Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Rendering visual events as sounds: Spatial attention capture by auditory augmented reality

Many salient visual events tend to coincide with auditory events, such as seeing and hearing a car pass by. Information from the visual and auditory senses can be used to create a stable percept of the stimulus. Having access to related coincident visual and auditory information can help for spatial tasks such as localization. However not all visual information has analogous auditory percepts, such as viewing a computer monitor. Here, we describe a system capable of detecting and augmenting visual salient events into localizable auditory events. The system uses a neuromorphic camera (DAVIS 240B) to detect logarithmic changes of brightness intensity in the scene, which can be interpreted as salient visual events. Participants were blindfolded and asked to use the device to detect new objects in the scene, as well as determine direction of motion for a moving visual object. Results suggest the system is robust enough to allow for the simple detection of new salient stimuli, as well accurately encoding direction of visual motion. Future successes are probable as neuromorphic devices are likely to become faster and smaller in the future, making this system much more feasible.
Database-Centric Method for Automated High-Throughput Deconvolution and Analysis of Kinetic Antibody Screening Data

The state-of-the-art industrial drug discovery approach is the empirical interrogation of a library of drug candidates against a target molecule. The advantage of high-throughput kinetic measurements over equilibrium assessments is the ability to measure each of the kinetic components of binding affinity. Although high-throughput capabilities have improved with advances in instrument hardware, three bottlenecks in data processing remain: (1) intrinsic molecular properties that lead to poor biophysical quality in vitro are not accounted for in commercially available analysis models, (2) processing data through a user interface is time-consuming and not amenable to parallelized data collection, and (3) a commercial solution that includes historical kinetic data in the analysis of kinetic competition data does not exist. Herein, we describe a generally applicable method for the automated analysis, storage, and retrieval of kinetic binding data. This analysis can deconvolve poor quality data on-the-fly and store and organize historical data in a queryable format for use in future analyses. Such database-centric strategies afford greater insight into the molecular mechanisms of kinetic competition, allowing for the rapid identification of allosteric effectors and the presentation of kinetic competition data in absolute terms of percent bound to antigen on the biosensor.
Not All Dyslexics Are Created Equal

Background. Dyslexia is a common disorder that has traditionally been treated as a homogeneous condition. However, recent evidence indicates that it is a heterogenous condition with several subtypes. For example, studies of the visual system indicate that not all dyslexics have a normal visual pathway. Approximately 75% have a processing deficit in the magnocellular pathway. Our previous study indicated that dysphoneidetic but not dyseidetic dyslexics exhibit a magnocellular pathway defect. Purpose. The purpose of this study was to expand our previous work by also examining dysphonetic dyslexics. Additionally, the stimulus was altered to enhance detection of a magnocellular pathway defect in any dyslexic subtype. Methods. Temporal contrast sensitivity functions were determined with a flickering stimulus (5, 10,15, 20, and 25 Hz) by using a temporal, two-alternative, forced-choice technique. Results. The results indicate that the dyseidetic dyslexics do not have a magnocellular pathway defect, whereas the dysphoneidetics do. Furthermore, examination of the individual dysphonetics indicated that the more severely affected subjects also exhibited a magnocellular pathway defect. Conclusion. These results suggest that treatment strategies for dyslexics may need to be modified to take into account their specific subtype.
Degrees of Specialness: An Empirical Analysis of the Italian BTP Repo Market

We explain the variation in the degree of specialness for bonds used as collateral in the Italian Government BTP repo market. Some of our results are similar to the findings in the US repo market even though the underlying Italian BTP bond market is structurally different than the US Treasury market. Specifically liquidity, supply and demand are significant factors that help determine the degree of specialness. Unlike US repo studies however, we find that credit risk and information uncertainty also affect the degree of repo specialness.
Tonic regulation of satiety by 5‐HT1B receptors in the mouse: converging evidence from behavioural and c‐fos immunoreactivity studies?

Activation of 5‐HT1B receptors is thought to play an important role in the inhibitory influence of serotonin on feeding behaviour and body weight in mammals. Earlier studies have shown that 5‐HT1B‐knockout (KO) mice eat more and are heavier than wild‐type (WT) controls and that the selective 5‐HT1B receptor agonist CP‐94,253 reduces food intake in food‐deprived mice. Here we characterize the behavioural effects of both CP‐94,253 and the selective 5‐HT1B receptor antagonist SB224289 on feeding and other behaviours within the behavioural satiety sequence, and also report a c‐fos mapping study using CP‐94,253. CP‐94,253 produced a dose‐dependent suppression of food intake with a profile consistent with a selective effect on feeding behaviour. These effects were absent or reduced in 5‐HT1B‐KO mice and in WT mice pretreated with SB224289. SB224289 administered alone enhanced food intake consistent with impaired satiation; a similar effect was apparent in 5‐HT1B‐KO mice compared to WT. CP‐94,253 induced c‐fos in a range of structures previously implicated in the expression of feeding behaviour. These results suggest that the activation of 5‐HT1B receptors is an important component of endogenous satiation mechanisms in the mouse.
MAIN BODY: KNOWLEDGE FLOWS IN COMMUNITIES OF PRACTICE

Knowledge sharing is a collective process where the people involved collaborate with others in order to learn from them (Huysman & de Wit, 2000). This kind of collaboration creates groups of people with common interest called communities of practice where each member contributes knowledge about a common domain (Wenger, 1998). Communities of practice enable its members to benefit from the knowledge of each other (Fontaine & Millen, 2004). To achieve this, different techniques and technologies can be used, such as shared documentation, groupware tools, lessons learned systems, and so forth. Therefore, to increase and improve knowledge sharing in communities of practice, it is important to study the mechanisms used by a particular community and understand how the knowledge flows through its members (Guizzardi, Perini & Dignum, 2003). This article presents a qualitative approach for studying and understanding how knowledge flows in communities of practice within organizations. The goal is to provide a methodological guide for obtaining useful information for the development of knowledge management tools for supporting knowledge flows in these communities. The content of the article is organized as follows. First the importance of supporting knowledge flows in communities of practice is highlighted. Then, a qualitative methodology for identifying knowledge flows in communities of practice is described, followed by some examples from a study conducted in the field of software maintenance. Finally, we present our conclusions of this work and future research.
Synthesis and magnetic properties of Fe3C–C core–shell nanoparticles

Fe3C–C core–shell nanoparticles were fabricated on a large scale by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition at 700 °C with ferric acetylacetonate as the precursor. Analysis results of x-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscope and Raman spectroscope showed that the Fe3C cores with an average diameter of ∼35 nm were capsulated by the graphite-like C layers with the thickness of 2–5 nm. The comparative experiments revealed that considerable Fe3O4–Fe3C core–shell nanoparticles and C nanotubes were generated simultaneously at 600 and 800 °C, respectively. A formation mechanism was proposed for the as-synthesized core–shell nanostructures, based on the temperature-dependent catalytic activity of Fe3C nanoclusters and the coalescence process of Fe3C–C nanoclusters. The Fe3C–C core–shell nanoparticles exhibited a saturation magnetization of 23.6 emu g−1 and a coercivity of 550 Oe at room temperature.
Regulation, formal and informal enforcement and the development of the household loan market. Lessons from Italy

Regulation and contract enforcement may be important determinants of the development of the household loan market, as much as they are of the supply of corporate loans on which the literature has focused. This paper draws on the Italian experience to provide evidence that formal and informal institutions and banking regulation are crucial determinants of availability and cost of the household credit. Historically the Italian household credit market has been very small by international standards and its degree of development differs considerably across local markets. It has grown very fast over the last decade. This paper argues that the traditional small size reflects the joint operation of more limited legal and informal enforcement and tight financial regulation. Differences within Italy in the efficiency of the courts, in social trust and in exposure to regulation explain the geographical differences, while massive deregulation of market entry during the 1990s spurred supply and led to fast lending growth. This evidence, together with marked differences in the quality of legal enforcement, endowment of social capital and tightness of financial regulation across countries, implies that the forces found in Italy are likely to be a major explanation for the international differences in the size of the household loan market.
Partnering in the Dynamic Environment: The Role of Trust in Asymmetric Technology Partnership Formation

Kirsimarja Blomqvist Partnering in the Dynamic Environment: The Role of Trust in Asymmetric Technology Partnership Formation Lappeenranta, 2002 296 p., 10 Appendixes Acta Universitatis Lappeenrantaensis 122 Diss. Lappeenranta University of Technology ISBN 951-764-638-0 ISSN 1456-4491 The purpose of this study was to increase the understanding of the role and nature of trust in asymmetric technology partnership formation. In the knowledge-based “learning race” knowledge is considered as a primary source for competitive advantage. In the emerging ICT sector the high pace of technological change, the convergence of technologies and industries as well as the increasing complexity and uncertainty have forced even the largest players to seek cooperation for complementary knowledge and capabilities. Small technology firms need the complementary resources and legitimacy of the large firms to grow and compete in the global market place. Most of the earlier research indicates, however, that partnerships with asymmetric size, managerial resources and cultures have failed. A basic assumption supported by earlier research was that trust is a critical factor in asymmetric technology partnership formation. Asymmetric technology partnership formation is a dynamic and multi-dimensional process, and consequently a holistic research approach was selected. Research issue was approached from different levels: the individual decision-maker, the firm and the relationship between the parties. Also the impact of the dynamic environment and technology content was analyzed. A multitheoretical approach and a qualitative research method with in-depth interviews in five large ICT companies and eight small ICT companies enabled a holistic and rich view of the research issue. Study contributes on the scarce understanding on the nature and evolution of trust in asymmetric technology partnership formation. It sheds also light on the specific nature of asymmetric technology partnerships. The partnerships were found to be tentative and the diverse strategic intent of small and large technology firms appeared as a major challenge. The role of the boundary spanner was highlighted as a possibility to match the incompatible organizational cultures. A shared vision was found to be a pre-condition for individual-based fast trust leading to intuitive decision-making and experimentation. The relationships were tentative and they were continuously re-evaluated through the key actors’ sense making of the technology content, asymmetry and the dynamic environment. A multi-dimensional conceptualization for trust was created and propositions on the role and nature of trust for further research are given.
The structure and properties of fluorite crystal surfaces

The surface energies, tensions and structure of the (111) and (110) surfaces of CaF2, SrF2, BaF2 and UO2, ThO2, PrO2, PuO2, CeO2 have been calculated using an ionic shell model. The surface energies for the natural cleavage plane (111) are compared with the available experimental data and agree well. The surface tensions indicate a compressive stress in both surfaces. The surface structures show increasing relaxation with increasing ion size and the rumpling of the (110) surface indicates a qualitative difference between CaF2, SrF2 and the other crystals studied.
An Intensive Rice Production System Using Hired Mobile Khmer Ethnicity Laborers from Soc Trang, Vietnam

In Can Tho City area, like much of the Mekong Delta of Southern Vietnam, both the Kinh and Khmer ethnicity farmers and agricultural wage laborers have had to cope with many changes due to emerging national agricultural policies, the move to a market economy, increased labor market competition and new land market policies. Many landholding farmers lack sufficient labor for intensive rice production and so must rely on seasonal agricultural wage laborers for their harvests. Seasonal agricultural wage employment provides important livelihood opportunity for landless and land-poor Khmer ethnicity workers from other parts of the Mekong Delta, but this work is precarious. The long-term survival of this intensive labor system is uncertain in the context of current moves towards agricultural mechanization.
Will Insurance Brokers Use Mobile Insurance Service Platform: An Integration of UTAUT and TTF

Mobile insurance service platform enables insurance firms to improve the quality of insurance services by providing faster means of communication and timeliness of operation. The platform allows insurance brokers to serve their customers immediately anytime and anywhere. To reach the benefits, however, insurance brokers must have intention to use the implemented mobile platform. Thus, insurance firms have to understand insurance brokers’ intention towards mobile insurance service platform. Consequently, identifying determinants of insurance brokers’ intention to use mobile insurance service platform is a valuable focus of research. Therefore, this study will propose a theoretical model by combining the perspectives of UTAUT and TTF theory. The theoretical model will be proposed and verified, in order to understand insurance brokers’ intention in mobile insurance service platform. The results of this study will help establish practical IT strategies for implementing mobile insurance service by providing information about perceptions of insurance brokers to insurance firms.
Fast-responder: Rapid mobile-phone access to recent remote sensing imagery for first responders

We introduce Fast-Responder, a novel prototype data-dissemination application and architecture concept to rapidly deliver remote sensing imagery to smartphones to enable situational awareness. The architecture implements a Fast-Earth image caching system on the phone and interacts with a Fast-Earth server. Prototype evaluation successfully demonstrated that National Guard users could select a location, download multiple remote sensing images, and flicker between images, all in less than a minute on a 3G mobile commercial link. The Fast-Responder architecture is a significant advance that is designed to meet the needs of mobile users, such as National Guard response units, to rapidly access information during a crisis, such as a natural or man-made disaster. This paper focuses on the architecture design and advanced user interface concepts for small-screens for highly active mobile users. Novel Fast-Responder concepts can also enable rapid dissemination and evaluation of imagery on the desktop, opening new technology horizons for both desktop and mobile users.
Where Do Ex-Offenders Find Jobs? an Industrial Profile of the Employers of Ex-Offenders in Virginia

Based on an examination of the earnings records of ex-offenders released from Virginia correctional institutions from fiscal year 1999 to 2003, this article provides an industrial profile testing the presumption that most ex-offenders are only able to find employment in low-level occupations, with low rates of job retention, and limited customer contact. Data related to both ex-offenders and their respective employers were categorized using the North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) and as a result, overall employment, full-time employment, and earnings patterns were identified for each industry. When available, data regarding the entire workforce were used for comparison purposes. The information provided in this article could be used by transition coordinators in job placement activities. Furthermore, correctional education administrators could use this information for the following purposes: 1) allocating resources to the vocational areas where ex-offenders are more likely to find employment, 2) cultivating relationships with employers most likely to hire ex offenders, and 3) influencing major employers who do not have histories of hiring ex offenders to change their human resource practices. The earnings records of ex-offenders provide an informational link to specific employers and can help determine the extent to which employers, collectively based on industry, have previously hired ex-offenders. This information could be used to aid ex-offenders in the transition process as it would allow them to narrow their search for potential employers. Directing ex-offenders to employers within industries with histories of not discriminating against them is only one aspect of a successful transition. Equally important is identifying employers within industries where ex-offenders have histories of sustained employment. The examination of earnings records would provide the necessary information to develop profiles of both industries and specific employers where the 297
The time course of attentional modulation on emotional conflict processing

Cognitive conflict resolution is critical to human survival in a rapidly changing environment. However, emotional conflict processing seems to be particularly important for human interactions. This study examined whether the time course of attentional modulation on emotional conflict processing was different from cognitive conflict processing during a flanker task. Results showed that emotional N200 and P300 effects, similar to colour conflict processing, appeared only during the relevant task. However, the emotional N200 effect preceded the colour N200 effect, indicating that emotional conflict can be identified earlier than cognitive conflict. Additionally, a significant emotional N100 effect revealed that emotional valence differences could be perceived during early processing based on rough aspects of input. The present data suggest that emotional conflict processing is modulated by top-down attention, similar to cognitive conflict processing (reflected by N200 and P300 effects). However, emotional conflict processing seems to have more time advantages during two different processing stages.
Gradient characterization using a Fourier‐transform technique

This paper describes a technique for characterizing the gradient subsystem of a magnetic resonance (MR) system. The technique uses a Fourier‐transform analysis to directly measure the k‐space trajectory produced by an arbitrary gradient waveform. In addition, the method can be easily extended to multiple dimensions and can be adapted to measuring residual gradient effects such as eddy currents. Several examples of gradient waveform and eddy‐current measurements are presented. Also, it is demonstrated how the eddy‐current measurements can be parameterized with an impulse‐response formalism for later use in system tuning. When compared to a peak‐fitting analysis, this technique provides a more direct extraction of the k‐space measurements, which reduces the possibility of analysis error. This approach also has several advantages as compared to the conventional eddy‐current measurement technique, including the ability to measure very short time constant effects.
Financing growing firms and the importance of banking relationships

This study examines how the relationship between a lender and a borrower influences access to credit and the interest rate charged. Relationships between lenders and small business borrowers can arguably help to overcome information opacity. Findings include that whether an SME’s request for a line of credit will be approved appears to be affected by the relationship. As well, the requirement for a business plan or cash flow statement also appears to affect the likelihood of approval. However, the effect of relationship banking on the interest rate charged could not be determined from this analysis. The findings of this are consistent with Berger and Udell (2006) who hypothesize that the method used to underwrite loans can affect how lender-borrower relationships influence lending decisions.
Effect of vancomycin plus rifampicin in the treatment of nosocomial methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus pneumonia*

Objective:To investigate whether adding rifampicin to vancomycin could cure more patients with nosocomial methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus pneumonia compared with vancomycin-only. Design:Prospective randomized open-label study. Setting:Medical intensive care unit in Seoul, Korea. Patients:Ninety-three of 183 patients with Gram-positive nosocomial pneumonia. Interventions:The enrolled patients with subsequently documented methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus pneumonia (modified intention-to-treat population) were treated with vancomycin (1 g intravenous every 12 hrs) plus rifampicin (300 mg twice daily by mouth) (n = 41) or with vancomycin-only (n = 42). The intended treatment (at least 5 days) was completed in 30 patients in the vancomycin plus rifampicin group and 34 patients in the vancomycin-only group (per protocol population). Measurements and Main Results:The primary outcome was the clinical cure rate on day 14 of treatment. The secondary outcomes were intensive care unit mortality on days 28 and 60, and microbiological eradication on day 14. The clinical cure rate in the modified intention-to-treat population was 53.7% (22 of 41) in the vancomycin plus rifampicin group, and 31.0% (13 of 42) in the vancomycin-only group (p = .047), and the respective rates in the per protocol population were 63.3% (19 of 30) and 38.2% (13 of 34) (p = .079). The respective mortality rates were nine (22.0%) of 41 and 16 (38.1%) of 42 on day 28 (p = .151), and 11 (26.8%) of 41 and 21 (50.0%) of 42 on day 60 (p = .042). The microbiological eradication rate did not differ between groups (p = .472). Conclusions:Vancomycin plus rifampicin seems to be more effective than vancomycin alone in the treatment of nosocomial methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus pneumonia.