Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Research Commentary - Seeking the Configurations of Digital Ecodynamics: It Takes Three to Tango

This paper starts from the premise that the simultaneous increase in environmental turbulence, the requisite speed of organizational change, and the intensified ubiquity of digital technologies are spawning a phenomenon that is messy, complex, and chaotic. Accordingly, we need to change the way we examine how information technology (IT) can help organizations build a strategic advantage in turbulent environments. We propose a more systemic and holistic perspective to theory building and testing in the information system (IS) strategy area and correspondingly appropriate methods that capture the complexity of this phenomenon. We term this phenomenon digital ecodynamics, defined as the holistic confluence among environmental turbulence, dynamic capabilities, and IT systems---and their fused dynamic interactions unfolding as an ecosystem. We believe that a more holistic understanding of digital ecodynamics will fuel the next leap in knowledge in the IS strategy area. First, extending the strategic management literature that has mainly focused on two-way interactions between environmental turbulence and dynamic capabilities, we foreground IT systems as a third central element. We use a “threesome tango” analogy1 with strong mutual interdependence to accentuate our view of digital ecodynamics---while also stressing the emerging role of IT systems in triggering environmental turbulence and shaping dynamic capabilities to build a strategic advantage. Second, we propose a different paradigmatic lens (configuration theories) as an appropriate inquiring system to better understand the complexity of digital ecodynamics. The paper articulates the key aspects of configuration theories as inquiring systems, compares them with the more common variance theories and process theories, and illustrates the power of recent advances in configurational methods. Third, we create a preliminary roadmap for IS researchers to better examine digital ecodynamics using novel structural properties afforded by configuration theories (i.e., mutual causality, discontinuity, punctuated equilibria, nonlinear change). Fourth, we reflect on the broader opportunities that the configurational perspective of digital ecodynamics can create for IS strategy research. The paper ends by highlighting the double-barreled opportunity that digital ecodynamics renders, both as an energizing vision for IS strategy research and also as a reshaper of strategic management research and practice in a turbulent and digitized world.
Enhancing critical thinking using team-based learning

ABSTRACT This study examines students’ perceptions of the development of academic and critical thinking skills in college, with a specific focus on team-based learning (TBL), an active learning strategy designed to increase student interaction and engagement. Six hundred and fifty students in five different courses were surveyed at the beginning of the semester about the extent to which they felt the typical college course enhances various academic and critical thinking skills. These responses were compared to their responses after a semester of TBL regarding the extent to which the TBL environment enhanced these same skills. Students expressed significantly greater improvement in critical thinking skills in a TBL environment in comparison to typical courses for most of the skills assessed and greater improvement in all of these skills in comparison to lecture-based courses. These results held for every demographic subgroup examined, including males, females, freshman, sophomores, juniors and seniors, as well as all levels of academic achievement as measured by grade point average.
Role of Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase in Hypoxia-Induced Pial Artery Dilation

Nitric oxide (NO) contributes to hypoxia-induced pial artery dilation, at least in part, through the formation of cGMP and the subsequent release of methionine enkephalin and leucine enkephalin in the newborn pig. In separate studies, these opioids also were observed to elicit NO-dependent pial artery dilation, whereas light/dye endothelial injury reduced hypoxic pial dilation. The current study was designed to investigate the role of the endothelial isoform of NO synthase in hypoxic pial dilation, associated opioid release, and opioid dilation in piglets equipped with a closed cranial window. N-iminoethyl-l-ornithine (l-NIO) (10−6 mol/L), an antagonist that may have greater endothelial NO synthase inhibitory selectivity, had no effect on dilation elicited by hypoxia (Po2 ≈ 35 mm Hg) (24 ± 2 versus 24 ± 2% in the absence and presence of l-NIO, respectively, n = 8). Hypoxic dilation was accompanied by increased CSF cGMP, which also was unchanged in the presence of l-NIO (394 ± 19 and 776 ± 63 versus 323 ± 13 and 739 ± 25 fmol/mL for control and hypoxia in the absence and presence of l-NIO, respectively, n = 6). Additionally, hypoxic pial dilation was associated with increased CSF methionine enkephalin, which also was unchanged in the presence of l-NIO (992 ± 73 and 2469 ± 197 versus 984 ± 18 and 2275 ± 185 pg/mL, respectively, n = 6). In contrast, methionine enkephalin–induced dilation was blocked by l-NIO (6 ± 1, 10 ± 1, and 16 ± 1 versus 1 ± 1, 1 ± 1, and 2 ± 1% for 10−10, 10−8, 10−6 mol/L methionine enkephalin, respectively, before and after l-NIO, n = 8). Substance P–induced pial dilation was blunted by l-NIO, whereas responses to sodium nitroprusside and N-methyl-d-aspartate were unchanged. These data indicate that endothelial NO synthase contributes to opioid-induced pial artery dilation but not hypoxia-induced dilation. Additionally, these data suggest that neuronally derived NO contributes to hypoxic pial dilation.
Finnish Mothers’ and Fathers’ Constructions of and Emotions in Their Daily Lives

ABSTRACT This article focuses on parents’ construction of and emotions in their everyday lives. The study brings into focus the meanings in the foreground of everyday life, while also revealing new insights into cultural beliefs and prejudices. Interviews were conducted with five nuclear and four divorced families, and each participant (N = 18) was interviewed twice. The second interview was a photo-narrative interview, for which each participant took photographs pertaining to their daily life. Content and thematic analysis were applied to the data. Three main categories of everyday life emerged from the data: family daily life, couples’ daily life, and one’s own daily life. The importance of and pleasure derived from one’s own daily life were emphasized as the foundation of well-being for both the individual and the whole family.
Iterative Shrinkage Approach to Restoration of Optical Imagery

The problem of reconstruction of digital images from their degraded measurements is regarded as a problem of central importance in various fields of engineering and imaging sciences. In such cases, the degradation is typically caused by the resolution limitations of an imaging device in use and/or by the destructive influence of measurement noise. Specifically, when the noise obeys a Poisson probability law, standard approaches to the problem of image reconstruction are based upon using fixed-point algorithms which follow the methodology first proposed by Richardson and Lucy. The practice of using these methods, however, shows that their convergence properties tend to deteriorate at relatively high noise levels. Accordingly, in the present paper, a novel method for denoising and/or deblurring of digital images corrupted by Poisson noise is introduced. The proposed method is derived under the assumption that the image of interest can be sparsely represented in the domain of a linear transform. Consequently, a shrinkage-based iterative procedure is proposed, which guarantees the solution to converge to the global maximizer of an associated maximum a posteriori criterion. It is shown in a series of computer-simulated experiments that the proposed method outperforms a number of existing alternatives in terms of stability, precision, and computational efficiency.
State of Charge and State of Health Estimation of AGM VRLA Batteries by Employing a Dual Extended Kalman Filter and an ARX Model for Online Parameter Estimation

State of charge (SOC) and state of health (SOH) are key issues for the application of batteries, especially the absorbent glass mat valve regulated lead-acid (AGM VRLA) type batteries used in the idle stop start systems (ISSs) that are popularly integrated into conventional engine-based vehicles. This is due to the fact that SOC and SOH estimation accuracy is crucial for optimizing battery energy utilization, ensuring safety and extending battery life cycles. The dual extended Kalman filter (DEKF), which provides an elegant and powerful solution, is widely applied in SOC and SOH estimation based on a battery parameter model. However, the battery parameters are strongly dependent on operation conditions such as the SOC, current rate and temperature. In addition, battery parameters change significantly over the life cycle of a battery. As a result, many experimental pretests investigating the effects of the internal and external conditions of a battery on its parameters are required, since the accuracy of state estimation depends on the quality of the information regarding battery parameter changes. In this paper, a novel method for SOC and SOH estimation that combines a DEKF algorithm, which considers hysteresis and diffusion effects, and an auto regressive exogenous (ARX) model for online parameters estimation is proposed. The DEKF provides precise information concerning the battery open circuit voltage (OCV) to the ARX model. Meanwhile, the ARX model continues monitoring parameter variations and supplies information on them to the DEKF. In this way, the estimation accuracy can be maintained despite the changing parameters of a battery. Moreover, online parameter estimation from the ARX model can save the time and effort used for parameter pretests. The validation of the proposed algorithm is given by simulation and experimental results.
Stochastic Gradient Learning in Neural Networks

Many connectionist learning algorithms consists of minimizing a cost of the form C(w) = E(J(z; w)) = Z J(z; w)dP(z) where dP is an unknown probability distribution that characterizes the problem to learn, and J, the loss function, deenes the learning system itself. This popular statistical formulation has led to many theoretical results. The minimization of such a cost may be achieved with a stochastic gradient descent algorithm, e.g.: w t+1 = w t ? t r w J(z; w t) With some restrictions on J and C, this algorithm converges, even if J is non diierentiable on a set of measure 0. Links with simulated annealing are depicted. R esum e De nombreux algorithmes connexionnistes consistent a minimiser un co^ ut de la forme C(w) = E(J(z; w)) = Z J(z; w)dP(z) o u dP est une distribution de probabilit e inconnue qui caract erise le probl eme, et J, le crit ere local, d ecrit le syst eme d'apprentissage lui m^ eme. Cette formulation statistique bien connue a donn e lieu a de nombreux r esultats th eoriques. La minimisation d'un tel co^ ut peut ^ etre accomplie au moyen d'un algorithme de descente stochastique de gradient, par exemple: w t+1 = w t ? t r w J(z; w t) Au prix de quelques restrictions sur C et J, cet algorithme converge, m^ eme si J n'est pas d erivable sur un ensemble de mesure nulle. Des liens avec les m ethodes de recuit simul e sont egalement soulign es.
Limits of local-global convergent graph sequences

The colored neighborhood metric for sparse graphs was introduced by Bollobas and Riordan. The corresponding convergence notion refines a convergence notion introduced by Benjamini and Schramm. We prove that even in this refined sense, the limit of a convergent graph sequence (with uniformly bounded degree) can be represented by a graphing. We study various topics related to this convergence notion such as: Bernoulli graphings, factor of i.i. d. processes and hyperfiniteness.
A Civic Studies perspective on European citizens: in search for potential in the conflict surrounding TTIP

ABSTRACT ‘Civic Studies’ is a nascent field of research coming from the US, which is widely unknown in European academia, however it is a promising approach for research on representation and citizenship in the crisis-ridden EUrope of today. That today’s EUrope is far from being free of conflict is a fact that repeatedly provokes an outcry for a stronger EUropean community to overcome the ‘EUropean crisis’. I approach this interconnectedness of community and conflict in a different way, stating that conflict in and about EUrope has the potential to create a community of active European citizens – a new collective that I call the ‘European Civics’. In my research project, this ‘European Civics’ is engaged in a EUropean conflict that has been of topical public interest in the last years: the Anti-TTIP-protests.
Space definition for match analysis in soccer.

Studies on match analysis in soccer frequently use some kind of geometrical field division in order to situate and classify the actions observed. However, as an invasion game, with both teams acting in the same regular space, intertwining and creating play configurations of outstanding complexity and dynamism, a more appropriate procedure to locate actions encompassing its tactical meaning seems to be in relation to opponent distribution in the field. Aiming to provide a contextual notation of actions, this paper proposes the utilization of a match analysis instrument based on the opposition’s spatial configuration called Space of Defensive Occupation (SDO). SDO emerges from the application of the concept of space effectively covered (Merand, 1976; Gréhaigne, 1992) to the entire team while defending. Apart from peripheral limits, the position of players inside the SOD is also considered, resulting in internal subdivisions and generating different zones. For the purpose of studying the relationship between the actions of assistance pass, reception and shot and SDO zones, we have analysed 112 shot attempt situations from seven matches of Brazil and Germany in the 2002 World Cup. Variables were classified into four groups:(1) zone of action’s occurrence – frontal (F), central midfield (cM), peripheral midfield (pM), central defence (cD), peripheral defence (pD), central space behind the defence (cB), peripheral space behind the defence (pB);(2) action – assistance pass, reception and shot; (3) shot attempt result – successful or unsuccessful;(4) team – Brazil, Brazil’s opponents, Germany and Germany’s opponents. Chi-square tests indicated that cD is proportionally the main reception and shooting zone, while cB and pB presented the highest relative efficiency. cM and pM are essentially assistance pass zone, though cM’s relative efficiency is specially low. Both of these showed the smaller relative efficiency to reception and shot. For the assistance pass, cD is the most efficient; conversely, there is no significant difference between successful and unsuccessful distributions among SDO zones. According to the spatial distribution of actions related to successful shot attempts, assistance pass was most diversified and unpredictable (J=0.94) than reception (J=0.83) and shot (J=0.76). Brazil played a larger proportion of assistance passes in central zones with reception in central zones than Germany, and a smaller proportion of assistance passes in peripheral zones with reception in central zones than its opponents. Germany did not present significant differences compared to its opponents. The instrument’s reliability was tested with values ranging from K=0.73 to 0.90 for inter-observers test and from K= 0.83 to 0.93 for intra-observers test. The analysis of results suggests that SDO is a reliable instrument, capable of spatially characterizing actions so as to point out differences in team performance.
Marketing Capabilities Development in Small and Medium Enterprises: Implications for Performance

The purpose of the research is to analyze the organizational antecedents of marketing capabilities and their impact on business performance using a sample of small and medium enterprises (SMEs). More specifically, the research analyzes the effect of the organizations’ internal marketing (IM) practices on the employees’ implementation of a coordinated set of commercial abilities crucial to firms’ competitiveness. Results of the research indicate that IM, or the management of human resources as internal organizational clients, is a key determinant in motivating employees effectively to develop both strategic and operational marketing capabilities. Marketing capabilities exert a significant and positive effect on clients’ satisfaction and loyalty, which ultimately lead to better organizational performance in terms of sales, profit, and market share. The research also contributes to the scarce amount of empirical evidence on the positive and direct effect of IM strategies on business performance.
Sleep Quality, Mood, Alertness and Their Variability in CKD and ESRD

Background/Aims: Little is known about the association of chronic kidney disease (CKD) with sleep quality, mood, and alertness. In this report, we assessed these symptoms among patients with advanced CKD (stages 4–5) and those with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and compared them to healthy controls without known kidney disease. Methods: Patients were recruited from local dialysis units, outpatient nephrology clinics and the Thomas E. Starzl Transplant Institute. Healthy control subjects matched for age, gender and race were drawn from an archival database. Daily symptoms of sleep quality, mood, and alertness were assessed by visual analogue scales of the Pittsburgh Sleep Diary. Health-related quality of life was assessed by the Short Form-36 instrument. Results: Sixty-nine dialysis patients and 23patients with advanced CKD demonstrated worse scores in sleep quality, mood, and alertness (p < 0.001) than controls. In adjusted analyses, European-American race, dialysis dependency, younger age, and physical performance SF-36 components were significantly associated with poor sleep quality, mood and alertness (p < 0.05). The dialysis population demonstrated higher day-to-day variability in scores than either the advanced CKD patients or the controls. Conclusion: Advanced CKD and dialysis dependency are associated with impaired and highly variable sleep quality, mood, and alertness.
A Novel Approach to the Design and Implementation of Dual-Band Power Divider

This paper presents the design of a new Wilkinson power divider for dual-band application. The proposed circuit also features a simple structure with realistic impedance values, distributed design with reduced parasitic effect (in compared to lumped component), and exact solution (ideal characteristics). Closed-form design equations are derived using the even-and odd-mode formulation. For verification, the measured results of a microstrip power divider operating at 1 and 2 GHz is shown.
Supergravity spectrum on AdS_2 x S^2

The Kaluza-Klein spectrum of N=2, D=4 supergravity compactified on AdS_2 x S^2 is found and shown to consist of two infinite towers of SU(1,1|2) representations. In addition to `pure gauge' modes living on the boundary of AdS which are familiar from higher dimensional cases, in two dimensions there are modes (e.g. massive gravitons) which enjoy no gauge symmetry yet nevertheless have no on-shell degrees of freedom in the bulk. We discuss these two-dimensional subtleties in detail.
Wiener Reconstruction of Large-Scale Structure from Peculiar Velocities

We present an alternative, Bayesian method for large-scale reconstruction from observed peculiar velocities. The method stresses a rigorous treatment of the random errors, and it allows extrapolation into poorly sampled regions in real space or in k-space. A likelihood analysis is used in a preliminary stage to determine the fluctuation power spectrum, followed by a Wiener filter (WF) analysis to obtain the minimum-variance mean fields of velocity and mass density. Constrained realizations (CRs) are then used to sample the statistical scatter about the WF mean field. The method is tested using mock catalogs of the Mark III data, drawn from a simulation that mimics our local cosmological neighborhood. The success of the reconstruction is evaluated quantitatively. With low-resolution Gaussian smoothing of radius 1200 km s-1, the reconstruction is of high signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) in a relatively large volume, with small variance about the mean field. A high-resolution reconstruction, of 500 km s-1 smoothing, is of reasonable S/N only in limited nearby regions, where interesting new substructure is resolved. The WF/CR method is applied as a demonstration to the Mark III data. The reconstructed structures are consistent with those extracted from the same velocity data by the POTENT method, and with the structures seen in the distribution of IRAS 1.2 Jy galaxies. The reconstructed velocity field is decomposed into its divergent and tidal components relative to a cube of side ±8000 km s-1 centered on the Local Group. The divergent component is similar to the velocity field predicted from the distribution of IRAS galaxies. The tidal component is dominated by a bulk flow of 194 ± 32 km s-1 in the general direction of the Shapley concentration, and it also indicates a significant quadrupole.
A genetic approach for analyzing the co-operative function of the tRNA mimicry complex, eRF1/eRF3, in translation termination on the ribosome

During termination of translation in eukaryotes, a GTP-binding protein, eRF3, functions within a complex with the tRNA-mimicking protein, eRF1, to decode stop codons. It remains unclear how the tRNA-mimicking protein co-operates with the GTPase and with the functional sites on the ribosome. In order to elucidate the molecular characteristics of tRNA-mimicking proteins involved in stop codon decoding, we have devised a heterologous genetic system in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We found that eRF3 from Pneumocystis carinii (Pc-eRF3) did not complement depletion of S. cerevisiae eRF3. The strength of Pc-eRF3 binding to Sc-eRF1 depends on the GTP-binding domain, suggesting that defects of the GTPase switch in the heterologous complex causes the observed lethality. We isolated mutants of Pc-eRF3 and Sc-eRF1 that restore cell growth in the presence of Pc-eRF3 as the sole source of eRF3. Mapping of these mutations onto the latest 3D-complex structure revealed that they were located in the binding-interface region between eRF1 and eRF3, as well as in the ribosomal functional sites. Intriguingly, a novel functional site was revealed adjacent to the decoding site of eRF1, on the tip domain that mimics the tRNA anticodon loop. This novel domain likely participates in codon recognition, coupled with the GTPase function.
Invited essay A cognitive model of posttraumatic stress disorder

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a common reaction to traumatic events. Many people recover in the ensuing months, but in a significant subgroup the symptoms persist, often for years. A cognitive model of persistence of PTSD is proposed. It is suggested that PTSD becomes persistent when individuals process the trauma in a way that leads to a sense of serious, current threat. The sense of threat arises as a consequence of: (1) excessively negative appraisals of the trauma and/or its sequelae and (2) a disturbance of autobiographical memory characterised by poor elaboration and contextualisation, strong associative memory and strong perceptual priming. Change in the negative appraisals and the trauma memory are prevented by a series of problematic behavioural and cognitive strategies. The model is consistent with the main clinical features of PTSD, helps explain several apparently puzzling phenomena and provides a framework for treatment by identifying three key targets for change. Recent studies have provided preliminary support for several aspects of the model. # 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.