Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effect of unloading and loading on power in simulated countermovement and squat jumps.

PURPOSE In the literature, substantial decreases in power output in jumping have been described for both unloading and loading, and these have been attributed to the intrinsic force-velocity-power relationship of muscle. The purpose of this study was to gain a solid understanding of how and why unloading and loading affect power output during jumping. METHODS Vertical jumps were simulated with a model of the musculoskeletal system, consisting of four rigid segments actuated by six muscles. Muscle stimulation over time was optimized to ensure maximal performance in each loading condition. RESULTS It was found that, in contrast to what is reported in the literature, unloading by an extra vertical force of -60% of body weight caused a small increase in the peak of the rate of change of the effective energy of the center of mass (dEeff/dt). Loading by an extra vertical force of +60% of body weight caused a decrease in peak dEeff/dt, but this decrease was much smaller than that described in the literature. The small variations in peak dEeff/dt among loading conditions in the simulated jumps were only in part due to the intrinsic force-velocity-power relationship of muscle. Why did the effects of unloading and loading in the simulation model deviate from effects reported in subjects? One possible explanation is that subjects tend to make a smaller countermovement when loaded; in the simulation model, making a smaller countermovement caused a major reduction in peak dEeff/dt. A second possible explanation is that subjects cannot quickly optimize their control and therefore produce submaximal power output in unfamiliar loading conditions. CONCLUSION The effects of unloading and loading are due only in part to the intrinsic force-velocity-power relationship of muscle.
System design and hardware integration of social robot Nancy

This paper gives insight into the system design and hardware architecture of Nancy, which is a social robot in humanoid form that is currently being developed in Social Robotics Lab (SRL), Interactive and Digital Media Institute, National University of Singapore. In contrast to industrial robots, the design of Nancy focuses on safety issue, social interaction and attractive appearance. In order to achieve these objectives, Nancy is designed to be user-friendly and approachable. The mechanical structure of Nancy is presented in the beginning. After that, the hardware architecture which includes processor system, vision system, audio system, communication system, power system, and motion system, is described systematically. Finally, the roles of integrated sensors are described and implemented works are summarized.
Precision proteomics: The case for high resolution and high mass accuracy

Proteomics has progressed radically in the last 5 years and is now on par with most genomic technologies in throughput and comprehensiveness. Analyzing peptide mixtures by liquid chromatography coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-MS) has emerged as the main technology for in-depth proteome analysis whereas two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, low-resolution MALDI, and protein arrays are playing niche roles. MS-based proteomics is rapidly becoming quantitative through both label-free and stable isotope labeling technologies. The latest generation of mass spectrometers combines extremely high resolving power, mass accuracy, and very high sequencing speed in routine proteomic applications. Peptide fragmentation is mostly performed in low-resolution but very sensitive and fast linear ion traps. However, alternative fragmentation methods and high-resolution fragment analysis are becoming much more practical. Recent advances in computational proteomics are removing the data analysis bottleneck. Thus, in a few specialized laboratories, “precision proteomics” can now identify and quantify almost all fragmented peptide peaks. Huge challenges and opportunities remain in technology development for proteomics; thus, this is not “the beginning of the end” but surely “the end of the beginning. ”
Physicians' communication of Down syndrome screening test results: The influence of physician numeracy

Purpose: We investigated three questions: (1) How do obstetrician-gynecologists communicate positive and negative test results? (2) When reporting screening test results, do obstetrician-gynecologists use quantitative or qualitative information? and (3) Is physician numeracy (i.e., the ability to use and understand numbers) associated with use of quantitative or qualitative information? Method: Obstetrician-gynecologists (N = 203; 55.6% response rate) who were members of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists completed a survey about their communication of Down syndrome screening test results, an Objective Numeracy Scale, and the Subjective Numeracy Scale.Results: Higher scores on the Subjective Numeracy Scale and younger age predicted obstetrician-gynecologists' use of numbers to explain testing results. The Objective Numeracy Scale did not predict use of numbers. Gender was correlated with scores on the Subjective Numeracy Scale (r = 0.2) and the Subjective Numeracy Scale-Ability Subscale (r = 0.3), with men scoring higher than women when controlling for age. Open-ended questions revealed that communication strategies vary, with approximately one in three obstetrician-gynecologists providing numerical information, and frequency format being the commonly used numerical format.Conclusion: Although physicians are often overlooked in the problem of low health literacy, it is important that we continue to investigate the impact of physician numeracy on patient care.
Whatever happened to human resource management performance

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to critically explore the evidence that human resource management (HRM) could contribute to the improvement of organizational and individual performance. It aims to examine the historical development of HRM and its emergence as a distinct management discipline. The evidence indicates that HRM is the product of several different traditions that range from a concern with employee welfare to the development of workplace relationships. The paper critically re‐evaluates what human performance is and assesses its contribution to organizational effectiveness. What is particularly important is the lack of empirical literature on the contribution of HRM and business performance. This paper will call for the re‐evaluation of more contemporary criteria of how people contribute to organizational performance in private, public and the emerging non‐profit making sectors.Design/methodology/approach – The methodology adopted in this research uses critical literature on the contribut.
Characteristics of Improvement in the Turkey Production in the Last 30 Years

SUMMARY Examining the background of the exceptional genetic improvement attained in turkeys during the last three decades the main aim of the present research was to assess the contribution of genetic merit (genetic factor) and that of the feeding management (environmental factor) to the realised improvement. BUT Big 6 turkeys and their currently used commercial diet, traditional Bronze type turkeys and their reconstructed diet used in the 1960s were set to a three factorial (G = genotype, I = sex, T = type of diet) trial, carried out in climatized and windowless houses and lasted till 20 weeks of age. Based on the results it could be concluded that the influence of feeding on the turkeys’ performance was variable with the changing age nevertheless it was substantially less (7-13%) than that of the genotype. The performance of the modern hybrid using the current diet was 3.1-3.2 times more compared it to that of the Bronze type turkeys’ however, applying the diet used in the 1960s the advantage over the to the Bronze type turkeys’ performance was decreased to 3.0-3.1 times. Test slaughters in turkey showed radical anatomical changes. The 13-18% improvement in dressing percentage resulted in a highly favourable 10% breast fillets (due to the ratio changes of different body regions) increase on the other hand the 55-65% relative heart ratio is critical from the aspect of an unstable circulatory system.
Stability and change: an institutionalist study of management accounting change

Purpose – This paper explores the relationship between “stability and change” within with the process of accounting change It focuses on the ceremonial way in which a new system of value‐based management (VBM) was implemented and how the key performance indicators (KPIs) became decoupled from the day‐to‐day activities of the business, thereby creating a level of stability which ultimately contributed to accounting change.Design/methodology/approach – It uses a longitudinal study of a company in which value‐based management was imposed by its parent. It is informed by an institutionalist framework which draws on concepts from both old institutional economics (OIE) and new institutional sociology (NIS). Findings – It shows that stability and change are not necessarily contradictory or opposing forces, but can be intertwined in an evolutionary process of change.Research limitations/implications – Although there is accounting change within the case study, it is problematic to characterise it as either successf.
Say on Pay Votes and CEO Compensation: Evidence from the UK

We examine the effect of say on pay regulation in the United Kingdom (UK). Consistent with the view that shareholders regard say on pay as a value-creating mechanism, the regulation’s announcement triggered a positive stock price reaction at firms with weak penalties for poor performance. UK firms responded to negative say on pay voting outcomes by removing controversial CEO pay practices criticized as rewards for failure (e.g., generous severance contracts) and increasing the sensitivity of pay to poor realizations of performance.
Intra-Day Seasonalities on Stock Returns: Evidence from the Turkish Stock Market

One of the interesting findings among the seasonalities in stock markets is that the return, volume and volatility of the stock prices and bid-ask spreads all broadly follow a U-shaped pattern over the trading day. This study examines the intra-daily seasonalities of the stock returns in the emerging Turkish Stock Market which is an order-driven continuous auction market using electronic trading without market makers in the period from January 1, 1996 through January 15, 1999 by using 15-minute (and also 5 minute and 1 minute) interval data. Results show that stock returns follow a U-shaped or more precisely a W-shaped pattern over the trading day at the Istanbul Stock Exchange (ISE) since there are two trading sessions in a day. This result is consistent with the previous findings in the literature. Opening (Overnight) and closing returns are significantly large and positive. In addition, volatility is higher at the openings and follows an L-shape pattern during the both sessions. Interestingly, the daily average close-to-close returns are generated only during the opening and closing intervals and the average intra-day return is negative when the returns at the opening and/or closing intervals (even the first and the last minutes of the day) are excluded from the analyses. Thus, the rest of the trading day provides no gains (losses) to close-to-close overall returns. Findings suggest that relatively higher closing prices are not corrected by the market at the opening of the next trading day. Relatively higher mean return and standard deviation at the openings of the trading sessions seem to be significantly generated by the accumulated overnight information and the closed-market effect (halt of trade). Mondays have the highest opening mean return and volatility among the days of the week supports this explanation. On the other hand, large day-end returns are strongly affected by the activities of fund managers and speculators who, at the end of the day, boost their portfolios' asset value by bidding higher and accepting ask prices that result to higher closing prices with the contribution of relatively higher minimum tick sizes determined by the Stock Exchange. Intra-day seasonalities that also exist significantly in the Turkish Stock Market, are consistent with those of the international stock markets. This conclusion implies that large profits can be realized by using a simple trading rule, based on the strong intra-day seasonalities in stock returns at the ISE, such as buying and selling stocks at a particular time of the day.
Assessing temporal integration spans in ADHD through apparent motion.

OBJECTIVE We use psychophysical methods to examine the maximum time intervals over which discrete events can be temporally integrated into the percept known as apparent motion. We hypothesized that the maximum time interval would be shorter in participants with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) than it would be in a control group. METHOD Thirty-five adults with ADHD and 40 adult controls without ADHD participated in an apparent motion task, in which they viewed a stimulus flashing in 2 different locations and were asked to complete the trajectory of motion that they perceived. The stimulus flashes were separated by varied temporal intervals ranging from 200 to 2300 ms. Clear trajectory perception in this task indicates successful temporal integration. RESULTS At short intervals, we found evidence of clear trajectory perception in both groups, indicated by low variability in path estimations. At the longest intervals, neither group demonstrated path perception, evidenced by high variability in estimations. However, at intermediate intervals (1.7 s), the control group demonstrated path perception while the group with ADHD did not, indicating a difference between the 2 groups in the maximum interval over which apparent motion could be perceived. CONCLUSIONS We suggest that ADHD is generally characterized by a contraction in the time scale governing the rate at which association strength decays. In contrast to theories that postulate general time-processing deficits, this work provides a precise sense in which temporality is disturbed in ADHD.
Monetary Populism in Nineteenth-Century America: An Open Economy Interpretation

The battle over gold is typically explained as driven by proinflation debtors. However, going off gold would also have caused a depreciation, raising tradable prices relative to nontradables prices and helping producers of exportable primary products. An analysis of Congressional votes on monetary legislation indicates that higher constituency debt levels were not associated with opposition to gold, whereas mining and agricultural production were. This suggests that gold politics was at least as much about the impact of the exchange rate on relative prices as it was about inflation of the overall price level.
Amygdala–hippocampal shape and cortical thickness abnormalities in first-episode schizophrenia and mania

Background Abnormalities in cortical thickness and subcortical structures have been studied in schizophrenia but little is known about corresponding changes in mania and brain structural differences between these two psychiatric conditions, especially early in the stage of the illness. In this study we aimed to compare cortical thickness and shape of the amygdala–hippocampal complex in first-episode schizophrenia (FES) and mania (FEM). Method Structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed on 28 FES patients, 28 FEM patients and 28 healthy control subjects who were matched for age, gender and handedness. Results Overall, the shape of the amygdala was deformed in both patient groups, relative to controls. Compared to FEM patients, FES patients had significant inward shape deformation in the left hippocampal tail, right hippocampal body and a small region in the right amygdala. Cortical thinning was more widespread in FES patients, with significant differences found in the temporal brain regions when compared with FEM and controls. Conclusions Significant differences were observed between the two groups of patients with FES and FEM in terms of the hippocampal shape and cortical thickness in the temporal region, highlighting that distinguishable brain structural changes are present early in the course of schizophrenia and mania.
Measuring supply chain performance among public hospital laboratories

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the efficiency levels of the decision‐making units within the public hospital laboratories in using their supply chain towards meeting the satisfaction of doctors.Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected from two senior laboratory administrators and 30 doctors of two hospital laboratories in Malaysia using two sets of structured questionnaires, which comprised of two dimensions, i.e. doctor satisfaction dimension (DSD) and supply chain inputs (SCI). The dimensions of DSD and SCI were developed and that SCI has been relabeled as hospital laboratory inputs (HLI) to suit the nature of current study. The resulting data were positioned on an importance‐performance matrix. By using the data envelopment analysis software, the efficient frontier for both hospital laboratories was calculated under different scenarios.Findings – Results reveal that one of the laboratories satisfies doctors efficiently using the present levels of HLI for each scenario wh.
Study of Current the Rice Straw Potential for a Small Power Plant Capacity in the Central Region of Thailand

The objective of this work was to study potential of rice straw for power plant in the Central region of Thailand. Provincial power plant capacity was studied. The results showed that provinces central region had potential for small power plants with a capacity of over 10 MW in 13 provinces, 1-10 MW in 6 provinces and less than 1 MW in 3 provinces. Keywords—Rice straw, Power plant, Central region, Thailand.
Taxation and political business cycles in EU economies

This paper examines whether incumbent national governments of 11 member states of the European Union manipulated the tax policy instruments at their disposal in order to create national political business cycles, opportunistic or partisan. The empirical evidence, based on data concerning the 1965 to 1997 period, does not support this hypothesis. Rather, it appears that governments have pursued stabilization policies.
The costs of distribution in the UK life insurance market

The cost of direct and independent distribution in the UK life insurance sector over the period 1990–1997 is examined. This is a novel contribution to the literature that until now has focused almost solely on distribution in the non-life sector. Unlike the non-life sector the distribution of life insurance is complicated by the existence of investor protection policies. Which in the UK are believed to have increased the use of independent agents. Using a pooled data set of 44 companies between 1990 and 1997, this study finds little evidence for such a view. Cost benefits are found for firms focusing in one mode of distribution. From a modelling of the distribution decision this finding maybe attributed to firms choosing distribution systems which match the transactional problems associated with their product mix and/or mode of corporate governance.
Cantilever TLIF With Structural Allograft and RhBMP2 for Correction and Maintenance of Segmental Sagittal Lordosis: Long-Term Clinical, Radiographic, and Functional Outcome

Study Design/Setting. Prospective cohort study in a tertiary care spine center. Objective. The effectiveness of the cantilever transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (C-TLIF) technique in creating and maintaining lordosis, avoiding nerve problems, and obtaining fusion was studied. Summary of Background Data. C-TLIF is a microscope-assisted transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion technique, emphasizing no dural retraction with placement of structural allograft and RhBMP2 anteriorly under the cortical apophyseal ring, followed by middle column cancellous autograft placed under compression with posterior pedicle spinal instrumentation. Methods. A total of 100 consecutive patients studied with an average of 30 months of follow-up. A total of 48 had prior surgery at the index level; 16 had the procedure done at an adjacent level to a previous fusion; 32 at L5–S1 with 42 at L4–L5 and 26 at L3–L4. There were 76 single-level and 24 two-level fusions. One patient was a smoker with one other patient a compensation case. Outcome was prospectively documented with self-administered Visual Analog Pain Scale, Oswestry Disability Questionnaire, Treatment Intensity Questionnaire, and SF-36 Health Survey. Patients rated the surgery as excellent, good, fair, or poor and whether they would recommend the surgery. Student t test was used for statistical analysis with significance set at P = 0.05. Results. Blood loss and hospital stay averaged 300 mL and 2.2 days, respectively. There was significant reduction (P < 0.05) in pain scores from 9 to 3, Oswestry Disability Index scores from 35 to 12, and Treatment Intensity Score from 21/25 to 2/25 at final follow-up. The SF-36 PCS and MCS scores showed an increasing trend to improvement. A total of 69 rated the surgery as excellent, 23 good, 7 fair, and 1 poor. A total of 97% were satisfied and would recommend the surgery. All had improvement in radicular pain with no dural tears, neural injury, or neuropathic pain. There was significant improvement (P < 0.05) in segmental sagittal lordosis from 2° to 9°, anterior disc height from 6 to 14 mm, and posterior disc height from 4 to 8 mm. There was no subsidence, misplaced screws, or instrumentation failure. Solid fusion was obtained in 99 of 100 patients. Conclusions. The C-TLIF allows for creation and maintenance of sagittal lordosis while avoiding subsidence and neurologic problems with a 99% fusion rate and 97% patient satisfaction.
Stock-Based Compensation and Earnings Management Behaviors

The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether a CEOs stock-based compensation incentive, that is one of the main corporate governance dimensions, has different impacts on accruals-based earnings management (AEM) and real activities earnings management (REM) which have different economic costs. Empirical results show that CEOs stock-based compensation incentive has a positive impact on AEM but a negative impact on REM, implying stock-based compensation incentive leads executives to use more AEM but less REM. Given that the SOX places additional compensation risk on executives, the stock-based compensation is an incentive to significantly encourage managers for using more AEM during the pre-SOX period and less REM during the post-SOX period. The evidence implies that managers change their risk perceptions for AEM and REM after the enactment of SOX, and then their earnings management behaviors indeed change for avoiding wealth-destroying pitfalls. These results bring a new insight into the ability to prevent managers from increasing personal wealth at shareholders' expense.