Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Pathwise Fractional one Compartment Intra-Veinous Bolus Model

To extend the deterministic compartments pharmacokinetics models as diffusions seems not realistic on the biological side because the paths of these stochastic processes are not smooth enough. In order to extend the one compartment intra-veinous bolus models, this paper suggests to model the concentration process $C$ by a class of stochastic differential equations driven by a fractional Brownian motion of Hurst parameter belonging to $]1/2,1[$. The first part of the paper provides probabilistic and statistical results on the concentration process $C$: the distribution of $C$, a control of the uniform distance between $C$ and the solution of the associated ordinary differential equation, and consistent estimators of the elimination constant, of the Hurst parameter of the driving signal, and of the volatility constant. The second part of the paper provides applications of these theoretical results on simulated concentrations: a method to choose the parameters on small sets of observations, and simulations of the estimators of the elimination constant and of the Hurst parameter of the driving signal. The relationship between the quality of the estimations and the size/length of the sample is discussed.
A Evaluation Model of Speed Target Value Scheme for High-Speed Railway Based on Hybrid Decision-Making

In order to solve the technical problem of speed target value scheme comparison of high-speed railway, a comprehensive evaluation model based on hybrid multiple attribute decision-making is proposed. Firstly, a comprehensive evaluation index system, which includes five types of first-level indexes, such as adaptability, technical standards, operational effectiveness and so on, and their corresponding second-level indexes, is established. Then, the method of improved analytic hierarchy process—G1 is used to calculate the index weight. Through using the triangular fuzzy numbers to quantify the qualitative indexes and the principle of TOPSIS, the comprehensive superior degree of various railway station schemes is calculated to determine the best one. Finally, an example of the high-speed railway from Chengdu to Chongqing is used to illustrate its operation procedure. The results show that it basically solved the problem of qualitative and quantitative comprehensive evaluation, which proves that the comprehensive evaluation model has reference value when the high-speed railway speed target value scheme is chosen, and can provide a new way of thinking and means for the decision maker.
Research Effort, Functional Integration, and Environmental Action-Based Competitive Advantage: An Empirical Study

This paper seeks to make an empirical analysis of the degree to which the research effort andfunctional integration into the design of environmental activity account for a company’s environmental actionbasedcompetitive advantage. To do so, we have used a sample of 110 factories. It has been proven that bothfactors (the research effort and functional integration into the design of environmental activity) have a positiveinfluence on the factories’ environmental action-based competitive advantage. These outcomes are the main inthis paper and they have major implications for companies’ research policy. It proves that there is a newadvantage to the managerial effort dedicated to this area: this effort has a positive influence on the relationbetween a company’s environmental management and its environmental action-based competitive advantage.
Use of Computed Tomography to Detect Post-operative Changes After Lichtenstein Inguinal Hernia Repair

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of computed tomography to visualize the post-operative changes after Lichtenstein inguinal hernia repair. Methods: Patients with Lichtenstein inguinal hernia repair and post-operative computed tomography scans were included. There were 11 male patients with 14 hernias; the mean age was 63.9±9.2 years. Time interval between inguinal hernia repair and imaging was 186±70 days (median, 211 days). After multiplanar reformatting, images were reviewed with respect to the post-operative changes and visualization of anatomic structures that were found in the inguinal region. Results: The inferior epigastric artery and vein, inguinal ligament, spermatic cord, and pubic tubercle were clearly detected in all patients. Small fluid collections were observed only during early post-operative period in two patients (14.3%). Minimal thickening of the inguinal ligament with fatty streaks and completely normal appearance were present in eight (57%) and six (43%) inguinal regions, respectively. Conclusion: Multiplanar reformatting helps physicians in visualizing the inguinal anatomy in the patients with hernia after surgery. Lichtenstein inguinal hernia repair may be regarded as the gold standard technique for inguinal hernia repair because of the lack of any destructive anatomical changes.
1 EXAMINING THE STATE-CENTRIC UNSC FROM THE COSMOPOLITAN DEMOCRACY PERSPECTIVE 303935

A variety of reform proposals have been offered by scholars and politicians for the United Nations Security Council (SC), almost all of which have focused solely on state-based solutions. The current study considers that reforming the Council through such means would not alter its current state to any significant extent. The international legal order does not involve only nation-states, and state-based systems are not able autonomously to deal with new international problems such as global environmental issues, refugee flows and mass migration across borders in the post-Westphalian era. The current paper has thus developed a different approach to the issue of the reformation. It examines the SC and its critics. It first provides a critical evaluation of the SC critics. It then underlines hypocrisy problem of the Council by basing on Cosmopolitan Democracy (CD). It later discusses the democracy concept for the Council. It is finally concluded that a reform proposal for the Security Council must produce a non-state based solution. It is proposed that the Council must consider advancing access for new international legal actors.
Expression of the bacterial recA gene impairs genetic recombination and sporulation in a Saccharomyces cerevisiae diploid strain

The Escherichia coli RecA protein (RecAp) has been demonstrated to induce mutagenesis in yeast cells, although there is still little information on the role of the RecAp in yeast recombination events. We evaluated spontaneous and induced general recombination in vegetative and meiotic cells of the XS2316 strain of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae bearing the recA gene. We found that RecAp decreased reciprocal recombination, gene conversion and intrachromosomal recombination and promoted an increase in error-prone processes in both vegetative and meiotic cells, while its negative effect on meiotic recombination blocked ascospore formation.
Control of a Rotary Inverted Pendulum System Using Brain Emotional Learning Based Intelligent Controller

This study performs erection of a pendulum hanging at a free end of an arm by rotating the arm to the upright position. A mathematical model of a rotary inverted pendulum system (RIPS) is derived. A brain emotional learning based intelligent controller (BELBIC) is designed and used as a controller for swinging up and balancing the pendulum of the RIPS. In simulations performed in the study, a pendulum is initially inclined at 45° with respect to the upright position. A simulation is also performed for evaluating the adaptiveness of the designed BELBIC in the case of system variation. In addition, a simulation is performed for evaluating the robustness of the designed BELBIC against a disturbance in the control input.
Potential forEnergy Saving in Refining of Cellulase- Treated Kraft Pulp

The potential for saving energy in the refining of cellulose-treated kraft pulp has been investigated. Kraft pulp fibers were prepared from domestic mixed-wood species of hardwood. Two kinds of commercial enzymes, consisting of cellulase and xylanase, were considered for the modification of fiber properties during pulp processing and papermaking. With the simple enzyme treatment of cellulosic fibers, some important physical factors, such as freeness development and better dewatering ability, were improved remarkably without any loss in the mechanical strength of the paper. These features consequently result in a better potentials for electric voltage saving in the refining of cellulose-treated domestic unbleached kraft pulps, presumably attributable to internal swelling of the fiber cell wall after enzymatic treatment. Therefore, in this study, basic bio-refining techniques using commercial enzymes were designed experimentally for the futures production of enzymes and papermaking mill trials.
Enhanced Fluid Flow by Wavelike Excitation of a Micromechanical Bending Actuator

We present a study on a micromechanical bending actuator, which is intended for creating fluid flow by a fish-like, undulatory motion. This motion pattern describes an ascending wave traveling along the actuator and is capable to shed vortices into the surrounding fluid, forming a vortex wake. A segmented electrode at the top of the bending actuator enables the undulatory excitation. It turns out, that undulation creates slightly higher mass flow than resonant oscillations in the structure’s first eigenmode. At the same time, undulation needs less energy for generating equal mass flow, and, hence, is more efficient compared to resonant motion.
Conceptualising transformative undergraduate experiences: A phenomenographic exploration of students’ personal projects

Existing ways of understanding the transformative potential of students’ undergraduate experiences either focus solely on the formal educational elements of these experiences or present an overly static picture of students’ intentions in engaging in higher education. In this article we argue that the notion of ‘personal project’ offers a more flexible way of understanding what students are trying to gain from being at university. Based on a phenomenographic analysis of interviews with 31 students over the three years of their degrees, we examine how sociology students’ accounts of their personal projects develop over the three years of their degree programmes and how these relate to their accounts of their integration into their institutions and the development of their intellectual engagement with their discipline. We argue that students’ accounts of their personal projects are relatively stable over the course of their degrees but do not appear to shape the development of their intellectual engagement with their degree programme. What appears to be more significant is whether or not students understand their time at university as an educational experience. Based on this, we argue that the transformative elements of an undergraduate education lie in students developing their personal projects and intellectual engagement through the educational context that is offered at university.
Development and Technological Characterization of Multi-functional Aeronautical Coating From Lab-Scale to the Relevant Environment

Ice adhesion on critical aircraft surfaces is a serious potential hazard that runs the risk of causing accidents. Frozen contaminants cause rough and uneven surfaces which will disturb smooth air flow and greatly degrade the ability of the wing to generate lift and increasing drag. Amongst icing mitigation systems, passive anti-icing coatings represent a challenge to reduce the ice nucleation and growth, reducing the power consumption of the active de-icing systems and consequently the fuel consumption. In this work the advanced properties and effectiveness of the new multifunctional coating with ice-phobic and aesthetical properties are described. In particular advanced morphological characterizations based on Atomic Force Microscopy and Laser Scanning Microscopy measurements as well as subsequent Power Spectral Density analysis were performed to evaluate the surface roughness. Contact angle measurements were executed in order to determine the wettability and surface free energy as well as work of adhesion in flight conditions. In addition, dynamic analysis of the impact of single water droplets on the new multifunctional coating and the classical livery coating were performed in order to demonstrate the different physical behavior during the impingement. It was also demonstrated that the new multifunctional coating overcome the environmental test similarly to the commercial livery coating in accordance with the aeronautical specification. Finally, two NACA symmetric airfoils were design and developed using 3D printing technology. The surfaces were coated with a commercial coating in one case and with the new multifunctional coating in the other case. Both airfoils were tested in the Icing Wind Tunnel at different conditions in order to evaluate the effectiveness, in terms of reduction of accreted ice, of the new multifunctional coating respect to the commercial one. Tests demonstrated the reduction of accreted ice of 50% using the new multifunctional coating.
The Effect of Aerobic Interval Training and Massage Therapy on C-Reactive Protein and Cardiorespiratory Fitness in Cardiovascular Patients after Coronary Artery Bypass Graft

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of an 8 week period of aerobic interval training and massage therapy on changes in C-reactive protein (CRP) level and cardiorespiratory fitness in cardiovascular patients after coronary artery bypass graft. The study population consisted of patients who had undergone a coronary artery bypass graft and at least one month had passed since their surgery. 60 patients met the study inclusion criteria and were willing to cooperate; they were divided randomly into three groups (n = 20) as follows; interval, massage therapy and a control. Subjects in groups taking interval training and massage therapy were administered three sessions per week for eight weeks. 48 hours before and after eight weeks of exercise, subjects were measured for peak oxygen consumption and blood samples were taken. Results of the present study show that 8-week programs of regular exercise and massage therapy resulted in significant reduction of CRP of 42% and 25% respectively (P<0.05). Peak oxygen consumption values after eight weeks of regular exercise showed a significant increase (22% in interval exercise and 17% in massage therapy (P<0.05). In general, these findings show that 8-week programs of aerobic interval training and massage therapy significantly reduced serum CRP value and caused a significant increase in peak oxygen consumption in patients with coronary artery bypass graft. These changes can be effective for prevention of sudden death and cardiovascular problems after bypass surgery. Also, interval training was more effective on reducing CRP and increasing peak oxygen consumption than massage therapy.
Tailoring Representative Democracy to the European Union: Does the European Constitution Reduce the Democratic Deficit?

Even if the institutions of representative democracy that have developed in the nation-state context cannot be simply transposed to the European Union, for practical and normative reasons they do provide the main starting point for any reflection on the EU's 'democratic deficit'. This article draws upon the Constitution prepared by the Euro- pean Convention to reconstruct the concept of representative democracy in the EU. Drawing on the proposals put forward, it identifies two distinctive challenges that need to be overcome if the concept of representative democracy is to be successfully applied to the EU: the multilevel character of the polity and the shift of the centre of political gravity from legislative to executive politics. The article then examines the extent to which the institutional proposals contained in the Constitution go to meet these two challenges and also highlights some aspects in which these proposals fall short.
Molecular Mechanisms of Cardioprotective Actions of Tanshinones

Tanshinones are lipophilic compounds derived from Salvia miltiorrhiza (Danshen) that has been widely used to treat coronary heart diseases in China. The cardioprotective actions of tanshinones have been extensively studied in various models of myocardial infarction, cardiac ischemia reperfusion injury, cardiac hypertrophy, atherosclerosis, hypoxia, and cardiomyopathy. This review outlines the recent development in understanding the molecular mechanisms and signaling pathways involved in the cardioprotective actions of tanshinones, in particular on mitochondrial apoptosis, calcium, nitric oxide, ROS, TNF-α, PKC, PI3K/Akt, IKK/NF-κB, and TGF-β1/Smad mechanisms, which highlights the potential of these compounds as therapeutic agents for treating cardiovascular diseases.
The relationship between Inequality of Outcomes and Inequality of Opportunities in a high-inequality country: The case of Chile

Based on the methodology developed by Bourguignon, Melendez and Ferreira (2005) we explore the extent to which income inequality in Chile is associated with inequality of observed exogenous circumstances of origin, which shape individuals “opportunities” to pursue their chosen life plans. We find that equalizing a diverse set of observed circumstances of origin across individuals such as parents’ schooling and employment, household size and composition, ethnic background and features of the municipality of origin reduces the Gini coefficient in about 7-8 percentage points. About half of this effect is transmitted directly on earnings, while the remaining part through its indirect effect on the accumulation of schooling. Further results suggest that the influence of unobserved circumstances on income distribution may be limited, and hence aspects such as preferences, effort, luck, income shocks and income measurement errors may also be important factors behind income inequality, issue that awaits further research.
The mechanics of human sideways locomotion

The purpose of this thesis was to clarify the sideways gait pattern s and strategies to be adopted biomechanically. In the experiment of part II, I investigated the characteristics of sideways gait patterns at increasing speed on a treadmill. The times of foot contact and take-off were analyzed. At slow speeds, all of the subjects performed the walk-like pattern, which has double support phase and no flight phase. When the treadmill speed exceeded about 3.5 km/h, most subjects performed the gallop-like pattern, which has both double support phase and flight phase, while a few performed the run-like pattern, which has flight phase and no double support phase. It was revealed that at high speeds, gallop-like pattern, which is unfamiliar during forward locomotion was preferred. In the experiment of part III, subjects stepped sideways on a ground at different speeds. Using a 3D optical motion capture system, the centre of mass (COM) displacements were calculated. From COM displacements and the centre of pressure (COP) data, each limb extension speed was evaluated. Joint works were calculated by standard inverse dynamics equations . As a result, during the walk-like pattern, trailing limb acted as an inverted pendulum, which transformed from the gravitational potential energy to kinetic energy. On the other hand, leading limb acted as an inverted pendulum, which transformed kinetic energy to gravitational potential energy. During the gallop-like pattern, the trailing limb seemed dominantly extended and the leading limb flexed. However, attention to each joint, negative and positive work done at each ankle plantarflexion. These results suggest ed that the gallop-like pattern locally acted as spring-mass mechanism at each ankle.
Associations among fruit firmness, morphological traits and RAPD markers in the "firm" tomato mutant

The Santa Clara Cultivar is widely known in the tomato-producing region of Vicosa (MG). Recently, tomato plants from the same cultivar with changes in morphological traits and post-harvest fruit characteristics have been identified. The inheritance study and the allelism test carried out by Schuelter et al. (2002) determined that a recessive gene with pleiotropic effects modified the expression of morphological traits, such as the color of stigma and fruits and the early leaf senescence. This gene, present in the ‘firm’ mutant ( frm ), was mapped on the tomato chromosome 10 region - the same region of the lutescent-2 ( l-2 ) gene. However, the identification and location of the genes that increase the firmness of ‘firm’ mutant fruits remain unknown. Therefore, the objective of this study was to analyze the inheritance of morphological and firmness characteristics of fruits which were modified by the mutation using RAPD markers. Results demonstrated that the genomic region comprising the l-2 gene increases the fruit firmness, explaining from 6.27 to 25.09% the phenotypic variation for this trait along the 15 day-period of storage. However, the AQ16 747 and AS8 622 markers, mapped at 11.67 and 21.67 cM from the mutation frm, indicated that the further they were located from this region, the smaller proportion of the phenotypic variation they had. Thus, we can conclude that that the genomic region flanking the l-2 gene also increases fruit firmness in the ‘firm’ mutant, a trait that has never been associated with this gene.
Human capital and growth revisited: a microeconomic approach.

The positive effects of human capital on economic growth have long been recognized and tested, but mostly at the macroeconomic level, while limited emphasis has been placed on the microeconomic side. In this study we examine the impact of human capital on growth rates at the firm level. Using data from Greek manufacturing and panel data techniques, we estimate an empirical model where human capital appears as one of the independent variables. Our results suggest that, after controlling for other variables (including firm size, investment and efficiency), human capital has a positive and significant impact on the growth rate of firms.
A Novel Car-Following Control Model Combining Machine Learning and Kinematics Models for Automated Vehicles

The machine learning-based car-following models are widely adopted to control the longitudinal movements of automated vehicles, such as Google Car and Apple Car, by mimicking the human drivers’ car-following maneuver. However, like human drivers, the models easily produce unsafe maneuvers for automated vehicles and has low robustness, especially in uncommon situations. To improve the machine learning-based car-following models, this paper proposes to combine the machine learning models with the kinematics-based car-following models that can overcome the shortcomings of machine learning models, using an optimal combination prediction method, which is called the combination car-following model in the paper. The selected kinematics-based car-following model is the Gipps model that has an intrinsic crash-avoidance mechanism, and the used machine learning-based models are the Back-Propagation Neural Networks (BPNN) model and Random Forest (RF) model, producing the two CCF models, the Gipps-RF model and Gipps-BPNN model. The real vehicle trajectory data sets are applied to calibrate and validate the proposed models, and simulations are conducted to evaluate the model performances. The results display that the proposed CCF models can enhance safety level and robustness of the car-following control of automated vehicles. Both the two CCF models have better performance than the BPNN and RF car-following models in reducing congestion, stabilizing traffic, and avoiding crashes, especially the Gipps-BPNN model.