Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Fuzzy finger shapes and hand appearance features for Thai letter finger spelling

Our previous work proposed hand posture estimation technique. The hand region is first extracted using depth image, and then the initial features, such as fingertip, hand center point, and palm size, have been calculated. The concept of active contour using energy function is implemented in order to track fingertip position in the frame image sequence. To discriminate the hand posture sets, a hand feature definition have been established, which is composed of finger shape and hand appearance features. The features are defined as characteristic code to represent hand posture. This technique is applied to the American finger-spelling. Since we focused on Thai letters finger-spelling which are based on American finger-spelling hand postures. Therefore, this paper has introduced a hand posture estimation method for Thai letters finger-spelling. The Hidden Markov Model (HMM) method is used to build a learning model to recognize the sequence of the American finger-spelling hand postures and to provide the Thai letter finger-spelling. The performance of the recognition system can be measured at around 70% recognition rate.
RESEARCH ON THEORETICAL ANALYSIS AND STATISTICAL EXAMINATION OF DYNAMIC CAPABILITY'S EFFECT ON FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE OF ENTERPRISE UNDER THE UNCERTAIN ENVIRONMENT

Considering of dynamic environmental changes, the enterprises release, renew, cooperate and integrate internal and external resources to promote growth performance. The growth performance of enterprise can be divided into two dimensions as financial performance and non-financial performance. Non-financial performance plays a mediating effect between dynamic capability and financial performance and environmental uncertainty moderates the impact effect of dynamic capability on enterprise growth performance. Based on questionnaires data of one hundred and ninety five large and medium manufacturing enterprises in China, the structural equation modeling is applied in examining the effect relations among dynamic capability, nonfinancial performance and financial performance of enterprise, and the hierarchical regression model is set up to analyze the moderating effect of environmental uncertainty in the influencing process of dynamic capability on enterprise growth performance. The measuring coefficients of the structural equation modeling and the hierarchical regression model such as x 2 /df, RMSEA, TLI, CFI, F and R 2 have all matched the statistical measuring level, and the empirical results indicate the following valuable academic rules. Firstly, dynamic capability plays positive effects on non-financial performance and financial performance of enterprise, and non-financial performance plays positive effect on financial performance. Secondly, non-financial performance plays the partial mediating effect between dynamic capability and financial performance. Thirdly, environmental uncertainty positively moderates the impact effect between dynamic capability and non-financial performance while negatively moderates the impact effect between dynamic capability and financial performance, but the moderating effect of environmental uncertainty between non-financial performance and financial performance can’t be found out.
Study on Enterprise Group Controlling Mechanism based on Financial Cooperation

Along with the rapid development of Chinese socialist market economy,the status and function of enterprise group has become more and more important.The problem of controlling mechanism of enterprise group based on financial cooperative has been widespread concerned by theory researchers.Although most researchers have studied cooperative effect,management controlling problems of enterprise groups from different angles,but these research results are still need expand.Based on financial cooperative,this paper analyzes the controlling relationship,controlling motivations and controlling abilities.Then,it explores the hierarchical structure and cooperative coupling mechanism of enterprise's controlling system based on financial cooperative.Finally,it builds a coupling model of system.These results are helpful to enterprise group's cooperative management and value creation.
Characteristics analysis of linear induction motor with two types of secondary structures based on electromagnetic field and electric circuit analysis

In this study, we attempt to analyze characteristics of single-sided Linear Induction Motor with a short primary member and a complicated secondary structure, which consists of solid-plate conductor section and a winding one. For this purpose, electromagnetic field analysis by 3-D FEM is combined with electric circuit analysis and motion equation. Here, electric circuit analysis involves the primary and secondary windings. Focusing on the distributions of secondary induced current and thrust force, we discuss various transient phenomena that develop at the boundary between different secondary structures. Finally, to suppress the aggravation of characteristic caused by the secondary structural transition, we improve the boundary.
Dynamic Responses and Active Vibration Control of Beam Structures Under a Travelling Mass

© 2012 Ryu and Kong, licensee InTech. This is an open access chapter distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Dynamic Responses and Active Vibration Control of Beam Structures Under a Travelling Mass
A Precise Passive Current Balancing Method for Multioutput LED Drivers

The multistring LED in parallel is a popular structure in backlight and lighting applications. The current balancing for each string is required to achieve uniform luminance and reliable operation. This paper proposes a simple and precise lossless passive current balancing circuit for multiple LED strings application. With a dc block capacitor in series with the transformer secondary side and the proposed two outputs rectifier structure, the currents of the two outputs can be automatically balanced due to the charge balancing of the capacitor. Compared to the conventional active current sharing technique using switching converter or linear switch, the proposed methods can achieve high efficiency and low cost. The proposed method can be applied to both current-fed topology and voltage-fed topology, which can also be extended to even outputs application. The basic two balanced output structure with a voltage-fed half-bridge topology is analyzed in this paper to show the detailed operation principle. The design considerations for continuous conduction mode and discontinuous conduction mode operations are also presented. Performance of the proposed circuit is validated by the experimental results from a 60 W prototype with 400-V dc input.
Consumer Based Brand Equity

According to Kotler (2014), a brand is defined as “a name, sign, term, design, symbol or combination of them which is intended to identify the goods and services of one seller or group of sellers and to differentiate them from those of competitors”. Brakus et al., (2009) further discuss that brand can be defined as “a label designating ownership by a firm, which we experience, evaluate, have feeling towards and build associations with to perceive value. ” Definitions show how companies use their brands to be recognized by their customers and differentiate from their rivals in the industry. These differences can be either functional, tangible or rational those related to product performance. Kotler and Keller (2006) suggest that there are some differences as well, like symbolic, emotional or intangible that is related to what a brand represent.
Managing the image of your bank: the glue that binds

Banking in Britain has suffered a crisis of identity in recent years. The British public’s favourable attitude towards the British clearing banks has declined along with a perception that standards of service have fallen and that building societies offer better standards of service. Argues that marketing and image research studies should be given the same attention as the monthly financial figures, should be treated with the same respect and should feed into strategic decision making. Suggests that financial institutions need to focus on five areas of activity, namely: strategic direction; legal threats to survival; capital management; succession; and protection and promotion of the corporate reputation. Outlines the benefits accruing from image and gives guidelines as to why and how a bank’s corporate image should be managed.
Digital Controller for High-Frequency Rectifiers with Power Factor Correction Suitable for On-Chip Implementation

This paper describes a digital controller for high-frequency single-phase power factor correction rectifiers (PFC) that is suitable for on-chip implementation. To achieve high switching frequency, fast dynamic response, and implementation with a small number of logic gates, the designs of basic functional blocks are optimized. In the outer voltage loop a windowed based analog-to-digital converter (ADC) with adjustable quantization steps is used, to achieve fast dynamic response. The complexity of the current loop realization is significantly reduced through the utilization of a floating reference created by a Sigma-Delta modulator and another windowed based ADC. In addition, a segmented ring-oscillator based digital pulse-width modulator (DPWM) is used to eliminate the need for a high frequency external clock and reduce the overall size of the system. The effectiveness of this digital architecture is demonstrated on a 200 kHz, 300 W boost-based PFC experimental prototype.
Chronotype-dependent circadian rhythmicity of driving safety

Among the factors associated with driving safety, sleep-related variables constitute a leading cause of road accidents. Circadian fluctuations of driver’s somnolence has been previously linked to road safety. However, the role of chronotype in this relationship has been poorly investigated. Thus, the aim of the present work was to address whether driving performance is influenced by circadian patterns, in turn modulated by the driver’s chronotype and the time of day (i.e. synchrony effect). We assessed 47 healthy young adults with specific chronotypes in several simulated driving sessions, both in the morning and in the evening. We collected driving performance data, along with self-reported levels of activation prior to each driving session and other sleep-related variables. Participants drove less safely when testing times took place outside their optimal time of day, as determined by their chronotype and confirmed by self-reported levels of activation. These differences were more pronounced in the morning, when morning types shown a better driving performance. Our results suggest that chronotype plays an important role as a modulator of the relationship between the time of day and driving safety. Therefore, it is necessary to acknowledge this variable in theoretical models of driving behavior, and for the improvement of occupational accidents prevention programs.
A South African perspective on factors that impact on the adoption and meaningful use of health information technologies

Abstract Objective: Various benefits are associated with the adoption and meaningful use of health information technologies (HITs) in the healthcare sector. Despite the associated advantages with the adoption and use of HITs, the South African healthcare sector has been slow to adopt HITs, such as electronic record systems. The purpose of this study was to identify factors that should be addressed to encourage the adoption and meaningful use of HITs in the South African healthcare landscape. Design: A three-round Delphi study was conducted to identify such factors. Setting and subjects: The Delphi panel included 21 participants who were considered to be suitably knowledgeable about the acceptance and significant use of HITs in the context of the South African healthcare setting. Results: A total of 58 factors were uncovered by the participants. Consensus was reached on 42 factors that were considered to have a direct to significant impact on the adoption and meaningful use of HITs in the South African healthcare sector. Conclusion: The results of this study highlight factors that should be addressed to encourage the adoption and meaningful use of HITs in South Africa's healthcare setting. These results indicate that a wide range of factors need to be addressed and involve a multitude of stakeholders.
New Export Activities in Brazil: Comparative Advantage, Policy or Self-Discovery?

This paper examines Brazil's export discoveries in aircraft, cell phones and swine meat. All cases confirm the importance of efficiency gains and sunk costs in the expansion of exports and lead to the following conclusions: both economic policy and comparative advantage played important roles in the emergence of new export activities; economies of scale were a crucial determinant of competitiveness; and a well-known brand helped to overcome information asymmetries and facilitate entry into export markets. Exporters concentrated on design, marketing, R&D, and product assembly, making coordination with suppliers an important element in their strategies. Public policy additionally had a strong if sometimes unintended influence. While governments can foster discoveries, especially in the presence of market failures, policy alone cannot produce a successful exporter.
PAR‐6 regulates aPKC activity in a novel way and mediates cell‐cell contact‐induced formation of the epithelial junctional complex

Background PAR‐6, aPKC and PAR‐3 are polarity proteins that co‐operate in the establishment of cell polarity in Caenorhabditis elegans and Drosophila embryos. We have recently shown that mammalian aPKC is required for the formation of the epithelia‐specific cell‐cell junctional structure. We have also revealed that a mammalian PAR‐6 forms a ternary complex with aPKC and ASIP/PAR‐3, and localizes at the most apical end of the junctional complex in epithelial cells.
Corruption and Business Integrity: Law, Policies and Company Practices

Since the 1990s the international community has become acutely aware of the role of businesses in the growth of corruption globally and the debilitating effects of corruption on economic growth and development. A multitude of strategies from regulation in the form of international legal instruments and self-regulation in the form of codes of conduct through to training of employees and involvement of NGOs and citizens in tackling corruption have emerged and these have been vociferously advocated by international organizations, chambers of commerce and NGOs. This article examines the extent to which these strategies have impacted on the policies and practices of businesses through a survey of companies listed in The Times (London) which included all industry sectors with the exception of banking and finance. The survey findings indicate that despite the huge efforts in devising and publicising anti-corruption strategies by the international community these strategies seem to have had limited impact on the policies and practices of companies.
Haem recognition by a Staphylococcus aureus NEAT domain

Successful pathogenic organisms have developed mechanisms to thrive under extreme levels of iron restriction. Haem‐iron represents the largest iron reservoir in the human body and is a significant source of iron for some bacterial pathogens. NEAT (NEAr Transporter) domains are found exclusively in a family of cell surface proteins in Gram‐positive bacteria. Many NEAT domain‐containing proteins, including IsdA in Staphylococcus aureus, are implicated in haem binding. Here, we show that overexpression of IsdA in S. aureus enhances growth and an inactivation mutant of IsdA has a growth defect, compared with wild type, when grown in media containing haem as the sole iron source. Furthermore, the haem‐binding property of IsdA is contained within the NEAT domain. Crystal structures of the apo‐IsdA NEAT domain and in complex with haem were solved and reveal a clathrin adapter‐like β‐sandwich fold with a large hydrophobic haem‐binding pocket. Haem is bound with the propionate groups directed at the molecular surface and the iron is co‐ordinated solely by Tyr166. The phenol groups of Tyr166 and Tyr170 form an H‐bond that may function in regulating haem binding and release. An analysis of IsdA structure‐sequence alignments indicate that conservation of Tyr166 is a predictor of haem binding by NEAT domains.
Exploring Accounting Fraud In The Subsidiary Environment

This research explores accounting fraud in the subsidiary environment. Utilizing institutional theory, we propose that the subsidiary environment provides an opportune setting and vehicle for individuals to commit accounting fraud. While a growing body of literature exists on accounting fraud, minimal work has focused on the role of the subsidiary in accounting fraud, as reported by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). We sample companies for which the SEC has documented accounting fraud in their enforcement releases. We then analyze the related SEC documents to determine to what extent, if any, a subsidiary is involved in the accounting fraud. Our preliminary results provide evidence related to the industries, circumstances and types of accounting fraud that take place in a subsidiary environment. These findings provide auditors, regulators, and designers of management control systems with additional insights as to the factors surrounding fraud when companies operate in a subsidiary environment.
MicroRNA expression profile in patients with stage II colorectal cancer: a Turkish referral center study.

BACKGROUND There are increasing data about microRNAs (miRNA) in the literature, providing abundant evidence that they play important roles in pathogenesis and development of colorectal cancer. In this study, we aimed to investigate the miRNA expression profiles in surgically resected specimens of patients with recurrent and non-recurrent colorectal cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS The study population included 40 patients with stage II colorectal cancer (20 patients with recurrent tumors, and 20 sex and age matched patients without recurrence), who underwent curative colectomy between 2004 and 2011 without adjuvant therapy. Expression of 16 miRNAs (miRNA-9, 21, 30d, 31, 106a, 127, 133a, 133b, 135b, 143, 145, 155, 182, 200a, 200c, 362) was verified by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) in all resected colon cancer tissue samples and in corresponding normal colonic tissues. Data analyses were carried out using SPSS 15 software. Values were statistically significantly changed in 40 cancer tissues when compared to the corresponding 40 normal colonic tissues (p<0.001). MiR-30d, miR-133a, miR-143, miR-145 and miR-362 expression was statistically significantly downregulated in 40 resected colorectal cancer tissue samples (p<0.001). When we compared subgroups, miRNA expression profiles of 20 recurrent cancer tissues were similar to all 40 cancer tissues. However in 20 non-recurrent cancer tissues, miR-133a expression was not significantly downregulated, moreover miR-133b expression was significantly upregulated (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Our study revealed dysregulation of expression of ten miRNAs in Turkish colon cancer patients. These miRNAs may be used as potential biomarkers for early detection, screening and surveillance of colorectal cancer, with functional effects on tumor cell behavior.
The adoption of technological innovations in a B2B context: an empirical study on the higher education industry in Egypt

Purpose – This paper aims to examine the factors that affect the adoption of technological innovations in a service industry, like the higher education industry. Specifically, the use of Web-based technology (WEBCT/blackboard) by faculty and administrators in universities in Egypt in the delivery of educational material and communication with students and peers is the focus of this study. Design/methodology/approach – A distinctive business-to-business (B2B) model is developed drawing on Rogers’ innovation adoption model, the resource-based view of the firm, as well as theoretical and empirical foundations in previous innovation adoption literature. The model is testified drawing on the results of empirical work in the form of a large survey conducted on 200 faculty and administrators in two different universities in Egypt. Structural equation modeling is used to test the research model. Findings – In addition to the attributes of the innovation, all university-based factors as well as one service provide.
Robust Shape Control of Deformable Objects Using Model-Based Techniques

Shape control of a deformable object by a robotic system is a challenging problem because of the difficulty of imposing shape change by a finite number of actuation points to an essentially infinite-dimensional object. In this paper, a new approach to shape changing of deformable objects by a system of manipulators is presented. First, an integrated dynamic equation of motion for a system of multiple manipulators handling a deformable object is developed. A shape correspondence between the initial contact points of the multiple manipulators on a deformable object and a two-dimensional curve that represents the final desired shape is determined. A shape Jacobian that contains the local shape information of the desired shape of the object is formulated and is introduced into the control law. We develop a shape estimator with a second-order dynamics that is used to estimate the curve parameters corresponding to the end-effector position in each time step as the initial object is deformed to its desired final shape. Finally, we design a robust controller for the shape changing task that can work in the presence of modeling uncertainty. The simulation results demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed method.
PDGF and bFGF Modulate Tube Formation in Adipose Tissue-Derived Stem Cells

Recent evidence indicates that mesenchymal stem cells contribute to tumor angiogenesis through yet undefined mechanisms. In the present study, we investigated the angiogenic properties of human adipose tissue-derived stem cells and the mechanisms involved. Freshly isolated human adipose tissue-derived stem cells were seeded onto wells coated with Matrigel and cultured in endothelial growth medium. Capillary-like tube formation was observed after 18 hours culture. Tube formation was significantly reduced in the presence of antibodies against platelet-derived growth factor receptor beta or basic fibroblast growth factor. Collectively, these data suggest that freshly isolated adipose tissue-derived stem cells have the capacity to differentiate into capillary structures and platelet-derived growth factor and bFGF plays a critical role in this process.
Conducting case study research in non-profit organisations

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to focus on the transactional relationship between retailers and handicrafts suppliers using case study research. Design/methodology/approach – Various reports on the handicraft sector were studied. Interactions with industry experts also helped clarify various issues confronting the industry. Preliminary visits to organizations working in this area were undertaken to know the ground realities of the handicraft sector. Findings – To prove the reliability of the case study process and enable others to replicate it, the steps and procedures must be clearly explicit and well documented in the final report. In this research, the steps that are followed to collect the data have been described in detail so that other researchers can apply the case study process and achieve similar results. Originality/value – Scholarship focussing on organised retail as well as handicrafts production and marketing is well developed. There is vast literature on the former from the developed.