Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Organizational Behavior: Experiences and Cases

Introduction to organizational behaviour personality and attitudes perception and attribution learning and reinforcement work motivation motivating performance - goal setting and reward systems work stress group and team Behaviour power and political behaviour leadership - foundations leadership - contemporary developments conflict and negotiation interpersonal communication decision making in organizations job design organization design organizational culture organizational change creativity individual and group problem solving management of diversity international cross cultural management values and ethics career planning and development integrative exercises and cases.
Edge Detection of the Optic Disc in Retinal Images Based on Identification of a Round Shape

This paper presents a novel method for identification of the position of the optic disc in retinal images. The method is based on the preliminary detection of the main edge detection of retinal image. The segmentation optic disc is estimated as a circular area. We searched for areas of optic disc using Hough transform which detected several straight lines and approximated them as a circular line. The position of optic disc was identified as the center of the circle. An evaluation of the proposed procedure was performed using a set of 40 images from the DRIVE database, containing images from both healthy (33) and diseased (7) subjects. The optic disc position was correctly identified in 39 out of 40 images and the efficiency was 97.5 percent. The results illustrate that the proposed method can be used for pathological analysis of retinal images.
Parallel implementation of a semidefinite programming solver based on CSDP on a distributed memory cluster

In this paper, we present the algorithmic framework and practical aspects of implementing a parallel version of a primal–dual semidefinite programming solver on a distributed memory computer cluster. Our implementation is based on the CSDP solver and uses a message passing interface and the ScaLAPACK library. A new feature is implemented to deal with problems that have rank-one constraint matrices. We show that significant improvement is obtained for a test set of problems with rank-one constraint matrices. Moreover, we show that very good parallel efficiency is obtained for large-scale problems where the number of linear equality constraints is very large compared to the block sizes of the positive semidefinite matrix variables.
ParameciumDB in 2011: new tools and new data for functional and comparative genomics of the model ciliate Paramecium tetraurelia

ParameciumDB is a community model organism database built with the GMOD toolkit to integrate the genome and biology of the ciliate Paramecium tetraurelia. Over the last four years, post-genomic data from proteome and transcriptome studies has been incorporated along with predicted orthologs in 33 species, annotations from the community and publications from the scientific literature. Available tools include BioMart for complex queries, GBrowse2 for genome browsing, the Apollo genome editor for expert curation of gene models, a Blast server, a motif finder, and a wiki for protocols, nomenclature guidelines and other documentation. In-house tools have been developed for ontology browsing and evaluation of off-target RNAi matches. Now ready for next-generation deep sequencing data and the genomes of other Paramecium species, this open-access resource is available at http://paramecium.cgm. cnrs-gif.fr.
Apoptosis of immature thymocytes mediated by E2/CD99.

E2/CD99 is a 32-kDa transmembrane molecule that does not belong to any known family of proteins. It appears to regulate adhesion properties of T cells as previously reported, in particular, the induction of homotypic adhesion in CD4+ CD8+ thymocytes. Apoptosis induced via E2/CD99 displays characteristic morphologic features, but includes early mitochondrial alterations and phosphatidylserine exposure at the outer leaflet of the plasma membrane. It is not followed by detectable DNA fragmentation, and its time course is much longer than apoptosis induced via the Fas/CD95 pathway. It requires 18 h for completion. E2/CD99-induced apoptosis does not require any RNA or protein synthesis and still occurs following blockage of the Fas pathway. It is, however, dependent on CPP32 and IL-1beta-converting enzyme-type cysteine proteases, as shown by blockade with their respective specific inhibitors. This effect is restricted to double-positive thymocytes carrying an intermediate density of CD3 and including all CD69+ cells. Thus, E2/CD99 apears to mediate a distinctive apoptotic signal at a critical stage of thymocyte differentiation, i.e., when positive selection is known to occur.
Antigen-Specific IP-10 Release Is a Sensitive Biomarker of Mycobacterium bovis Infection in Cattle

The most widely used ante-mortem diagnostic tests for tuberculosis in cattle are the tuberculin skin test and the interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) release assay, both of which measure cell-mediated immune responses to Mycobacterium bovis infection. However, limitations in the performance of these tests results in a failure to identify all infected animals. In attempting to increase the range of diagnostic tests for tuberculosis, measurement of the cytokine IP-10 in antigen-stimulated blood has previously been shown to improve the detection of M. tuberculosis and M. bovis infection, in humans and African buffaloes (Syncerus caffer), respectively. In the present study, 60 cattle were identified by the single intradermal comparative tuberculin test as tuberculosis reactors (n = 24) or non-reactors (n = 36) and the release of IFN-γ and IP-10 in antigen-stimulated whole blood from these animals was measured using bovine specific ELISAs. There was a strong correlation between IP-10 and IFN-γ production in these samples. Moreover, measurement of the differential release of IP-10 in response to stimulation with M. bovis purified protein derivative (PPD) and M. avium PPD distinguished between reactor and non-reactor cattle with a sensitivity of 100% (95% CI, 86%–100%) and a specificity of 97% (95% CI, 85%–100%). These results suggest that IP-10 might prove valuable as a diagnostic biomarker of M. bovis infection in cattle.
A human-assisted approach for a mobile robot to learn 3D object models using active vision

In this paper we present an algorithm that allows a human to naturally and easily teach a mobile robot how to recognize objects in its environment. The human selects the object by pointing at it using a laser pointer. The robot recognizes the laser reflections with its cameras and uses this data to generate an initial 2D segmentation of the object. The 3D position of SURF feature points are extracted from the designated area using stereo vision. As the robot moves around the object, new views of the object are obtained from which feature points are extracted. These features are filtered using active vision. The complete object representation consists of feature points registered with 3D pose data. We describe the method and show that it works well by performing experiments on real world data collected with our robot. We use an extensive dataset of 21 objects, differing in size, shape and texture.
A Structure for Transportable, Dynamic Multimedia Documents

This paper presents a document structure for describing transportable, dynamic multimedia documents. Multimedia documents consist of a set of discrete data components that are joined together in time and space to present a user (or reader) with a single coordinated whole. Transportable documents are those in which the document structure can be accessed across system environments independently of individual component input or output dependencies; dynamic documents are those in which the synchronization of document components are not staticly defined as an integral part of the data definition but are dynamicly defined as attributes of the general document structure. The focus of this paper is the presentation of the basic building blocks of the CWI Multimedia Interchange Format (CMIF). CMIF is used to describe the temporal and structural relationships that exist in multimedia documents. In order to put our work in a concrete context, we start our discussion with a brief description of the portability requirements for documents used within the CWI/Multimedia Pipeline. We then provide a layered description of our document structure format; this format provides a means for expressing a document in terms of synchronization channels, event descriptors, data descriptors, data blocks and synchronization arcs, each element of which contains a set of appropriate descriptive attributes. The paper describes each of these concepts abstractly as well as in the context of a uniform example. The paper concludes with a discussion of our intended future direction in using the various attribute descriptors to control a broad range of activities within the CWI/Multimedia Pipeline.
A New Perspective on Representational Problems

I argue that current flaws in the methodology of contemporary cognitive science, especially neuroscience, have adversely affected philosophical theorizing about the nature of representation. To highlight these flaws, I introduce a distinction between adopting the animal’s perspective and the observer’s perspective when characterizing representation. I provide a discussion of each and show how the former has been unduly overlooked by cognitive scientists, including neuroscientists and philosophers. I also provide a specific neuroscientific example that demonstrates how adopting the animal’s perspective can simplify the characterization of the representation relation. Finally, I suggest that taking this perspective supports a specific thesis regarding content determination: the statistical dependence hypothesis.
A distributed learning algorithm based on two-layer artificial neural networks and genetic algorithms

In many real-world applications of machine learning, the amount of data is now beyond the capability of learning algorithms be- cause they cannot process all available data in a reasonable time. More- over, most large datasets are naturally distributed or they are being stored in a distributed manner. A promising line of research in order to deal with large and/or distributed data is distributed learning. We propose a new distributed learning algorithm based on two-layer articial neural networks and genetic algorithms. The results obtained show that our method per- forms better than other distributed learning algorithms.
Handbook of Behavior Problems of the Dog and Cat

1. Behaviour counseling and the veterinary practitioner 2. Puppy and kitten development 3. Prevention: the best medicine 4. Behaviour counseling and behavior diagnostics 5. Treatment: behavior modification techniques 6. Phamacologic intervention in behavioural therapy 7. Complementary and alternative therapy for behavior problems 8. Feeding and diet related problems 9. Pain assessment, pain management, sedation and anesthesia 10. Stereotypic and compulsive disorders 11. Fears and phobias 12. The effects of aging on behavior in senior pets 13. Unruly behaviors, training and management - dogs 14. Unruly behaviors, training and management - cats 15. Canine destructive behaviors 16. Feline destructive behaviors 17. Canine house-soiling 18. Feline house-soiling 19. Canine aggression 20. Feline aggression 21. The European approach to behavior counseling Appendix A (tables listing where figures appear in text) Appendix B (manufacturers and resource list) Appendix C (handouts and forms) Appendix D (dosage table)
Self-Traps: The Elusive Quest for Higher Self-Esteem

In this wide-ranging and strikingly original book, William Swann not only dissects the mistaken assumptions that underlie current self-esteem programmes, but also incisively analyses the nature of self-worth and the 'self-traps' that make achieving and sustaining a sense of self-esteem so difficult. Self-Traps offers a fascinating, controversial exploration of how self-esteem conflicts develop and are played out in all our relationships. It shows how the authentic achievement of self-esteem is often undermined by social norms of competence and love, and discusses what could be done to encourage and sustain feelings of self-worth in society.
Insecticidal activity and fungitoxicity of plant extracts and components of horseradish (Armoracia rusticana) and garlic (Allium sativum)

To avoid environmental pollution and health problems caused by the use of traditional synthetic pesticides, there is a trend to search for naturally occurring toxicants from plants. Among the compounds discussed for anti-fungal and insecticidal activity, the natural extracts from garlic and horseradish have attracted considerable attention. The objective of this study is to determine the insecticidal and anti-fungal activity of Armoracia rusticana and Allium sativum L. extracts against larvae of Aedes albopictus (Skuse) and some pathogenic fungi. For the insecticidal test, horseradish and garlic extracts were prepared from fresh plants (cultivated in Emilia Romagna region) in a solution of ethanol 80 % and the two different solutions were used at different concentrations (for the determination of the lethal dose) against the fourth instar mosquito's larvae. The fungicidal test was carried out by the agar plates technique using garlic and horseradish extracts in a 10 % ethanol solution against the following organisms: Sclerotium rolfsii Sacc. , Trichoderma longibrachiatum, Botrytis cinerea Pers. , Fusarium oxysporum Schlecht. and Fusarium culmorum (Wm. G. Sm.) Sacc. The first results demonstrated that the horseradish ethanol extracts present only a fungistatic activity against Sclerotium rolfsii Sacc. , Fusarium oxysporum Schlecht. and F. culmorum (Wm.G. Sm) Sacc. while garlic extracts at the same concentration provided a good fungicidal activity above all against Botrytis cinerea Pers. and S. rolfsii. A. rusticana and A. sativum preparations showed also an interesting and significant insecticidal activity against larvae of A. albopictus, even if horseradish presented a higher efficacy (LC50 value of 2.34 g/L), approximately two times higher than garlic one (LC50 value of 4.48 g/L).
Collective Belonging and Mass Media Consumption: Unraveling how Technological Medium and Cultural Genre Shape the National Imaginings of Australians

Sociological literature lacks a firm evidentiary base with respect to how mass media usage works to forge patterns of collective attachment among socially diverse individuals within contemporary societies. This paper seeks to engage with this absence by examining the detailed ways in which complexities of media consumptions are linked with divergent popular visions of national belongingness and identity. Focusing in particular on variations in cultural genre and delivery technology, the study aims to help clarify extant disciplinary discussions about if and how media consumption interconnects with the substance of individual national imaginings in an era of cultural globalization. Using data from a large social survey of changing visions of national identity among contemporary Australians, the study shows that established media technologies and the consumption of lowbrow genres harden individual attachment to a traditional imagining of the nation. By contrast use of the Internet and highbrow genres foster a more inclusive vision of nation identity. In terms of sustaining these different national identity configurations, cultural genre is revealed to be of greater consequence than technological medium. Furthermore, and in a more general way, the findings suggest that notwithstanding the complexity of effects, mass media usage stands up alongside a more established concern with individual social structural background as a highly salient factor in shaping contemporary formations of national attachment.
Euler-precision ZED formula 3NgPED_G extended to future minimization with theoretical guarantees and numerical experiments

In this paper, we propose and investigate a new Euler-precision 3-node g-proportional finite difference formula [also named Zhang finite difference (ZFD) formula 3NgPFD_G], which achieves an error pattern of O(g), where g denotes the sampling gap. Moreover, the proposed formula is extended to future minimization (FM). Specifically, the ZFD formula 3NffPFD_G and its extension to discretize continuous-time Zhang neural network (CTZNN) model for solving FM are first of all put forward. Secondly, the ZFD formula 3NgPFD_G is proved to effectively approximate the 1st-order derivative by Taylor expansion, and results of discrete-time Zhang neural network (DTZNN) model for solving FM are obtained by adopting the formula above to discretize the CTZNN model. Finally, expository numerical approximation and discretization experiments are conducted and analyzed to illustrate the efficacy and superiority of the ZFD formula 3NgPFD_G and its extension to FM.
Control of robotic mobility-on-demand systems: A queueing-theoretical perspective

In this paper we present queueing-theoretical methods for the modeling, analysis, and control of autonomous mobility-on-demand (MOD) systems wherein robotic, self-driving vehicles transport customers within an urban environment and rebalance themselves to ensure acceptable quality of service throughout the network. We first cast an autonomous MOD system within a closed Jackson network model with passenger loss. It is shown that an optimal rebalancing algorithm minimizing the number of (autonomously) rebalancing vehicles while keeping vehicle availabilities balanced throughout the network can be found by solving a linear program. The theoretical insights are used to design a robust, real-time rebalancing algorithm, which is applied to a case study of New York City and implemented on an eight-vehicle mobile robot testbed. The case study of New York shows that the current taxi demand in Manhattan can be met with about 8,000 robotic vehicles (roughly 70% of the size of the current taxi fleet operating in Manhattan). Finally, we extend our queueing-theoretical setup to include congestion effects, and study the impact of autonomously rebalancing vehicles on overall congestion. Using a simple heuristic algorithm, we show that additional congestion due to autonomous rebalancing can be effectively avoided on a road network. Collectively, this paper provides a rigorous approach to the problem of system-wide coordination of autonomously driving vehicles, and provides one of the first characterizations of the sustainability benefits of robotic transportation networks.
Case-based Natural Language Dialogue System using Facial Expressions

A new method for case-based natural language dialogue system is presented. This system deals with not only the utterance sentences that are used in usual case-based dialogue systems, but also facial expression information to express past cases. As a result, it can improve the appropriateness of response and present the system’s utterance along with facial expression information to the user. We show the advantage of our system over other systems by using examples of dialogue provided by our system.
An Algorithm for Convex Polytopes

An algorithm, one tha t is economical and fast, for generating the convex polytope of a set S of points lying in an n-dimensional Euclidean space E" is described. In the existing brute force method for determining the convex hull of a set of points lying in a two-dimensional space, one computes all possible s t ra ight lines joining each pair of points of S and tests whether the lines bound the given set S. This method can easily be generalized for computing the convex hull of a set S C E", n > 2. However, it turns out tha t this approach is not feasible due to excessive computer run time for a set of points lying in E n when n > 3. The algorithm described in this paper avoids all the unnecessary calculations, and the convex polytope of a set S C E n is generated by systematical ly computing the faces from the edges of the desired convex polytope. A numerical comparison indicates tha t this new approach is far superior to the existing brute force technique.
What is Reduplication? Typology and Analysis Part 2/2: The Analysis of Reduplication

Reduplication has played a central role in the development of phonological theories for 30 years. The introduction of the classical optimality theory (OT) in the 1990s sparked intensive research into the typology and analysis of reduplicative patterns, as reduplication was a key testing area both for OT and for theories critical of OT. Now, after some 20 years of research within the OT model, it is appropriate to assess the leading ideas on reduplication that have come out of this period of concentrated research. This pair of articles serves this purpose. The first article presents a typological survey of the function and form of reduplication, covering classic forms of reduplication as well as less well-studied forms, such as phrasal reduplication, morphologically complex reduplicants and reduplication without phonological identity. The second article surveys recent formal approaches, such as base-reduplicant correspondence and morphological doubling, covering debates such as the morphological status of the reduplicant, exfixation, semantically empty, and a-templatic and compensatory reduplication.
A cytokinetic function of Drosophila ORC6 protein resides in a domain distinct from its replication activity

Coordination between separate pathways may be facilitated by the requirements for common protein factors, a finding congruent with the link between proteins regulating DNA replication with other important cellular processes. We report that the smallest of Drosophila origin recognition complex subunits, Orc6, was found in embryos and cell culture localized to the cell membrane and cleavage furrow during cell division as well as in the nucleus. A two-hybrid screen revealed that Orc6 interacts with the Drosophila peanut (pnut), a member of the septin family of proteins important for cell division. This interaction, mediated by a distinct C-terminal domain of Orc6, was substantiated in Drosophila cells by coimmunoprecipitation from extracts and cytological methods. Silencing of Orc6 expression with double-stranded RNA resulted in a formation of multinucleated cells and also reduced DNA replication. Deletion of the C-terminal Orc6–peanut interaction domain and subsequent overexpression of the Orc6 mutant protein resulted in the formation of multinucleated cells that had replicated DNA. This mutant protein does not localize to the membrane or cleavage furrows. These results suggest that Orc6 has evolved a domain critical mainly for cytokinesis.