Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Differential assessment of retrograde amnesia produced by Hypothermia following one-trial avoidance conditioning

Two different measures of the retention of avoidance conditioning, frequently used in the investigation of retrograde anmesia (RA), were examined. Rats were given a single training trial on either passive or active avoidance in a conventional black-white discrimination apparatus and step•through latencies were recorded. Task sequence, footshock and hypothermia were experimentally varied across eight groups of subjects. Each S was returned to the experimental apparatus 24 hours after training and given retention tests on both passive and active avoidance tasks. Test trial latencies failed to demonstrate any retention deficits attributable to RA, and both passive and active avoidance test latencies significantly increased. The results were interpreted in terms of the suppression o.f behavior resulting from conditioned emotionality, and serious questions were raised concerning the validity of singletrial avoidance latency measures.
An Exploration Of Adoption Factors For Cloud- Based ERP Systems In The Public Sector

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems and cloud-based systems are usually studied in isolation. The ERP research on cloud-ERP systems is scarce, particularly the motivations and barriers towards these systems within the public sector. Based on a review of literature and the Technology, Organization and Environment framework (TOE), a questionnaire focusing on benefits and disadvantages of cloud-based ERP systems adoptions was sent to 465 ERP stakeholders in Norwegian public organizations. Responses from 148 stakeholders helped to shed light on their stances toward cloud ERP adoptions. While many of our findings were surprisingly aligned with studies looking at adoption factors in the private sector, some noteworthy differences were discovered. The current deployment rate of cloud ERP systems among the public organizations is significantly lower than reports from existing studies focusing on private enterprises. A lack of interest in future adoptions is also indicated through respondents’ skepticism and hesitancy. Even though system availability is perceived as the most significant benefit, vendor dependency is perceived to be a major disadvantage. Through employing descriptive and inferential statistics, our findings also show that cloud ERP vendors struggle to oblige by the necessary customizations, IT-security, and data ownership requirements in public tendering procedures. Finally, a correlation analysis was performed to identify the level of which the various benefits and advantages affected respondents’ outlooks.
Type I and III collagen content and fibre distribution in normal human skin during ageing

The content of type I and III collagen in normal human skin from subjects of different ages was studied by means of a new high performance liquid chromatography method and by SDS‐polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and scanning electron microscopy. The ratio of types I and III collagen in covered skin remained constant throughout childhood and young adult life and the proportion of type III was shown to be the same as previously reported. However, in the elderly, the proportion of type III collagen in the dermis increased to a variable degree. Scanning electron microscopic examination showed a decrease in the number of collagen fibre bundles with age. Average bundle width varied significantly with age. These results may reflect an impaired synthesis of type I collagen in aged skin.
Research Productivity among PhD Faculty Members and Affiliates Responding to the Canadian Association of Professors of Psychiatry and Canadian Psychiatric Association Survey

Objective: This survey endeavours to assess the research productivity of PhD degree holders affiliated with Canadian academic departments of psychiatry. Method: A questionnaire was adapted to suit the Canadian milieu and was distributed to a target population of 2484, of whom 345 were nonmedical PhDs. Results: Out of 861 respondents, 148 indicated that they held a PhD degree only—a response rate of 42.9% for that subgroup. PhD respondents engaged in significantly more research activities than MDs. Their fields of research activity differed according to amount of time spent in research activities. Few gender differences were observed. Conclusions: The recruitment of sole PhD holders is an indicator of the current research needs of departments and of the dearth of candidates for these positions among MDs.
Role of external environmental factors in the failure of small enterprises in Angola

The high failure rate of new small enterprises in Angola calls to attention the fact that they are not equipped enough to meet the challenges of sustainable economic growth, equitable distribution of wealth and job creation. The worrying impact on the Angolan landscape, as a consequence, has had economists scrambling for solutions in recent years. Moving from on the assumption that the current business climate has been a contributing factor, this paper attempts to examine the role of external environmental factors in the context of Angola. Adopting a quantitative approach, the questionnaire was utilized as the primary data collection tool with snowballing as the sampling technique. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software delivered a result to the quantitative data that indicate a severe lack of economic support and availability of fundamental business resources such as raw material, skilled people and finance, and rigid policy-making regulations. The doomed-to-fail death knell to the Angolan small business comes in the form of a high level of corruption and theft in the country.
A case study of speech recognition in Spanish: From conventional to deep approach

The aim of this paper is to exhibit a comparative case study of the conventional speech recognition GMM-HMM (Gaussian mixture model — hidden Markov model) architecture and the recent model based on deep neural networks. During years the GMM approach has controlled the speech recognition tasks, however it has been surpassed with the resurgence of artificial neural networks. To exemplify these acoustic modeling frameworks, a case study has been conducted by using the Kaldi toolkit, employing a personalized speaker-independent mid-vocabulary voice corpus for recognition of digit strings and personal name lists in latin spanish on a connected-words phone dialing task. The speech recognition accuracy obtained in the results shows a better word error rate by using the DNN acoustic modeling. A 20.71% relative improvement is obtained with DNN-HMM models (3.33% WER) in respect to the lowest GMM-HMM rate (4.20% WER).
Case Study of a Post-Secondary Institution and Its Response to Student Homelessness

From the moment students are accepted into post-secondary institutions, the focus is on their studies and successful completion. Far less is known about what institutions understand about students’ personal stresses and issues with their finances, housing and especially student homelessness. How are these issues identified and managed within post-secondary institutions? What is the role of the post-secondary institution around ensuring students have what they need personally to be successful in their studies? A case study design using an integrated mixed-methods approach was chosen to examine the perceptions of students, administrators, faculty and service providers at one post-secondary institution, regarding experiences with and assistance for students who are vulnerable to becoming, or are homeless. Also explored were existing and needed institutional information and supports for students, and clearly identifying responsibilities of institution and students. Perceptions varied regarding how known and accessible student information and services were for housing, food or finances, and who was responsible to ensure that these students’ personal needs were identified and met. Perspectives were similar around the need to improve policies and communications between students and institution staff and services on identifying students at risk, making centralized information and campus services more confidential and accessible, and resourcing service providers to be better prepared and able to assist vulnerable students with financial, housing and other challenges. Institutional policies and procedures need to be more transparent and student-centred, but students also need to take responsibility for their own welfare and seek out confidential campus supports before they experience crises.
Heuristics for Optimal Placement and Migration of Virtual Machines

Virtualization is widely used owing to its advantages, such as flexibility, scalability, and cost reduction. One important advantage is the decrease in power consumption, which is obtained by concentrating virtual machines (VMs) into a fewer physical machines (PMs). This is done by optimally placing VMs to their hosts. This placement problem is an intractable combinatorial optimization problem. The optimal placement will also change if the load on the VMs changes with time. This change necessitates the migrations of VMs among PMs. The number of executed migrations should be small because migrations offer load on the network. Thus, both power consumption and number of migrations should be minimized. This research examines algorithms that solve this optimization problem. The examined algorithms include two metaheuristics: simulated annealing and tabu search methods. The method previously presented by the author is also tested for comparison. These methods are evaluated through a computer simulation wherein problems are randomly generated
Analyst Recommendations and International Stock Market Returns

This paper shows that analyst recommendations aggregated at the country level predict international stock market returns. A trading strategy based on past country-level recommendations yields an abnormal return of around 0.9 percent per month. Aggregate analyst recommendations also predict one-quarter ahead gross domestic product, industrial production and one-year ahead aggregate earnings. Overall, our results suggest that analyst recommendations aggregated at the country level provide useful information to guide international asset allocation.
It is not about what you read, but how you read it: the effects of sequencing rational and emotional messages on corporate and product brand attitudes

Abstract The study aims to examine the effects of message sequencing on attitudinal responses, namely on the effects of rational to emotional and emotional to rational message sequences on consumer attitudes toward the corporate and product brand. A between-subjects experiment was conducted using a stratified random sample. Participants were exposed to advertisements that communicate marketing messages either in a rational to emotional sequence or in an emotional to rational sequence for a product advertised by an organization. All attitudinal responses to the corporate and product brand were collected through a questionnaire that was given at the end of the experiment. The findings suggest advertisements that communicate marketing messages in an emotional to rational sequence produced more favorable attitudes toward the product brand among consumers as compared to advertisements that communicate in a rational to emotional sequence. However, no significant differences were found on consumer attitudes toward the corporate brand. These results remain true regardless of gender.
The Use of Breast Tomosynthesis in Clinical Practice

Breast tomosynthesis is a new method for breast cancer screening and diagnosis. Unlike prior-gen-eration mammography systems, which generate 2-dimensional images, breast tomosynthesis produces 3-dimensional images that are intended to reveal the inner architecture of the breast, free from the distortion typically caused by tissue shadowing or density. In clinical studies Hologic submitted to the FDA, radiologists reading 2-dimensional + 3-dimensional mammography (breast tomosynthesis) compared to 2-dimensional mammography alone demonstrated superior clinical performance in specificity, the confidence to rule out breast cancer without recalling the patient for further study
Interleukin-6 Induces Expression of Ifi202, an Interferon-inducible Candidate Gene for Lupus Susceptibility*

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a prototype autoimmune disease. In human SLE patients, as well as in mouse models of SLE, the development of disease is associated with increased levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin-6 (IL-6). However, IL-6 target genes contributing to the development of disease remain to be identified. Our previous studies of one mouse model of SLE identified an interferon-inducible gene, Ifi202, as a major contributor to the disease. We now report that IL-6 induces expression of the Ifi202 gene. We found that IL-6 treatment of mouse splenocytes increased levels of Ifi202 mRNA and p202 protein. Furthermore, IL-6 treatment of NIH 3T3 cells or expression of a constitutively active form of STAT3, a known mediator of IL-6 signaling, stimulated the activity of a 202-luc-reporter through a potential STAT3 DNA-binding site (the 202-SBS) present in the 5′-regulatory region of the Ifi202 gene. Moreover, treatment of cells with IL-6 stimulated binding of the transcription factor STAT3 to an oligonucleotide containing the 202-SBS in gel-mobility shift assays and to the 5′-regulatory region of the Ifi202 gene in chromatin immunoprecipitation assays. Importantly, site-directed mutagenesis of 202-SBS or expression of a dominant negative form of STAT3 significantly reduced constitutive as well as IL-6-stimulated activity of the 202-luc-reporter. Together, our observations support the idea that IL-6 stimulates transcription of the Ifi202 gene through STAT3 activation and predict that increased levels of IL-6 in lupus contribute to up-regulation of p202.
A global exploration of Big Data in the supply chain

Purpose Journals in business logistics, operations management, supply chain management, and business strategy have initiated ongoing calls for Big Data research and its impact on research and practice. Currently, no extant research has defined the concept fully. The purpose of this paper is to develop an industry grounded definition of Big Data by canvassing supply chain managers across six nations. The supply chain setting defines Big Data as inclusive of four dimensions: volume, velocity, variety, and veracity. The study further extracts multiple concepts that are important to the future of supply chain relationship strategy and performance. These outcomes provide a starting point and extend a call for theoretically grounded and paradigm-breaking research on managing business-to-business relationships in the age of Big Data. Design/methodology/approach A native categories qualitative method commonly employed in sociology allows each executive respondent to provide rich, specific data. This approach reduces interviewer bias while examining 27 companies across six industrialized and industrializing nations. This is the first study in supply chain management and logistics (SCMLs) to use the native category approach. Findings This study defines Big Data by developing four supporting dimensions that inform and ground future SCMLs research; details ten key success factors/issues; and discusses extensive opportunities for future research. Research limitations/implications This study provides a central grounding of the term, dimensions, and issues related to Big Data in supply chain research. Practical implications Supply chain managers are provided with a peer-specific definition and unified dimensions of Big Data. The authors detail key success factors for strategic consideration. Finally, this study notes differences in relational priorities concerning these success factors across different markets, and points to future complexity in managing supply chain and logistics relationships. Originality/value There is currently no central grounding of the term, dimensions, and issues related to Big Data in supply chain research. For the first time, the authors address subjects related to how supply chain partners employ Big Data across the supply chain, uncover Big Data’s potential to influence supply chain performance, and detail the obstacles to developing Big Data’s potential. In addition, the study introduces the native category qualitative interview approach to SCMLs researchers.
Presenilin 2 familial Alzheimer's disease mutations result in partial loss of function and dramatic changes in Aβ 42/40 ratios

Gene knockout studies in mice suggest that presenilin 1 (PS1) is the major γ‐secretase and that it contributes disproportionately to amyloid β (Aβ) peptide generation from β‐amyloid precursor protein (APP), whereas PS2 plays a more minor role. Based on this and other observations we hypothesized that familial Alzheimer's disease (FAD) mutations in PS2 would have a dramatic effect on function in order to have an observable effect on Aβ levels in the presence of normal PS1 alleles. Only four of the eight reported FAD mutations in PS2 have altered function in vitro suggesting that the other variants represent rare polymorphisms rather than disease‐causing mutations. In support of our hypothesis, the four verified PS2 FAD mutations cause substantial changes in the Aβ 42/40 ratio, comparable with PS1 mutations that cause very‐early‐onset FAD. Most of the PS2 mutations also cause a significant decrease in Aβ 40, APP C‐terminal fragment (CTF)γ and Notch intracellular domain (NICD) production suggesting that they are partial loss of function mutations. PS2 M239V, its PS1 homolog M233V, and other FAD mutations within transmembrane (TM) 5 of PS1 differentially affect CTFγ and NICD production suggesting that TM5 of PS are important for γ‐secretase cleavage of APP but not Notch.
Analyzing Farm Operations Cooperation Groups in Central Agricultural Zone of Delta State Nigeria

he purpose of this study was to examine farm operations cooperation groups in Central Agricultural Zone of Delta State, Nigeria. All the members of the six selected groups were used for the study. The data which were collected with the use of questionnaire and interview schedule were analyzed with the use of frequency counts, percentages and Tobit regression model. Most of the members were females and were also mostly married. Most of them were educated formally and had average household size of 5 persons and average farm size of 2.5 ha. They had an average farming experience of 13 years and most of them had no contact with extension agents. Household members emigrated from most (76.50%) households. They subscribed to these groups because of reduction of labour cost, timely execution and conclusion of farm operations, exchange of ideas and information, expansion of farm size and reduction of drudgery involved in farming. They were mostly satisfied with their various groups. They however had challenges ranging from irregular meeting attendance, inadequate access to extension service, too high membership strength to lateness to work. Inadequate membership strength was also a constraint to few of the groups. The farmers’ decision to subscribe to their various groups was informed or influenced by their marital status, level of education, household size, farm size, farming experience, extension visit contact with other farmers, and emigration of household members. It was recommended that extension agents should establish frequent contacts with the various groups and educate them on the importance of time and regular meeting attendance. The groups with bloated membership strength should be split into two groups while farmers need to be encouraged to subscribe to those groups with inadequate membership strength.
Designed to penetrate: Time-resolved interaction of single antibiotic molecules with bacterial pores

Membrane permeability barriers are among the factors contributing to the intrinsic resistance of bacteria to antibiotics. We have been able to resolve single ampicillin molecules moving through a channel of the general bacterial porin, OmpF (outer membrane protein F), believed to be the principal pathway for the β-lactam antibiotics. With ion channel reconstitution and high-resolution conductance recording, we find that ampicillin and several other efficient penicillins and cephalosporins strongly interact with the residues of the constriction zone of the OmpF channel. Therefore, we hypothesize that, in analogy to substrate-specific channels that evolved to bind certain metabolite molecules, antibiotics have “evolved” to be channel-specific. Molecular modeling suggests that the charge distribution of the ampicillin molecule complements the charge distribution at the narrowest part of the bacterial porin. Interaction of these charges creates a region of attraction inside the channel that facilitates drug translocation through the constriction zone and results in higher permeability rates.
Revision of Booster to Storage Ring Transport Line Design and Injection Scheme for Top-Up Operation at NSRRC

In order to help the operation of constant current, the optics of booster to storage ring transport line (BTS) design is reinvestigated[1]. The initial Twiss parameters are derived by measurement. The optics of the transport line is readjusted according to the measured initial beam parameters. The design of pulse width of the injection kicker is also changed from 1.2 μs to 2.0 μs. The injection scheme is reviewed and the effects of the kicker error on both injected and stored beam are investigated and shown in this report.
Competition and Stability in Banking: The Role of Regulation and Competition Policy

Does too much competition in banking hurt society? What policies can best protect and stabilize banking without stifling it? Institutional responses to such questions have evolved over time, from interventionist regulatory control after the Great Depression to the liberalization policies that started in the United States in the 1970s. The global financial crisis of 2007? 2009, which originated from an oversupply of credit, once again raised questions about excessive banking competition and what should be done about it. Competition and Stability in Banking addresses the critical relationships between competition, regulation, and stability, and the implications of coordinating banking regulations with competition policies. Xavier Vives argues that while competition is not responsible for fragility in banking, there are trade-offs between competition and stability. Well-designed regulations would alleviate these trade-offs but not eliminate them, and the specificity of competition in banking should be accounted for. Vives argues that regulation and competition policy should be coordinated, with tighter prudential requirements in more competitive situations, but he also shows that supervisory and competition authorities should stand separate from each other, each pursuing its own objective. Vives reviews the theory and empirics of banking competition, drawing on up-to-date analysis that incorporates the characteristics of modern market-based banking, and he looks at regulation, competition policies, and crisis interventions in Europe and the United States, as well as in emerging economies. Focusing on why banking competition policies are necessary, Competition and Stability in Banking examines regulation's impact on the industry's efficiency and effectiveness.