Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The comprehensive connectome of a neural substrate for ‘ON’ motion detection in Drosophila

Analysing computations in neural circuits often uses simplified models because the actual neuronal implementation is not known. For example, a problem in vision, how the eye detects image motion, has long been analysed using Hassenstein-Reichardt (HR) detector or Barlow-Levick (BL) models. These both simulate motion detection well, but the exact neuronal circuits undertaking these tasks remain elusive. We reconstructed a comprehensive connectome of the circuits of Drosophila‘s motion-sensing T4 cells using a novel EM technique. We uncover complex T4 inputs and reveal that putative excitatory inputs cluster at T4’s dendrite shafts, while inhibitory inputs localize to the bases. Consistent with our previous study, we reveal that Mi1 and Tm3 cells provide most synaptic contacts onto T4. We are, however, unable to reproduce the spatial offset between these cells reported previously. Our comprehensive connectome reveals complex circuits that include candidate anatomical substrates for both HR and BL types of motion detectors. DOI: http://dx.doi. org/10.7554/eLife.24394. 001
Entering the nuclear power plant supply chain: The France case study

The so called nuclear renaissance is creating a huge market even though the criticality of the supply chain: few firms have the capabilities to work in this complex and demanding market, whereas many other are investigating the option to enter. The international scientific literature provides information regarding the governmental topics of nuclear power programs in different countries, but the analyses at firm level are almost inexistent. In particular it is unclear how an EPC (Engineering, Procurement and Construction) company can enter the supply chain (or project delivery chain). In order to answer this research question the paper investigates the French case study. First it investigates the pure historical facts and shows how French companies developed the national supply chain thanks to a strong governmental support. Then, the typical pattern used in a French NPP project is described analysing the five most relevant companies.
The impact of children on women managers' career behavior and organizational commitment

Having children has been assumed to reduce womens' organizational commitment and involvement in their work and increase their likelihood of turnover. This assumption was examined by comparing 169 women MBAs who had children with 191 who did not on the basis of their responses to a survey. After controlling for differences in age, experience and work status, results showed no differences in met expectations, turnover intentions, commitment, satisfaction, job characteristics, or perceptions of progress. However, women with children scored lower on job involvement and reported fewer work hours. While parenting demands may affect these variables, they may not necessarily affect work-related attitudes, professional attainment, attachment to the job, or commitment to the organization. © 1995 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
On the Absence of Centripetal Incentives in Double-Member Districts

In its final months, the Pinochet regime engineered a number of institutional reforms with the intent of bolstering the right side of the spectrum and of promoting centripetal political competition once democratic procedures were reinitiated in 1989. One of the most important reforms created 60 double-member districts for elections to the lower house. Although some analysts have claimed that the new system does in fact promote centrist position taking, using game theory and spatial modeling, the authors demonstrate that the incentives of the Chilean electoral system encourage politicians to take noncentrist positions along a left-right spectrum. The combination of double-member districts with the d'Hondt seat allocation method and open-list voting creates a Rival Partners Game, creating perverse incentives for Chilean candidates. The authors' theoretical results help clarify the debate about the effects of post-authoritarian institutional reforms in Chile and should encourage empirical research on the same issues.
An investigation of key growth industry sectors in Wales using multi-sectoral qualitative analysis

This paper examines the problem of key sector identification in regional economies. Whilst the paper questions the desirability of policy focusing on the promotion of key sectors, it suggests that tools are generally underdeveloped to identify these sectors. The paper suggests that multi-sectoral qualitative analysis provides one means of forming conclusions on sector potentials.
Bank Stock Return Sensitivities to the Long-Term and Short-Term Interest Rates: A Multivariate GARCH Approach

This study employs a multivariate GARCH model to investigate the relative sensitivities of the first and the second moment of bank stock return distribution to the short‐term and long‐term interest rates and their respective volatilities. Three portfolios are formed representing the money center banks, large banks, and small banks, respectively. Estimation and testing of hypotheses are carried out for each of the three portfolios separately. The sample includes daily data over the 1988‐2000 period. Several hypotheses are tested within the multivariate GARCH specification. These include the hypotheses of: (i) insensitivity of bank stock return to the changes in the short‐term and long‐term interest rates, (ii) insensitivity of bank stock returns to the changes in the volatilities of short‐term and long‐term interest rates, and (iii) insensitivity of bank stock return volatility to the changes in the short‐term and long‐term interest rate volatilities. The findings indicate that short‐term and long‐term interest rates and their volatilities do exert significant and differential impacts on the return generation process of the three bank portfolios. The magnitudes and the direction of the effect are model‐specific namely that they depend on whether the short‐term or the long‐term interest rate level is included in the mean return equation. These findings have implications on bank hedging strategies against the interest rate risk, regulatory decisions concerning risk‐based capital requirement, and investor’s choice of a portfolio mix.
A CMOS dual-band fractional-n synthesizer with reference doubler and compensated charge pump

A fully integrated dual-band frequency synthesizer in 0.35 /spl mu/m CMOS technology achieves a phase noise of -141 dBc/Hz at 1.25 MHz offset in the PCS band with a reference frequency doubler. Fractional spurs are reduced by 8.6 dB at 50 kHz offset with a replica compensated charge pump.
Current-Penetration Patterns in Twisted Superconductors in Self-Field

In a straight and untwisted superconducting wire, the current penetrates from the edges and flows along the wire's axis. The generated self-field is in the wire's cross-section plane and always perpendicular to the current. Bean's critical state model (CSM) describes the mesoscopic current and magnetic field penetration in such a configuration. Also, by using power-law resistivity, an eddy current problem can be formulated to simulate such a case. However, when a conductor is twisted, the self-field is no longer perpendicular to the helicoidal trajectories of the filaments. When this non-perpendicularity of the magnetic field occurs, the current does not flow along the helicoidal lines of the filaments. If that was the case, the central regions of the filaments would not be shielded from the magnetic field. In this paper we investigate current penetration in a twisted configuration by means of numerical simulations. We used the finite element method to solve eddy current formulations where the resistivity in the superconducting regions was described with an isotropic power-law model.
Early Detection of Sepsis--A Role for Network Physiology?

To the Editor: In the fight with sepsis, we are in a standoff. No sepsis-specific drug has been found to be useful, and today’s therapies were all available to us 3 decades ago. The modern attention to providing care bundles as soon as possible after clinical diagnosis has not proven to be greatly effective. The problem, it seems, is that the diagnosis cannot be suspected until the illness is quite advanced. Earlier diagnosis of sepsis seems to be the next and necessary breakthrough. For this, new points of view are welcome. The recent study by Asada et al (1) published in Critical Care Medicine revisits an old concept of how sepsis disrupts organ function and provides a neat and clear demonstration. The work stands squarely on a prismatic 1996 article by Godin and Buchman (2) that looked across two fields of science to crystallize the growing idea that organ systems are not meant to be independent, but rather to communicate and interact. Formally, they proposed that organs behave as weakly coupled oscillators. Here is an analogy, perhaps. Consider a dozen schoolchildren on playground swings that are arranged in a circle such that each child can touch hands Third, the difference of lactate concentration remained significant even after controlling for the main confounding factors, that is, mortality and severity of the sepsis. The blood lactate concentration was similar between the β-blocked patients who died at the 28th day and the non–β-blocked patients who survived at the same period of time (4.7 ± 2.4 vs 4.3 ± 2.3 mmol/L, respectively). At last, the multivariate analysis that took into account the overall available confounding factors showed that the β-blocker therapy was significantly and independently associated with the presence of a normal blood lactate concentration at the initial phase of severe sepsis. In conclusion, even if we believe that β-blockers decrease blood lactate concentration in severe septic patients by an aerobic glycolysis inhibiting effect, we agree with Boulain et al (1) that only a large-scale prospective multicenter evaluation will be able to confirm these results. The authors have disclosed that they do not have any potential conflicts of interest.
Statistical Language Models within the Algebra of Weighted Rational Languages

Statistical language models are an important tool in natural language processing. They represent prior knowledge about a certain language which is usually gained from a set of samples called a corpus. In this paper, we present a novel way of creating N-gram language models using weighted finite automata. The construction of these models is formalised within the algebra underlying weighted finite automata and expressed in terms of weighted rational languages and transductions. Besides the algebra we make use of five special constant weighted transductions which rely only on the alphabet and the model parameter N. In addition, we discuss efficient implementations of these transductions in terms of virtual constructions.
Innovative Leadership and Policy Change: Lessons From Thatcher

This article employs the concept of Innovative Leadership to challenge the literature on policy change, particularly its skepticism about executive-led policy innovation. It examines evidence of innovative leadership under the Thatcher governments in the face of the social, governmental, and economic and secular factors normally believed to structure policy choice in democracies. On the basis of this it considers the opportunities/resources available to executives wishing to pursue innovative leadership. The conclusions are qualified by reference to system-specific and environmental factors which may circumscribe Innovative Leadership.
Integrated system health management-oriented maintenance decision-making for multi-state system based on data mining

ABSTRACT To ensure a series of missions can be completed with only finite breaks, many systems are required to guarantee system safety and mission success. Of these, maintenance decision support is vital. One widely used maintenance strategy has been selective maintenance. Most traditional selective maintenance optimisation research has focused on binary state systems, which are subject to distribution deterioration or failure. However, a majority of systems used in aerospace or industrial applications are multi-state systems with more than two states deteriorating at the same time, meaning that real-time state distribution is needed to provide more timely and effective maintenance. This paper presents a novel integrated system health management-oriented maintenance decision support methodology and framework for a multi-state system based on data mining. An aero-engine system numerical example is given to illustrate the methodology, the results of which demonstrate the significant advantages of using data mining to efficiently obtain state distribution information, and the benefits of using a robust optimal model to choose suitable strategies. This methodology, which is applicable to multi-state systems of varying sizes, has the ability to solve maintenance problems when imperfect maintenance quality is considered.
Striking a pose: Transparency and position taking in the Council of the European Union

In recent years, transparency (or the lack thereof) has become a central concern of the European Union and its attempts to increase the democratic legitimacy of the legislative decision-making process. The claim regularly made is that increasing transparency increases the potential for holding decision makers to account. This study investigates the manner in which transparency in the decision-making process affects the policy positions taken by negotiators at the outset of negotiations. The findings presented suggest that increasing transparency tends to lead to polarisation of negotiations, with negotiators taking more extreme positions when they know that their positions can be observed by outside parties. The implication of this result is that advocates of transparency should be aware that there is an inherent trade-off between increasing transparency, on the one hand, and increasing the incentives to grandstand during negotiations, on the other.
No . 13-14 Affirmative Action and Stereotype Threat

In spite of the apparent success of affirmative action (AA) in the past, many oppose such policies. Opponents argue that the cost of attaining proportional representation by preferential policies is too high, reducing the quality of selected groups and stigmatizing members of the protected class. One way in which preferential policies might harm groups they are designed to benefit is by producing stereotype threat; that is, cueing a negative stereotype may lead individuals to conform to it. AA, by definition, singles out disadvantaged groups and therefore may unintentionally remind beneficiaries of relevant negative stereotypes and prime a stereotype threat effect. This paper investigates experimentally whether gender-based affirmative action, in the form of a quota, may have this unintended consequence. Using quantitative Graduate Record Examination (GRE) questions, we find that while affirmative action has a positive effect on the performance of non-high-ability women, it negatively affects high-ability women in our sample. Interestingly, there is no evidence that women (of any ability level) in the sample exert less effort under AA or in single-sex competition, or would benefit by doing so. Hence, these findings are consistent with affirmative action having an unintended negative consequence due to stereotype threat. Interestingly, men are not affected by the affirmative action policy regardless of their measured ability in this task. These results should be taken with caution, as this is the first study looking at the stereotype threat effect of AA. JEL Classifications: C91, J16
Moving Average-Based Estimators of Integrated Variance

We examine moving average (MA) filters for estimating the integrated variance (IV) of a financial asset price in a framework where high-frequency price data are contaminated with market microstructure noise. We show that the sum of squared MA residuals must be scaled to enable a suitable estimator of IV. The scaled estimator is shown to be consistent, first-order efficient, and asymptotically Gaussian distributed about the integrated variance under restrictive assumptions. Under more plausible assumptions, such as time-varying volatility, the MA model is misspecified. This motivates an extensive simulation study of the merits of the MA-based estimator under misspecification. Specifically, we consider nonconstant volatility combined with rounding errors and various forms of dependence between the noise and efficient returns. We benchmark the scaled MA-based estimator to subsample and realized kernel estimators and find that the MA-based estimator performs well despite the misspecification.
Big data management challenges in health research - a literature review

Big data management for information centralization (i.e. making data of interest findable) and integration (i.e. making related data connectable) in health research is a defining challenge in biomedical informatics. While essential to create a foundation for knowledge discovery, optimized solutions to deliver high-quality and easy-to-use information resources are not thoroughly explored. In this review, we identify the gaps between current data management approaches and the need for new capacity to manage big data generated in advanced health research. Focusing on these unmet needs and well-recognized problems, we introduce state-of-the-art concepts, approaches and technologies for data management from computing academia and industry to explore improvement solutions. We explain the potential and significance of these advances for biomedical informatics. In addition, we discuss specific issues that have a great impact on technical solutions for developing the next generation of digital products (tools and data) to facilitate the raw-data-to-knowledge process in health research.
Mechanisms of extracellular divalent and trivalent cation block of the sodium current in canine cardiac Purkinje cells.

1. Single canine cardiac Purkinje cells were internally perfused and voltage clamped with a large‐bore perfusion pipette for measurement of sodium ionic current (INa) in the absence and presence of extracellular group IIA divalent cations (Mg2+, Ba2+ and Ca2+), transition divalent cations (CO2+, Mn2+ and Ni2+), group IIB divalent cations (Cd2+ and Zn2+), and the trivalent cation La3+. 2. Open channel block of cardiac INa by external Ca2+, assessed from instantaneous INa‐voltage (I‐V) relationships, has been well described by a two‐barrier, one‐well model with a dissociation constant at 0 mV, KB(0), of 37 mM and an electrical distance, z' = delta, of 0.34. At the most negative test potentials there was less block of INa than predicted by the model, but correction of INa for the contribution of Na+ channel gating current (Ig) to the peak current improved the fit by the model. 3. The divalent cations Ba2+, Mg2+, CO2+ and Mn2+ produced voltage‐dependent, open channel block of INa, which by the two‐barrier, one‐well model predicted a similar z' about one‐third into the membrane field. The relative efficacy for voltage‐dependent block was CO2+ > Mn2+ > Ca2+ > Mg2+ > Ba2+ with respective KB(0)s of 11, 13, 37, 43 and 61 mM. 4. Cd2+, Zn2+ and La3+ produced block of INa at low concentrations that was nearly voltage independent with z' < or = 0.13. Fits of single‐site binding curves to peak INa in response to step depolarizations at positive test potentials gave the following apparent KD values: Zn2+ 0.14 mM, Cd2+ 0.27 mM and La3+ 0.50 mM. 5. In the presence of Cd2+, INa tail current relaxations were much faster than could be accounted for by Cd2+ binding to and/or screening of extracellular surface charges. Fits of the data to a model that assumed voltage‐dependent open channel block during the tail current relaxations estimated the KB(0) for Cd2+ to be 0.80 mM. 6. Both z' and KB(0) for Ni2+ from fits of the two‐barrier, one‐well model to instantaneous I‐V relationships varied as a function of [Ni2+], consistent with the hypothesis that Ni2+ blocked with similar affinity at a voltage‐dependent and a voltage‐independent site. At [Ni2+] > or = 5 mM, KB(0) was 7.6 mM and z' was 0.21. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Tax Policy, the Rate of Return, and Savings

The theoretical and empirical results in this paper make a strong prima facie case for the proposition that increases in the after tax rate of return caused by tax policy are likely to bring forth significant increases in saving. Theoretical analysis using a variety of standard models tends to suggest that the aggregate response to savings incentives is likely to be substantial. It is argued that the existing empirical evidence sheds little light on the question. Empirical analyses are then conducted using three alternative approaches. All three confirm the hypothesis of a significant positive response of savings to changes in the rate of return.
Evolution of Reporting on Corporate Social Responsibility by the Companies in ISE National‐30 Index in Turkey

Purpose - The Purpose of the paper is to demonstrate the evolution of reporting on corporate social responsibility (CSR) in Istanbul Stock Exchange companies. Design/methodology/approach - In order to monitor the evolution of reporting on CSR relevant information in the 2003, 2004 and 2005 annual reports of the ISE-30 Index Companies were examined. The data collected were used to study in depth the following issues: information disclosed related to corporate governance; environmental policy; and social policy. Findings - The study highlights that the companies' attitude towards CSR is encouraging and they try to fulfill their duties as a corporate citizen regarding the social responsibility. Research limitations/implications - The study covers only 20 companies, which were in the ISE-30 Index for all of the three years in order to provide comparable information. Since the annual reports of two of these 20 companies cannot be obtained, the research was conducted on the annual reports of the remaining companies that published their annual reports in their websites. Practical implications - According to the study, the listed companies' disclosures on CSR are not at a desirable level in respect of the best practices. The study reveals that the Turkish companies should give more weight to reporting, especially on environmental and social issues. Originality/value - Although similar research had been conducted in various countries, this is one of the first studies related to reporting on CSR conducted in the ISE-30 Index in Turkey.
The structure of death announcements: Looking on the bright side of death

This is an analysis of death announcements in ordinary conversation. It appears that the sequential pattern of death announcements is surprisingly uniform: the examples in this corpus can be described in terms of a number of segments through which one Speaker announces a death and the news is evaluated. These evaluations of the news frequently become increasingly positive ending in a 'bright side sequence' in which the Speakers take an overtly positive stance to the news. Thus, although the death announcement may be explicitly introduced and/or receipted äs bad news in the first instance, further on in the topic the Speakers collaborate in 'looking on the bright side'. The bright side sequence in the examples is followed by, and seems to helpfacilitate, topic closure.