Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Characterization of the 60 GHz channel in underground mining environment

This paper presents the first results at 60GHz of the path loss characterization in underground mining environment. The results are based on experimental data obtained during a measurement campaign using a frequency range from 60 to 62 GHz and a simple path loss model is used to characterize the large-scale fading of this type of environment.
New development of organizational commitment: A critical review (1960 - 2009)

This paper reviews the characteristics of main approaches to Organizational Commitment from the beginning of conception of Commitment in Becker (1960) till today, provides an overview of different eras and domains. Then discuss some new development of Organizational Commitment in commitment tendency or combined influence to organizational outcomes. This paper will argue some of thinking and ideas developed so far do provide the basic building blocks for suggesting a conceptualization that will attempt to clarify and to better represent the concept of organizational commitment. The advantages of suggested theory and its implications for the understanding of organizational commitment and future research on it are discussed. Key words: Continuous commitment, affective commitment, normative commitment, time-dimension, combined influence.
Visipaque is Isotonic to Human and Rat Blood Plasma

Even at its highest concentration, 320 mg I/ml, Visipaque – based on the nonionic dimer iodixanol – is isosmotic to blood plasma, whereas Omnipaque (300 mg I/ml) – based on the nonionic monomer iohexol – has an osmolality of about twice that of the plasma. However, the fact that a solution is isosmotic to plasma does not necessarily mean that it is isotonic to plasma. An isosmotic solution can still cause a net movement of water over the plasma membranes of, for example, erythrocytes and endothelial cells. Determination of the tonicity of Visipaque 320 mg I/ml and comparison with that of Omnipaque 300 mg I/ml and hypertonic NaCl have been performed. No change in the water content of human erythrocytes was seen after mixing whole blood 10:1 with either Visipaque 320 mg I/ml or 155 mM NaCl, whereas a significant decrease in water content occurred with Omnipaque 300 mg I/ml and 620 mM NaCl. No difference in the water content of rat erythrocytes was evident after mixing whole blood with Visipaque 320 mg I/ml or isotonic NaCl. However, as with human erythrocytes, a significant decrease in water content occurred after rat blood was mixed with Omnipaque 300 mg I/ml. In conclusion, Visipaque 320 mg I/ml does not cause any net movement of water over the human or the rat erythrocyte plasma membrane, i.e., Visipaque is isotonic to human and rat blood plasma.
Low frequency noise performance of gate-first and replacement metal gate CMOS technologies

Low frequency noise characterization is used to compare the quality and reliability of gate dielectric processed using both gate-first and gate-last or replacement metal gate integration schemes. The influence of different processing treatments will be studied, for both planar and FinFET devices, and the obtained results compared with the LF noise specifications of the International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors (ITRS).
Partial Depletion of CD69low‐expressing Natural Regulatory T Cells with the Anti‐CD25 Monoclonal Antibody PC61

The role CD4+ CD25+ regulatory T cells (Treg) play in modulating the immune response has been investigated extensively over recent years. Much of the work to date has used the activation marker CD25 to define, enrich and deplete Treg. However, the identification of FoxP3 as a definitive marker of Treg has allowed us to study the effect of monoclonal antibodies against CD25 on regulatory T‐cell populations. Recently, published data have indicated that Treg are inactivated, not depleted, through treatment with anti‐CD25 monoclonal antibody. Using FoxP3‐Green fluorescent protein reporter mice, we show that treatment with the CD25 MoAb PC61 depleted a subpop ulation of Treg. The depleted Treg population expressed low levels of the CD69 marker, indicating an inactive phenotype. In addition, PC61 treatment altered the function of the remaining regulatory T‐cell population, preventing their ability to modulate autoimmune diseases. Thus, our results have important implications with regard to interpreting experimental outcomes from in vivo anti‐CD25 treatments.
The Dynamics of Real Markets: Cattle in Southern Zimbabwe following Land Reform

Since 2000 there have been major changes in the agrarian economy in Zimbabwe. Extensive land redistribution and severe macro-economic instability have resulted in significant shifts in agricultural production and the functioning of markets, opening opportunities for some and closing options for others. This article focuses on cattle in Masvingo Province, identifying current patterns and dynamics and future challenges. Key to the analysis is an understanding of the social and political embeddedness of real markets and the relationship between the state and an increasingly informal, sometimes illegal, economy. The article traces the transformation of a formalized beef production and marketing system, organized around a relatively narrow group of players, to a more fragmented, diverse and complex system with a different — and potentially wider — scope and reach. It highlights a series of phases, from the technocratic order of the colonial era, and its replication in the period following Independence, to a new situation following land reform. Although there have recently been attempts to reinstate a particular order through price controls and other measures, this has had little impact. The result is a radically reshaped production and market system, which suggests very new political and social relationships for the livestock sector.
Regulation of mesangial cell hexokinase activity by PKC and the classic MAPK pathway

Robey, R. Brooks, Jianfei Ma, and Anna V. P. Santos. Regulation of mesangial cell hexokinase activity by PKC and the classic MAPK pathway. Am. J. Physiol. 277 (Renal Physiol. 46): F742–F749, 1999. —Phorbol esters increase glucose (Glc) uptake and utilization in a variety of cell types, and, in some cells, these changes have been attributed to increased Glc phosphorylation and better functional coupling of hexokinases (HKs) to facilitative Glc transporters. Phorbol esters are potent mesangial cell mitogens, but their effects on HK-catalyzed Glc phosphorylation and metabolism are unknown. When examined in murine mesangial cells, active, but not inactive, phorbol esters increased HK activity in a timeand dose-dependent manner. Maximal induction of HK activity at 12–24 h was accompanied by parallel increases in both Glc utilization and lactate production and was blocked by the specific MEK1/2 inhibitor PD-98059 (IC50 ,3 μM). This effect involved early activation of protein kinase C (PKC), MEK1/2, and ERK1/2, and the prolonged time course of subsequent HK induction was attributable, in part, to requirements for ongoing gene transcription and de novo protein synthesis. Mesangial cell HK activity thus exhibits novel regulatory behavior involving both PKC and classic MAPK pathway activation, suggesting specific mechanisms whereby PKC activation may influence Glc metabolism.
Intellectual capital and firm performance in Australia

Purpose – This study aims to examine the effect intellectual capital (IC) has on firm performance of Australian companies.Design/methodology/approach – Quantitative data are collected for Australian companies listed between 2004 and 2008. IC is measured using Pulic's value added intellectual coefficient (VAIC) and its components (human, structural and capital employed efficiencies (HCE, SCE, CEE)). Direct and moderating relationships between VAIC, HCE, SCE, and CEE and four measures of performance are statistically analysed.Findings – The results suggest that there is a direct relationship between VAIC and performance of Australian publicly listed firms, particularly with CEE and to a lesser extent with HCE. A positive relationship between HCE and SCE in the prior year and performance in the current year is also found. However evidence also suggests the possibility of an alternative moderating relationship between the IC components of HCE and SCE with physical and financial capital (CEE) which impacts on .
Phosphorylation of Stem-Loop Binding Protein (SLBP) on Two Threonines Triggers Degradation of SLBP, the Sole Cell Cycle-Regulated Factor Required for Regulation of Histone mRNA Processing, at the End of S Phase

ABSTRACT The replication-dependent histone mRNAs, the only eukaryotic mRNAs that do not have poly(A) tails, are present only in S-phase cells. Coordinate posttranscriptional regulation of histone mRNAs is mediated by the stem-loop at the 3′ end of histone mRNAs. The protein that binds the 3′ end of histone mRNA, stem-loop binding protein (SLBP), is required for histone pre-mRNA processing and is involved in multiple aspects of histone mRNA metabolism. SLBP is also regulated during the cell cycle, accumulating as cells enter S phase and being rapidly degraded as cells exit S phase. Mutation of any residues in a TTP sequence (amino acids 60 to 62) or mutation of a consensus cyclin binding site (amino acids 99 to 104) stabilizes SLBP in G2 and mitosis. These two threonines are phosphorylated in late S phase, as determined by mass spectrometry (MS) of purified SLBP from late S-phase cells, triggering SLBP degradation. Cells that express a stable SLBP still degrade histone mRNA at the end of S phase, demonstrating that degradation of SLBP is not required for histone mRNA degradation. Nuclear extracts from G1 and G2 cells are deficient in histone pre-mRNA processing, which is restored by addition of recombinant SLBP, indicating that SLBP is the only cell cycle-regulated factor required for histone pre-mRNA processing.
Information and Diversity of Analyst Opinion

Abstract This paper examines problems in the use of divergence of analyst opinion as a proxy for estimation risk in empirical studies of security returns and asset pricing models. We demonstrate that diversity of opinion can increase even though the amount of private information increases, and we show that diversity of opinion may overstate estimation risk if the capital market aggregates the information held by investors. We produce empirical results consistent with our conclusions. Specifically, we find that divergence of opinion can produce measures of estimation risk that are inconsistent with a received proxy for estimation risk and with observed common stock returns.
Stock Market Reactions and Formula One Performance

Due to the global financial crisis, the investments of car manufacturers are going to be revised as never before; especially this is the case for any kind of commitment in sport sponsoring. In Formula One on the one hand costs are exploding, on the other hand money becomes shortened. That is why it becomes interesting to know to what extent a manufacturer’s involvement in this sport is worth it. We use an event study methodology analyzing the stock market response after race performances from 2005 to 2007. Our main results: McLaren- Mercedes and Fiat-Ferrari generate positive abnormal returns after wins for DaimlerChrysler and Fiat, and significantly weaker abnormal returns after losses. Conversely, returns for Renault change in an opposite way.
Introduction: Interpreting the Transformation of Gender Inequalities in Southern Europe

This introduction identifies the main features of change (new patterns of gender equality) and continuity (legacies of traditional gender orders) in the labour market, the family, the welfare stare and in political participation. The authors reject foreign models of gender equality to assess the notion of change. Instead, they use a normative ideal-type, the Universal Care-giver Model, to which gender inequalities in different areas of southern European societies are compared. They conclude that the main requirements for approaching the Universal Care-giver Model are twofold: first, women have to renegotiate gender contracts within the family according to a more egalitarian gender division of labour; and, second, they have to push for the implementation of family-friendly policies (such as an employee- and family-oriented flexibility of working time)
Successfully Achieving Ambitious Goals in Government: An Empirical Analysis

Many senior government leaders who have attempted to achieve ambitious goals have been quite successful, though others (sometimes very visibly) have not succeeded. What do those who succeeded do differently? Is their success just a matter of luck? What (if anything) do the most successful public sector leaders have in common across agencies with very different missions? To explore these questions, the authors use a reputational approach to identify success, relying on independent experts to nominate leaders from the two most recent completed presidential administrations. In order to understand what successful leaders do differently, the authors also use a control group for comparison. The authors test a range of hypotheses based on the public management literature. Successful leaders do a number of things that control group members generally do not. Examples of these techniques are general good management techniques, including using a strategy planning process, using performance metrics, and working proactively to gain support from external stakeholders. By contrast, change management techniques, which we had expected to distinguish successful leaders, are also used by unsuccessful leaders. Thus, their use does not differentiate the successes.
Investigations on Power Allocation among Beams in Non-Orthogonal Access with Random Beamforming and Intra-Beam SIC for Cellular MIMO Downlink

We propose an enhancement to the power allocation among multiple beams in our previously reported non-orthogonal access with random beamforming and intra-beam successive interference canceller (SIC) for cellular multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) downlink. By equally allocating transmission power among multiple beams, the average user throughput within a cell can be enhanced due to the effective use of spatial multiplexing. The throughput of users at the cell edge may be improved by allocating non-equal transmission power among beams since the inter-beam interference is decreased and the received signal power is increased from the viewpoint of the main beam to which most of the transmission power is allocated. Aiming at further enhancement of the system efficiency and cell-edge user experience in our previous non-orthogonal access scheme, we propose coordinated frequency block-dependent inter-beam power allocation and inter-frequency block power allocation based on fractional frequency reuse (FFR) for inter-cell interference coordination. Based on simulation results, we show that the proposed power allocation method effectively enhances the tradeoff between the average and cell-edge user throughput.
Comparative analysis of classification based algorithms for diabetes diagnosis using iris images

Abstract Photo-diagnosis is always an intriguing area for the researchers, with the advancement of image processing and computer machine vision techniques it have become more reliable and popular in recent years. The objective of this paper is to study the change in the features of iris, particularly irregularities in the pigmentation of certain areas of the iris with respect to diabetic health of an individual. Apart from the point that iris recognition concentrates on the overall structure of the iris, diagnostic techniques emphasises the local variations in the particular area of iris. Pre-image processing techniques have been applied to extract iris and thereafter, region of interest from the extracted iris have been cropped out. In order to observe the changes in the tissue pigmentation of region of interest, statistical, texture textural and wavelet features have been extracted. At the end, a comparison of accuracies of five different classifiers has been presented to classify two subject groups of diabetic and non-diabetic. Best classification accuracy has been calculated as 89.66% by the random forest classifier. Results have been shown the effectiveness and diagnostic significance of the proposed methodology. Presented piece of work offers a novel systemic perspective of non-invasive and automatic diabetic diagnosis.
CREDIT AND WOMEN'S GROUP MEMBERSHIP IN SOUTH INDIA: TESTING MODELS OF INTRAHOUSEHOLD ALLOCATIVE BEHAVIOR

Abstract This article uses empirical data from the author's own South India household survey, which compares the impact of slightly diverging credit schemes upon selected indicators of allocative behavior to test the value added of an economic institutional approach for modeling intrahousehold allocation. It is argued that the income-pooling test and conventional neoclassical household models inadequately picture what happens within households as they start from the premise that behavior is built solely upon free agency. An alternative economic institutional approach is proposed and an expanded test framework is set out. Empirical research findings show that unveiling decision-making processes may indicate why individuals act as if they hold common preferences. The article suggests that changes in selected allocative outcomes occur mainly as a result of changes in underlying allocative processes and further demonstrates that membership in women's groups is one effective way of changing intrahousehold decision-making processes and outcomes.
Gender differences in safety issues during Fingolimod therapy: Evidence from a real‐life Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis cohort

Benefits and risks of new therapies in Multiple Sclerosis (MS) must be balanced carefully and tailored to patients. We aimed to describe our experience with Fingolimod (FTY), correlating demographics, clinical and hematological features of the Relapsing MS (RMS) cohort with the occurring Adverse Events (AEs).
Biologically Inspired Blind Quality Assessment of Tone-Mapped Images

Currently, many tone mapping operators (TMOs) have been provided to compress high dynamic range images to low dynamic range (LDR) images for visualizing them on the common displays. Since quality degradation is inevitably induced by compression, how to evaluate the obtained LDR images is indeed a headache problem. Until now, only a few full reference (FR) image quality assessment metrics have been proposed. However, they highly depend on reference image and neglect human visual system characteristics, hindering the practical applications. In this paper, we propose an effective blind quality assessment method of tone-mapped image without access to reference image. Inspired by that the performance of existing TMOs largely depend on the brightness and chromatic and structural properties of a scene, we evaluate the perceptual quality from the perspective of color information processing in the brain. Specifically, motivated by the physiological and psychological evidence, we simulate the responses of single-opponent (SO) and double-opponent (DO) cells, which play an important role in the processing of the color information. To represent the textural information, we extract three features from gray-level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM) calculated from SO responses. Meanwhile, both GLCM and local binary pattern descriptor are employed to extract texture and structure in the responses of DO cells. All these extracted features and associated subjective ratings are learned to reveal the connection between feature space and human opinion score. Extensive experiments demonstrate that the proposed method outperforms the state-of-the-art blind quality assessment methods and is comparable with the popular FR methods on two recently published tone-mapped image databases.
Dynamic Efficiency Estimation

The shadow cost approach is developed in the context of the dynamic duality model of intertemporal decision making to formulate theoretical and econometric models of dynamic efficiency. The dynamic efficiency model is applied to a panel of 72 U.S. major investor-owned electric utilities using fossil fuel–fired steam electric power generation over the period 1986–1999. The major results show that most electric utilities underutilized fuel relative to the aggregated labor and the maintenance input, and overutilized capital in production. States adopting a deregulation plan improve the performance of utilities in terms of the technical efficiency of variable inputs.
Oxidative stress among subjects with metabolic syndrome in Sokoto, North-Western Nigeria

Background: Oxidative stress is known to play a role in the pathophysiology of metabolic syndrome and its components. Racial differences may exist in the level of markers of oxidative stress and antioxidants in patients with metabolic syndrome. Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the oxidative stress and antioxidants status in subjects with metabolic syndrome in Sokoto, North-Western Nigeria. Methods: A cross-sectional community-based study was carried out. Two hundred subjects (96 males and 104 females) were recruited for the study using a multi-stage sampling technique. Demographic data were obtained from the participants. Evaluation of anthropometric variables, blood pressure, blood glucose levels, lipid profiles, plasma insulin levels, total antioxidant status, and oxidative stress markers was performed. Results: The subjects with metabolic syndrome had significantly higher malondialdehyde as compared to those without metabolic syndrome (236.4 [92.2] vs. 184 [63.2] nmol/l). The antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and catalase) were significantly lower in subjects with metabolic syndrome than in those without metabolic syndrome (11.3 [4.2] vs. 13.9 [4.1] U/ml, 160[42] vs. 220[32] U/ml, and 2.12 [0.2] vs. 2.42 [0.2] U/ml, respectively). Similarly, the antioxidant Vitamins (A, C, and E) levels were significantly lower in subjects with metabolic syndrome than in those without metabolic syndrome (7.1 [4.1] vs. 7.7 [4.2] μmol/L, 225 [55.3] vs. 227.6 [62.3] μmol/L, and 75.9 [13.9] vs. 82.8 [18.6] mg/dl, respectively). There was a positive correlation between components of metabolic syndrome and free radicals. Conclusion: Significantly increased oxidative stress and diminished antioxidant defenses were found among Nigerians with metabolic syndrome.
Dealing with Inherent Variability: The Difference Between Manufacturing and Service?

The debate about whether any difference exists between manufacturing and service operations is discussed. There is no difference per se between the two types of operation and that debate about differences between them is spurious. There are significant differences between operating systems which process materials and those which deal directly with customers. These differences are sufficient to require different treatment for material processing operations and customer processing operations. The similarities and differences between the two types of system are demonstrated, and strategies for managing customer processing operations are outlined. If an appropriate strategy is adopted, customer processing operations are very similar to material processing operations, but other strategies exist which make customer processing operations very different from material processing operations.
The reconstruction of a macroeconomic dataset for Uganda

This paper is an account of the re-construction of a macroeconomic dataset for Uganda. The sources of data, the splicing together of consumer price indices and interpolation of missing quarterly observations, the interpolation of quarterly GDP and the estimation of quarterly monetary GDY and GDE, are described. The resulting dataset (which is presented in an appendix) is then used to highlight the collapse in GDP, change in the structure of production and de-monetisation which resulted from insecurity, and more recent macroeconomic stability and re-monetisation. The final section of the paper discusses some of the time-series characteristics of the data.