Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Evaluating Multimodal Feedback for Assembly Tasks in a Virtual Environment

Operating power tools over extended periods of time can pose significant risks to humans, due to the strong forces and vibrations they impart to the limbs. Telemanipulation systems can be employed to minimize these risks, but may impede effective task performance due to the reduced sensory cues they typically convey. To address this shortcoming, we explore the benefits of augmenting these cues with the addition of audition, vibration, and force feedback, and evaluate them on users' performance in a VR mechanical assembly task employing a simulated impact wrench. Our research focuses on the utility of vibrotactile feedback, rendered as a simplified and attenuated version of the vibrations experienced while operating an actual impact wrench. We investigate whether such feedback can serve to enhance the operator's awareness of the state of the tool, as well as a proxy for the forces experienced during collisions and coupling, while operating the tool an actual impact wrench. Results from our user study comparing feedback modalities confirm that the introduction of vibrotactile, in addition to auditory feedback can significantly improve user performance as assessed by completion time. However, the addition of force feedback to these two modalities did not further improve performance.
ELAN Analysis Companion (EAC) : A Software Tool for Time-course Analysis of ELAN-annotated Data

ELAN is a widely used and free (in both senses) annotation software for behavioral or other events that unfold over time. We report on and release a stand-alone program that expands on ELAN's capabilities in two ways: 1) it allows the researcher to plot and export time-course analysis data directly from ELAN's native annotation files, allowing for hassle-free analysis in the time domain; and 2) it allows the researcher to weight ELAN's built-in annotator reliability rating based on the duration of the coded events. This software is released under an open license.
Exploring the Impact of Knowledge Sharing on the Innovative Work Behavior of Employees: A Study in China

This study is an attempt to find out the impact of knowledge sharing on the innovative work behavior of employees working in telecommunication sector of China. Particularly, the focus of this study is on the two important dimensions of knowledge sharing namely knowledge donating and knowledge collecting. For this purpose, data of 200 employees from telecommunication sector of China was collected and analyzed through correlation and multiple regression techniques. The results suggest that both knowledge donating and knowledge collecting are positively and significantly affect the innovative work behavior of the employees working in telecommunication industry. However, knowledge collecting was found as a better contributor in facilitating the employee innovative work behavior.
Controlled biomineralization of magnetite (Fe3O4) by Magnetospirillum gryphiswaldense

Abstract Results from a study of the chemical composition and micro-structural characteristics of bacterial magnetosomes extracted from the magnetotactic bacterial strain Magnetospirillum gryphiswaldense are presented here. Using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy combined with selected-area electron diffraction and energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis, biogenic magnetite particles isolated from mature cultures were analysed for variations in crystallinity and particle size, as well as chain character and length. The analysed crystals showed a narrow size range (∼14-67 nm) with an average diameter of 46±6.8 nm, cuboctahedral morphologies and typical Gamma type crystal size distributions. The magnetite particles exhibited a high chemical purity (exclusively Fe3O4) and the majority fall within the single-magnetic-domain range.
Platinum based combination versus single agent gemcitabine in Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer

Background and aim: Majority of pancreatic cancer patients was diagnosed with metastatic disease with a very poor prognosis, our study aimed to assess treatment toxicity and compare response rate (RR), overall survival (OS) and Progression free survival (PFS) in platinum based combination versus single agent gemcitabine. Patient and method: Thirty five patients pathologically confirmed to have metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma during period (2012-2014). Patients were randomly assigned into three groups: platinum based regimens group A: Gemcitabine and Oxaliplatin (Gem Ox), group B: Gemcitabine and cisplatin and Group C: single agent Gemcitabine. Results: mean age was 52.5 years ,with nearly equal sex affection the main presenting symptoms was epigastric pain in 77% of patients and the main presenting sign was jaundice in 66% of patients. CA19-9 was elevated in 74% of patients and cancer head of pancreas was the most common site in 77% of patients. The most common pathology was moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma 51.4% of patients. The median OS was prolonged, with an increase of 4 months in the group of (Gemzar and Cisplatin) when compared with the gemcitabine group (8 vs.4 months) or an increase of 2 months in comparison with Gem Ox (8 vs. 6 months), also median PFS was significantly prolonged compared with the gemcitabine group (6 vs.3 months) or in comparison with Gem Ox (6 vs. 5 months) (P-value 0.017). RR in (Gemzar and Cisplatin) was higher in comparison with Gem Ox (40% vs. 30%) and with the single agent gemcitabine group (40% vs.8%) with a statistically significant difference. Conclusion: (Gemzar and Cisplatin) was an effective first line treatment option for patients with metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma and good ECOG performance status ,with improved OS and PFS. Patient age alone should not be a factor in treatment decision making.
Evaluation of Performance of a Maximum Likelihood Estimator for Tracking Purposes in the Presence of Speckle Noise

Abstract : In many cases, optical tracking systems do not have cooperative beacons available. This is particularly true for the case involving tracking a laser illuminated target such as a missile seeker head, where the object of interest is most definitely an extended source. Furthermore the extended source is often observed in the presence of noise such as shot and speckle noise as well as atmospheric turbulence which further degrades the signal. This research effort presents the evaluation of an existing algorithm based on the maximum-likelihood technique for tilt estimation in the presence of extended sources and speckle noise, with particular application to the image motion tracking problem. Comparison is made between the performance of traditional centroiding algorithms and the existing projection-based correlation algorithm in simulation. The MLE using projection-based correlation is shown to offer improved performance in the motion tracking problem.
Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infection: Prevalence, Microbiological Profile and Antibiogram at a Tertiary Care Hospital

Background: Catheter associated Urinary tract infections (CAUTI) are the most common nosocomial infection. Though urinary tract catheterization is an important aspect of medical care, its inappropriate use may lead to significant morbidity and mortality, increased hospitalization and financial burden. This study was carried out to identify the etiological agents of UTI and its antibiogram among inpatients with indwelling catheters.Methods: A total of 136 urine samples were collected over a period of 10 months. Microscopic and macroscopic examinations were performed. Isolation, identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed by standard microbiological methods. Statistical analysis of data was done by chi-square test.Results: Out of the 136 patients, 17 (12.5%) developed catheter-associated UTI. Development of significant bacteriuria was not affected by sex, age, urine pH or antibiotic intake however there was significant association be-tween significant pyuria and significant bacteriuria (p<0.001). E coli accounted for 35.3% followed by Klebsiella spp and Enterococcus spp. Cotrimoxazole was the most effective amongst antibiotics tested followed by Nitrofurantoin . Gram negative bacteria were least sensitive to Ampicillin.Conclusion: This study suggests urine culture and sensitivity should be done among the catheterized patients on regular basis. Unnecessary urethral catheterization should be avoided to reduce catheter-related complications.
Deep level contribution to the carrier generation and recombination in high resistivity Si irradiated by neutrons

Deep level spectroscopy in neutron irradiated FZ and MCz Si was performed by extrinsic photoconductivity spectra measurements in the range of temperature of 18–120 K. The Lukovsky model was used, and the Gaussian distribution of deep level energy demonstrated the best fit of simulation and experimental data. The non-monotonous change of deep levels during annealing, and non-monotonous dependence of their concentration on the fluence were observed. The photoconductivity decay was investigated by the transient photo-Hall effect, recombination parameters of the main recombination centre were determined, and the recombination centre model was proposed. The photoconductivity and thermally stimulated current measurements were used to demonstrate the existence of photogeneration of free carriers by a cascade of optical and thermal transitions.
Brittle tectonic and stress field evolution in the Pan-African Lufilian arc and its foreland (Katanga, DRC): from orogenic compression to extensional collapse, transpressional inversion and transition to rifting.

Since the first and paroxysmal deformation stages of the Lufilian orogeny at ~ 550 Ma and the late Neogene to Quaternary development of the south-western branch of the East African rift system, the tectonic evolution of the Lufilian arc and Kundelungu foreland in the Katanga region of the Democratic Republic of Congo remains poorly known although it caused important Cu-dominated mineral remobilizations leading to world-class ore deposits. This long period is essentially characterized by brittle tectonic deformations that have been investigated by field studies in open mines spread over the entire arc and foreland. Paleostress tensors were computed for a database of 1889 fault-slip data by interactive stress tensor inversion and data subset separation. They have been assembled and correlated into 8 major brittle events, their relative succession established primarily from field-based criteria and interpreted in function of the regional tectonic context. The first brittle structures observed were formed during the Lufilian compressional climax, after the transition from ductile to brittle deformation (stage 1). They have been re-oriented during the orogenic bending that led to the arcuate shape of the belt (stage 2). Unfolding the stress directions allows to reconstruct a well-defined N-S to NNE-SSW direction of compression, consistent with the stress directions recorded outside the belt. Constrictional deformation occurred in the central part of the arc, probably during orogenic bending. After the bending, the Lufilian arc was affected by a NE-SW transpression of regional significance (stage 3), inducing strike-slip reactivations dominantly sinistral in the Lufilian arc and dextral in the Kundelungu foreland. The next two stages were recorded only in the Lufilian arc. Late-orogenic extension was induced by σ1-σ3 stress axis permutation in a more trans-tensional regime (stages 4). Arc-parallel extension (stage 5) marks the final extensional collapse of the Lufilian orogeny. In early Mesozoic, NW-SE transpressional inversion felt regionally (stage 6) was induced by far-field stresses generated at the southern active margin of Gondwana. Since then, this region was affected by rift-related extension, successively in a NE-SW direction (stage 7, Tanganyika trend) and NW-SE direction (stage 8, Moero-Upemba trend).
Exploring Factors Influencing Nurse's Intention to Use a Technology-Mediated Training System

This study proposes a conceptual model that investigates the factors affecting nurses' behavioral intention to use a Blended E-Learning System (BELS). We integrated motivation, the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), and the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) to create a theoretical model to explain and predict the intentions of learners to use BELS. Additionally, in the research model, motivation is proposed as a formative second-order construct driven by intrinsic motivation. Self-reporting questionnaires were distributed to local community hospitals, regional hospitals, and medical centers in Taiwan. Among the 589 distributed questionnaires, we received 528 valid responses, yielding a response rate of 89.64%. Using structural equation modeling (SEM), the results indicated that perceived usefulness, attitude, and subjective norms influence behavioral intentions toward BELS. Perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, and motivation considerably affect attitudes related to use. The present study demonstrated that the two antecedents, intrinsic and extrinsic of motivation, are crucial components of motivation. This study concludes with a discussion on the limitations of the study, and its implications in further research and practice.
Source of Finance for Social Security Reform with Redistribution

This study investigates the welfare implications of social security reforms in Japan. Based on the overlapping generations model with idiosyncratic income risk, we consider four social security reform plans: (1) gradual reduction in the replacement rate by half, (2) sudden cut in the replacement rate by half, (3) introduction of a consumption tax, and (4) introduction of a capital income tax. We compute the transition paths of each case, and find that the introduction of a consumption tax and a capital income tax improves the welfare of young and future households, based on ex-ante welfare. We also reveal that two redistribution effects of the basic public pension are keys when considering social security reforms: (a) the insurance effect on lifetime income, and (b) the intertemporal effect that affects the asset and consumption profile.
Sediment effect on tsunami generation of the 1896 Sanriku Tsunami Earthquake

The 1896 Sanriku earthquake was one of the most devastating tsunami earthquakes, which generated an anomalously larger tsunami than expected from its seismic waves. Previous studies indicate that the earthquake occurred beneath the accretionary wedge near the trench axis. It was pointed out recently that sediments near a toe of an inner trench slope with a large horizontal movement due to the earthquake might have caused an additional uplift. In this paper, the effect of the additional uplift to tsunami generation of the 1896 Sanriku tsunami earthquake is quantified. We estimate the slip of the earthquake by numerically computing tsunamis and comparing their waveforms with those recorded at three tide gauges. The estimated slip for the model without the additional uplift is 10.4 m, and those with the additional uplift are 5.9–6.7 m. This indicates that the additional uplift of the sediments near the trench has a large effect on the tsunami generation.
AB4Web

We introduce AB4Web, a web-based engine that implements a balanced randomized version of the multivariate A/B testing, specifically designed for practitioners to readily compare end-users' preferences for user interface alternatives, such as menu layouts, widgets, controls, forms, or visual input commands. AB4Web automatically generates a balanced set of randomized pairs from a pool of user interface design alternatives, presents them to participants, collects their preferences, and reports results from the perspective of four quantitative measures: the number of presentations, the preference percentage, the latent score of preference, and the matrix of preferences. In this paper, we exemplify the AB4Web tester with a user study for which N=108 participants expressed their preferences regarding the visual design of 49 distinct graphical adaptive menus, with a total number of 5,400 preference votes. We compare the results obtained from our quantitative measures with four alternative methods: Condorcet, de Borda count starting at one and zero, and the Dowdall scoring system. We plan to release AB4Web as a public tool for practitioners to create their own A/B testing experiments.
Narrow-line region gas kinematics of 24 264 optically selected AGN: the radio connection

Using a sample of 24 264 optically selected active galactic nuclei (AGNs) from the SDSS DR7 data base, we characterize how the profile of the [O III] λ5007 emission line relates to bolometric luminosity (LAGN), Eddington ratio, radio loudness, radio luminosity (L1.4 GHz) and optical class (i.e. broad/narrow-line Seyfert 1, type 2) to determine what drives the kinematics of this kpc-scale line emitting gas. First, we use spectral stacking to characterize how the average [O III] λ5007 profile changes as a function of these five variables. After accounting for the known correlation between LAGN and L1.4 GHz, we report that L1.4 GHz has the strongest influence on the [O III] λ5007 profile, with AGNs of moderate radio luminosity (L1.4 GHz = 1023–1025 W Hz−1) having the broadest [O III] λ5007 profiles. Conversely, we find only a modest change in the [O III] λ5007 profile with increasing radio loudness and find no significant difference between the [O III] λ5007 profiles of broad- and narrow-line Seyfert 1s. When binned according to Eddington ratio, only the AGNs in our highest bin (i.e. >0.3) show any signs of having broadened [O III] λ5007 profiles, although the small numbers of such extreme AGNs in our sample mean we cannot rule out that other processes (e.g. radio jets) are responsible for this broadening. The [O III] λ5007 profiles of type 1 and type 2 AGNs show the same trends in terms of line width, but type 1 AGNs display a much stronger ‘blue wing’, which we interpret as evidence of outflowing ionized gas. We perform multicomponent fitting to the Hβ, [O III] λλ4959, 5007, [N II] λλ6548, 6584 and Hα lines for all the AGNs in our sample to calculate the proportions of AGNs with broad [O III] λ5007 profiles. The individual fits confirm the results from our stacked spectra; AGNs with L1.4 GHz > 1023 W Hz−1 are roughly five times more likely to have extremely broad [O III] λ5007 lines (full width at half-maximum, FWHMAvg > 1000 km s−1) compared to lower L1.4 GHz AGNs, and the width of the [O III] λ5007 line peaks in moderate-radio-luminosity AGNs (L1.4 GHz ∼ 1024 W Hz−1). Our results are consistent with the most disturbed gas kinematics being induced by compact radio cores (rather than powerful radio jets), although broadened [O III] λ5007 lines are also present, but much rarer, in low-L1.4 GHz systems. Our catalogue of multicomponent fits is freely available as an online resource for statistical studies of the kinematics and luminosities of the narrow- and broad-line AGN regions and the identification of potential targets for follow-up observations at http://sites.google. com/site/sdssalpaka.
A KINETIC STUDY OF ENZYMATIC HYDROLYSIS OF OIL PALM BIOMASS FOR FERMENTABLE SUGAR USING POLYETHYLENE GLYCOL (PEG) IMMOBILIZED CELLULASE

In this work, enzymatic hydrolysis by cellulase in a soluble and an immobilized form was studied to convert lignocellulosic oil palm empty fruit bunch (EFB) biomass into fermentable sugars as a feedstock for bioethanol production. The cellulase was covalently immobilized with activated and functionalized polyethylene glycol (PEG) via glutaraldehyde coupling method. As a whole, the immobilized cellulase displayed 50% higher efficiency over free cellulase, in reducing sugar recovery during hydrolysis reactions at pH of 4.8 and temperature of 50°C. From the kinetic study, it showed that Michaelis constant (Km) and limiting velocity (V max ) of immobilized cellulase were 179.2 mg/ml and 33.5 mg/ml.min respectively, comparable with the value for free cellulose, 171.8 mg/ml and 34.5 mg/ml.min respectively. This result could be attributed to the effect of PEG on the binding cellulase to substrate desorb substrates, and enables free interaction of cellulase to hydrolyse cellulose maximally
Article in Press G Model Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization Strong Reciprocity and Team Production: Theory and Evidence

Available online xxx JEL classification: C72 C92 H41 Keywords: Public good Experiment Punishment Strong reciprocity Team production a b s t r a c t Punishment of shirkers is often an effective means of attenuating incentive problems and sustaining coordination in work teams. Explanations of the motivation to punish generally rely either on small group size or on a Folk theorem that requires coordinated punishment and, hence, highly accurate information concerning the behavior of each player. We provide a model of team production in which the punishment of shirkers depends on strong reciprocity: the willingness of some team members to contribute altruistically to a joint project and also to bear costs in order to discipline fellow members who do not contribute. This alternative does not require small group size, complex coordinated punishing activities, or implausible informational assumptions. An experimental public goods game provides evidence for the behavioral relevance of strong reciprocity and how it differs from unconditional altruism.
Factors in top executive turnover: An empirical analysis of Italian listed firms

This paper aims to study the existing link between CEOs turnover and several variables that could explain the exit of a CEO. The survey takes performance measures into account as main variables. Besides performance variables the study includes: ownership structure variables; variables that highlight personal features of a CEO and the composition of the board; firm variables. The number of sampled Italian companies ranges from 134 to 218 over the period 1996-2002. Accounting returns explain the turnover much better than market measures of performance; CEOs of stateowned firms change more frequently than others; the stake of minority shareholders is positively related to the turnover; the presence of syndicates negatively affects the turnover. In Italy, accounting returns “count” much more than market-based performances.
Providing a Model for the Effect of the Supporting Factors of Value Creation and Service Quality on Customer Satisfaction with the Service Among Iranian Mellat Bank

The present study is aimed to investigate the effective factors on customer satisfaction with services in a certain bank, by applying the recent approach of simultaneous measuring of service quality and supporting factors of value creation. The required field data of this study were collected by using a comprehensive questionnaire. The initial sample of this questionnaire was developed based on the theoretical grounds. Subsequently, after being reviewed and approved by experts, it has been purposefully completed by more than one thousand client’s Mellat bank of Iran. The results of structural equation modeling test indicate that both service quality factors and supporting factors of value creation have a positive and significant effect on customer satisfaction with banking services but the effect of supporting factors of value creation is greater than the service quality factors.
Nouveau système résorbable pour la libération locale d'agents antimicrobiens dans les poches parodontales

L'application clinique de poly(ortho ester) comme vehicule d'agents antimicrobiens pour le traitement local des maladies parodontales a ete testee pour la premiere fois. La tolerance au polymere a ete examinee et la retention de son principe actif, la tetracycline, a ete mesure. Le produit a ete retrouve jusqu'a 11 jours apres son administration, mais la retention dans les poches parodontales n'est pas constante et depend des conditions cliniques lors de l'injection. Dans les sites positifs, la concentration de tetracycline depasse de 100 fois la CMI. La tolerance s'est revelee excellente. Des developpements sont necessaires pour ameliorer les proprietes adhesives du polymere.