Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
FDI determinants: dynamic extreme bounds analysis

PurposeThe aim of this paper is to develop a new analysis method, named dynamic extreme bounds analysis (DEBA), and to determine decisive determinants of foreign direct investment (FDI) by using this new method.Design/methodology/approachIn econometrics, the extreme bounds analysis (EBA) method is a convincing way of examining the strength of independent variables. However, the results obtained when using the EBA method contain little information, since each variable is only either strong or fragile, and some strong variables may be omitted because their significance could be undermined by just one unreasonable regression. Therefore, in order to overcome these limitations, this paper proposes DEBA, a new analysis method.FindingsThe authors employ the DEBA method to determine the factors which impact FDI in 86 countries. The authors note that in developing countries, the level of previous FDI, a high degree of openness, large market size and development of infrastructure help to attract FDI, whereas the development of domestic industry deters it. In developed countries, FDI is lured by the level of previous FDI stock, a high degree of openness, large market size, macroeconomic instability and availability of energy.Research limitations/implicationsAlthough this study is expected to contribute a new methodological approach and define the strong determinants of FDI, the study is not without limitations, such as the unavailability of data. Further studies should improve the DEBA method by developing DEBA packages for use in popular statistical software, enhancing methods for other types of data and more accurately determining the estimation order of variables. In addition, further research should expand the study's FDI model, providing more potential variables for an in-depth overview of this model.Originality/valueThis study is to contribute a new methodological approach (DEBA method) for data analysis and defining of strong determinants of FDI. The study findings are useful for governments, policy-makers and economists in formulating more attractive FDI policies.
Green Infrastructure and Water: An Analysis of Global Research

Green infrastructure (GI) is a nature-based solution that encompasses all actions that rely on ecosystems and the services they provide to respond to various societal challenges such as climate change, food security or disaster risk. The objective of this work is to analyze the state of the art and latest trends in research on GI related to the water cycle for the period 2002–2019. For this purpose, a bibliometric study is carried out taking as reference the two most important scientific databases, Web of Science (WoS) and Scopus. The results show that, as of 2013, there is an exponential increase in the number of publications. This is due to the fact that significant regions of the planet, such as Europe, have adopted strategies aimed at promoting the use of GI since 2013. The keyword analysis points out that ecosystem services is the most relevant concept, which shows the capacity of these infrastructures to facilitate multiple goods and services related to the water cycle. New lines of research are opened up which are based on the analysis of other elements of GI related to water, such as groundwater.
Practical implications and future research agenda of lean manufacturing: a systematic literature review

Abstract Academic literature on Lean Manufacturing (LM) is widely available. However, due to its fragmentation, the contribution of LM from practical and academic perspectives is controversial. This paper establishes the practical implications of LM studies carried out worldwide and identifies novel research streams. A Systematic Literature Review (SLR) of peer-reviewed journal articles was conducted. A total of 403 articles published in 62 journals during 2010–2019 were collected from four major management science publishers. An ‘affinity diagram’ was applied to organise the data into natural and logical themes. Conceptual frameworks concerning LM practical implications and future research agenda were formulated. Meaningful themes of LM practical implications and future research suggestions were revealed and classified into two categories. In category one pertaining to the internal nature of LM, themes related to the pre-implementation, implementation and post-implementation phases of LM were identified. In category two pertaining to the external nature of LM, themes related to the country in which the companies operate, the diverse managerial systems available, and the methodological research approach were identified. The main themes supported in the literature by most references were determined. Finally, respective statements concerning the practical implications of LM and the future research agenda are analytically presented.
Polarization diversity enabled flexible directional UWB monopole antenna for WBAN communications

This article presents the design of an ultra‐wideband (UWB) quasi‐circular monopole antenna with directional characteristics for use in wireless body area network (WBAN) applications. The proposed antenna has hybrid geometry and it is constructed using a semicircular and square patch on a very thin substrate of thickness 0.2 mm. The antenna has a compact geometry with a footprint of 30 × 20 mm. The proposed antenna covers 3.1 to 10.6 GHz with a measured peak gain of 5.37 dBi at 6 GHz. The proximity effect of the human body is resolved by incorporating the reflector behind the antenna. The antenna with reflector provides a directional pattern with a measured peak gain of 8.84 dBi at 6 GHz. Further to improve the link reliability between the sensor and the cluster head in WBAN, polarization diversity technique is adopted and the performance metrics are evaluated. The proposed flexible antenna simultaneously offers large gain and high impedance bandwidth. The prototype antenna is fabricated and the simulation results are validated using experimental measurements. The measurement results are in good agreement with the simulation results.
Effect of using ginger, red and black pepper powder as phytobiotics with protexin® probiotic on performance, carcass characteristics and some blood biochemical on Japanese quails (Coturnix japonica)

This experiment was conducted to evaluate the feeding values of ginger, red and black pepper powder with protexin on performance of Japanese quails. A total 240ten days old male Japanese quails with an average weight of 19 ±5 g were divided into 8 treatments with 3 replicates as randomized factorial design. The quails were fed by basal diet as control diet, 2% ginger, 2%red pepper 2% black pepper powder with or without protexin probiotic respectively. At the end of trial for carcass evaluation 2 birds form each group were slaughtered. Also some parameters such as feed intake (FI), body weight gains (BW), and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were calculated and compared together. Some blood parameters such as cholesterol, triglyceride, high density lipoprotein (HDL), low density lipoprotein (LDL) of quail’s blood were determined. In conclusion it seem that inclusion of ginger, red and black pepper powder in quails diet at level of 2% may be useful and have significantly effects on performance and blood biochemical on Japanese quails
What is the Best Needle for Spinal Thoracic Anesthesia: Pencil Point Needle or Cut Point Needle? Letter to Editor

We recently demonstrated the safety of thoracic spinal anesthesia by the study with MRI in 50 patients [1]. In order to verify the incidence of neurological complications in spinal thoracic anesthesia, a study was carried out comparing the two most frequently used needles (Cut vs Point Pencil) in 300 patients divided into two groups of 150 patients, puncture success was observed in all patients with 20 (6.6%) paresthesia with no significant difference between the needles [2]. All paresthesia were transient and no neurologic complications were observed. In 2012, we conducted a study of 636 patients undergoing spinal thoracic anesthesia in different types of surgery (laparoscopic cholecystectomy, herniorrhaphy, urologic, gynecologic and orthopedic surgeries) with hyperbaric or isobaric bupivacaine, showing that low doses of local anesthetics (5 to 10 mg) and thoracic puncture reduce the latency time, the degree of motor block and cardiocirculatory changes, without neurological complications [3].
Visual feature extraction from dermoscopic colour images for classification of melanocytic skin lesions

The early diagnosis of Melanoma is a challenging task for dermatologists, because of the characteristic similarities of Melanoma with other skin lesions such as typical moles and dysplastic nevi. Aims: This work aims to help both experienced and non-experienced dermatologists in the early detection of cutaneous Melanoma through the development of a computational helping tool based on the “ABCD” rule of dermoscopy. Moreover, it aims to decrease the need for invasive biopsy procedure for each tested abnormal skin lesion. Methods: This is accomplished through the utilization of MATLAB programming language to build a feature extraction tool for the assessment of lesion asymmetry, borders irregularity, and colors variation in the tested lesion. Results: The helping tool obtained a sensitivity of 81.48%, a specificity of 52.83% and accuracy of 62.50% in the assessment of the Asymmetry Index. A new metric for the borders irregularity index was built. Finally, for the Colors Variation Index algorithm a sensitivity of 51.37%, a specificity of 61.51% and accuracy of 57.80% was achieved. Conclusions: This work created a computational tool based on the ABCD-rule, which is helpful for both experienced and non-experienced dermatologists in the early discrimination of Melanoma than other types of skin lesions and to eliminate the need of the biopsy procedure. A new metric for the Borders Irregularity Index was established depending on the number of inflection points in the lesion’s borders.
Conformational characteristics of DNA: empirical classifications and a hypothesis for the conformational behaviour of dinucleotide steps

This paper is concerned with an investigation of the geometry and structure of DNA as revealed by X–ray diffraction of single crystal oligomeric structures. A database of atomic coordinates of 60 naked (i.e. not bound to any protein or drug) DNA oligomers (25 dodecamers, 18 decamers, 16 octamers and 1 tetramer) is set up and carefully described. An extensive empirical study of the geometries of DNA dinucleotide steps in the database, involving only unmodified Watson–Crick base pairs (A–T and G–C), is reported, and a number of new correlations and classifications are described in detail. The main conclusions include the kinematic classification of dinucleotide steps into two main classes: rigid and loose (or flexible or bistable). ‘Continuously flexible’ steps are shown to exercise their flexibility along a well–defined single–degree–of–freedom pattern, with roll, slide and twist all correlated linearly. The rigid steps are AA/TT, AT and GA/TC, and the loose (bistable) steps are GG/CC, GC, CG while the loose (continuously flexible) steps are CA/TG and TA. AC/GT is the least clear of all steps and it is perhaps best described as neither a rigid nor a loose step but rather an ‘intermediate’ step. The base–pair parameters are also carefully examined and the resulting pivotal correlation between the average propeller and the flexibility of the step (equals the standard deviation of slide), that we have recently described elsewhere (El Hassan and Calladine 1996), is examined in some detail. A simple two–parameter scheme for the description of the conformation of the sugar phosphate backbone is given and used to classify the sugar phosphate backbones in all entries of our database into A–backbone and B–backbone conformations. The role of the backbone in determining the conformational preferences of the dinucleotide steps is examined by demonstrating that whereas the B–backbone conformation permits a fairly narrow channel in the roll/slide/twist conformational space, with all three parameters linearly correlated, the A–backbone allows only a small ‘box” region near the high–roll, low–twist, low–slide end of the space.Finally, the empirically determined conformational characteristics of the various dinucleotide steps are accounted for in terms of (a) mechanical stacking effects associated with propeller–twisting of constituent base pairs (the propeller–flexibility correlation), (b) chemical stacking effects associated with the special electrostatic charge distributions and π–pi;effects in homogeneous G|C steps (Hunter 1993), and (c) backbone-dictated effects that govern in the absence of (a) and (b).
Using Technology to Enhance PD Performance: A Comparative Case Study 3-D Scanning Technology Deployment

Abstract New computer technology is often seen as the key to the future of manufacturing. Much of the research on the benefits of technology has focused on automation in the factory and its effects on productivity. There have been convincing arguments that in fact the product development stage has a greater impact on cost, quality, and profitability than improvements in the manufacturing stage. Arguably, technology can make an even greater impact in the development stage. This comparative case study examines the introduction of 3D scanning technology (3DS) in the sites of two automotive companies. We found that product development technology was beneficial when it enabled collaboration, visualization and enabled product realization or analysis. We observed that the firm that did not carefully integrate its technology deployment with higher levels of employee involvement and continuous improvement such as one found in lean or socio technical systems (STS) achieved fewer improvements. Product development technologies like 3DS need to be carefully enmeshed with the current work structure to maximize gains in quality and efficiency.
A Real-time Framework for Patient Monitoring Systems based on a Wireless Body Area Network

Chronic disease is a persistent clinical condition that causes significant limitation in a patient‘s life, due to ill-health and degradation events which may happen frequently. Therefore, it requires continuous collaborations *between patient and physician in an integrated health care system. Current technologies provide an effective and efficient way of patient monitoring. However, none of the current solutions provide end-to-end systems that covers data extraction, transmission, analysis, storage and integration. In our proposed framework, we aim to fill the gap between current technologies and healthcare systems. The wireless body area network (WBAN), cloud computing, fog computing, semantic ontology, and clinical decision support system (CDSS) are integrated to provide a comprehensive and complete model. By monitoring a person with chronic diseases in real time, physicians will have the ability to guide patients with the right decisions. In addition, patients can practice normal life. Finally, there is no need for the patient to stay at hospitals, which saves money. We will provide a further step by providing an intelligent CDSS capability at the hospital‘s and the patient‘s sides. The data collected from WBAN will integrated into the electronic health record (EHR) of the patient, handled in terms of semantic interoperability challenge. The proposed novel framework is feasible, and we expect significant effects on patients‘ quality of life and considerable lowering in healthcare expenses.
SERVICES MARKETING -ONLINE FOOD ORDERING BY SEM MODEL

: The mobile phone application has made every customer to open a new alleyway for today’s marketing of foods in India. Mobile application is a combination of marketing shrewdness which means every marketer must satisfy every customer by providing good service and technology . They use the Internet as an intermediate which includes web quality & web trust to advertise and sell foods through online in turn increases loyal customers. In this scenario, more people are getting connected through mobile application they are ready to buy foods through it to reduce time and ease convenience. To order a wide choice of foods from different restaurants, online food ordering services through mobile app has become popular today among youngsters. Many restaurants now delivering online services at best offers and reasonable prices, hence online food delivering system has become popularizing across the country. Mobile applications like Zomato, Swiggy and Uber Eats helps the customer’s order food through online, sets up a food menu online through the internet and delivered at the user's doorstep. In this study, the main focuses on customers’ perception towards online food ordering companies by Structural Equation Model. This research studies online food ordering services with the customer ordering experience includes website trust, customer satisfaction and loyalty. A survey was conducted for the 600 college students from Chennai, India who order through online were used to test the research model using structural equation modelling (SEM). Results disclose that , there is a significant positive relationship between website quality and website trust but there is also a significant positive relationship between service quality and customer satisfaction. The significant positive relationships was found not only between website trust and customer satisfaction but also between customer satisfaction and loyalty. In conclusion, the study also found an unforeseen direct link between service quality and loyalty. On the whole, the study provides appreciated perceptions for operating online food ordering services effectively.
Establishing the Correlations for Eco-Efficiency Index of Various Types of Structural Concrete Used in the Malaysian Housing Using Response Surface Method

The concept of a sustainable environment generally refers to the development that creates a balance between the resources consumption pattern and the rate of depletion of natural resources. For determining the level of sustainability of any project, three types of impacts are assessed: economic, environmental, and social. This paper presents an analytical study that focused on establishing a correlation of eco-efficiency index for low-rise reinforced concrete residential housing in Malaysia. A statistical technique using the response surface method was performed, with the help of design expert software. The data was verified using regression analysis and represented by R2 value, standard deviation, and coefficient of variation. By using economic factors, environmental factors, and the eco-efficiency index, 3D model graphs were developed for structural concrete containing fly ash, and blast furnace slag (BFS), which was assigned to the structural members in a single and double story housing. The study has concluded that the correlations established between the cost and carbon emission, economic & environmental scores, and the eco-efficiency index have shown a linear trend for single story housing and a cubic for the double story housing.
Molecular mechanism of methyl jasmonate induced apoptosis in human cancer cells

Molecular Mechanism of Methyl Jasmonate Induced Apoptosis in Human Cancer Cells by Venkat Laxmi Yeruva Dr. Stephen W. Carper, Examination Committee Chair Professor of Biochemistry University of Nevada, Las Vegas This study investigated the cytotoxic activity of four plant derived compounds including perillic acid (PA), Perillyl alcohol (POH), cis-jasmone (CJ) and methyl jasmonate (MJ) on a variety of human cancer cell lines: Breast (MDA-MB-435, MDA-MB-231, DC4, DB46, T47D, SKBR3 and ZR75-1), Prostate (PC-3 and DU-145) and Lung (A549, H520 and H2170). It was demonstrated that these compounds induce cell cycle arrest and apoptosis by themselves or in combination with other agents. Specifically, MJ decreases membrane fluidity resulting in an activation of tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 (TNFRl) which signals apoptosis via caspase 8 and 2. Combination studies demonstrated that POH, MJ and cisplatin decreased viability, induced cell cycle arrest and activated TNFRl. These results indicate that plant compounds show promise as an alternate treatment option and the combination of these compounds with chemotherapeutic drugs may decrease toxicity and improve efficacy over single agent therapy.
New material of “Eurysternidae” (Thalassochelydia, Pan-Cryptodira) from the Kimmeridgian of the Swiss Jura Mountains

The region of Porrentruy (Swiss Jura Mountains) is known for its rich and diverse assemblage of Late Jurassic coastal marine turtles (Thalassochelydia). Dominated by the “Plesiochelyidae”, this assemblage also includes representatives of the two other thalassochelydian groups, the “Thalassemydidae” and “Eurysternidae. ” In this study, we present new shell-based material from Porrentruy referable to eurysternids. One specimen represents a juvenile individual or a relatively small taxon, and is notably characterized by a well fenestrated plastron exhibiting a wider than long central plastral fontanelle. Two other specimens are much larger and possibly represent the largest eurysternids known to date. The fourth specimen is characterized by a unique plastral morphology otherwise only known in very small juveniles. This is the first time this unique plastral morphology is known to persist in an adult or subadult. The new material described herein represents at least three distinct taxa, all of them probably new. However, we refrain from naming new species based on this incomplete material in order to avoid adding confusion to an already complex taxonomical situation. This study provides new insights into the great diversity of eurysternids during the Late Jurassic.
Tunable near-infrared optical gain and amplified spontaneous emission using PbSe nanocrystals

Here, for the first time, we demonstrate amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) from PbSe nanocrystals (NCs) with emission energies tunable in the near-infrared (IR). We show that despite complications associated with a high, 8-fold degeneracy of the lowest quantized states and fast, nonradiative Auger recombination, optical gain parameters of PbSe NCs are comparable to those of CdSe NCs used for light amplification in the visible. These results indicate that previous unsuccessful attempts to realize the lasing regime in NCs of lead salts were not due to intrinsic physical reasons but likely resulted from material quality issues. By using a novel sol−gel procedure that provides both good quality surface passivation and high NC filling factors (>15%), we fabricate PbSe NC/sol−gel nanocomposites that produce ASE, which is tunable via NC size, in the near-IR. This finding indicates the feasibility of NC-based amplifiers and lasers tunable in the near-IR range and, in particular, in the range of telecommunicati.
Honest mistake or perhaps not: The role of descriptive and injunctive norms on the magnitude of dishonesty

Trivial acts of dishonesty are very prevalent in everyday life and have severe economic and societal consequences. The present study aims to examine the role of descriptive and injunctive norms in minor and major dishonesty under ambiguity. We devised a novel experimental design in which rule violations can be the result of honest mistakes or various dishonest processes. In this ambiguous context, we observed a high prevalence of minor rule violations at baseline. In two experiments, exposure to increased peer cheating (i.e., negative descriptive norms) promoted major rule violations, whereas the presence of explicit or subtle rule reminders (i.e., injunctive norms) marginally reduced minor rule violations but had no impact on major rule violations. We interpret these findings within the framework of social norm theory, self-maintenance theory, and bounded ethicality. Implications regarding policies that target ordinary unethical behavior are discussed.