Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Development of a Trans-World Reactor Vessel Examination System

All three regions of Framatome ANP (Intercontrole in France, intelligeNDT in Germany, and Framatome ANP Inc. in the US) perform pressurized water reactor (PWR) vessel examinations however; each region has historically used different technologies to perform this work. A study was performed in 2001 to assess the feasibility of a common reactor vessel examination tool to service world markets. Although the study concluded there would be some necessary differences regarding regional code considerations, a common set of building blocks could be developed as a foundation for a next-generation tool. A plan was formulated to jointly produce a Trans-World reactor vessel examination System (TWS) to support all three markets. Generally the building blocks included a new robot, a phased array ultrasonic test (PAUT) system, and an advanced analysis system. The advanced robot design was substantially completed in 2002 and was developed to support conventional ultrasonic test (UT) methods with the flexibility to change over to PAUT technology after PAUT qualifications are complete. The robot is designed for higher accuracy and faster scan speeds than previous delivery mechanisms and to facilitate in-containment logistics resulting in shorter vessel occupation times (VOT). This paper discusses the collaborative TWS development project.
An Analysis of Introducing Unspawned Oysters in Japan Using a Contingent Valuation Method and Analytic Hierarchy Process

Demand for unshelled oysters has recently risen in Japan as oyster bars gain popularity among consumers. This study undertook consumer preference research to evaluate a new brand of unspawned oysters, “Amakoro,” compared with conventional oysters. We surveyed the willingness-to-pay (WTP) for both oyster types as well as consumers’ evaluation of the oysters’ appearance, fragrance, taste, and texture. Based on contingent valuation method and analytic hierarchy process, we analyzed how much each factor of consumers’ tastes explains WTP. The results show that Amakoro is preferred to the conventional oyster in terms of appearance, which is positively correlated to WTP, while the conventional oyster is inelastic to any kind of taste factors, but has a robust value. In addition, the results show that WTP largely depends on the characteristics of location and consumption pattern of oysters.
Why even active people get fatter--the asymmetric effects ofincreasing and decreasing exercise

Background: Public health policies for preventing obesityneed guidelines for active individuals who are at risk due to exerciserecidivism. Methods: Changes in adiposity were compared to the runningdistances at baseline and follow-up in men and women whose reportedexercise increased (N=4,632 and 1,953, respectively) or decreased (17,280and 5,970, respectively) during 7.7 years of follow-up. Results: PerDelta km/wk, decreases in running distance caused over four-fold greaterweight gain between 0-8 km/wk (slope+-SE, males: -0.068+ -0.005 kg/m2,females: -0.080+-0.01 kg/m2) than between 32-48 km/wk (-0.017+-0.002 and-0.010+-0.005 kg/m2, respectively). In contrast, increases in runningdistance produced the smallest weight losses between 0-8 km/wk andstatistically significant weight loss only above 16 km/wk in males and 32km/wk in females. Above 32 km/wk (30 kcal/kg) in men and 16 km/wk (15kcal/kg) in women, weight loss from increasing exercise was equal to orgreater than weight gained with decreasing exercise, otherwise weightgain exceeded weight loss. Substantial weight gain occurred in runnerswho quit running, which would be mostly retained with resumed activity.Conclusion: Public health recommendations should warn against the risksof irreversible weight gain with exercise cessation. Weight gained due toreductions in exercise below 30 kcal/kg in men and 15 kcal/kg in womenmay not be reversed by resuming prior activity. Current IOM guidelines(i.e., maintain totalmore » energy expenditure at 160 percent of basal) agreewith the men s exercise threshold for symmetric weight change withchanging exercise levels. « less
INSTITUTIONAL INVESTORS’ ACTIVISM UNDER CONCENTRATED OWNERSHIP AND THE ROLE OF PROXY ADVISORS. EVIDENCE FROM THE ITALIAN SAY-ON-PAY

Institutional investors have become increasingly important as equity holders in the most developed financial markets. At the same time, their role has often changed from passive shareholders to active participants in the governance of listed firms (Gillan & Starks, 2000). Empirical evidence on engagement by institutional investors is mostly limited to the US and UK; little research is available for Continental European countries, although differences both in firm ownership structure and in the institutional context may induce a different behaviour by institutional investors. Concentrated ownership prevails in continental European firms: within this context outside shareholders have no simple way to influence corporate decisions. This may, on one hand, favour rational apathy, and generate limited minority shareholder dissent at General Meetings (GM). On the other hand, lower investor protection in Continental Europe (Djankov, La Porta, Lopez-deSilanes, & Shleifer, 2008) may create additional risk of minority shareholder expropriation and generate incentives for active, institutional investors to engage with companies and to scrutinize GM decisions more closely. It is often claimed that shareholder dissent at European general meetings is low, except in a handful of cases, and that institutional investors tend to remain passive, since the costs of activism tend to outweigh the benefits. But is this really the case? In recent years, regulation created new occasions for shareholders to express their voice (Masouros, 2010). The possibility to vote on a firm’s
Rating Effective Factors on Motivating Employees for Job Persistence by Using Fuzzy AHP Method: A Case Study among the Employees of the Deqat Khodro Kousha (IPACO) Company

The goal of this research is to prioritize effective factors on motivating employees to keep on working and determining the most important effective factors on the employees' motivation. In this paper, to grade effective factors on the employees' motivation for keeping on to work, the Fuzzy AHP method, which is one of the multi-standard decision-making methods was utilized. Field research and library research methods were used for collecting the needed information. Results indicated that among the effective factors on the employees' motivation for job persistence, the health factor is the most important and financial status is the second most important factor. The least importance is given to the significance of the work for that person. In this paper, the effective factors on the employees' motivation for job persistence were rated for the first time. Results of this research are very useful in devising strategies that are related to keeping employees for the human resources' executives. The results of this paper are not applicable to all organizations. Furthermore, in this research, only the factors with positive impacts on employees for job persistence were rated.
PARAMETER ESTIMATION OF EXPONENTIAL HIDDEN MARKOV MODEL AND CONVERGENCE OF ITS PARAMETER ESTIMATOR SEQUENCE

An exponential hidden Markov model (EHMM) is a hidden Markov model which consists of a pair of stochastic processes {Xt, Yt}t∈N . {Yt}t∈N is influenced by {Xt}t∈N , which is assumed to form a Markov chain. {Xt}t∈N is not observed. {Yt}t∈N is an observation process and Yt given Xt has exponential distribution. In this paper, we estimate the parameter of EHMM and study the convergence of the parameter estimator sequence. EHMM is characterized by a parameter φ = (A,λ) where A is a transition matrix of Xt and λ is a vector of parameters of probability density function of Yt given Xt. To determine the parameter estimator, a maximum likelihood method is used. Numerical approximation is used through an Expectation Maximization (EM) algorithm. Under the continuous assumption, the sequence {φ(k)} obtained by the EM algorithm, converges to φ which is the stationary point of ln Lt(φ) and the sequence {lnLt(φ (k))} increasingly converges to ln Lt(φ ). AMS Subject Classification: 30B30, 62L12
Big Data in Finish Companies

This study considers the topical subject of big data in the context of Finnish business environment. A need for clarifying the concept of big data is recognized. The first objective of the research is to untangle, introduce and analyse the concept of big data. Also a research gap in the area of big data utilization in Finnish companies is identified. Another objective is to empirically assess the state of big data in Finnish companies and the results that the companies have achieved by utilizing big data. The research questions draw from the theoretical models of big data maturity and success factors of business intelligence implementations. The research questions include the following: 1. How big data mature are Finnish companies that are utilizing big data? 2. Is the big data maturity model applicable in Finnish business environment and does it succeed in differentiating the companies with different levels of maturity? 3. What kind of external factors and internal competences the companies recognize as defining their big data potential. 4. What are the factors that Finnish companies identify as contributing towards success in big data efforts? 5. Are the identified success factors aligned with the model of Yeoh and Koronios (2010)? The method of multiple case study is applied in order to answer the research questions. The data consists of ten interviews with experts of large Finnish companies utilizing big data. In the analysis of the interview data the maturity model is successfully applied in Finnish context. Interviewed companies are mostly on the early stages of big data maturity. However, they are using big data in versatile ways and in many different business functions. SWOT-analysis is used as a tool to recognize external and internal factors defining the big data potential of the companies. A large share of the companies report access to large amounts of data and strong know-how in the analytics area as their strengths. Identified weaknesses include e.g. lack of organizational agility. Increasing availability of data and improving technological solutions are seen as the most predominant opportunities. Fast pace of change and fierce competition in the area are things that the companies find challenging. Other mentioned treats include crisis with privacy and changing privacy legislation. Evidence of all other success factors of Yeoh’s and Koronios’ (2010) model is found in the interview data except the success factors in the technology dimension. This might indicate that the companies do not consider the technological factors as critical as factors related to the process and organization. The data also suggests that the success factor of openness to look for partners and solutions outside the company’s own industry should be included in the organizational success factors.
The Relationship between Psychological Disorders and Medication Adherence in College Students

Introduction: Medication adherence for a chronic health condition can determine the effectiveness of a treatment or medication regimen aimed at providing individuals with optimal health. Past research has shown that individuals who demonstrate symptoms of a mental health disorder, such as depression and/or anxiety, have lower adherence towards their treatment regimen. Therefore, this study aimed to assess how psychological disorders relate to medication adherence in college students with chronic conditions. Method: College students from Texas State University were invited to participate in an online study via advertisements across campus. One hundred and seventy-one students taking medication for a chronic health condition were included in the current study. Medication adherence was assessed using the Morisky 8-item Medication Adherence Questionnaire to identify significant relationships with demographic variables, psychological disorders, health related quality of life, and medication barriers. Results: Contrary to our hypothesis, the presence of a psychological disorder was not significantly associated with medication adherence. However, the presence of a psychological disorder was significantly related to known medication barriers towards adherence and mental and physical domains of health-related quality of life. Conclusion: Results from this study suggest the need for further research examining the relationship between psychological disorders and medication adherence, as well as known medication-taking barriers and quality of life in young adults.
Genetic Diversity Analysis of Red Clover (Trifolium pratense L.) in Iran Using Sequence Related Amplified Polymorphism (SRAP) Markers

Progress in plant breeding requires a broad genetic basis. Knowledge of genetic diversity in cultivated species and their wild relatives is of critical importance for breeding purposes. The red clover, T. pratense, grows wildly in Iran in a vast range of habitats, mainly along the Zagros and Alborz Mountains. Despite being economically important in many other countries, information regarding the genetic diversity of this species in Iran is significantly lacking. In this study, the genetic diversity of 56 genotypes of red clover collected from Iran and one genotype of T. diffusum, used as outgroup, was evaluated using nine SRAP markers. The nine SRAP primer combinations created a total of 294 bands from DNA of 57 genotypes, from which 291 (98.9%) were polymorphic. All the measured parameters showed significantly high genetic diversity in the Iranian genepool of T. pratense with no clear geographic partitioning of genotypes. However, genotypes collected from around Tehran, Isfahan, and Kermanshah-Hamedan were loosely clustered with their co-regional genotypes. Based on the results of the STRUCTURE analysis, genotypes were genetically divided into two clusters, but these were not correlated with the eco-geographical groups. There was no correlation between genetic distance and geographic distance of genotypes. The result of this study showed value in sampling the Iranian genepool of the red clover, with the Western and the Northwestern genepools in more depth, for conservation and breeding purposes.
Composition and density of bacterial biofilms determine larval settlement of the polychaete Hydroides elegans

Larvae of the polychaete worm Hydroides elegans settle and metamorphose in response to marine biofilms. Phylogenetic relationships among 4 marine-biofilm bacterial species identified by 16S rDNA sequences were not predictive of their inductive capacity. Two bacterial species separated by a genetic distance of 30% shared the greatest capacity for inducing metamorphosis in H. elegans. Two bacterial strains with only a 3% divergence in 16S rRNA gene sequences were very different; one strain induced metamorphosis strongly while the other one did not. The percent of larvae that metamorphosed correlated positively with bacterial density in either natural biofilms or biofilms com- posed of a single bacterial species. When results of tests across 4 bacterial species were compared, the most inductive bacterial species was effective in much lower biofilm densities than weakly or non-inductive bacteria. Evidence presented here indicates that the cue that triggers settlement and metamorphosis in larvae of H. elegans is not unique to a single bacterial taxon and is likely to be an insoluble, surface-bound material.
Digital Micro PIV (μPIV) and Velocity Profiles In Vitro and In Vivo

Correlation techniques were used extensively for the measurement of fluid velocity. In temporal correlation techniques, velocity is inversely proportional to the transit time for flow tracers to cross a fixed distance. In spatial correlation techniques, the velocity is directly proportional to the displacement of flow tracers in a fixed time interval. In this sense, many video techniques, high speed cinematography and PIV can be classified as spatial correlation techniques.
The Comparison of the Polyeythlene Wear Rates in Hybrid and Uncemented Total Hip Arthroplasty with Stem as a Variant at 8 to 10 Yrs mid Term Follow Up

Aseptic loosening has proven to be a major cause of failure of Total hip arthroplasty since its introduction in the late 1960s. Efforts to reduce component loosening rates have included alteration in component design and materials, use of porous coated cementless fixation of cup and stem, and modifications in bone preparation and cementing methods [1]. Uncemented THA and hybrid prosthesis have been the preferable choice of fixation recently which is supported by perceived higher rates of failure of cemented THA in longer terms especially in younger patients [2,3]. Clinical success and longevity of the THA prosthesis depends on the achievement of long term implant component fixation, maintenance of structural integrity and avoidance of aseptic loosening and osteolysis [4]. Periprosthetic osteolysis has been one of the most common complication and leading cause of revision after primary THA [5]. The biological consequences of polyethylene wear in both cemented and uncemented THA leading to generation of particles and their access to the interface has been proved which further causes osteolysis and been responsible for high rates of failure [6,7].
Antibacterial and Antifungal Potentiality of Leaf Extract of Phyllanthus Fraternus Webster: An Ethnomedicinal Plant

Phyllanthus fraternus Webster is a medicinally very useful plant species used by tribal of Gujarat, India to cure certain diseases like asthama, cough, diarrohea and scabies. Methanolic and ethanolic leaf extracts of the plant leaf were evaluated against eleven clinically important bacterial strains such as E. coli, B. megaterium, B. cereus, B. subtilis, C. glutamicum, S. aureus, S. typhi, S. typhi A, S. typhi B, P. aeruginosa and P. vulgaris and one fungal strain namely A. niger by disc diffusion method. Result showed maximum antibacterial activities against C. glutamicum with zone of inhibition of 40 mm and minimum against S. typhi A with zone of inhibition of 15 mm in methanol extract. In ethanol extract maximum antibacterial activities were reported in Bacillus cereus with zone of inhibition of 21 mm and minimum against Salmonella typhi A (10 mm). The maximum antifungal activity was noted against A. niger (40 mm). Our preliminary phytochemical analysis of leaf extract using Methanol as solvent confirmed the presence of alkaloids, tannin, saponin, terpenoid and steroids. This indicates that antimicrobial activities may be due to presence of secondary metabolites. Hence, the plant can be used to discover bioactive natural products that may serve as leads in the development of new pharmaceuticals research activities.
Estimation of Glacier Melt Water Contribution for Human Consumption in the Royal Andes Considering Temperature Measurement Errors

Glaciers from the West side of the Royal Andes are an important source of fresh water for some of the most important Bolivian cities like El Alto. Temperature is an important datum for hydrological modelling and for glacier melt estimation. All temperature measurement devices have some degree of uncertainty due to systematic errors; thus, any temperature measurement has some errors. It is important to estimate the influence of such errors on the results from hydrological models and the estimation of melt water. The present study estimates the melt water contribution from the glaciers Tuni and Huayna West as a source of water supply for human consumption of El Alto considering the errors from temperature measurements. The hydrologic response of the basins was simulated with a hydrologic model. The glacier melt contribution was estimated as the difference between the discharge from the current scenario (with glaciers) and the discharge from a scenario without glaciers. Several volumes of melt water were estimated considering the temperature measurement and its possible errors. The uncertainty of such melt water volume was addressed by performing a Monte Carlo analysis of the possible melt water. The melt water contribution from glacier Tuni and Huayna West during the hydrologic year 2011-2012 was between 1.37 × 106 m3 and 1.72 × 106 m3. Such water volume is enough to meet the yearly water demand of between 6.81% and 8.55% of El Alto.
The Hierarchical Structure of the Firm: A Geometric Perspective

This paper incorporates hierarchical structure into the neoclassical theory of the firm. Firms are hierarchical in two respects: the organization of workers in production and the wage structure. The firm’s hierarchy is represented as a sector of a circle, where the radius represents the hierarchy’s height, the width of the sector represents the breadth of the hierarchy at a given height, and the angle of the sector represents span of control. A perfectly competitive firm chooses height and width, as well as capital, in order to maximize profit. We analyze the short run and long run impact of changes in scale economies, input substitutability, and input and output prices on the firm’s hierarchical structure. We find that the firm grows as the specialization of its workers increases or as its output price increases relative to input prices. The effect of changes in scale economies is contingent on the price of output. The model also brings forth an analysis of wage inequality within the firm, which is found to be independent of the firm’s hierarchical organization of workers, and only depends on the firm’s wage schedule.
Estimating the division rate of the growth-fragmentation equation with a self-similar kernel

We consider the growth-fragmentation equation and we address the problem of estimating the division rate from the stable size distribution of the population, which is easily measured, but non-smooth. We propose a method based on the Mellin transform for growth-fragmentation equations with self-similar kernels. We build a sequence of functions which converges to the density of the population in division, simultaneously in several weighted L2? > spaces, as the measurement error goes to 0. This improves the previous results for self-similar kernels and allows us to understand the partial results for general fragmentation kernels. Numerical simulations confirm the theoretical results. Moreover, our numerical method is tested on real biological data, arising from a bacteria growth and fission experiment.
Effects of Forests on Amounts of CO2: Case Study of Kastamonu and Ilgaz Mountain National Parks

The CO2 cycle on earth in the last 400,000 years shows that CO2 in the atmosphere increased every 80,000 years and 100,000 years on average and then dropped back later. Although there is 0-0.03% (0-300 ppm) carbon dioxide (CO2) in the air, it has a vital importance because of its amount and variety. Plants reduce the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere with photosynthesis. But plants cannot do photosynthesis in winter or night. As a result, they might have a negative impact on the amount of CO2. In this study, the amounts of air carbon dioxide are measured in forests and urban areas and evaluated depending on season and day or night. Results of our study show that, despite the amount of carbon dioxide decreases in the summer depending on the sunlight, it can double its level at night. In addition to day and night, there is a big difference between the amount of carbon dioxide in terms of summer and winter seasons.