Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Map Matching and Data Association for Large-Scale Two-dimensional Laser Scan-based SLAM

Reliable data association techniques for simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) are necessary for the generation of large-scale maps in unstructured outdoor environments. Data association techniques are required at two levels: the local level represents the inner loop of the mapping algorithm, and the global level where newly mapped areas are matched to previously mapped areas to detect repeated coverage and close loops. Local map building is achieved using a robust iterative scan matching technique incorporated into an extended Kalman filter where the state consists of the current pose and previous poses sampled periodically and at a fixed lag from the current time. The introduction of states at a fixed time lag significantly reduces the growth of errors in the location estimate and the resultant map. For global matching, we enhance existing histogram cross-correlation techniques, introducing entropy sequences of projection histograms and an exhaustive correlation approach for reliable matching in unstructured environments. This enables loop closure without depending on prior knowledge of map alignment. These data association techniques are incorporated into the Atlas SLAM framework, enabling the generation of accurate two-dimensional laser maps over tens of kilometers in challenging outdoor environments.
CEO Wealth Sensitivity and Corporate Social Responsibility

We use CEO wealth sensitivity to stock performance (delta) and stock volatility (vega) to provide empirical evidence that supports the conclusion that CEO compensation structure influences firm Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). We find that CEOs are uncertain about the viability of CSR investments from a profit perspective, but that they are confident that CSR initiatives increase firm risk. We quantify firms' CSR ratings using the Kinder Lydenberg Domini ratings system and compute measures of delta and vega in accordance with previous studies. Using panel data spanning 1995-2010 , we estimate a fixed effects model to determine the relationship between delta, vega and firm CSR rating. We find that delta has no significant effect on CSR rating, while vega has a strong causal relation with CSR.
Performance measurement in agri‐food supply chains: a case study

Purpose – Measurement of the performance of entire supply chains is an important issue because it allows for “tracking and tracing” of efficacy and efficiency failures and leads to more informed decision making with regard to chain design. However, the choice of appropriate supply chain performance indicators is rather complicated due to the presence of multiple inputs and multiple outputs in the system. Therefore, this paper aims to evaluate the usefulness of a novel conceptual model for supply chain performance measurement in an agri‐food supply chain.Design/methodology/approach – A conceptual model for integrated supply chain performance measurement is evaluated in a Dutch‐German tomato supply chain by means of a case study approach.Findings – The proposed conceptual framework is found to be useful for measuring performance of the tomato supply chain. From the case study it is concluded that four main categories of performance measures (i.e. efficiency, flexibility, responsiveness, and food quality) ar.
Towards developing a tool for UX evaluation using facial expression

User Experience (UX) can be considered as a quality attribute of a system, defining whether the system is easy to adapt, efficient to use and comfortable. User experience evaluation can be used as a tool for determining the degree of user experience for a system or service. Among many existing UX evaluation tools, only a few are online based, easily usable and conducts real time analysis. Therefore, the objective of this paper is to design and develop a web based user experience evaluation tool using measurement of user emotions. To attain these, firstly we have gone through the existing literature. Secondly, we have proposed a conceptual framework. Thirdly, we have implemented the system using Affdex SDK. Finally, we have tested our tool with four participants. The evaluation study showed that our tool is effective and efficient.
Direct extraction methodology for geometry-scalable RF-CMOS models

A new method to directly extract the MOSFET small-signal parameters ncluding non-quasi-static effects - from Z and Y parameter measurements is presented. This technique is employed to generate a scalable BSIM3v3 model valid for standard, low and high-threshold p- and n-channel MOSFETs at frequencies up to 50 GHz. The model accurately captures cutoff frequency degradation for unit gate finger widths below 1 /spl mu/m and was employed to verify the measured jitter of a 10-Gb/s MOS-CML output driver.
The Institutional Construction of Firms

The nature and economic role of legally constituted firms varies between market economies and changes over time. In particular, the governance of leading firms and how they develop distinctive organisational capabilities vary between institutional regimes and their supporting political-economic coalitions. These characteristics can be combined to distinguish five ideal types of firms that dominate different kinds of market economies. Institutions governing trust and authority relationships, state economic and legal policies, financial and labour markets and skill formation systems affect the development and change of dominant kinds of firms. Growing internationalisation of firms weakens national institutional influences on leading firm characteristics and strategies, especially their constraint of short-term economic opportunism. However, domestic institutions remain critical influences on transnational authority sharing and whether MNCs develop transnational organisational capabilities.
Assessment of the financial risk listed companies based on the grey clustering

Because listed company is the critical organizational form of the modern enterprise,its financial status depends on the stability of national financial system and sustainable development. In order to study the assessment of the financial risk of listed company,the thesis integrates Delphi Technique and minimum generalized variance method to build up the financial evaluation index system. First of all,the author sets up index weight by using coefficient of variation method; Then,the author uses grey clustering to establish financial risk assessment model; finally,carrys out the financial risk assessment by evaluating the financial risk of the 10 collected listed companies in 2012.
Proposal of a Donor Behavior Model Applied to Spanish Organizations for Development

NGOs need a thorough knowledge of the donor decision process in order to be successful in their strategies for raising awareness and fundraising. In this paper, we focus on particular types of nonprofit organizations: those whose aims are to contribute to the advancement of developing countries and, specifically, those trying to raise awareness of their situation and obtain funds in Spain. The model we propose is the result of the study of bibliography, the authors’ experiences in the last 25 years in over 15 NGOs with different levels of responsibility, and a study conducted by Salvetti & Llombart for the Spanish Association of Fundraising, consisting of 1.437 on-line interviews with donors, high and low potential donors, as well as non-donors. The interviews took place in December 2010 to February 2011.
Differential susceptibility of Cx26 mutations associated with epidermal dysplasias to peptidoglycan derived from Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis

Mutations in Connexin26 (Cx26) give rise to a spectrum of dominantly inherited hyperproliferating skin disorders, the severest being keratitis–ichthyosis–deafness (KID) syndrome, an inflammatory skin disorder, with patients prone to opportunistic infections. We compared the effects of peptidoglycan (PGN) extracted from the skin commensal Staphylococcus epidermidis and the opportunistic pathogen Staphylococcus aureus on interleukin‐6 and connexin expression in HaCaT cells (a keratinocyte cell line) and connexin channel activity in HaCaT and HeLa (connexin deficient) cells transfected to express KID and non‐KID Cx26 mutations. In both cell types, PGN from S. aureus induced hemichannel activity in cells expressing KID mutants as monitored by ATP release assays following 15‐min challenge, while that from S. epidermidis evoked a response in HeLa cells. In KID mutant expressing cells, ATP release was significantly higher than in cells transfected with wild‐type Cx26. No ATP release was observed in non‐KID mutant transfected cells or in the presence of carbenoxolone, a connexin channel blocker. PGN isolated from S. aureus but not S. epidermidis induced interleukin‐6 and Cx26 expression in HaCaT cells following 6‐h challenge. Challenge by PGN from S. aureus evoked a greater interleukin‐6 response in cells expressing KID mutants than in cells expressing wtCx26 or non‐KID mutants. This response returned to basal levels if acute KID hemichannel signalling was blocked prior to PGN challenge. Thus, KID mutants form channels that can be triggered by the pro‐inflammatory mediator PGN from opportunistic pathogens but not skin commensals, providing further insight into the genotype–phenotype relationship of Cx26 disorders.
On‐line trust building in e‐enabled supply chain

Trust is a binding force in most buyer‐supplier transactions. It is critical when uncertainty and asymmetric product information are present in the transaction of a supply chain. One of the important characteristics in developing trust among trading partners of an e‐enabled supply chain is stage‐wise trust development among partners. In the present work, alternatives for trust development among buyer and supplier have been identified. In order to evaluate the alternatives to evolve trust in an e‐enabled supply chain, a framework involving analytic networked process is proposed. It helps in synthesizing various characteristics of trust in the e‐enabled supply chain. For the illustrative example, the result indicates superiority of a community responsibility system for building on‐line trust along the e‐enabled supply chain.
Passive and Active Opportunism in Interorganizational Exchange

This article examines how firms in interorganizational relationships respond differently to active and passive opportunism and observes how these opportunism forms erode satisfaction with the performance of these relationships. The multimethod approach of two experiments and one longitudinal field study demonstrate that firms tolerate more passive opportunism than active opportunism (Study 1) and that transaction costs play a mediating role between opportunism form and satisfaction with performance of the relationship (Study 2). Finally, the field study reveals that, over time, passive opportunism has a more corrosive impact on satisfaction with performance than active opportunism (Study 3). Together, the findings underscore the importance of distinguishing passive and active opportunism and the need to develop a better understanding of its management and consequences.
Correcting radiofrequency inhomogeneity effects in skeletal muscle magnetisation transfer maps

The potential of MRI to provide quantitative measures of neuromuscular pathology for use in therapeutic trials is being increasingly recognised. Magnetisation transfer (MT) imaging shows particular promise in this context, being sensitive to pathological changes, particularly in skeletal muscle, where measurements correlate with clinically measured muscle strength. Radiofrequency (RF) transmit field (B1) inhomogeneities can be particularly problematic in measurements of the MT ratio (MTR) and may obscure genuine muscle MTR changes caused by disease. In this work, we evaluate, for muscle imaging applications, a scheme previously proposed for the correction of RF inhomogeneity artefacts in cerebral MTR maps using B1 information acquired in the same session. We demonstrate the theoretical applicability of this scheme to skeletal muscle using a two‐pool model of pulsed quantitative MT. The correction scheme is evaluated practically in MTR imaging of the lower limbs of 28 healthy individuals and in two groups of patients with representative neuromuscular diseases: Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease type 1A and inclusion body myositis. The correction scheme was observed to reduce both the within‐subject and between‐subject variability in the calf and thigh muscles of healthy subjects and patient groups in histogram‐ and region‐of‐interest‐based approaches. This method of correcting for RF inhomogeneity effects in MTR maps using B1 data may markedly improve the sensitivity of MTR mapping indices as measures of pathology in skeletal muscle. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Perceived symptoms of psychological distress and salivary cortisol levels in young women with muscular or disk-related temporomandibular disorders

Abstract Objective. To assess any differences in psychological and endocrine variables between homogeneous core groups of young women with well-defined muscle- or disk-related temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) and matched controls. Material and methods. Fifteen women, aged 18–24 years, fulfilling the TMD Research Diagnostic Criteria I a/b (but not II or III) and 15 fulfilling the II a/b and III criteria were consecutively selected from referrals to an orofacial pain/TMD clinic. Thirty consecutive healthy age-matched women attending yearly routine check-ups at a general dental clinic served as controls. All 60 subjects answered a questionnaire, the Profile of Fatigue Related Symptoms (PFRS), and salivary samples on waking were collected for analysis of cortisol levels. Results. Symptom duration and pain levels were similar irrespective of muscle- or disk-related symptoms. Both diagnostic groups obtained scores that were similar and significantly higher than those of controls in all four scales of the PFRS: fatigue, emotional distress, cognitive difficulties and somatic symptoms. Salivary cortisol levels on waking did not differ between patients and controls. Conclusions. Patients with TMDs, irrespective of diagnosis, appeared to be more psychologically distressed than controls evaluated psychometrically, which is in line with earlier findings. A corresponding difference was not reflected in a single measurement of morning salivary cortisol. A more comprehensive evaluation of endocrine variables is probably necessary to reveal whether any differences actually exist in this respect.
Corporate Structures, Transparency and Resolvability of Global Systemically Important Banks

Before the global 2008 financial crisis, most officials appeared not to have anticipated the problems that would need to be addressed if a large cross-border bank should need to be resolved. During and after the financial crisis, this issue surged to the top of the policy agenda. Events made clear that several institutions had become too big and too complex to fail: new rules were needed to make resolution of global banks possible, without cost to taxpayers or damaging spillovers to the economy. After the crisis, the G-20 gave the Financial Stability Board (FSB) a mandate to identify Global Systemically Important Banks (G-SIBs) and to ensure that each had a credible recovery and resolution plan. This study investigates the complexity of the 29 institutions that have been designated as G-SIBs in 2013.
Physical activity and active commuting to elementary school.

PURPOSE This study was conducted to determine if fifth-grade students who walked or bicycled to school on a regular basis were more physically active than those that did not. METHODS The sample consists of 219 fifth-grade students (10.3 +/- 0.6 yr, 44% male, 58% minority) from eight randomly selected urban and suburban elementary schools. Students wore an Acti-Graph physical activity monitor during the same week that they completed a daily survey to report their mode of transportation to and from school. Students were categorized on the number of reported active commuting trips, to and from school, per week (regular;>or=5 (N=11), irregular; 1-4 (N=25), nonactive; 0 (N=183)). RESULTS Compared with both other groups, regular active commuters accumulated 3% more minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA; P=0.04) during weekdays. This weekday difference was because of regular active commuters accumulating 8.5% more minutes of MVPA both before and after school (P <or= 0.01). No difference in physical activity was seen among groups during school or in the evening. Based on the mean number of minutes the students wore their monitors on weekdays (800 min.d), the 3% difference translates into approximately 24 additional minutes of MVPA per day for the regular active commuters. CONCLUSION Walking to school was associated with approximately 24 additional minutes of MVPA per day in fifth-grade students. Additional observational and experimental research in larger, more diverse samples is needed to further clarify the effects of active commuting to school on total daily physical activity and other health outcomes.
Cue utilization in the product authentication process: a framework and research agenda for product counterfeit prevention

Scholars suggest that consumers rely on heuristics to evaluate products. They employ both extrinsic and intrinsic cues to evaluate product quality and utilize the same cues to differentiate between counterfeit and genuine products. This has far-reaching public health, economic, product authentication, and even criminal justice policy implications due to the emerging ideas of criminalizing the purchase of counterfeit goods. In order to predict the viability and the possible effects of such a policy, a thorough understanding of consumer attitudes toward counterfeits, purchase motivation, and behavior, as well as of their ability to distinguish between genuine and counterfeit goods, is imperative. Building on cue utilization theory, this article develops a framework for understanding how consumers develop and utilize heuristics for product authentication in the context of intellectual property infringements and outlines a research agenda. Additionally, it helps to inform the development of prevention and enforcement efforts, in consumer education and enforcement agent training, as well as a basis for policy decisions.
The 5′‐untranslated RNA of the human dhfr minor transcript alters transcription pre‐initiation complex assembly at the major (core) promoter

The human dhfr minor transcript is distinguished from the predominant dhfr mRNA by an ∼400 nucleotide extension of the 5′‐untranslated region, which corresponds to the major (core) promoter DNA (its template). Based on its unusual sequence composition, we hypothesized that the minor transcript 5′‐UTR might be capable of altering transcription pre‐initiation complex assembly at the core promoter, through direct interactions of the RNA with specific regulatory polypeptides or the promoter DNA itself. We found that the minor transcript 5′‐UTR selectively sequesters transcription factor Sp3, and to a lesser extent Sp1, preventing their binding to the dhfr core promoter. This allows a third putative transcriptional regulatory protein, which is relatively resistant to sequestration by the minor transcript RNA, the opportunity to bind the dhfr core promoter. The selective sequestration of Sp3 > Sp1 by the minor transcript 5′‐UTR involves an altered conformation of the RNA, and a structural domain of the protein distinct from that required for binding to DNA. As a consequence, the minor transcript 5′‐UTR inhibits transcription from the core promoter in vitro (in trans) in a concentration‐dependent manner. These results suggest that the dhfr minor transcript may function in vivo (in cis) to regulate the transcriptional activity of the major (core) promoter. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Competitiveness of Csr Actions: Learning From The Cypriot Experience

Corporate Social Responsibility has been a term used for the last decade and has been asserted that by contributing to CSR a firm becomes competitive. Whilst it has been argued that CSR contribution does increase a companyâ€™s profit there has been little work to develop a tool in assessing the CSR contributions made and the impact on competitiveness.The current paper is identifying the areas SMEs in Cyprus concentrate their CSR contribution, the barriers and enablers making CSR possible as well as the tools used to evaluate the CSR contributions.The purpose is to identify the components so as to enable the research team of seven euro-Mediterranean countries to develop a tool on CSR competitiveness. This project is funded by the European Union.Since Cypriot SMEs operate in a small country with the idiosyncrasies and needs of a small country tend to emphasise the community rather than the market needs. Given the financial crisis at the moment the barriers are not only lack of resources but also lack of knowhow. The owners of the companies tend to be the major enablers which is a strong point and the government is making every effort to assist them.
Theoretical Investigation on the One-Step Temporal Method

This paper gives an overview of the possibilities offered now for treating lossy media using the one-step method. This method, which was proposed by De Raedt for lossless media, is known to be unconditionally stable and so it can be interesting to use it for applications for which the CFL stability condition can be a limiting factor, e.g. for bio electromagnetic applications. The PML absorbing conditions are also introduced in our study.
Classification capacity of spiking neural networks

We investigate a minimalistic abstraction for a multi-layer spiking neural network (SNN), in order to gain fundamental insight into classifying spatiotemporal patterns using temporal coding. The firing model is based on coincidence detection with temporal binning: a neuron X fires at time t if at least η > 1 upstream neurons fire prior to t such that the spikes arrive at X in an interval [t−δ/2, t+δ/2] (we set η = 2 for our results here). The input layer contains K neurons, each of which emits a single spike in one of T time bins, so that there are T possible spatiotemporal patterns. There are M output neurons, connected to the input layer through a layered reservoir of N neurons. Different input patterns lead to different firing patterns because the synapses connecting neurons are of different, random, lengths. The parameters K and T are measures of the spatial and temporal resolution, respectively, of the patterns to be classified.
FE analysis of multiphase doubly salient permanent magnet motors

This paper presents the results of two-dimensional (2-D) finite-element analysis (FEA) carried out on 8/6 and 6/4 doubly salient permanent magnet (DSPM) motors to arrive at the magnet leakage factor and the flux density ratios of various parts of the motors so as to aid the designers of this newer motor. The two permanent magnets being kept embedded in the stator halves along with the typical doubly salient structure of the DSPM motor causes more leakage of the magnet flux. After extensive FEAs of the two configurations of the motors, it is observed that a magnet leakage factor of 1.32 is giving the correct results for use in conventional designs of this motor. Based on the optimum designs of the two motors, the flux densities in the airgap, rotor yoke, rotor pole, and stator yoke can be 1, 0.5, 0.9, and 0.5 times the flux density considered for the stator pole, which will normally be just above the knee-point value of the B-H characteristics of the core material used.