Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Culture, Control and Competition; Towards a Conceptual Framework for the Study of Information Technology in Organizations

This paper examines the significance of information communication technology (I.C.T.) for the theory and practice of organizations. There is voluminous literature in this field, but I.C. T. tends to be perceived as just another example of new technology. In fact, the information dimension of I.C. T. gives it a distinctive character in contrast to other technologies which remains under-theorized. The paper argues that information is intimately linked with power-knowledge rela tions and the forms of subjectivity that reside therein. In theorizing the exercise of power and the constitution of subjectivity, we suggest that three concepts — culture, control and competition — provide additional insights for the study of the development and application of I.C. T.s in organizations. The paper seeks to illustrate these arguments by reference to case study examples from financial service companies and the National Health Service.
“Baseball Is Whack!”

The purpose of this study is to assess the African American viewpoint on baseball consumption. Utilizing a criterion purposive sample of African Americans, the authors used a qualitative analysis to obtain viewpoints that provide a rich understanding of the motivations to consume (or not consume) baseball. Likewise, the authors investigated the facets of baseball that seemingly create social and psychological consumption barriers for African Americans. The findings suggest three broad categories best represent the deterrence from baseball consumption: attitudes toward baseball consumption, social constraints related to consuming baseball, and the role of racial identification toward sport consumption. Within these three categories, seven general dimensions evolved that, if present, would thus influence perceptions toward baseball and eventually affect consumption habits.
Cyclic Nucleotide Regulation of Type-1 Plasminogen Activator-Inhibitor mRNA Stability in Rat Hepatoma Cells

Type-1 plasminogen activator-inhibitor (PAI-1) is a major physiologic inhibitor of plasminogen activation. Incubation of HTC rat hepatoma cells with the cyclic nucleotide analogue, 8-bromo-cAMP, causes a dramatic increase in tissue-type plasminogen activator activity secondary to a 90% decrease in PAI-1 mRNA. Although 8-bromo-cAMP causes a modest decrease in PAI-1 transcription, regulation is primarily the result of a 3-fold increase in the rate of PAI-1 mRNA degradation. To determine the cis-acting sequences required for cyclic nucleotide regulation, we have stably transfected HTC cells with chimeric genes containing sequences from the rat PAI-1 cDNA and the mouse β-globin gene and examined the effect of cyclic nucleotides on the decay rate of these transcripts. The mRNA transcribed from the β-globin gene is stable and not cyclic nucleotide-regulated, whereas the transcript from a construct containing the β-globin coding region and the PAI-1 3′-untranslated region (UTR) is destabilized in the presence of 8-bromo-cAMP, suggesting that this response is mediated by sequences in the PAI-1 3′-UTR. Analyses by deletion of sequences from this chimeric construct indicate that, whereas more than one region of the PAI-1 3′-UTR can confer cyclic nucleotide responsiveness, the 3′-most 134-nucleotide sequence alone is sufficient to do so. Insertion of PAI-1 sequences within the β-globin 3′-UTR confirms that the 3′-most 134 nucleotides of PAI-1 mRNA can confer cyclic nucleotide regulation of stability on a heterologous transcript, suggesting that this sequence may play a major role in hormonal regulation of PAI-1 mRNA stability.
Social interactions and the development of social concepts in preschool children.

Nucci, LARRY P., and TURIEL, ELLIOT. Social Interactions and the Development of Social Concepts in Preschool Children. CmLD DEVELOPMENT, 1978, 49, 400-407. Observations were made in 10 preschools of interactions in 2 domains of social events: social conventional and moral. On the basis of criteria defining each domain, observed events could be reliably classified as social conventional or moral. As another aspect of the study, an interview was administered to children from the preschool who had witnessed the same events as the observer. The children's view of the events as social conventional or moral was in agreement with our classifications of the events in 83% of the cases. It was hypothesized that the responses of both children and adults to social conventional events differ from their responses to moral events. Observed behaviors were rated on a standard checklist of response categories. Different types of responses were elicited by the 2 types of events. Almost all responses to social conventional transgressions were initiated by adults. Children and adults responded with equal frequency to moral transgressions. Adults responded to social conventional transgressions differently from the ways they reacted to moral transgressions.
A Line Feature Matching Technique Based on an Eigenvector Approach

In this paper, we propose a new eigenvector-based line feature matching algorithm, which is invariant to the in-plane rotation, translation, and scale. First, in order to reduce the number of possible matches, we use a preliminary correspondence test that generates a set of finite candidate models, by restricting combinations of line features in the input image. This approach resolves an inherent problem relating to ordering and correspondence in an eigenvector/modal approach. Second, we employ the modal analysis, in which the Gaussian weighted proximity matrices for reference and candidate models are constructed to record the relative distance and angle information between line features for each model. Then, the modes of the proximity matrices of the two models are compared to yield the dissimilarity measure, which describes the quantitative degree of the difference between the two models. Experimental results for synthetic and real images show that the proposed algorithm performs matching of the line features with affine variation fast and efficiently and provides the degree of dissimilarity in a quantitative way.
Foundations of Implicit Function Types

Implicit parameters are used pervasively in Scala and are also present in a number of other programming and theorem proving languages. This paper describes a generalization of implicit parameters as they are currently found in Scala to implicit function types. We motivate the construct by a series of examples and provide formal foundations that closely follow the semantics implemented by the Scala compiler.
Asymmetry in the function and dynamics of the cytosolic group II chaperonin CCT/TRiC

The eukaryotic group II chaperonin, the chaperonin-containing t-complex polypeptide 1 (CCT), plays an important role in cytosolic proteostasis. It has been estimated that as much as 10% of cytosolic proteins interact with CCT during their folding process. CCT is composed of 8 different paralogous subunits. Due to its complicated structure, molecular and biochemical investigations of CCT have been difficult. In this study, we constructed an expression system for CCT from a thermophilic fungus, Chaetomium thermophilum (CtCCT), by using E. coli as a host. As expected, we obtained recombinant CtCCT with a relatively high yield, and it exhibited fairly high thermal stability. We showed the advantages of the overproduction system by characterizing CtCCT variants containing ATPase-deficient subunits. For diffracted X-ray tracking experiment, we removed all surface exposed cysteine residues, and added cysteine residues at the tip of helical protrusions of selected two subunits. Gold nanocrystals were attached onto CtCCTs via gold-thiol bonds and applied for the analysis by diffracted X-ray tracking. Irrespective of the locations of cysteines, it was shown that ATP binding induces tilting motion followed by rotational motion in the CtCCT molecule, like the archaeal group II chaperonins. When gold nanocrystals were attached onto two subunits in the high ATPase activity hemisphere, the CtCCT complex exhibited a fairly rapid response to the motion. In contrast, the response of CtCCT, which had gold nanocrystals attached to the low-activity hemisphere, was slow. These results clearly support the possibility that ATP-dependent conformational change starts with the high-affinity hemisphere and progresses to the low-affinity hemisphere.
UB at CLEF 2005: Medical Image Retrieval Task

This work was part of SUNY at Buffalo’s overall participation in cross-language retrieval of image collections (ImageCLEF). Our main goal was to explore the combination of Content-Based Image Retrieval (CBIR) and text retrieval of medical images that have clinical annotations in English, French and German. We used a system that combined the content-based image retrieval system GIFT and the well-known SMART system for text retrieval. Translations of English topics to French were performed by mapping the English text to UMLS concepts using the 2005 UMLS meta-thesaurus. Results show that combining both CBIR and Text retrieval yields significant improvements of retrieval performance.
Firefighter preferences regarding post-incident intervention

Abstract The effectiveness of Critical Incident Stress Debriefing (CISD) as a tool remains, at best, inconclusive. Yet in many locales CISD is mandatory for emergency services workers, including firefighters. To our knowledge, to date no study has investigated firefighters’ preferences for psychological intervention following traumatic events. To examine this, a survey was conducted with 142 members (54%) of an urban fire and rescue service in south-western Ontario, Canada. Firefighters were provided with five scenarios of varying traumatic intensity, for which they rated desirability of four voluntary post-incident interventions: CISD, individual debriefing, informal discussion, and no intervention. Firefighters expressed interest in working with post-event reactions within their peer group for all events, and an increasing interest in formal intervention as event severity increased. Individual debriefing was preferred to CISD in scenarios of low to moderate intensity. For scenarios of high intensity, ratings for all interventions were high. Expected relationships with prior CISD experience and years of service were not upheld. The essential role of informal peer-support, and the desire for meaningful intervention in severe situations, are discussed.
Bilingual word recognition in deaf and hearing signers: Effects of proficiency and language dominance on cross-language activation

Recent evidence demonstrates that American Sign Language (ASL) signs are active during print word recognition in deaf bilinguals who are highly proficient in both ASL and English. In the present study, we investigate whether signs are active during print word recognition in two groups of unbalanced bilinguals: deaf ASL-dominant and hearing English-dominant bilinguals. Participants judged the semantic relatedness of word pairs in English. Critically, a subset of both the semantically related and unrelated English word pairs had phonologically related translations in ASL, but participants were never shown any ASL signs during the experiment. Deaf ASL-dominant bilinguals (Experiment 1) were faster when semantically related English word pairs had similar form translations in ASL, but slower when semantically unrelated words had similar form translations in ASL, indicating that ASL signs are engaged during English print word recognition in these ASL-dominant signers. Hearing English-dominant bilinguals (Experiment 2) were also slower to respond to semantically unrelated English word pairs with similar form translations in ASL, but no facilitation effects were observed in this population. The results provide evidence that the interactive nature of lexical processing in bilinguals is impervious to language modality.
Impact of Dams on Riparian Frog Communities in the Southern Western Ghats, India

The Western Ghats is a global biodiversity hotspot and home to diverse and unique assemblages of amphibians. Several rivers originate from these mountains and hydropower is being tapped from them. The impacts of hydrological regulation of riparian ecosystems to wildlife and its habitat are poorly documented, and in particular the fate of frog populations is unknown. We examined the effects of dams on riparian frog communities in the Thamirabarani catchment in southern Western Ghats. We used nocturnal visual encounter surveys constrained for time, to document the species richness of frogs below and above the dam, and also at control sites in the same catchment. While we did not find differences in species richness below and above the dams, the frog community composition was significantly altered as a likely consequence of altered flow regime. The frog species compositions in control sites were similar to above-dam sites. Below-dam sites had a distinctly different species composition. Select endemic frog species appeared to be adversely impacted due to the dams. Below-dam sites had a greater proportion of generalist and widely distributed species. Dams in the Western Ghats appeared to adversely impact population of endemic species, particularly those belonging to the genus Nyctibatrachus that shows specialization for intact streams.
Predicting Middle School Students' Use of Web 2.0 Technologies Out of School Using Home and School Technological Variables

Abstract This study used multiple regression to identify predictors of middle school students' Web 2.0 activities out of school, a construct composed of 15 technology activities. Three middle schools participated, where sixth- and seventh-grade students completed a questionnaire. Independent predictor variables included three demographic and five computer use variables and three interaction examinations. A regression model, accounting for 25% of the variance, revealed student's ethnicity, access to technologies at home, in-school technological activities, and the school a child attends, predicted students' Web 2.0 activities out of school. Ethnicity-based (but no gender-based) technology participation gaps existed in and out of school, with students of Hispanic ethnicity showing statistically lower use of Web 2.0 activities out of school. The interaction of the school attended and in-school Web 2.0 use was a strong predictor but revealed both significant positive and negative relationships in different schools. Educators and schools must become more aware of their students' technological experiences and access to optimize technological-focused learning experiences for students in and out of school. (Keywords: middle school, Web 2.0, social technologies, participatory culture, technology use in school, technology use out-of-school, multiple regression)
CSIR-NLC mobile LIDAR for atmosphere remote sensing

A mobile LIDAR (LIght Detection And Ranging) system is being developed and employed for atmosphere remote sensing at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) National Laser Centre (NLC), Pretoria (25.45 S; 28.16 E), South Africa. In this paper, we describe the results obtained using the CSIR-NLC mobile LIDAR in a 23 hour field campaign at the University of Pretoria.
The role of deliberate practice and play in career progression in sport: the early engagement hypothesis

Experts acquire domain‐specific skills as a result of the activities in which they participate throughout their development. We examine the domain‐specific activities in which two groups of elite youth soccer players participated between six and 12 years of age. Our goal was to examine early participation differences between those who progressed to professional status at 16 years of age and those who did not. Data were contrasted to a control group of recreational‐level players and examined in the context of the Developmental Model of Sport Participation, which supports the importance of late specialization and early diversity between six and 12 years of age. The elite players who went on to attain professional status accumulated more hours per year in soccer play activities, but not in soccer practice, competition or other sports, between six and 12 years of age, compared with those who did not progress. The two elite groups averaged more hours per year in soccer practice compared with recreational‐level players, but not soccer play, competition or other sports. We propose the “early engagement hypothesis” to explain our results. Accordingly, practice and play in the primary sport between six and 12 years of age contributes to the development of expert performance in English soccer.
Smad4-Irf6 genetic interaction and TGFβ-mediated IRF6 signaling cascade are crucial for palatal fusion in mice

Cleft palate is one of the most common human birth defects and is associated with multiple genetic and environmental risk factors. Although mutations in the genes encoding transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ) signaling molecules and interferon regulatory factor 6 (Irf6) have been identified as genetic risk factors for cleft palate, little is known about the relationship between TGFβ signaling and IRF6 activity during palate formation. Here, we show that TGFβ signaling regulates expression of Irf6 and the fate of the medial edge epithelium (MEE) during palatal fusion in mice. Haploinsufficiency of Irf6 in mice with basal epithelial-specific deletion of the TGFβ signaling mediator Smad4 (Smad4fl/fl;K14-Cre;Irf6+/R84C) results in compromised p21 expression and MEE persistence, similar to observations in Tgfbr2fl/fl;K14-Cre mice, although the secondary palate of Irf6+/R84C and Smad4fl/fl;K14-Cre mice form normally. Furthermore, Smad4fl/fl;K14-Cre;Irf6+/R84C mice show extra digits that are consistent with abnormal toe and nail phenotypes in individuals with Van der Woude and popliteal pterygium syndromes, suggesting that the TGFβ/SMAD4/IRF6 signaling cascade might be a well-conserved mechanism in regulating multiple organogenesis. Strikingly, overexpression of Irf6 rescued p21 expression and MEE degeneration in Tgfbr2fl/fl;K14-Cre mice. Thus, IRF6 and SMAD4 synergistically regulate the fate of the MEE, and TGFβ-mediated Irf6 activity is responsible for MEE degeneration during palatal fusion in mice.
Teaching assistants' perceptions of their professional role and their experiences of doing a Foundation Degree

This article discusses the interim findings of a three-year ongoing research study that investigates the professional roles and personal experiences of teaching assistants who are also doing a Foundation Degree. We explore the perceptions of teaching assistants to question the official rhetoric and almost mandatory optimism surrounding Foundation Degrees and the skills culture promoted by the government in England. We show that Foundation Degrees are not necessarily regarded as `real degrees' by those who undertake them and they can be seen in an instrumental way that resonates with information, training and doing, rather than with knowledge or education. In making our analysis we also note that across groups of both primary and secondary teaching assistants there was a level of disillusionment regarding notions of professionality, status and views on becoming a teacher following a Foundation Degree. This rejection of teaching as a potential career was accompanied by a tangible resistance to the present emphasis on standards and standardized models of curriculum delivery.
An empirical analysis of colour image segmentation using fuzzy c-means clustering

In this paper, an empirical analysis to examine the effects of image segmentation with different colour models using the fuzzy c-means (FCM) clustering algorithm is conducted. A qualitative evaluation method based on human perceptual judgement is used. Two sets of complex images, i.e., outdoor scenes and satellite imagery, are used for demonstration. These images are employed to examine the characteristics of image segmentation using FCM with eight different colour models. The results obtained from the experimental study are compared and analysed. It is found that the CIELAB colour model yields the best outcomes in colour image segmentation with FCM.
The Charismatic Relationship: A Dramaturgical Perspective

In this article we present a model of the processes whereby social actors use impression management behaviors to create and maintain identities as charismatic leaders. Using a dramaturgical and interactive perspective, we examine the roles that the environment, actor (leader), and audience (followers) play in defining the situation and in jointly constructing a “charismatic relationship. ” We assert that charismatic leaders' self-systems and situational assessments guide their efforts to manage follower impressions of them, their vision, and their organization. Framing, scripting, staging, and performing constitute the basic phases in this dramaturgical process. Exemplification and promotion are identified as the primary strategies invoked by leaders during the performing phase to construct a charismatic image; facework is employed to protect this image when it is threatened. We also consider how and why followers come to attribute charisma to, identify strongly with, and direct high levels of positive aff.
Protein Markers for Insulin-Producing Beta Cells with Higher Glucose Sensitivity

Background and Methodology Pancreatic beta cells show intercellular differences in their metabolic glucose sensitivity and associated activation of insulin production. To identify protein markers for these variations in functional glucose sensitivity, rat beta cell subpopulations were flow-sorted for their level of glucose-induced NAD(P)H and their proteomes were quantified by label-free data independent alternate scanning LC-MS. Beta cell-selective proteins were also identified through comparison with rat brain and liver tissue and with purified islet alpha cells, after geometrical normalization using 6 stably expressed reference proteins. Principal Findings All tissues combined, 943 proteins were reliably quantified. In beta cells, 93 out of 467 quantifiable proteins were uniquely detected in this cell type; several other proteins presented a high molar abundance in beta cells. The proteome of the beta cell subpopulation with high metabolic and biosynthetic responsiveness to 7.5 mM glucose was characterized by (i) an on average 50% higher expression of protein biosynthesis regulators such as 40S and 60S ribosomal constituents, NADPH-dependent protein folding factors and translation elongation factors; (ii) 50% higher levels of enzymes involved in glycolysis and in the cytosolic arm of the malate/aspartate-NADH-shuttle. No differences were noticed in mitochondrial enzymes of the Krebs cycle, beta-oxidation or respiratory chain. Conclusions Quantification of subtle variations in the proteome using alternate scanning LC-MS shows that beta cell metabolic glucose responsiveness is mostly associated with higher levels of glycolytic but not of mitochondrial enzymes.
Introducing refractive phenomenology

Abstract All researchers are presented with the need to choose or design a research methodology suited to the research topic or problem to be investigated. Methodology provides the philosophical groundwork that underpins investigative frameworks and choice of methodology is therefore crucial as it will indeed ‘colour’ both research process and product. Research that aims to investigate how individuals experience a given phenomenon lends itself to qualitative research methods and in particular to a phenomenological approach. Refractive phenomenology builds on hermeneutic phenomenological foundations through the use of interpretive filters taking individual depictions of lived experience and viewing, reflecting, redirecting and channelling these through a series of filters and reductive lenses until the ‘Essence’ of the phenomenon has been brought into view.