their corresponding ADI; however, the EDI of sodium saccharin for conservative consumers aged 1–2 years reached 60% of their ADI.
The retinal nerve fiber layer thickness in ocular hypertensive, normal, and glaucomatous eyes with optical coherence tomography.

OBJECTIVE To quantitatively assess and compare the thickness of the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) in ocular hypertensive eyes with normal and glaucomatous eyes using the Optical Coherence Tomograph (OCT 2000, software version A4X1; Humphrey Instruments, San Leandro, Calif). METHODS The mean RNFL thickness of ocular hypertensive (n = 28) eyes was compared with age-matched normal (n = 30) and glaucomatous (n = 29) eyes. Subject eyes were classified into diagnostic groups based on intraocular pressure, stereoscopic disc photographs, and standard automated perimetry. Three circular scans were obtained for each eye at a diameter of 3.4 mm around the optic disc. In each eye, average RNFL thickness measurements were obtained in temporal, superior, nasal, and inferior quadrants. A single index of average RNFL thickness throughout 360 degrees also was obtained. RESULTS Mean (95% confidence interval) RNFL was significantly thinner in ocular hypertensive eyes than in normal eyes, 72.8 microm (66.4-78.1 microm) and 85.8 microm (80.2-91.7 microm), respectively. More specifically, RNFL was significantly thinner in ocular hypertensive eyes than in normal eyes in the inferior quadrant, 84.8 microm (75.6-94.0 microm) vs 107.6 microm (99.3-115.9 microm); and in the nasal quadrant, 44.1 microm (37.5-51.7 microm) vs 61.8 microm (53.0-65.6 microm). Retinal nerve fiber layer was significantly thinner in glaucomatous eyes than in ocular hypertensive and normal eyes throughout 360 degrees and in all quadrants. CONCLUSION These findings suggest that quantitative differences in RNFL thickness exist between age-matched ocular hypertensive, normal, and glaucomatous eyes.
An Information Hiding Algorithm for HEVC Based on Angle Differences of Intra Prediction Mode

An information hiding algorithm for HEVC is proposed. For 33 kinds of directional prediction modes in the encoding process of 4×4 luminance blocks, intra prediction modes are mapped to the angle values. We are establishing a mapping relationship table between the angle differences and secret information. Modifying the intra prediction modes to embed secret information is based on the mapping. The extraction of information merely requires decoding the prediction mode from the bit stream. Experimental results show that the proposed hiding algorithm can embed information with little influence on the bit-rate and effectively guarantee the quality of the cover video.
Extreme fire events are related to previous-year surface moisture conditions in permafrost-underlain larch forests of Siberia

Wildfires are a natural and important element in the functioning of boreal forests. However, in some years, fires with extreme spread and severity occur. Such severe fires can degrade the forest, affect human values, emit huge amounts of carbon and aerosols and alter the land surface albedo. Usually, wind, slope and dry air conditions have been recognized as factors determining fire spread. Here we identify surface moisture as an additional important driving factor for the evolution of extreme fire events in the Baikal region. An area of 127 000 km2 burned in this region in 2003, a large part of it in regions underlain by permafrost. Analyses of satellite data for 2002–2009 indicate that previous-summer surface moisture is a better predictor for burned area than precipitation anomalies or fire weather indices for larch forests with continuous permafrost. Our analysis advances the understanding of complex interactions between the atmosphere, vegetation and soil, and how coupled mechanisms can lead to extreme events. These findings emphasize the importance of a mechanistic coupling of soil thermodynamics, hydrology, vegetation functioning, and fire activity in Earth system models for projecting climate change impacts over the next century.
Renewables and innovation: did policy induced structural change in the energy sector effect innovation in green technologies?

This study analyses the structural change in the energy system. By focusing on different green technology industries in Germany, it is of particular interest how policy-induced demand stimulates innovation. Taking the market size as well as the change in the market size as a proxy for increasing demand and patent counts as a proxy for innovation, there is support that the presence of institutions enabling diffusion of green technologies (GTs) is correlated with innovative activity. However, when the different GTs are treated separately remarkable differences can be observed. We also investigate the role of public expenditures for research and development. It is controlled for a structural break by comparing the two institutional settings incorporated into the legal system in Germany, namely the Electricity Feed Law and the Renewable Energy Sources Act. We find evidence for the role of public expenditures for research and development, and no evidence is found for the structural break.
Paralleling a synchronverter and a PWM-based converter for supplying a microgrid

The paper's aim is to present the parallel operation of a synchronverter and a PWM-based inverter in order to feed the load of a microgrid. The main motivation lies on the fact that the power electronics advancements made feasible the creation of microgrids fed by renewable energies, which ordinarily have as common factor the use of voltage source converters. Results are promising for operating a microgrid in an isolated way.
Experimental evaluation of a control system for an absolute angle measuring micromachined gyroscope

This work presents the experimental implementation and evaluation of a feedback control system for compensation of energy dissipation and suppression of anisoelasticity based errors in a micromachined absolute angle measuring gyroscope. The control system was implemented with a high speed, real time DSP board using MATLAB Simulink code downloaded onto the board. A single crystal silicon prototype was fabricated and used as a test bed. Experimental results demonstrated that the control system maintains the gyroscope motion at a defined energy level with some steady state error while simultaneously reducing anisoelasticity induced angular momentum by 31%
Treating repetitive seizures with a rectal diazepam formulation

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of a single-dose treatment for acute repetitive seizure (ARS) episodes (e.g., clusters) administered in a nonmedical setting by caregivers. Background: Patients with epilepsy may experience ARS episodes despite optimal anticonvulsant treatment. Such episodes require rapid treatment as medical emergencies. Typically, the patient is treated in an emergency medical setting with IV medication by trained medical personnel. Methods: The authors undertook a multicenter, randomized, parallel, double-blind study of a single administration of Diastat (diazepam rectal gel) for treating episodes of ARS. ARS episodes and treatment criteria were defined for each patient at the start of the study. Caregivers were taught to determine ARS episode onset, administer a predetermined dose of study medication, monitor outcome, count respirations, and record seizures and adverse events. Results: A total of 29 centers enrolled 158 patients, of whom 114 patients had a treated ARS episode (Diastat, n = 56; placebo, n = 58). Diastat treatment reduced median seizure frequency (p = 0.029). More Diastat patients were seizure free post-treatment (Diastat, 55%; placebo, 34%; p = 0.031). Kaplan-Meier analysis of the time to the next seizure favored Diastat treatment (p < 0.007). The most common adverse event was somnolence. Conclusion: Administration of a single rectal dose of Diastat was significantly more effective than placebo in reducing the number of seizures following an episode of ARS. Caregivers could administer treatment safely and effectively in a nonmedical setting.
Pelamis: experience from concept to connection

The development of the Pelamis wave energy converter from its conceptual origins to its commercial deployment is reviewed. The early emphasis on designing for survivability and favourable power absorption characteristics focused attention towards a self-referenced articulated line-absorber in an attenuator orientation. A novel joint and control system allow the machine to be actively tuned to provide a resonant response power amplification in small and moderate seas. In severe seas, the machine is left in its default or natural condition, which is benign and non-resonant. Hydraulic rams at the joints provide the primary power take-off with medium-term storage in high-pressure accumulators yielding smooth electricity generation. Land-based modular construction requiring minimal weather windows for rapid offshore installation is an essential engineering feature necessary for viable commercialization. The second-generation Pelamis designs built for E.ON and ScottishPower Renewables are presented, and the scope for further cost reduction and performance enhancements are explained.
Effects of agricultural policy reforms and farm characteristics on income risk in Swiss agriculture

Purpose - The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of agricultural policy reform – specifically the change from market to direct payment support – on income variability of Swiss farming households. In addition, the observed heterogeneity in income risks across farms and time is explained in terms of farm and regional characteristics. Design/methodology/approach - Unbalanced farm-level panel data of the Swiss farm accountancy network (FADN) are used to construct coefficients of variation of five-year overlapping time intervals for total household income and gross farm revenues over the period 1992 to 2009. Linear fixed effect models are applied to measure the effect of specialization, off-farm income, direct payments, farm size, and liquidity on the variability of gross farm revenues and household income in the valley, hill, and mountain regions. Findings - The switch from market-based support to direct payments has decreased the variability of farm revenues and household income. The strong reliance on direct payments serves as insurance for most farmers and reduces both household income and revenue risk. Off-farm income can be used by farmers to reduce household income risk but it increases revenue risk in the valley regions. In all of the regions considered, farm size has a positive effect on household income risk and a negative effect on revenue risk. A high degree of specialization increases both gross revenue and household income risk. Potential revenue insurance contracts should specify farmers' off-farm employment, the degree of specialization, farm size, and regional specific risk profiles. Originality/value - This paper assesses the complementary effects of specific farm characteristics and risk management strategies with regard to both farm revenue and household income risk. Influences of agricultural policy changes on income risks are also empirically assessed at different spatial scales.
Dynamic Specialization and Convergence of MENA Countries

Specialization plays an important role in economic performances. Theories of international change predict that countries tend to specialize in the product where they have a relative advantage. In this case, developing countries cannot catch-up the developed ones. However, some growth theories predict that developing economies converge toward the developed ones since they realize a higher growth rate. That has been the ultimate object of some Mediterranean countries when they have signed an association agreement with the European Union. The aim of this paper is to verify if that has been a convergence of the per capita income of four Mediterranean countries (Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, and Turkey) toward the one of the two richest European Union (Germany and France). The results issues from an empirical investigation denote that there is a divergence of per capita income and this one is the result of a bad specialization of the south Mediterranean countries.
Short sales around M&A announcements

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to examine changes in short-sale transactions of target firms and acquiring firms around merger and acquisition (MA while acquiring firms experience significant ES from day 0 to day+20. For acquiring firms, the five-day pre-announcement abnormal short sale is negatively related to the announcement day return and is positively related to post-announcement return. Such a relationship for target firms is not observed. For target firms, it is found that changes in short activity are not significantly related to changes in trading cost. For acquiring firms, short activity changes are positively related to quoted spreads and percentage quoted spreads. The short-sale activity changes are negatively related to effective spreads. Research limitations/implications - The paper is a first step to understanding whether short sales affect market liquidity around MA therefore restriction is necessary. Additional research can be done which should extend the current study to include the options market. Practical implications - From the results, the paper cannot conclude that short sellers are informed traders around M&A announcements. Therefore restrictions on short sales around M&A announcements may not be warranted. Originality/value - The paper fills an important blank in the existing literature by examining short-sale transactions around M&A announcements. Such an investigation is of particular interest to market regulators as they try to update the short-sale rules.