Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Enterovirus 71 Infection of Human Immune Cells Induces the Production of Proinflammatory Cytokines

A proinflammatory cytokine storm has been proposed to explain the pathogenesis of enterovirus 71 (EV71)-induced fatalities; however, the mechanism to induce these cytokines during EV71 infection remains unclear. Since most of the proinflammatory cytokines are produced by immune cells, we tested whether EV71 infects human immune cells and induces cytokine production. EV71 infection of a human T cell line (Jurkat), macrophage cell line (THP-1), and freshly isolated human peripheral blood mononuclear cells was demonstrated using RT-PCR and immunofluorescence assays in vitro. In addition, live but not UV-inactivated EV71 increased the secretion of two proinflammatory cytokines, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) by immune cells, which was inhibited in the presence of actinomycin D. RT-PCR further confirmed that EV71 infection of immune cells triggered the de novo synthesis of MIF mRNA. Therefore, our results suggest that the production of TNF-α and MIF induced by EV71 infection of immune cells may contribute to the proinflammatory cytokine storm during EV71 infection.
Fiscal Policy and Macroeconomic Stability in South Asian Countries

The objective of this study is to examine relationship between fiscal policy and macroeconomic stability in South Asian countries. The study also aimed to find the channels through which fiscal policy leads to macroeconomic stability i.e. automatic stabilizers, discretionary fiscal policy and cyclical fiscal policy. For attaining these objectives the study used data from 1990 to 2014. The study used Pooled OLS and Instrumental Variable Least Square methodology. Results indicate that automatic stabilizers and discretionary fiscal policy have destabilizing impact on economy which leads to decrease in economic growth of developing economies. Cyclical policy plays an important role in stabilizing the economy and growth of a country. The study concluded that automatic stabilizers and discretionary policy are weak in developing economies. Government should use cyclical policy for macroeconomic stability in developing countries.
A pr 2 01 8 On partial convolution and mean comparison

We prove mean comparison results from a different perspective, where we introduce the concept of partial convolutions. For a parabolic initial data problem on the whole domain of dimension n we consider data functions which live on a subspace of lower dimension k and coefficient functions which live on the whole space or some subspace of dimension l. The pair of natural numbers (k, l) is called a strong partial convolution pair if for some coordinate transformations the coefficients functions of the equation and the initial data functions live in complementary linear spaces of dimension k and l respectively. Here the qualification ’strong’ indicates that this transformation exists without any further restriction concerning the intersection of the original linear subspaces involved, and that refined concepts are possible in this respect. For purely second order parabolic equations we show that (1, n) for any n ≥ 2 is a strong partial convolution pair. As a consequence new criteria for convexity preservation for classes of initial value problems are obtained. A further consequence is mean comparison for univariate convex functions of a considerable class of sums of locally continuous martingales. We leave the problem of determination of all partial convolution pairs as an open problem. In the literature it is observed that (n, n) is not a strong partial convolution pair.
Wind Turbine Performance in Controlled Conditions: BEM Modeling and Comparison with Experimental Results

Predictions of the performance of operating wind turbines are challenging for many reasons including the unsteadiness of the wind and uncertainties in blade aerodynamic behaviour. In the current study an extended blade element momentum (BEM) program was developed to compute the rotor power of an existing 4.3 m diameter turbine and compare predictions with reported controlled experimental measurements. Beginning with basic blade geometry and the iterative computation of aerodynamic properties, the method integrated the BEM analysis into the program workflow ensuring that the power production by a blade element agreed with its lift and drag data at the same Reynolds number. The parametric study using the extended BEM algorithm revealed the close association of the power curve behaviour with the aerodynamic characteristics of the blade elements, the discretization of the aerodynamic span, and the dependence on Reynolds number when the blades were stalled. Transition prediction also affected overall performance, albeit to a lesser degree. Finally, to capture blade finite area effects, the tip loss model was adjusted depending on stall conditions. The experimental power curve for the HAWT of the current study was closely matched by the extended BEM simulation.
Determinants of innovation network performance : the case of selected SME focused networks in the agro-food sector

Innovation , defined as the successful exploitation of ideas into new products, new processes, new forms of organization and new markets (Lundvall 1995; Pittaway, Robertson et al. 2004), is widely recognized as being an important strategic tool for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to achieve competitive advantage (Gellynck and Kühne 2010). Innovation is traditionally viewed as taking place within a single enterprise (Lee, Park et al. 2010). However, since knowledge is increasingly getting specialized and distributed across organizations, the innovation process tends today to be located in the networks in which the enterprise is embedded (Powell, Koput et al. 1996). Through participating in networks, enterprises access to new technologies, know-how and resources, vital for developing innovations and hence sustainable growth, shorten innovation time, increase the flexibility of their operation, reduce transaction costs, enjoy economies of scale and share risk and uncertainty among network organizations (Powell, Koput et al. 1996; Kale, Singh et al. 2000; Hallikas, Karvonen et al. 2004; Lee, Park et al. 2010). In such a perspective, having access to well-performing networks is of utmost importance for enterprises, and especially for SMEs as they often lack the necessary resources and capabilities to successfully innovate by sole means of in-house activities (Nooteboom 1994; Narula 2004; Hausman 2005). However, it is recognized that not all networks are equally performing (e.g. Dyer and Nobeoka 2000). Network performance has therefore started to receive attention in literature (e.g. Beamon 1998). Still, studies on whether and under what circumstances networks perform well are scarce, especially these which have as a unit of analysis the network itself as opposed to the actors participating in the network (Provan, Fish et al. 2007; Kenis and Provan 2009; Lefebvre, Molnár et al. 2010). Moreover, the concept of network performance remains poorly defined as scholars generally focus on different conditions contributing to performance without defining or operationalizing the concept properly (Kenis and Provan 2009). Hence, the objective of this paper is two-fold. It aims at developing a framework to assess network performance at the network level and at analyzing its determinants.
ANALYSIS OF THE FACTORS INCREASING THE COMPETITIVENESS OF THE FOOD INDUSTRY ENTERPRISES RESULTS

The article presents a synthetic analysis of key factors influencing the competitiveness of enterprises of the food industry in Poland. Conclusions are the result of the study based on the analysis of 267 enterprises functioning in the food industry in Poland. It was found that in the period 2006-2011 the most important process influencing business was growing competitiveness in the market, followed by implementation of innovation and Poland membership in the European Union.
Herding Behaviour among Credit Rating Agencies

The aim of this paper is to identify the influence degree among the main rating agencies and the other variables that affect rating changes for sub-sovereign entities in Germany, Austria, Belgium, France, Italy and Spain, using a total of 32 territorial entities between 1996 and 2012. Due to the shortage of European sub-sovereigns with more than 2 ratings, we estimated six binary probit regressions as a combination of 3 rating agencies two to two. We conclude that Fitch is the most influential agency on the other two rating agencies, but Standard and Poor's is the leader. There are other relevant factors that explain the probability of change of rating but are less powerful with respect to the change of rating. Among the different specifications, the significant variables are almost always the same. Being a Spanish region, downgrades of country's rating, being a heavily indebted region or a weak budget performance, increase the probability of change of rating. Aging regions and rising unemployment or population growth rate also increase the likelihood of rating change. On the other hand, regions with high density, Level of Intergovernmental transfers to total revenue or Number of notches' changes by Moody's agency given for a specific region in a previous year, reduce the probability of change rating.
Smart Homes as Service Platforms for New Healthcare and Energy Services

Industry transformation and convergence create new possibilities, business opportunities and even new industries. Many factors can be identified as reasons for transformations in industry branches in international level. The change drivers include e.g. fast growth and development of international trade and growth, participation of very different countries with various cost levels in international change and trade, quick evolution of international logistics and tremendous changes in information change and transmission and fragmentation of value chains to value networks. Particularly in small countries the clusters have fragmented and even their parts have been unbundled to pieces in different counties as part of globalization.
Enrichment of phosphate on ferrous iron phases during bio-reduction of ferrihydrite

The reduction of less stable ferric hydroxides and formation of ferrous phases is critical for the fate of phosphorus in anaerobic soils and sediments. The interaction between ferrous iron and phosphate was investigated experimentally during the reduction of synthetic ferrihydrite with natural organic materials as carbon source. Ferrihydrite was readily reduced by dissimilatory iron reducing bacteria (DIRB) with between 52% and 73% Fe(III) converted to Fe(II) after 31 days, higher than without DIRB. Formation of ferrous phases was linearly coupled to almost complete removal of both aqueous and exchangeable phosphate. Simple model calculations based on the incubation data suggested ferrous phases bound phosphate with a molar ratio of Fe(II):P between 1.14 - 2.25 or a capacity of 246 - 485 mg·P·g-1 Fe(II). XRD analysis indicated that the ratio of Fe(II): P was responsible for the precipitation of vivianite (Fe3(PO4)2·8H2O), a dominant Fe(II) phosphate mineral in incubation systems. When the ratio of Fe(II):P was more than 1.5, the precipitation of Fe(II) phosphate was soundly crystallized to vivianite. Thus, reduction of ferric iron provides a mechanism for the further removal of available phosphate via the production of ferrous phases, with anaerobic soils and sediments potentially exhibiting a higher capacity to bind phosphate than some aerobic systems.
The Effects of Knowledge Management and Self-Organization on Organizational Creativity: The Mediating Roles of Corporate Innovativeness and Organizational Communication

Creativity and innovation are very important to achieve successful performance results in the organizations. Even there is a common view about the effects of the environment to increase creativity; there are limited studies about the institutions how to use corporate tools for this purpose. This study aims to determine the factors behind organizational creativity and evaluate the effects of these factors on organizational creativity within a model demonstrating structural relations. The rapid development of information and communication technologies have been changing the organizational structure, business and work methods, manager and employee profile, and in general work life, and have been bringing out new models particularly in communication in inside and outside the organization. Institutions aim to strengthen their employees with a positive approach by infusing them with concepts such as creativity, and flexibility and supporting them. In this study we examine the effects of these organizational predictors like knowledge management and self-organization on the employee creativity through innovativeness and communication. In our survey we used questionnaire method to the convenient sampled 227 employees in Turkey. Factor analysis towards findings and progressive intermediary variable tests are carried out by verifying different models. It was found that knowledge management and self-organization are effective on organizational creativity, but the most important factor determining organizational creativity is organizational communication followed by corporate innovativeness. We suggest the managers, in order to increase organizational creativity in their institutions; they should use knowledge management and corporate innovativeness effectively, so they can increase the efficiency of organizational communication.
A self-optimizing framework for developing metrology software on massive parallel processor architectures

Standard PC hardware rapidly increases in parallel computing power in form of multicore CPUs and general purpose GPUs. To take advantage of this situation it is necessary to create specialized code. This is a very time consuming and therefore an expensive task. One approach on solving this problem is the OpenCL (Open Computing Language) standard. It offers the possibility to run the same code on different hardware platforms. OpenCL provides code portability but not performance portability. This paper introduces the concept of a new developed self-optimizing parallel programming framework that addresses the issue of performance portability. This framework provides a set of algorithm building blocks. With the help of these building blocks a wide range of algorithms can be described, that work on oneor two-dimensional objects like images, vectors and matrices. The achieved performance is demonstrated with different algorithms on standard computer hardware platforms.
Identification and characterization of NOS1APc interacting proteins

viii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS AND SYMBOLS USED . ix ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. xii CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION.1 1.1 NITRIC OXIDE SYNTASE1 ADAPTOR PROTEIN: NOS1AP . 1 1.2 NOS1AP INTERACTING PARTNERS.4 1.2. 1 NOS1AP and nNOS interact . 4 1.2. 2 NOS1AP interacts with Dexras1 and nNOS to form a ternary complex . 4 1.2. 3 NOS1AP, Synapsin1 and nNOS form a ternary complex important in mediating nNOS localization.7 1.2. 4 NOS1AP associates with Scribble . 8 1.2. 5 NOS1AP interacts with Carboxypeptidase E . 12 1.2. 6 VANGL1 and NOS1AP associate through scribble.13 1.3 NOS1AP AND DISEASE.14 1.3. 1 NOS1AP in Schizophrenia . 15 1.3. 2 NOS1AP in Long-QT Syndrome . 16 1.3. 3 NOS1AP in Cardiomyocytes . 17 1.3. 4 NOS1AP in Skeletal Muscle.18 1.3. 5 NOS1AP in Inflammation . 20 1.4 NOS1APc . 20
Multiple addition, deletion and restriction theorems for hyperplane arrangements

In the study of free arrangements, the most useful result to construct/check free arrangements is the addition-deletion theorem in [J. Fac. Sci. Univ. Tokyo 27 (1980), 293–320]. Recently, the multiple version of the addition theorem was proved in [J. Eur. Math. Soc. 18 (2016), 1339–1348], called the multiple addition theorem (MAT), to prove the ideal-free theorem. The aim of this article is to give the deletion version of MAT, the multiple deletion theorem (MDT). Also, we can generalize MAT to get MAT2 from the viewpoint of our new proof. Moreover, we introduce the restriction version, a multiple restriction theorem (MRT). Applications of MAT2, including the combinatorial freeness of the extended Catalan arrangements, are given.
3D FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS FOR NON- ASYMMETRY STRUCTURE ANTENNA FOR MICROWAVE ABLATION THERAPY

This paper presents analysis of non-asymmetry antenna configuration for microwave ablation at 2450 MHz using three-dimensional finite element analyses. Treatment of hepatic cancer often requires removal or destruction. Using coaxial-slot antenna is opened slot at one-side of antenna. We study the characteristics of various slot size and various power for non-asymmetry structure antenna to observe temperature distributions and SAR. The results illustrate that the coaxial-slot non-asymmetry structure antenna can be used in microwave ablation for destruction of the cancer cell in the area closed to the very fragile tissue or blood vessel.
MODELLING OF THE ELECTRON CYCLOTRON RESONANCE HEATING AND CURRENT DRIVE IN THE T-15-MD TOKAMAK WITH GENRAY AND CQL3D CODES

The simulations of the ECRH and ECCD in T-15-MD tokamak are carried out with the ray-tracing code GENRAY and the kinetic Fokker—Planck code CQL3D for two formerly predicted regimes of tokamak operation, namely hybrid scenario with 12 MW auxiliary heating and 2 MA total plasma current, including inductive (Ohmic) current, and the steady-state scenario with 18 MW auxiliary heating and 1 MA fully non-inductive current. The results for 2D distribution of the ECRH power density and ECCD density in the tokamak poloidal cross-section on the flat-top stage of discharge are presented for various injections angles and EC wave modes. It is shown that for the ECCD in the hybrid scenario the injection of the Х2-wave from the LFS is more effective than injection of the Х1-wave from the HFS.
Leaf proteome analysis of wheat-rye translocation lines

Wheat-rye translocation lines were developed to produce a main crop resistant to biological and physical stress. Parental line of rye cv. “Chaupon” contains 2RL chromatin to harbor resistance genes for powdery mildew and leaf rust. In order to 2RL-derived rye proteins and 2RL-perbuted proteins in wheat-rye translocation lines, the gel-based proteomics employed with “Coker 797” (non2RL) and near isogenic line (stabilized 2RL). The leaf proteome was resolved on 2D-gel, and 216 spots were selected for mass spectrometry analysis by image analyzer. A total of 90 proteins with isoform (65 non-reductant proteins) were identified with the identification success rate of 42% using MALDI MS or MS/MS. The identified proteins were classified by functional annotation based on biological processes: carbohydrate metabolic process (11%), cellular amino acid metabolic process (6%), DNA integration / replication (3%), lipid metabolic process (3%), photosynthesis (23%), protein modification / biosynthesis (11%), response to stimulus (8%), transcription and translation (6%), transport (9%), unknown (12%), other biological processes (8%). A total of 24 proteins were differentially expressed between non-2RL and 2RL lines, in which �-glucosidase, in particular, originated from the chromosome 2RL of rye, was exclusively appeared in NIL. In addition, small Ras-related GTP binding-protein assigned to wheat was predominantly found in 2RL rye chromatin-possessing NIL. These results suggested that the acquired genetic traits obtained from rye 2RL enhance the resistance to biotic and abiotic stress such as Dehydration-induced protein; heat shock protein (HSP 26.6 and 26.6B) in wheat-rye translocation lines by altered the proteome expression.
TALN-UPF in Computational Lexicography

In this paper, we provide a survey of prominent work carried out in the intersection between Natural Language Processing (NLP) and Lexicography by the TALN Natural Language Processing group, at Pompeu Fabra University in Barcelona (Spain). First, we focus on Lexicography for NLP, i.e. taking advantage of lexicographic resources in tasks such as lexical semantics and lexical taxonomy learning. Second, we cover the area of NLP for Lexicography, where we tackle current and past projects where NLP techniques are applied to ease up the lexicographic process. This includes, generally, the automatic acquisition of lexicographic items such as textual definitions, hypernyms or collocations from naturally occurring text.
Do Business Cycles Trigger Corruption

In the economic literature, the nexus between economic growth and corruption is well covered, but there are only few empirical studies on cyclical variation of corruption. Gokcekus & Suzuki (2011) in one such study. It finds that transitory income and corruption vary in parallel, thus confirming the famous claim of Galbraith (1997) that embezzlement flourishes in business booms and withers in recessions. This paper tests the general validity of the finding by using a more extensive dataset. The results are conflicting: corruption is found to shrink with the increase in transitory income and vice versa. In other words, economic booms foster integrity, and recessions make corruption bloom.
Regional enrichment of predacious water beetles in temporary ponds at opposite east–west ends of the Palearctic

Regional and local species richness of temporary pond dytiscid water beetles were compared among three regions within the Palearctic: (1) Sweden in north west Europe, (2) Primorye and (3) Sakhalin Island in the Russian Far East. Both local and regional species richness were highest in Sweden and lowest in Sakhalin. Regional species richness was calculated from literature and collecting data for each region and for nested parts of regions. Local species richness was estimated from standardized net samples from fourteen or fifteen ponds in each region. Two different rarefaction techniques applied to the net‐sample data confirmed the observed interregional differences in species richness. Partial least square regression showed that pond area, depth and temperature affected local species richness positively in each region, whereas increasing shade and drought frequency had negative effects. Residuals from the regression analysis were positive in Sweden, negative in Sakhalin, and near zero in Primorye ponds. Consequently, the local species richness was related positively to regional species richness also when compensated for differences in the local pond environment. This was verified when pond species richness of each region was correlated with principal component scores representing a combination of pond area, depth and temperature. The species’ distributions among ponds displayed significantly nested patterns in Sweden and Sakhalin. However, species were significantly sorted along the pond area gradient only in Sweden. It is concluded that the observed interregional differences in local species richness are best explained by the accompanying gradient in regional species richness, lending support to the hypothesis of regional enrichment. Selected historical and ecological explanations for the observed differences in regional species richness are discussed.