Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Caring about the user’s view : the joys and sorrows of experiments with people

Deploying AI, and specifically P&S, technology into the real world entails many stimulating problems for researchers and system designers. Various smart solutions have been produced both for specialized problems and, in fewer cases, for more general purpose domains. An important aspect which is fundamental for any successful application, and more specifically for those which address a broad audience, concerns the users’ perception and acceptance of technology. This issue is often either neglected or underestimated. We have been working for two years on the issue of importing experimental techniques from HCI and experimental psychology into smart system development. This approach has both pros – interesting features from the user perspective are discovered and can be used to bias design and research activities – and cons – experimenting with humans adds additional difficulty to the project, and applying a correct methodology is very time consuming. This paper describes a fielded experimental investigation of a fully implemented AI system named ROBOCARE. The system uses constraint-based scheduling technology to actively monitor a pattern of activities executed by an assisted person and uses detected temporal constraint violations to trigger meaningful and contextualized proactive interaction. Dialogue with the users is managed by a robotic mediator who acts as the main communication channel between the users and the intelligent domestic environment. The paper presents an evaluation of elderly people’s perception of the intelligent system, focusing on aspects related to the robot’s aspect, interaction modalities, content and timing of interaction, providing suggestions and hints for system designers.
Non-traditional resources: skate fishery and survey results in Division 3NO

Since 1993 a significant increase in the skate catches from the Spanish trawlers have been reported (Duran et al. 1996; Junquera et al. 1997). It was interpreted as a shift in the fishing strategy towards the exploitation of non-regulated species. Important skate by-catches are often taken in the Greenland halibut fishery, but at present a directed, though temporary, fishery has also been established. In this paper a review of the available information on this subject is presented.
Corporate Governance and Dividend Policy: An Evidence from Ghana

This study examines the effect of corporate governance on dividend policy in Ghana using pooled cross-sectional observations from firms listed on the Ghana Stock Exchange. It was found that board independence and CEO duality influence firms’ dividend policy. Board size was not related to firm dividend policy. It was found out that higher return on equity relate to higher levels of dividend. Compositions of Ghanaian boards are consistent with international best practices. This study provided additional evidence of the applicability of the agency monitoring element of dividend policy in an emerging market such as Ghana.
Celebrity endorsement, self-brand connection and consumer-based brand equity

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of celebrity endorser credibility on consumer self-brand connection and endorsed brand equity. A conceptual model is developed, positioning consumer self-brand connections as a partial mediator of the effect of endorser credibility on endorsed brand equity. Design/methodology/approach – A cross-sectional survey of 382 consumers of sports drinks in the USA was conducted to estimate the conceptual model. Stimuli, devised on the basis of a pre-test, involved celebrity–brand pairings in the context of the US non-aseptic sports drinks industry. Structural equation modeling is used as the analytic tool. Findings – The research model is empirically supported. Celebrity endorsements impact endorsed brand equity via two pathways. First, a direct effect of endorser credibility on endorsed brand equity was observed, which is positively moderated by the degree of consumer-perceived endorser–brand congruence. Second, self-brand connection partly mediates the.
Role of knowledge infrastructure capabilities in knowledge management

Purpose – In a progressively more knowledge‐dependent economy, businesses need to learn to harness the knowledge that resides within their organizations. However, organizations often find it challenging to manage this most important asset that people possess. Researchers have asserted that it is mostly organizational factors that pose a challenge to the management of knowledge. The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of knowledge infrastructure capability in knowledge management (KM) practices within an organization.Design/methodology/approach – This paper employs a single case study strategy to explore the objective. A medium‐sized, global Indian IT solutions company, headquartered in Bengaluru, India (MindTree Ltd) was chosen, as this company is admired globally for its KM initiatives and also featured in the Globally Most Admired Knowledge Enterprises (MAKE) list in 2010. Research methods included in‐depth, semi‐structured interviews with key informants, as well as non‐obtrusive participant ob.
The antiviral activity of isoprinosine.

A hypothesis predicting that increase in the rate of synthesis of host messenger RNA would be associated with antiviral activity was examined. Biochemically, Isoprinosine or NPT-10381 (methisoprinol) increased the rate of rapid labeling of polyribosomal RNA and protein in uninfected monkey kidney cells in tissue culture. In tissue-culture systems, Isoprinosine exerted antiviral effects against influenza virus, PR-8 and A2 strains; herpes virus, LU strain; polio virus 3; and adenovirus 10. In in vivo mortality studies, Isoprinosine was observed to exert therapeutic antiviral effects against the A2 strain of influenza and, as well, against a herpes infection of newborn mice. Experiments were carried out which demonstrated a correlation between the in vivo anti-influenza (PR-8) effects of Isoprinosine and reduction in the virus titer in lungs of infected mice.
Requirement of ELC1 for RNA Polymerase II Polyubiquitylation and Degradation in Response to DNA Damage in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

ABSTRACT Treatment of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and human cells with DNA-damaging agents such as UV light or 4-nitroquinoline-1-oxide induces polyubiquitylation of the largest RNA polymerase II (Pol II) subunit, Rpb1, which results in rapid Pol II degradation by the proteasome. Here we identify a novel role for the yeast Elc1 protein in mediating Pol II polyubiquitylation and degradation in DNA-damaged yeast cells and propose the involvement of a ubiquitin ligase, of which Elc1 is a component, in this process. In addition, we present genetic evidence for a possible involvement of Elc1 in Rad7-Rad16-dependent nucleotide excision repair (NER) of lesions from the nontranscribed regions of the genome and suggest a role for Elc1 in increasing the proficiency of repair of nontranscribed DNA, where as a component of the Rad7-Rad16-Elc1 ubiquitin ligase, it would promote the efficient turnover of the NER ensemble from the lesion site in a Rad23-19S proteasomal complex-dependent reaction.
A 2009 Perspective on the 2004 American Thoracic Society Statement, “Respiratory Care of the Patient With Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy”

This is a summary of the presentation “A 2009 Perspective on the 2004 American Thoracic Society Statement, ‘Respiratory Care of the Patient With Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy,’” presented as part of the program on pulmonary management of pediatric patients with neuromuscular disorders at the 30th annual Carrell-Krusen Neuromuscular Symposium on February 20, 2008.
Platelet activation, P-selectin, and eosinophil β1-integrin activation in asthma.

RATIONALE Eosinophil β1-integrin activation correlates inversely with FEV1 and directly with eosinophil-bound P-selectin in subjects with nonsevere allergic asthma. OBJECTIVES Determine the relationships between β1-integrin activation and pulmonary function or eosinophil-bound P-selectin in subjects with asthma of varying severity and discern the source of eosinophil-bound P-selectin. METHODS Blood was assayed by flow cytometry for P-selectin and activated β1-integrin on eosinophils and platelets. Plasma was analyzed with ELISA for soluble P-selectin, platelet factor 4, and thrombospondin-1. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS Activated β1-integrin correlated with eosinophil-bound P-selectin among all subjects with asthma even though activated β1-integrin was higher in subjects with nonsevere asthma than severe asthma. Activated β1-integrin correlated inversely with FEV1 corrected for FVC only in younger subjects with nonsevere asthma. Paradoxically, platelet surface P-selectin, a platelet activation marker, was low in subjects with severe asthma, whereas plasma platelet factor 4, a second platelet activation marker, was high. Correlations indicated that P-selectin-positive platelets complexed to eosinophils are the major source of the eosinophil-bound P-selectin associated with β1-integrin activation. After whole-lung antigen challenge of subjects with nonsevere asthma, a model of asthma exacerbation known to cause platelet activation, circulating eosinophils bearing P-selectin and activated β1-integrin disappeared. CONCLUSIONS The relationship between eosinophil β1-integrin activation and pulmonary function was replicated only for younger subjects with nonsevere asthma. However, we infer that platelet activation and binding of activated platelets to eosinophils followed by P-selectin-mediated eosinophil β1-integrin activation occur in both nonsevere and severe asthma with rapid movement of platelet-eosinophil complexes into the lung in more severe disease.
Forward-backward method with spectral acceleration for scattering from Layered rough surfaces

A fast method of moments is presented to calculate electromagnetic wave scattering from layered one-dimensional rough surfaces. The formulation is provided for M stratified homogeneous regions, separated by M-1 rough surfaces, and solved using point matching and pulse basis functions. Compared to the single surface case, the solution of scattering from M-1 surfaces requires significantly more memory and computational time. To facilitate the solution, the forward-backward method with spectral acceleration is applied. As an example, a dielectric layer on a perfect electric conductor surface is studied. The numerical results are compared with the analytical solution for layered flat surfaces to partly validate the formulation. The accuracy, efficiency, and convergence of the method are then studied for various rough surfaces and layer permittivities
Effect Modification of Long‐Term Air Pollution Exposures and the Risk of Incident Cardiovascular Disease in US Women

Background Ambient air pollution exposures have been frequently linked to cardiovascular disease (CVD) morbidity and mortality. However, less is known about the populations most susceptible to these adverse effects. Methods and Results We assessed the associations of long‐term particulate matter (PM) exposures with incident CVD in a nationwide cohort of 114 537 women in the Nurses’ Health Study, and performed analyses to identify subpopulations at the greatest risk. Residential address level time‐varying monthly exposures to PM 2.5, PM 10, and PM 2.5 to 10 microns in diameter were estimated from spatio‐temporal prediction models. In multivariable models, increases in all size fractions of PM were associated with small, but not statistically significant, increased risks of total CVD, coronary heart disease, and stroke. PM‐associated CVD risks were statistically significantly higher among women with diabetes as compared to those without (P‐for‐interaction <0.0001 for PM 10 and PM 2.5 and 0.007 for PM 2.5 to 10). For each 10 μg/m3 increase in 12‐month average PM 2.5, PM 2.5 to 10, and PM 10, the multivariable adjusted hazard ratios were 1.44 (95% CI: 1.23 to 1.68), 1.17 (95% CI: 1.05 to 1.30), and 1.19 (95% CI: 1.10 to 1.28) among women with diabetes. There were also suggestions of higher risks among older (≥70 years) women, the obese, and those living in the Northeast and South. Smoking status and family history did not consistently modify the association between PM and CVD, and risks were most elevated with exposures in the previous 12 months. Conclusions In this nationwide cohort, women with diabetes were identified as the subpopulation most sensitive to the adverse cardiovascular health effects of PM.
Management Development and Training in Hong Kong. A Case Study of a Multinational Corporation: A Grounded Theory Approach

This study generates a tentative theory of how management development trainers (MDTs) manage their own learning and apply that learning in practice in a multinational corporation in Hong Kong. The thesis adopts a symbolic interactionist approach and uses a grounded theory methodology in the investigative process. The main source of data originates from a series of successive in-depth face to face interviews with a key group of 10 MDTs working for the multinational corporation. The data was supplemented by further data taken from trainee evaluation forms and a journal kept by the researcher. The first major outcome of this study is the generation of the theory of Transferring Relevance in management learning and its application. This theory describes how MDTs learn and apply that learning through socio-psychological processes. The core category discovered was labeled as the process of Adapting, and was supported by four other categories termed Analysing, Acquiring, Delivering, and Evaluating. A second major outcome was the development of a typology of MDTs with regards to how they acquire and deliver learning experiences to their target trainees. The typology reflects the MDTs preferred approaches in the analysing, acquiring, adapting, delivering and evaluating processes in the theory of Transferring Relevance. Consequently, the MDTs can be broadly classified into three types of learner-deliverer: Academic-Educators, Conceptualiser-Facilitators, and Practitioner-Guides. As this is the first study of its kind in this organisation, and no similar study has been conducted previously in Hong Kong, this research adds to the extant knowledge in the substantive area of management development in Hong Kong. It provides a new perspective on the way in which MDTs manage their role and has further implications for business organisations, practising MDTs in other organisations, and teaching/training professionals in both business and academic institutions; thereby further developing theory, research, and practice. Management Development and Training in Hong Kong. A Case Study of a Multinational Company. A Grounded Theory Approach
Analysis of significant factors influencing visual acuity in ocular syphilis

Background The aim of this study is to determine whether statistical associations can be demonstrated in ocular syphilis between baseline clinical and laboratory parameters with visual acuity at presentation and with any change in visual acuity after treatment. Methods Charts of 26 patients (42 eyes) with ocular syphilis presenting to the Uveitis clinic of the Jules-Gonin Eye Hospital were reviewed. A baseline cross-sectional analysis was performed in order to identify any association between visual acuity at presentation and demographic, clinical or laboratory parameters. After treatment, any analogy between these parameters and a change in visual acuity was subsequently assessed in a series of univariate comparisons. Results The following factors were associated with worse initial visual acuity: severity of visual field impairment at presentation (p=0.012), macular oedema (p=0.004) and optic neuropathy (p=0.031). There was a borderline association with the presence of vasculitis on fluroangiography (p=0.072). Improvement in best corrected visual acuity after treatment was significantly associated with the presence of vasculitis on fluroangiography (p=0.005), neurosyphilis, according to lumbar puncture findings (p=0.037) and marginally with anterior uveitis (p=0.070). Inflammation relapse was associated with the coexistence of pain as presenting sign (p<0.001) and with a longer duration of symptoms prior to the initial visit (p=0.023). Conclusions Severe ocular inflammation associated with vasculitis, vitritis or anterior uveitis in ocular syphilis would appear to be a reversible phenomenon that responds well to appropriate antibiotic treatment, resulting in improvement in visual acuity. Prompt treatment enables a good visual prognosis, while any delay in therapy increases the risk of subsequent relapse.
Investor Loyalty in the Stock Brokering Business

We investigate whether customer (investor) loyalty and relational exchanges exist between investors, brokers and brokerage houses by analyzing the changes in investors' trading behavior when their broker changes her brokerage house. We accomplish this by analyzing a unique database containing all transactions and investor trading histories in the Helsinki Stock Exchange. We find that after a broker switches, investor trading decreases at the old brokerage house and increases at the new house. In addition, pre-existing relationships with the new brokerage house make it more likely that investors will follow their broker. Moreover, new brokerage houses that are less active in a particular stock are more likely to attract the investors from the old houses. Finally, evidence supports savvy investors having more complicated trading preferences than unsavvy investors and the latter having greater biases toward dealing with the switching broker.
Developmentally determined attenuation in circadian rhythms links chronobiology to social organization in bees

SUMMARY We investigated labor-related plasticity in the circadian clock of the bumblebee Bombus terrestris. Bumblebee workers vary enormously in body size, and we found that size, division of labor, and diurnal rhythms in activity are correlated in B. terrestris colonies. Large workers typically perform foraging activities with strong diurnal rhythms and low activity at night, whereas small bees typically care for (nurse) brood around the clock with weak or no diurnal rhythms. Under constant laboratory conditions, circadian rhythms in locomotor activity were weaker, less stable, and developed at a later age in small (nurse-size) bees compared to their larger (forager-size) sisters. Under a light:dark illumination regime, many small bees, particularly at a young age, were active during the dark phase, fewer small bees developed rhythms, and they did so later compared to large bees. Taken together these findings reveal naturally occurring attenuation or suppression in the circadian clock of small bees that is determined during pre-adult development. This deficiency in clock function, however, does not result in pathology but rather appears to be functionally significant, because it is associated with around-the-clock brood care activity and therefore apparently improves divisions of labor and colony efficiency. This in turn suggests that variation in social biology influences traits of the circadian clock.
Periodontal disease in type 2 diabetes mellitus.

OBJECTIVE To determine the periodontal status in well controlled and poorly controlled type 2 diabetic patients compared with normal healthy individuals. STUDY DESIGN Cross-sectional comparative study. PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY Diabetes Management Centre, Services Hospital, Lahore, from November 2009 to January 2010. METHODOLOGY Forty well controlled and forty poorly controlled type 2 diabetic subjects having good oral hygiene (scored according to simplified oral hygiene index) were compared with a control group of forty normal healthy individuals. Probing depth (PD), gingival recession (GR), and attachment loss (AL) were recorded to obtain the periodontal status of each tooth, using a Michigan probe "0" with Williams marking. Glycemic control was evaluated by glycated Hb value. Using ANOVA and independent sample t-test, mean probing depth and attachment loss in each tooth type (incisors, canines, premolars and molars) were compared. RESULTS Mean age of diabetic subjects was 58.86 ± 6.21 years and that of control group was 56.92 ± 6.91 years; 60% were females. Probing depth was greater in patients with poorly controlled diabetes compared to well controlled diabetic patients and non-diabetic controls (4.21 mm vs. 3.72 mm and 2.93 mm respectively, p < 0.001). Attachment loss also increased in poorly controlled diabetes (p < 0.001) compared to the control group and well controlled diabetes, however, the difference was not statistically significant when comparing well controlled to the control group (p > 0.05). Number of sites and mean percentage of sites with attachment loss of ³ 4 and ³ 6 mm was also significantly higher in poorly controlled diabetes compared to the control group (p < 0.05 and p < 0.001 respectively). CONCLUSION Periodontal status as estimated by probing depth and degree of attachment loss deteriorates significantly with poor glycemic control in diabetes.
INNO-Learning Platform: Mini-Study 1: Mapping of Innovation Support Measures

This report forms the outcome of a series of mini studies undertaken in the context of the INNO Learning Platform. They are intended to provide input and an analytical base to support a more informed discussion of the issues that will feed into the drafting of a Commission Green Paper in October 2008. This report, Mini-study 1, is intended to contribute to pressing discussions on the efficiency of innovation support measures by starting to perform a comprehensive mapping of such measures in Europe. It builds on the results from the INNO-Policy Trendchart, which already documents the existing innovation support mechanisms in Europe but adds information on their features, trends and administrative costs, thus contributing to a quantitative assessment of the budgetary implications of innovation support. The study also provides an overview on which are the most common mechanisms used in support of innovation in Europe and which budgets are allocated to them. The goal is to contribute to a better definition of the policy rationale for public innovation support mechanisms in Europe, with the final objective of increasing their impact and reducing their administrative burden. The study is not intended to provide a set of closed answers or prescriptive recommendations for action, although a set of conclusions have been derived. study on with wider experience of the activities of the of direct of National Correspondents.
Output regulation of asynchronously switched multi-agent systems by adaptive observer-based control

The cooperative output regulation problem of asynchronously switched multi-agent systems (MASs) is investigated in this paper. To remove the requirement of the knowledge of minimal nonzero eigenvalue of Laplacian matrix for global communication topology, a novel adaptive switched control law based on output feedback is presented, in which the switching instants is different from that of systems. It is shown that under the proposed adaptive switched control law and switching law, the cooperative output regulation of asynchronously switched MASs can be achieved. Finally, a simulation example is given to show the effectiveness of proposed novel adaptive switched controller.