Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
‘And then we summarise in English for the others’: The lived experience of the multilingual workplace

Abstract In multinational corporate companies, multilingualism is often a daily reality for employees and the negotiation of language practices for work and social purposes, a routine. Despite the role of English as a lingua franca, the linguistic ecology of modern workplaces is dynamic, rich and diverse. While English is often used for communication between a company’s headquarters and its subsidiaries, language choice is dynamically negotiated between the interactants in informal meetings and everyday interactions in the workplace. Against this backdrop, the article discusses the lived experience of the multinational workplace. We draw on interview data with 40 employees in senior and junior management posts in 12 companies situated in Croatia, Greece, Italy, Serbia, Sweden and the UK where English is the official corporate language. Special attention is paid to the employees’ perceptions of the role of languages in their daily work life. We focus here on three discourses that have emerged from the analysis of our data: multilingualism and the use of English, multilingualism and cosmpolitanism, and challenges and expectations of multilingualism. Our findings show that the employees draw on a range of linguistic resources in order to manage their work-related interactions, and dominant ideologies in relation to language use come to the fore. We close the article by focusing on the profile of the ‘global’ employee and the impact of the ‘modern’ workplace on the working realities of the participants.
A single target voting scheme for traffic sign detection

Traffic sign detection and recognition is an important part of advanced driver assistance systems. Many prototype solutions for this task have been developed, and first commercial systems have just become available. Their image processing chain can be devided into three steps, preprocessing, detection, and recognition. Albeit several reliable sign recognition algorithms exist by now sign detection under real-world conditions is still unstable. Therefore, we address the first two steps of the processing chain presenting an analysis of widely used detectors, namely Hough-like methods. We evaluate several preprocessing steps and tweaks to increase their performance. Hence, the detectors are applied to a large, publicly available set of images from real-life traffic scenes. As main result we establish a new probabilistic measure for traffic sign colour detection and, based on the findings in our analysis, propose a novel Hough-like algorithm for detecting circular and triangular shapes. These improvements significantly increased detection performance in our experiments.
Cell surface dynamics of neutrophils stimulated with phorbol esters or retinoids

Neutrophils undergo rapid morphological changes as well as metabolic perturbations when stimulated with certain phorbol esters. Stimulated cells initially exhibit pronounced projections emanating from the cell bodies, followed by rounding of the cells, reduction in granule number, and the appearance of intracellular vesicles. We show these vesicles to be derived, at least in part, from the plasmalemma. The experimental approach involved labeling stimulated and unstimulated cells with native ferritin and cationized ferritin, along with the cytochemical localization of ecto-5'-nucleotidase. The labeling patterns of the vesicles indicate that these structures are involved in both phorbol ester-stimulated adsorptive and fluid-phase endocytosis. Neutrophils stimulated with 12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate (TPA) exhibit two distinct rates of superoxide release in which the second, prolonged level is approximately 50% of the initial rate. All-trans-retinal, which we have recently shown to stimulate O2- release but not granule exocytosis or cell vesiculation, induces a single prolonged rate of maximal O2- release. Neutrophils treated with both all-trans-retinal and TPA exhibit only a single sustained rate of maximal O2- release similar to that observed with all-trans-retinal alone. Moreover, treatment of cells with all-trans-retinal blocks the vesiculation of neutrophils induced by TPA in a dose-dependent manner. This observation provides a possible explanation for the differences in the kinetics of superoxide release.
Effect of Prostaglandin E 2 on Multidrug Resistance Transporters In Human Placental Cells s

Prostaglandin (PG) E2, a major product of cyclooxygenase (COX)-2, acts as an immunomodulator at the maternal-fetal interface during pregnancy. It exerts biologic function through interaction with E-prostanoid (EP) receptors localized to the placenta. The activation of the COX-2/ PGE2/EP signal pathway can alter the expression of the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters, multidrug resistance protein 1 [P-glycoprotein (Pgp); gene: ABCB1], and breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP; gene: ABCG2), which function to extrude drugs and xenobiotics from cells. In the placenta, PGE2-mediated changes in ABC transporter expression could impact fetal drug exposure. Furthermore, understanding the signaling cascades involved could lead to strategies for the control of Pgp and BCRP expression levels. We sought to determine the impact of PGE2 signaling mechanisms on Pgp and BCRP in human placental cells. The treatment of placental cells with PGE2 up-regulated BCRP expression and resulted in decreased cellular accumulation of the fluorescent substrate Hoechst 33342. Inhibiting the EP1 and EP3 receptors with specific antagonists attenuated the increase in BCRP. EP receptor signaling results in activation of transcription factors, which can affect BCRP expression. Although PGE2 decreased nuclear factor k-light chain-enhancer of activated B activation and increased activator protein 1, chemical inhibition of these inflammatory transcription factors did not blunt BCRP up-regulation by PGE2. Though PGE2 decreased Pgp mRNA, Pgp expression and function were not significantly altered. Overall, these findings suggest a possible role for PGE2 in the up-regulation of placental BCRP expression via EP1 and EP3 receptor signaling cascades.
In situ observations of non-verbal emotional behaviours for multimodal avatar design in e-commerce

This paper reports an empirical study on non-verbal emotional behaviours - facial expressions and body gestures - with the ultimate goal of informing the design of multimodal avatars with authentic emotional expressions for e-commerce websites. In the study 12 salespersons were observed when they were interacting with 29 customers in two furniture retail shops. To facilitate the observational process, we developed a template called NEBOT with a set of common facial expressions and body gestures in human-human communications. Results indicate that neutral facial expressions were more frequently used than expected. Implications for improving the template as a research tool in other contexts and for designing avatars for e-commerce websites are inferred.
Herschel : the first science highlights Special feature L etter to the E ditor Herschel-ATLAS : Dust temperature and redshift distribution of SPIRE and PACS detected sources using submillimetre colours

We present colour–colour diagrams of detected sources in the Herschel-ATLAS science demonstration field from 100 to 500 μm using both PACS and SPIRE. We fit isothermal modified black bodies to the spectral energy distribution (SED) to extract the dust temperature of sources with counterparts in Galaxy And Mass Assembly (GAMA) or SDSS surveys with either a spectroscopic or a photometric redshift. For a subsample of 330 sources detected in at least three FIR bands with a significance greater than 3σ, we find an average dust temperature of (28± 8) K. For sources with no known redshift, we populate the colour–colour diagram with a large number of SEDs generated with a broad range of dust temperatures and emissivity parameters, and compare to colours of observed sources to establish the redshift distribution of this sample. For another subsample of 1686 sources with fluxes above 35 mJy at 350 μm and detected at 250 and 500 μm with a significance greater than 3σ, we find an average redshift of 2.2 ± 0.6.
Women's Career Development: Can Theoretically Derived Variables Predict Persistence in Engineering Majors?.

Factors related to persistence in engineering, particularly for women, were examined in 278 upper level undergraduate women and men who, as entering students, enrolled in the college of engineering at a large midwestern university. An overall model of persistence was created by integrating constructs derived from a number of theories relevant to women's career behavior, including self-efficacy theory, expectancy-valence theory, interest congruence theory, and influences on women's career development. Hierarchical logistic regression revealed that ability, self-efficacy, support-barriers, and interest congruence each added significantly to the model predicting persistence, which correctly identified 92.6% of persisters and 62.3% of nonpersisters. Gender and expectancy-valence variables were not significant predictors, nor were any of the 2-way interactions with gender. Implications for future research and interventions are discussed.
A Comparative Study of Captopril and Enalapril in Patients With Severe Hypertension

Twenty patients with moderate to severe essential hypertension were randomized in a paralleled, double‐blind, 22‐week study of captopril (ten) and enalapril (ten) following four weeks of hydrochlorothiazide (50 mg/d) baseline treatment. The captopril group was administered 25 mg tid and increased to 100 mg tid, while the enalapril group began with 5 mg bid and increased to 20 mg bid, depending on the patient's blood pressure (BP) response. Methyldopa, 250 mg to 500 mg bid and 1,000 mg bid, was administered to patients in both groups if BP was not adequately controlled. Patients were seen every two weeks for BP monitoring and metabolic evaluation. Each group showed a significant and equal decrease in BP, with the effect being the greatest on the diastolic pressure, supine and upright. Of the 20 patients, ten (four whites and six blacks) required methyldopa for adequate BP control. Four patients, two from each group, developed reversible prerenal azotemia (BUN [blood urea nitrogen] ⋍50 mg/dL). No other clinical or metabolic side effects were noted. We concluded that (1) captopril and enalapril were equally effective in lowering BP in the dosages given; (2) no racial differences in BP response were noted, although more black patients required the addition of methyldopa for adequate BP control; and (3) both drugs were safe and well tolerated.
Working memory across the lifespan: A cross-sectional approach

The aim of the present study was to extend previous lifespan research to a wide age range (5 to 80 year olds) and investigate any potential differences in the development and decline of working memory functions. To that end, measures of both verbal and visuo-spatial working memory were included in a cross-sectional study. The findings indicated that there is considerable growth in childhood–on average 23 standard points; with performance peaking in 30-year olds. There was relatively little change in working memory performance in older adults, with 70 to 80 year olds performing at comparable levels to teenagers (13–19 year olds) in verbal working memory tests. Confirmatory factor analyses suggest that working memory skills across the lifespan are driven by domain differences (i.e., verbal or visuo-spatial stimuli), rather than functional differences (maintenance and manipulation of information).
A Quantitative Analysis of Authors, Schools and Themes in Virtue Ethics Articles in Business Ethics and Management Journals (1980–2011)

Virtue ethics is generally recognized as one of the three major schools of ethics, but is often waylaid by utilitarianism and deontology in business and management literature. EBSCO and ABI databases were used to look for articles in the Journal of Citation Reports publications between 1980 and 2011 containing the keywords ‘virtue ethics’, ‘virtue theory’, or ‘virtuousness’ in the abstract and ‘business’ or ‘management’ in the text. The search was refined to draw lists of the most prolific authors, the most cited authors, the most cited articles, and the journals with the most virtue ethics publications. This information allows one to chart how virtue ethics articles have evolved through the decades and to establish ‘schools’ or clusters of authors as well as clusters of themes. The results of this quantitative analysis of authors, ‘schools’, themes, and publications provide a foundation for the future study of virtue ethics in business and management, identifying its achievements and potentials.
Effects of Audio- and Videotape Models on Performance Achievement of Beginning Clarinetists

The purpose of this study was to investigate the comparative effects of home practice using three different kinds of cassette-tape models on the performance achievement of beginning clarinet students. Subjects were 146 volunteer fifth- and sixth-grade students who were randomly assigned one of three cassette tapes: a videotape, a modeling audio-tape, or a nonmodeling audiotape. Information on amounts of student practice, tape use, and parental involvement in student music-making was collected. Performance achievement was assessed at the conclusion of an 8-week experimental treatment period. Two further assessments were conducted to determine retention of performance achievement. All performances were rated by two independent judges, with resulting agreement correlations of 0.84 or higher. Results of analysis of variance indicated that videotape-group students scored significantly higher (0.05) on visual/physical performance criteria than did students in the nonmodeling audiotape group immediately after the treatment and scored higher on tone quality/intonation performance criteria in subsequent, delayed longitudinal assessments.
The effects of dogmatism and social class variables on consumer ethnocentrism in Malta

Explores the effects of dogmatism and social class variables on consumer ethnocentrism and formulates hypotheses linking these variables. Also considers the effects of a number of classificatory variables on consumer ethnocentrism. Reports the findings from a survey of consumers in Malta which show not only that dogmatism and age are positively related to consumer ethnocentrism but also that consumer ethnocentrism is lower among consumers with higher levels of education. Discusses the implications of these findings.
Collecting the Pieces of the FDI Knowledge Spillovers Puzzle

Recent surveys of the empirical literature have concluded that the evidence is mixed on the magnitude, direction, and even existence of knowledge spillovers from Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). This article reviews the recent theoretical and empirical literature that responds to these inconclusive results and considers three main issues: spillover channels, mediating factors, and FDI heterogeneity. Studies that take into account individual spillover channels find robust evidence of knowledge spillovers from FDI. Studies on the importance of mediating factors and FDI heterogeneity are less conclusive and could benefit from greater convergence in methodologies and greater specificity in the spillover channels of interest. More generally, many studies do not properly distinguish between knowledge spillovers and knowledge transfers, and empirical studies seem to greatly outnumber theoretical studies.
Measuring the Cost of Shelter for Homeowners: Theoretical and Empirical Considerations

RECENT economic developments have aroused substantial interest in the treatment in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) of the cost of shelter for homeowners. ' From December 1977, when the latest version of the CPI was introduced, until December 1980, the all-items CPI increased at an average annual rate of 11.6%, while the homeownership component increased at an average annual rate of 16.2%. Relative to all of the other goods and services in the CPI, the homeownership component has increased by 17.5% over the same time period. If the relative price of homeownership had remained constant the growth rate of the CPI would have been reduced to 10.1%. The question which has been raised is whether the rapid relative increase in the homeownership component, which has had such an important impact on the CPI, truly reflects changes in the cost of shelter. This question is not only important, but difficult, encompassing many subsidiary questions and auxiliary issues. The purposes of this paper are threefold: (1) to outline briefly a conceptual framework for the CPI, which leads to a straightforward specification of what the shelter component of the CPI should measure, (2) to evaluate the theoretical properties of alternative procedures designed to approximate this measurement objective and (3) present empirical evidence on the operational difficulties involved in pursuing a new approach to shelter cost measurement. Two main conclusions are reached. First, on both theoretical and empirical grounds, a "rental equivalence" approach to measuring shelter costs for owner-occupants is preferred. Second, an estimated rental equivalence measure has grown more slowly over (at least) the past six years, than the official CPI homeownership component. Given the way in which the CPI is used to escalate both private and public expenditures, these results demonstrate that the choice of measurement technique has important distributional implications.
Ultrafast excited-state isomerization in phytochrome revealed by femtosecond stimulated Raman spectroscopy

Photochemical interconversion between the red-absorbing (Pr) and the far-red-absorbing (Pfr) forms of the photosensory protein phytochrome initiates signal transduction in bacteria and higher plants. The Pr-to-Pfr transition commences with a rapid Z-to-E photoisomerization at the C15C16 methine bridge of the bilin prosthetic group. Here, we use femtosecond stimulated Raman spectroscopy to probe the structural changes of the phycocyanobilin chromophore within phytochrome Cph1 on the ultrafast time scale. The enhanced intensity of the C15–H hydrogen out-of-plane (HOOP) mode, together with the appearance of red-shifted CC stretch and NH in-plane rocking modes within 500 fs, reveal that initial distortion of the C15C16 bond occurs in the electronically excited I* intermediate. From I*, 85% of the excited population relaxes back to Pr in 3 ps, whereas the rest goes on to the Lumi-R photoproduct consistent with the 15% photochemical quantum yield. The C15–H HOOP and skeletal modes evolve to a Lumi-R-like pattern after 3 ps, thereby indicating that the C15C16 Z-to-E isomerization occurs on the excited-state surface.
Searching in a Small World

The small-world phenomenon, that the world’s social network is tightly connected, and that any two people can be linked by a short chain of friends, has long been a subject of interest. Famously, the psychologist Stanley Milgram performed an experiment where he asked people to deliver a letter to a stranger by forwarding it to an acquaintance, who could forward it to one his acquaintances, and so on until the destination was reached. The results seemed to confirm that the small-world phenomenon is real. Recently it has been shown by Jon Kleinberg that in order to search in a network, that is to actually find the short paths in the manner of the Milgram experiment, a very special type of a graph model is needed. In this thesis, we present two ideas about searching in the small world stemming from Kleinberg’s results. In the first we study the formation of networks of this type, attempting to see why the kind of connections necessary may arise naturally. A different criterion on the network which also makes the efficient searches possible is derived, and based on it an algorithmic model is proposed for how searching can become possible as a network evolves. In the second paper, we propose a method for searching in smallworld networks even when the participants are oblivious to their own and others positions in the world. This is done by assigning nodes positions in an idealized world based on the clustering of connections between them, and then searching based on these positions. The problem is motivated by applications to computer networks, and our method is tested on real world data.
Depression treatment selectively modifies arterial stiffness in older participants.

BACKGROUND Depression is emerging as an independent cardiovascular disease risk factor. We investigated whether treating depression in older participants impacted on arterial stiffness, a known cardiovascular disease risk factor and a clinical marker of arterial aging. METHODS Seventy-five participants with pulse wave velocity (PWV), the gold standard measure for arterial stiffness, at baseline and at 12-month follow-up were included. Depressed patients were randomized to escitalopram (10mg/d) or to duloxetine (60mg/d). In patients without depression, no antidepressant therapy was started. The psychologist and the doctor measuring PWV were both unaware of antidepressant treatment. RESULTS At study entry, no difference in PWV were observable in the three groups of participants. A significant time × drug interaction term (p < .05) was observed for the impact of antidepressant therapy on PWV by analysis of covariance analysis. After 12 months of therapy, duloxetine treatment resulted in a significant (+21%) and escitalopram treatment in a not significant (6%) PWV increase. These changes in PWV were accompanied by a similar increase in blood pressure and LDL cholesterol in the two treated groups. However, duloxetine resulted in a significant 10% greater heart rate after 12 months that was not observable in participants treated with escitalopram nor in not-depressed older participants. Multiple regression models revealed that a drug-specific effect on PWV persisted after controlling for cardiovascular risk factor levels. CONCLUSION Duloxetine but not escitalopram significantly increased PWV in older depressed participants after 12 months of treatment. The effect was not fully explained by concomitant changes in traditional cardiovascular risk factors known to significantly impact arterial stiffness.
A Survey of Anomaly Detection Techniques and Hidden Markov Model

malicious activities performed in the network whether in wired or in wireless. Although there are various techniques implemented for the detection of intrusions but still various techniques are yet to be implemented for the accurate detection of intrusion such that the false positive rate can be minimized. Hidden Markov model is a technique which consists of number of states having initial transition of data and at each transition from one state to another a probability is calculated, this technique can be considered for the detection of intrusions. Here in this paper a complete survey of all the technique implemented for the intrusion detection and their various advantages and disadvantages are discussed such that a new technique can be implemented in future.
Having and using objects in the western world

Abstract This interpretive study explores how Western people construct self and express identity though the objects they acquire, make and use in their day‐to‐day occupation. Drawing on literature from psychology, consumer research, sociology, anthropology, disability studies and popular literature, it proposes that people use objects to reflect self and identity, and to transform self and others. Using a history of ideas methodology, the author argues that Western people take for granted that the objects they have and use reflect an individual rather than collective identity, and suggests that the ways people use objects to construct self and identity are informed by the philosophies of both Stoicism, which emphasises self discipline and rational decision making, and Romanticism which celebrates people's emotional depth, creativity and self expression.