Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Processing Spatial Relations With Different Apertures of Attention

Neuropsychological studies suggest the existence of lateralized networks that represent categorical and coordinate types of spatial information. In addition, studies with neural networks have shown that they encode more effectively categorical spatial judgments or coordinate spatial judgments, if their input is based, respectively, on units with relatively small, nonoverlapping receptive fields, as opposed to units with relatively large, overlapping receptive fields. These findings leave open the question of whether interactive processes between spatial detectors and types of spatial relations can be modulated by spatial attention. We hypothesized that spreading the attention window to encompass an area that includes two objects promotes coordinate spatial relations, based on coarse coding by large, overlapping, receptive fields. In contrast, narrowing attention to encompass an area that includes only one of the objects benefits categorical spatial relations, by effectively parsing space. By use of a cueing procedure, the spatial attention window was manipulated to select regions of differing areas. As predicted, when the attention window was large, coordinate spatial transformations were noticed faster than categorical transformations; in contrast, when the attention window was relatively smaller, categorical spatial transformations were noticed faster than coordinate transformations. Another novel finding was that coordinate changes were noticed faster when cueing an area that included both objects as well as the empty space between them than when simultaneously cueing both areas including the objects while leaving the gap between them uncued.
The antecedents of employee commitment to customer service: evidence from a UK

This paper provides a first attempt at conceptualizing and operationalizing the notion of commitment to customer service (CCS) as part of a broader concern to explore the determinants of key aspects of service quality and of individual-level performance in service organizations. Based on an explicitly behavioral definition of commitment to customer service, we first set out a model of the antecedents of CCS. We then test it using data from a representative sample of 717 employees of a major food-retailing organization in the UK. The results suggest that commitment to customer service is primarily a non-calculative phenomenon driven above all by affective. normative altruistic concerns, rather than by overtly instrumental considerations. Additional significant determinants of CCS were job pressure, job routinization. job competence and employees' understanding of customer service requirements. Research and policy implications of the study are discussed.
Secure routing in MANETs using three reliable matrices

Reliable LET Matrices has proposed to make secure routing in mobile ad hoc networks. Knapsack algorithm technique is used to find MaxLET, MinLET, and AvgLET. The node which sending packets first will calculate maximum LET (MaxLET), minimum LET (MinLET) and average LET (AvgLET). In the process of transmitting data, the sending node can be use either MaxLET or MinLET for sending the packets and each packet may travel the different routes for sending the packets at the same time. The number of packets send to the receiver node will depend on the available bandwidth. This procedure is repeated until all the packets reach the destination node. To verify whether the corrective data has received or not a Message Authentication Code (MAC) applied for authentication using LET. It is applied so that the receiver can verify that the LET has not been altered on the way.
Infection therapy: the problem of drug resistance – and possible solutions

The rising antibiotic resistance in major bacterial pathogens together with the breakdown of the antibiotic discovery platform creates a critical situation for infection therapy. Recent developments reviving new antibiotic discovery from defining chemical rules for membrane‐passing compounds to isolation chips for soil bacteria and exploring the human microbiome for antibiotic‐producing bacteria are discussed. The potential of bacteriocins, tailocins, phage lysins, phages, probiotics and commensal blends as alternatives to antibiotics is evaluated.
Environmental policy as a multi-task principal-agent problem

We use a multi-task principal-agent model with moral hazard to study environmental regulation of a private agent by an EPA that can also allocate its budget to an alternative project with environmental benefits. In a first possible optimum, the EPA imposes a flat fine that exhausts the agent's participation constraint. In the second, the EPA provides the harshest possible punishment for a "poor" observed environmental performance and the highest possible reward for a "good" observed environmental performance. Increases in the available budget and in the maximally allowed penalty have then an ambiguous e_ect on total environmental quality.
Reproducibility of Quantitative Measurement of White Enamel Demineralisation by Image Analysis

The reproducibility of measuring artificial enamel white spot lesions from captured photographic images using computerised image analysis was assessed. Enamel lesions were induced on the buccal surface of 22 human teeth over periods of 3, 7 and 14 days. Standardised photographs were taken from above and below the occlusal plane. These were repeated after 2 weeks. The photographs were converted into TIFF images and mean grey scale levels of the areas of etched enamel were measured using computerised image analysis. Assessment of repeat readings of the same slide showed good reproducibility for photographs taken below the occlusal plane. The limits of agreement showed reasonable agreement between readings carried out on two slides of the same tooth. Capturing TIFF images via 35–mm film and measuring grey scale levels by computerised image analysis is a useful method of quantitative study of early enamel demineralisation. This may be developed for application in the clinical setting.
Laboratory experiments in corporate and investment finance: a survey

In this paper the small but growing field of experimental Corporate and Investment Finance is reviewed. Excluded is the large and influential experimental asset market literature. Topics covered include experimental examination of agency problems, the interaction of risk and information choices, laboratory tests of asset pricing theories, experimental examination of financing and dividend decisions in the presence of asymmetric information between managers and investors and tests of game theoretic models of corporate takeovers. In general, studies that allow interactions among participants are more successful at corroborating Finance theories, emphasizing the importance of markets for communicating information among participants. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Low cost pressure mapping platform for mobility monitoring applications

Printing of patterns with conductive inks on polymers surface enables the realization of “active polymeric materials”. These “active polymeric materials” can be used as system elements to perform a given function, for e.g., to give a response for an applied deformation. A new thin flexible pressure mapping platform using Inkjet Printing technology, aiming at a simpler, lower cost and larger scale manufacturing production is presented here. There are still many challenges in polymer functionalization (capacity to provide materials with transducing capabilities) and this study provides details regarding the manufacture of polymer based sensors as well as new insights into the limitations of using these materials as sensors. The sensing platform consists in a flexible PCB (Printed Circuit Boards) manufactured using conventional technology (defining the electrical connections and the capacitors dimensions) together with two flexible polymeric membranes (TPU) printed with conductive ink (Plexcore ®) for definition of the electrodes. Experimental results performed on manually assembled pressure sensors show the feasibility of the approach.
Extended Unemployment Insurance and Job Search: Evidence from Time Use Data

Abstract In this paper, I investigate the effect of extended unemployment insurance (UI) coverage in the United States in recent years on job search. The U.S. government extended UI benefits in several phases in 2008–2009, increasing the duration of the benefits to a maximum of 99 weeks, up from the regular 26 weeks. Using the American Time Use Survey (ATUS) data, I find that women are more sensitive to the extended UI benefits than men. Difference-in-differences estimation shows that the average effect of the UI extensions for women is over a 10 percentage points decline in the probability of job search. However, I do not find any statistically significant effect on men.
Condensin-dependent localisation of topoisomerase II to an axial chromosomal structure is required for sister chromatid resolution during mitosis

Assembly of compact mitotic chromosomes and resolution of sister chromatids are two essential processes for the correct segregation of the genome during mitosis. Condensin, a five-subunit protein complex, is thought to be required for chromosome condensation. However, recent genetic analysis suggests that condensin is only essential to resolve sister chromatids. To study further the function of condensin we have depleted DmSMC4, a subunit of the complex, from Drosophila S2 cells by dsRNA-mediated interference. Cells lacking DmSMC4 assemble short mitotic chromosomes with unresolved sister chromatids where Barren, a non-SMC subunit of the complex is unable to localise. Topoisomerase II, however, binds mitotic chromatin after depletion of DmSMC4 but it is no longer confined to a central axial structure and becomes diffusely distributed all over the chromatin. Furthermore, cell extracts from DmSMC4 dsRNA-treated cells show significantly reduced topoisomerase II-dependent DNA decatenation activity in vitro. Nevertheless, DmSMC4-depleted chromosomes have centromeres and kinetochores that are able to segregate, although sister chromatid arms form extensive chromatin bridges during anaphase. These chromatin bridges do not result from inappropriate maintenance of sister chromatid cohesion by DRAD21, a subunit of the cohesin complex. Moreover, depletion of DmSMC4 prevents premature sister chromatid separation, caused by removal of DRAD21, allowing cells to exit mitosis with chromatin bridges. Our results suggest that condensin is required so that an axial chromatid structure can be organised where topoisomerase II can effectively promote sister chromatid resolution.
Insulin and oral agents for managing cystic fibrosis-related diabetes.

BACKGROUND Insulin therapy is recommended by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation when cystic fibrosis-related diabetes has been diagnosed. Diagnosis is based on an elevated fasting blood glucose level greater than 6.94 mmol/liter (125 mg/deciliter) or symptomatic diabetes for random glucose levels greater than 11.11 mmol/liter (200 mg/deciliter). OBJECTIVES To examine the evidence that, when treated with agents for managing diabetes, people with cystic fibrosis improve their sugar metabolic control resulting in beneficial impact on lung function and the ability to maintain optimal weight. SEARCH STRATEGY We searched the Cochrane Cystic Fibrosis and Genetic Disorders Group Trials Register comprising references identified from comprehensive electronic database searches and handsearches of relevant journals and abstract books of conference proceedings. We also handsearched abstracts from pulmonary and North American Cystic Fibrosis Conference symposia. Date of the most recent search of the Group's Trials Register: December 2004. SELECTION CRITERIA Randomized controlled trials comparing all methods of diabetes therapy for one month or longer in people with cystic fibrosis. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS No studies were found which were eligible for inclusion in this review. MAIN RESULTS Six references to four studies were identified by the searches, but none were eligible for inclusion in the review as they were not randomized controlled trials. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS While some cystic fibrosis centers use oral medications to help control diabetes, a condition which complicates the course of cystic fibrosis, insulin therapy is the recommended and most widely used treatment method. Lung function has been reported to improve with the use of insulin, but this has not been correlated to the degree in which sugar metabolism has been affected. While the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation recommends insulin therapy be used in managing diabetes, this systematic review identifies the need for a multicentre randomized controlled trial assessing both the efficacy of insulin or other insulin-releasing or insulin-sensitizing medications and their possible adverse effects in managing cystic fibrosis-related diabetes.
Can the Virtuous Mouse and the Wealthy Elephant Live Happily Ever After?

What happens when small iconic socially oriented businesses are acquired by large corporations? Such mergers create significant opportunities for creating both business value and substantially expanded social value, but they also pose unusually difficult challenges because the merging entities are often strikingly different in philosophy and operating styles as well as in scale. This article examines three examples—Ben and Jerry's acquisition by Unilever, Stonyfield Farm by Groupe Danone, and Tom's of Maine by Colgate—to ascertain what is distinctive about the merger process and to analyze the elements critical to success. The article offers suggestions on how other companies considering similar arrangements might best manage the process of courtship, developing agreements, and executing effectively within the newly merged entities.
Antibodies directed to protein S in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: prevalence and clinical significance

Summary Antibodies directed against protein S (anti-ProtS) may be involved in the development of thrombosis in patients with the antiphospholipid syndrome. We assessed the prevalence and clinical significance of anti-ProtS and evaluated their immunological characteristics in 184 patients with SLE and 99 healthy donors. All patients were tested for IgG anti-ProtS by an in-house ELISA. Plasma levels and functional activity of protein S were also tested. Anti-ProtS were found in 57 patients (31%) and 4 healthy controls (4%). Patients with thrombosis had anti-ProtS more frequently than controls (29% vs 4%, OR 9.5 [95% CI 3.07-29.3], p<0.0001). Anti-ProtS were more frequent in patients with venous thrombosis and in those with arterial thrombosis, than in controls (41% vs. 4%, OR 16.5 [95% CI 5-54], p< 0.0001 and 23% vs. 4%, OR 7 [95%CI 2.1-23.5], p=0.0008, respective-ly). Patients with prematurity, preeclampsia and intra-uterine growth restriction had anti-ProtS more frequently than the control group (36%, 47% and 44% vs. 4%; OR 13.6 [95% CI 2.8-66], p=0.003, OR 21 [95% CI 5-86], p<0.0001 and OR 19 [95% CI 4-99], p=0.0014, respectively). Plasma levels of free protein S were not statistically different between patients with and without anti-ProtS and controls (77.9% [20.7-100] vs. 83.7% [52.7-100] vs. 89% [62-101], respectively). Free protein S functional activity was no different between subgroups (105% [48-230] in anti-ProtS positive vs. 123% [95-283] in anti-ProtS negative vs. 136% [60-174] in controls). Anti-ProtS are frequent in SLE patients with thrombosis and pregnancy morbidity. These antibodies do not interfere with free protein S in plasma since its level and/or functional activity are not impaired.
Maintaining Two Mating Types: Structure of the Mating Type Locus and Its Role in Heterokaryosis in Podospora anserina

Pseudo-homothallism is a reproductive strategy elected by some fungi producing heterokaryotic sexual spores containing genetically different but sexually compatible nuclei. This lifestyle appears as a compromise between true homothallism (self-fertility with predominant inbreeding) and complete heterothallism (with exclusive outcrossing). However, pseudohomothallic species face the problem of maintaining heterokaryotic mycelia to fully benefit from this lifestyle, as homokaryons are self-sterile. Here, we report on the structure of chromosome 1 in mat+ and mat− isolates of strain S of the pseudohomothallic fungus Podospora anserina. Chromosome 1 contains either one of the mat+ and mat− mating types of P. anserina, which is mostly found in nature as a mat+/mat− heterokaryotic mycelium harboring sexually compatible nuclei. We identified a “mat” region ∼0.8 Mb long, devoid of meiotic recombination and containing the mating-type idiomorphs, which is a candidate to be involved in the maintenance of the heterokaryotic state, since the S mat+ and S mat− strains have different physiology that may enable hybrid-vigor-like phenomena in the heterokaryons. The mat region contains 229 coding sequences. A total of 687 polymorphisms were detected between the S mat+ and S mat− chromosomes. Importantly, the mat region is colinear between both chromosomes, which calls for an original mechanism of recombination inhibition. Microarray analyses revealed that 10% of the P. anserina genes have different transcriptional profiles in S mat+ and S mat−, in line with their different phenotypes. Finally, we show that the heterokaryotic state is faithfully maintained during mycelium growth of P. anserina, yet mat+/mat+ and mat−/mat− heterokaryons are as stable as mat+/mat− ones, evidencing a maintenance of heterokaryosis that does not rely on fitness-enhancing complementation between the S mat+ and S mat− strains.
Framework for Critical Success Factors of BOT Projects in China

The impending entry of China into the World Trade Organization is expected to result in immense demand for basic infrastructure. There are great opportunities for project sponsors, especially in the competitive tendering of build-operate-transfer (BOT) projects. However, the road to winning and managing a BOT project successfully in China is not easy. The process is complex, time-consuming, and expensive, and each phase's success determines the fate of the next phase. Foreign investors must pay attention to the critical success factors (CSFs) in every phase. This article summarizes a study conducted to identify and analyze CSFs of BOT projects in China and their relative importance. Analysis of these CSFs should help foreign investors improve their decision-making process for investing in Chinese BOT projects.
Analyzing the Competitive Performance of the South African Wine Industry

This article describes a methodology and a four-step framework to measure and analyze competitive performance of the South African wine industry. Competitive performance is viewed as the ability to sustain trade against the competition in the global market. The economic sustainability of the South African wine industry is found to be highly dependent on its trading performance, with more than 40 percent of production consistently being exported since 2005. The views and opinions of South African wine executives through the Wine Executive Surveys of 2005 and 2008 are used to identify, describe and explain these competitiveness trends and to qualitatively comment on factors impacting on performance. The Porter Diamond is applied to derive the most important industry determinants of competitive performance. From this analysis changes in the “competitiveness space” of the South African wine industry are described and analyzed and a wine industry agenda is proposed to enhance competitive performance.
Utility driven balanced communication (UDBC) algorithm for data routing in wireless sensor networks

In this paper, a distributed algorithm for the construction of load balanced routing trees in wireless sensor networks is proposed with the goal of prolonging network lifetime. The proposed method, called UDBC, achieves load balancing by adjusting the number of children among parents as much as possible. Child adjustment is considered as a game between parents and child nodes by defining their utility functions. At the game termination, each individual node gains the maximum benefit based on its utility function, and the network as a whole reaches the global goal of forming the balanced tree. UDBC generates more balanced trees compared to similar work in the literature by imposing less time and communication overheads, which is proved by analytical evaluations and simulation results.
Large-scale heterogeneity of Amazonian phenology revealed from 26-year long AVHRR/NDVI time-series

Depiction of phenological cycles in tropical forests is critical for an understanding of seasonal patterns in carbon and water fluxes as well as the responses of vegetation to climate variations. However, the detection of clear spatially explicit phenological patterns across Amazonia has proven difficult using data from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS). In this work, we propose an alternative approach based on a 26-year time-series of the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) from the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) to identify regions with homogeneous phenological cycles in Amazonia. Specifically, we aim to use a pattern recognition technique, based on temporal signal processing concepts, to map Amazonian phenoregions and to compare the identified patterns with field-derived information. Our automated method recognized 26 phenoregions with unique intra-annual seasonality. This result highlights the fact that known vegetation types in Amazonia are not only structurally different but also phenologically distinct. Flushing of new leaves observed in the field is, in most cases, associated to a continuous increase in NDVI. The peak in leaf production is normally observed from the beginning to the middle of the wet season in 66% of the field sites analyzed. The phenoregion map presented in this work gives a new perspective on the dynamics of Amazonian canopies. It is clear that the phenology across Amazonia is more variable than previously detected using remote sensing data. An understanding of the implications of this spatial heterogeneity on the seasonality of Amazonian forest processes is a crucial step towards accurately quantifying the role of tropical forests within global biogeochemical cycles.
Re-Examination of Exchange Rate Determinants using Non-Parity Factors

This paper reports new findings on exchange rate dynamics on how non-parity fundamental factors affect exchange rates in addition to the well-known yet controversial effects from two parity factors. The tests were done on two groups of trade-linked developed and emerging countries: G-10 and Latin America. Also, by systematically retesting the model with high and low frequency data sets, this study revealed both short and long run behaviour. Finally we use newer econometric methods including pooled time series panel regression to obtain robust results. The resulting evidence is: non-parity factors are significantly correlated with exchange rates after controlling for parity factor effects. This appears to suggest that future research should include powerful non-parity factors along with parity factors controlling intervalling and trade