Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
International, intersectoral or both? In search for the nature of R&D Spillovers

The aim of this paper is to identify the nature of R&D spillovers from an intersectoral, international as well as combined international-intersectoral perspective. We use panel data for sub-sectors of the manufacturing industry among 13 OECD countries in the period 1988 to 2006. We estimate Griliches-type knowledge production functions at the aggregate level along with two-digit industry level, where R&D investments outside the own industry enter as an explicit regressor. The endogenous variable of interest is labour productivity growth. In order to properly weight the R&D induced spillover eects, we construct dierent weighting schemes based on the technological and trade-based connectivity between sectors and countries respectively, as well as a combination of the two modes. Although we do not use spatial data as such, we estimate the sectoral production function models by means of spatial econometrics, which allows for a consistent treatment of weighted variables derived from the endogenous regressand as well as the set of explanatory regressors. The empirical estimate indicates that both international and domestic R&D knowledge spillovers matter for explaining the productivity growth. Spillovers from other sector is more than the spillover from same sector domestic and foreing R&D expenditures.
RFIG lamps: interacting with a self-describing world via photosensing wireless tags and projectors

This paper describes how to instrument the physical world so that objects become self-describing, communicating their identity, geometry, and other information such as history or user annotation. The enabling technology is a wireless tag which acts as a radio frequency identity and geometry (RFIG) transponder. We show how addition of a photo-sensor to a wireless tag significantly extends its functionality to allow geometric operations - such as finding the 3D position of a tag, or detecting change in the shape of a tagged object. Tag data is presented to the user by direct projection using a handheld locale-aware mobile projector. We introduce a novel technique that we call interactive projection to allow a user to interact with projected information e.g. to navigate or update the projected information.The ideas are demonstrated using objects with active radio frequency (RF) tags. But the work was motivated by the advent of unpowered passive-RFID, a technology that promises to have significant impact in real-world applications. We discuss how our current prototypes could evolve to passive-RFID in the future.
Sequential Combination of Two Classifier Algorithms for Binary Classification to Improve the Accuracy

Binary classification is a process of classifying the elements of a data set into two groups on the basis of a classification rule. It is useful and widely applied in many fields: Information Technology, Business, Medical Diagnosis, Finance, and so on. The problems of the previous works do not specify clearly which classifier utilizes to minimize which type of false, False Positive (FP) or False Negative (FN), because they are tradeoffs. In this study, we propose a hybrid method for data classification with two different classifier algorithms. The first classifier responds to reduce FN, and the second classifier is in charge of reducing FP. Our experiments utilize the data set of breast cancer, Wisconsin Breast Cancer (WBC) which is popular data set among the researchers for breast cancer diagnosis. The results show that the proposed method improves accuracy.
Person-Environment Fit: Project Leader-Stakeholder Relationships in a Complex Project Environment

In this paper, we develop a conceptual model to explore the perceived complementary congruence between complex project leaders and the demands of the complex project environment to understand how leaders’ affective and behavioural performance at work might be impacted by this fit. We propose that complex project leaders high in emotional intelligence and cognitive flexibility should report a higher level of fit between themselves and the complex project environment. This abilities-demands measure of fit should then relate to affective and behavioural performance outcomes, such that leaders who perceive a higher level of fit should establish and maintain more effective, higher quality project stakeholder relationships than leaders who perceive a lower level of fit.
Situation Calculus Game Structures and GDL

We present a situation calculus-based account of multiplayers synchronous games in the style of general game playing. Such games can be represented as action theories of a special form, situation calculus synchronous game structures (SCSGSs), in which we have a single action tick whose effects depend on the combination of moves selected by the players. Then one can express properties of the game, e.g., winning conditions, playability, weak and strong winnability, etc. in a first-order alternating-time μ-calculus. We discuss verification in this framework considering computational effectiveness. We also show that SCSGSs can be considered as a firstorder variant of the Game Description Language (GDL) that supports infinite domains and possibly non-terminating games. We do so by giving a translation of GDL specifications into SCSGSs and showing its correctness. Finally, we show how a player’s possible moves can be specified in a Golog-like programming language.
Policy implementation: Implications for evaluation

Policy implementation reflects a complex change process where government decisions are transformed into programs, procedures, regulations, or practices aimed at social betterment. Three factors affecting contemporary implementation processes are explored: networked governance, sociopolitical context and the democratic turn, and new public management. This frame of reference invites evaluators to consider challenges present when evaluating macrolevel change processes, such as the inherent complexity of health and social problems, multiple actors with variable degrees of power and influence, and a political environment that emphasizes accountability. The evaluator requires a deep and cogent understanding of the health or social issues involved; strong analysis and facilitation skills to deal with a multiplicity of values, interests, and agendas; and a comprehensive toolbox of evaluation approaches and methods, including network analysis to assess and track the interconnectedness of key champions (and saboteurs) who might affect intervention effects and sustainability. © Wiley Periodicals, Inc., and the American Evaluation Association.
Global Sensitivity Analysis in a Multi-State Physics Model of Component Degradation Based on a Hybrid State-Space Enrichment and Polynomial Chaos Expansion Approach

This paper extends previous works related to the assessment of component degradation, through Markov multi-state physic models. The extension includes the evaluation of the effects of uncertain parameters in the model, and the definition of their importance with respect to their influence on the output of the model. Global Sensitivity Analysis (GSA) is selected as the technique because it enables us to 1) consider the simultaneous effects of parameters variations, and 2) to define importance indexes that allow a ranking of the components. GSA requires a large number of evaluations for specific points, identified by an appropriate design of experiment. To avoid the many costly evaluations, a meta-model is built based on polynomial chaos expansion (PCE). A PCE is a multi-dimensional polynomial approximation of the model with coefficients determined by evaluating the model in a reduced set of predetermined points. Importance index values are then derived directly from the PCE. Because, in the problem considered, the model provides the time-dependent behavior of the state probabilities, the importance indexes are also functions of time. An application is presented, related to the cracking process in an Alloy 82/182 dissimilar metal weld in the primary coolant system of a nuclear power plant.
DNA minor groove binders as potential antitumor and antimicrobial agents

DNA minor groove binders constitute an important class of derivatives in anticancer therapy. Some of these compounds form noncovalent complexes with DNA (e.g., distamycin A, Hoechst 33258, and pentamidine) while others DNA‐binding compounds (such as CC‐1065) cause cleavages in the DNA backbone. In this article, we have reviewed the minor groove binders currently in preclinical evaluation in the last years. Diarylamidines such as DAPI, berenil, and pentamidine; bis‐benzimidazoles such as Hoechst 33258; ecteinascidins, pyrrololo [2,1‐c]‐[1,4]‐benzodiazepines (PBDs), CC‐1065, and distamycins are the classes discussed in this review article. A special section has been dedicated to hybrid molecules resulted by the combination of two minor groove binders, especially for derivatives of naturally occurring antitumor agents, such as anthramycin or the alkylating unit of the antibiotic CC‐1065, and distamycin frames. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Med Res Rev, 24, No. 4, 475–528, 2004
The psychology of folk psychology

Abstract Folk psychology, the naive understanding of mental state concepts, requires a model of how people ascribe mental states to themselves. Competent speakers associate a distinctive memory representation (a category representation, CR) with each mentalistic word in their lexicon. A decision to ascribe such a word to oneself depends on matching to the CR an instance representation (IR) of one's current state. As in visual object recognition, evidence about a CR's content includes the IRs that are or are not available to trigger a match. This poses serious problems for functionalism, the theory-of-mind approach to the meaning of mental terms. A simple functionalist model is inadequate because (1) the relational and subjunctive (what would have happened) information it requires concerning target states is not generally available and (2) it could lead to combinatorial explosion. A modified functionalist model can appeal to qualitative (phenomenological) properties, but the earlier problems still reappear. Qualitative properties are important for sensations, propositional attitudes, and their contents, providing a model that need not refer to functional (causal-relational) properties at all. The introspectionist character of the proposed model does not imply that ascribing mental states to oneself is infallible or complete; nor is the model refuted by empirical research on introspective reports. Empirical research on “theory of mind” does not support any strict version of functionalism but only an understanding of mentalistic words that may depend on phenomenological or experiential qualities.
Horizontal transmission of a parasite is influenced by infected host phenotype and density

SUMMARY Transmission is a key determinant of parasite fitness, and understanding the dynamics of transmission is fundamental to the ecology and evolution of host–parasite interactions. Successful transmission is often reliant on contact between infected individuals and susceptible hosts. The social insects consist of aggregated groups of genetically similar hosts, making them particularly vulnerable to parasite transmission. Here we investigate how the ratio of infected to susceptible individuals impacts parasite transmission, using the honey bee, Apis mellifera and its microsporidian parasite Nosema ceranae. We used 2 types of infected hosts found simultaneously in colonies; sterile female workers and sexual males. We found a higher ratio of infected to susceptible individuals in groups resulted in a greater proportion of susceptibles becoming infected, but this effect was non-linear and interestingly, the ratio also affected the spore production of infected individuals. The transmission level was much greater in an experiment where the infected individuals were drones than in an experiment where they were workers, suggesting drones may act as intracolonial ‘superspreaders’. Understanding the subtleties of transmission and how it is influenced by the phenotype of the infected/susceptible individuals is important for understanding pathogen transmission at population level, and for optimum targeting of parasite control strategies.
A system for processing and recognition of old Greek manuscripts the D-SCRIBE project

After many years of scholar study, manuscript collections continue to be an important source of novel information for scholars, concerning both the history of earlier times as well as the development of cultural documentation over the centuries. In this paper we present research efforts leading to the creation of a comprehensive software product, which can assist the content holders in turning an archive of manuscripts into a digital collection using automated methods. The system aims at supporting and facilitating current and future efforts in Early Christian Greek manuscript digitization and processing. A number of modules have been developed for the study and processing of the digital collections and are integrated under a common software environment. These modules include a document management system particularly adapted for manuscripts, a module for automatic processing and transliteration of manuscripts incorporating OCR techniques and a self study tool for the use of paleographers. In this paper, we focus on the description of the aforementioned modules that comprise the final system for processing and recognition of old Greek Manuscripts. Key-Words: Handwriting Recognition, Document Image Binarization, Segmentation-free, Feature Extraction, Historical Document Recognition, Old Manuscript Recognition, Self Study tool
Vocational students' intention to drop out in Flanders: the role of teacher beliefs

For decades, western education confronts the problem of student unqualified dropout, which is most prevalent in vocational education. Relatively little research focuses on the role teachers might play in students’ decision to quit school. By means of multilevel analyses on data of 2589 vocational students in 48 Flemish secondary schools, this study examines whether teachers’ shared expectations of their students associate with vocational students’ (intention to) dropout. In vocational education, teachers’ beliefs about the teachability of students influence students’ intention to quit, irrespective of students’ perceived teacher support and students’ sense of futility.
Preparation and Characterization of Loperamide-Loaded Dynasan 114 Solid Lipid Nanoparticles for Increased Oral Absorption In the Treatment of Diarrhea

The aim of the project was to assemble two optimum solid lipid nanoparticle (SLN) formulations for oral delivery of loperamide (LPM) to treat different types of diarrhea, and to evaluate their release profiles in vitro and pharmacokinetic properties in vivo. In this work, glyceryl trimyristate (Dynasan 114) nanoparticles containing the drug LPM and sodium cholate as a stabilizer were prepared using a modified solvent evaporation technique. Two LPM-loaded SLNs, namely LPM-SLN-1 (LPM-SLN with a high ratio rate of lipid to drug) and LPM-SLN-2 (LPM-SLN with a low ratio rate of lipid to drug), were prepared by the solvent evaporation method. A change in the lipid concentration affects the characteristics of LPM-SLNs. The average sizes of the LPM-SLNs were 303 ± 18 nm and 519 ± 36 nm, separately, as analyzed by dynamic light scattering. The LPM-SLNs were found to be round with a smooth surface, as observed using a transmission electron microscope and a scanning electron microscope. The average encapsulation efficiencies were 87 ± 3.78% w/w and 84 ± 5.17%, accordingly. In the in vitro release experiments, LPM-SLNs showed a continuous release profile of LPM without any burst release. The oral bioavailability of LPM-SLNs was analyzed using Wistar rats. The relative bioavailabilities of LPM-SLNs were 227 and 153%, respectively, as compared that of the LPM tablet. There was no difference in the Tmax between LPM-SLN-2 and the LPM tablet. In conclusion, LPM-SLN-1 significantly improved the oral bioavailability of LPM, while LPM-SLN-2 having the same swift action as the LPM tablet. These results demonstrate the potential of LPM-SLNs in the oral delivery of LPM to treat different types of diarrhea.
Key determination of acoustic musical signals

The work presents a novel rule-based approach for determining the key of acoustic musical signals. Knowledge of the key enables to be derived, from music knowledge, the pitch class elements that a piece of music uses. Our technique is a combination of chroma based frequency analysis and music knowledge of rhythm structure and chord change patterns followed by rule-based inference. Experimental results illustrate that 90% accuracy is achieved for key determination and we have given an explanation for the cases that have generated an incorrect key. Steps for further development are also outlined.
The intellectual structure of modern accounting research: Concepts, theories and relationships

This study explores and maps the structure of accounting studies between 1996 and 2005. It attempts to identify the relevant publications and influential scholars, as well as the correlations among these publications, using citation and co-citation analyses. Bibliometrics and social network analysis techniques are used to examine 34,764 cited references in 647 articles from two accounting related journals in SSCI and SCI databases. Four factors emerged: (1) the evaluation of accounting (2) agency theory (3) financial disclosure (4) information content. This study provides a systematic and objective tool to evaluate knowledge nodes in accounting research.
Improving Performance of Finite-Buffered Blocking Delta Networks with 2-Class Priority Routing through Asymmetric-Sized Buffer Queues

In this paper the performance of asymmetric-sized finite-buffered Delta Networks with 2-class routing traffic is presented and analyzed in the uniform traffic conditions under various loads using simulations. We compare the performance of 2-class priority mechanism against the single priority one, by gathering metrics for the two most important network performance factors, namely packet throughput and delay. We also introduce and calculate a universal performance factor, which includes the importance aspect of each of the above main performance factors. We found that the use of asymmetric-sized buffered systems leads to better exploitation of network capacity, while the increments in delays can be tolerated. The goal of this paper is to help network designers in performance prediction before actual network implementation and in understanding the impact of each parameter factor.
Understanding Self-Disclosure in Electronic Communities: An Exploratory Model of Privacy Risk Beliefs, Reciprocity, and Trust

Electronic communities are at the forefront of many individuals’ personal lives. Social networking communities such as Facebook.com and MySpace.com afford personal communication to either the entire world or a specified group of individuals. Little research, however, has examined the underlying factors which may play a role in an individual’s contribution to those communities. More specifically, researchers need to answer the following question: what conditions must be satisfied for an individual to disclose personal and/or private information about themselves in an online community? The authors address this question by applying both Communication Privacy Management and Social Penetration theories from the communication literature in an exploratory model of individual self-disclosure. Through a Partial Least Squares analysis of data collected from 123 Facebook.com and MySpace.com users, findings show strong relationships between privacy risk beliefs, reciprocity, and trust in individuals’ decisions to engage in the five dimensions of self-disclosure in electronic communities.
Resectability of Presymptomatic Pancreatic Cancer and Its Relationship to Onset of Diabetes: A Retrospective Review of CT Scans and Fasting Glucose Values Prior to Diagnosis

BACKGROUND:The timeline of progression of pancreatic cancer from resectable to unresectable disease is unknown. New-onset diabetes often occurs in pancreatic cancer. It is unclear if the cancer is resectable at the onset of diabetes. We (a) determined the resectability of pancreatic cancer on abdominal CT scans done prior to clinical diagnosis and (b) correlated resectability with onset of diabetes.METHODS:All CT scans done at diagnosis or before pancreatic cancer diagnosis were reviewed and pancreatic changes classified as normal, potentially resectable, or unresectable pancreatic cancer. Fasting blood glucose values obtained at and prior to diagnosis were available in 18 patients. The date of onset of diabetes and the interval between onset of diabetes and diagnosis of cancer were noted.RESULTS:Thirty patients fulfilled inclusion criteria. Prior to diagnosis, 28 patients had 38 CT scans done at a median of 18 months (range 1–41) before cancer diagnosis. At cancer diagnosis, only 7/30 patients could undergo margin-negative surgical resection. CT scans done ≥6 months prior to diagnosis showed either a normal pancreas (N = 20) or a resectable mass (N = 6); none had unresectable cancer. The mean interval between onset of diabetes and diagnosis of pancreatic cancer was 10 months (range 5–29 months). At the onset of diabetes, 3 patients had normal pancreas, 6 had resectable, and 4 had unresectable pancreatic cancer.CONCLUSIONS:Pancreatic cancer is frequently undetectable or resectable on CT scans done ≥6 months prior to clinical diagnosis. At onset of diabetes, pancreatic cancers are generally resectable.
Editorial: Special feature on same sex marriage

During the process of publication of this issue of Lesbian & Gay Psychology Review (June, 2005) a landmark High Court case was held in the UK involving two of the founder members of the Lesbian & Gay Psychology Section. Celia Kitzinger and Sue Wilkinson were legally married in Vancouver in 2003 and sought legal recognition of their Canadian marriage, arguing that the failure to acknowledge it is a breach of their human rights (Wilkinson & Kitzinger, 2006). It is to mark this event that we decided to publish the special feature on same sex marriage which you will find in the pages that follow.
Examining the Interrelationship among Critical Success Factors of Public Private Partnership Infrastructure Projects

Examining the interrelationships among critical success factors (CSFs) for public private partnership (PPP) projects is of importance for improving PPP project performance and maintaining the sustainability of PPP project implementation. Previous studies mostly focused on the identification of the CSFs for PPP projects; limited studies investigated the interrelationships among CSFs. Hence, the research objectives are (a) to determine the interrelationships among CSFs of PPP projects taking into account the public and (b) to identify influence paths contributing to take advantage of CSFs in the process of PPP implementation. A literature review and expert interviews were adopted to construct the CSFs framework; nine hypotheses were constructed and tested by the structural equation modelling (SEM) based on the data collected from a questionnaire survey. This research reveals that the relationship between public and private partners is the leader-follower relationship, not the partnership relationship, in PPP projects, indicating that the responsibilities, power or resources existing among partners are very unequal. It also highlights that public involvement has a negative effect on the process of service provisions, and costs and risks exist in the process of public involvement in PPP projects. The determined interrelationships among CSFs will contribute to the sustainability and success of a PPP project.