Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
On the development of a 7-DoF SPP robotic arm

This paper describes the mechanical design, analysis, and prototyping of a 7 DoF robotic arm that uses electrical actuators as its muscles. The structure of the arm is a hybrid Serial-Parallel-Parallel (SPP) configuration. The robotic arm is similar in size and structure to the human arm and can imitate the human arm movements; the 3 DoF shoulder has a serial link configuration; the 1 DoF elbow is a parallel configuration; and the 3 DoF wrist has a parallel configuration. Finite element analysis of critical components are also carried out.
Sideband mode competition in a gyrotron oscillator.

We report the first observation of sideband mode competition in a gyrotron with an overmoded open waveguide resonator. Experiments were conducted in a gyrotron operating in the ${\mathrm{TE}}_{16,2}$ mode at 146 GHz. Up to 600 kW of power was generated in 3-\ensuremath{\mu}s pulses at 80 kV beam voltage and up to 40 A beam current. A pair of sidebands was excited corresponding to the ${\mathrm{TE}}_{15,2}$ and ${\mathrm{TE}}_{17,2}$ modes offset by \ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}5 GHz. A multimode, multifrequency, self-consistent time-dependent code predicts the excitation of the sidebands with good accuracy.
Development of a Design Audit Tool for SMEs

There is strong evidence of the importance of good design to company success. However, it is apparent that despite this evidence, design skills are often marginalized in small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs). This article presents a design audit tool that captures good design principles in a form accessible to industry. Previous audit approaches have focused extensively on the management of new product development (NPD). In this research, the audit tool is based on process maturity principles and explicitly targets the design related activities in NPD—specifically in small firms. The design audit has been developed iteratively by application in action research mode and is supported by evidence from literature and exploratory cases. This inductive development enabled the generation of a robust audit tool through intervention in small firms to improve design practices. The resulting audit tool is designed for use in a multifunctional workshop setting. Typical outputs from application include the generation of action plans for improvement in future performance. This audit tool is based around a model of good design that explicitly distinguishes between management and design related activities in NPD. The audit tool has succeeded in encouraging managers to pay greater attention to the design related elements of NPD. This complements the satisfaction of managerial goals typically emphasized in many NPD processes.
Beyond the Restatement Decision: The Persistence of Executive Compensation in Explaining Disclosure Transparency Choice

In the post-Enron era the number of “restatements” of annual financial results increased from less than 300 per year prior to 2001 to more than 1000 per year in 2005 and 2006. Prior research has demonstrated that CEO compensation is positively associated with companies that issue restatements. Notwithstanding associated risk of job loss and compensation reduction, these managers sometimes reap pecuniary benefits from restatements. SEC regulations require companies to file an 8K to report the need to restate prior results. However, on average over 40% of restatements are “stealthy” in that they do not file an 8K. For companies that issue a restatement we examine the association between executive pay how the restatement was disclosed (whether an 8K was filed). We find that equity pay for executives is negatively associated with filing an 8K. Our results suggest that higher equity pay motivates managers to minimize the transparency of restatements.
Sovereign External Debt Networks: Some Insights from the Recent Financial Crisis

Since the outbreak of the financial crisis in mid-2007, the perspective that the structure of the markets influences the nature of the crisis has become widely accepted. I introduce a complex system approach to investigate how financial distress may have been imported by low and middle income countries through the external debt compositions, hence suggesting to exploit the sovereign debt structures to implement network formation. This stimulates to detect not only how the external debt composition of a single country affects its economic performance, but also how the overall structure of the system may contribute to explain its economic results. In particular, I apply a community detection methodology to study the potential relationships between economic performances and political institutions. Results underline that the structure of the system has been influenced by the onset of the crisis, while the impact on investors' country risk appetite is still up for discussion.
Agent-Based E-Commerce and its Contribution to Economy

Today the importance of e-commerce increases in line with the rise in the number of internet users. The complexity and the excess of information in internet make the use of semantic web in e-commerce mandatory. In practice, semantic web uses agents for economic income. Agents are integrated into e-commerce systems such as B2C (Business to Consumer) and B2B (Business to Business). So, agents enable the exchange between customers and sellers and allow shopping transaction. Multi-agent systems are generally used in agent-based e-commerce systems. Negotiation and auction gained importance in these multi-agent systems. There are some differences between B2B and B2C agent systems. These differences can be exemplified by some systems such as MIT? s KASBAH or E-bay? s AuctionBot. With these systems, buyers can purchase with the minimum prices and sellers can reach more costumers without advertisement. In this paper, the benefits and challenges of agent based e-commerce is investigated and the contribution of the use of agents in B2B (Business to Business) e-commerce systems to the economy is examined.
Psychopathological Symptoms, Social Skills, and Personality Traits: A Study with Adolescents

The purpose of this study is two-fold: (a) to study the concomitant relationships between psychopathological symptoms, cooperation, social skills, and other personality traits; and (b) to identify the predictive variables of psychopathological symptoms. The sample consists of 322 adolescents aged 14 to 17 years old. This study uses correlational methodology. In order to assess psychopathological symptoms, cooperation, social skills, and personality traits, the following scales are used: the Symptom Checklist (SCL-90-R; Derogatis, 1983), the Cooperativeness Scale (CS; Rigby, Cox, & Black, 1997), the MESSY social skills scale (Matson, Rotatori, & Helsel, 1983), and the TPT Personality Test (Corral, Pamos, Pereña, & Seisdedos, 2002). Pearson coefficients suggest that adolescents with many psychopathological symptoms have low levels of cooperative behaviors and social skills. They also score high in inappropriate assertiveness, impulsiveness, overconfidence, and jealousy-withdrawal and have low levels of emotional stability, sociability, and responsibility. Through multiple regression analyses, the following variables were identified as predictors of psychopathological symptoms: jealousy-withdrawal, low social integration, impulsiveness, and low self-concept. The role played by intervention programs promoting socio-emotional development to prevent psychopathological symptoms and enhance mental health is discussed. El estudio tiene 2 objetivos: 1) analizar las relaciones de los síntomas psicopatológicos con cooperación, habilidades sociales, y otros rasgos de personalidad; y 2) identificar variables predictoras de síntomas psicopatológicos. La muestra está constituida por 322 adolescentes de 14 a 17 años. El estudio utiliza una metodología correlacional. Los síntomas psicopatológicos, la capacidad de cooperación, las habilidades sociales y diversos rasgos de personalidad fueron medidos con 4 instrumentos de evaluación: el cuestionario SCL-90-R (Derogatis, 1983), la escala de cooperación (EC; Rigby, Cox y Black, 1997, la escala de habilidades sociales MESSY (Matson, Rotatori y Helsel, 1983), y el test de personalidad TPT (Corral, Pamos, Pereña y Seisdedos, 2002). Los coeficientes de Pearson sugieren que los adolescentes con muchos síntomas psicopatológicos tienen pocas conductas de cooperación, pocas habilidades sociales, mucha asertividad inapropiada, impulsividad, sobrevaloración, y celos-soledad, así como baja estabilidad emocional, sociabilidad y responsabilidad. El análisis de regresión múltiple permite identificar 4 variables predictoras de síntomas psicopatológicos: alto nivel de celos-soledad, baja integración social, impulsividad y bajo autoconcepto. La discusión plantea el papel que pueden tener los programas de intervención socio-emocional durante la infancia para prevenir la emergencia de síntomas psicopatológicos y para fomentar la salud mental.
Comparison of induced rules based on likelihood estimation

Rule induction methods have been applied to knowledge discovery in databases and data mining, The empirical results obtained show that they are very powerful and that important knowledge has been extracted from datasets. However, comparison and evaluation of rules are based not on statistical evidence but on rather naive indices, such as conditional probabilities and functions of conditional probabilities. In this paper, we introduce two approaches to induced statistical comparison of induced rules. For the statistical evaluation, likelihood ratio test and Fisher's exact test play an important role: likelihood ratio statistic measures statistical information about an information table and it is used to measure the difference between two tables.
Assessment of the efficiency of applying methisoprinol and vaccination of turkeys against the haemorrhagic enteritis virus using in ovo methods

The aim of the research was to determine the efficiency of in ovo immunisation of turkeys against the haemorrhagic enteritis virus, while simultaneously applying a synthetic immunomodulator – methisoprinol – by the same route of administration. Dindoral SPF vaccine, in a dose of 0.1 ml of the solution prepared ex tempore after dissolving the vaccine in 100 ml of water for injection, and methisoprinol in a dose of 5 mg per egg, were administered in ovo on the 26 d of incubation. The control groups consisted of turkeys hatched from eggs into which only the methisoprinol or the vaccine was administered, as well as birds hatched from eggs that were not interfered with. The susceptibility of turkeys to HE virus infection was determined on the basis of the presence of HE antibodies in serum, the evaluation of a splenic index, and attempts to register the virus presence in the spleen 120 h after the control infections. The research proved the effectiveness of immunising turkeys against the haemorrhagic enteritis virus by administering Dindoral SPF vaccine in ovo. It was also demonstrated that the simultaneous application of methisoprinol, showing an antiviral effect, and the vaccine inhibited the development of post vaccinal immunity against this virus.
Starting Points

This paper indicates how sentence processing depends upon the active construction of a PERSPECTIVE, which is the way a speaker or a listener becomes actively involved in a sentence. For this reason, the perspective is usually the starting point of the sentence. A number of linguistic and psycholinguistic studies are reviewed in the light of this approach to sentence processing.
Comparing two financial crises: the case of Hong Kong real estate markets

Hong Kong is no stranger to bubbles or crisis. During the Asian Financial Crisis(AFC), the Hong Kong housing price index drops more than 50% in less than a year. The same market then experiences the Internet Bubble, the SARS attack, and recently the Global Financial Crisis (GFC). This paper attempts to provide some “stylized facts” of the real estate markets and the macroeconomy, and follow the event-study methodology to examine whether the markets behave differently in the AFC and GFC, and discuss the possible linkage to the change in government policies (“learning effect”) and the flow of Chinese consumers and investors to Hong Kong (“China factor”).
In vitro inhibition of bovine enamel demineralization by enamel matrix derivative.

This study aimed to determine whether enamel matrix derivative (Emdogain) affects the demineralization of bovine enamel in vitro and to assess the agent's anti-caries potential. Bovine enamel blocks were prepared and randomly divided into three groups (n = 15 per group), which were treated with distilled water (negative control), NaF (positive control), or Emdogain. All three groups were pH-cycled 12 times over 6 days. The percentage of surface enamel microhardness reduction (%SMHR), calcium demineralization rate (CDR), surface roughness, lesion depth and mineral loss after demineralization were examined. Surface morphology of specimens was studied by scanning electron microscopy. The Emdogain and positive control groups showed similar surface roughness, lesion depths and mineral loss, which were significantly lower than those in the negative control group. In addition, the enamel surfaces of both the Emdogain and NaF groups showed much narrower intercrystalline spaces than the surfaces of the negative control group, which exhibited extensive microfractures along the crystal edges. %SMHR differed significantly among all three groups, with the smallest value in the Emdogain group and the greatest in the negative control group. These results indicate that enamel matrix derivative (Emdogain) can significantly inhibit demineralization of bovine enamel in vitro, suggesting that it has potential as an anti-caries agent.
A Hybrid Superconducting Fault Current Controller for DG Networks and Microgrids

Recently, not only the penetration level of distributed generation units (DG units) has been rapidly increasing but also the connection of microgrids as a developing technology to the existing distribution networks has attracted much attention. This may raise issues such as bidirectional power flow, excessive shortcircuit level, reclosing, and protective coordination that need attention. Superconducting fault current limiters are known as one of the best countermeasures to solve the problems related to the excessive short-circuit level in DG networks and microgrids. Different amounts of fault current may flow in such grids as the grid topology changes. Not only the fault current must be limited in such networks but also it should be controlled in order to be maintained in an appropriate range. This will ensure suitable coordination of the protective devices and, subsequently, safe operation of the grid. We introduce a hybrid superconducting fault current controller (hybrid SFCC) in this paper, which is suitable for DG networks and microgrids, without any dependence on grid monitoring technology. Finally, a case study on a microgrid containing the hybrid SFCC has been conducted to investigate the device performance.
Interaction Between A1 Adenosine and Class II Metabotropic Glutamate Receptors in the Regulation of Purine and Glutamate Release from Rat Hippocampal Slices

Abstract: Electrical stimulation of rat hippocampal slices evoked the release of excitatory amino acids and purines, as reflected by a time‐dependent increase in the extracellular levels of glutamate and adenosine, as well as by the increased efflux of radioactivity in slices preloaded with both [14C]glutamate and [3H]adenosine. The evoked release of excitatory amino acids and purines was amplified when slices were exposed to 8‐cyclopentyl‐1,3‐dipropylxanthine (a selective A1 adenosine receptor antagonist), (+)‐α‐methyl‐4‐carboxyphenylglycine [a mixed antagonist of metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs)], or (2S,3S,4S)‐2‐methyl‐2‐(carboxycyclopropyl)glycine (a selective antagonist of class II mGluRs). In contrast, 2‐chloro‐N6‐cyclopentyladenosine (CCPA; a selective A1 receptor agonist) or (2S,1R,2R,3R)‐(2,3‐dicarboxycyclopropyl)glycine (DCG‐IV; a selective agonist of class II mGluRs) reduced the evoked release of excitatory amino acids and purines. CCPA and DCG‐IV also reduced the increase in cyclic AMP formation induced by either forskolin or electrical stimulation in hippocampal slices. The inhibitory effect of CCPA and DCG‐IV on release or cyclic AMP formation was less than additive. We conclude that the evoked release of excitatory amino acids and purines is under an inhibitory control by A1 receptors and class II mGluRs, i.e., mGluR2 or 3, which appear to operate through a common transduction pathway. In addition, although these receptors are activated by endogenous adenosine and glutamate, they can still respond to pharmacological agonists. This provides a rationale for the use of A1 or class II mGluR agonists as neuroprotective agents in experimental models of excitotoxic neuronal degeneration.
Collaborative Decision Making in Network-Centric Military Operations

Proponents of network-centric warfare have espoused the notion that the continuing expansion of military networks will engender concomitant increases in the efficiency of collaborative military decision making. They suggest that network-centric information architectures will increase the ease with which decision quality information can be explicitly shared, and will also lead to self-synchronized action based on the shared situational model supported by the network. The paper takes a multidisciplinary look at the problem of collaborative decision making in military operations. The authors come primarily from research laboratory research and engineering backgrounds, but among them also number a professional air battle manager with significant experience in collaborative decision making in tactical and operational environments and a military psychologist required to deal with the training and selection issues posed by network-centric operations.
Contribution of CT Quantified Emphysema, Air Trapping and Airway Wall Thickness on Pulmonary Function in Male Smokers With and Without COPD

Abstract Emphysema, airway wall thickening and air trapping are associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). All three can be quantified by computed tomography (CT) of the chest. The goal of the current study is to determine the relative contribution of CT derived parameters on spirometry, lung volume and lung diffusion testing. Emphysema, airway wall thickening and air trapping were quantified automatically on CT in 1,138 male smokers with and without COPD. Emphysema was quantified by the percentage of voxels below –950 Hounsfield Units (HU), airway wall thickness by the square root of wall area for a theoretical airway with 10 mm lumen perimeter (Pi10) and air trapping by the ratio of mean lung density at expiration and inspiration (E/I-ratio). Spirometry, residual volume to total lung capacity (RV/TLC) and diffusion capacity (Kco) were obtained. Standardized regression coefficients (β) were used to analyze the relative contribution of CT changes to pulmonary function measures. The independent contribution of the three CT measures differed per lung function parameter. For the FEV1 airway wall thickness was the most contributing structural lung change (β = –0.46), while for the FEV1/FVC this was emphysema (β = –0.55). For the residual volume (RV) air trapping was most contributing (β = –0.35). Lung diffusion capacity was most influenced by emphysema (β = –0.42). In a cohort of smokers with and without COPD the effect of different CT changes varies per lung function measure and therefore emphysema, airway wall thickness and air trapping need to be taken in account.
Safety verification method for preventing friction blisters during utilization of physical assistant robots

Graphical Abstract Abstract This study is mainly concerned with the potential hazards of interactive friction force on a human–robot contact surface, which may result in various skin traumas, such as friction blisters. In this study, a novel safety verification method is developed for helping physical assistant robot users to avoid this hazardous condition. First, based on the microscopic structure of the epidermis–dermis layer and the characteristics of blisters on porcine skin, we prove that the porcine skin, instead of the human skin, is feasible as an innovative experimental material for generating friction blisters. Second, the conditions for generating blisters on porcine skin are confirmed using a series of adaptive time-gradient tests. Considering the properties of the censored results, we clarify an inherently safe region in the tangential traction–time relationship, which is based on a nonparametric estimation of the survival function on the subjects. After a condition-matching calculation, this region for the porcine skin is further verified to be consistent with that for the human skin. Third, the safety of the ‘stand-up and sit-down’ motion of a physical assistant robot user is successfully validated by applying this verification method, which finally proves its practical usability with regard to the possible physical stress hazard.
Physician-Induced Demand for Treatments for Heart Attack Patients in Japan: Evidence from the Tokai Acute Myocardial Study (TAMIS)

Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty, henceforth (PTCA) for patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI)-a high-tech treatment-is more frequently used in Japan than in other developed countries. This paper adopts the two-phase model to examine whether the high PTCA use is driven by the self-interest of physicians, or by behavioral character. After controlling for a patient's detailed characteristics, we found that increases in the relative numbers of hospitals and physicians are significantly related to physician-initiated expenditures and the effect is higher for high-tech treatments. The results based on municipal-level aggregated data also support this conclusion. JEL classification: I11 Key words: health care in Japan; physician-induced demand; patient initiated choices; two-phases model; acute myocardial infarction (AMI); Tokai Acute Myocardial Infarction Study (TAMIS)
Hepatitis B Virus Induces a Novel Inflammation Network Involving Three Inflammatory Factors, IL-29, IL-8, and Cyclooxygenase-2

Chronic inflammation induced by hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a major causative factor associated with the development of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. In this study, we investigated the roles of three inflammatory factors, IL-8, IL-29 (or IFN-λ1), and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), in HBV infection. We showed that the expression of IL-29, IL-8, and COX-2 genes was enhanced in HBV-infected patients or in HBV-expressing cells. In HBV-transfected human lymphocytes and hepatocytes, IL-29 activates the production of IL-8, which in turn enhances the expression of COX-2. In addition, COX-2 decreases the production of IL-8, which in turn attenuates the expression of IL-29. Thus, we proposed that HBV infection induces a novel inflammation cytokine network involving three inflammatory factors that regulate each other in the order IL-29/IL-8/COX-2, which involves positive regulation and negative feedback. In addition, we also demonstrated that COX-2 expression activated by IL-8 was mediated through CREB and C/EBP, which maintains the inflammatory environment associated with HBV infection. Finally, we showed that the ERK and the JNK signaling pathways were cooperatively involved in the regulation of COX-2. We also demonstrated that IL-29 inhibits HBV replication and that IL-8 attenuates the expression of IL-10R2 and the anti-HBV activity of IL-29, which favors the establishment of persistent viral infection. These new findings provide insights for our understanding of the mechanism by which inflammatory factors regulate each other in response to HBV infection.