Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
GOAL CONGRUENCE AND EVALUATION OF PERFORMANCE MEASURES

The role that congruence between the principal's goals and the agent's incentives plays in the evaluation of alternative performance measures is examined in the context of a multi-task agency model. Rank ordering the value of performance measures requires a distinction between their congruent and incongruent sensitivities, and is found to depend critically on the agent's aversion to risk. Goal congruence is shown to be a relatively more important consideration than the sensitivity and precision of a performance measure for agents, such as senior executives, with lower risk aversion. The incremental value of a adding a second performance measure to the contract and its impact on effort along the different dimensions depend on whether the incongruent sensitivities of the two measures reinforce or offset each other. Application of these results is illustrated in the context of evaluating the labor efficiency variance measure and a quality measure in motivating the optimal allocation of shop floor worker effort between productivity and quality enhancing tasks.
A dynamic regularized Gaussian radial basis function network for nonlinear, nonstationary time series prediction

A dynamic network of regularized Gaussian radial basis functions (GaRBF) is described for the one-step prediction of nonlinear, nonstationary autoregressive (NLAR) processes governed by a smooth process map and a zero-mean, independent additive disturbance process of bounded variance. For N basis functions, both full-order and reduced-order updating algorithms are introduced, having computational complexities of O (N/sup 3/) and O (N/sup 2/), respectively, per time step. Simulations on a 10,000 point, 8-bit quantized 64 k bps rate speech signal show that the proposed dynamic algorithm has a prediction performance comparable and, in some cases, superior to that of AT&T's LMS-based speech predictor designed for the ITU-T G.721 standard on the 32 kbps ADPCM of speech. The results indicate that the proposed dynamic regularized GaRBF predictor provides a useful tradeoff between its minimal need for prior knowledge of the speech data characteristics and its consequently heavier computational burden.
Predicting SNS addiction with the Big Five and the Dark Triad

A considerable amount of literature has widely discussed the issue in regard to the prediction of social networking sites (SNS) addiction with personality traits. One of the existing issues is the small effect sizes that showed that the traits outlined by the Five-Factor model are lacking the required specificity to predict specific behaviours such as SNS addiction. In light of this issue, the present research attempted to predict SNS addiction with the Dark Triad traits that have been linked to impulsivity that is central to the development of SNS addiction. In this study, a sample of 204 (Male = 77, 38%; Female = 124, 60%; Not mentioned = 3, 2%; Mage = 22.94, SDage = 3.43) university students in Malaysia completed the Big Five Inventory, the Short Dark Triad, and the adapted Bergen Facebook Addiction Scale. Results indicated that SNS addiction was significantly predicted by the measured psychopathy of the Dark Triad. In predicting SNS addiction, the inclusion of the Dark Triad traits contributed significant amount of variance after controlling the Five-Factor model. Finally, the implications of the results were discussed in this manuscript.
Direct Measurement of the J/? Leptonic Branching Fraction

D. Coffman, F. DeJongh, G. P. Dubois, G. Eigen, D. G. Hitlin, C. G. Matthews, J. Richman, A. J. Weinstein, W. J. Wisniewski, Y. Zhu California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125 T. Bolton, K. 0. Bunnell, R. E. Cassell, D. H. Coward, P. C. Kim, J. Labs, A. Odian, D. Pitman, R. H. Schindler, W. Toki, S. Wasserbaech Stanford Linear Accelerator Center, Stanford, CA 94305 J. J. Drinkard, C. Gatto, C. A. Heusch, W. S. Lockman, H. F. W. Sadrozinski, M. Scarlatella, T. L. Schalk, A. Seiden, R. Xu, University of California at Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064 B. I. Eisenstein, T. Freese, G. Gladding, J. M. Izen, I. E. Stockdale, B. Tripsas University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801 U. Mallik, M. Z. Wang University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242 J. S. Brown, T. H. Burnett, A. D. Li, R. Mir, P. M. Mockett, B. Nemati, L. Parrish, H. Willutzki University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195
Short-term temporal variations of heterotrophic bacterial abundance and production in the open NW Mediterranean Sea

We present the vertical and temporal dynamics of total vs. particle-attached bacterial abundance and activity over a 5 week period under summer to autumn transition in NW Mediterranean Sea. By comparison to previous investigations in the same area but during different seasons, we found that total bacterial biomass and production values were consistent with the hydrological conditions of the summer-fall transition. At a weekly time scale, total bacterial biomass and production in the euphotic layers was significantly correlated with phytoplanktonic biomass. At an hourly time scale, total bacterial biomass responded very rapidly to chlorophyll- a fluctuations, suggesting a tight coupling between phytoplankton and bacteria for resource partitioning during summer-autumn transition. In contrast, no influence of diel changes on bacterial parameters was detected. Episodic events such as coastal water intrusions had a significant positive effect on total bacterial abundance and production, whereas we could not detect any influence of short wind events whatever the magnitude. Finally, we show that particle-attached bacteria can represent a large proportion (until 49%) of the total bacterial activity in the euphotic layer but display rapid and sporadic changes at hourly time scales. This study underlines the value of large datasets covering different temporal scales to clarify the biogeochemical role of bacteria in the cycling of organic matter in open seawater.
Robustness of Prevalence Estimates Derived from Misclassified Data from Administrative Databases

Summary Because primary data collection can be expensive, researchers are increasingly using information collected in medical administrative databases for scientific purposes. This information, however, is typically collected for reasons other than research, and many such databases have been shown to contain substantial proportions of misclassification errors. For example, many administrative databases contain fields for patient diagnostic codes, but these are often missing or inaccurate, in part because physician reimbursement schemes depend on medical acts performed rather than any diagnosis. Errors in ascertaining which individuals have a given disease bias not only prevalence estimates, but also estimates of associations between the disease and other variables, such as medication use. We attempt to estimate the prevalence of osteoarthritis (OA) among elderly Quebeckers using a government administrative database. We compare a naive estimate relying solely on the physician diagnoses of OA listed in the database to estimates from several different Bayesian latent class models which adjust for misclassified physician diagnostic codes via use of other available diagnostic clues. We find that the prevalence estimates vary widely, depending on the model used and assumptions made. We conclude that any inferences from these databases need to be interpreted with great caution, until further work estimating the reliability of database items is carried out.
Improved Stock Market Prediction by Combining Support Vector Machine and Empirical Mode Decomposition

Now equity returns are predictable has been called """"new fact in finance"""". in this paper, a two-stage neural network architecture constructed by combining Support Vector Machine (SVM) and Empirical Mode Decomposition (EMD) is proposed for stock market prediction. in the first stage, EMD is used to partition the whole input space into several disjoint regions. in the second stage, multiple SVMs that best fit each partitioned region are constructed by finding the most appropriate kernel function and the optimal learning parameters of SVMs, and finally through the combination of different region predictions to get the forecasting of the financial time series. We use China Stock Market Index (Shanghai Composite Index) in the experiment and find out that the proposed method achieves significantly higher prediction performance in comparison with a single SVM model.
CORN GENETICS AND ANIMAL FEEDING VALUE

Grain and forage from corn plants vary in composition and digestibility due to genetics and numerous environmental factors. For decades, corn hybrids have been selected based on agronomics (yield, disease and insect resistance). In addition, hybrids have been developed or selected for specific traits desired in specialty markets (food manufacturing properties: popcorn, white color, waxy, high amylose). More recently, hybrids have been screened for novel traits of either the grain (starch extractability, ethanol yield, digestibility by non-ruminants) or the forage (NDF content, NDF digestibility, lignin content). In the future, yield of biogas (methane) from different corn hybrids may become a selection criterion. Thanks to transgenics, hybrids with specific agronomic advantages (resistance to corn borers and corn rootworm; tolerance to herbicides) have been commercialized or are being developed (efficiency of nitrogen use; drought tolerance). Based on a comprehensive literature summary, no consistent differences in nutrient composition or in productivity of lactating or feedlot cattle or swine were detected between commercialized transgenic and near isogenic hybrids. With selection of hybrids for greater energy density (more lipid) or altered lipid composition, feeding value as well as certain attributes desired in animal products (altered fatty acid content; increased antioxidant concentrations; shelf life; taste) can be improved. Through altering grain density and metabolic pathways, genetic strains have been developed with increased concentrations or availability of specific nutrients or components (phosphorus; starch; protein or specific amino acids). Ideal traits for a hybrid differ among segments of the livestock or agricultural industry. Corn producers generally select hybrids based on grain yield and production cost; for livestock producers, the primary concern is feed efficiency or production per bushel or ton; for farmerfeeders, both grain yield and animal productivity must be combined in order to maximize beef or milk production per acre. To reap economic benefits from grain or silage with superior nutritional characteristics, linkage of producers directly or indirectly with livestock producers is necessary. Rapid and accurate analytical tools being developed are giving grain users the capacity to determine value more precisely. Empowering grain and silage traders and users with discriminatory power, such tools will permit livestock feeders to impose price premiums or discounts that reflect the true nutritive of the grain or silage.
A Unified View of Regularized Dual Averaging and Mirror Descent with Implicit Updates

We study three families of online convex optimization algorithms: follow-the-proximally-regularized-leader (FTRL-Proximal), regularized dual averaging (RDA), and composite-objective mirror descent. We first prove equivalence theorems that show all of these algorithms are instantiations of a general FTRL update. This provides theoretical insight on previous experimental observations. In particular, even though the FOBOS composite mirror descent algorithm handles L1 regularization explicitly, it has been observed that RDA is even more effective at producing sparsity. Our results demonstrate that FOBOS uses subgradient approximations to the L1 penalty from previous rounds, leading to less sparsity than RDA, which handles the cumulative penalty in closed form. The FTRL-Proximal algorithm can be seen as a hybrid of these two, and outperforms both on a large, real-world dataset. Our second contribution is a unified analysis which produces regret bounds that match (up to logarithmic terms) or improve the best previously known bounds. This analysis also extends these algorithms in two important ways: we support a more general type of composite objective and we analyze implicit updates, which replace the subgradient approximation of the current loss function with an exact optimization.
Time-resolved, multi-color photometry and spectroscopy of Virgo 4 (OU Vir): A high orbital inclination, short orbital period dwarf nova

We present multi-color photometry and time resolved spectroscopy of OU Vir. The analysis of the quiescent light curve shows that OU Vir is characterized by i) strong cycle-to-cycle brightness variations, and ii) hot spot modulated light curve with grazing eclipse of the impact region. Colors are derived both in- and out- of eclipse. The time-resolved spectroscopy allows us to produce the radial velocity curve from the H accretion disk emission line which possibly reveals only weak evidence for hot spot line emission. The hot spot is believed to be a turbulent optically thick region, producing mostly continuum emission.
The impact of emotional dissonance on quality of work life and life satisfaction of tour guides

ABSTRACT The well-being of employees in the tourism and hospitality industry remains an important area of investigation in tourism research. Building on the emotional labor theory and the well-being body of knowledge, this study develops and tests a model that examines the effects of emotional dissonance on the quality of work life and life satisfaction using data from professional tour guides in Jordan. Unexpectedly, results show that tour guides do not experience significant emotional dissonance and that there is no negative impact of emotional dissonance neither on quality of work life or life satisfaction. Contrary to theoretical predictions, the findings fail to suggest a link between emotional dissonance, quality of work of life and life satisfaction. However, the findings reveal that a positive relationship between quality of work life and life satisfaction exists. The study provides some theoretical and practical implications and suggests areas of inquiry for future research.
Alignment of 3D Building Models with Satellite Images Using Extended Chamfer Matching

Large scale alignment of 3D building models and satellite images has many applications ranging from realistic 3D city modeling to urban planning. In this paper, we address this problem by matching the 2D projection of the building roofs and detected edges of satellite images. To better handle noise and occlusions in alignment, the proposed approach seeks an optimal matching location using an extended Chamfer matching algorithm. In addition the proposed approach attempt to optimize the alignment within large region using a global constraint. We show that the proposed approach can estimate the alignment of matching parts and produce robust result under occlusion. We test the proposed algorithm on two different datasets that covers the downtown areas of San Francisco and Chicago. The results show that the proposed algorithm significantly improves the registration accuracy while maintaining consistent performance.
Bilingualism affects audiovisual phoneme identification

We all go through a process of perceptual narrowing for phoneme identification. As we become experts in the languages we hear in our environment we lose the ability to identify phonemes that do not exist in our native phonological inventory. This research examined how linguistic experience—i.e., the exposure to a double phonological code during childhood—affects the visual processes involved in non-native phoneme identification in audiovisual speech perception. We conducted a phoneme identification experiment with bilingual and monolingual adult participants. It was an ABX task involving a Bengali dental-retroflex contrast that does not exist in any of the participants' languages. The phonemes were presented in audiovisual (AV) and audio-only (A) conditions. The results revealed that in the audio-only condition monolinguals and bilinguals had difficulties in discriminating the retroflex non-native phoneme. They were phonologically “deaf” and assimilated it to the dental phoneme that exists in their native languages. In the audiovisual presentation instead, both groups could overcome the phonological deafness for the retroflex non-native phoneme and identify both Bengali phonemes. However, monolinguals were more accurate and responded quicker than bilinguals. This suggests that bilinguals do not use the same processes as monolinguals to decode visual speech.
‘Role Over’ or Roll Over? Dirty Work, Shift and Mental Health Act Assessments

The rise in numbers of applications for people being formally detained in hospital is one of the reasons given for the independent review of the Mental Health Act in England and Wales. These figures have led to concerns that the legislation might be flawed, including in relation to the process of Mental Health Act Assessments. Discussed in this article are two of the roles involved: the doctor who is responsible for conducting a medical assessment and the Approved Mental Health Professional (AMHP) who is responsible for assessing the social circumstances and in addition making the application. Using data from a study into AMHPs and the lens of the sociological theory ‘dirty work’, we discuss shift, an aspect of dirty work not yet applied in this context. We focus on AMHPs’ perceptions of the behaviour of doctors as encapsulated in the verbatim phrase ‘role over’. We argue that AMHPs, including social workers, justify or, to play on the words of the verbatim quote, roll over. This finding adds to the understanding of behaviour as it is understood within psychiatric occupations, including social work, during Mental Health Act Assessments.
Segmentation and Quantification of Human Vessels Using a 3-D Cylindrical Intensity Model

We introduce a new approach for 3-D segmentation and quantification of vessels. The approach is based on a 3-D cylindrical parametric intensity model, which is directly fitted to the image intensities through an incremental process based on a Kalman filter. Segmentation results are the vessel centerline and shape, i.e., we estimate the local vessel radius, the 3-D position and 3-D orientation, the contrast, as well as the fitting error. We carried out an extensive validation using 3-D synthetic images and also compared the new approach with an approach based on a Gaussian model. In addition, the new model has been successfully applied to segment vessels from 3-D MRA and computed tomography angiography image data. In particular, we compared our approach with an approach based on the randomized Hough transform. Moreover, a validation of the segmentation results based on ground truth provided by a radiologist confirms the accuracy of the new approach. Our experiments show that the new model yields superior results in estimating the vessel radius compared to previous approaches based on a Gaussian model as well as the Hough transform.
Gaussian process emulation of dynamic computer codes

Computer codes are used in scientific research to study and predict the behaviour of complex systems. Their run times often make uncertainty and sensitivity analyses impractical because of the thousands of runs that are conventionally required, so efficient techniques have been developed based on a statistical representation of the code. The approach is less straightforward for dynamic codes, which represent time-evolving systems. We develop a novel iterative system to build a statistical model of dynamic computer codes, which is demonstrated on a rainfall-runoff simulator. Copyright 2009, Oxford University Press.
Gender Differentials and Agricultural Productivity in Niger

Most of the poor in Sub-Saharan Africa live in rural areas where agriculture is the main income source. This agriculture is characterized by low performance and its productivity growth has been identified as a key driver of poverty reduction. In Niger, as in many other African countries, productivity is even lower among female peasants. To build policy interventions to improve agricultural productivity among women, it is important to measure the potential gap between men and women and understand the determinants that explain the gap. This paper uses the Oaxaca-Blinder decomposition methodology at the aggregate and detailed levels to identify the factors that explain the productivity gap. The analysis finds that in Niger on average plots managed by women produce 19 percent less per hectare than plots managed by men. It also finds that the gender gap tends to be widest among Niger's most productive farmers. The primary factors that contribute to the gender productivity gap in Niger are: (i) farm labor, with women facing significant challenges in accessing, using, and supervising male farm labor; (ii) the quantity and quality of fertilizer use, with men using more inorganic fertilizer per hectare than women; and (iii) land ownership and characteristics, with men owning more land and enjoying higher returns to ownership than women.
Models for nuclear smuggling interdiction

We describe two stochastic network interdiction models for thwarting nuclear smuggling. In the first model, the smuggler travels through a transportation network on a path that maximizes the probability of evading detection, and the interdictor installs radiation sensors to minimize that evasion probability. The problem is stochastic because the smuggler's origin-destination pair is known only through a probability distribution at the time when the sensors are installed. In this model, the smuggler knows the locations of all sensors and the interdictor and the smuggler “agree” on key network parameters, namely the probabilities the smuggler will be detected while traversing the arcs of the transportation network. Our second model differs in that the interdictor and smuggler can have differing perceptions of these network parameters. This model captures the case in which the smuggler is aware of only a subset of the sensor locations. For both models, we develop the important special case in which the sensors can only be installed at border crossings of a single country so that the resulting model is defined on a bipartite network. In this special case, a class of valid inequalities reduces the computation time for the identical-perceptions model.
Coping, optimism and satisfaction with life among spanish and polish football players: a preliminary study

En este trabajo se muestran las relaciones existentes entre las estrategias de afrontamiento, el optimismo disposicional y el bienestar de una muestra de 61 futbolistas de dos nacionalidades, polaca y espanola, de forma que tambien pueden observarse diferencias culturales. Los futbolistas es- panoles obtienen puntuaciones significativamente mas altas en la utilizacion de estrategias de afrontamiento centradas en la emocion ( F = 12.919; p = .001) que los polacos, obteniendo un tamano del efecto relevante (>.130) y una elevada potencia (.942). Ademas, los futbolistas polacos son significativamente mas optimistas que los espanoles ( F = 5.96; p = .025). Los resultados son discutidos en base a los modelos teoricos del optimismo (Scheier y Carver, 1985) y las estrategias de afrontamiento (Lazarus y Folkman, 1984), resaltando el papel de las diferencias culturales.