Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Electro-optic measurement of averaged duty ratio for periodically poled crystals

A non-invasive electro-optic method is proposed to measure the averaged duty ratio for periodically poled crystals. The measured (expected) averaged duty ratios of two samples are 67.95%/32.05% (75/25) and 55.02%/44.98% (50/50).
Information Systems (IS) Discipline Identity: A Review and Framework

The recent debate about crisis in the Information Systems (IS) discipline is largely attributed to its having a fluid discipline identity. Myriad conceptualizations of IS discipline identity have resulted in a plethora of unstructured and disconnected recommendations for the survival and growth of the IS field. It is therefore essential to have a theoretical framework which explains: What is IS discipline identity? In this study, we address this void in the identity literature. By extending and borrowing from the concepts of organizational and self-identity, we propose a theoretical framework for discipline identity and explicate its dimensions with respect to the IS discipline. The three contextual questions of discipline identity about purpose, period, and place set the stage for an in-depth inquiry of the three constitutive questions (or dimensions): periphery, perspective, and process, to provide a holistic framework for conceptualizing IS discipline identity. Further, we conceptualize IS discipline identity process as consisting of four recursive and iterative sub-processes: copy, consolidate, differentiate, and demonstrate (CCDD). We posit that an iterative hermeneutic focus on these four sub-processes is vital for the health of the discipline and neglecting even one of them will lead to an imbalanced identity structure. Through this paper, we seek to stimulate and further the ongoing debate on the topic.
Privatization Incentives – A Wage Bargaining Approach

We analyze the incentives of a government to privatize a state owned firm. Assuming price cap regulation, a unionized labor market and wage bargaining the government’s gains from privatization depend on two effects. While the government looses control over the firm’s investment and employment decisions, the union’s bargaining position can be weakened by privatization. Since price cap regulation tends to increase the wage under privatization, the government’s incentives to privatize are low if the union’s bargaining power is high. Considering different kinds of in-vestments does not change this result qualitatively.
A strategic approach to network value in information markets

This paper extends previous research on network effects by proposing a theoretical model that studies the role that firm strategy plays in markets where network effects are important. We suggest that, instead of the exogenous character usually attributed to network effects, firms can influence them through their strategies. Moreover, we develop a causal relationship between network effects and network value, understanding that the latter is a better approach to the value the firm may generate in information markets. Our premise is that companies, by influencing users� expectations, users' coordination and perceived compatibility, can leverage network effects and network value. The strategies for increasing network value that we empirically test in the mobile telecommunications industry are entry timing, internationalization and switching costs management. Finally, this study not only seeks to understand the impact of firm strategy on network value, but also analyzes its subsequent impact on firm performance. Our main conclusion is that, in markets with network effects, strategy matters.
A novel distributed functional electrical stimulation and assessment system for hand movements using wearable technology

In this paper, a novel distributed functional electrical stimulation (FES) and assessment system for hand movement using wearable technology is proposed. It consists of an FES of wireless EMG-bridge (EMGB) type, a sensor glove and a smartphone-based application software for displaying the virtual 3D hand environment. Combined with the FES therapy and the sensor glove, the proposed system provides a way to evaluate individual responses to rehabilitation among the stroke patients. The smartphone-based application software for displaying the virtual 3D hand environment has been applied to enhance the engagement and motivation needed to drive neuroplastic changes. The prototype system has been validated by performing wrist and finger extension on one healthy subject.
Subpixel Mapping of Urban Areas Using EnMAP Data and Multioutput Support Vector Regression

Hyperspectral remote sensing data offer the opportunity to map urban characteristics in detail. Though, adequate algorithms need to cope with increasing data dimensionality, high redundancy between individual bands, and often spectrally complex urban landscapes. The study focuses on subpixel quantification of urban land cover compositions using simulated environmental mapping and analysis program (EnMAP) data acquired over the city of Berlin, utilizing both machine learning regression and classification algorithms, i.e., multioutput support vector regression (MSVR), standard support vector regression (SVR), import vector machine classifier (IVM), and support vector classifier (SVC). The experimental setup incorporates a spectral library and a reference land cover fraction map used for validation purposes. The library spectra were synthetically mixed to derive quantitative training data for the classes vegetation, impervious surface, soil, and water. MSVR and SVR models were trained directly using the synthetic mixtures. For IVM and SVC, a modified hyperparameter selection approach is conducted to improve the description of urban land cover fractions by means of probability outputs. Validation results demonstrate the high potential of the MSVR for subpixel mapping in the urban context. MSVR outperforms SVR in terms of both accuracy and computational time. IVM and SVC work similarly well, yet with lower accuracies of subpixel fraction estimates compared to both regression approaches.
What is Financial Contagion?

The phrase financial contagion draws on a concept whose root meaning lies in the field of epidemiology. Like almost all metaphors, this one has the power to illuminate and to mislead. Its referent is the spread of financial distress from one firm, market, asset class, nation, or geographical region to others. But, contagion carries with it other burdens of meaning. First, to refer to contagion, instead of merely to an epidemic, is to implicitly assert that there is a mechanism of transmission from one infected victim to other potential victims. For example, bubonic plague and malaria may give rise to epidemics, but these diseases are not contagious, being transmitted by the bite of a flea and the sting of a mosquito, rather than being spread fromone infected party to another. By contrast, some epidemics may be the result of truly contagious diseases in which the disease spreads directly from one victim to another through the direct transmittal of a pathogen, such as is the case with tuberculosis and AIDS. Second, because a contagious disease spreads from one infected host to others by some mechanism, the key to understanding such a malady is to comprehend the method of transmission. Finally, by invoking a metaphor of illness, financial contagion implies an economic disorder, dislocation, or disease.
MUSCARINIC ACETYLCHOLINE RECEPTOR SUBTYPE mRNAs IN THE HUMAN AND RAT VESTIBULAR PERIPHERY

The expression of the five muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (mAChR) subtypes (m1–m5) in the vestibular end‐organs and in the primary afferent vestibular ganglia of the human and rat was studied using RT‐PCR from the two tissue populations from both species. In the human, although all five mAChR subtypes were expressed in brain, only the m1, m2, and m5 mAChR subtypes were amplified from both the vestibular ganglia and the vestibular end‐organs, while in the rat, all five mAChR subtypes were expressed. These data suggest that the efferent cholinergic axo‐dendritic and axo‐somatic synapses have a muscarinic component and that there are pharmacologic implications for patients with vestibular dysfunction.
Essays on Resource Management: Ownership, Market Structures and Exhaustability

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam Research Series Due to the scarcity of natural resources in the world it is of great importance to understand the markets for these resources. This thesis provides insights into the working of several resource markets. In particular the role of different property rights, market structures and the regenerative nature of the resources is investigated. These insights can be used for improving the management of resources. Models are presented that address specific resource management issues. These concern the oil market, fishery economics and environmental taxation. The analysis points out the importance of specific features of natural resources. This is shown by several surprising results, such as an increase in the resource leading to a reduction in welfare, extinction due to the enlargement of a market or the ambiguity on whether or not a race to the bottom will occur when countries are competing on environmental standards.
Automatic assessment of problem behaviour in developmental disabilities

Many with developmental disabilities, especially severe Autism, exhibit what is clinically known as 'problem behaviour', which includes persistent episodes of self-injury, aggression and disruption. Current treatments rely upon manually counting the individual episodes over a period of several weeks, which presents challenges in respect of accuracy, feasibility, and scalability. Situated in the domain of Human Activity Recognition, the goal of this PhD Project is to develop a system that automatically recognizes different types and degrees of problem behaviour on the basis of accelerometer sensor data. The proposed approach is detailed and justified, including how the field of Human Activity Recognition itself can be advanced, together with a clear plan of how the project is to be conducted.
Assessment of GPS velocity accuracy for the Basin and Range Geodetic Network (BARGEN)

We assess the accuracy of horizontal velocity estimates from the Basin and Range Geodetic Network (BARGEN), a continuous GPS network that has been in operation since 1996. To make this quantitative assessment, we use a procedure that we term the “whole‐error” method. In this method, the measure of the velocity errors is the root‐mean‐square (RMS) residual velocity relative to a simple geophysical model. This method produces a conservative estimate of the uncertainties, since errors in the geophysical models also contribute to the RMS residual. Using estimates from two different BARGEN subnetworks, the Northern Basin and Range and the Yucca Mountain Cluster, we determine velocity uncertainties of 0.1–0.2 mm yr−1. Since BARGEN covers a significant fraction of area of the proposed Plate Boundary Observatory component of EarthScope, our results indicate a good ability of this project to determine highly accurate long‐term horizontal crustal velocities and deformation rates in this region.
図解でわかる商品開発マーケティング : 小ヒット&ロングセラー商品を生み出すマーケティング・ノウハウ = Product planning marketing

第１章 企業成長のポイントは小ヒット開発 第２章 商品開発の基本は課題抽出 第３章 小ヒットを生み続けるしくみ 第４章 コンシューマーインサイトの進め方 第５章 商品コンセプトの構築プロセス 第６章 コンセプトをカタチにするプロセス 第７章 販売戦略の立案ポイント 第８章 テストマーケティングの実施ポイント
Mechanisms and Rates of Bacterial Colonization of Sinking Aggregates

ABSTRACT Quantifying the rate at which bacteria colonize aggregates is a key to understanding microbial turnover of aggregates. We used encounter models based on random walk and advection-diffusion considerations to predict colonization rates from the bacteria's motility patterns (swimming speed, tumbling frequency, and turn angles) and the hydrodynamic environment (stationary versus sinking aggregates). We then experimentally tested the models with 10 strains of bacteria isolated from marine particles: two strains were nonmotile; the rest were swimming at 20 to 60 μm s−1 with different tumbling frequency (0 to 2 s−1). The rates at which these bacteria colonized artificial aggregates (stationary and sinking) largely agreed with model predictions. We report several findings. (i) Motile bacteria rapidly colonize aggregates, whereas nonmotile bacteria do not. (ii) Flow enhances colonization rates. (iii) Tumbling strains colonize aggregates enriched with organic substrates faster than unenriched aggregates, while a nontumbling strain did not. (iv) Once on the aggregates, the bacteria may detach and typical residence time is about 3 h. Thus, there is a rapid exchange between attached and free bacteria. (v) With the motility patterns observed, freely swimming bacteria will encounter an aggregate in <1 day at typical upper-ocean aggregate concentrations. This is faster than even starving bacteria burn up their reserves, and bacteria may therefore rely solely on aggregates for food. (vi) The net result of colonization and detachment leads to a predicted equilibrium abundance of attached bacteria as a function of aggregate size, which is markedly different from field observations. This discrepancy suggests that inter- and intraspecific interactions among bacteria and between bacteria and their predators may be more important than colonization in governing the population dynamics of bacteria on natural aggregates.
Information Technology for Managers

Today's managers are increasingly expected to successfully oversee and understand information systems -- even when it is an area in which they have had little formal training or expertise. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY FOR MANAGERS is targeted at these future managers who are expected to understand the business implications of information technology. Real world examples show future managers how information technology can be applied to improve their organization. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY FOR MANAGERS provides a framework for managers to understand their important role vis-a-vis information technology and it emphasizes the importance of working effectively with all members of the organization to achieve results.
The impact of physical activity on sickness absence

The aim of this study was to examine whether the volume and intensity of physical activity are associated with subsequent sickness absence spells of different lengths, and how much of these associations can be explained by socioeconomic position, body mass index (BMI) and physical health functioning. Baseline data were collected by questionnaire surveys in 2000–2002 among 40–60‐year‐old employees of Helsinki City (n=6465, 79% women). Sickness absence data were derived from the employer's registers (mean follow‐up time 3.9 years). Associations of physical activity with shorter (≤14 days) and longer (>14 days) sickness absence spells were examined, using Poisson's regression analysis. The volume of physical activity was weakly and somewhat inconsistently associated with sickness absence. However, men and women who were vigorously active systematically had reduced risk of sickness absence, whereas the same volume of moderately intensive physical activity did not reduce the risk of sickness absence. Adjusting for BMI and in particular physical health functioning attenuated these associations, after which the associations lost statistical significance. The results suggest that vigorous physical activity is associated with sickness absence and may contribute to better work ability.
Differential Evolution in Discrete Optimization.

We show ways in which differential evolution, a member of the genetic/evolutionary family of global opti- mization methods, can be used for the purpose of discrete optimization. We consider several nontrivial problems aris- ing from actual practice, using differential evolution as our primary tool to obtain good results. We indicate why meth- ods more commonly seen in discrete optimization, such as integer linear programming, might be less effective for prob- lems of the type we will consider.
Emotion Detection through Facial Feature Recognition

People share a common and fundamental set of emotions which exhibited through consistent facial expressions. Detection, extraction, and evaluation of these facial expressions are being performed by an algorithm which will allow for automatic recognition of human emotion in images. Extraction of faces and facial features from images are done by using Viola-jones cascade object detectors and Harris corner key points and uses principal component analysis(PCA), linear discriminant analysis(LDA), histogramof-oriented-gradients (HOG) feature extraction, and support vector machines (SVM) in order to train a multi-class predictor for classifying the seven-basic human facial expressions. This approach allows for initial classification via projection of a testing image onto a calculated eigenvector, of a basis that has been specifically calculated to focus attention on the separation of a specific emotion from others. This initial step works well for five of the seven emotions which are easier to distinguish. For further prediction computationally, slower HOG feature extraction is performed and a class prediction is made with a trained SVM. Depending on the testing set and test emotions reasonable accuracy is achieved with the predictor. Contempt a very difficult-to-distinguish emotion, is achieved included as a target emotion and the run-time of the hybrid approach is 20% faster than using the HOG approach exclusively.
Multiple resources and performance prediction

This paper describes the origins and history of multiple resource theory in accounting for differences in dual task interference. One particular application of the theory, the 4-dimensional multiple resources model, is described in detail, positing that there will be greater interference between two tasks to the extent that they share stages (perceptual/cognitive vs response) sensory modalities (auditory vs visual), codes (visual vs spatial) and channels of visual information (focal vs ambient). A computational rendering of this model is then presented. Examples are given of how the model predicts interference differences in operational environments. Finally, three challenges to the model are outlined regarding task demand coding, task allocation and visual resource competition.
The Influence of Glycosylation on the Catalytic and Fibrinolytic Properties of Pro-Urokinase

Summary We previously found that human pro-UK expressed in Escherichia coli is more active in fibrinolysis than recombinant human pro-UK obtained from mammalian cell culture media. To determine whether this difference is related to the lack of glycosylation of the E. coli product, we compared the activity of E. coli-derived pro-UK [(-)pro-UK] with that of a glycosylated pro-UK [(+)pro-UK] and of a mutant of pro-UK missing the glycosylation site at Asn-302 [(-) (302) pro-UK]. The latter two pro-UKs were obtained by expression of the human gene in a mammalian cell. The nonglycosylated pro-UKs were activated by plasmin more efficiently (≈2-fold) and were more active in clot lysis (1.5-fold) than the (+)pro-UK. Similarly, the nonglycosylated two-chain derivatives (UKs) were more active against plasminogen and were more rapidly inactivated by plasma inhibitors than the (+)UK. These findings indicate that glycosylation at Asn-302 influences the activity of pro-UK/UK and could be the major factor responsible for the enhanced activity of E. coli-derived pro-UK.
Mode Locked Fiber Laser Based on Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube in Heavy Water

Carbon nanotubes in heavy water (deuteroxide, D2O) dispersion was fabricated and used as a saturable absorber for mode locking in a fiber laser. Such liquid absorber has the virtues of good optical transparency, high heat dissipation, and high damage threshold. A passively mode locked fiber laser with it was demonstrated. The pulsewidth is 306 fs with the maximum average output power of 20 mW. The center of the wavelength is 1560 nm with 15.2-nm spectral width.
Prenatal transplantation of epidermal neural crest stem cells in malformation of cortical development mouse model

Prenatal interventions may offer an immense opportunity in therapeutic protocols of malformations of cortical development (MCD). Epidermal neural crest stem cells (EPI‐NCSCs) of the hair follicle bulge exhibit features of both embryonic and adult stem cells; these cells maintain their neurologic differentiation capability because of their neural crest origin. However, it is unknown if prenatal use of EPI‐NCSCs could be beneficial in targeting methylazoxymethanol (MAM)‐induced MCD, which further addressed in the present work. EPI‐NCSCs were prenatally infused to the MAM‐exposed mice. Thicknesses of various cerebral cortex areas as well as corpus callosum was measured; there were markedly decrease in MAM group (p < .001 vs. untreated), but a significant increase in EPI‐NCSC group (p < .05 vs. MAM), except for corpus callosum. Real‐time PCR analysis showed high expressions for absent, small, or homeotic 2‐like protein, nestin, doublecortin (DCX), neuronal specific nuclei protein (NeuN), and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) in MAM group (p < .001 vs. untreated), except for G‐protein‐coupled C‐X‐C chemokine receptor type 4 (CXCR4) and CXC motif ligand 12 (CXCL12), whereas there were low expressions in EPI‐NCSCs group (p < .01 vs. MAM). Immunohistochemistry of NeuN, GFAP, ionized calcium‐binding adapter molecule (Iba1), and oligodendrocyte lineage transcription factor 2 (Olig2) was also revealed the same pattern as real‐time PCR (p < .001 MAM vs. untreated, and p < .05 EPI‐NCSCs vs. MAM). Our findings suggest prenatal use of EPI‐NCSCs as a possible candidate for cell‐based therapy of cortical injury through affecting neural markers and their relationship with glial.
A holistic emotions measurement model : using the viable system model to diagnose workforce emotions

ness of the model (Crisan, 2008). Most of the hypothesized relationships were significant which confirmed the strength of HEMM in diagnosing the working environment and the underlying causes of people’s emotional experiences as a whole instead of parts. HEMM allowed seeing the aggregate impact of corresponding felt emotions (by creating index) on employees’ job attitudes and behaviours and the positive results supported the findings of prior literature. Thus, the VSM based holistic emotions measurement model developed in present study, was found capable of illuminating the fundamental aspects of the workplace environment (functional,
Cross-layer based optimization for fairness control mechanism in OFDM wireless networks

The important problem of resource allocation in multi-user wireless networks is that to achieve the balance between efficience and fairness. In this paper, by using the cross-layer optimization mechanism, we derive an optimization model to obtain efficient and fair downlink sub-carrier allocation in multi-user OFDM wireless networks. A dynamic sub-carrier allocation algorithm (DSAA) is proposed in order to obtain the maximization of the total scheduling utility based on the optimization model and the maximization utility theory. It is shown that by combining DSAA with time scale interference predictor (TSIP) which at large time scales predict ON / OFF period of user data with temporal correlation structure across multiple time scales in multi-user interference environment, efficiency is improved further. Preliminary simulation results verify the efficiency and fairness of the scheme.