Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
IMPLEMENTING WASTEWATER TREATMENT PROJECTS THROUGH BUILD–OPERATE–TRANSFER CONTRACTS

This paper focuses on the initial assessment of wastewater treatment (WT) projects through Public Private Partnerships (PPPs). Due to the fact that the initial investment of a PPP-type WT project is too high and can be fi nanced by both the public and private sectors, crucial during the project’s feasibility stage is to estimate the partners’ funding rates. Herein, the fi nancial analysis that is included in the cost benefi t analysis methodology as well as the quantitative value for money assessment method are used, in order to introduce a new process that estimates the funding ratios of the partners. Specifi cally, the process calculates the upper and lower boundaries of the public and private sectors’ funding ratios in the initial investment, which include all the funding scenarios that are profi table for both partners. It applies mostly in the WT projects that are considered to be implemented through the build–operate–transfer contract type, which is probably the most commonly used type in PPPs. The new process is used in a WT project case study, in which alternative funding scenarios of the initial investment are examined and two specifi c funding scenarios are distinguished, which include all the possible funding ratio values by the public and the private parts. The process that is presented here can be a useful tool to decision makers, because it helps them to evaluate different funding scenarios of the initial investment and to select the most suitable in each case option, that will be profi table for both partners.
Remotely testable setup of soft CPU with cryptographic TRNG coprocessor extension embedded into Altera FPGA

Proposed setup provides complete design for remote testing of custom configurable TRNG coprocessor. The coprocessor is connected to the standard Altera Nios soft CPU embedded into Altera Cyclone III FPGA. Parameterized TRNG design is provided in VHDL and its main design parameters can be modified by end user. Nios CPU software evaluates online quality of generated random bit stream by using standard FIPS140 statistical tests. Complete design uses Nios II Cyclone III embedded evaluation kit board and additional configuration, debug and monitoring interfaces prepared for remotely accessible infrastructure of new European Digital Virtual Design (eDiViDe) project infrastructure. Proposed setup and eDiViDe infrastructure enable remote evaluation and testing of proposed complete demonstration of TRNG design. Moreover, the end user can use provided infrastructure and remotely test even its own TRNG design submitted in VHDL code.
Range-based localization in underwater wireless sensor networks using deep neural network: poster abstract

In underwater wireless sensor networks (USWNs), localizing unknown nodes is essential for most applications while is more complex than that of terrestrial WSNs. In this paper, we propose a range-based localization scheme using deep neural network (DNN). Numerical results suggest that the proposed DNN localization algorithm outperforms traditional schemes using least squares support vector machines (LS-SVM) or generalized least squares (GLS) in terms of localization accuracy and efficiency. Moreover, the proposed algorithm requires a small number of anchor nodes, which is plausible for practical applications.
The Dual Stickiness Model and Inflation Dynamics in Spain

We estimate a model that integrates sticky prices and sticky information using Spanish data following Dupor et. al (2008). The model yields three empircal facts: a-) the frequency of price changes (around one year), b-) the firm's report that sticky information is no too important for nominal rigidities and c-) the inflation's persistence, the latter with more microfoundations than the Hybrid Model. We found that both types of stickiness are present in Spain, but the most important is the stickiness in prices.
Effect of Haptic Assistance on Learning Vehicle Reverse Parking Skills

Compared to conventional visual- and auditory-based assisted driving technologies, haptic modality promises to be more effective and less disturbing assistance to the driver. However, in most previous studies, haptic assistance systems were evaluated from safety and stability viewpoints. Moreover, the effect of haptic assistance on human driving behavior has not been sufficiently discussed. In this paper, we introduce an assisted driving method based on haptic assistance for driver training in reverse parking, which is considered as an uncertain factor in conventional assisted driving systems. The proposed system assists the driver by applying a torque on the steering wheel to guide proper and well-timed steering. To design the appropriate assistance method, we conducted a measurement experiment to determine the qualitative reverse parking driver characteristics. Based on the determined characteristics, we propose a haptic assistance calculation method that utilizes the receding horizon control algorithm. For a simulation environment to assess the proposed assistance method, we also developed a scaled car simulator comprising a 1/10 scaled robot car and an omnidirectional camera. We used the scaled car simulator to conduct comparative experiments on subjects, and observed that the driving skills of the assisted subjects were significantly better than those of the control subjects.
Modelling the determinants of international tourism demand to Australia

Prior to the recent Asian currency and economic crises, tourism from Asia had rapidly become Australia's major tourism export industry. Tourists from Singapore, which is Australia's fifth major market, represented 6% of international tourist arrivals to Australia in 1996. The average annual growth rate of tourist arrivals from Singapore of around 20% over 1990-96 far exceeded the 10.5% average annual percentage growth rate of all tourist arrivals to Australia over the same period (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 1997). Despite the Asian currency and economic crises in 1997-98, tourist arrivals to Australia from Singapore has continued to grow slowly. It is imperative from the tourism marketing SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis to consider the economic factors influencing international tourism demand for Australia by Singapore, and to undertake a primary competitor analysis of New Zealand. The purpose of the paper is to estimate the income, price and transportation cost elasticities of inbound tourism from Singapore to Australia using seasonally unadjusted quarterly data, to determine if Australia and New Zealand are substitute or complementary destinations for Singaporean tourists, and to examine issues such as nonstationarity, cointegration and spurious regressions.
A Characteristics-Mix Stabilized Finite Element Method for Variable Density Incompressible Navier-Stokes Equations

This paper describes a characteristics-mix finite element method for the computation of incompressible Navi-er-Stokes equations with variable density. We have introduced a mixed scheme which combines a characteristics finite element scheme for treating the mass conservation equation and a finite element method to deal with the momentum equation and the divergence free constraint. The proposed method has a lot of attractive computational properties: parameter-free, very flexible, and averting the difficulties caused by the original equations. The stability of the method is proved. Finally, several numerical experiments are given to show that this method is efficient for variable density incompressible flows problem.
A Frame-Parallel 2 Gpixel/s Video Decoder Chip for UHDTV and 3-DTV/FTV Applications

The first single-chip design that supports real-time H.264/Advanced Video Coding decoding of 8k (7680×4320) 60 frames/s is realized. It also supports multiview decoding for up to 32720p views or 161080p views. To significantly improve the throughput and reduce the memory bandwidth requirement, frame-level parallelism is exploited for the proposed design. First, a frame dependency protection scheme enables frame-parallel decoding, by reusing multiple replicas of an existing design. This results in a system throughput of 2 Gpixels/s, at least 3.75 times better than previous chips. Moreover, a reference window synchronization scheme and a 2-level hybrid caching structure are proposed to achieve 44% memory bandwidth reduction of motion compensation, by utilizing frame-level data reuse. The bandwidth reduction results in 22% Dynamic Random-Access Memory power saving of the whole decoder.
Ekstasis and the internet: liminality and computer-mediated communication

Anthropologist Victor Turner suggested that all social worlds are composed of two parallel, yet seemingly contrasting models: society as social structure and society as communitas. The relationships between these two basic elements of human social and cultural life are mediated by ephemeral experiences of liminality. Other major theoretical traditions also recognize these relationships, representing a distinct conceptual framework of direct significance to advancing understandings of the internet. The internet is a natural environment for liminality and ekstasis, a place where self and society must be made to exist in a process where both are translated into the conventions of the medium. Some people actively toy with these representations while others do not. However, in the final analysis these communicative dynamics are rooted in the liminal characteristics of the medium - not the motivations and intents of internet users themselves. Approaching the internet in this way stands in stark contrast to other latent conceptual orientations that are largely concerned with moral dynamics.
Patients at High Risk of Cerebrovascular Disease: The REACH Study

Cerebrovascular disease is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in developed countries. The identification of at-risk individuals is a high priority so that efficacious preventive measures can be implemented. Subjects with the highest risk of cerebrovascular diseases are those who already have had a stroke or a transient ischemic attack, and those with vascular disease in other territories, either in coronary or peripheral arteries. Other subjects at risk are those with cardiac disease, such as atrial fibrillation, those with hypertension, diabetes and smoking habit, as well as individuals with subclinical vascular disease. Although there is considerable evidence for the efficacy of preventive treatment in this population, the percentage of patients receiving optimum treatment is far from ideal. There is a need to implement strategies in the population directed towards increasing awareness of the need to establish healthy habits and adequate preventive pharmacological treatment that could reduce the incidence of this debilitating disease.
Cysteine, Glutathione, and Thiol Redox Balance in Astrocytes

This review discusses the current understanding of cysteine and glutathione redox balance in astrocytes. Particular emphasis is placed on the impact of oxidative stress and astrocyte activation on pathways that provide cysteine as a precursor for glutathione. The effect of the disruption of thiol-containing amino acid metabolism on the antioxidant capacity of astrocytes is also discussed.
The Next Thirty Years of International Relations Research

La reproduction ou représentation de cet article, notamment par photocopie, n'est autorisée que dans les limites des conditions générales d'utilisation du site ou, le cas échéant, des conditions générales de la licence souscrite par votre établissement. Toute autre reproduction ou représentation, en tout ou partie, sous quelque forme et de quelque manière que ce soit, est interdite sauf accord préalable et écrit de l'éditeur, en dehors des cas prévus par la législation en vigueur en France. Il est précisé que son stockage dans une base de données est également interdit.
Offering excess oocyte aspiration and vitrification to patients undergoing stimulated artificial insemination cycles can reduce the multiple pregnancy risk and accumulate oocytes for later use.

BACKGROUND The prevention of multiple pregnancies remains a major challenge in patients treated with ovarian stimulation prior to intrauterine insemination (IUI). The pilot study presented here investigates whether multiple pregnancies can be minimized by a microscopically confirmed aspiration of oocytes from supernumerary follicles immediately before intrauterine insemination and evaluates the benefit of concomitant excess oocyte cryopreservation for future use. METHODS Thirty-four aspirations of supernumerary follicles were performed immediately prior to IUI in 31 patients undergoing ovarian stimulation. sIUI was only performed if cumulus-oocyte complexes were microscopically observed in the aspirated follicular fluid. All collected mature excess oocytes were cryopreserved using the vitrification technique. RESULTS Only four sIUI procedures had to be cancelled due to failed oocyte retrieval or premature ovulation. IUI treatment resulted in a clinical pregnancy rate of 23.5% per cycle. All were singleton pregnancies. A total of 111 oocytes were cryopreserved. Patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) had an average of 6.07 oocytes vitrified, whereas patients without PCOS had 1.3 oocytes vitrified per cycle. CONCLUSION Microscopically confirmed collection of excess oocytes prior to stimulated IUI reduced cancellation rates, further reduced the risk for multiple pregnancy and may lead to future additional pregnancies because, based on current information, approximately 5% of the vitrified oocytes could potentially establish a pregnancy.
Context Matters: The Impact of Unit Leadership and Empowerment on Nurses' Organizational Commitment

Objective: The aim of this study was to test a multilevel model linking unit-level leader-member exchange quality and structural empowerment to nurses' psychological empowerment and organizational commitment at the individual level of analysis. Background: Few studies have examined the contextual effects of unit leadership on individual nurse outcomes. Workplace empowerment has been related to retention outcomes such as organizational commitment in several studies, but few have studied the impact of specific unit characteristics within which nurses work on these outcomes. Methods: We surveyed 3,156 nurses in 217 hospital units to test the multilevel model. Results: A multilevel path analysis revealed significant individual and contextual effects on nurses' organizational commitment. Both unit-level leader-member exchange quality and structural empowerment had significant direct effects on individual-level psychological empowerment and organizational commitment. Psychological empowerment mediated the relationship between core self-evaluations and organizational commitment at the individual level of analysis. Conclusions: The contextual effects of positive supervisor relationships and their influence on empowering working conditions at the unit level and, subsequently, nurses' organizational commitment highlight the importance of leadership for creating conditions that result in a committed nursing workforce.
Stockholder Distribution Decisions: Share Repurchases on Dividends?

In recent years, corporations have repurchased increasing amounts of their own common shares. The dollar value of repurchases increased from approximately $600 million in 1960 to $1.7 billion in 1964. To put these figures in better perspective, corporate repurchases were more than 50 percent of the net purchases of pension funds and twice the net purchases of mutual funds. From the viewpoint of the individual company, General Motors is a. striking example. Repurchases by General Motors accounted for over 20 percent of the total trading volume in that stock in 1963.
In Vivo Function of Desmosomes

Desmosomes are morphologically and biochemically defined cell‐cell junctions that are required for maintaining the mechanical integrity of skin and the heart in adult mammals. Furthermore, since mice with null mutations in desmosomal plaque proteins (plakoglobin and desmoplakin) die in utero, it is also evident that desmosomes are indispensable for normal embryonic development. This review focuses on the role of desmosomes in vivo. We will summarize the effects of mutations in desmosomal genes on pre‐ and post‐embryonic development of mouse and man and discuss recent findings relating to the specific role of desmosomal cadherins in skin differentiation and homeostasis.
Intimate Partner Aggression Reporting Concordance and Correlates of Agreement Among Men With Alcohol use Disorders and Their Female Partners

This study examined relationship aggression reporting concordance among 303 men with alcohol use disorders and their female partners enrolled in couples-based alcohol abuse treatment. Agreement for physical and psychological aggression was generally consistent with, or higher than, concordance rates reported among other populations. Men’s antisocial personality disorder characteristics were the strongest predictor of higher concordance for male- and female-perpetrated aggression. Higher alcohol problem severity, poorer relationship adjustment, and higher psychopathic personality features were associated with better concordance in some analyses. Women reported experiencing more physical aggression than men reported perpetrating, and women reported perpetrating more psychological aggression than men reported experiencing. Findings highlight the importance of obtaining aggression reports from both partners and the need for research investigating methods for improving concordance.
AUSTRIA 2020: The impact of medium-term global trends on the Austrian economy

This study quantifies possible impacts of medium-term structural changes in the global economy on the Austrian economy. Emphasis is placed on the effects of continued medium term growth in emerging markets, especially in Asia and Latin America, on the structure of the Austrian economy. The issues here include the identification of price effects (due to increased demand for raw materials) that can be expected, as well as how these may impact the commodity composition of both exports and imports. Underlying global trends also involve both investment patterns and total factor productivity trends at a more regional level, also impacting on the Austrian economy. Finally, these structural changes at the global level also lead to changes in household incomes and the cost of living in Austria, impacting on patterns of inequality in Austria at the household level.
Immune Activation Correlates Better Than HIV Plasma Viral Load with CD4 T‐Cell Decline During HIV Infection

Summary: This study addressed the role of T‐cell immune activation in determining HIV‐1 plasma viral load and CD4+ T‐cell blood levels during HIV‐1 infection. A decrease of blood CD4 levels and CD4/CD8 ratios and an increase of CD8 levels in both treated (n = 35) and untreated (n = 19) HIV‐positive individuals were more strongly correlated to immune activation (log percentage of HLA‐DR+CD3+ cells; R = ‐0.78, R = ‐0.77, and R = 0.58, respectively; p < .0001) than to CD4 T‐cell proliferation (log percentage of Ki‐67+CD4+ cells; R = ‐0.57 [p < .0001], R = ‐0.48 [p < .001], and R = 0.37 [p < .01], respectively) or to viral load (R = ‐0.36 [p < .01], R = ‐0.23 [p = .09], R = 0.13 [p = .35], respectively). Because almost half of the Ki‐67+CD4+ cells were also positive for CTLA‐4 (a marker for activated nonproliferating cells), the correlation of CD4 levels to Ki‐67 expression is only partially related to cell proliferation and more likely represents mainly immune activation of the cells without proliferation. Taken together, these results suggest that immune activation is the major determinant of CD4 decline and should therefore be considered central for the monitoring of HIV infection and its outcome after antiviral treatment.
Homeownership and neighborhood stability

Abstract A major objective of many neighborhood revitalization programs is to increase homeownership. Conventional wisdom holds that this is one of the best ways to stabilize areas in decline. This article questions convention by presenting a conceptual model of how homeownership rates might affect various indicators of neighborhood stability and by determining whether there is support for this model in the literature. The article also presents an original analysis of the relationship between homeownership rates and two measures of neighborhood stability. The literature review finds considerable support for an association between homeownership and both improved property maintenance and longer lengths of tenure. The analysis of census data similarly indicates less residential mobility and greater property value appreciation in areas with greater home‐ownership. Although initial values and citywide value changes appear to have much stronger effects on changes in property values than the tract home‐ownership.
Veterans, Organizational Skill and Ethnic Cleansing: Evidence from the Partition of South Asia

Can combat experience foster organizational skills that engender political collective action? We use the arbitrary assignment of troops to frontline combat in World War II to identify the effect of combat experience on two channels that change local ethnic composition and future political control: ethnic cleansing and co-ethnic immigration. During the Partition of South Asia in 1947, an environment where national borders were themselves endogenous to ethnic composition, we find that ethnically mixed districts whose veterans gained more combat experience exhibit greater co-ethnic immigration and ethnic cleansing. However, where ethnic groups had been in complementary economic roles or the minority received greater combat experience, there was relatively less minority ethnic cleansing. We interpret these results as reflecting the substitute roles of ethnic cleansing and co-ethnic immigration in altering local ethnic composition to gain political control and the role of combat experience in enhancing organizational skill that facilitates political collective action.
Fast-track program in laparoscopic liver surgery: Theory or fact?

AIM To analyze our results after the introduction of a fast-track (FT) program after laparoscopic liver surgery in our Hepatobiliarypancreatic Unit. METHODS All patients (43) undergoing laparoscopic liver surgery between March 2004 and March 2010 were included and divided into two consecutive groups: Control group (CG) from March 2004 until December 2006 with traditional perioperative cares (17 patients) and fast-track group (FTG) from January 2007 until March 2010 with FT program cares (26 patients). Primary endpoint was the influence of the program on the postoperative stay, the amount of re-admissions, morbidity and mortality. Secondarily we considered duration of surgery, use of drains, conversion to open surgery, intensive cares needs and transfusion. RESULTS Both groups were homogeneous in age and sex. No differences in technique, time of surgery or conversion to open surgery were found, but more malignant diseases were operated in the FTG, and then transfusions were higher in FTG. Readmissions and morbidity were similar in both groups, without mortality. Postoperative stay was similar, with a median of 3 for CG vs 2.5 for FTG. However, the 80.8% of patients from FTG left the hospital within the first 3 d after surgery (58.8% for CG). CONCLUSION The introduction of a FT program after laparoscopic liver surgery improves the recovery of patients without increasing complications or re-admissions, which leads to a reduction of the stay and costs.