Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Multilayered Structure as a Novel Material for Surface Acoustic Wave Devices: Physical Insight

Since 70-ies, when the first delay lines and filters employing surface acoustic waves (SAW) were designed and fabricated, the use of SAW devices in special and commercial applications has expanded rapidly and the range of their working parameters was extended significantly (Hashimoto, 2000; Ruppel, 2001, 2002). In the last decade, their wide application in communication systems, cellular phones and base stations, wireless temperature and gas sensors has placed new requirements to SAW devices, such as very high operating frequencies (up to 10 GHz), low insertion loss, about 1 dB, high power durability, stable parameters at high temperatures etc. The main element of a SAW device is a piezoelectric substrate with an interdigital transducer (IDT) used for generation and detection of SAW in the substrate. The number of single crystals utilized as substrates in SAW devices did not increase substantially since 70ies because a new material must satisfy the list of strict requirements to be applied in commercial SAW devices: sufficiently strong piezoelectric effect, low or moderate variation of SAW velocity with temperature, low cost of as-grown large size crystals for fabrication of 4-inch wafers, long-term power durability, well developed and non-expensive fabrication process for SAW devices etc. Today only few single crystals are utilized as substrates in SAW devices: lithium niobate, LiNbO3 (LN), lithium tantalate, LiTaO3 (LT), quartz, SiO2, lithium tetraborate, Li2B4O7 (LBO), langasite, La3Ga5SiO14 (LGS) and some crystals of LGS group (LGT, LGN etc.) with similar properties. The SAW velocities in these single crystals do not exceed 4000 m/s, which limit the highest operating frequencies of SAW devices by 2.5-3 GHz because of limitations imposed by the line-resolution technology of IDT fabrication. The minimum achievable insertion loss and maximum bandwidth of SAW devices depend on the electromechanical coupling coefficient, which can be evaluated for SAW as k2≈2ΔV/V, where ΔV is the difference between SAW velocities on free and electrically shorted surfaces. The largest values of k2 can be obtained in some orientations of LN and LT. Ferroelectric properties of these materials are responsible for a strong piezoelectric effect. As a result, k2 reaches 5.7% in LN and 1.2% in LT, for SAW. For leaky SAW (LSAW) propagating in rotated Y-cuts of both crystals, the coupling is higher and can exceed 20% for LN and 5% for LT. However, LSAW attenuates because of its leakage into the bulk waves when it propagates along the crystal surface. As a
Pet rat harbouring Seoul hantavirus in Sweden, June 2013.

We report the first detection of Seoul hantavirus (SEOV) in a pet rat in Sweden. SEOV-specific antibodies were detected in the pet rat blood by focus reduction neutralising test (FRNT), and SEOV RNA in lung tissue was confirmed by reverse transcription-nested polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) followed by sequencing. The discovery follows the recent reports of SEOV infected pet rats, as well as associated human cases of severe haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS), in England and Wales.
Principled computational methods for the validation discovery of genetic regulatory networks

As molecular biology continues to evolve in the direction of high-throughput collection of data, it has become increasingly necessary to develop computational methods for analyzing observed data that are at once both sophisticated enough to capture essential features of biological phenomena and at the same time approachable in terms of their application. We demonstrate how graphical models, and Bayesian networks in particular, can be used to model genetic regulatory networks. These methods are well-suited to this problem owing to their ability to model more than pair-wise relationships between variables, their ability to guard against over-fitting, and their robustness in the face of noisy data. Moreover, Bayesian network models can be scored in a principled manner in the presence of both genomic expression and location data. We develop methods for extending Bayesian network semantics to include edge annotations that allow us to model statistical dependencies between biological factors with greater refinement. We derive principled methods for scoring these annotated Bayesian networks. Using these models in the presence of genomic expression data requires suitable methods for the normalization and discretization of this data. We present novel methods appropriate to this context for performing each of these operations. With these elements in place, we are able to apply our scoring framework to both validate models of regulatory networks in comparison with one another and discover networks using heuristic search methods. To demonstrate the utility of this framework for the elucidation of genetic regulatory networks, we apply these methods in the context of the well-understood galactose regulatory system and the less well-understood pheromone response system in yeast. We demonstrate how genomic expression and location data can be combined in a principled manner to enable the induction of models not readily discovered if the data sources are considered in isolation. Thesis Supervisor: David K. Gifford Title: Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Information and communication technology: organisational challenges for Italian banks

Organisational change in the retail banking industry is particularly relevant in a country characterised by the prevalence of small banks and where the number of branches has increased over time, notwithstanding the potential for network rationalisation offered by information and communication technology. This paper examines the impact of technological change on the organisational structure of Italian banks, in terms of the evolution of competencies and the development of new systems for the provision of financial services. We consider organisational changes both at the level of production and at the level of distribution of financial services. The final objective is to understand the main challenges and opportunities stemming from the adoption of ICT by Italian banks, in particular those related to the development of new organisational structures and the introduction of innovative distribution channels.
Energy transfer between polyatomic molecules II: Energy transfer quantities and probability density functions in benzene, toluene, p-xylene, and azulene collisions.

Collisional energy transfer, CET, is of major importance in chemical, photochemical, and photophysical processes in the gas phase. In Paper I of this series (J. Phys. Chem. B 2005, 109, 8310) we have reported on the mechanism and quantities of CET between an excited benzene and cold benzene and Ar bath. In the present work, we report on CET between excited toluene, p-xylene, and azulene with cold benzene and Ar and on CET of excited benzene with cold toluene, p-xylene, and azulene. We compare our results with those of Paper I and report average vibrational, rotational, and translational energy quantities, , transferred in a single collision. We discuss the effect of internal rotation on CET and the identity of the gateway modes in CET and the relative role of vibrational, rotational, and translational energies in the CET process, all that as a function of temperature and excitation energy. Energy transfer probability density functions, P(E,E'), for the various systems are reported and the shape of the curves for various systems and initial conditions is discussed. The major findings for polyatomic-polyatomic collisions are: CET takes place mainly via vibration-to-vibration energy transfer assisted by overall rotations. Internal free rotors in the excited molecule hinder energy exchange while in the bath molecule they do not. Energy transfer at low temperatures and high temperatures is more efficient than that at intermediate temperatures. Low-frequency modes are the gateway modes for energy transfer. Vibrational temperatures affect energy transfer. The CET probability density function, P(E,E'), is convex at low temperatures and can be concave at high temperatures. A mechanism that explains the high values of and the convex shape of P(E,E') is that in addition to short impulsive collisions there are chattering collisions where energy is transferred in a sequence of short encounters during the lifetime of the collision complex. This also leads to the observed supercollision tail at the down wing of P(E,E'). Polyatomic-Ar collisions show mechanistic similarities to polyatomic-polyatomic collisions, but there are also many dissimilarities: internal rotations do not inhibit energy transfer, P(E,E') is concave at all temperatures, and there is no contribution of chattering collisions.
The core and conserved role of MAL is homeostatic regulation of actin levels

The transcription cofactor MAL is regulated by actin dynamics and, together with its DNA-binding partner, SRF, is required for invasive cell migration. Salvany et al. show in Drosophila and human cellular models that actin is the key target that must be regulated by MAL/SRF for invasive cell migration. By regulating MAL/SRF, actin feeds back on the production of actin mRNA to ensure sufficient actin supply. Actin and MAL thus form a homeostatic feedback system that provides the foundation for actin dynamics required for complex cell behavior.
Utilizing a Diabetes Risk Test and A1c Point-of-Care Instrument to Identify Increased Risk for Diabetes In an Educational Dental Hygiene Setting.

PURPOSE The objective of this pilot study was to demonstrate the number of patients at increased risk for type 2 diabetes development using a validated survey; and to assess the rate of compliance for A1c screening in an educational dental hygiene setting. METHODS This was a descriptive study using a purposive sample of patients in an academic dental hygiene clinic, who were 18 years or older, not diagnosed with prediabetes or type 2 diabetes. Utilizing the American Diabetes Association adopted diabetes risk survey, patients determined to be at increased risk for type 2 diabetes were offered the opportunity for further assessment by having their A1c tested using a point of care instrument. Patients demonstrating an increased risk for prediabetes or type 2 diabetes, with either the survey or the point of care instrument, were referred to their primary physician for further evaluation. RESULTS A total 179 of the 422 solicited patients agreed to participate in the American Diabetes Association adopted diabetes risk survey. According to the survey guidelines, 77 participants were considered increased risk for type 2 diabetes for an at-risk prevalence of 48% (95% Confidence Interval (CI): 40 to 56%). The at-risk participants were then asked to have an A1c test of which 45 agreed (compliance rate 58%, 95% CI: 47 to 70%). Using American Diabetes Association A1c parameters, 60.98% (n=25) indicated a prediabetes (5.7 to 6.4%) range, and 4.88% (n=2) indicated a diabetes (≥6.5%) range. CONCLUSION Utilizing the American Diabetes Association adopted diabetes risk survey in any dental setting could provide patients with invaluable health information, and potentially improve overall health outcomes.
Supply risk management functions of sourcing intermediaries: an investigation of the clothing industry

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to uncover how buying companies use sourcing intermediaries to manage supply risks in global sourcing.Design/methodology/approach – The authors carry out an explorative qualitative study of the clothing industry, interviewing key respondents who occupy different positions in the supply chain, including sourcing intermediaries, retailers, and brand marketers.Findings – Sourcing intermediaries carry out a broad range of supply risk management functions, including design availability and support, and the operation of high risk markets. The authors identify different sourcing intermediary types, characterised by the set of functions they handle.Research limitations/implications – By analysing a limited set of in‐depth interviews in one industry the authors have traded off broader analytical generalization for in‐depth exploration and theory building. Therefore, future research should test the findings in other industries and across broader populations.Practical implicati.
Finite-length EXIT analyses for protograph LDPC codes over underwater acoustic channels

The conventional infinite-length extrinsic information transfer (EXIT) charts would not be accurate for short-length coded systems, because short-length coded sequences do not possess ergodicity as infinite-or very-long length coded sequences. In this paper, we concern with the finite-length EXIT analysis, which is developed for protograph low-density parity-check (PG-LDPC) codes over underwater acoustic (UWA) channels. The finite-length EXIT analysis is thus exploited for analyzing the practical instead of asymptotic performance of short-length coded UWA communication systems limited by bandwidth and power. Due to the poor performance of the conventional PG-LDPC codes, a rate 1/2 protograph-based construction of LDPC code for the UWA channel is proposed. The finite-length EXIT analysis show that the proposed codes are superior to the conventional PG-LDPC codes and the (3, 6) regular LDPC code with the same code length, agreeing well with the bit-error-rate (BER) simulation results.
DNA environment of the aerobactin iron uptake system genes in prototypic ColV plasmids

The aerobactin iron uptake system genes in the prototypic plasmid pColV-K30 are flanked by inverted copies of insertion sequence IS1 and by two distinct replication regions. To address the question of how these flanking regions may facilitate the maintenance and spread of the aerobactin system among the plasmids and chromosomes of enteric species, we investigated the DNA environment of 12 ColV plasmids. We found that the aerobactin system-specific genes are conserved in every plasmid phenotypically positive for the aerobactin system. The upstream IS1 and its overlapping replication region (REPI) are also conserved. This replication region was cloned from several ColV plasmids and found to be functional by transforming these cloned derivatives into a polA bacterial host. In contrast, the downstream flanking region is variable. This includes the downstream copy of IS1 and the downstream replication region (REPII). We infer from these results that sequences in addition to the two flanking copies of IS1, in particular the upstream region including REPI, have been instrumental in the preservation and possible spread of aerobactin genes among ColV plasmids and other members of the FI incompatibility group.
Measurement of doubly excited levels in lithiumlike and berylliumlike cobalt.

We have measured the dielectronic satellite spectrum for heliumlike Co XXVI trapped and excited in an electron-beam ion trap using a high-resolution x-ray spectrometer in the von Hamos geometry. By sweeping the electron-beam energy across the individual dielectronic recombination resonances, we have determined the relative resonance strengths of the strongest resonances populating doubly excited levels in lithiumlike and berylliumlike cobalt. Most measured dielectronic satellite strengths compare well with theory. A discrepancy with theoretical values is noted for the resonance strength associated with levels (1[ital s][sub 1/2]2[ital p][sub 3/2][sup 2])[sub 3/2] and (1[ital s][sub 1/2]2[ital s][sub 1/2]2[ital p][sub 1/2])[sub 1/2]. Their values of 49.8[plus minus]3.2[times]10[sup [minus]20] cm[sup 2] eV and 22.9[plus minus]6.4[times]10[sup [minus]20] cm[sup 2] eV, respectively, are almost twice the size predicted by theory.
Assessing Customer Satisfaction And Acceptance On Perishable Goods In The Telepresent Environments

Customer satisfaction and willingness to purchase a product in the telepresent environment varies based on how attributes of the products are easily determined. Considering the impact of the telepresent, this study explored factors that affect customer satisfaction and willingness to adopt perishable goods. This study also considered customer satisfaction and willingness to purchase products based on their previous experiences with online or other interactive home shopping wherein they encountered limitations in delivery of certain features or product attributes. The purpose of this study is to examine factors that affect customer satisfaction and willingness to purchase perishable goods in the online environment and how experiences with sensory goods (besides perishable goods) from online and other interactive home shopping channels affect satisfaction and willingness to purchase perishable goods. Surveys were conducted and statistical analyses, such as factor, regression, ANOVA, and ANCOVA, were applied to investigate the findings. Further, this study provides managerial and theoretical implications and offers suggestions for e-businesses.
Corporate Governance and Financial Performance: A Study of German and Uk Initial Public Offerings

This book presents a new original study of the German and UK financial markets. It addresses the relationship between corporate governance, ownership and financial performance in German and UK firms floated during the 1980s. The author uses detailed company micro-data to examine the ownership and performance of each firm from the time of its flotation to six years later. He finds that the evolution of ownership depends on certain corporate characteristics and that differences in financial performance cannot be explained simply by differences in the concentration of ownership. The book sheds new light on the important issue of whether corporate ownership influences or is influenced by financial performance. The main findings of the book have important implications for public policy and the current public debate on corporate governance and the globalization of financial markets. They are important for established financial markets and the transitional economies of Eastern and Central Europe as well as for international scholars interested in issues of corporate governance and the performance of firms.
Single gene for the large subunit of ribulosebisphosphate carboxylase in maize yields two differentially regulated mRNAs.

A second mRNA coding for the large subunit of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase [3-phospho-D-glycerate carboxylase (dimerizing), EC 4.1. 1.39] has been found in the plastids of maize leaves. The 5' terminus of this mRNA was shown by S1 nuclease analysis to be 238 nucleotides upstream of the previously described large subunit mRNA [McIntosh, L. , Poulsen, C. & Bogorad, L. (1980) Nature (London) 288, 556-560]. The same two mRNAs were produced in a homologous in vitro transcription system using cloned plastid DNA as a template. The ratio of the two mRNAs changes during light-induced plastid development and can be altered in the in vitro system by manipulation of transcription conditions.
The Effect of Financial Constraint on Shareholder Taxes and Firm Investments

We demonstrate that firms' investment and job creation are influenced by shareholder taxes on capital gains and dividend. More importantly, the relation between shareholder taxes and firms' investment and job creation varies with financial constraint that firms face. Less financially constrained firms show larger increases in capital investment than more financially constrained firms in association with shareholder tax cut. For job creation, while non-financially constrained firms show increases in firms' number of employees when shareholder tax rates are cut, severely financially constrained firms exhibit decreases in firms' number of employees. Using the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 and the Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003 as our events of study, we find evidence supporting our predictions. Further, we show that the effect of shareholder tax change on firms' capital investment also varies with firms' dividend yield.
Parasite immune evasion and exploitation: reflections and projections

Recent developments in parasite immune evasion and exploitation are reviewed with special reference to the papers presented in this volume. Parasites, broadly defined, of animals with good immune responses have evolved many strategies that adapt them to survive and reproduce. These strategies may be passive, or may involve active intervention with host immune regulation, and can be categorized as immune evasion, immune exploitation and molecular piracy. The concept of immune evasion began with Paul Ehrlich's demonstration of antigenic variation in African trypanosomes and was reinforced by later ideas on molecular mimicry. Molecular mimicry is updated in the light of recent discoveries about degeneracy and plasticity of TCR/MHC-peptide recognition. Possible connections between two of its postulated consequences, evasion and autoimmunity, are discussed. Another putative consequence of molecular mimicry, host antigenic polymorphism, is also updated. The concept of exploitation of host immune responses by parasites has been reinforced by new data on its first known examples, especially the immune dependence of schistosome egg excretion. Newer examples include use of host cytokines as parasite growth factors, virokines, viroreceptors and helminth pseudocytokines. Finally, questions of host gene capture by viruses and possible horizontal gene transfer between host and parasite mediated by retroviruses are examined. The latter is compared with molecular conservation as a source of molecular mimicry and other aspects of host–parasite coevolution.
Wireless Channel Modeling Perspectives for Ultra-Reliable Low Latency Communications

Ultra-Reliable Low Latency Communication (URLLC) is one of the distinctive features of the upcoming 5G wireless communication, going down to packet error rates (PER) of $10^{-9}$. In this paper we discuss the statistical properties of the wireless channel models that are relevant for characterization of the lower tail of the Cumulative Distribution Function (CDF). We show that, for a wide range of channel models, the outage probability at URLLC levels can be approximated by a simple power law expression, whose exponent and offset depend on the actual channel model. The main insights from the analysis can be summarized as follows: (1) the two-wave model and the impact of shadowing in combined models lead to pessimistic predictions of the fading in the URLLC region; (2) the CDFs of models that contain single cluster diffuse components have slopes that correspond to the slope of a Rayleigh fading, and (3) multi-cluster diffuse components can result in different slopes. We apply our power law approximation results to analyze the performance of receiver diversity schemes for URLLC-relevant statistics and obtain a new simplified expression for Maximum Ratio Combining (MRC) in channels with power law tail statistics.
Understanding business customer value in a retail environment: a scale development study

Our study has two primary objectives. First, we intend to contribute to the understanding of critical success factors retailers need to consider when aiming for the growing target group of business customers. To this end, we develop a new scale for measuring business customer value in a retail environment, based on a literature review and in-depth interviews with scholars and decision-makers from retail, wholesale and market research in Germany, Switzerland and the UK. Second, we examine the relative importance of the dimensions of business customer value through a combination of statistical techniques, such as exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis. We determine that business customer value should be measured along seven dimensions. In descending order of relative importance, these are: conditional value, value of business services, value of personal care, value of assortment quality, value for money, value of assortment size and variety and emotional value. Retailers from different branches of trade, such as food, DIY, electronics or office supplies, are provided with strategic guidelines that will help attract business customers.