Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Estimating the effects of public subsidies on the performance of supported enterprises across firm sizes

Only a few studies consider heterogeneity in the effects of investment grants (subsidies) across firm size. Therefore, we investigate the effects of particular public policy on firm-level performance with a focus on firm size heterogeneity as an important determinant. We aim to investigate whether the larger-sized firms benefit from the direct financial assistance to a lesser extent when compared with micro- and small-sized firms. Specifically, we study the microeconomic effects of the Czech Operational Programme Enterprise and Innovation (OPEI) that was implemented during the period of 2007–13. Compared to previous studies, we work with a large firm-level dataset, consisting of 13,924 firms, of which 3,572 are supported firms (57% of beneficiaries of the OPEI programme). We implement the propensity score matching in combination with a difference in differences approach. We measure the overall financial performance of firms by using tangible fixed assets and their depreciation, sales, return on assets, and total factor productivity. While there are improvements in all evaluated indicators for microenterprises 2 years after the end of the programme, there are only minor positive effects of subsidies for larger enterprises.
Semantic Crowdsourcing of Soundscapes Heritage: A Mojo Model for Data-Driven Storytelling

The current paper focuses on the development of an enhanced Mobile Journalism (MoJo) model for soundscape heritage crowdsourcing, data-driven storytelling, and management in the era of big data and the semantic web. Soundscapes and environmental sound semantics have a great impact on cultural heritage, also affecting the quality of human life, from multiple perspectives. In this view, context- and location-aware mobile services can be combined with state-of-the-art machine and deep learning approaches to offer multilevel semantic analysis monitoring of sound-related heritage. The targeted utilities can offer new insights toward sustainable growth of both urban and rural areas. Much emphasis is also put on the multimodal preservation and auralization of special soundscape areas and open ancient theaters with remarkable acoustic behavior, representing important cultural artifacts. For this purpose, a pervasive computing architecture is deployed and investigated, utilizing both client- and cloud-wise semantic analysis services, to implement and evaluate the envisioned MoJo methodology. Elaborating on previous/baseline MoJo tools, research hypotheses and questions are stated and put to test as part of the human-centered application design and development process. In this setting, primary algorithmic backend services on sound semantics are implemented and thoroughly validated, providing a convincing proof of concept of the proposed model.
The Surgical Role in the Management of Persistent Coccygodynia in Adolescent and Pediatric Patients: A Retrospective Case Series

Background: Coccygodynia has been described as a disabling pain in the coccyx usually associated with sitting or with changing position from a sitting to a standing position. Pain may radiate to the sacrum, to the lumbar spine, or laterally to the buttocks. Treatment has rarely been studied in the adolescent population. Purposes/Questions: This study aimed to assess pain relief and satisfaction after partial or total coccygectomy in pediatric and adolescent patients suffering from coccygodynia that was resistant to conservative treatment. Methods: A retrospective, consecutive case series was performed to review the data from the hospital records of 29 patients who underwent partial or total coccygectomy from January 2016 to January 2020 in a university hospital setting. Patients suffered from coccygodynia resistant to conservative treatment. The study included 16 female (55%) and 13 male (45%) patients who ranged in age from 3 to 15 years. Patient records were assessed for postoperative complications, period of hospital stay, time to regain normal activity, postoperative pain improvement (using a 4-point Likert scale), and patients’ or parents’ satisfaction (using a 5-point questionnaire). Results: Total coccygectomy was performed in 19 patients and partial coccygectomy in 10 patients. Only 1 patient had a superficial infection after surgery. The length of hospital stay was 1.44 ± 0.97 days. Time to regain normal activity was 24.68 ± 4.32 days. Pain relief was excellent (complete pain relief) in 23 cases (79.3%) and good (relief of most pain but mild discomfort after prolonged sitting) in 6 cases (20.7%). There were no reports of fair (minimal or no pain relief) or poor (pain worse than before surgery) pain relief. In terms of patient or parent satisfaction, no one reported being “absolutely dissatisfied,” 1 person was “dissatisfied” (3.4%), 3 people were “neither dissatisfied nor satisfied” (10.4%), 9 were “satisfied” (31%), and 16 were “absolutely satisfied” (55.2%). Conclusion: This case series suggests that coccygectomy may be a feasible management option for pediatric and adolescent patients, with favorable outcomes including pain relief, patient or parent satisfaction, and early return to activity.
Scientific Production on Technological Cooperation Networks in Biotechnology sector

The present study aims to analyze scientific production about technological cooperation networks in biotechnology sector, based on bibliometrics network analysis. We used the Gephi software to identify groups of partnerships, proving that the cooperation relationship is a practice used, re-sulting technological development. Findings identify that in the path for new resources that com-plement skills and competences universities are an important player in this cooperative ecosystem, and The United States is a large hub, with an extensive network of global cooperation. A strong role of its researchers in the publication of scientific articles in cooperation is highlighted. This study contributes to the advancement of the discussion about cooperative networks, as well as to the development of policies aimed at the biotechnology sector advancements
Stability Control Mechanism of High-Stress Roadway Surrounding Rock by Roof Fracturing and Rock Mass Filling

Large deformation of roadway and coal bump failures have always been the focus in deep underground engineering. By considering the Lu’an mining district in China, the failure mode and stability improvement process of high-stress roadways were analysed with the field tests and numerical simulations. The field test results showed that a great amount of deformation and serious damage occurred in surrounding rocks during panel retreat due to the suspended roof. A novel approach employing roof fracturing and collapsed rock filling effect was adopted to maintain the roadway stability. A numerical model was established with the Universal Distinct Element Code (UDEC) to research the fracturing characteristics between the roadway and gob roofs and the stress change in the surrounding rock. The modelling results demonstrated that, without fracturing roof, the peak vertical stress of the coal pillar was 18.3 MPa and the peak vertical stress of the virgin coal rib was 15.6 MPa. The roadway was in a state of high stress. With fracturing roof, the peak vertical stress of coal pillar was 9.3 MPa and the peak vertical stress of virgin coal rib was 13.4 MPa. The fractured rock mass in the gob expanded in volume and provided supporting resistance to the overlying strata, which relieved stress concentrations in the coal pillar. Field measurement results indicated that the roadway large deformation was successfully resolved during excavation and panel retreat after implementing the novel approach, providing useful references for the application of this novel approach in similar coal mines.
Impact of Adenosine A2 Receptor Ligands on BCL2 Expression in Skeletal Muscle Cells

Background: Adenosine plays the role of regulating cell differentiation, proliferation, and apoptosis in various kinds of cells through the B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCL2) pathway. Objectives: Since anti-apoptotic (BCL2) expression plays a role in controlling apoptosis in some cell lines, this study was designed to investigate whether adenosine analogue, NECA (non-selective adenosine receptors agonist), selective adenosine A2B receptor antagonist, PSB 603, and a selective adenosine A2A receptor agonist, CG21680, affect BCL2-gene expression in the skeletal muscle cells of rats. The purpose of this investigation was to test the hypothesis that CG21680 treatment would significantly intensify BCL2 gene expression in rat skeletal muscle. Methods: Flasks measuring 25 cm2 were employed in culturing the rat L6 skeletal muscle cells. After treating these differential cells, the relative mRNA expression level for the BCL2 gene, at varying conditions of treatment, was measured using quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Results: From the qRT-PCR analysis results, it was concluded that BCL2 expression was markedly amplified after selective adenosine A2A receptor agonist, CGS21680 (p < 0.01) treatment. More prospective validation for the adenosine receptors’ contribution in modulating apoptosis by NECA was delivered by the outcomes from the combined pre-treatment of the cells with NECA and PSB 603. These outcomes show that when starved skeletal muscle cells are treated with a combination of NECA and 100 nM PSB 603, there was a substantial decrease in comparison to either treatment used on its own. Conclusions: This study’s results showed, for the first time, an increase in BCL2 gene expression within skeletal muscle after CGS21680 treatment. Hence, the prospective escalation in BCL2 protein expression might have a protective role to play against apoptosis and avert damage to the skeletal muscle.
Factors Hindering the Adoption of E-Marketing among Cable Manufacturers in Zambia, Based on Technology Acceptance Model (TAM)

The study was looking at establishing factors that are hindering the adoption of electronic marketing among cable manufacturers in Zambia based on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). The study first looked at the major challenges faced by cable manufacturing companies in developing countries in the adoption of e-commerce in marketing their products. The study then proposed a model through a web-based e-commerce web portal that could be adopted in order to address the challenges identified in the study. The study was based on three cable manufacturing companies. The three companies had a total population of 115 respondents which was used in our study. These were from the various departments (Marketing, IT and Management) within their respective organizations. Both qualitative and quantitative data was collected from respondents using a structured questionnaire. The questionnaire was generated based on the TAM conceptual model. The response rate was 47% giving 51 questionnaire responses from the three companies. The Chi-Square test of independence was used to analyze the data using SPSS software. The results showed that age has an influence on the perceived usefulness of technology. The test had an observed P-Value of 0.024 against the significance level of 0.05. The results further showed that frequent use of the internet has an influence on perceived ease of use of technology. An observed P-Value of 0.014 was recorded against the significant level of 0.05. The Chi Square test again recorded an observed P-Value of 0.03 against the significance level of 0.05, revealing that Internet knowledge has an influence on perceived security of E-marketing. It was therefore, concluded that level of education has no influence on perceived security of E-Marketing. Based on these results, an e-commerce prototype was developed as a web portal to help address the challenges of technology adoption in cable marketing by the three companies in the study.
Fast Frequency and Phase Lock of Grid-connected TGS Based on FIR Filter

The thermoelectric generation system (TGS) has many advantages such as clean, no mechanical vibration and high reliability. When TGS is connected to the power grid, it requires that the frequency and phase are same as the power grid. It will take a number of working periods for the response time under the traditional method. A frequency and phase lock method with FIR filter will be introduced in the paper. It is based on the Capture and EPWM module of TMS320F28335. The phase lock can be carried out in one period. And the working frequency of TMS320F28335 is 150MHZ. Therefore, the speed of the whole operation is fast. The experimental results show that the method is feasible.
Effects of Exogenous Microbial Agents on Soil Nutrient and Microbial Community Composition in Greenhouse-Derived Vegetable Straw Composts

Vegetable waste causes resource waste and environmental pollution, giving rise to the spread of harmful organisms and causing disease in normal vegetable cultivation. Random distribution of vegetable waste can increase the risk of non-point agricultural pollution and explore the feasibility of its resource utilization. This study was designed to evaluate the effects of different doses of exogenous microbial agents on soil microbial communities after in situ composting of cucumber straw on plots with biodegradable mulch films. The cucumber straw and chicken manure were used as the base materials, and the next generation sequencing was used to analyze changes in the microbiome following composting. The results demonstrate that the addition of exogenous microbial agents had prolonged the high-temperature duration, reduced the total organic carbon (TOC) content, and accelerated the decline in the C/N ratio, ensuring compost maturity and effectively shortening the composting time. The predominant bacterial phyla of the four treatment groups were Proteobacteria and Firmicutes; while among fungal phyla, these treatments decreased the relative abundance of Ascomycota. The treatment of 300 t/ha microbial agents significantly increased the richness and diversity of both the bacterial and fungal communities. Redundancy analysis suggested that soil total nitrogen (TN) content had a significant effect on the bacterial community, while TN content, pH, and temperature influenced the fungal community in these samples. Collectively, the treatment of 300 t/ha exogenous microbial agents improved the quality of composting and promoted microbiome diversity.
Generalized swarm intelligence algorithms with domain-specific heuristics

In recent years, hybrid approaches on population-based algorithms are more often applied in industrial settings. In this paper, we present the approach of a combination of universal, problem-free Swarm Intelligence (SI) algorithms with simple deterministic domain-specific heuristic algorithms. The approach focuses on improving efficiency by sharing the advantages of domain-specific heuristic and swarm algorithms. A heuristic algorithm helps take into account the specifics of the problem and effectively translate the positions of agents (particle, ant, bee) into the problem's solution. And a Swarm algorithm provides an increase in the adaptability and efficiency of the approach due to stochastic and self-organized properties. We demonstrate this approach on two non-trivial optimization tasks: scheduling problem and finding the minimum distance between 3D isomers.
Virtual Screening Based on QSAR and Molecular Docking of Possible Inhibitors Targeting Chagas CYP51

Chagas is a neglected tropical disease caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi with no effective treatment in all its forms. There is a need to find more effective therapeutic alternatives with reduced toxicity. In this contribution, multiple linear regression models were used to identify the molecular descriptors that best describe the inhibitory activity of 52 fenarimol analogues against Trypanosoma cruzi. The topological, physicochemical, thermodynamic, electronic, and charge descriptors were evaluated to cover a wide range of properties that frequently encode biological activity. A model with high predictive value was obtained based on geometrical descriptors and descriptors encoding hydrophobicity and London dispersion forces as necessary for the inhibition of Trypanosoma cruzi-CYP51. Docking methodology was implemented to evaluate molecular interactions in silico. The virtual screening results in this study can be used for rational design of new analogues with improved activity against Chagas disease.
Housing affordability and mental health in urban China: a cross-sectional study

Abstract The mental health implications of housing affordability have recently received research attentions in different countries. This study examines this issue in the context of urban China, where housing affordability has become one of the most pressing social issues and its health implications have aroused academic interests. We aim to enrich the literature by specifying the mental health implications of housing affordability for different population groups and geographical regions. We focus on homeowners living in urban China. Data from the 2016 Wave of the China Family Panel Studies are used for the study. Models are developed for the whole sample and for subsamples of different socioeconomic backgrounds or from different Chinese regions. We find that the mental health impacts of housing affordability are significantly different for different population groups. For examples, though males are in general mentally healthier than females, they are more likely to mentally suffer from housing unaffordability than females; unaffordable housing owners with non-agricultural Hukou are more likely to sacrifice mental health than those with agricultural Hukou, despite that the former are mentally healthier than the latter; housing unaffordability costs mental health for people living in the Western region, but not for those living in other regions of China. We argue that these group differences in the Chinese context may be attributed to a number of factors distinguishing China from other countries including the Hukou system and the large regional differences in social and economic development.
AGB and RGB stars in the dwarf irregular galaxy Leo A

Context. Leo A is a gas-rich dwarf irregular galaxy of low stellar mass located in the outskirts of the Local Group. It has an extended star formation history with stellar populations spanning a wide age range (∼0.01−10 Gyr). As Leo A is a well-isolated dwarf galaxy, it is a perfect target to study a galactic structure formed entirely by processes of self-induced star formation. Aims. Our aim is to study populations of the brightest asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars and red giant branch (RGB) stars over the entire extent of the Leo A galaxy. Methods. We analysed populations of AGB and RGB stars in the Leo A galaxy using multicolour photometry data obtained with the Subaru Suprime-Cam (B, V, R, I, Hα) and HST ACS (F475W, F814W) cameras. In order to separate the Milky Way and Leo A populations of red stars, we developed a photometric method that enabled us to study the spatial distribution of AGB and RGB stars within the Leo A galaxy. Results. We found a previously unknown sequence of 26 peculiar RGB stars which probably have a strong CN band in their spectra (∼380−390 nm). This conclusion is supported by the infrared CN spectral features observed in four of these stars with available spectra from the literature. Additionally, we present a catalogue of 32 luminous AGB stars and 3 candidate AGB stars. Twelve AGB stars (three of them might have dusty envelopes) from this sample are newly identified; the remaining 20 AGB stars were already presented in the literature based on near-infrared observations. By splitting the RGB sequence into blue and red parts, we revealed different spatial distributions of the two subsets, with the former being more centrally concentrated than the latter. Cross-identification with spectroscopic data available in the literature suggests that the bulk of blue and red RGB stars are, on average, similar in metallicity; however, the red RGB stars might have an excess of metal-deficient stars of [Fe/H] < −1.8. We also found that the distributions of luminous AGB and blue RGB stars have nearly equal scale lengths (0.′87 ± 0.′06 and 0.′89 ± 0.′09, respectively), indicating that they could belong to the same generation. This conclusion is strengthened by the similarities of the cumulative distributions of AGB and blue RGB stars, both showing more centrally concentrated populations compared to red RGB stars. There is also a prominent decline in the ratio of AGB to RGB stars with an increasing radius. These results suggest that the star-forming disk of Leo A is shrinking, which is in agreement with the outside-in star formation scenario of dwarf galaxy evolution.
Land Transportation Accessibility and Urbanization Spatial Pattern Based on Coupling Coordination—Taking Chengdu-Chongqing Urban Agglomeration as an Example

Urbanization and transportation network construction influence and restrict each other. To explore the interaction between transportation development and urbanization spatial pattern, take the Chengdu-Chongqing urban agglomeration as an example to discuss the evolution relationship between land transportation accessibility and urbanization spatial pattern based on coupling coordination measurement model. The results show that the spatial distribution of urbanization level has typical characteristics of “core-periphery”. Besides, the accessibility of all kinds of land transportation presents a pattern of “central agglomeration” and “axis expansion”. The coupling coordination degree of the land transportation accessibility and urbanization is generally higher, and the western region is better than that of the eastern area. Specifically, coupling coordination degree between urbanization and high-speed railway/ordinary railway accessibility is higher in the west and lower in the east, while it opposite between urbanization and highway/land transportation accessibility, which is higher in the east and lower in the west.
Experimental Investigation into Driver Behavior along Curved and Parallel Diverging Terminals of Exit Interchange Ramps

Current design manuals provide guidance on how to design exit ramps to facilitate driving operations and minimize the incidence of crashes. They also suggest that interchanges should be built along straight roadway sections. These criteria may prove ineffective in situations where there is no alternative to terminals being located along curved motorway segments. The paper investigates driving behavior along parallel deceleration curved terminals, with attention paid to the difference in impact between terminals having a curvature which is the same sign as the motorway segment (i.e., continue design), and those having an opposite curvature (i.e., reverse design). A driving simulation study was set up to collect longitudinal and transversal driver behavioral data in response to experimental factor variations. Forty-eight drivers were stratified on the basis of age and gender, and asked to drive along three randomly assigned circuits with off-ramps obtained by combining experimental factors such as motorway mainline curve radius (2 values), terminal length (3), curve direction (2), and traffic conditions (2). The motorway radius was found to be significant for drivers’ preferred speed when approaching the terminal. Terminal length and traffic volume do not have a significant impact on either longitudinal or transversal driver outputs. However, the effect of curve direction was found to be significant, notably for reverse terminals which do not compel drivers to select appropriate speeds and lane change positions. This terminal type can give rise to critical driving situations that should be considered at the design stage to facilitate the adoption of appropriate safety countermeasures.