Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Innovation and Firms' Productivity Growth in Slovenia: Sensitivity of Results to Sectoral Heterogeneity and to Estimation Method

The paper examines implications of endogenous growth theory on the relationship between innovation and firm productivity (productivity growth) by combining information on firm-level innovation (CIS) with accounting data for a large sample of Slovenian firms in the period 1996–2002. We employ several different estimation methods in order to control for the endogeneity of innovation and idiosyncratic firm characteristics. We find a significant and robust link between productivity levels and firm propensity to innovate, while the results on the link between innovation activity and productivity growth are not robust to different econometric approaches. Although OLS estimates indicate that successful innovation positively impacts productivity growth, further analysis reveals that these results are mainly driven by the exceptional performance of a specific group of services firms located in the fourth quintile with respect to size, productivity and R&D propensity measure. Estimates based on matching techniques, on the other hand, do not reveal any significant positive effects of innovation on productivity growth, regardless of the sectors, firm size and type of innovation.
A Schur Method for Computing Coprime Factorizations with Inner Denominators and Applications in Model Reduction

The paper presents a numerically reliable algorithm for computing minimal order rational coprime factorizations with inner denominators of transfer-function matrices. The proposed algorithm constructs the inner denominator sequentially asd a product of first or second order elementary inner factors by using an efficient Schur form updating technique. The algorithm is generally applicable regardless the state-space representation of the given transfer-function matrix is minimal or not, or is stabilizable/detectable or not. The resulting factorization is in a particular form which is well suited to be further employed in coprime factors model reductions or for computing 2-norms of unstable transfer-function matrices.
Effects of High Intensity Intermittent Badminton Multi-Shuttle Feeding Training on Aerobic and Anaerobic Capacity, Leg Strength Qualities and Agility

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of high intensity intermittent badminton multishuttle feeding training on aerobic and anaerobic capacity, leg strength qualities and agility. A total of 18 university college badminton players (age= 20±1; weight= 65.3±11kg; height=173.0±5.3cm) took part in this study and were divided into experimental group (n=9) and control group (n=9). Both groups remained their normal training routines while experimental group went through an addition training of high intensity intermittent badminton multishuttle feeding training for 4 weeks. The subjects were tested on VO2 max Test, Wingate Ergometer Test, Countermovement Vertical Jump, Drop Jump and Illinois Agility Test. The data analysis showed that there were significant improvements in VO2max (p=0.001), mean power (p=0.042), reactive strength (p=0.001) and agility (p=0.000) in experimental group. Conversely, there were no significant improvements in peak power (p=0.915) and jump height (p=0.12) in experimental group. Meanwhile, control groups did not show any significant improvements in all the tested variables. This showed that the high intensity intermittent badminton multishuttle feeding training could improve aerobic and anaerobic capacity, reactive strength and agility of college badminton players.
Reliability Studies of Modern Distribution Systems Integrated With Renewable Generation and Parking Lots

This paper investigates the role of parking lots in improving the reliability of renewable-based distribution systems, through provision of vehicle-to-grid (V2G) programs during outage events. In this regard, municipal parking decks are viewed as distributed energy storage systems and the amount of available energy from these units in random contingency events is probabilistically modeled for reliability studies. Appropriate stochastic models are also introduced to capture the volatility and intermittency of renewable sources. Moreover, it is discussed that how the adopted outage management scheme (OMS) in contingency events can affect the reliability level of customers. In response, several OMSs on the basis of bankruptcy problem are proposed to fairly distribute the available resources among different microgrids/sections, once a failure occurs in the system. Subsequently, a general framework based on the non-sequential Monte Carlo simulation method is developed to evaluate different customers and system reliability indices in presence of emergency V2G programs. The effectiveness of the proposed framework is validated through implementation on a test system and several case studies are presented. The results suggest that realization of V2G programs offered by EV parking lots, accompanied by an appropriate OMS, can significantly enhance the reliability of supply in modern distribution networks.
Refactoring Aspect - Oriented Programs

Refactoring is the process of changing a program to improve its internal structure and reusability, without altering the external behavior of the program. It is a disciplined way to clean up code that minimizes the chances of introducing bugs. In this paper, we propose a systemic approach to refactoring aspect-oriented programs. To this end, we rst investigate the impact of existing object-oriented refactorings such as those proposed by Fowler [4] on aspect-oriented programs. Then we propose some new aspect-oriented refactorings that are unique to aspect-oriented programs. Finally, we discuss tool support for automatic refactoring of aspect-oriented programs. We use AspectJ, a general-purpose AOP language to demonstrate our approach, but our approach is general enough to be applicable to other AOP languages.
Gap metric on the subgraphs of systems and the robustness problem

The gap metric between the shift invariant subspaces of the graphs, or subgraphs, of systems is investigated. Under certain index conditions, it is shown that the gap metric on the subgraphs shares the same fundamental property of robust stability as those well known metrics such as the gap metric and the /spl nu/-gap metric. It is also shown that the /spl nu/-gap metric between two systems is the distance, measured by the gap metric, between their respective sets of all subgraphs under certain index conditions.
Pathobiology of Clade 2.3.4.4 H5Nx High-Pathogenicity Avian Influenza Virus Infections in Minor Gallinaceous Poultry Supports Early Backyard Flock Introductions in the Western United States in 2014-2015

ABSTRACT In 2014 and 2015, the United States experienced an unprecedented outbreak of Eurasian clade 2.3. 4.4 H5 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus. Initial cases affected mainly wild birds and mixed backyard poultry species, while later outbreaks affected mostly commercial chickens and turkeys. The pathogenesis, transmission, and intrahost evolutionary dynamics of initial Eurasian H5N8 and reassortant H5N2 clade 2.3. 4.4 HPAI viruses in the United States were investigated in minor gallinaceous poultry species (i.e., species for which the U.S. commercial industries are small), namely, Japanese quail, bobwhite quail, pearl guinea fowl, chukar partridges, and ring-necked pheasants. Low mean bird infectious doses (<2 to 3.7 log10) support direct introduction and infection of these species as observed in mixed backyard poultry during the early outbreaks. Pathobiological features and systemic virus replication in all species tested were consistent with HPAI virus infection. Sustained virus shedding with transmission to contact-exposed birds, alongside long incubation periods, may enable unrecognized dissemination and adaptation to other gallinaceous species, such as chickens and turkeys. Genome sequencing of excreted viruses revealed numerous low-frequency polymorphisms and 20 consensus-level substitutions in all genes and species, but especially in Japanese quail and pearl guinea fowl and in internal proteins PB1 and PB2. This genomic flexibility after only one passage indicates that influenza viruses can continue to evolve in galliform species, increasing their opportunity to adapt to other species. Our findings suggest that these gallinaceous poultry are permissive for infection and sustainable transmissibility with the 2014 initial wild bird-adapted clade 2.3. 4.4 virus, with potential acquisition of mutations leading to host range adaptation. IMPORTANCE The outbreak of clade 2.3. 4.4 H5 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus that occurred in the United States in 2014 and 2015 represents the worst livestock disease event in the country, with unprecedented socioeconomic and commercial consequences. Epidemiological and molecular investigations can identify transmission pathways of the HPAI virus. However, understanding the pathogenesis, transmission, and intrahost evolutionary dynamics of new HPAI viruses in different avian species is paramount. The significance of our research is in examining the susceptibility of minor gallinaceous species to HPAI virus, as this poultry sector also suffers from HPAI epizootics, and identifying the biological potential of these species as an epidemiological link between the waterfowl reservoir and the commercial chicken and turkey populations, with the ultimate goal of refining surveillance in these populations to enhance early detection, management, and control in future HPAI virus outbreaks.
Angular Induction as a Function of Contact and Target Orientation

The Poggendorff effect is seen as misalignment of two obliques, or misprojection of one, when the obliques are placed outside a set of parallel lines. To understand better the mechanisms behind this effect, the orientation of the lines which are normally parallel was systematically manipulated. The results indicate that projection bias is affected by the orientation of either line, is at a minimum where the line is orthogonal to the oblique, and is maximal at small angles. This is in line with classic theories which attribute the illusion to misperception of angular size. However, such explanations presuppose that in order to be effective the induction line must be proximal to the oblique so that an angle can be formed. Results are reported which show that the angle formed by the oblique and a line placed at a distance from the oblique, serving as the target of the projection, follows an angular rule of effectiveness similar to what is seen when the line is placed directly in contact with the oblique. The underlying process is described as ‘angular induction’.
Optimal concentration of light in turbid materials

In turbid materials such as white paint, biological tissue, and paper, spatial fluctuations in refractive index cause light to be scattered. After a few scattering events, practically all light has lost its direction, making these materials look opaque. Scattering of light is a huge problem in many optical imaging methods, where the inability of controlling the light causes a dramatic loss of efficiency and resolution deep inside turbid materials.
Balance control of robot with CMAC based Q-learning

Self-balancing two-wheel robot is a high order, multi-variable, nonlinear, strong-coupling and absolutely unstable system. A reinforcement learning algorithm based on many parallel Cerebellar Model Articulation Controller (CMAC) neural networks is proposed for the balance-control problem of self-balancing two-wheel robot. In the method, the outputs of CMAC are used to approximate the Q-functions of the input state variables. The input state variables are divided to decrease the grades of quantization. Therefore, the storage spaces of CMAC are reduced effectively, and the learning rate and control precision of Q-algorithm are improved. At the same time, the generalization of continuous state variables is realized too. The method is applied to solve the balance control problem of self-balancing two-wheel robot, and the simulation results show its correctness and efficiency.
A Conventional Method for Fermentation and Purification of Recombinant Human Interleukin 24 from E. coli

Recombinant human interleukin 24 is a member of cytokine family. Recombinant human interleukin 24 is well known as human biological beneficial protein. Recombinant human interleukin 24 production from E.coli with a conventional method is a step to produce a low amount of recombinant protein for characterization and biological properties. The expression of eukaryotic proteins in E. coli leads to formation of insoluble inclusion bodies (IBs). Inclusion bodies solubilization and refolding is a key challenge for active therapeutic protein production. The recovery of recombinant human interleukin 24 from inclusion bodies is a bottle neck of downstream processing. Protein purification not only increases the final product but also improves the quality of final product. In current research work, we practiced the conventional method for production and purification of recombinant human interleukin 24. The fermentation strategy was based on application of LB media for batch culture. The high pressure homogenizer was used for cell lyses. Traditional approach for IB solubilization and refolding was applied to produce a low sample volume for purification. The anion & cation exchange complex chromatography was applied to remove impurities from the sample and to produce purified product. According to conventional method a negligible recombinant human interleukin 24 was produce with more effort and more time consumption.
Perioperative total parenteral nutrition in surgical patients.

BACKGROUND We undertook this study to test the hypothesis that perioperative total parenteral nutrition (TPN) decreases the incidence of serious complications after major abdominal or thoracic surgical procedures in malnourished patients. METHODS We studied 395 malnourished patients (99 percent of them male) who required laparotomy or noncardiac thoracotomy. They were randomly assigned to receive either TPN for 7 to 15 days before surgery and 3 days afterward (the TPN group) or no perioperative TPN (the control group). The patients were monitored for complications for 90 days after surgery. RESULTS The rates of major complications during the first 30 days after surgery in the two groups were similar (TPN group, 25.5 percent; control group, 24.6 percent), as were the overall 90-day mortality rates (13.4 percent and 10.5 percent, respectively). There were more infectious complications in the TPN group than in the controls (14.1 vs. 6.4 percent; P = 0.01; relative risk, 2.20; 95 percent confidence interval, 1.19 to 4.05), but slightly more noninfectious complications in the control group (16.7 vs. 22.2 percent; P = 0.20; relative risk, 0.75; 95 percent confidence interval, 0.50 to 1.13). The increased rate of infections was confined to patients categorized as either borderline or mildly malnourished, according to Subjective Global Assessment or an objective nutritional assessment, and these patients had no demonstrable benefit from TPN. In contrast, severely malnourished patients who received TPN had fewer noninfectious complications than controls (5 vs. 43 percent; P = 0.03; relative risk, 0.12; 95 percent confidence interval, 0.02 to 0.91), with no concomitant increase in infectious complications. CONCLUSIONS The use of preoperative TPN should be limited to patients who are severely malnourished unless there are other specific indications.
A Test of the Function of Juvenile Color Patterns in the Pomacentrid Fish Hypsypops rubicundus (Teleostei: Pomacentridae)

Color patterns of juveniles of many fish species differ from those of adult conspecifics. The adaptiveness of such coloration has seldom been studied, despite longstanding interest in the subject. I tested the hypothesis that distinctive juvenile coloration masks species identity, thereby reducing aggression from adults and permitting young fish to occupy areas within adult territories. I measured the responses of adult, territorial garibaldi (Hypsypops rubicundus [Girard]) to naturally colored juveniles and to juveniles altered to resemble adults or heterospecifics when presented live in clear, plastic bags filled with seawater. Preliminary results showed that adults attacked normally colored juveniles more than any other color pattern presented, indicating that juvenile coloration in H. rubicundus does not inherently reduce adult aggression. I discuss the merits and testability of alternative hypotheses for ontogenetic color change
Broadband circuit model for electromagnetic-interference analysis in cavities

The electrical behavior of a cavity with arbitrary shape, lossy walls and lossy filling material, which is excited by electrically small current elements, is represented by a novel broadband Foster-type circuit based on the eigenmodes of the cavity. This model is inherently stable in the time domain and allows the simulation of arbitrary nonlinear loads with a commercial circuit simulator. The convergence of the circuit model is accelerated by the extraction of quasi-static inductances and capacitances. The presented model is validated in the frequency and time domain.
Amino acid analogs while inducing heat shock proteins sensitize CHO cells to thermal damage

Amino acid analogs have been shown to induce heat shock proteins (HSPs). We have examined the effect of these analogs on the thermal sensitivity of Chinese hamster fibroblasts (HA‐1) and their stable heat‐resistant variants. We found that exposure of HA‐1 cells and their heat‐resistant variants to canavanine or L‐azetidine‐2‐carboxylic acid cause enhanced synthesis of the three major mammalian HSPs (molecular weight 70,000, 87,000, and 110,000 kd). Although the synthesis of HSPs was increased, the analogs did not induce thermotolerance, a transient ability to protect cells from thermal damage. On the contrary, the analog treatment increased the thermal sensitivity of HA‐1 cells, but not of the heat‐resistant strains, when these cells were exposed subsequently to elevated temperatures. Our tentative explanation for these findings is that the incorporation of amino acid analogs into HSPs or other cellular proteins sensitizes HA‐1 cells to heat. The heat‐resistant strains contain higher levels of constitutive HSPs. The additional functional HSPs in the heat‐resistant variants may protect these cells from thermal stress. The presence of some newly synthesized analog‐substituted, perhaps nonfunctional, HSPs need not affect this thermal protection.
Metabolism and mode of action of gentian violet.

Gentian violet has been used in medicine for almost 100 years: as an antiseptic for external use, as an antihelminthic agent by oral administration, and more recently, as a blood additive to prevent transmission of Chagas' disease. To date, no serious side effects have been reported when used externally. However, oral administration can cause gastrointestinal irritation, and intravenous injection can cause depression in the white blood cell count. Surprisingly, no acute toxic side effects were reported after administration of large amounts of gentian violet-treated blood. No studies have been done on long-term effects (chronic toxicity, carcinogenicity) of gentian violet-treated blood either in humans or in laboratory animals. Gentian violet is a mutagen, a mitotic poison, and a clastogen. The carcinogenic effects of gentian violet in rodents have been reported recently. In addition, a number of triphenylmethane-classed dyes, of which gentian violet is a member, have been recognized as animal and human carcinogens. A photodynamic action of gentian violet, apparently mediated by a free-radical mechanism, has been described in bacteria and in T. cruzi. However, the main target of gentian violet toxicity in the dark is the mitochondrion. Gentian violet is actively demethylated by liver microsomes from different animals and is reduced to leucogentian violet by intestinal microflora. Although the first process may represent a detoxication reaction, the second pathway may have toxicological significance because the completely demethylated derivative leucopararosaniline has been demonstrated to be carcinogenic in rats. A free-radical derivative of gentian violet is also formed by the action of rat liver microsomes, but whether this radical is involved in the cytotoxic effects of gentian violet in mammalian cells remains to be elucidated. Other pathways of gentian violet metabolism have recently been investigated that involve its oxidative N-demethylation by peroxidases. The N-demethylation of gentian violet by prostaglandin synthetase deserves further study. In this regard, the PGS system is being studied as an alternative activating pathway in xenobiotic metabolism because some carcinogenic intermediates can be formed during this cooxidation reaction.
Alzheimer's disease classification based on combination of multi-model convolutional networks

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an irreversible neurodegenerative disorder with progressive impairment of memory and cognitive functions. It brings increasingly troubling in today's society. Its early diagnosis and warning are particularly important. Structural magnetic resonance images (MRI) play an important role to help understand the brain anatomical changes related to AD. Traditional methods are usually based on extraction of handcrafted features and training a classifier to distinguish AD from other groups. Motivated by the success of deep learning in image classification, this paper proposes a classification method based on combination of multimodel 3D convolutional networks to learn the various features from MR brain images. First, a deep 3D convolutional neural network (3D CNN) is built to hierarchically transform the MR image into more compact high-level features. Second, the multiscale 3D convolutional autoencoders (3D CAEs) are constructed to extract features from MR brain images. The features learned by these models are combined with the upper fully connected layers for image classification in AD diagnosis. The proposed method can automatically learn the generic features from the imaging data for classification without segmentations of brain tissues and regions. Our method is evaluated using T1-weighted MR brain images on 428 subjects including 199 AD patients and 229 normal controls (NC) from Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) database. Experimental results show that the proposed method achieves an accuracy of 88.31% for AD classification and an AUC (area under the ROC curve) of 92.73%, demonstrating the promising classification performances.