Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The impact of exposure to news about electronic government surveillance on concerns about government intrusion, privacy self-efficacy, and privacy protective behavior

ABSTRACT Government electronic surveillance programs are an active topic in public debates, yet little is known about how awareness of government electronic surveillance programs affects technology users’ concerns, beliefs, and behaviors. This study examined the impact of exposure to news stories about government surveillance on users’ concerns about government intrusion, their privacy self-efficacy, and the strength of passwords they use to protect information. Findings were that the exposure to news about government surveillance increases the level of concerns about government intrusion and has a negative impact on privacy self-efficacy. Further, contrary to expectations, this exposure also leads to weaker passwords used to protect information. Possible explanations and implications of the findings are discussed.
GESTURE CONTROLLED HOME AUTOMATION FOR DIFFERENTLY CHALLENGED PEOPLE

Everyday communication with the hearing population poses a major challenge to those with hearing loss. For this purpose, an automatic American Sign Language recognition system is developed using artificial neural network (ANN) and to translate the ASL alphabets into text and sound. A glove circuit is designed with flex sensors, 3axis accelerometer and EMG sensors to capture the gestures. The finger bending data is obtained from the flex sensors on each finger whereas the accelerometer provides the trajectories of the hand motion. Some local features are extracted from the ASL alphabets which are then classified using neural network. Finger bending data is transmitted via zigbee and given to driver circuit to control the home appliances. Keywords—Accelerometer, Artificial Neural Network, Electromyography, Flex Sensors, Sign Language Recognition. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Mind-Set Metrics: Consumer Attitudes and the Bottom Line

Abstract Including mind-set metrics like cognitions, affects and intentions in marketing models helps explain the effect of marketing on hard facts like sales and profit and also improves marketing decisions. Mind-set metrics have longer wear-in times than most marketing mix activities and can therefore serve as leading indicators. They allow time for managerial action before market performance itself is affected. The mind-set effects are not identical for all types of products or in all marketing settings. Four criteria – potential, responsiveness, stickiness and sales conversion – help determine and make clear the connection between marketing actions, attitudinal metrics and sales outcomes for different product types and brands. These criteria can also be used in prediction models and to determine the optimal budget for individual marketing activities. The joint modeling of mind-set metrics, marketing mix actions and financial outcomes are relevant and helpful to CMOs and CFOs alike. Such information enables marketing managers to understand the effect of marketing actions while offering financial accountability of marketing to CFOs.
Business Incubators and Entrepreneurship in Korea: Analyzing Historical Development and Current Situation

This paper examines the overall status and differences of business incubators in Korea. The successful incubation of new firms can contribute to job creation and regional economic development. In the past decade, many new business incubators have been established in Korea with strong government support. This paper reviews how they have developed and what characteristics they have. Based on the data of 263 business incubators in Korea, this paper analyzes the systematic differences in resource endowments and performances by size, sponsoring organization, and geographical location. The results show that there are significant performance differences among business incubators in Korea. The implications of these results are studied and ways to improve the performance of business incubators are suggested.
A 40-kilodalton cell wall protein-coding sequence upstream of the sr gene of Streptococcus mutans OMZ175 (serotype f)

Streptococcus mutans surface proteins may be important in immunization against dental caries. We report the existence of an open reading frame of 1,005 bp that lies 1,162 bases upstream of the S. mutans OMZ175 sr gene and that encodes a cell wall-associated protein. This open reading frame codes for 335 amino acid residues. The first 18-amino acid region is predominantly hydrophobic and resembles a signal peptide, and the hydrophobic C-terminal region may function as an anchor to the bacterial cell wall. On the basis of the predicted antigenic determinants of the deduced amino acid sequence, a 16-residue synthetic peptide corresponding to the middle hydrophilic coiled region was synthesized. Antibodies raised against this synthetic peptide reacted with a protein with an apparent Mr of 40,000 that was identified by Western immunoblotting in a cell wall extract from S. mutans OMZ175. The high reactivity in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay of the antibodies with whole S. mutans OMZ175 cells showed that this protein was located on the bacterial cell surface. Furthermore, the antipeptide immunoglobulin G recognized an identical determinant on the cell surface of other members of the S. mutans group. However, the function of this protein is not yet known.
Image matching based on LBP and SIFT descriptor

In this paper, we propose a new approach for extracting invariant feature from interest region. The new descriptor is inspired from the original descriptor SIFT (Scale Invariant Feature Transform) which is widely used in image matching by extracting interest points (IPs). However, this descriptor performs badly when the background is complex or corrupted with noise. Then, we adopt the local binary Pattern (LBP) descriptor with uniform pattern and the center symmetric local binary pattern (CSLBP) instead of a gradient feature used in the SIFT algorithm. To do so, we present new descriptors based on different combinations of SIFT, LBP and CSLBP descriptors to improve matching results. Thus, we compute different evaluation measures such as repeatability, recall and precision for various images transformations (blur attack, rotation and affine transformation). Experiments, which are achieved on two different databases, show that the descriptors leads to better results.
Molecular modeling study bioactive natural product of khellin analogues as a novel potential pharmacophore of EGFR inhibitors

Khelline is naturally occurring furochromone exhibited significant Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) inhibitory activity. The newly synthesized compounds 2–5 displayed the most potent EGFR inhibitory activity on MCF-7 and HeLa. In vitro study against 59 different human tumour cell lines derived from nine cancer type in NCI (USA), which was presented and documented. Molecular docking simulation was performed to position compounds 1–5 into the EGFR active site to determine the probable binding mode.
Evaluation of genetic substructure in the Irish Study of High-Density Schizophrenia Families

The presence of genetic substructure has the potential to diminish the chances of detecting a linkage signal. Using a Markov chain Monte Carlo procedure developed by Pritchard and colleagues and implemented in the program STRUCTURE, we evaluated the evidence for genetic substructure using genotypes from 37 microsatellite markers in affected individuals selected at random from 263 multiplex families in the Irish Study of High-Density Schizophrenia Families. We found no evidence for the presence of genetic substructure in this sample.
The Application Status of Total Quality Management with Continuous Improvement Approach

The aim of this study was to determine the implementation status of total quality management with continuous improvement approach in Education Department of the Dezful city. The statistical population consisted of all educational staff (105) of Dezful city in academic year of 2014-2015 and 86 employees were selected as the statistical sample by using relative stratified sampling method. The methodology of present study was descriptive with survey type. To collect the data, total quality management standard questionnaire of ISO 9000 (TQM) was used. To analyze the data the independent sample t-test” was used. The results showed that the observance rate of eight principles of ISO 9000 in the education department of the Dezful city was performed poorly and the application rate of this principles is less than 0.50. Total mean scores of eight principles of Total Quality Management in the Department of Education of Dezful city was 119.91 and this points in the spectrum showed that the organization has to start learning and quality program and productivity. At this level objectives should focus on the movement from the planning stages to the actual implementation of “TQM” in order to obtain practical experience.
Quantification Scope Ambiguity Resolution: Evidence from Persian and English

This study investigates the interpretation of scopally ambiguous sentences containing noun phrases with double quantified constituents from a processing perspective. The questions this study tried to answer were: whether or not the preferred interpretation for doubly quantified ambiguous sentences in English was influenced by English learners' L1 scope interpretation possibilities; whether or not the preferred interpretation of ambiguous sentences with double quantificational noun phrases was driven by surface configurations of sentences in English and Persian for SL learners of English either in off-line or on-line reading; and finally, whether or not the referential contexts of ambiguous sentences with double quantificational noun phrases in English and in Persian guided interpretation preferences for SL learners in off-line and on-line readings. Using an off-line judgment task and an on-line truth-value judgment task combined with a self-paced reading technique, the data of the study were collected from the Persian speakers and English learners. The results obtained from offline tasks indicated that the interpretation preferences of L2 learners of English were influenced by their background language. However, such influences were not found in the self-paced study. Furthermore, it was indicated that the surface configurations of sentences strongly affected L2 learners’ interpretation preferences favoring isomorphic interpretation for the universal quantifiers included in the subject position. Concerning the semantically referential-context effect on ambiguity resolution, the collected data revealed that context played a crucial role in the processing of scope ambiguity since the RTs for acontextualized stimuli were more than for contextualized ones in constructions with QNP-QNP in Persian and English.
CMOS integrated high speed light sensors for optical wireless communication applications

This work presents a single link CMOS high data rate receiver to be integrated in imaging diversity sensor arrays for optical wireless communication targeting indoor scenarios. To compete with existing radio frequency links, sensing and transmitting data in the hundreds of Mbits per second and above, the proposed data/light sensor is optimized at both the photodetector and circuit levels to provide 5Gps data rate from a single optical link using low cost, high yield standard CMOS technology. A novel photo-detector structure, Triple Well Interrupted N-finger photodiode, is proposed that can achieve a bandwidth up to 10 GHz at 1.2V reverse bias. To compensate for the decreased responsivity of the photodiode, a wideband, high gain and low noise transimpedance amplifier compatible with the speed-enhanced CMOS photodiode is implemented in 0. 13μm CMOS technology. The amplifier chain achieves a measured bit error rate (BER) of 10-12 at 5 Gbps corresponding to 2. 8μA input current in presence of 1pF input capacitance representing the photodiode. The die area is 1106μm×895μm including a transimpedance amplifier (TIA), limiter and buffer and the power dissipation is 68mW from a 1.5V DC supply.
Contagion Effects of the U.S. Subprime Crisis on International Stock Markets

This paper examines the contagion effects of the U.S. subprime crisis on international stock markets using a DCC-GARCH model on 38 country data. We find evidence of financial contagion not only in emerging markets but also in developed markets during the U.S. subprime crisis. We also find evidence of a spillover effect of news concerning sovereign credit ratings during the U.S. subprime crisis. The spillover effects are significant for both positive and negative rating news. In addition, while the spillover for positive rating changes indicates differential effect, that for negative rating changes indicates common information effect.
Magellan: Initial Analysis of Venus Surface Modification

Initial Magellan observations reveal a planet with high dielectric constant materials exposed preferentially in elevated regions with high slopes, ejecta deposits extending up to 1000 kilometers to the west of several impact craters, windblown deposits and features in areas where there are both obstacles and a source of particulate material, and evidence for slow, steady degradation by atmosphere-surface interactions and mass movements.
Back Enhanced (BE) SOI pMOSFET

We report for the first time the fabrication of Back Enhanced (BE) SOI pMOSFET. In this device, there is no doping step process like ion implantation, diffusion or other kind of doping for formation of source/drain or channel, and it is a planar device. The source/drain is enhanced (holes accumulated at back interface) by applying a high negative voltage at back gate (substrate). The front gate voltage should be enough to pinch off the channel. This device is very simple to fabricate, and thus allows many universities an opportunity to fabricate your own device for educational purposes. Moreover, this device has also interesting features like a threshold voltage modulate by back gate from negative to positive (resulting in enhanced and depletion mode operation), a subthreshold slope of 77mV/dec, body factor of 1.11 and ION/IOFF of 105. The BE SOI MOSFET parameter is compatible with other devices with the same operation principle, i.e. current flows near to back interface, but it is much easier to fabricate, using only tree photolithography steps.
Stated‐importance versus derived‐importance customer satisfaction measurement

This study aims to compare the customer satisfaction index (CSI) based on two approaches: stated‐importance and derived‐importance approaches. The stated‐importance approach uses both importance and performance scores in constructing the CSI, while the derived‐importance approach uses regression analysis to derive the betas for calculating CSI. The results show that the stated‐importance approach has achieved a higher CSI (79.1 percent) than that of the derived‐importance approach (57.4 percent). Both approaches find that the aspects of rooms and employees are the most important factors in driving customer satisfaction. Strengths and weaknesses of the two approaches are discussed.
Minimizing area costs in GPS applications on a programmable DSP by code compression

The amount of applications requiring personal satellite based navigation is growing rapidly at the moment. Complexity of the GPS (Global Positioning System) navigation algorithms and thus the memory requirements for the systems are growing at the same pace as the demands from customers. The large program memory footprint can be efficiently reduced by code compression. In this paper we describe in detail the analysis and compression procedures of typical GPS functions, as well as the on-chip decompression flow. For the GPS functions, our compression scheme achieves compression ratio of 55% at best.
The frontal lobes and executive function

From the viewpoint of neural network modelling via nonlinear dynamical systems, it is useful to break down the overall executive function (EF) into smaller components that repeatedly occur in different tasks and in different combinations. The tasks whose models are described suggest three generic components that commonly occur, all related to aspects of pre-frontal function: 1) establishing links between working memory representations which could represent sensory stimuli and potential motor actions; 2) creating, learning, and deciding among high-level schemata that embody repeatable, but often flexible action sequences; and 3) incorporating affective evaluations of sensory events or potential motor plans and using these evaluations to guide actions. The network theory developed describes how the components of EF could arise from frontal system neuroanatomy.
The Removal of Credit Ratings From Capital Regulation: Implications For Systemic Risk

We examine whether removing references to credit ratings from regulations, as mandated by the Dodd-Frank Act, affects the transmission of systemic risk through the asset liquidation channel. We analyze an initiative to reduce reliance on ratings for capital adequacy assessment in the insurance industry and its effect on insurers’ investment and financing decisions. After the change, insurers are less likely to repair regulatory capital by selling distressed MBS, gains trading corporate bonds, or raising external capital. However, the new regime allows insurers to purchase more low-rated MBS. Thus, the initiative may limit systemic risk transmission through the asset liquidation channel, but at the expense of more risk-taking than prudential regulators may prefer.
Can the Changes in Capital Structure Due to Operating Profits Accumulate in the Long Term?

It is well documented that once-lagged operating profits are negatively related with the firm’s current leverage ratio. This paper examine whether the changes in capital structure due to operating profits can accumulate in the long run. I find that the historical operating profits have economically and statistically significant long-term effects on capital structure, and that the weighted average historical profits over entire firm history have more explanatory power on current cross-sectional capital structure variations than the well accepted four once-lagged leverage determinants all together do. The findings in this paper show that the current capital structure is, to a large extent, the cumulative outcome of historical operating profits.
Antiangiogenic Drugs for Chemotherapy of Bladder Tumours

Background: Bladder cancers have different angiogenic pathways distinguishing not only papillary from solid tumours, but even papillary superficial from papillary invasive ones, thus representing selective targets for antiangiogenic drugs. Methods: The bacterial wall component tecogalan, inhibiting basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), the fumagillin derivative TNP-470, inhibiting vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), the distamycin A derivative PNU153429, and the tetracycline minocycline were administered to nude mice injected with the human bladder cancer cell lines 639V, causing bFGF-expressing papillary superficial tumours, or T24, causing VEGF-expressing papillary invasive tumours. Results: Tecogalan had no effect even on 639V tumour growth, where bFGF was unaffected. TNP-470 only had an effect on T24 tumours, delaying tumour appearance and growth and lowering VEGF; these effects were augmented by adding minocycline. PNU153429 had no effect on 639V tumours, and a slight effect on T24 tumours. Conclusion: TNP-470 may represent a selective drug for the treatment of VEGF-expressing invasive papillary bladder tumours.
Design of a 2-GS/s 8-b self-calibrating ADC in 0.18 /spl mu/m CMOS technology

The paper discusses the design of a very highspeed 8-b analog-to-digital converter (ADC) in 0.18-/spl mu/m CMOS. A conversion rate as high as 2GS/s with a relatively low power consumption was achieved by means of a couple of interleaved subranging/flash ADC with a single track-and-hold at the input. Special design solutions were adopted for implementing subranging operation at such a high frequency. Finally, a lower power consumption self-calibrating technique effective for reducing nonlinearity errors below 1 LSB was implemented.
Chemical constituents of the epiphytic and lithophilic lichens of the genus Collema.

Biodiversity of secondary lichen metabolites by the epiphytic and lithophilic lichens of the genus Collema is reported. The most abundant fatty acids were α-linolenic acid (18:3n-3), oleic acid (18:1n-9), and palmitic acid (16:0), but a great variation of the ester composition from one to another was found. A comparison of neutral lipids, glycolipids, polar lipids and fatty acid composition of four species was done. DGTS, DGTA, PC, and PI were found as major components among polar lipids. Chemical constituents were characterized by GC-MS, HPLC, HR-TLC, and other chemical methods. Biological activity of isolated compounds from Collema species is also discusses. Several indole alkaloids and other nitrogen-containing metabolites have been isolated
Sentilyzer – A Mashup Application for the Sentiment Analysis of Facebook Pages

We present Sentilyzer, a web-based tool that can be used to analyze and visualize the sentiment of German user comments on Facebook pages. The tool collects comments via the Facebook API and uses the TreeTagger to perform basic lemmatization. The lemmatized data is then analyzed with regard to sentiment by using the Berlin Affective Word List – Reloaded (BAWL-R), a lexicon that contains emotional valence ratings for more than 2,900 German words. The results are visualized in an interactive web interface that shows sentiment analyses for single posts, but also provides a timeline view to display trends in the sentiment ratings.
Biosynthesis of cardiolipin in mitochondria.

Conversion of sn-glycero-3-phosphate-2-3H to cardiolipin in mitochondria isolated from guinea pig liver has been established. Cardiolipin thus formed was isolated and characterized. Under similar conditions, microsomes were not able to catalyze the biosynthesis of cardiolipin in a detectable amount. The mechanism for the biosynthesis of cardiolipin in mitochondria, similar to that described in bacteria, is suggested. These results have established mitochondrial capability to synthesize polyglycerophosphatides.
Signal Processing Techniques for Improved Performance of a SQUID-Based Metal-Detector

A SQUID-based prototype sensor system for the detection of stainless steel contaminants in food has been previously reported . In this work, we describe the use of adaptive filters, matched filter correlation and component estimation algorithms for automatic contaminant detection for this system. The specification of the probability of false positives-using statistical analysis-allows the resulting contaminant detection limit to be determined. These improvements will enable commercial operation of SQUID-based stainless-steel detection systems in standard factory environments with acceptable correct and false positive detection rates.
Spatial distribution trend of urban service industries in the information times: a case study of Beijing's catering industry

Based on the data analysis of Baidu map and group-buying website,this essay explores the agglomeration and location preference of Beijing 's catering industry through the statistical regression model,revealing the spatial distribution features of urban service industries in the information times.This essay finds that online group- buying business results in the spatial agglomeration and diffusion simultaneously: on one hand,it strengthens the agglomeration of catering industry in the commercial districts in central city; on the other hand,it leads to the new agglomeration of restaurants on the outskirts and suburbs of Beijing,and promotes the development of service industries in these peripheral regions,indicating a decentralized and homogenized trend of the city structure.