Bridging Firm's Innovation, Productivity and Export: An Analysis using Swedish CIS data

This paper analyses the effect of innovation on the well-established productivity-export association in the literature. Here, we argue that actively innovative firms have a higher productivity, which make them more likely to become exporters. Moreover, exporting firms learn from their trading experiences and accumulate the necessary knowledge in order to innovate further, which may facilitate future productivity. We use the micro-data from two waves of Swedish Community Innovation Survey (CIS) to provide empirical evidences to test our argument concerning this interrelation between innovation, productivity, and export. The main finding is that firms which become innovative are more likely to also become an exporter, especially when they do not have prior export experiences

Bacteria Associated with Subcutaneous Abscesses of Cattle Caused by Hypoderma spp Larvae in North of Iran

This study was performed from February to April 2006; several visits were made to abattoirs in the north of Iran for Hypoderma spp infestation. Necropsy inspection of slaughtered and skinned animals were carried out by examination of the inner skin surface and subcutaneous tissues. Warbles were isolated by squeezing nodules from subcutaneous tissues. In the case of abscess presence, aseptic sample were taken from abscesses. The parasitological and bacteriological examinations were performed on the samples. The results indicated that 104 out of 958 of slaughtered animals were infested to Hypoderma spp in which 48 (46.15 %), 34 (32.69 %) and 22 (21.15 %) were infested to Hypoderma bovis, Hypoderma lineatum and both species, respectively. Following bacterial analysis, the following bacteria were isolated: Escherichia coli, Streptococcus pyogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Klebsiella pneumonia

Prevalence of Coenurus cerebralis in sheep in Northwest of Iran

AbstractThis survey was carried out to determine the infection rate of Coenurus cerebralis in Urmiaabattoir, West Azerbaijan, Iran. A total of 402 sheep heads were examined and the number ofC. cerebralis cysts per each head was recorded. Thirty three sheep heads were examined eachmonth during 12 months from 2006 to 2007. Of 402 heads, a number of 75 heads (18.65%)were infected with C. cerebralis. The cysts located in the left and right hemispheres andcerebellum were 54.63%, 40.20% and 5.15%, respectively. The infected heads contained 1-4cysts. The highest and lowest prevalence were detected in sheep in March (42.42%) and in July(2.94%), respectively. The infection rates according to age of sheep were 42.02% in 0.5 to 2years, 22.50% in 2 to 4 years and 8.92% in older than 4 years. The age specific infection ratesamong age groups were significantly differed (P < 0.05). Infection rate in Haraki breed(27.77%) was higher comparing to the rate in the Ghezel breed (21.13%) and Makoie breed(23.91%). However differences between sheep breeds were not statistically significant (P > 0.05)

Developing a Language Assessment Knowledge Test for EFL Teachers: A Data-driven Approach

Language assessment knowledge (LAK) is essential for EFL teachers in developing sound assessments and making informed decisions about the progress and achievement of students. It is also essential to have sound measures of teachers’ LAK to help them improve their professional accomplishments. To address the issue, this study was designed in multiple stages to develop a test to measure EFL teachers’ LAK. First, EFL teachers’ needs were identified using an already validated questionnaire (Farhady & Tavassoli, forthcoming). Second, the topics identified through needs analysis were crosschecked with the topics in the assessment textbooks to assure appropriate content coverage. Third, based on the data obtained from needs assessment of 246 EFL teachers and the content of popular language assessment textbooks, a scenario-based LAK test with closed-item formats was developed in six parts, each focusing on one major area of language assessment. Fourth, after having the test reviewed by experts, it was revised and piloted with 50 EFL teachers, necessary revisions were made based on the results of piloting, and the test was finalized and administered to 164 EFL teachers. The data analysis revealed that contrary to teachers’ claims in needs assessment, the majority of them had low levels of LAK and they showed willingness to improve their LAK. Further, possible relationships between teachers’ LAK and their gender, field of study, educational level, teaching context, and teaching experience were investigated. The findings are presented and implications and applications of the study are explained

Related factors of physical activity preventive behavior of osteoporosis based on health belief model among teen girls in Qom City, Iran

Background Although osteoporosis is a disease of adulthood, it can start from childhood and adolescence. Lifestyle, especially physical activity, mobility, and proper nutrition during adolescence are among the important osteoporosis preventive factors. Therefore, this study aimed to determine related factors of physical activity preventive behavior of osteoporosis based on the Health Belief Model (HBM) among teen girls in Qom city, Iran. Materials and Methods This cross-sectional descriptive analytical study was conducted on 265 tenth to twelfth grade girl students in Qom city. The participants were selected via multistage sampling method. A researcher-made questionnaire based on Health Belief Model used for data collection. Data were analyzed using SPSS-20. Results The current study, knowledge and perceived self-efficacy had a significant and positive relationship with physical activity behavior (r=0.13, P 0.05). Conclusion The results of the study showed that educational interventions and programs must focus on increasing knowledge and perceived self-efficacy to enhance physical activity behavior and reduce the perceived barriers associated with osteoporosis preventive physical activity

Bacteria Associated with Subcutaneous Abscesses of Cattle Caused by Hypoderma spp Larvae in North of Iran

Abstract This study was performed from February to April 2006; several visits were made to abattoirs in the north of Iran for Hypoderma spp infestation. Necropsy inspection of slaughtered and skinned animals were carried out by examination of the inner skin surface and subcutaneous tissues. Warbles were isolated by squeezing nodules from subcutaneous tissues. In the case of abscess presence, aseptic sample were taken from abscesses. The parasitological and bacteriological examinations were performed on the samples. The results indicated that 104 out of 958 of slaughtered animals were infested to Hypoderma spp in which 48 (46.15 %), 34 (32.69 %) and 22 (21.15 %) were infested to Hypoderma bovis, Hypoderma lineatum and both species, respectively. Following bacterial analysis, the following bacteria were isolated: Escherichia coli, Streptococcus pyogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Klebsiella pneumonia

Autumn leaves in scaffolds for bone healing

This photo received second place in the the 2016 Research student photography and image competition held to celebrate National Science Week (Aug 13-21). Blurb: This image shows the porous microstructure of a collagen based scaffold which is a candidate for bone tissue engineering. Scaffolds should have mechanical properties consistent with the target tissue and also be biocompatible to communicate well with the surrounding cells inside a living system. In this regard, in my research we used collagen as the matrix of scaffold which is the main organic component of natural bone and reinforced it with micro/nano particles of Hydroxyapatite. Hydroxyapatite is the main inorganic phase of human bone which I synthetized it in the lab. On a cold day of last autumn, when I left home to go to Electron Microscopy Unit (EMU), I saw the autumn leaves in the street, and I was falling in love with such a colourful scene. One hour later, when I was probing my fabricated scaffold sample under the Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM, Hitachi S3400), I noticed that micro and nanoparticles of ceramic phase settled in a leafy like orientation on the walls of collagen scaffold's pores. Except proper size of pores which are -150-300 µm size and provides excellent space for successful diffusion of essential nutrients and oxygen, this special distribution of reinforcing particles leads to mechanical support during repair and regeneration of tissue

From microchip to heart repair

This photograph originally appeared in the 2018 Research student photography and image competition held to celebrate National Science Week (11-19 August 2018). Blurb: "The life of all of us depends on the second to second uninterrupted function of our heart. Cardiovascular disease affects 1 in 5 Australians and kills 1 every 12 minutes. To mend the broken heart, several drugs, surgeries and devices have been developed. However, none of these therapies can regenerate the damaged heart tissue! Similar to what happens in some animals. For example, zebrafish can repair its heart at any time of its life– much like a lizard that can grow back its tail. In my research, I’m trying to find a way to understand the mechanism of heart cell interactions in mice to uncover this mystery and to apply it for human heart treatments. In my PhD, I use microfabrication and 3D-Printing technology, to design and make microchips that resembles the natural environment of cardiac cells; to model heart vascularization on a micro-chip. In our lab, we have discovered a novel population of stem-like cells during heart development called Progenitor Endothelial Cells (PECs). Our early data indicate that PECs, can make blood vessels in the mouse heart. This successfully happens in my microchip as well. In this image, I have cultured the heart beating cells (the red ones) with the PECs (the green cells) to see if they can model the heart function: the red cells are nicely beating in the video, and the green cells prime together to form the vasculature (the right lower corner of the image). At the moment, I am looking at how these cells communicate which each other and which molecules and proteins regulate these cardiac cell function

Designing a framework to improve time series data of construction projects: application of a simulation model and singular spectrum analysis

During a construction project life cycle, project costs and time estimations contribute greatly to baseline scheduling. Besides, schedule risk analysis and project control are also influenced by the above factors. Although many papers have offered estimation techniques, little attempt has been made to generate project time series data as daily progressive estimations in different project environments that could help researchers in generating general and customized formulae in further studies. This paper, however, is an attempt to introduce a new simulation approach to reflect the data regarding time series progress of the project, considering the specifications and the complexity of the project and the environment where the project is performed. Moreover, this simulator can equip project managers with estimated information, which reassures them of the execution stages of the project although they lack historical data. A case study is presented to show the usefulness of the model and its applicability in practice. In this study, singular spectrum analysis has been employed to analyze the simulated outputs, and the results are separated based on their signal and noise trends. The signal trend is used as a point-of-reference to compare the outputs of a simulation employing S-curve technique results and the formulae corresponding to earned value management, as well as the life of a given project