Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
BEYOND CONTEXTUALIZATION : USING CONTEXT THEORIES TO NARROW THE MICRO-MACRO GAP

Amazing how technology can awaken us to the world around us. No, I’m not talking about the latest electronic gadget allowing us to experience, in real time, the sights, sounds (and even smells) of Calcutta from the comfort of our own living rooms or offices. Rather, I’m talking about recent advances in statistical methods and software facilitating the analysis of random coefficient (or multilevel) models and the impact that these advances are beginning to have on management scholars’ interest in and ability to give greater consideration to the role of context—that amorphous concept capturing theory-relevant, surrounding phenomena or temporal conditions—in their research. Such advances are beginning to generate nothing short of a revolution in management theory, one based on the simple notion that context counts and, where possible, should be given theoretical consideration. Because, as Rousseau and Fried (2001) suggested, one researcher’s context is another’s career, this revolution is already beginning to blur the division between “micro” and “macro” work, resulting in more robust theories that better capture the increasing complexity of organizational phenomena and relations and offering greater predictive power and real-world relevance (Hitt, Beamish, Jackson, & Mathieu, 2007). Indeed, though my very cursory search of Academy of Management Journal (AMJ) articles using any of the multilevel methodologies typically applied to examine the role of context identified no more than three or four articles in each of the years from 2000 to 2003, Hitt et al. (2007: 1393) noted that 25 percent of all articles published in AMJ between August 2006 and July 2007 did. Certainly not all studies adopting a multlilevel approach are context-focused, yet it is clear that the number of context-relevant analyses is on the rise. Despite this obvious increase in researcher awareness of how context, at all levels of analysis, may both emerge from and play a role in shaping the phenomena and relationships we study, I believe that two significant challenges remain, namely: (1) the need to accelerate the transition from the contextualization of research findings to the generation and testing of context theories of management, and (2) the need to expand the range of context theories that we explore in our research. I discuss these two challenges in more detail in the sections immediately following. I then turn my attention to (1) the methodological, epistemological, and institutional obstacles slowing the transition to context theorizing, and (2) what we as management scholars are likely to have to do to find a way around these obstacles.
AID AND GROWTH : ACCOUNTING FOR TRANSMISSION MECHANISMS IN SUB-SAHARA AFRICA

This paper is a contribution to the literature on aid and growth. Despite an extensive existing empirical literature in this area, studies have not paid much attention to the importance of transmission mechanisms in determining the influence of aid inflows on growth rates. In other words, existing studies have failed to specify the mechanisms via which aid should affect growth. We identify investment as the most significant transmission mechanism, and also consider effects of aid via government spending and imports. With the use of residual generated regressors, we achieve a measure of total effect of aid on growth, accounting for the effect via investment. Pooled panel results for a sample of sub Saharan African countries over the period 1970 to 1997 point to a highly significant positive effect of foreign aid on growth. On average, each one percentage point increase in the aid/GNP ratio adds one-third of one percentage point to the growth rate. The results are robust to issues of endogeneity, outliers and country-specific effects. Africa’s poor growth record should not therefore be attributed to aid ineffectiveness. JEL: F35, O40, O55
Deflation Expectations and Japan's Lost Decade

Starting from the early 1990s, GDP in Japan stagnated for about a decade while inflation has been persistently low, at times even negative. This paper provides new stylized facts about the Japanese deflationary process and puts these facts into the context of the literature addressing the origins of the Japanese "lost decade". In order to properly understand the evolution of inflation in Japan and the role of monetary and fiscal policy, a crucial question is whether the deflationary process, a phenomenon specific only to Japan during the period under consideration, was anticipated by agents. The paper suggests a positive answer to the question. In particular, I show that once a "global" inflation forecasting error, common across advanced countries, is removed from Japanese inflation expectations, then the remaining "idiosyncratic" inflation forecasting error is close to zero at various forecasting horizons. This indicates that the Japan-specific deflationary process was fully anticipated by agents, with medium-term (and "idiosyncratic") inflation expectations disanchoring very soon along the deflationary path.
Health Protection or Industry Protection: The Endogenous Food Standards

This study argued that food standards are endogenous and determined by the contest or balance among five relevant interest groups: industry, government, consumers (civil society), academia, and external influence. After a comprehensive review on the Maximum Residue Limit regulation system around the world, this study carried out an econometric estimation to find out what factors determined the stringency of MRLs.The results show that the stringency of MRLs is majorly determined by good governance and MRLs generally reflect consumer’s demand for higher health protection. The stable government with low corruption and good credibility in its people, which can provide high quality of public, civil services and relevant services, tends to have relax MRLs, while government focusing on formulating and enforcing effective rule of law and implement sound policies to permit and promote private interests (regulatory quality), tends to generate tight MRLs. Net apple importers and net traditional apple exporters tend to impose loose MRLs while countries specified in world food market but not in apple tend to apply stricter MRLs. Consumers in richer countries with free access to information and have great accountability on their government tends to demand more stringent import MRLs. Countries with higher proportion of employers in R&D and more journal publications tend to have more stringent MRLs while more expenditure in R&D tends to generate less stringent MRLs when all other factors controlled. The role of scientific evidence in determining the regulatory stringency could be very complicated. However, this study does not find evidence that MRLs are related to a country's competition environment in the world market or its political importance of agriculture/apple industry or its export-driven strategy.
Eupatorium Capillifolium Essential Oil: Chemical Composition, Antifungal Activity, and Insecticidal Activity

Natural plant extracts often contain compounds that are useful in pest management applications. The essential oil of Eupatorium capillifolium (dog-fennel) was investigated for antifungal and insecticidal activities. Essential oil obtained by hydrodistillation of aerial parts was analyzed by gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The major components were determined to be thymol methyl ether (=methyl thymol) (36.3%), 2,5-dimethoxy-p-cymene (20.8%) and myrcene (15.7%). Antifungal activity of the essential oil was weak against the plant pathogens Colletotrichum acutatum, C. fragariae, and C. gloeosporioides in direct bioautography assay. The E. capillifolium oil showed promising repellent activity against the yellow fever mosquito Aedes aegypti, whereas the oil exhibited moderate activity against the mosquito's first instar larvae in a high throughput bioassay. Topical applications of the oil showed no activity against the blood-feeding female adults of A. aegypti. Eupatorium capillifolium essential oil showed a linear dose response between adult lace bug (Stephanitis pyrioides) mortality and increasing oil concentration in an adulticidal activity bioassay. The dog-fennel oil was more potent than the conventional insecticide malathion. In conclusion, these combined results showed Eupatorium capillifolium oil is a promising novel source of a biological insecticide with multiple modes of action.
Light-driven cone arrestin translocation in cones of postnatal guanylate cyclase-1 knockout mouse retina treated with AAV-GC1.

PURPOSE Cone function and survival are compromised in the guanylate cyclase-1 (GC1) knockout mouse. Disruption of the light-driven translocation of cone arrestin is one of the phenotypes of cone cells in this retina: the cone arrestin in these cells is localized to the outer segments and synaptic terminals, regardless of the state of light adaptation. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the expression of GC1 restores cone arrestin translocation in the cone cells of postnatal GC1 knockout mouse retina. METHODS Subretinal injections of AAV-GC1 were performed on 3-week-old GC1 KO mice. Electroretinographic and immunohistochemical analyses of treated retinas were carried out 5 weeks after injection. GC1 and cone arrestin antibodies were used to identify photoreceptors transduced by the AAV vector and to localize cone arrestin within cone cells, respectively. RESULTS Treatment of GC1 knockout retinas with AAV-GC1 restored the light-driven translocation of cone arrestin in transduced cone cells. Staining patterns for cone arrestin in transduced and wild-type cone cells were indistinguishable after dark and light adaptation. In dark-adapted retinas, cone arrestin was distributed throughout the subcellular compartments of the cone cells. In light-adapted retinas, cone arrestin was concentrated in the cone outer segments. Successful restoration of cone arrestin translocation did not translate to a restoration of cone ERG responses, which remained undetectable in the treated retinas. CONCLUSIONS AAV-mediated expression of GC1 in a subpopulation of cone cells in postnatal GC1 knockout retina restores light-driven translocation of cone arrestin in these cells. These findings, which show that fully developed cone cells that have developed in the absence of GC1 can respond to viral-mediated expression of this enzyme, support further analysis of this animal model of Leber congenital amaurosis type 1 (LCA1), a disease that results from null mutations in the gene encoding this enzyme.
Reconstruction of remote sensing imagery via fused multimode neural network computing

We address a new multimode system/method fusion oriented neural network (NN) computing approach to enhancement of conventional low resolution remote sensing (RS) radar and/or fractional synthetic aperture radar imagery. First, the squared error norm objective function minimization-based descriptive experiment design regularization (DEDR) framework is adapted to the Hopfield-type neural network computing-based feature enhancing image reconstruction from the low resolution initial RS imagery. Second, the DEDR framework is aggregated with the variational analysis inspired total variation (TV) minimization modality aimed at anisotropic feature-enhanced image recovery with locally selective information fusion adaptively balanced over speckle and noise suppression. The DEDR and the TV enhancement modalities are fused into the TV-structured maximum entropy neural network (MENN) technique. The developed DEDR-TV-structured MENN-implemented RS image enhancement method outperforms the recently proposed competing approaches both in the achievable resolution enhancement over noise suppression and the convergence rates that is corroborated via the reported simulations.
What metric stereo can do for visual servoing

This paper describes a number of geometric tools that can be easily implemented in order to obtain a very robust visual servoing platform. Most often, visual servoing algorithms are either based on calibrated systems or dispose of enough information to self-calibrate. We show that this abundance of information can be exploited in the case of stereo servoing as to offer a solution for some problems related to signal loss such as temporary occlusions, specularities or CAD tracking difficulties. The presented servoing algorithm, can cope with large image perturbations and is able to control a robot through a non modeled set of reference points.
Searching the Unsearchable: Inducing Serendipitous Insights

Although no serious efforts seem to have been devoted yet to the theoretical and experimental study of the phenomenon, the web is recognizably a well suited medium for information encountering, the accidental discovery of information that is not sought for. This is the very essence of serendipity, the faculty of making fortunate and unexpected discoveries by accident. This paper presents Max, a software agent that uses simple information retrieval techniques and heuristic search to wander on the Internet and uncover useful, and not sought for, information that may stimulate serendipitous insights.
Evaluation of At-Risk Students' Needs in Public Alternative Schools.

The need for alternative education programs that work is paramount in light of the nation’s public education crisis. The problem is that alternative education programs fail to adequately address the issues that At-Risk students bring to, and face in, the alternative and/or the traditional classroom. This study utilized a qualitative and a quantitative approach to evaluate and delineate the fundamental needs of At-Risk students in the public alternative education sector. The purpose of the study was for alternative students, their immediate relatives, and other affected groups to personally express their needs as lived, experienced, and as viewed by them. Those expressions of needs would then create the basis from which public education, having been apprised of the needs, can begin to develop the means by which they can be met. The research utilized open-ended questions developed by the researcher and answered by five different groups most pertinent to the study. The results derived were then coded into common themes that accurately reported the needs expressed. Datadriven conclusions justified the need for a new and different approach to alternative education and subsequent further study. The findings of this study also led to the development of a theory by which alternative education can be guided.
Why Politics Matters: Making Democracy Work

Achieving mass democracy was the great triumph of the twentieth century. Learning to live with it will be the greatest achievement of the twenty-first century. A rising tide of discontent is posing a major crisis for systems of mass democracy: the evidence is clear to see in reduced turnout and party membership and in opinion surveys. The failures of politicians have played their part but, Gerry Stoker argues, equally important are the dysfunctional political stances and styles adopted by many citizens. Democratic politics, he argues, is doomed to disappoint because it involves collective decision-making, demands complicated communication and generally produces a messy compromise. One size fits no-one. So what is the solution? Stoker suggests that democracy - and the political class - must create a new politics, making it as easy as possible for as many people as possible to express and debate their political preferences.
Professional learning communities: Divergence, depth and dilemmas

What is a professional learning community? What are the key challenges facing these communities and how might they be resolved? Is it time to extend our thinking about professional learning communities? There is great interest internationally in the potential of professional learning communities for enhancing educational reform efforts and sustaining improvement. This international collection expands perceptions and understanding of professional learning communities, as well as highlighting frequently neglected complexities and challenges. Drawing on research, each chapter offers a deeper understanding of topics such as distributed leadership, dialogue, organisational memory, trust, self-assessment and inquiry, and purpose linked to learning. The last section of the book focuses upon three of the most challenging dilemmas that face developing professional learning communities - developing professional learning communities in secondary school, building social capital, and sustaining professional learning communities. The authors provide pointers on why these challenges exist, offering rays of hope for ways forward. "Professional Learning Communities" is key international reading for education professionals, school practitioners, policymakers, academics and research students. It is a must-read for anyone interested in building capacity for sustainable learning and the ability to harness your community as a resource for change.
20 GHz integrated CMOS frequency sources with a quadrature VCO using transformers

A fully integrated 20 GHz frequency source is implemented with a VCO and a doubler in a 0.18 /spl mu/m CMOS process. A 10 GHz quadrature voltage controlled oscillator (QVCO) is implemented using a transformer-coupled resonator. The VCO can be tuned between 10.2 and 11.4 GHz and has low phase noise of -118.67 dBc/Hz at 1 MHz offset frequency with 1.8 V power supply. The figure of merit (FOM) is 188 dB. The 20 GHz differential signal is generated by harmonics of quadrature signals of the VCO with a balanced frequency doubler. To increase the output power of the harmonics, pinch-off clipping is used without any buffers or DC level shifter, since the proposed VCO has RF signals with low DC level. The frequency multiplier, the output of which can be tuned between 19.8 and 22 GHz, has a low noise of - 111.67 dBc/Hz at 1 MHz offset frequency. The phase noise of the multiplier is 7 dB higher than that of the VCO. The output power is -6.83 dBm and the VCO output power is -6 dBm.
Pioglitazone Decreases Carotid Intima-Media Thickness Independently of Glycemic Control in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: Results From a Controlled Randomized Study

Background—Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus are at high risk of cardiovascular disease. Carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) is a strong predictor of myocardial infarction and stroke. Methods and Results—We compared the effects of pioglitazone-based therapy (45 mg/d) and glimepiride-based treatment (2.7±1.6 mg/d) for 12 and 24 weeks on metabolic control (HbA1c), insulin resistance (homeostasis model assessment), and carotid IMT (B-mode ultrasonography) in a randomized controlled study in 173 orally treated patients with type 2 diabetes (66 women, 107 men; mean±SD age, 62.6±7.9 years; body mass index, 31.8±4.6 kg/m2; HbA1c, 7.5±0.9%). Treatment was generally well tolerated in both groups. Despite similar improvements in metabolic control (HbA1c) after 24 weeks (−0.8±0.9% [pioglitazone] versus −0.6±0.8% [glimepiride]; P=NS), carotid IMT was reduced only in the pioglitazone group after 12 weeks (−0.033±0.052 versus −0.002±0.047 mm [glimepiride]; P<0.01 between groups) and 24 weeks (−0.054±0.059 versus −0.011±0.058 mm [glimepiride]; P<0.005 between groups). Insulin resistance was also improved only in the pioglitazone group (homeostasis model assessment, −2.2±3.4 versus −0.3±3.3; P<0.0001 between groups). Reduction of IMT correlated with improvement in insulin resistance (r=0.29, P<0.0005) and was independent of improvement in glycemic control (r=0.03, P=0.68). Conclusions—We found a substantial regression of carotid IMT, independent of improved glycemic control, after 12 and 24 weeks of pioglitazone treatment. This finding may have important prognostic implications for patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Analysis of a delayless subband adaptive filter

An analysis of a delayless subband adaptive digital filter (ADF) structure is presented. In this structure adaptive weights in each subband are computed by the LMS algorithm and then transformed into those in fullband by the Hadamard transform. The conventional subband ADF has transmission delay and aliasing effects associated with the filter bank. However in this manner such defects are avoided while retaining the computational and convergence speed advantages of subband decomposition. In addition the overall transfer function of the novel type of subband ADF is strictly equivalent to that of the Wiener filter for the fullband ADF. Also, a characteristic equation is derived to discuss the stability of the adaptation algorithm. Some numerical results show the good performance of this scheme.
Exploiting the character of memory accesses to achieve lower power consumption of the data TLB

Low-power design is quite necessary for the modern power-sensitive embedded systems. Translation Look-aside Buffers (TLBs) can take up significant on-chip energy while translating page addresses. In this paper, we study the memory access behavior of applications drawn from SPEC benchmark suits. In such study, we define a parameter, page interval, to direct our research on saving the power dissipation of dTLB. After that, we present an optimized low-power design for dTLB by introducing an Access Recording Buffer (ARB). The ARB specifically records the high-order bits of the recently-used logical address and that of the corresponding physical address. To decide the optimal configuration of the ARB, we further study different depths and replacement policies to observe their effects on system performance and energy consumption. By running applications drawn from SPEC benchmark suits, the experiment shows most page address translation can be done in the ARB, thus significantly reducing the need to look up the dTLB. Our experiments show that using the ARB can yield an average on-chip energy saving of 30% for dTLB.
Accounting for collective action: resource acquisition and mobilization in British unions

The paper uses two data sources to map trends in resource availability for trade unions in Britain. Union resources exist on the one hand in the form of subscription income and accumulated assets shown in union accounts and, on the other, establishment level resources provided by employers and union members. The paper documents a substantial decline in both forms of resource across the period 1990 -2004 and attempts to explain both the reasons for this decline and its consequences for employee representation in Britain.