Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A model for evaluating alternative robot systems under uncertainty

Abstract This paper develops a model which can be used to make an economic evaluation of alternative configurations of robots which could be used in the same production system. The model considers the time value of money, the uncertainty of time in technological development and of inflation. The structure of the model allows a high degree of flexibility between significantly different accounting systems. The emphasis is not on producing absolute coat values, but rather on the Production Engineer making the right choice of a system.
The use of Ecological and Carbon Footprint Analysis in regional policy making: application and insights using the REAP model

This paper builds on and extends previous research to contribute to ongoing discussion on the use of resource and carbon accounting tools in regional policy making. The Northern Visions project has produced the first evidence-based footpath setting out the actions that need to be taken to achieve the step changes in the Ecological and Carbon Footprint of Northern Ireland. A range of policies and strategies were evaluated using the Resources and Energy Analysis Programme. The analysis provided the first regional evidence base that current sustainable development policy commitments would not lead to the necessary reductions in either the Ecological Footprint or carbon dioxide emissions. Building on previous applications of Ecological Footprint analysis in regional policy making, the research has demonstrated that there is a valuable role for Ecological and Carbon Footprint Analysis in policy appraisal. The use of Ecological and Carbon Footprint Analysis in regional policy making has been evaluated and recommendations made on ongoing methodological development. The authors hope that the research can provide insights for the ongoing use Ecological and Carbon Footprint Analysis in regional policy making and help set out the priorities for research to support this important policy area.
The Challenge of Repeating Success in a Changing World Final Report on the Center for Employment Training Replication Sites

Succeeding in the labor market depends now more than ever on having the right education and training. This reality poses a particular challenge for out-of-school youth, who are no longer connected to institutions designed to provide them with training and link them to good jobs. In addition, it is still not clear what is the most effective way to help these youth: Few of the programs that have been evaluated have produced impressive results. The Center for Employment Training, or CET, was one exception. CET in San Jose, California, was included in two large, multisite random assignment studies in the 1980s — the JOBSTART Demonstration for young high school dropouts and the Minority Female Single Parent (MFSP) Demonstration — and it was the only site in both studies to produce large, positive effects on employment and earnings.
On Monopolistic Competition and Optimal Product Diversity: Workers' Rents Also Matter

In the Dixit-Stiglitz model of monopolistic competition, entry of firms is socially too small. Other authors have shown that excess entry is also a possibility with other preferences for diversity. We show that workers' rents also contribute to explain excess entry through a general equilibrium mechanism. Larger wages indeed raises the aggregate earnings and firms sales and profits, which entices too many firms to enter. We discuss the possibility of over-provision of varieties by comparing the equilibrium to unconstrained and constrained social optima and to other regulatory frameworks where wages are not controlled.
Ignition of Calcium Sparks in Arterial and Cardiac Muscle Through Caveolae

Ca2+ sparks are localized intracellular Ca2+ events released through ryanodine receptors (RyRs) that control excitation-contraction coupling in heart and smooth muscle. Ca2+ spark triggering depends on precise delivery of Ca2+ ions through dihydropyridine (DHP)-sensitive Ca2+ channels to RyRs of the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR), a process requiring a very precise alignment of surface and SR membranes containing Ca2+ influx channels and RyRs. Because caveolae contain DHP-sensitive Ca2+ channels and may colocalize with SR, we tested the hypothesis that caveolae are the structural element necessary for the generation of Ca2+ sparks. Using methyl-&bgr;-cyclodextrin (dextrin) to deplete caveolae, we found that dextrin dose-dependently decreased the frequency, amplitude, and spatial size of Ca2+ sparks in arterial smooth muscle cells and neonatal cardiomyocytes. However, temporal characteristics of Ca2+ sparks were not significantly affected. We ruled out the possibility that the decreases in Ca2+ spark frequency and size are caused by changes in DHP-sensitive L-type channels, SR Ca2+ load, or changes in membrane potential. Our results suggest a novel signaling model that explains the formation of Ca2+ sparks in a caveolae microdomain. The transient elevation in [Ca2+]i at the inner mouth of a single caveolemmal Ca2+ channel induces simultaneous activation and thus opens several RyRs to generate a local Ca2+ release event, a Ca2+ spark. Alterations in the molecular assembly and ultrastructure of caveolae may lead to pathophysiological changes in Ca2+ signaling. Thus, caveolae may be intimately involved in cardiovascular cell dysfunction and disease.
Indoor occupancy tracking in smart buildings using passive sniffing of probe requests

Zone-level occupancy tracking is a critical technology for smart buildings and can be used for applications such as building energy management, surveillance, and security. Existing occupancy tracking techniques typically require installation of large number of occupancy monitoring sensors inside a building as well as an established network. In this study, in order to achieve occupancy tracking, we consider the use of WiFi probe requests that are continuously transmitted from WiFi enabled smart devices. To this end, WiFi Pineapple equipment are used for passively capturing ambient probe requests from WiFi devices such as smart phones and tablets, where no connectivity to a WiFi network is required. This information is then used to localize users within coarsely defined occupancy zones, and subsequently obtain occupancy count within each zone at different time scales. Our numerical results using WiFi data collected at FIU over several days show that utilization of WiFi probe requests can be a viable solution for zone-level occupancy tracking in smart buildings.
Inflation's negative effects on real stock prices: new evidence and a test of the proxy effect hypothesis

The present study examines the effects of inflation on real stock prices using an error-correction model of the S&P 500. Inflation is shown to have a negative and significant impact in a variety of model specifications. The study also investigates whether the observed negative relation arises because inflation proxies for more fundamental relations between stock prices and either future output, relative price uncertainty or inflation uncertainty. The evidence reveals that inflation does not merely proxy for those other factors and, thus, the proxy effect hypothesis in its various forms is rejected.
Transnational Entrepreneurship: Exploring Determinants and Impacts of a Dutch-Based Filipino Immigrant Business

Remittances typically receive the most attention from sending governments as a resource for national economic development. However, evidence shows that migrants increasingly maintain other types of relations with the home region that may have more potential to contribute to sustainable economic growth. This paper explores transnational entrepreneurship as one of these newly emerging cross-border relations. It draws upon existing studies on transnational entrepreneurship and provides an overview of the factors that explain its emergence and its (potential) significance or impact on the home society. It situates this particular form of transnational migrant engagement within the broader process of transnationalization. Based on a case study of transnational entrepreneurship initiated by a Dutch-based Filipina, I aim to illustrate how such an activity can contribute to -or even initiate- the development of broader transnational involvements. This case study thus sheds light on how an individual migrant's business connections can affect the lives of people in the origin region.
How We See Them Versus How They See Themselves

The present study complements current firm—nongovernment organization (NGO) literature by emphasizing the influence of managerial cognition on organizational behavior. In particular, I find that NGOs confront or seek to collaborate with other NGOs or with firms to appear as legitimate actors before selected third parties and as a way to access various sources of funds. By contrast, firm managers interacting with these NGOs are fundamentally concerned with achieving social stability so that their organizations can operate undisturbed. These different goals give rise to considerably dissimilar mental representations of the same reality—representations that subsequently inform strategic action by both types of actors.
Using speaker group dependent modelling to improve fusion of fragmentary classifier decisions

Current speech-controlled human computer interaction is purely based on spoken information. For a successful interaction, additional information such as the individual skills, preferences and actual affective state of the user are often mandatory. The most challenging of these additional inputs is the affective state, since affective cues are in general expressed very sparsely. The problem can be addressed in two ways. On the one hand, the recognition can be enhanced by making use of already available individual information. On the other hand, the recognition is aggravated by the fact that research is often limited to a single modality, which in real-life applications is critical since recognition may fail in case sensors do not perceive a signal. We address the problem by enhancing the acoustic recognition of the affective state by partitioning the user into groups. The assignment of a user to a group is performed at the beginning of the interaction, such that subsequently a specialized classifier model is utilized. Furthermore, we make use of several modalities, acoustics, facial expressions, and gesture information. The combination of decisions not affected by sensor failures from these multiple modalities is achieved by a Markov Fusion Network. The proposed approach is studied empirically using the LAST MINUTE corpus. We could show that compared to previous studies a significant improvement of the recognition rate can be obtained.
Utility of serum tumor markers, imaging, and biliary cytology for detecting cholangiocarcinoma in primary sclerosing cholangitis

There is limited information on test performance for detecting cholangiocarcinoma in primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), particularly when used sequentially. This study aimed to characterize diagnostic performance of serum carbohydrate antigen 19‐9 (CA 19‐9), ultrasonography, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, cholangiography, and biliary cytologic techniques for detecting cholangiocarcinoma in PSC. All consecutive patients with PSC were screened and followed for development of cholangiocarcinoma from 2000 through 2006. Of 230 patients, 23 developed cytopathologically confirmed cholangiocarcinoma with an annual incidence of 1.2%. The optimal cutoff value for serum CA 19‐9 was 20 U/mL, which yielded a sensitivity of 78%, specificity of 67%, positive predictive value (PPV) of 23%, and negative predictive value (NPV) of 96%. Serum CA 19‐9 combined with either ultrasonography, computed tomography, or magnetic resonance imaging provided a sensitivity of 91%, 100%, and 96%, specificity of 62%, 38%, and 37%, PPV of 23%, 22%, and 24%, and NPV of 98%, 100%, and 98%, respectively, if at least one method was positive. Subsequent cholangiographic examinations in these patients increased specificity to 69% and PPV to 42% while maintaining sensitivity of 91% and NPV of 96%. Following this group, conventional cytology, aneuploidy detection by digital imaging analysis, and aneusomy detection by fluorescence in situ hybridization in brushing samples of biliary strictures had a sensitivity of 50%, 57%, and 86%, specificity of 97%, 94%, and 83%, PPV of 86%, 89%, and 80%, and NPV of 83%, 74%, and 88%, respectively, for detecting cholangiocarcinoma. Conclusion: Tumor serology combined with cross‐sectional liver imaging may be useful as a screening strategy and cholangiography with cytologic examination is helpful for the diagnosis of cholangiocarcinoma in patients with PSC. (HEPATOLOGY 2008.)
Using Scanner Technology to Collect Expenditure Data

In terms of collecting panel expenditure data, there are trade-offs between the demands imposed on respondents and the detail and coverage of data collected. Comprehensive spending data tend to be cross-sectional whilst panel studies include only limited, aggregated expenditure questions. Recently, economists have begun to use detailed, bar-code-level spending data from household panels collected by market research companies. However, there has not been a detailed assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of this collection method or its implications for the recorded data. This paper seeks to fill this gap by providing an in-depth examination of data from one company, Taylor Nelson Sofres (TNS), recording grocery purchases over five years. We assess how far the ongoing demands of participation lead to ‘fatigue’ in respondents' recording of their spending and the implications for household attrition, and we provide a detailed comparison of the expenditure data collected by TNS and the well-established Expenditure and Food Survey (EFS). Broadly, we suggest that problems of fatigue and attrition may not be particularly severe, though there are differences in expenditures that cannot be attributed to demographic or time effects and may be suggestive of survey mode effects.
Efficient algorithm for simulating particles in true quasiperiodic environments

We introduce an algorithm based on generalized dual method (GDM) to efficiently study the dynamics of a particle in quasiperiodic environments without the need to use periodic approximations or to save the information of the vertices that make up the quasiperiodic lattice. We show that the computation time and the memory required to find the tile in which a particle is located as a function of the distance R to the center of symmetry remains constant in our algorithm, while using the GDM directly both quantities go like R 2. This allows us to perform realistic simulations with low consumption of computational resources. The algorithm can be used to study any quasiperiodic lattice that can be produced by the cut-and-project method. Using this algorithm, we have calculated the free path length distribution in quasiperiodic Lorentz gases reproducing previous results and for systems with high symmetries at the Boltzmann–Grad limit. We have found for the Boltzmann–Grad limit, that the distribution of free paths depends on the rank r of the quasiperiodic system and not on its symmetry. The distribution as a function of the free path length l appears to be a combination of exponential decay and a power-law behavior. The latter seems to become important only for probabilities less than (2r−2r(r+1))−1 , showing an exponential decaying free-path length distribution for r → ∞, similar to what is observed in disordered systems.
Timeline and time scale cognition experiments for a geological interpretative exhibit at Grand Canyon

Linear timelines are analogical models that are frequently used in formal and informal learning settings to teach about geologic time; nonetheless, their effectiveness in such contexts has not been fully assessed. We examined respondents’ abilities to understand and interpret a logarithmically scaled walking timeline: the Million Year Trail (MYT). This is a prototype of a longer version that will soon be part of a major geoscience exhibit, “The Trail of Time”, at Grand Canyon National Park. We asked 70 respondents to find precise points along our model timeline, each representing an event from recent times to 65 million years ago. We also tested their purely mathematical understanding of the timeline and its scale changes. Our results indicate that most Grand Canyon visitors should be able to understand the full-size MYT if each point on the timeline is clearly labeled, and if visitors are enabled to locate a few meaningful, contextualized events (e.g., one’s own birth or a major historical event) along the timeline as they traverse it. Our findings have already informed modifications to MYT design, and the design of on-site cognitive experiments to be conducted on the permanent Trail of Time exhibition at Grand Canyon upon its completion.
Influence of slow-light feedback on noise properties of VCSEL with a transverse coupled cavity

We present modeling and computer simulation of the intensity noise in VCSELs with a transverse-coupled cavity (TCC). The dynamics and noise TCC-VCSELs are characterized in the three states of operation; namely, continuous wave (CW), pulsing and chaos depending on the coupling ratio between the VCSEL and feedback cavities. The intensity noise is evaluated in terms of the frequency spectrum of the relative intensity noise (RIN) and the carrier to noise ratio (CNR). We show that the VCSEL coupled with a short feedback cavity shows stable CW operations without noticeable increase in CNR compared with the solitary VCSEL.
Strength in Numbers: A Community Education Program to Prevent Falls in Older Adults

The incidence and consequences of falls for older adults are well documented and well known to home care clinicians. In the absence of a falls-prevention program targeting older adults living in the community, home healthcare professionals at Cooley Dickinson VNA & Hospice in Northampton, MA, observed a high rate of falls and hip fractures. The clinicians designed a falls reduction program titled Strength in Numbers, an evidence-informed, multifaceted approach offered in community settings such as local senior centers and retirement communities. Physical and occupational therapists presented sessions that addressed risk factors for falls: fear of falling, strength, balance, medications, vision, and home safety. This article describes the program, its evolution and expansion, and outcomes. Between 2008 and 2015, 1,974 people received falls-prevention education through one of several variations of Strength in Numbers. Nearly 20% of those returning for a follow-up session who had fallen before did not fall again after completing it. Presenters recorded statistically significant improvement for participants in Single-Leg Standing, Timed Up and Go, and Functional Reach tests.
Design and characterization of a mobile force plate and three-dimensional motion analysis system

In order to implement an unobstructed assessment of walking gait, we proposed a mobile force plate and three-dimensional motion analysis system (M3D) to measure triaxial ground reaction forces (GRF) and three-dimensional orientations of feet. To test accuracy of the new measurement system, verification experiments by using reference measurements of a commercially available measurement system were performed in a gait laboratory, where a stationary force plate and a motion capture system based on high-speed cameras are provided to analyse human movements. Experiment results supported that the developed system can be used to measure triaxial GRF with an acceptable precision during successive walking gait. An application trial was implemented to quantitatively analyze normal gaits and paralysis gaits using the M3D. Some quantitative differences between the gaits were analyzed based on results of three components of GRF and medial-lateral directional angular flexions of the feet.
Executive Function and Intelligence in the Resolution of Temporary Syntactic Ambiguity: An Individual Differences Investigation

In the current study, we examined the role of intelligence and executive functions in the resolution of temporary syntactic ambiguity using an individual differences approach. Data were collected from 174 adolescents and adults who completed a battery of cognitive tests as well as a sentence comprehension task. The critical items for the comprehension task consisted of object/subject garden paths (e.g., While Anna dressed the baby that was small and cute played in the crib), and participants answered a comprehension question (e.g., Did Anna dress the baby? ) following each one. Previous studies have shown that garden-path misinterpretations tend to persist into final interpretations. Results showed that both intelligence and processing speed interacted with ambiguity. Individuals with higher intelligence and faster processing were more likely to answer the comprehension questions correctly and, specifically, following ambiguous as opposed to unambiguous sentences. Inhibition produced a marginal effect, but the variance in inhibition was largely shared with intelligence. Conclusions focus on the role of individual differences in cognitive ability and their impact on syntactic ambiguity resolution.
Differential expression of N- and B-cadherin during lens development.

PURPOSE To analyze the dynamics of N- and B-cadherin cell adhesion molecule expression and cytoskeletal interaction during embryonic chick lens development. METHODS Localization of N- and B-cadherin, F-actin, and connexin 56 were determined by immunohistochemistry of developing lenses or immunocytochemistry of differentiating primary lens cultures. Biochemical analysis of cytoskeletal linkage of N- or B-cadherin was assessed by differential detergent extraction, electrophoresis, and immunoblotting. RESULTS The results indicate that although both cadherins are expressed throughout lens development, N-cadherin expression detected was similar in both lens epithelial and fiber cells, whereas B-cadherin was preferentially localized to the lens fiber cells. During differentiation, both cadherins become increasingly associated with the lens cytoskeleton, as indicated biochemically by a transition from largely Triton X-100-soluble to Triton X-100-insoluble pools and immunocytologically by cadherin localization to cell-cell borders and colocalization with the actin cytoskeleton. Although a significant fraction of N-cadherin remains Triton X-100-soluble as the lens cells differentiate, B-cadherin becomes resistant to extraction by both Triton X-100 as well as RIPA buffers. As detected immunocytochemically in lens cell cultures, the temporal localization of N-cadherin to cell-cell interfaces precedes that of B-cadherin. Furthermore, temporal localization of B-cadherin, as opposed to N-cadherin, to cell-cell borders more closely parallels that of connexin 56 in vitro as well as in vivo. CONCLUSIONS; These results suggest that while both N- and B-cadherin are expressed during lens cell differentiation, both their patterns of expression as well as their cytoskeletal association differ between epithelial and fiber cells.
An analysis of quality costs in Australian manufacturing firms

Analysis of quality costs is an important aspect in implementing total quality management culture. Yet evidence shows that manufacturing firms usually neglect this aspect, and a large proportion of firms do not even report quality costs systematically. Quality-focused firms could use cost data for various purposes such as setting quality (and operational) targets and allocating funds for quality improvement. Through a statistical analysis this paper identifies the key quality cost data/reports that have been used by Australian manufacturing firms in formulating quality improvement strategies.