Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A multimodal Goffmanian analysis of impression management behaviour in the annual reports of listed Australian companies

The major objective of this research is to contribute to the academic literature by developing a comprehensive multi-modal framework to document the impression management strategies that might underpin the narrative and visual material voluntarily included in corporate annual reports. The analysis takes as its starting point the seminal work of Goffman [1959] into self-presentation, widely acknowledged as the first comprehensive exposition of the sociological phenomenon of impression management. The eight elements identified by Goffman in his dramaturgical description of impression management performances are presented as an integrated conceptual model from which such behaviour can be analysed. Using a meso-paradigmatic approach, propositions are developed which underpin a multi-level theory explaining how micro-level incentives motivate individual organisational members to engage collectively in impression management behaviour at a meso (team) level to produce macro-level organisational phenomena such as organisational image or reputation. Prior research into impression management and organisational phenomena has typically either anthropomorphised the organisation or employed a personification metaphor in which the organisation is equated to an individual to facilitate analysis. Neither of these approaches, both of which lack empirical validity, is utilised here because the view articulated in the multi-level theory is one of the organisation as a coalition of individual actors, working collectively to produce what observers perceive as the actions or outcomes of the organisation. Focus then narrows to the use of the corporate annual report as a strategic impression management instrument. The approach adopted is holistic and multi-modal because, as Goffman [1959] clearly articulated, impression management performances are of this nature. In the context of annual reporting, it is the combination of narrative and visual report content that represents the elements of the impression management performance. However, the question of whether mutually supportive narrative and visual strategies are adopted within and across the various sections and subsections of the annual reports has been largely ignored. As such, any understanding of impression management activity in annual reports is partial at best, and it may be the case that behaviour has been misunderstood or misinterpreted. To facilitate the required holistic view, an integrated framework of mutually supportive rhetorical elements for narrative and visual annual report content is developed. This forms the basis from which three exploratory research questions are formulated. Case study analysis of the reporting practices of five large listed Australian companies is presented to explore these research questions. The evidence suggests that, on the whole, the nature of voluntary disclosure in the annual reports studied is consistent with the staging of a holistic impression management performance in the Goffmanian sense. ii
The Essence Of Women In Management

1. European Women in Management. 2. Sex Differences. 3. Work and the Family. 4. Women in Management: Power and Powerlessness. 5. Managers and Secretaries. 6. Training, Mentoring and Networking. 7. Leadership and Assessment. 8. Strategies for Change - Company Cases. 9. Strategies for Change - Women in Management in the United Arab Emirates.
Search in the Labor Market Under Imperfectly Insurable Income Risk

This paper develops a general equilibrium model with unemployment and noncooperative wage determination to analyze the importance of incomplete markets when risk-averse agents are subject to idiosyncratic employment shocks. A version of the model calibrated to the U.S. shows that market incompleteness affects individual behavior and aggregate conditions: it reduces wages and unemployment but increases vacancies. Additionally, the model explains the average level of unemployment insurance observed in the U.S. A key mechanism is the joint influence of imperfect insurance and risk aversion in the wage bargaining. The paper also proposes a novel solution to solve this heterogeneous-agent model.
Investigations on DNA damage and frequency of micronuclei in occupational exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMFs) emitted from video display terminals (VDTs)

The potential effect of electromagnetic fields (EMFs) emitted from video display terminals (VDTs) to elicit biological response is a major concern for the public. The software professionals are subjected to cumulative EMFs in their occupational environments. This study was undertaken to evaluate DNA damage and incidences of micronuclei in such professionals. To the best of our knowledge, the present study is the first attempt to carry out cytogenetic investigations on assessing bioeffects in personal computer users. The study subjects (n = 138) included software professionals using VDTs for more than 2 years with age, gender, socioeconomic status matched controls (n = 151). DNA damage and frequency of micronuclei were evaluated using alkaline comet assay and cytochalasin blocked micronucleus assay respectively. Overall DNA damage and incidence of micronuclei showed no significant differences between the exposed and control subjects. With exposure characteristics, such as total duration (years) and frequency of use (minutes/day) sub-groups were assessed for such parameters. Although cumulative frequency of use showed no significant changes in the DNA integrity of the classified sub-groups, the long-term users (> 10 years) showed higher induction of DNA damage and increased frequency of micronuclei and micro nucleated cells.
Evidence from Quasi-periodic Oscillations for a Millisecond Pulsar in the Low-Mass X-Ray Binary 4U 0614+091

We have detected quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs) near 1 kHz from the low-mass X-ray binary 4U 0614+091 in observations with the Rossi X-Ray Timing Explorer. The observations span several months and sample the source over a large range of X-ray luminosity. In every interval, QPOs are present above 400 Hz with fractional rms amplitudes from 3% to 12% over the full Proportional Counter Array energy band. At high count rates, two high-frequency QPOs are detected simultaneously. The difference in their frequency centroids is consistent with a constant value of 323 ± 4 Hz in all observations. During one interval, a third signal is detected at 328 ± 2 Hz. This suggests that the system has a stable “clock” that is most likely the neutron star with spin period 3.1 ms. Thus, our observations of 4U 0614+091, and those of 4U 1728-34 and KS 1731-260, provide the first evidence for millisecond pulsars within low-mass X-ray binary systems and reveal the “missing-link” between millisecond radiopulsars and the late stages of binary evolution in low-mass X-ray binaries. The constant difference in the high-frequency QPOs suggests a beat-frequency interpretation. In this model, the high-frequency QPO is associated with the Keplerian frequency of the inner accretion disk, and the lower frequency QPO is a “beat” between the differential rotation frequency of the inner disk and the spinning neutron star. Assuming the high-frequency QPO is a Keplerian orbital frequency for the accretion disk, we find a maximum mass of 1.9 M☉ and a maximum radius of 17 km for the neutron star.
Trade Credit, the Financial Crisis, and SME Access to Finance

Mounting evidence indicates that firms, particularly SMEs, suffered from a significant credit crunch during this crisis. Little research exists on how SMEs coped with this problem due to a lack of data in the U.S. and elsewhere. We analyse for the first time whether trade credit provided an alternative source of external finance to SMEs during the crisis. Using firm-level Spanish data we find that credit constrained SMEs depend on trade credit, but not bank loans, and that the intensity of this dependence increased during the financial crisis. Unconstrained firms, in contrast, are dependent on bank loans not trade credit.
Asymmetric behavior of severed microtubule ends after ultraviolet- microbeam irradiation of individual microtubules in vitro

The molecular basis of microtubule dynamic instability is controversial, but is thought to be related to a "GTP cap. " A key prediction of the GTP cap model is that the proposed labile GDP-tubulin core will rapidly dissociate if the GTP-tubulin cap is lost. We have tested this prediction by using a UV microbeam to cut the ends from elongating microtubules. Phosphocellulose-purified tubulin was assembled onto the plus and minus ends of sea urchin flagellar axoneme fragments at 21-22 degrees C. The assembly dynamics of individual microtubules were recorded in real time using video microscopy. When the tip of an elongating plus end microtubule was cut off, the severed plus end microtubule always rapidly shortened back to the axoneme at the normal plus end rate. However, when the distal tip of an elongating minus end microtubule was cut off, no rapid shortening occurred. Instead, the severed minus end resumed elongation at the normal minus end rate. Our results show that some form of "stabilizing cap," possibly a GTP cap, governs the transition (catastrophe) from elongation to rapid shortening at the plus end. At the minus end, a simple GTP cap is not sufficient to explain the observed behavior unless UV induces immediate recapping of minus, but not plus, ends. Another possibility is that a second step, perhaps a structural transformation, is required in addition to GTP cap loss for rapid shortening to occur. This transformation would be favored at plus, but not minus ends, to account for the asymmetric behavior of the ends.
Wearable EOG goggles: Seamless sensing and context-awareness in everyday environments

In this article we introduce the analysis of eye motion as a new input modality for activity recognition, context-awareness and mobile HCI applications. We describe a novel embedded eye tracker that, in contrast to common systems using video cameras, relies on Electrooculography (EOG). This self-contained wearable device consists of goggles with dry electrodes integrated into the frame and a small pocket-worn component with a DSP for real-time EOG signal processing. It can store data locally for long-term recordings or stream processed EOG signals to a remote device over Bluetooth. We show how challenges associated with wearability, eye motion analysis and signal artefacts caused by physical activity can be addressed with a combination of a special mechanical design, optimised algorithms for eye movement detection and adaptive signal processing. In two case studies, we demonstrate that EOG is a suitable measurement technique for the recognition of reading activity and eye-based human-computer interaction. Eventually, wearable EOG goggles may pave the way for seamless eye movement analysis in everyday environments and new forms of context-awareness not possible today.
A Preliminary Investigation of Electronic Data Interchange Adoption in Bruneian Small Business Organizations

This first study conducted in Brunei investigates the 84 small and medium enterprises by using a survey approach to find out the key factors that are determinants to EDI adoption. Based upon the existing model, the study uses seven factors grouped into three categories, namely organizational, external and economic factors. The findings indicate that hypotheses related to perceived direct benefits and perceived cost are supported. However, the study could not find support for perceived indirect benefits. All other factors such as: IT knowledge, government support, top management support and trading partner influence remain insignificant. Based upon these findings, recommendations are provided.
Loss of the Homeodomain Transcription Factor Prep1 Perturbs Adult Hematopoiesis in the Bone Marrow

Prep1, a TALE-family homeodomain transcription factor, has been demonstrated to play a critical role in embryonic hematopoiesis, as its insufficiency caused late embryonic lethality associated with defective hematopoiesis and angiogenesis. In the present study, we generated hematopoietic- and endothelial cell-specific Prep1-deficient mice and demonstrated that expression of Prep1 in the hematopoietic cell compartment is not essential for either embryonic or adult hematopoiesis, although its absence causes significant hematopoietic abnormalities in the adult bone marrow. Loss of Prep1 promotes cell cycling of hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPC), leading to the expansion of the HSPC pool. Prep1 deficiency also results in the accumulation of lineage-committed progenitors, increased monocyte/macrophage differentiation and arrested erythroid maturation. Maturation of T cells and B cells is also perturbed in Prep-deficient mice. These findings provide novel insight into the pleiotropic roles of Prep1 in adult hematopoiesis that were unrecognized in previous studies using germline Prep1 hypomorphic mice.
Importance of psychosocial work factors on general health outcomes in the national French SUMER survey.

AIM To examine the associations between psychosocial work factors and general health outcomes, taking into account other occupational risk factors, within the national French working population. METHODS The study was based on a large national sample of 24 486 women and men of the French working population who filled in a self-administered questionnaire in 2003 (response rate: 96.5%). Psychosocial work exposures included psychological demands, decision latitude, social support, workplace bullying and violence from the public. The three health indicators studied were self-reported health, long sickness absence (>8 days of absence) and work injury. Adjustment was made for covariates: age, occupation, work status, working hours, time schedules, physical, ergonomic, biological and chemical exposures. Men and women were studied separately. RESULTS Low levels of decision latitude, and of social support, and high psychological demands were found to be risk factors for poor self-reported health and long sickness absence. High demands were also found to be associated with work injury. Workplace bullying and/or violence from the public also increased the risk of poor health, long sickness absence and work injury. CONCLUSION Psychosocial work factors were found to be strong risk factors for health outcomes; the results were unchanged after adjustment for other occupational risk factors. Preventive efforts should be intensified towards reducing these psychosocial work exposures.
The case for the central bank independence

The position of the European System of Central Banks (ESCB) is an important issue in the process towards European economic and monetary union (EMU). At the December 1991 meeting in Maastricht, the European council decided that the primary objective of the ESCB shall be to maintain price stability. This paper explores the influence of central bank independence on the level and variability of inflation, the level and financing of government budget deficits, and on economic growth.
Relative observability, duality for fractional differential-algebraic delay systems with jumps within Riemann-Liouville fractional derivatives

In the paper relative R-observability is considered for linear stationary fractional differential-algebraic delay system with jumps (FDADJ). FDADJ system consists of fractional differential equation in the Riemann-Liouville sense and difference equations. We present the determining equation systems and their properties. We derive solutions representations into series of their determining equation solutions and obtain effective parametric rank criteria for relative R-observability. A dual controllability result is also formulated.
The Earnings and Human Capital of American Jews

This paper analyzes the earnings and returns from human capital investments of second-generation American Jews. Compared with non-Jews, Jewish men have 16 percent higher earnings (other things the same), a 20 percent higher rate of return from schooling, and a steeper experience-earnings profile. These patterns persist even after controlling for occupation, self-employment status, and geographic concentration in the New York area. There are no systematic differences among Jews by parents' country of birth. The findings suggest that American Jews are more productive in creating and using human capital, and that this has encouraged greater investments in human capital.
Linear Dynamic Range Reduction of Musical Audio Using an Allpass Filter Chain

The reduction of signal dynamic range through limiting of peak amplitude is an important process in modern audio signal processing, mainly for loudness maximisation. Traditional processes are non-linear, and can produce significant distortion of the processed signal. In this paper we present a new linear technique that reduces the peak amplitude of transient signals using golden ratio allpass filters. The system is applied to test signals consisting of both isolated musical sounds and mixed musical audio. The average reduction of the peak amplitude of the musical passages considered is 2.5 dB. The system can be applied alongside non-linear methods, to reduce the distortion associated with a particular reduction in peak amplitude.
The evolution of the bimodal colour distribution of galaxies in Sloan Digital Sky Survey groups

We analyse u - r colour distributions for several samples of galaxies in groups drawn from the fourth data release of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. For all luminosity ranges and environments considered, the colour distributions are well described by the sum of two Gaussian functions. We find that the fraction of galaxies in the red sequence is an increasing function of group virial mass. We also study the evolution of the galaxy colour distributions at low redshift, z ≤ 0.18 in the field and in groups for galaxies brighter than M r - 5 log (h) = -20, finding significant evidence of recent evolution in the population of galaxies in groups. The fraction of red galaxies monotonically increases with decreasing redshift, this effect implies a much stronger evolution of galaxies in groups than in the field.
To Craft Democracies: An Essay on Democratic Transitions

Is democracy a hot-house plant? And is it difficult to transplant it into new soil? The fall of so many dictatorships in the last few years - first in Southern Europe, then in Latin America, now in Eastern Europe - opens new, more optimistic perspectives on democratic development. The crises of dictatorships and the search for a new political order offer fertile ground for an examination of how best to effect democratic transitions. By focusing on the objective conditions that make democracy probable, sociological and historical theories of democracy often lose sight of what is possible. Here Giuseppe Di Palma instead explores those conciliatory political undertakings that political actors on all sides now engage in to make the improbable possible. His emphasis is on political crafting: in regard to constitutional choices, to alliances and convergences between contestants, to trade-offs, to the pacing of the transitions. Di Palma also examines the reasons - stalemate, the high cost of repression, a loss of goals, international constraints and inducements - that may motivate incumbents and nondemocratic political actors to accept democracy, even in those cases, as in Central America and Eastern Europe, where acceptance would seem least likely. An original and imaginative work that, in the light of recent transitions, challenges our assumptions about fledgling democracies and breaks new theoretical ground, "To Craft Democracies" will appeal to anyone interested in the way we forge our political communities today.
Students with Disabilities in the Art Classroom: How Prepared are We?

This study of 212 randomly selected first year professional members of the National Art Education Association used a survey instrument to discover the nature and extent of preservice preparation to teach art to students with disabilities. It sought to determine how certified art teachers perceive their preparedness for teaching students with disabilities in mainstreamed, integrated art classrooms. Information obtained about the present teaching assignments of these professionals indicated the vast majority of art teachers at all levels are teaching students with disabilities. Most felt unprepared to teach integrated classes. Recommendations are made for preparing art teachers to meet the demands of today's integrated classrooms.
Farthest Point Seeding for Placement of Streamlines

We propose a novel algorithm for placement of streamlines from two-dimensional steady vector or direction fields. Our method consists of placing one streamline at a time by numerical integration started the furthest away from all previously placed streamlines. Such a farthest point seeding strategy leads to high quality placements by favoring long streamlines, while retaining uniformity with the increasing density. We show in a series of comparative results several improvements over state-of-the-art methods for three important aspects: placement quality, simplicity or efficiency. Robustness as well as efficiency is achieved through the use of a Delaunay triangulation to model the streamlines, address proximity queries and determine the biggest voids by exploiting the empty circle property. Our method handles variable density and extends to multiresolution.
Analysis of Dysarthric Speech using Distinctive Feature Recognition

Imprecise articulatory breakdown is one of the characteristics of dysarthric speech. This work attempts to develop a framework to automatically identify problematic articulatory patterns of dysarthric speakers in terms of distinctive features (DFs), which are effective for describing speech production. The identification of problematic articulatory patterns aims to assist speech therapists in developing intervention strategies. A multilayer perceptron (MLP) system is trained with nondysarthric speech data for DF recognition. Agreement rates between the recognized DF values and the canonical values based on phonetic transcriptions are computed. For nondysarthric speech, our system achieves an average agreement rate of 85.7%. The agreement rate of dysarthric speech declines, ranging between 1% to 3% in mild cases, 4% to 7% in moderate cases, and 7% to 12% in severe cases, when compared with non-dysarthric speech. We observe that the DF disagreement patterns are consistent with the analysis of a speech
Differential properties of tetrodotoxin-sensitive and tetrodotoxin- resistant sodium channels in rat dorsal root ganglion neurons

TTX-sensitive (TTX-S) and TTX-resistant (TTX-R) sodium channel currents were analyzed in acutely dissociated dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons isolated from 3–12-d-old and adult rats. Currents were recorded using the whole-cell patch-clamp technique. TTX-R current was more likely to be present in younger animals (3–7 d), whereas TTX-S current was more common in older animals (7–10 d), although TTX-R current was recorded from adult rat DRG neurons. The TTX-R and TTX-S currents differed in their steady-state inactivation, with 50% inactivation voltage at -40 +/- 5 mV (n = 10) for TTX-R currents and -70 +/- 4 mV (n = 10) for TTX- S currents. These current types also differed in their activation kinetics, with 50% activation values of -15 +/- 5 mV (n = 5) for TTX-R currents and -26 +/- 6 mV (n = 5) for TTX-S currents. The interactions of TTX-R and TTX-S channels with various pharmacological agents and divalent cations were studied. The Kd values for TTX-S and TTX-R currents were estimated to be 0.3 nM and 100 microM for TTX, 0.5 nM and 10 microM for saxitoxin, and 50 microM and 200 microM for lidocaine, respectively. TTX-S channels did not exhibit a marked use-dependent block by lidocaine, whereas lidocaine significantly decreased TTX-R current in a use-dependent manner at frequencies ranging from 1 to 33.3 Hz. Several external divalent cations exerted different effects on these current types. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)