Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Role of Synchronic Causal Conditions in Visual Knowledge Learning

We propose a principled approach for the learning of causal conditions from actions and activities taking place in the physical environment through visual input. Causal conditions are the preconditions that must exist before a certain effect can ensue. We propose to consider diachronic and synchronic causal conditions separately for the learning of causal knowledge. Diachronic condition captures the "change" aspect of the causal relationship – what change must be present at a certain time to effect a subsequent change – while the synchronic condition is the "contextual" aspect – what "static" condition must be present to enable the causal relationship involved. This paper focuses on discussing the learning of synchronic causal conditions as well as proposing a principled framework for the learning of causal knowledge including the learning of extended sequences of cause-effect and the encoding of this knowledge in the form of scripts for prediction and problem solving.
Antidesmosomal monoclonal antibody in the diagnosis of intracranial tumours

Immunocytochemistry has been applied extensively to the diagnosis of intracranial tumours, but meningiomas still present a diagnostic problem. However, desmosomes have been shown by electron microscopy to be present in meningiomas, and this distinguishes them from gliomas. This paper describes a new monoclonal antibody, 11‐5F, against desmosomal proteins 1 and 2 (desmoplakins) and assesses its usefulness in the diagnosis of meningiomas and other intracranial tumours. A total of 74 surgically removed intracranial tumours were examined by fluorescent antibody staining with 11‐5F on frozen sections. In addition, a panel of antibodies against cytokeratin, vimentin, glial fibrillary acidic protein, and S100 protein was used. 11‐5F stained 30/30 meningiomas and 14/14 metastatic carcinomas but 0/30 gliomas, thus distinguishing meningiomas and metastatic carcinomas from gliomas. The distinction between meningiomas and metastatic carcinomas on the basis of intermediate filaments staining was more difficult because neither the anticytokeratin nor the antivimentin antibody was specific for either tumour type. This study emphasizes the value of antidesmosomal antibodies as an important adjunct to the diagnosis of intracranial tumours.
Long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid dietary intake is positively associated with bone mineral density in normal and osteopenic Spanish women

The regular consumption of long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCO3-PUFAs) results in general health benefits. The intake of LCO3-PUFAs has been reported to contribute to bone metabolism. We aimed to investigate the relationships between dietary intakes of LCO3-PUFAs and bone mineral density (BMD) in Spanish women aged 20–79 years old. A total of 1865 female subjects (20–79 years old) were enrolled, and lumbar (L2, L3, L3 and total spine), hip (femoral neck (FN), femoral trochanter (FT) and Ward’s triangle (WT)) bone mineral density (BMD) were measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Dietary intakes of total energy, calcium, vitamin D, alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and n-6 fatty acids (linoleic acid (LA) and arachidonic acid (AA)) were assessed by a self-administered food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Spearman’s rank correlations between LCO3-PUFAs and BMD were estimated. Partial correlations controlling for age, weight, height, dietary calcium, vitamin D, menopausal status and energy were calculated. A multiple regression analysis was computed to assess significant associations with BMD in this population. After adjustment for potential confounding factors, there were positive correlations between ALA, EPA and DHA intake and BMD. According to the WHO diagnosis criteria for osteoporosis, in this population of normal and osteopenic women, the dietary intake of ALA was also significantly associated with BMD at the hip. In normal women, the dietary intake of DHA was also significantly associated with BMD at the lumbar spine. No significant associations between LCO3-PUFAs and BMD were detected in the lumbar spine of osteopenic or osteoporotic women. The dietary intake of LCO3-PUFAs was positively associated with BMD in Spanish women at both the hips and the lumbar spine. We highlight that the intake of LCO3-PUFAs is not significantly associated with BMD in osteoporotic women; however, the intake of LCO3-PUFAs seems to be positively associated with BMD at both the hips and the lumbar spine in normal and osteopenic women.
Isolation and Characterization of Isofraxidin 7-O-(6′-O-p-Coumaroyl)-β-glucopyranoside from Artemisia capillaris Thunberg: A Novel, Nontoxic Hyperpigmentation Agent That Is Effective In Vivo

Abnormalities in skin pigmentation can produce disorders such as albinism or melasma. There is a research need to discover novel compounds that safely and effectively regulate pigmentation. To identify novel modulators of pigmentation, we attempted to purify compounds from a bioactive fraction of the Korean medicinal plant Artemisia capillaris Thunberg. The novel compound isofraxidin 7-O-(6′-O-p-coumaroyl)-β-glucopyranoside (compound 1) was isolated and its pigmentation activity was characterized in mammalian melanocytes. Compound 1 stimulated melanin accumulation and increased tyrosinase activity, which regulates melanin synthesis. Moreover, compound 1 increased the expression of tyrosinase and the key melanogenesis regulator microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) in melanocytes. Compared to the parent compound, isofraxidin, compound 1 produced greater effects on these pigmentation parameters. To validate compound 1 as a novel hyperpigmentation agent in vivo, we utilized the zebrafish vertebrate model. Zebrafish treated with compound 1 showed higher melanogenesis and increased tyrosinase activity. Compound 1 treated embryos had no developmental defects and displayed normal cardiac function, indicating that this compound enhanced pigmentation without producing toxicity. In summary, our results describe the characterization of novel natural product compound 1 and its bioactivity as a pigmentation enhancer, demonstrating its potential as a therapeutic to treat hypopigmentation disorders.
Evidence of cobble habitat preference in age-0 winter flounder, Pseudopleuronectes americanus

Juvenile winter flounder utilize a wide variety of habitats, including those that are structurally complex. Although a common nearshore habitat in the Northwest Atlantic, selection of cobble habitat by juvenile winter flounder has not been the focus of previous study. In this laboratory experiment, we investigated habitat selection and preferences of age-0 winter flounder in sand and cobble of varying complexity. Fish were observed every 0.5 h for 6 h in tanks with four cobble treatments; bare sand, sand with low complexity cobble, sand with intermediate complexity cobble, and sand with high complexity cobble. Habitat preference was inferred when the proportion of observations in treatments were greater than what would be expected by chance based on availability. Results suggest that age-0 winter flounder strongly prefer cobble to sand, particularly cobble of an intermediate complexity. This study serves as a first step in the investigation of the importance of cobble habitat to juvenile winter flounder, and highlights the need for a more integrative approach when monitoring this species.
The Socio-Economic Impact of Urbanization

The process of urbanization represents the increase in the proportion of people living in towns and cities as a result of people movement from rural areas to urban areas. Urbanization is widely accepted as a process with several consequences, such as social, economic or environmental and it usually occurs in developing countries. This complex process knows a strong global dimension that overcomes the spatial barriers, acting as real centers of progress with a significant impact on natural resources and on life quality.
The Economic and Environmental Sustainability of Dual Sourcing

A supply chain comprises all processes, such as production, warehousing, sourcing and transport, which are necessary to deliver the desired products to the customer. In this respect, supply chain management deals with the design of these processes to fulfil customer requirements at low costs. Traditionally, the decisions are based on the economic performance of a supply chain, which can be measured with financial criteria, such as total landed costs and profit, or non-financial criteria, like customer service. Recently, other criteria, such as quality, flexibility and the impact of supply chain activities on the environment, have become important as well. However, prevalent supply chain strategies, such as offshoring or outsourcing and centralization of locations, often lead to an improvement of economic criteria while negatively affecting the environment due to increased transport activity and the related carbon emissions. Now, stricter regulations and increasing customer awareness with respect to the environment encourage companies to reconsider their strategies and to search for supply chain strategies which are cost-efficient, provide the required customer service and are at the same time environmentally friendly. This work deals with the issue of supply chains and their impact on the environment. In particular, the relation between different sourcing strategies and transport carbon emissions is analysed. We compare single offshore sourcing with dual sourcing relying on an offshore and an onshore supplier. For this purpose, we use a single-period inventory model, also known as newsvendor or newsboy model. We present the classical newsvendor model, i.e. the single offshore sourcing strategy, as well as the basic dual sourcing model. We evaluate the performance of the supply chain with the different sourcing strategies based on expected profit, customer service and transport carbon emissions. In addition to that, we integrate environmental regulations with respect to transport carbon emissions (emission limit, emission taxes and emission trading) into the basic dual sourcing model. We analyse how the decision of the company is influenced by these regulations. Furthermore, we have a closer look at how the regulations influence the economic and environmental performance of the supply chain. We provide analytical as well as numerical results and derive implications for policy-making and management. (author's abstract)
Establishment of a customer-oriented model for demand chain management

This study attempts to solve problems encountered in traditional supply chain design, including: products not being designed or manufactured according to customer needs; low profit or over-crowded competitors in the chosen target market, and conflicts between the objectives for each member of the supply chain. Moreover, this study recommends a model for calculating the objectives for the overall demand chain and for each member. This model maximizes the overall demand chain performance by satisfying customer needs. It not only gives demand chain members for value adding direction, but also monitors the members during execution. The proposed model provides immediate corrective action if any members of the demand chain deviate from the objectives.
Is Conventional Urinary Cytology Still Reliable for Diagnosis of Primary Bladder Carcinoma? Accuracy Based on Data Linkage of a Consecutive Clinical Series and Cancer Registry

Objective: Reported urine cytology accuracy, particular sensitivity, is highly variable. We evaluated the accuracy of urinary cytology for primary bladder cancer using population data linkage to provide valid estimates. Study Design: Consecutive cytology tests processed through a major service between January 2000 and December 2004 were linked to a regional population cancer registry (allowing outcome ascertainment). Sensitivity and specificity were calculated using different thresholds, based on standardized reporting categories (C1 = negative, C2 = reactive, C3 = atypical, C4 = suspicious, C5 = malignant, Cx = inadequate). Results: Cancer registry matching of 2,594 tests revealed 130 incident bladder cancers, of which 97 occurred within 12 months of cytology and were included in calculating accuracy. Sensitivity (C3–C5 considered positive) ranged between 40.2 and 42.3%, and specificity was 93.7–94.1%. If C3 results are counted as negative, sensitivity estimates reduced to 24.7–26.0%. The positive predictive value of a C3, C4 or C5 report was 11.7, 39.2, and 66.6%, respectively. High tumor grade was associated with significantly higher sensitivity compared to low and intermediate grades combined (p = 0.02). Conclusion: Urine cytology is highly specific but has intermediate sensitivity, indicating that it has a role in adjunct diagnosis, but not in screening for primary bladder cancer. C3 results should be considered ‘positive’ and further investigated, and all positive results should prompt further intervention.
Quest for balance

This thesis project is documented in two separate parts. The first part consists of the exploration and execution of six sculptures. The second is in the form of a written thesis, which will discuss the transformation of an idea, my influences, a body ofwork and the beginning of a visual voice. This project centers on the idea of a visceral state versus an intellectual state as part of the human condition. My interest lies in the interaction between these two states and how we as individuals balance them. For this project I classified an intellectual state to revolve around our ability to think, reason and understand. A visceral state may not need any intellect, but proceeds from instinct rather than rational thoughts.
Comparative Performance Analysis of Magnetic Hard Disk and Solid-State Drives Using 64-bit btrfs Filesystem

The main subject of this paper is the performance analysis of btrfs (B-tree filesystem) as a newly developed Linux filesystem, in combination with two types of storage devices: magnetic hard disk (HDD) and solid-state drive (SSD). Despite the extensive usage of the magnetic hard drives, solid-state drives tend to replace them as faster and more reliable devices. Different types of benchmark tests were performed in order to obtain representative results and see the difference in performance between these two storage units. The results clearly show the advantage of SSDs over HDDs while using modern btrfs filesystem. Keywords-filesystem; btrfs; solid-state drive; magnetic hard disk drive; Linux; benchmark
Workplace violence and occupational stress in healthcare workers: a chicken-and-egg situation-results of a 6-year follow-up study.

OBJECTIVES Violence at work (WV) is an important occupational hazard for health care workers (HCWs). A number of surveys addressing the causes and effects of WV have shown that it is associated with work-related stress. However, it is not clear what direction this relationship takes, that is, whether job strain facilitates aggression against HCWs or WV is the cause of job strain. METHODS From 2003 to 2009, HCWs from a public health care unit were asked to self-assess their level of work-related stress and to report aggression that occurred in the 12-month period preceding their routine medical examination. In 2009, physical and mental health and job satisfaction were also assessed. A total of 698 out of 723 HCWs (96.5%) completed the study. FINDINGS Job strain and lack of social support were predictors of the occurrence of nonphysical aggression during the ensuing year. HCWs who experienced WV reported high strain and low support at work in the following year. The experience of nonphysical violence and a prolonged state of strain and social isolation were significant predictors of psychological problems and bad health at follow-up. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS The relationship between work-related distress and WV is bidirectional. The monitoring of workers through questionnaires distributed before their periodic examination is a simple and effective way of studying WV and monitoring distress. CLINICAL RELEVANCE The findings of the present study may facilitate the subsequent design of participatory intervention for the prevention of violence in healthcare facilities. This should always be accompanied by measures designed to reduce strain and improve social support.
Social media, a new revolution in the field of marketing: the effect of information sharing, peer pressure, entertainment and emotional connection on attitude towards the brand and in turn the purchase intention from the brand

iv LIST OF TABLES vii LIST OF FIGURES viii CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1 Social media for companies 3 Social media for users 5 CHAPTER 2: REVIEW OF LITERATURE 8 Theoretical Background 8 CHAPTER 3: CONCEPTUAL MODEL AND HYPOTHESES 12 Hypotheses 12 Conceptual Model 13 CHAPTER 4: METHOD 21 Data Collection and Sample characteristics 21 Survey Development 22 CHAPTER 5: DATA ANALYSIS 24 Reliability and validity 24
Distinctive Characteristics of Smart PSSs

Advances in technology have facilitated the integration of products and e-services into innovative solutions, Smart Product-Service Systems (PSSs). This paper discusses six distinctive characteristics of Smart PSSs that can be influenced by designers, and have an effect on the perceptions of consumers: Consumer empowerment, individualization of services, community feeling, service involvement, product ownership and individual/shared. Understanding the characteristics of Smart PSSs is important for designers to create Smart PSSs that convey the appropriate value and experience for consumers. Moreover, our insights can assist practitioners in the creation of new tools and methodologies for the effective integration of products and services.
Screening for Addictive Disorders Within a Workers’ Compensation Clinic: An Exploratory Study

We conducted a cross-sectional study investigating the extent of addictive disorders within a workers’ compensation (WC) clinic. We also examined the feasibility of substance abuse screening within the same clinic. In , 100 patients were asked to complete the World Health Organization's Alcohol, Smoking, Substance Involvement Screening Test (WHO-ASSIST) and the Current Opioid Misuse Measure (COMM). According to the WHO-ASSIST, we found that 46% of WC patients required intervention for at least one substance-related disorder (25% tobacco, 23% sedatives, 8% opioids), and according to the COMM, 46% screened positive for prescription opioid misuse. Importantly, the addition of this screening was brief, economical, and well accepted by patients. Further research should analyze the costs and benefits of detection and intervention of substance-related disorders in this setting.
Video OCR for Indexing and Retrieval

We present an implementation of a search engine that searches videos based on its textual content. The system consists of four parts video processing, spell correction, indexing and searching. The video processing is done by dividing the video into frames and extracting text out of it. Lecture videos, news having some textual content in it show good results. General Terms Optical Character Recognition (OCR), Connected Components (CCs), Video Search Engine.
Urbanization and Development of Infrastructure in the East Asian Region

Urbanization is characterized by agglomeration of production and consumption, which stimulates overall economic growth. The East Asian region is now experiencing a rapid increase in urban populations. It is projected that in 2030 urban populations in the region will amount to thirty percent of the total global urban population. Although urbanization in East Asia can be characterized in various aspects, one of the most important features is the development of urban systems balanced between urban and regional areas. This can be partly explained by the fact that in East Asia public infrastructure investment has been actively implemented in rural regions with the aim of raising living standards in regional areas and to support the balanced development of urban and regional areas. In this context, in order to sustain balanced urban development an urgent issue that needs to be tackled as part of a mechanism to ensure equitable regional public investment distribution is decentralization, particularly fiscal decentralization. In addition, as a means of responding to rapid urbanization, it is also essential to realize a more service-oriented structure in the urban economy. Development of urban service industries is conducive to employment creation, poverty reduction and selforganized local business development in urban regions. In order to nurture a service economy in urban areas, the development of transportation infrastructure and reliable information and telecommunications systems are required, even at the feeder level, as a means of enabling eff icient distribution in urban areas.
Awareness and Perception of CAMEL Rating Across Banks: Some Survey Evidence

CAMEL rating is used by most banks across the world as a performance evaluation technique. It undertakes all the important criteria, i.e., Capital, Assets, Management, Earnings and Liquidity (CAMEL), for the evaluation of any bank. There is a need for bank employees to have sufficient knowledge of the rating system, in order to guide the banking growth rate in the positive direction. Lack of knowledge among employees regarding banking performance indicators affects banks negatively as these are the basis for any banking action. The objective of this paper is to find out the awareness level, as well as the perception among bank employees about CAMEL rating, and the efforts made by them for improving the ratings of their banks. The results show that there is, comparatively, a higher degree of lack of awareness among executives of private sector banks, and hence, they do not perceive it positively. Foreign banks enjoy a high degree of awareness and positive perception among their employees.
What Do Private Firms Look Like?

Private firms in the U.S. are not subject to public reporting requirements, so relatively little is known about their characteristics and behavior – until now. This Data Appendix describes a new database on private U.S. firms, created by Sageworks Inc. in cooperation with hundreds of accounting firms. The contents of the Sageworks database mirror Compustat, the standard database for public U.S. firms. It contains balance sheet and income statement data for 95,297 private firms covering 250,507 firms-years over the period 2002 to 2007. We compare this database to the joint Compustat-CRSP database of public firms and to the Federal Reserve’s 2003 National Survey of Small Business Finances.
Emergence of networks in large value payment systems (LVPSs)

This paper develops and simulates a model of emergence of networks in an interbank, RTGS payment system. A number of banks, faced with random streams of payment orders, choose whether to link directly to the payment system, or to use a correspondent bank. Settling payments directly via the system imposes liquidity costs, which depend on the maximum liquidity overdraft incurred during the day. On the other hand, using a correspondent entails paying a flat fee, charged by the correspondent to recoup liquidity costs and to extract a profit. We specify a protocol whereby banks sequentially choose whether to link directly to the system or to become clients of other banks, thus generating a client-correspondent network. We calibrate our model on real data on the UK payment system, and we compare the networks it produces with i) the true client-correspondent network, ii) the outcomes of two ‘dummy' benchmark models. The model is found to outperform the benchmarks. Its predicted networks reproduce some key features of the real UK network.