Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Do Non-Executive Employees Have Information? Evidence from Employee Stock Purchase Plans

Using novel data on employee stock purchase plans (ESPPs), we show that aggregate purchases of company stock by lower-level employees predict future stock returns. Firms in the top quartile of ESPP purchases outperform those in the bottom quartile by 10% in the year after purchase. The relation between ESPP purchases and future stock returns is stronger for firms with high information asymmetry. Further, we find that high ESPP purchases are associated with a lower likelihood of earnings restatements and breaks in strings of consecutive earnings increases, as well as higher future sales growth and more innovation. We argue that these findings support the hypothesis that lower-level employees have information about future firm performance, and we examine and reject a number of alternative explanations. Our results have implications for firms using employees as a source of capital, accounting issues related to expensing of equity-based compensation, and disclosure policy.
1 Is There Really a “ Border Effect ” ?

The observed excess price variability in cross-border city pairs compared to that in withincountry city pairs has been defined as the “border effect. ” We used a unique data set from cities that were in the same country at one time and were in two separate countries later on to examine the effects of the presence of a national border on price variability. Interestingly a border-like effect was detected even during the period when all the cities were in the same country. We also found a large border effect when cities were in two separate countries. However, we found no change in the price variability at crossborder city pairs during the periods both before and after the cities separated into two different countries. This finding suggests that the observed systematic higher variability of consumer prices in cross-border city pairs might not be due to the presence of a border as suggested in the literature. JEL Classification: F40, F41.
Modbus/DNP3 State-Based Intrusion Detection System

The security of Industrial Critical Infrastructures is become a prominent problem with the advent of modern ICT technologies used to improve the performances and the features of the SCADA systems. In this paper we present an innovative approach to the design of Intrusion Detection Systems. The aim is to be able to detect complex attacks to SCADA systems, by monitoring its state evolution. By complex attack, we mean attacks composed of a set of commands that, while licit when considered in isolation on a single-packet basis, can disrupt the correct behavior of the system when executed in particular operating states. The proposed IDS detects these complex attacks thanks to an internal representation of the controlled SCADA system. We also present the corresponding rule language powerful enough to express the system’s critical states. Furthermore, we present a prototype of the proposed IDS, able to monitor systems using the ModBus and DNP3 communication protocols.
Chronic Post-Concussion Neurocognitive Deficits. I. Relationship with White Matter Integrity

We previously identified visual tracking deficits and associated degradation of integrity in specific white matter tracts as characteristics of concussion. We re-explored these characteristics in adult patients with persistent post-concussive symptoms using independent new data acquired during 2009–2012. Thirty-two patients and 126 normal controls underwent cognitive assessments and MR-DTI. After data collection, a subset of control subjects was selected to be individually paired with patients based on gender and age. We identified patients’ cognitive deficits through pairwise comparisons between patients and matched control subjects. Within the remaining 94 normal subjects, we identified white matter tracts whose integrity correlated with metrics that indicated performance degradation in patients. We then tested for reduced integrity in these white matter tracts in patients relative to matched controls. Most patients showed no abnormality in MR images unlike the previous study. Patients’ visual tracking was generally normal. Patients’ response times in an attention task were slowed, but could not be explained as reduced integrity of white matter tracts relating to normal response timing. In the present patient cohort, we did not observe behavioral or anatomical deficits that we previously identified as characteristic of concussion. The recent cohort likely represented those with milder injury compared to the earlier cohort. The discrepancy may be explained by a change in the patient recruitment pool circa 2007 associated with an increase in public awareness of concussion.
Marital Satisfaction in Terms of Communication, Conflict Resolution, Sexual Intimacy, and Financial Relations among Working and Non-Working Wives

One of the signs of a successful marriage is marital satisfaction of both husbands and wives. However, in the current era, addressing the role of wives who work outside the household has been a challenge for some married couples. The aim of this study is to examine the influences of communication, conflict resolution, sexual intimacy, and financial relations on the marital satisfaction of working and non-working wives. The study was conducted on a total of 144 subjects consisting of 90 full-time working wives and 54 non-working wives. Data collection was conducted through questionnaires. Results of linear regression analysis showed a difference in the factors affecting marital satisfaction in working and non-working wives. Marital satisfaction in working wives was influenced by communication , sexual intimacy , and financial relations; while marital satisfaction in non-working wives was influenced by communication and financial relations .
Statistical Models of Linear and Nonlinear Contextual Interactions in Early Visual Processing

A central hypothesis about early visual processing is that it represents inputs in a coordinate system matched to the statistics of natural scenes. Simple versions of this lead to Gabor-like receptive fields and divisive gain modulation from local surrounds; these have led to influential neural and psychological models of visual processing. However, these accounts are based on an incomplete view of the visual context surrounding each point. Here, we consider an approximate model of linear and non-linear correlations between the responses of spatially distributed Gabor-like receptive fields, which, when trained on an ensemble of natural scenes, unifies a range of spatial context effects. The full model accounts for neural surround data in primary visual cortex (V1), provides a statistical foundation for perceptual phenomena associated with Li's (2002) hypothesis that V1 builds a saliency map, and fits data on the tilt illusion.
Portuguese policies fostering international student mobility: a colonial legacy or a new strategy?

ABSTRACT This paper explores policies on international student mobility to Portugal from within the Lusophone space, analyzing the cases of Angola, Cape Verde and Brazil. We argue that Portuguese strategies to attract international students respond to different demands and interests embedded in its geopolitical memberships. One the one hand, they respond to pressure from the European Commission to increase the internationalisation level within the European Higher Education Area. On the other hand, they are embedded within Portugal’s desire to continue its influence over the former colonies. We analyze available statistical data and policy documents on Angolan, Cape Verdean and Brazilian students in Portugal, using insights from postcolonial theoretical frameworks. Our results suggest that Portuguese policies on international student mobility, even if discontinuous over time, still aim at maintaining a leading role among the Portuguese-speaking countries, through practices rooted in neocolonial logics. However, Portugal’s membership of the European Union propels the need to adapt to wider political forces through contextual and opportunistic strategies as well.
Cottonseed: protein, oil yields, and oil properties as influenced by potassium fertilization and foliar application of zinc and phosphorus

In maximizing the quantity and quality of a crop’s nutritional value in terms of fatty acids and protein, it is necessary to identify the constraints which may affect it and to devise methods of overcoming them through the use of inputs or changes in management practices. Field experiments were conducted during two successive seasons at the Agricultural Research Center, Giza, Egypt, on the cotton cultivar “Giza 86” ( Gossypium barbadense L.) to study the effects of potassium fertilization (at 0.0 and 47.4 kg of K ha –1 ) and foliar application of zinc (at 0.0 and 57.6 g of Zn ha –1 , two times, 70 and 85 days after planting, “during square initiation and boll setting stage”) and phosphorus (at 0.0, 576, 1152 and 1728 g of P ha –1 , two times, 80 and 95 days after planting) on cottonseed. The application of potassium along with spraying plants with zinc and phosphorus caused an increase in cottonseed yield ha –1 , seed index, seed oil content, oil and protein yields ha –1 , seed oil unsaponifiable matter and total unsaturated fatty acids (oleic and linoleic). However, those treatments resulted in a decrease in oil acid value, saponification value and total saturated fatty acids. The highest P concentration of 1728 g ha –1 gave the best values of cottonseed yield/ha, seed index, and seed oil and protein yields/ha and oil saponifiable matter.
An XMM-Newton view of the young open cluster NGC 6231 ? I. The catalogue ??

This paper is the first of a series dedicated to the X-ray properties of the young open cluster NGC 6231. Our data set relies on an XMM-Newton campaign of a nominal duration of 180 ks and reveals that NGC 6231 is very rich in the X-ray domain too. Indeed, 610 X-ray sources are detected in the present field of view, centered on the cluster core. The limiting sensitivity of our survey is approximately 6 × 10 −15 erg cm −2 s −1 but clearly depends on the location in the field of view and on the source spectrum. Using different existing catalogues, over 85% of the X-ray sources could be associated with at least one optical and/or infrared counterpart within a limited cross-correlation radius of 3 �� at maximum. The surface density distribution of the X-ray sources presents a slight N-S elongation. Once corrected for the spatial sensitivity variation of the EPIC instruments, the radial profile of the source surface density is well described by a King profile with a central density of about 8 sources per arcmin 2 and a core radius close to 3.1 arcmin. The distribution of the X-ray sources seems closely related to the optical source distribution. The expected number of foreground and background sources should represent about 9% of the detected sources, thus strongly suggesting that most of the observed X-ray emitters are physically belonging to NGC 6231. Finally, beside a few bright but soft objects – corresponding to the early-type stars of the cluster – most of the sources are relatively faint (∼5 × 10 −15 erg cm −2 s −1 ) with an energy distribution peaked around 1.0–2.0 keV.
Structure of the SAS-6 cartwheel hub from Leishmania major

Centrioles are cylindrical cell organelles with a ninefold symmetric peripheral microtubule array that is essential to template cilia and flagella. They are built around a central cartwheel assembly that is organized through homo-oligomerization of the centriolar protein SAS-6, but whether SAS-6 self-assembly can dictate cartwheel and thereby centriole symmetry is unclear. Here we show that Leishmania major SAS-6 crystallizes as a 9-fold symmetric cartwheel and provide the X-ray structure of this assembly at a resolution of 3.5 Å. We furthermore demonstrate that oligomerization of Leishmania SAS-6 can be inhibited by a small molecule in vitro and provide indications for its binding site. Our results firmly establish that SAS-6 can impose cartwheel symmetry on its own and indicate how this process might occur mechanistically in vivo. Importantly, our data also provide a proof-of-principle that inhibition of SAS-6 oligomerization by small molecules is feasible. DOI: http://dx.doi. org/10.7554/eLife.01812. 001
Dreaming during non-rapid eye movement sleep in the absence of prior rapid eye movement sleep.

STUDY OBJECTIVES There is a long-standing controversy surrounding the existence of dream experiences during non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep. Previous studies have not answered the question whether this "NREM dream" originates from the NREM sleep mechanism because the subject might simply be recalling experiences from the preceding rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. METHODS We scheduled 11 healthy men to repeat 20-minute nap trials separated by 40-minute periods of enforced wakefulness across a period of 3 days. At the end of the nap trial, each participant answered questions regarding the formal aspects of his dream experiences during the nap trial, using the structured interviews. RESULTS We obtained a total of 172 dream reports after naps containing REM sleep (REM naps) and 563 after naps consisting of only NREM sleep (NREM naps). Dream reports from NREM naps were less remarkable in quantity, vividness, and emotion than those from REM naps and were obtained more frequently during the morning hours when the occurrences of REM sleep were highest. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that the polysomnographic manifestations of REM sleep are not required for dream experiences but that the mechanisms driving REM sleep alter experiences during NREM sleep in the morning. A subcortical activation similar to REM sleep may occur in human NREM sleep during the morning when REM sleep is most likely to occur, resulting in dream experiences during NREM sleep.
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Contribution to the Infrared Output Energy of the Universe at z ≃ 2

We present an updated phenomenological galaxy evolution model to fit the Spitzer 24, 70, and 160 μm number counts, as well as all the previous mid- and far-infrared observations. Only a minor change of the comoving luminosity density distribution in the previous model (Lagache, Dole, & Puget), combined with a slight modification of the starburst template spectra mainly between 12 and 30 μm, are required to fit all the data available. We show that the peak in the Spitzer Multiband Imaging Photometer 24 μm counts is dominated by galaxies with redshift between 1 and 2, with a nonnegligible contribution from the z ≥ 2 galaxies (∼30% at S = 0.2 mJy). The very close agreement between the model and number counts at 15 and 24 μm strikingly implies that (1) the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon features remain prominent in the redshift band 0.5-2.5 and (2) the IR energy output has to be dominated by ∼3 × 1011 L⊙ to ∼3 × 1012 L⊙ galaxies from redshift 0.5 to 2.5. Combining Spitzer with Infrared Space Observatory deep cosmological surveys gives for the first time an unbiased view of the infrared universe from z = 0 to 2.5.
Background Subtraction for Freely Moving Cameras

Background subtraction algorithms define the background as parts of a scene that are at rest. Traditionally, these algorithms assume a stationary camera, and identify moving objects by detecting areas in a video that change over time. In this paper, we extend the concept of ‘subtracting’ areas at rest to apply to video captured from a freely moving camera. We do not assume that the background is well-approximated by a plane or that the camera center remains stationary during motion. The method operates entirely using 2D image measurements without requiring an explicit 3D reconstruction of the scene. A sparse model of background is built by robustly estimating a compact trajectory basis from trajectories of salient features across the video, and the background is ‘subtracted’ by removing trajectories that lie within the space spanned by the basis. Foreground and background appearance models are then built, and an optimal pixel-wise foreground/background labeling is obtained by efficiently maximizing a posterior function.
Postsecondary Education-Focused Transition Planning Experiences of English Learners With Disabilities

Transition planning is particularly important for dually identified English learners with disabilities, who frequently face additional challenges to postsecondary education success. This study examined postschool expectations, transition planning experiences, and supports of a nationally representative sample of English learners with disabilities, based on secondary analysis of the National Longitudinal Transition Study (NLTS) 2012. Results demonstrated that these students’ experiences were similar to other students with disabilities except that, according to parents, the transition component of the individualized education program (IEP) was likely to be developed by school personnel, with little input from students and family members, and necessary information about careers and financial aid was lacking. These findings underscore the intersectional identities and related experiences of this population and the implications for policy, transition education, and school services.
Subjective psychological experiences in leisure and competitive swimming

ABSTRACT Swimming is a popular sport and leisure activity worldwide, but its psychological effects may vary in different situations. The current in situ study compared swimmers’ acute psychological responses in leisure swimming and athletic training. Fifty-four swimmers (27 in each group) were tested in their normal swimming environments. Measures obtained pre- and post-swimming included positive- and negative affect, the self-appraisal of the momentary physical- and mental well-being, and personal satisfaction with the completed swimming session. Leisure swimmers reported positive changes in all dependent measures (p ≤ .001), but this was not the case for the competitive swimmers (p > .05). Further, leisure swimmers were more personally satisfied with the completed swimming session than competitive swimmers (p = .03). Consequently, the psychological benefits of swimming emerged in leisure swimming, but not after athletic training. Therefore, the subjective experience stemming from swimming may be largely determined by the context in which the activity is performed.
The Open University ’ s repository of research publications and other research outputs Quantising opinions for political tweets analysis

There have been increasing interests in recent years in analyzing tweet messages relevant to political events so as to understand public opinions towards certain political issues. We analyzed tweet messages crawled during the eight weeks leading to the UK General Election in May 2010 and found that activities at Twitter is not necessarily a good predictor of popularity of political parties. We then proceed to propose a statistical model for sentiment detection with side information such as emoticons and hash tags implying tweet polarities being incorporated. Our results show that sentiment analysis based on a simple keyword matching against a sentiment lexicon or a supervised classifier trained with distant supervision does not correlate well with the actual election results. However, using our proposed statistical model for sentiment analysis, we were able to map the public opinion in Twitter with the actual offline sentiment in real world.
Synaptic Physiology and Ultrastructure in comatoseMutants Define an In Vivo Role for NSF in Neurotransmitter Release

N-Ethylmaleimide–sensitive fusion protein (NSF) is a cytosolic protein thought to play a key role in vesicular transport in all eukaryotic cells. Although NSF was proposed to function in the trafficking of synaptic vesicles responsible for neurotransmitter release, only recently have in vivoexperiments begun to reveal a specific function for NSF in this process. Our previous work showed that mutations in aDrosophila NSF gene, dNSF1, are responsible for the temperature-sensitive paralytic phenotype in comatose(comt) mutants. In this study, we perform electrophysiological and ultrastructural analyses in three differentcomt alleles to investigate the function of dNSF1 at native synapses in vivo. Electrophysiological analysis of postsynaptic potentials and currents at adult neuromuscular synapses revealed that in the absence of repetitive stimulation,comt synapses exhibit wild-type neurotransmitter release at restrictive (paralytic) temperatures. In contrast, repetitive stimulation at restrictive temperatures revealed a progressive, activity-dependent reduction in neurotransmitter release incomt but not in wild type. These results indicate that dNSF1 does not participate directly in the fusion of vesicles with the target membrane but rather functions in maintaining the pool of readily releasable vesicles competent for fast calcium-triggered fusion. To define dNSF1 function further, we used transmission electron microscopy to examine the distribution of vesicles within synaptic terminals, and observed a marked accumulation of docked vesicles at restrictive temperatures in comt. Together, the results reported here define a role for dNSF1 in the priming of docked synaptic vesicles for calcium-triggered fusion.
What Controls DNA Looping?

The looping of DNA provides a means of communication between sequentially distant genomic sites that operate in tandem to express, copy, and repair the information encoded in the DNA base sequence. The short loops implicated in the expression of bacterial genes suggest that molecular factors other than the naturally stiff double helix are involved in bringing the interacting sites into close spatial proximity. New computational techniques that take direct account of the three-dimensional structures and fluctuations of protein and DNA allow us to examine the likely means of enhancing such communication. Here, we describe the application of these approaches to the looping of a 92 base-pair DNA segment between the headpieces of the tetrameric Escherichia coli Lac repressor protein. The distortions of the double helix induced by a second protein—the nonspecific nucleoid protein HU—increase the computed likelihood of looping by several orders of magnitude over that of DNA alone. Large-scale deformations of the repressor, sequence-dependent features in the DNA loop, and deformability of the DNA operators also enhance looping, although to lesser degrees. The correspondence between the predicted looping propensities and the ease of looping derived from gene-expression and single-molecule measurements lends credence to the derived structural picture.