Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Complementarity between internal knowledge creation and external knowledge sourcing in developing and least developed countries

In order to catch up with the technological frontier, firms in developing and least developed countries have been striving hard to promote technological advancement through internal R&D effort (make) as well as through external sourcing (buy). The adoption and learning process requires firms to set up effective strategies to catalyze the speed of their catching-up. This study uses the complementarity approach to investigate the relationships between in-house R&D and external technological sourcing. Our empirical evidences highlight the significant effects of external technological acquisition, particularly for firms in least developed countries. But complementarity appears only in the context where firms have a compatible level of technological capability.
Mapping Wolbachia distributions in the adult Drosophila brain

The maternally inherited bacterium Wolbachia infects the germline of most arthropod species. Using Drosophila simulans and D. melanogaster, we demonstrate that localization of Wolbachia to the fat bodies and adult brain is likely also a conserved feature of Wolbachia infection. Examination of three Wolbachia strains (WMel, WRiv, WPop) revealed that the bacteria preferentially concentrate in the central brain with low titres in the optic lobes. Distribution within regions of the central brain is largely determined by the Wolbachia strain, while the titre is influenced by both, the host species and the bacteria strain. In neurons of the central brain and ventral nerve cord, Wolbachia preferentially localizes to the neuronal cell bodies but not to axons. All examined Wolbachia strains are present intracellularly or in extracellular clusters, with the pathogenic WPop strain exhibiting the largest and most abundant clusters. We also discovered that 16 of 40 lines from the Drosophila Genetic Reference Panel are Wolbachia infected. Direct comparison of Wolbachia infected and cured lines from this panel reveals that differences in physiological traits (chill coma recovery, starvation, longevity) are partially due to host line influences. In addition, a tetracycline‐induced increase in Drosophila longevity was detected many generations after treatment.
A Parametric Computational Analysis Into Galvanic Coupling Intrabody Communication

Intrabody Communication (IBC) uses the human body tissues as transmission media for electrical signals to interconnect personal health devices in wireless body area networks. The main goal of this work is to conduct a computational analysis covering some bioelectric issues that still have not been fully explained, such as the modeling of skin-electrode impedance, the differences associated with the use of constant voltage, or current excitation modes, or the influence on attenuation of the subject's anthropometrical and bioelectric properties. With this aim, a computational finite element model has been developed, allowing the IBC channel attenuation as well as the electric field and current density through arm tissues to be computed as a function of these parameters. As a conclusion, this parametric analysis has in turn permitted us to disclose some knowledge about the causes and effects of the above-mentioned issues, thus, explaining and complementing previous results reported in the literature.
Scaling the Power Wall: A Path to Exascale

Modern scientific discovery is driven by an insatiable demand for computing performance. The HPC community is targeting development of supercomputers able to sustain 1 ExaFlops by the year 2020 and power consumption is the primary obstacle to achieving this goal. A combination of architectural improvements, circuit design, and manufacturing technologies must provide over a 20× improvement in energy efficiency. In this paper, we present some of the progress NVIDIA Research is making toward the design of Exascale systems by tailoring features to address the scaling challenges of performance and energy efficiency. We evaluate several architectural concepts for a set of HPC applications demonstrating expected energy efficiency improvements resulting from circuit and packaging innovations such as low-voltage SRAM, low-energy signalling, and on-package memory. Finally, we discuss the scaling of these features with respect to future process technologies and provide power and performance projections for our Exascale research architecture.
Beyond greed and grievance: feasibility and civil war

A key distinction among theories of civil war is between those that are built upon motivation and those that are built upon feasibility. We analyze a comprehensive global sample of civil wars for the period 1965-2004 and subject the results to a range of robustness tests. The data constitute a substantial advance on previous work. We find that variables that are close proxies for feasibility have powerful consequences for the risk of a civil war. Our results substantiate the ’feasibility hypothesis’ that where civil war is feasible it will occur without reference to motivation.
Properties of UV-curable screen printing inks containing oligolactide acrylates

This study was aimed at investigating the properties of UV-curable screen printing inks prepared from oligolactide acrylates. Those resultant inks were applied on substrates and cured by UV radiation. Then, properties of the cured ink films were evaluated and compared with a commercial acrylate ink. The degradation temperature of ink film was found at around 436°C. In addition, thus obtained films were glossy and transparent without yellowness. The weathering resistance of ink films tested by a Xenon test chamber for 500 h showed that ink films exhibited acceptable outdoor durability. Discoloration due to the degradation of lactide chain was observed, albeit color differences (∆E) were satisfactorily less than 1. When compared to a commercial polyester acrylate ink, the prepared inks exhibited comparable properties. As a result, these prepared inks are commercially possible for substituting non biodegradable commercial inks particularly outdoor applications.
Bribery in Voting Over Combinatorial Domains Is Easy

We investigate the computational complexity of finding optimal bribery schemes in voting domains where the candidate set is the Cartesian product of a set of variables and agents' preferences are represented as CP-nets. We show that, in most cases, the bribery problem is easy. This also holds for some cases of k-approval, where bribery is difficult in traditional domains.
Modeling Human Cytochrome P450 2D6 Metabolism and Drug-Drug Interaction by a Novel Panel of Knockout and Humanized Mouse Lines

The highly polymorphic human cytochrome P450 2D6 enzyme is involved in the metabolism of up to 25% of all marketed drugs and accounts for significant individual differences in response to CYP2D6 substrates. Because of the differences in the multiplicity and substrate specificity of CYP2D family members among species, it is difficult to predict pathways of human CYP2D6-dependent drug metabolism on the basis of animal studies. To create animal models that reflect the human situation more closely and that allow an in vivo assessment of the consequences of differential CYP2D6 drug metabolism, we have developed a novel straightforward approach to delete the entire murine Cyp2d gene cluster and replace it with allelic variants of human CYP2D6. By using this approach, we have generated mouse lines expressing the two frequent human protein isoforms CYP2D6.1 and CYP2D6.2 and an as yet undescribed variant of this enzyme, as well as a Cyp2d cluster knockout mouse. We demonstrate that the various transgenic mouse lines cover a wide spectrum of different human CYP2D6 metabolizer phenotypes. The novel humanization strategy described here provides a robust approach for the expression of different CYP2D6 allelic variants in transgenic mice and thus can help to evaluate potential CYP2D6-dependent interindividual differences in drug response in the context of personalized medicine.
Augmenting Audits

Audits are commonly carried out by facilities managers (FMs) to quantify the sustainability and performance of the buildings they manage, informing improvements to infrastructure for resource and cost savings, and assessing compliance with standards and legislation. The scope for what can be audited is limited by available infrastructure. In this article, we investigate the utility of a flexible sensor toolkit to enhance existing energy auditing practices. We present findings from a qualitative study with FM and student auditor participants from 3 organisations. Our study covers how these toolkits were used and integrated into auditing practices within these organisations, and the opportunities and issues for resource management that arose as a result. We conclude with design implications for toolkits to support sensor-augmented audits, make recommendations towards a deployment protocol for sensor toolkits used in this context, and develop broader considerations for how future standards and policies might be adapted to leverage this potential.
Effects of Cane Length and Diameter and Judgment Type on the Constant Error Ratio for Estimated Height in Blindfolded, Visually Impaired, and Sighted Participants

The purpose of this study was to assess the ability of blindfolded, visually impaired, and sighted individuals to estimate object height as a function of cane length, cane diameter, and judgment type. 48 undergraduate students (ages 20 to 23 years) were recruited to participate in the study. Participants were divided into low-vision, severely myopic, and normal-vision groups. Five stimulus heights were explored with three cane lengths, varying cane diameters, and judgment types. The participants were asked to estimate the stimulus height with or without reference to a standard block. Results showed that the constant error ratio for estimated height improved with decreasing cane length and comparative judgment. The findings were unclear regarding the effect of cane length on haptic perception of height. Implications were discussed for designing environments, such as stair heights, chairs, the magnitude of apertures, etc., for visually impaired individuals.
Sistema misto de madeira e concreto: uma abordagem numérico e experimental para altas temperaturas

RESUMO Este trabalho teve a finalidade de avaliar o perfil de temperatura em duas vigas mista de madeira e concreto com seção transversal T e sistema de conexão metálico submetida à altas temperaturas. O sistema de conexão, neste caso, foi efetuado por barras de aço comum, com 12,5 mm de diâmetro, igualmente espaçadas ao longo da interface madeira-concreto. A seção transversal T da viga foi composta por uma alma de madeira com dimensões 5 cm x 15 cm e mesa de concreto com 30 cm x 5 cm. Foi considerado para as vigas mistas um tempo de exposição ao fogo de 40 minutos. A simulação numérica foi realizada a partir da utilização do software ANSYS [1], versão 10.0. Os resultados das simulações numéricas foram comparados com os resultados experimentais de temperatura obtidos para as duas vigas mistas, as quais foram instrumentadas com termopares e submetidas à altas temperaturas em um forno horizontal de ensaios construído na EESC/USP para tal finalidade. Os resultados numéricos e experimentais apresentaram uma boa concordância neste caso. Como resultado, são apresentados os perfis de temperatura na seção transversal para vários tempos de aquecimento, assim como toda estratégia de modelagem numérica e os elementos finitos utilizados na determinação dos perfis de temperatura.
A comparative study of some of the mechanical properties of pine wood heat treated in vacuum, nitrogen, and air atmospheres

The use of heat treatment to modify wood using different treatment heat transfer media, such as nitrogen, vegetable oil, steam, and vacuum, is preferable in many respects to other methods that use chemical treatments. However, the results of the heat treatment differ based on the heat transfer media that are used. In this study, the thermal modification of black pine wood in vacuum, nitrogen, and air atmospheres was studied. The heat treatments were conducted at temperatures of 180 °C, 200 °C, and 220 °C. After the heat treatments, the density, mass loss, modulus of rupture, modulus of elasticity, and impact of bending of heat-treated black pine wood were determined. The results indicated that the density, modulus of rupture, and impact of bending decreased as the temperature increased. In addition, the greatest decrease in the mechanical properties of the wood occurred in the test samples that were treated in air. The vacuum atmosphere was least harmful to the mechanical properties of the wood, and the differences in the mechanical properties of the wood that were heat treated in vacuum and nitrogen were unnoticeable.
Improving the quality and effectiveness of computer-mediated instruction through usability evaluations

Brigham Young University's Center for Instructional Design (CID) creates online courses and multimedia instructional applications for university faculty. This paper asserts that including usability testing as a part of evaluation improves the quality and effectiveness of computer-mediated instruction. The paper describes the fundamental purpose and functions of usability testing, and also distinguishes between different forms of evaluation: accessibility, quality assurance (QA), usability and implementation. Through a detailed case study, we describe how usability testing improved the quality of a computer-based chemistry course and facilitated a clearer analysis of the learning effectiveness of this course.
Inter-Pregnancy Weight Change and the Risk of Recurrent Pregnancy Complications

Women with specific adverse pregnancy outcomes in their first pregnancy may be receptive to inter-pregnancy weight management guidance aimed at preventing these complications reoccurring in subsequent pregnancies. Thus the association between inter-pregnancy weight change and the risk of recurrent pregnancy complications at the second pregnancy was investigated in a retrospective cohort study of 24,520 women with their first-ever and second consecutive deliveries in Aberdeen using logistic regression. Compared with women who were weight stable, weight loss (>2BMI units) between pregnancies was associated with an increased risk of recurrent small for gestational age (SGA) birth and elective Cesarean-section, and was protective against recurrent pre-eclampsia, placental oversize and large for gestational age (LGA) birth. Conversely weight gain (>2BMI units) between pregnancies increased the risk of recurrent gestational hypertension, placental oversize and LGA birth and was protective against recurrent low placental weight and SGA birth. The relationships between weight gain, and placental and birth weight extremes were evident only in women with a healthy weight at first pregnancy (BMI<25units), while that between weight gain and the increased risk of recurrent gestational hypertension was largely independent of first pregnancy BMI. No relationship was detected between inter-pregnancy weight change and the risk of recurrent spontaneous preterm delivery, labour induction, instrumental delivery, emergency Cesarean-section or postpartum hemorrhage. Therefor inter-pregnancy weight change impacts the risk of recurrent hypertensive disorders, SGA and LGA birth and women with a prior history of these specific conditions may benefit from targeted nutritional advice to either lose or gain weight after their first pregnancy.
Antagonistic and Quantitative Assessment of Indigenous Lactic acid Bacteria in Different Varieties of Ogi against Gastrointestinal Pathogens

Introduction Ogi is a popular fermented cereal gruel consumed mainly in the western part of Nigeria. Traditionally, uncooked Ogi is normally administered to diarrhoea patients to reduce the frequency of stooling. This study was therefore undertaken to identify, quantify and determine the antimicrobial properties of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolated from Ogi. Methods The Ogi samples (Yellow, white, sorghum) were obtained from different market in Ibadan, Nigeria and Ogi control (cooked, uncooked and Omidun) were prepared with the viable counts of bacteria monitored over 5 days period. LAB were isolated from the varieties and identified by partial sequencing of 16S rRNA gene. The antimicrobial activities of the cell free supernatant (CFS) and the viable cells of the isolated LAB against Escherichia coli EC004, Salmonella sp. SS11, Shigella sp. SS10 were investigated by agar diffusion assay, agar overlay method, and coculture growth studies. Results Omidun had the highest LAB count while cooked ogi has the lowest LAB count. Weissella paramesenteroides , L. brevis, L. rossiae, L. fermentum, L. plantarum, Acetobacter pasteurianus, Paenibacillus sp. and Bacillus sp. were isolated from Ogi in this study. Large zone of inhibition (11≤x≤20) was observed with CFS against Salmonella sp. SS11 and Shigella sp. SS10 and also the overlay method. Coculture studies of Weissella paramesenteroides, Lactobacillus fermentum, and L. plantarum with Salmonella sp. SS11 showed a 5-8 log reduction of the pathogens' growth after 24 hours as compared with the control. Conclusion Ogi and its contents have antimicrobial properties against pathogenic organisms.
Low Complexity MIMO Detection based on Branch and Bound Algorithm

Maximum likelihood detection for MIMO systems can be formulated as an integer quadratic programming problem. In this paper, we introduce depth-first branch and bound algorithm with variable dichotomy into MIMO detection. More nodes may be pruned with this structure. At each stage of the branch and bound algorithm, active set algorithm is adopted to solve the dual box-constrained quadratic programming subproblem. Numerical results show that the complexity of MIMO detection based on branch and bound algorithm is very low, especially in low SNR and large constellations.
Synthesis and Analysis of Some Bis-Heterocyclic Compounds Containing Sulphur

A facile and convenient synthesis of a series of bisheterocycles 7a,b 10, 12 and 13a,b containing a thieno[2,3-b]thiophene base unit via the versatile, hitherto unreported 3-[3,4-dimethyl-5-(3-nitrilopropanoyl)thieno[2,3-b]thiophen-2-yl]-3-oxopropanenitrile (4) is described.
Concepts and controversies in the management of group B streptococcus during pregnancy.

BACKGROUND Group B beta-hemolytic streptococcus colonizes 20 percent of pregnant women. Intrapartum fetal colonization leads to invasive disease in 1 to 2 infants of every 1000 births in the United States, and has a mortality of approximately 6 percent. Several protocols using intrapartum chemoprophylaxis have been devised to improve management of the disease, but confusion continues about details and implementation. This review examined the clinical issues, current management protocols, and advantages and disadvantages of these protocols for group B streptococcus. METHODS We reviewed the literature and described the epidemiology, detection methods, risk factors, neonatal disease potential of group B streptococcus, and the historical development of management protocols. Two current alternatives, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists' risk-based protocol and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's screening-based protocol, are described and compared. RESULTS The risk-based protocol does not entail antepartum screening, but treats women with certain risk factors during labor. The screening-based protocol includes cultures at 35 to 37 weeks' gestation, and offers intrapartum prophylaxis to all women with positive cultures. Uncultured women with risk factors are treated. Both protocols involve high rates of intrapartum antibiotic use and both may significantly lower rates of neonatal group B streptococcus sepsis (screening-based more than risk-based for both). The risk-based approach is simpler than the screening-based approach. CONCLUSIONS Practitioners should select one of the two protocols and use it consistently. The differences in efficacy are small; a practitioner may not see a difference in outcomes over the course of his or her career, although more antibiotics will be administered using the screening-based approach.
Theory-of-mind in individuals with Alström syndrome is related to executive functions, and verbal ability

Objective: This study focuses on cognitive prerequisites for the development of theory-of-mind (ToM), the ability to impute mental states to self and others in young adults with Alström syndrome (AS). AS is a rare and quite recently described recessively inherited ciliopathic disorder which causes progressive sensorineural hearing loss and juvenile blindness, as well as many other organ dysfunctions. Two cognitive abilities were considered; Phonological working memory (WM) and executive functions (EF), both of importance in speech development. Methods: Ten individuals (18–37 years) diagnosed with AS, and 20 individuals with no known impairment matched for age, gender, and educational level participated. Sensory functions were measured. Information about motor functions and communicative skills was obtained from responses to a questionnaire. ToM was assessed using Happés strange stories, verbal ability by a vocabulary test, phonological WM by means of an auditory presented non-word serial recall task and EF by tests of updating and inhibition. Results: The AS group performed at a significantly lower level than the control group in both the ToM task and the EF tasks. A significant correlation was observed between recall of non-words and EF in the AS group. Updating, but not inhibition, correlated significantly with verbal ability, whereas both updating and inhibition were significantly related to the ability to initiate and sustain communication. Poorer performance in the ToM and EF tasks were related to language perseverance and motor mannerisms. Conclusion: The AS group displayed a delayed ToM as well as reduced phonological WM, EF, and verbal ability. A significant association between ToM and EF, suggests a compensatory role of EF. This association may reflect the importance of EF to perceive and process input from the social environment when the social interaction is challenged by dual sensory loss. We argue that limitations in EF capacity in individuals with AS, to some extent, may be related to early blindness and progressive hearing loss, but maybe also to gene specific abnormalities.
Universal Controller Module (UCoM) - component of a modular concept in robotic systems

At our institute we built a variety of robots. As these robots are quite different as well in size, shape and in actuation principle it would be very time consuming and inefficient to build a computer and hardware architecture especially tailored to the specific robot. In this paper it will be described how common aspects in robot control can be identified and how a modular software framework and a respective computer architecture can be mapped to modular components on the hardware side. A decentralized computer architecture based on embedded PC systems connected to local controller modules via CAN-bus was developed. The requirements and restrictions that led to the development of these controller modules and their associated power amplifier boards will be described.