Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Influence of Quality Management on the Innovative Performance Influência da Gestão da Qualidade no Desempenho Inovador Influencia de la gestión de la calidad en el desempeño innovador

�e relationship between total quality management (TQM) and innovation has been studied in several investigations. However, there is some disagreement among the researchers. Many authors suggest that the impact of TQM on innovation depends both on the TQM dimensions considered and on the type of innovation. �is paper aims at identifying elements of TQM as determinants of innovation outputs of organizations. The conceptual model proposed considers 8 TQM variables (leadership; customer focus; involvement and development of people; management by processes; continuous improvement; relations with suppliers; measuring results; product design) as factors that can have impact on 6 innovation outputs (research, development and technological innovation; product innovation; process innovation; organizational innovation; management innovation; marketing innovation). �is study is based on empirical data collected through a questionnaire answered by 218 ISO
Growth enhancing effect of discretionary fiscal policy shocks: Keynesian, Weak Keynesian or Non-Keynesian?

Using the extended version of the Blanchard and Perotti SVAR technique, this paper attempts to empirically predict the growth enhancing effect of discretionary fiscal policy shocks in both short- and long-run in Turkey over the period 2006:Q1-2015:Q1. Unlike previous studies which have mainly focused on fiscal policy instruments - taxes and government spending - at the aggregate level, this paper considers these instruments at the component level, and then attempts to analyze comparatively the effect of changes in each component on growth. The findings of the paper show that growth enhancing effect of discretionary fiscal policy shocks varies according to its components. However, discretionary fiscal policy shocks at the component level indicate mixed results. In the short-run, only the shocks to government spending have a Keynesian effect. In all other cases, discretionary fiscal policy shocks seem to capture a weak Keynesian and/or non-Keynesian effect in the case of Turkey.
Untersuchungen zur Implementierung der Raman-Spektroskopie für die Diagnostik am Innenohr

In this work, the utilization of Raman spectroscopy as a tool for the clinical diagnosis of hearing impairments is evaluated. Only recently it is known that the pathophysiological parameters associated to specific kinds of diseases are correlated to changes in concentrations of inner ear proteins. So far, investigations of these proteins can only be performed invasively (via extraction of samples). The goal was the development of an experimental approach aiming at noninvasive spectroscopy to identify the relevant molecules through the round window membrane which closes the inner ear from the outside. For determining the optimal excitation wavelength for Raman spectroscopy, the optical properties of this membrane were measured. Due to the little space inside the ear, the technical implementation of Raman spectroscopy for inner ear application was done via a fiber optic probe. The tip of the probe consists of several optics optimizing the excitation and collection efficiencies of Raman scattered light. In addition to the experimental approach, an algorithm for data postprocessing was developed for removing any disturbing influences on the collected Raman signals. Furthermore, multivariate data analysis was evaluated for interpreting Raman spectra to obtain the underlying chemical constitution of the samples under study. By means of measuring and analyzing the Raman spectra of heat shock proteins, the working principle of the noninvasive diagnosis of hearing impairment via Raman spectroscopy was demonstrated.
Modeling evolution of dark matter substructure and annihilation boost

The structure of dark matter halo is hierarchical. Among them, small-scale structures in dark matter halo (so-called subhalos) can enhance dark matter annihilation signals. It is necessary to quantify boost factors by those subhalos to derive the property of dark matter with current/future gamma-ray observations. In order to derive the subhalo boost factors, calculations of halo structure covering more than 20 orders-of-magnitude in the halo mass up to a redshift of z ˜ 10 are required. This is beyond the capability of the current state-of-art cosmological N-body simulation which is a widely-adopted method to study the halo structure. In this talk, I introduce our analytical approach for the formalism of subhalo evolutions and the resultant boost factors. I show that the constraints on the annihilation cross-section obtained by isotropic γ-ray observations can be updated by several factors by taking the contribution from subhalos into account.
Impacts and Exposed Lithospheric Mantle: A Way to Recognize large Terrestrial Impact basins?

Orientale size craters are not recognized on Earth nor expected for Phanerozoic and Proterozoic eons from conventional crater size frequency distributions (Ivanov et al., 2002). Here suggested are three such Phanerozoic craters, modified by plate tectonics, and tentatively correlated with extinction and “ophiolite obduction” events. Hypothesis testing is proposed and plate tectonics implications are discussed. Such basins might manifest:
Reaction of Brassica species to Sclerotinia sclerotiorum applying inoculation techniques under controlled conditions

Rahmanpour, S. , D. Backhouse, and H. M. Nonhebel. 2011. Reaction of Brassica species to Sclerotinia sclerotiorum applying inoculation techniques under controlled conditions. Crop Breeding Journal 1 (2): 143-149. Oilseed rape is economically affected by stem rot caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum worldwide. Glucosinolates are the specific secondary metabolites of Brassica plants that appear in different profiles of each species. Their hydrolysis products have biocidal activity and may play a role in resistance against plant pathogenic fungi. The resistance of oilseed rape (Brassica napus) cultivars and two other Brassica species (B. nigra and Sinapis alba) was evaluated employing leaf disc inoculation, and oxalic acid and fungal inoculums on leaves of intact plants under controlled conditions. By using leaf disc inoculation, three plant ages were used to compare their reactions against the pathogen. No significant differences between genotypes were observed in this method. However, results demonstrated significant differences in main effects of wounding and plant age. The two intact plant inoculation techniques (oxalic acid and fungal mycelium) resulted in significant differences between genotypes in reaction to the disease. Furthermore, the oxalic acid assay followed the same pattern as fungal inoculations. Among the oilseed rape cultivars, AV-Sapphire and AG-Castle were the most resistant and susceptible genotypes, respectively. Brassica species differed significantly in their reaction to disease, in both wounded and non-wounded leaves with fungal mycelium inoculation and oxalic acid. Overall, non-significant differences between Brassica genotypes showed the unreliability of the leaf disc assay, whereas leaf inoculation of intact plants by means of either oxalic acid or fungal mycelium demonstrated significant differences in lesion size among Brassica cultivars and species.
Pollen production in anemophilous trees

Abstract A study was made of the total pollen production per individual tree in ten anemophilous arboreal species (including wild, cultivated and ornamental species) of considerable aerobiological importance: Pinus pinaster, Ulmus minor, Juglans regia, Platanus hispanica, Quercus rotundifolia, Salix atrocinerea, Populus nigra, Acer negundo, Olea europaea and Fraxinus angustifolia. For each species three isolated well-shaped specimens of medium height were chosen, and the number of flowers per individual tree and the number of pollen grains per anther was estimated. The values of total pollen production varied between a little over 1000 million grains in Juglans regia and more than 500,000 million in one single tree in Quercus rotundifolia. For the production of pollen grains per anther, the values oscillated between 3000 grains in Juglans regia and 100,000 in Olea europaea. There is an exponential correlation between the size of the anthers and the number of pollen grains they contain. A linear correlatio.
THE FIRST GENERATION'S TACIT KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER

This study aims to see and learn when, how and what are the transfer of tacit knowledge between the senior generation and the next generation of first generation family companies in Surabaya. This is qualitative research. The study found that the transfer of tacit knowledge was planned and initiated by the senior generation. Transfers are carried out by observation, experiencing and reflection methods where unique senior generation knowledge such as trust in certain value values is transferred to the next generation which is then studied by the next generation to become a separate value.
Quantum mechanical effects analysis of nanostructured solar cell models

The quantum mechanical effects resulted from the inclusion of nanostructures, represented by quantum wells and quantum dots, in the i-layer of an intermediate band solar cell will be analyzed. We will discuss the role of these specific nanostructures in the increasing of the solar cells efficiency. InAs quantum wells being placed in the i-layer of a gallium arsenide (GaAs) p-i-n cell, we will analyze the quantum confined regions and determine the properties of the eigenstates located therein. Also, we simulate the electroluminescence that occurs due to the nanostructured regions.
SCARRING IN TAMARILLO FRUIT (SOLANUM BETACEUM)

Fruit scarring in tamarillo (Solanum betaceum) is a cosmetic disorder causing extensive revenue losses to the New Zealand tamarillo growers. This study aimed to establish the cause of scarring. Three possible causes were tested experimentally: (1) fungal infection (2) insect damage and (3) physical injury. Inoculation with spore suspensions of Botrytis cinerea (~10 5 spores/ml) at fruit-set indicated no association between scarring and infection by this fungus. Among seven herbivorous invertebrates recorded on tamarillo, greenhouse thrips were the most likely incitants of scarring. Applications of thrips to developing fruit in fine-weave terylene bags (~120 thrips/bag) resulted in corky lesions. However, these were more superficial than the typical scarring of tamarillo. Damaging the epidermis by scratching or removing patches of cells on young fruit produced the characteristic corky scars. This suggests that any type of epidermal damage (e.g. windrub, hail or feeding insect) early in fruit development may cause scarring.
Statistical methods for regular monitoring data

Summary. Meteorological and environmental data that are collected at regular time intervals on a fixed monitoring network can be usefully studied combining ideas from multiple time series and spatial statistics, particularly when there are little or no missing data. This work investigates methods for modelling such data and ways of approximating the associated likelihood functions. Models for processes on the sphere crossed with time are emphasized, especially models that are not fully symmetric in space–time. Two approaches to obtaining such models are described. The first is to consider a rotated version of fully symmetric models for which we have explicit expressions for the covariance function. The second is based on a representation of space–time covariance functions that is spectral in just the time domain and is shown to lead to natural partially nonparametric asymmetric models on the sphere crossed with time. Various models are applied to a data set of daily winds at 11 sites in Ireland over 18 years. Spectral and space–time domain diagnostic procedures are used to assess the quality of the fits. The spectral‐in‐time modelling approach is shown to yield a good fit to many properties of the data and can be applied in a routine fashion relative to finding elaborate parametric models that describe the space–time dependences of the data about as well.
A Correlation Model of Mixed Service Qoe and Qos in Integration Network Environment

With the rapid development of Internet and gradual enriched multimedia services, diversified needs of internet services are put forward. At the same time, people’s requirements on quality of service are more stringent, traditional QoE only considers the evaluation method of network quality has not fully response service quality. At present, many research study association model of QoE and QoS only for single network and service. In this paper, a correlation model of mixed service integration network based on the environment is proposed.
Nanoscale modification of biomaterials to reduce infection and optimize cell growth and proliferation

Reducing bacterial density on titanium implant surfaces has been a major concern because of the increasing number of nosocomial infections. Controlling the inflammatory response postimplantation has also been an important issue for medical devices due to the detrimental effects of excessive chronic inflammation on device performance. It has recently been demonstrated that manipulating medical device surface properties including chemistry, roughness and wettability can control both infection and inflammation. Here, we synthesized nanophase (that is, materials with one dimension in the nanoscale) hydroxyapatite coatings on titanium to reduce bacterial adhesion and inflammatory responses (as measured by macrophage functions) and compared such results to bare titanium and plasma sprayed hydroxyapatite titanium coated surfaces used clinically today. This approach is a pharmaceutical-free approach to inhibit infection and inflammation due to the detrimental side effects of any drug released in the body. Here, nanophase hydroxyapatite was synthesized in size ranges from 110-170 nm and was subsequently coated onto titanium samples using electrophoretic deposition. Results indicated that smaller nanoscale hydroxyapatite features on titanium surfaces alone decreased bacterial attachment in the presence of gram negative (P. aeruginosa), gram positive (S. aureus) and ampicillin resistant gram-negative (E. coli) bacteria, altered the surface energy subsequently affecting protein adsorption and were able to control inflammatory responses by reducing
A simple method to reduce torque ripple and mechanical vibration in direct torque controlled permanent magnet synchronous motor

The Direct Torque Control (DTC) technique of Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor (PMSM) receives increasing attention due to its simplicity and robust dynamic response compared with other control techniques. The classical switching table based DTC presents large flux, torque ripples and more mechanical vibrations in the motor. Several studies have been reported in the literature on classical DTC. However, only limited studies that actually discuss or evaluate the classical DTC. This paper proposes a simple DTC method / Switching table for PMSM, to reduce flux and torque ripples as well as mechanical vibrations. In this paper two DTC schemes are proposed. The six sector and twelve sector methodology is considered in DTC scheme I and DTC scheme II, respectively. In both DTC schemes a simple modification is made in the classical DTC structure that is by eliminating two level inverter available in the classical DTC is replaced by three level Neutral Point Clamped (NPC) inverter. To further improve the performance of the proposed DTC scheme I, the available 27 voltage vectors are allowed to form different groups of voltage vectors such as Large - Zero (LZ), Medium - Zero (MZ) and Small - Zero (SZ), where as in DTC scheme II, all the voltage vectors are considered to form a switching table. Based on these groups, new switching table is proposed. The proposed DTC schemes are comparatively investigated with the classical DTC and existing literatures from the aspects of theory analysis and computer simulations. It can be observed that the proposed techniques can significantly reduce the flux, torque ripples, mechanical vibrations and improves the quality of current waveform compared with traditional and existing methods.
Emergent Rainy Winter Warm Spells May Promote Boreal Predator Expansion into the Arctic

Le changement climatique a ete caracterise comme la plus grande menace a la biodiversite de l’Arctique. En plus des changements graduels comme le rechauffement climatique, les phenomenes meteorologiques extremes comme les temperatures positives en hiver et la pluie tombant sur la neige peuvent avoir de profondes consequences sur les ecosystemes. La pluie tombant sur la neige mene a la formation de couches de glace dans le manteau neigeux, ce qui peut avoir pour effet de restreindre l’acces aux plantes fourrageres et d’entrainer l’effondrement des populations herbivores. Ces impacts directs peuvent avoir des effets en cascade sur d’autres composantes des ecosystemes, et cette propagation passe souvent par des interactions trophiques. Dans cette communication, nous decrivons comment une pluie abondante en debut d’hiver, menant a la formation d’une couche de glace epaisse, a ete accompagnee par une mortalite dramatique des rennes domestiques dans la peninsule de Yamal, en Russie. L’ete suivant, la reproduction de deux predateurs boreaux generalistes, soit celui du renard roux et celui de la corneille mantelee, a ete enregistree pour la premiere fois dans une aire d’etude de la toundra du Bas-Arctique de cette region. Nous suggerons que l’abondance de ressources creee par le taux de mortalite anormalement eleve de rennes et l’abondance de charognes aurait pu susciter ces episodes de reproduction au nord de l’aire de repartition connue des deux especes. Nos observations fournissent un exemple selon lequel des phenomenes meteorologiques emergents particuliers peuvent, indirectement, ouvrir la voie a des changements plus abrupts en matiere d’aire de repartition des especes, bien que ces changements puissent etre temporaires.
Ab Initio Study of Phosphorus Anodes for Lithium- and Sodium-Ion Batteries

Phosphorus has received recent attention in the context of high-capacity and high-rate anodes for lithium- and sodium-ion batteries. Here, we present a first-principles structure prediction study combined with NMR calculations, which gives us insights into its lithiation/sodiation process. We report a variety of new phases found by the ab initio random structure searching (AIRSS) and the atomic species swapping methods. Of particular interest, a stable Na5P4–C2/m structure and locally stable structures found less than 10 meV/f.u. from the convex hull such as Li4P3–P212121, NaP5–Pnma, and Na4P3–Cmcm. The mechanical stability of Na5P4–C2/m and Li4P3–P212121 has been studied by first-principles phonon calculations. We have calculated average voltages, which suggest that black phosphorus (BP) can be considered as a safe anode in lithium-ion batteries due to its high lithium insertion voltage, 1.5 V; moreover, BP exhibits a relatively low theoretical volume expansion compared with other intercalation anodes, 2.
The Alzheimer's Disease-Associated Amyloid \(\beta\)-Protein Is an Antimicrobial Peptide

Background: The amyloid b -protein (A b ) is believed to be the key mediator of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) pathology. A b is most often characterized as an incidental catabolic byproduct that lacks a normal physiological role. However, A b has been shown to be a specific ligand for a number of different receptors and other molecules, transported by complex trafficking pathways, modulated in response to a variety of environmental stressors, and able to induce pro-inflammatory activities. Methodology/PrincipalFindings: Here, we provide data supporting an in vivo function for A b as an antimicrobial peptide (AMP). Experiments used established in vitro assays to compare antimicrobial activities of A b and LL-37, an archetypical human AMP. Findings reveal that A b exerts antimicrobial activity against eight common and clinically relevant microorganisms with a potency equivalent to, and in some cases greater than, LL-37. Furthermore, we show that AD whole brain homogenates have significantly higher antimicrobial activity than aged matched non-AD samples and that AMP action correlates with tissue A b levels. Consistent with A b -mediated activity, the increased antimicrobial action was ablated by immunodepletion of AD brain homogenates with anti-A b antibodies. Conclusions/Significance: Our findings suggest A b is a hitherto unrecognized AMP that may normally function in the innate immune system. This finding stands in stark contrast to current models of A b -mediated pathology and has important implications for ongoing and future AD treatment strategies. The antimicrobial activity of synthetic reverse or peptides were determined as minimal inhibitory concentrations ( MIC ) against 12 microorganisms. Antimicrobial activity was assayed by broth microdilution susceptibility test on 96-well plates with microbial growth in wells determined by visual inspection following an overnight incubation. Inhibition of growth in plate wells was confirmed by alamar blue cell viability assay and by surface plating of incubants on agar and counting CFU. Inoculums contained mid-logarithmic phase cells. Consistent with antimicrobial activity specific to the A b sequence, inhibition was not observed for reverse and scrambled peptides.
Investigating the Relationship between Financial Development, Trade Openness and Economic Growth in Argentina: A Multivariate Causality Framework

This study explored the interrelationships between financial development, economic growth and trade openness in Argentina using Vector Error Correction Model (VECM) with annual time series data (1994 to 2014). The contradictions in literature on the subject matter shows that the relationship between financial development, trade openness and economic growth is still an unsettled matter. Moreover, such a trivariate causality study on the three variables by empirical researchers has up to now eluded Argentina to the author’s best knowledge. The study observed a positive and significant uni-directional causality running from financial development to economic growth and from trade openness to financial development in the long run. The existence of a positive but weak uni-directional causality running from financial development to trade openness, trade openness to economic growth and from economic growth to trade openness in the long run was also detected. Results also showed a causality relationship running from financial development to economic growth, from trade openness to economic growth and feedback effects between trade openness and financial development in the short run in Argentina. The study therefore encourages the Argentinean policymakers to accelerate the implementation of financial development and trade openness enhancement policies in order to achieve sustainable growth.