Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Understanding Urban Development Processes: Integrating the Economic and the Social in Property Research

In their treatment of development, researchers in the property sector tend to adopt positivist methodologies which emphasise the application of rational decision-making techniques by utility-maximisers within a mainstream economics paradigm. While considerably increasing our understanding of the development process, such research offers a partial view of its subject from a particular perspective. Recently, alternative methodological and theoretical approaches have evolved which strive to understand the wider institutional context of the development process. The paper critically reflects on these institutionalist approaches in order to develop a research framework which blends economic and social analyses of property development processes. The paper draws upon (re)interpretations of the authors' recent research to address the following points. First, that the economic structuring of development is a product of and, in turn, affects social processes. This is illustrated by a consideration of the price mechanism in the property market. Secondly, that social structures and processes are as important as their economic equivalents in 'explaining' property development. This is addressed by a discussion of the ways in which recent shifts in the social organisation of the property sector are reframing the strategies of development actors, leading to new structures of property provision and use. The paper concludes by arguing for the need to develop an understanding of property development processes which combines a sensitivity to the economic and social framing of development strategies with a fine-grain treatment of the locally contingent social responses of property actors.
Flexible microstrip patch antenna designs for Bluetooth, IMT, WLAN and WiMAX applications

This paper demonstrates the performance analysis of four flexible Microstrip patch antenna designs. The antennas cover the frequency ranges from 2.4 GHz–2.5 GHz, 2.3 GHz–2.4 GHz, 2.4 GHz–2.484 GHz, 2.5 GHz–2.69 GHz suitable to be employed for Bluetooth, IMT, WLAN and WiMAX applications, respectively. The Flame Retardant (FR4) material has been employed as the substrate having dielectric constant of εr = 4.4 and loss tangent of 0.002. The flexible FR4 material as substrate has been sandwiched between a radiating copper patch and ground for different antenna designs to design a microstrip patch antennas. The proffered antennas performance has been analyzed in the terms of directivity (dBi), gain (dB), return loss (dB), half power beam width(degrees), input impedance (ohms) and VSWR. The ground planes of the antennas have been defected in order to enhance the return loss and cover the desired frequency range of antennas. The antenna has input impedance of 50 ohms to achieve the maximum power transfer and ensuring minimum reflection losses. The antennas have been simulated and designed using CST Microwave Studio 2016. The antennas have been fabricated and tested using E-5071C Network Analyzer and Anechoic Chamber. It has been observed that the practical results closely match with the simulated results.
Regulating Marriage and Cohabitation: Changing Family Values and Policies in Europe and North America - an Introductory Critique

The inspiration for this special issue came from our observation that the British and American approaches to family policy in general, and to marriage and cohabitation in particular, set them apart from their closest neighbors in Europe and North America, respectively. While certain demographic trends can be observed across the Western world, the response of Britain and the United States to such trends differs significantly from that of other jurisdictions in terms of family policy.
Benefits and Challenges to Strategic Planning in Public Institutions

Public institutions represent a major investment for a country. Their existence is externally justified and primarily aimed at improving the lives of citizens. Much hype has been made on increasing the accountability in government and public institutions. To achieve their goals with transparency to its constituency, an institution must think and act strategically. This requires the use of strategic planning models and frameworks; however, much of the research and empirical evidence lies with corporations. The purpose of this paper is to illustrate public institution characteristics and highlight areas where changes to corporate models are required. Benefits and challenges to public institution implementation will be discussed. Finally, the paper will argue for the need to focus more on research and collection of data on strategic planning initiatives worldwide. This would create a greater basin of tools for public institutions and avoid costly mistakes.
GeneVis - An interactive visualization tool for combining cross-discipline datasets within genetics

GeneVis is a web-based tool to visualize complementary data sets of different disciplines within the field of genetics. It overlays gene-cluster information, gene-interaction data and gene-disease association data by means of web-based interactive graph visualizations. This allows an intuitive and quick assessment of possible relations between the different datasets. By starting from a high-level graph abstraction based on gene clusters, which can be selected for detailed inspection at the gene-interaction level in a separate window, GeneVis circumvents the common visual clutter problem when using gene datasets with a high number of gene entries.
Seasonal Allergic Rhinitic and Normal Subjects Respond Differentially to Nasal Provocation with Acetic Acid Vapor

Individuals with seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR) showa more marked nasal obstructive response (increases in nasal airways resistance or NAR) after provocation with chlorine gas (Cl2) than do nonrhinitic (NR) controls. We were interested in learning whether similar differential respon-siveness was apparent after provocation with acetic acid vapor. Sixteen nonsmoking, nonasth-matic subjects, aged 21–63 yr, equally divided by gender and nasal allergy status, were enrolled in a single-blinded crossover study involving exposure to acetic acid (AA) vapor (15 ppm) or air for 15 min on separate days 1 wk apart. NAR was measured in triplicate before, immedi-ately post-, and 15 min postexposure, was normalized to baseline on a given exposure day, and was expressed as Net [NAR/baseline] after acetic acid versus control (air) exposure. After log transformation to achieve normality, the mean loge of Net [NAR/baseline] was 0.22 for SAR subjects and -0.11 for NR subjects immediately postexposure (p < .05); the corresponding values were 0.24 and -0.08, respectively, at 15 min postexposure (p < .05). Inhalation of acetic acid at the (NIOSH-recommended) short-term exposure limit of 15 ppm for 15 min produces differential nasal airflow obstruction among SAR versus NR subjects, with the former showing greater physiologic reactivity to this stimulus. This differential responsiveness is consistent with our previous findings with Cl2, indicating that there may be a generalized susceptibility factor associated with allergic rhinitis. The response occurs with slight subjective nasal irritation.
A review on switched reluctance machines for electric vehicles

Nowadays, switched reluctance machines (SRM) are gaining interest in the scientific community due to the advantages they offer. The SRM offers an overall efficiency similar to an induction motor of the same rating, since the friction and windage losses are comparable. Many researches have been done on SRMs, their related systems and challenges. This paper reviews the SRM structures, their advantages and disadvantages. Various SRM topologies are studied and their merits and limits are given. Additionally, the most common control strategies for SRM drives are categorized, which is followed by a summary of the researches on challenges in torque and vibration reduction.
Verso nuove politiche per la crescita europea: le infrastrutture

Verso nuove politiche per la crescita europea: le infrastrutture (di Robert Picciotto) - ABSTRACT: European leaders aim to turn the enlarged Union into the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world. But without major increases in infrastructure investments, dynamic growth the missing ingredient of the European model will not materialize. Given extraordinarily tight fiscal prospects, policy reform is imperative: (i) redeployment of resources from agricultural subsidies towards productive investment; (ii) selectivity and rigor in project screening; (iii) a larger role for the private sector and (iv) pricing policies designed to mobilize resources, manage demand and internalize environmental costs. Project funding should remain the instrument of choice for strategic infrastructure projects with regional integration features. Implementation performance must improve and, at country level, EU funding should be targeted to the poorest countries of the Union. Where policies and institutions are weak, EU funding should be conditional and channelled through well-designed programs that emphasize sector wide policy reforms, regional development and community- based initiatives.
Evaluation of parametric and non-parametric methods for power curve modelling of wind turbines

The growing applications of wind power systems and their essential roles in renewable energy production require development of accurate methods for their parameter identification such as the wind turbine power curves. This paper evaluates and compares the parametric and non-parametric approaches for power curve modelling of wind turbine which is a very complicated and nonlinear function of different mechanical, electrical and metrological input parameters. In fact achieving a complete model that can accurately describe the turbine output characteristic is very difficult. However, there are different modelling techniques that could lead to have a better estimation of turbine generation model. In this paper, four different algorithms for modelling the output power of wind turbines in form of two strategies using two case studies will be developed and the results of different models will be compared.
Bringing business clusters into the mainstream of economic development

Abstract Business clusters have been observed and studied since the turn of the century, yet the phenomenon has been vastly underrated and undervalued in economic development and planning policy. As long as branch plants dominate economic development policy, interest in clustering involves merely seeking suppliers for these customers. Today though, as industry restructures, becoming leaner and more flexible, the importance of lateral inter‐firm relationships takes higher policy priority. A comparison of cases from Tupelo, Mississippi and Castel Goffredo, Lombardia, shows the relevance of clustering to localized economic development.
Restricted V-segment usage in T-cell receptors from cytotoxic T lymphocytes specific for a major epitope of lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus

Cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) play an important role in recovery from a number of viral infections. They are also implicated in virus-induced immunopathology as best demonstrated in lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) infection of adult immunocompetent mice. In the present study, the structure of the T-cell receptor (TCR) in LCMV-specific CTL in C57BL/6 (B6) mice was investigated. Spleen T cells obtained from LCMV-infected mice were cultured in vitro with virus-infected stimulator cells and then stained with anti-TCR V beta antibodies. A skewing of V beta usage was noticeable in T cells enriched for their reactivity to LCMV, suggesting that particular V segments are important for the recognition of LCMV T-cell epitopes in B6 mice. To gain more detailed information on the structure of the TCR specific for LCMV epitopes, we studied CTL clones. It has been shown that approximately 90% of LCMV-reactive CTL clones generated in H-2b mice are specific for a short peptide fragment of the LCMV glycoprotein, residues 278 to 286, recognized in the context of the class I major histocompatibility complex molecule, Db. Four CTL clones possessing the specificity were randomly selected from a collection of clones, and their TCR genes were isolated by cDNA cloning or by the anchored polymerase chain reaction. All four clones were found to use V alpha gene segments belonging to the V alpha 4 subfamily. By RNA blot analysis, two more clones with the same specificity were also shown to express the V alpha 4 mRNA. In contrast, three different V beta gene segments were used among the four clones examined. J beta 2.1 was used by three of the clones. Although amino acid sequences in the V(D)J junctional regions were dissimilar, aspartic acid was found in the V alpha J alpha and/or V beta D beta J beta junctions of all four of these clones, suggesting that this residue is involved in binding the LCMV fragment. Restricted usage of V alpha and possibly J beta segments in the CTL response to a major T-cell epitope of LCMV raises the possibility that immunopathology in LCMV infection can be treated with antibodies directed against such TCR segments. Thus, similar analysis of the TCR in other virus infections is warranted and may lead to therapeutic strategies for immunopathology due to virus infections.
Embargo Release Date : Monday , January 09 , 2012-12 : 01 am ( ET ) Embargo Policy

This article is intended to provide a comprehensive overview of the role of dietary methods for treatment of children with attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) when pharmacotherapy has proven unsatisfactory or unacceptable. Results of recent research and controlled studies, based on a PubMed search, are emphasized and compared with earlier reports. The recent increase of interest in this form of therapy for ADHD, and especially in the use of omega supplements, significance of iron deficiency, and the avoidance of the “Western pattern” diet, make the discussion timely. Diets to reduce symptoms associated with ADHD include sugar-restricted, additive/preservative-free, oligoantigenic/elimination, and fatty acid supplements. Omega23 supplement is the latest dietary treatment with positive reports of efficacy, and interest in the additive-free diet of the 1970s is occasionally revived. A provocative report draws attention to the ADHD-associated “Western-style” diet, high in fat and refined sugars, and the ADHD-free “healthy” diet, containing fiber, folate, and omega-3 fatty acids. The literature on diets and ADHD, listed by PubMed, is reviewed with emphasis on recent controlled studies. Recommendations for the use of diets are based on current opinion of published reports and our practice experience. Indications for dietary therapy include medication failure, parental or patient preference, iron deficiency, and, when appropriate, change from an ADHD-linked Western diet to an ADHD-free healthy diet. Foods associated with ADHD to be avoided and those not linked with ADHD and preferred are listed. In practice, additive-free and oligoantigenic/elimination diets are timeconsuming and disruptive to the household; they are indicated only in selected patients. Iron and zinc are supplemented in patients with known deficiencies; they may also enhance the effectiveness of stimulant therapy. In patients failing to respond or with parents opposed to medication, omega-3 supplements may warrant a trial. A greater attention to the education of parents and children in a healthy dietary pattern, omitting items shown to predispose to ADHD, is perhaps the most promising and practical complementary or alternative treatment of ADHD. Pediatrics 2012;129:1–8 AUTHORS: J. Gordon Millichap, MD, and Michelle M. Yee, CPNP Division of Neurology, Children’s Memorial Hospital, and Department of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago, Illinois
LEADERSHIP IN THE MANAGEMENT OF QUALITY OF DISTANCE EDUCATION AS AN INNOVATION)

The main objective of this paper is to contribute to the achievement of a better and increased knowledge on the exercise of leadership, with the aim of improving the management of the quality of distance education, and its diffusion in society as an innovation. In the first part, some basic and relevant concepts to achieve the above mentioned objective are defined. In the second part, we discuss how those concepts relate between them and integrate in a framework to promote the development of an effective leadership in managing the quality of distance education as an innovation.
Efficacy of an Inactivated and a Fowlpox-Vectored Vaccine in Muscovy Ducks Against an Asian H5N1 Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Viral Challenge

Abstract The efficacy of an inactivated vaccine containing the Eurasian isolate A/chicken/Italy/22A/98 H5N9 (H5N9-It) was compared with that of the fowlpox-vectored TROVAC™-AIV H5 (rFP-AIV-H5) vaccine against an H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza challenge. Five-week-old Muscovy ducks were vaccinated with either H5N9-It (0.5 ml) or rFP-AIV-H5 (5 log10 50% tissue culture infectious dose (TCID50)/dose), followed by a boost at 7 wk of age with the same vaccine (1.0 ml of H5N9-It or 5 log10 TCID50/dose rFP-AIV-H5), and a challenge at 9 wk of age with 107 egg infectious dose (lethality 50%) of A/crested eagle/Belgium/01/2004 (H5N1). All unvaccinated challenged birds showed severe nervous signs (loss of balance, torticollis) starting 7 days postinfection (dpi). None of the vaccinated ducks showed these nervous signs. Shedding was measured in oropharyngeal and cloacal swabs, sampled from 3 to 19 dpi by titration in chicken embryo fibroblasts and by real-time reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction. Virus shedding was significantly higher in oropharyngeal compared to cloacal swabs. Both vaccines reduced the percentage of positive swabs and the viral load in the swabs, but the reduction was higher with the H5N9-It vaccine. The inactivated vaccine induced hemagglutination inhibition (HI) titers (5.4 log2) that were boosted after the second administration (7.5 log2). rFP-AIV-H5–induced HI titers were lower (3 log2 only after the second administration), most probably because the fowlpox vector does not replicate in ducks. Altogether, these results indicate that significant protection from clinical signs and reduction in virus shedding may be achieved in ducks with conventional inactivated or fowlpox-vectored vaccine as compared with nonvaccinated challenged control birds.
Does money matter? : the effect of school resources on student achievement and adult success

Many believe that American education can only be improved with a sizable infusion of new resources into the nation's schools. Others find little evidence that large increases in spending lead to improvements in educational performance. Do additional school resources actually make any difference? The evidence on this question offers a striking paradox. Many analysts have found that extra school resources play a negligible role in improving student achievement while children are in school. Yet many economists have gathered data showing that students who attend well-endowed schools grow up to enjoy better job market success than children whose education takes place in schools where resources are limited. For example, children who attend schools with a lower pupil-teacher ratio and a better educated teaching staff appear to earn higher wages as adults than children who attend poorer schools.This book, which grew out of a Brookings conference, brings together scholars from a variety of disciplines to discuss the evidence on the link between school resources and educational and economic outcomes. In a lively exchange of views, they debate whether additional spending can improve the performance of the nation's schools.In addition to editor Gary Burtless, the contributors include Eric Hanushek, University of Rochester; James Heckman, University of Chicago; Julian Betts, University of California, San Diego; Richard Murnane, Harvard University; Larry Hedges, University of Chicago; and Christopher Jencks, Northwestern University.Dialogues on Public Policy
Equilibrium Unemployment with Internal Labour Markets

The flow approach to the labour market is based on a clear distinction between trade and production. This paper argues that this separation is not realistic because many firms in developed economies usually fill an important share of their vacancies by upgrading incumbent employees. The implications of the existence of internal labour markets are explored with the help of a simple model that extends the well known Pissarides setup. The main result is that the distribution of unemployment by education is correlated with the relative importance of internal labour markets. In particular, I show that more internalization is associated both with more inequality in the distribution of unemployment (with the burden falling mainly on the less educated) and with less inequality in the distribution of wages by education. The model also generates in a simple way upward-sloping wage profiles, which are offered by firms with internal labour markets to their recruits, who face a nonzero probability of promotion to a skilled job.
The distribution of pace adopted by cyclists during a cross-country mountain bike World Championships

Abstract The purpose of this study was to examine the distribution of pace self-selected by cyclists of varying ability, biological age and sex performing in a mountain bike World Championship event. Data were collected on cyclists performing in the Elite Male (ELITEmale; n = 75), Elite Female (ELITEfemale; n = 50), Under 23 Male (U23male; n = 62), Under 23 Female (U23female; n = 34), Junior Male (JNRmale; n = 71) and Junior Female (JNRfemale; n = 30) categories of the 2009 UCI Cross-Country Mountain Bike World Championships. Split times were recorded for the top, middle and bottom 20% of all finishers of each category. Timing splits were positioned to separate the course into technical and non-technical, uphill, downhill and rolling/flat sections. Compared with bottom performers, top performers in all male categories (ELITEmale, U23male, JNRmale) maintained a more even pace over the event as evidenced by a significantly lower standard deviation and range in average lap speed. Top performers, males, and ELITEmale athletes spent a lower percentage of overall race time on technical uphill sections of the course, compared with middle and bottom placed finishers, females, and JNRmale athletes, respectively. Better male performers adopt a more even distribution of pace throughout cross-country mountain events. Performance of lower placed finishers, females and JNRmale athletes may be improved by enhancing technical uphill cycling ability.