Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Wide field observations from the eMERGE survey : First high-res LAS distribution at L-band

Sources in the Hubble Deep Field (North) have been observed in the past at 1.4 GHz using the original MERLIN radio interferometer network of telescopes based in the UK, yielding 92 positive detections over a 10 arcmin wide region. The subsequent data reduction and analysis took considerable time due to the high resolution and large imaging area. To enable rapid imaging of 26 hours of new e-MERLIN data collected for the e-MERGE survey, a method presented here uses a modified technique originally conceived to image VLBI fields contiguously. The ’Fast Wide Field Imaging’ methodology is expanded to wide-band imaging of observations taken by the new e-MERLIN array of the same GOODS-North region demonstrating a considerable speed increase. The incorporation of a primary beam model, the ultimate limiting factor to the instrument’s field-of-view corrects the flux and crucially allows modification to synthesised cleaning beams taking into account the induced spectral index. It demonstrates that the usable field of view of the e-MERLIN + JVLA imaging extends to 7.5 arcmin from the pointing centre. The results enable a tentative first analysis of the largest angular scales of high resolution source sizes within the HDF-N at L-band, yielding a median size of 1.3 arcsec. 90 percent complete to 20 μJy. This figure is expected to increase to 100 percent as the e-MERGE survey matures. As well as yielding useful evolutionary indicators, angular size distributions are also an important consideration in the design of future radio telescope array configurations.
Semantic Object Selection

Interactive object segmentation has great practical importance in computer vision. Many interactive methods have been proposed utilizing user input in the form of mouse clicks and mouse strokes, and often requiring a lot of user intervention. In this paper, we present a system with a far simpler input method: the user needs only give the name of the desired object. With the tag provided by the user we do a text query of an image database to gather exemplars of the object. Using object proposals and borrowing ideas from image retrieval and object detection, the object is localized in the target image. An appearance model generated from the exemplars and the location prior are used in an energy minimization framework to select the object. Our method outperforms the state-of-the-art on existing datasets and on a more challenging dataset we collected.
X-ray microtomography provides first data about the feeding behaviour of an endangered lizard, the Montserrat galliwasp (Diploglossus montisserrati)

Reporting the diet of recently extinct or very rare taxa, only known by a few museum specimens, is challenging. This study uses X-ray microtomography, a non-destructive investigation method, to obtain the first data about feeding behaviours in the Montserrat galliwasp (Diploglossus montisserrati) by scanning one of the two specimens known to date. The scans revealed the occurrence of shell fragments of a freshwater snail (Omalonyx matheroni) in the digestive tract of the specimen. This data combined with morphological evidence shows the occurrence of a durophagous feeding habit and a possible tendency of association with freshwater environments. This information could be crucial to save this critically endangered lizard endemic on Montserrat island.
2 A Scheme to Support Testing of Web Quality Aspects

The appropriate fulfillment of quality requirements of Web-based systems is essential for the success on the World Wide Web. Thus, in contrast to conventional software testing, where the focus is mainly on functionality, a wide range of quality issues are of utmost importance in testing Web-based systems. In this work, we present a systematic approach to Web testing that takes the importance of quality aspects for Web projects into account. Generally, tests can be characterized in three dimensions: quality, feature, and phase. The combination of these three dimensions results in a scheme that can be used to guide the different steps throughout the test workflow in a methodically sound and systematic way. The application of the scheme in test planning and design is demonstrated for security aspects on a sample Web application.
Socially desirable approximations for Dodgson's voting rule

In 1876 Charles Lutwidge Dodgson suggested the intriguing voting rule that today bears his name. Although Dodgson's rule is one of the most well-studied voting rules, it suffers from serious deficiencies, both from the computational point of view - it is NP-hard even to approximate the Dodgson score within sublogarithmic factors - and from the social choice point of view - it fails basic social choice desiderata such as monotonicity and homogeneity. In a previous paper [Caragiannis et al., SODA 2009] we have asked whether there are approximation algorithms for Dodgson's rule that are monotonic or homogeneous. In this paper we give definitive answers to these questions. We design a monotonic exponential-time algorithm that yields a 2-approximation to the Dodgson score, while matching this result with a tight lower bound. We also present a monotonic polynomial-time O(log m)-approximation algorithm (where m is the number of alternatives); this result is tight as well due to a complexity-theoretic lower bound. Furthermore, we show that a slight variation of a known voting rule yields a monotonic, homogeneous, polynomial-time O(m log m)-approximation algorithm, and establish that it is impossible to achieve a better approximation ratio even if one just asks for homogeneity. We complete the picture by studying several additional social choice properties; for these properties, we prove that algorithms with an approximation ratio that depends only on m do not exist.
SEARCH IN TEXT DOCUMENTS BASED ON N-GRAMS AND FOURIER WINDOW TRANSFORMATION

This paper is of theoretical nature and is devoted to the development and theoretical justification of the new Full Text Search method in documents. The idea of the method is to partition the text into N-grams, to construct "spectrograms" of a text document using the windowed Fourier transform. Then a fast Fourier transform algorithm is used and "spectrogram" of the text of the document is compared to the "spectrogram" of the search line in special "control" points. This paper provides a rigorous mathematical justification of the proposed method, the possibility of forming conclusions on the presence of the search line in the document is proven. A generalized algorithm of a new method of full-text search is presented.
Validation of the Korean Version of the Children's Revised Impact of Event Scale

Objective This study examined the psychometric properties of the Korean version of the Children's Revised Impact of Event Scale (CRIES) and its validity as a screening instrument for the post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Methods The study population consisted of two samples. The clinical sample consisted of 60 child and adolescent patients from the Department of Neuropsychiatry, Ilsan Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine. The normal sample consisted of 291 students from four schools (primary, middle, and high schools). We administered four self-report questionnaires (the CRIES, Child Reports of Post-traumatic Symptoms [CROPS], State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children [STAI-C], and Children's Depression Inventory [CDI]) to 351 children and adolescents after obtaining informed consent from all participants and their parents. Results The CRIES showed good reliability (Cronbach's α for the full scale and subscales ranged from 0.85 to 0.93). The total CRIES score was positively correlated with CROPS, STAI-C, and CDI. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated that a three-factor structure for the CRIES (intrusion, avoidance, and hyper-arousal) had a significantly better fit than a two-factor model (intrusion/hyper-arousal and avoidance). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis indicated that a cutoff of 26 offered the optimum predictive point. That is, this cutoff maximized the balance between sensitivity (0.88) and specificity (0.85). Using this cutoff, the positive predictive value was 0.86, and the negative predictive value was 0.99. Conclusion These findings imply that the CRIES is a highly accurate diagnostic test in clinical settings.
Activation of AMP-Activated Protein Kinase by 5-Aminoimidazole-4-Carboxamide-1-&bgr;-d-Ribofuranoside in the Muscle Microcirculation Increases Nitric Oxide Synthesis and Microvascular Perfusion

Objective—To investigate the effects of activation of the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) on muscle perfusion and to elucidate the mechanisms involved. Methods and Results—In a combined approach, we studied the vasoactive actions of AMPK activator by 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide-1-&bgr;-d-ribofuranoside (AICAR) on rat cremaster muscle resistance arteries (≈100 &mgr;m) ex vivo and on microvascular perfusion in the rat hindlimb in vivo. In isolated resistance arteries, AICAR increased Thr172 phosphorylation of AMPK in arteriolar endothelium, which was predominantly located in microvascular endothelium. AICAR induced vasodilation (19±4% at 2 mmol/L, P<0.01), which was abolished by endothelium removal, inhibition of NO synthase (with N-nitro-l-arginine), or AMPK (with compound C). Smooth muscle sensitivity to NO, determined by studying the effects of the NO donor S-nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine (SNAP), was not affected by AICAR except at the highest dose. AICAR increased endothelial nitric oxide synthase activity, as indicated by Ser1177 phosphorylation. In vivo, infusion of AICAR markedly increased muscle microvascular blood volume (≈60%, P<0.05), as was evidenced by contrast-enhanced ultrasound, without effects on blood pressure, femoral blood flow, or hind leg glucose uptake. Conclusion—Activation of AMPK by AICAR activates endothelial nitric oxide synthase in arteriolar endothelium by increasing its Ser1177 phosphorylation, which leads to vasodilation of resistance arteries and recruitment of microvascular perfusion in muscle.
EFFECTS OF GREEN PROCUREMENT PRACTICES ON AN ORGANIZATION PERFORMANCE IN MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY : CASE STUDY OF EAST AFRICAN BREWERIES LIMITED

Green Procurement also known as sustainable procurement (SP) is one of the emerging issues in procurement. It entails taking social and environmental factors into consideration alongside financial factors in making procurement decisions. Green procurement involves looking beyond the traditional economic parameters and making decisions based on the whole life cost, the associated risks, measures of success and implications on society and the environment. This study seeks to establish the contribution of green procurement concepts to performance of the East African Breweries Limited (EABL). The variables studied are staff competence on green procurement concepts, role of ICT infrastructure, supplier participation in green procurement and capital expenditure on green procurement contribution to performance. The study adopted Descriptive Research Design. The target population was 122 employees of the EABL while the sample size considered was 37 which represented 30% of the target population. The researcher utilized both primary and secondary data. Data was analysed using both descriptive and inferential statistics where regression analysis was used to establish the effect of independent variables on the dependent variable. The findings revealed that Performance of manufacturing industry is a contribution of more than one factor. Green procurement attributes contributes to performance excellence. Competence of the staff members on green procurement concepts was essential contributor to the effects of green procurement to performance. EABL as an organization with already laid down ICT infrastructure and with a system that allows Supplier European Journal of Business Management Vol.2, Issue 1, 2014 http://www.ejobm. org ISSN 2307-6305| P a g e 2 participation had increased contribution of green procurement to 29% of organizational performance. However due to high costs it was noted that the capital expenditure on green procurement was yet to make a high impact to EABL. The study recommends that organizations should have competent professional workforce, extensive investment in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructure, systems of supplier management and strategic investment approach to Green Procurement in order to realize the positive effects of green procurement.
Performance evaluation of channel estimation techniques in a multiple antenna OFDM system

A number of pilot-based channel estimation techniques are investigated for a multiple antenna system using the zero-forcing algorithm. The techniques are tested in typical indoor and outdoor (vehicular) channels. Performance results are presented in terms of bit error rate, mean squared error and data throughput. It is found that different pilot strategies offer the best performance in each environment, and hence an adaptive system should be considered.
Pseudodeterministic constructions in subexponential time

We study pseudodeterministic constructions, i.e., randomized algorithms which output the same solution on most computation paths. We establish unconditionally that there is an infinite sequence {pn} of primes and a randomized algorithm A running in expected sub-exponential time such that for each n, on input 1|pn|, A outputs pn with probability 1. In other words, our result provides a pseudodeterministic construction of primes in sub-exponential time which works infinitely often. This result follows from a more general theorem about pseudodeterministic constructions. A property Q ⊆ {0,1}* is ϒ-dense if for large enough n, |Q ∩ {0,1}n| ≥ ϒ2n. We show that for each c > 0 at least one of the following holds: (1) There is a pseudodeterministic polynomial time construction of a family {Hn} of sets, Hn ⊆ {0,1}n, such that for each (1/nc)-dense property Q Ε DTIME(nc) and every large enough n, Hn ∩ Q ≠ ∅ or (2) There is a deterministic sub-exponential time construction of a family {H′n} of sets, H′n ∩ {0,1}n, such that for each (1/nc)-dense property Q Ε DTIME(nc) and for infinitely many values of n, H′n ∩ Q ≠ ∅. We provide further algorithmic applications that might be of independent interest. Perhaps intriguingly, while our main results are unconditional, they have a non-constructive element, arising from a sequence of applications of the hardness versus randomness paradigm.
Inhibition of the AMP-Activated Protein Kinase-&agr;2 Accentuates Agonist-Induced Vascular Smooth Muscle Contraction and High Blood Pressure in Mice

The aim of the present study was to determine the effects and molecular mechanisms by which AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) regulates smooth muscle contraction and blood pressure in mice. In cultured human vascular smooth muscle cells, we observed that activation of AMPK by 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide 1-&bgr;-D-ribofuranoside inhibited agonist-induced phosphorylation of myosin light chain (MLC) and myosin phosphatase targeting subunit 1 (MYPT1). Conversely, AMPK inhibition with pharmacological or genetic means potentiated agonist-induced the phosphorylation of MLC and MYPT1, whereas it inhibited both Ras homolog gene family member A and Rho-associated kinase activity. In addition, AMPK activation or Rho-associated kinase inhibition with Y27632 abolished agonist-induced phosphorylation of MLC and MYPT1. Gene silencing of p190-guanosine triphosphatase-activating protein abolished the effects of AMPK activation on MLC, MYPT1, and Ras homolog gene family member A in human smooth muscle cells. Ex vivo analyses revealed that agonist-induced contractions of the mesenteric artery and aortas were stronger in both AMPK&agr;1−/− and AMPK&agr;2−/− knockout mice than in wild-type mice. Inhibition of Rho-associated kinase with Y27632 normalized agonist-induced contractions of AMPK&agr;1−/− and AMPK&agr;2−/− vessels. AMPK&agr;2−/− mice had higher blood pressure along with decreased serine phosphorylation of p190-guanosine triphosphatase–activating protein. Finally, inhibition of the Ras homolog gene family member A/Rho-associated kinase pathway with Y27632, which suppressed MYPT1 and MLC phosphorylation, lowered blood pressure in AMPK&agr;2−/− mice. In conclusion, AMPK decreases vascular smooth muscle cell contractility by inhibiting p190-GTP-activating protein–dependent Ras homolog gene family member A activation, indicating that AMPK may be a new therapeutic target in lowering high blood pressure.
Norwegian Income Tax Reforms

In few countries have modern income tax reforms been governed by overall economic principles to the same extent as in Norway. This is primarily due to the influential role of a number of government-appointed committees whose reports have set the agenda for tax reform in Norway during the last two decades. The first was the Report of the Tax Commission in 1984 (NOU 1984) that instigated a series of reform steps during the eighties. The second, and big milestone, was the Report of the Aarbakke Committee in 1989 (NOU 1989) which led to a structural overhaul of the tax system. The overall purpose was to establish a tax system based on sound economic principles that would promote an efficient allocation of capital, while at the same time limiting the distortion of capital accumulation. The resulting introduction of a new income tax system from the beginning of 1992 to become known as the dual income tax was seen by many in Norway as the ultimate tax reform that had finally furnished the country with a durable income tax system that would guarantee adherence to major economic principles.
A New Approach for Modeling of Photovoltaic Cell / Module / Array Based-on Matlab

A step-by-step mathematical modeling of one-diode equivalent circuit of photovoltaic cell/module, implemented in matlab/simulink was developed. The model was designed to take different inputs in terms of voltage, insolation, temperature, series and parallel resistances to simulate the electrical behaviour of the module and to produce V-I and P-V curves. The novelty of this work is consideration the effects of series and parallel resistances of the model as the independent inputs. Furthermore, hot spot heating and bypass diode operation of the module were investigated. Finally, using the proposed model, a photovoltaic array in parallel mode was developed and simulated.
THE QUALITY OF THE ACCRUALS , RETURN , AND DIRECT INDICATOR OF CASH FLOW SHOCKS

One of the most important factors in selecting the best investment is stock return. With regard to the relationship between stocks return and other accounting information, the investors can allocate their sources in the best way. The quality of accruals is one of the effective factors on the stocks return. This research aims to study the effect of the quality of accruals on the return and cash flow shocks of the stocks. The hypotheses of the research were examined by regression model using combined data and based on a pooled model and by a sample including 87 companies and 1044 observed cases from 2001 to 2012. The result indicated that there is no significant relationship between the qualities of the accruals and the excess return. Moreover, there is a positive correlation between the quality of the accruals and the cash flow shock.
Multi-object tracking of pedestrian driven by context

The characteristics like density of objects, their contrast with respect to surrounding background, their occlusion level and many more describe the context of the scene. The variation of the context represents ambiguous task to be solved by tracker. In this paper we present a new long term tracking framework boosted by context around each tracklet. The framework works by first learning the database of optimal tracker parameters for various context offline. During the testing, the context surrounding each tracklet is extracted and match against database to select best tracker parameters. The tracker parameters are tuned for each tracklet in the scene to highlight its discrimination with respect to surrounding context rather than tuning the parameters for whole scene. The proposed framework is trained on 9 public video sequences and tested on 3 unseen sets. It outperforms the state-of-art pedestrian trackers in scenarios of motion changes, appearance changes and occlusion of objects.
THE INFLUENCE OF CONTRASTIVE LEXICAL APPROACH ON EFL LEARNERS ’ PRAGMATIC PERFORMANCE : THE CASE OF IRANIAN EFL LEARNERS

This study is an investigation into the role of contrastive lexical approach (CLA), in comparison with explicit and implicit methods, in Iranian EFL learners‟ pragmatic performance. Contrastive and lexical underpinnings of CLA, as theories that lend themselves to teaching pragmatic competence, provided the impetus to compare CLA with the other two instructional methods. 47 participants were randomly assigned to three treatment groups. The participants received instructional treatment for 10 sessions through the use of video clips and PowerPoint files. Although no significant difference was found across language teaching methods, results revealed that all of them promoted the participants‟ pragmatic performance. Taking translation as a subcomponent of explicit teaching may have confounded the results of other similar studies to the advantage of explicit teaching. The relative advantage of CLA over the other two methods in this study, research literature, and the participants‟ comments about the positive role of contrastive practices in their easier use of native-like target forms may provide motivation for the inclusion of contrastive LCs in language classrooms. As the findings in this study suggest, language teaching practices can be improved through the use of contrastive techniques in teaching pragmatic performance.
The effect of a ban on gender‐based pricing on risk selection in the German health insurance market

Abstract Starting from December 2012, insurers in the European Union were prohibited from charging gender‐discriminatory prices. We examine the effect of this unisex mandate on risk segmentation in the German health insurance market. Although gender used to be a pricing factor in Germany's private health insurance (PHI) sector, it was never used as a pricing factor in the social health insurance (SHI) sector. The unisex mandate makes PHI relatively more attractive for women and less attractive for men. Based on data from the German socio‐economic panel, we analyze how the unisex mandate affects the difference between women and men in switching rates between SHI and PHI. We find that the unisex mandate increases the probability of switching from SHI to PHI for women relative to men. On the other hand, the unisex mandate has no effect on the gender difference in switching rates from PHI to SHI. Because women have on average higher health care expenditures than men, our results imply a worsening of the PHI risk pool and an improvement of the SHI risk pool. Our results demonstrate that regulatory measures such as the unisex mandate can affect risk selection between public and private health insurance sectors.