Semi-supervised FusedGAN for Conditional Image Generation

We present FusedGAN, a deep network for conditional image synthesis with controllable sampling of diverse images. Fidelity, diversity and controllable sampling are the main quality measures of a good image generation model. Most existing models are insufficient in all three aspects. The FusedGAN can perform controllable sampling of diverse images with very high fidelity. We argue that controllability can be achieved by disentangling the generation process into various stages. In contrast to stacked GANs, where multiple stages of GANs are trained separately with full supervision of labeled intermediate images, the FusedGAN has a single stage pipeline with a built-in stacking of GANs. Unlike existing methods, which requires full supervision with paired conditions and images, the FusedGAN can effectively leverage more abundant images without corresponding conditions in training, to produce more diverse samples with high fidelity. We achieve this by fusing two generators: one for unconditional image generation, and the other for conditional image generation, where the two partly share a common latent space thereby disentangling the generation. We demonstrate the efficacy of the FusedGAN in fine grained image generation tasks such as text-to-image, and attribute-to-face generation

EMPIRICAL POWER COMPARISON OF NON-NESTED TESTS FOR THE EVM: SOME MONTE CARLO EVIDENCE

Recently, Bodla and Bhatti (2007) revisited Davidson and MacKinnon’s (2002) well-known J test and noted that thought the test is simple to compute but lack small sample exact test computation properties. This paper is one of the attempts to compute a new version of the J test and compare its power performance with the various existing tests to see the relative strength of our test to be called as an approximately most powerful test. The main objective of this paper is to study Monte Carlo evidence on finite sample performance of the now modified non-nested tests of mismeasured regression models in EVM, Errors in Variables Models, setting to see if the power performance of the new test.Nonnested models, power & size of a test, Monte Carlo Simulation

Making a nation in high mountains: Balawars and Balawaristan nationalism in Ghizer district of Gilgit Baltistan

Making a Nation in High Mountains: Balawars andBalawaristan Nationalism in Ghizer District of Gilgit Baltista

The Use of Influence Tactics in Politicized Organizations: A Look from Gender Perspective

The politics is one of the unavoidable constituent of organizational climate in all types of business organizations. Antecedents and consequences of organizational politics and use of influence strategies are very important to consider in an organizational setup when allocating resources and satisfying the interdependencies. However, little is known about the differences among males and females how they use these influence tactics. In this review, the authors have proposed a model which explicitly elaborates the view how the gender differences interact with perceptions of organizational politics when it impacts on job performance. The previous literature supports the fact that males and females differ significantly on perceptions of politics and work performance relationship. The proposed theoretical model for research in multiple dimensions, i.e. power and politics, influence tactics and political behavior may unveil the players’ behaviors in politicized organizations

Estimating Total Factor Productivity and Its Components: Evidence from Major Manufacturing Industries of Pakistan

This paper estimates the trend in total factor productivity growth for eleven major manufacturing sub-sectors/industries listed on Karachi Stock Exchange. 1998 to 2007 Malmquist total factor productivity growth indices have been calculated using nonparametric Data Envelopment Analysis which also shows TFP growth sources including efficiency change and technical change. The results of this study are showing a mixed trend for all manufacturing sub-sectors/industries in terms of TFP, technical efficiency change and technological change. Cement and Oil and Gas marketing sectors depict a relatively stable position. Most of the manufacturing industries have gained, in terms of technical efficiency but the technical change is putting a negative affect on the productivity growth except for a few industries.Data Envelopment Analysis, Manufacturing Sector, Malmquist Productivity Index, Total Factor Productivity, Technical Efficiency Change, Technical or Technological Change, Pakistan

Moderating Role of Social Exchange Perceptions between Perceived Organizational Politics and Antisocial Behavior

Organizational politics is a fact of organizational life, which can be seen in almost every type of organization globally. Individuals come together for a common purpose and safeguard self interest. The present study examines the moderating role of social exchange perceptions between perceived organizational politics and antisocial behavior in Pakistani context. The empirical evidence is based on the national level sample data as collected through self-administered questionnaires from executives of multitude of Pakistani industries such as health, manufacturing, energy, financial services, education, telecommunication, and information technology. The sample comprised of 577 respondents. Moderated hierarchical regression was applied to test the interactional effects and hypothesized relationships were confirmed. Several practical implications have been provided for the benefit of practicing managers

Simulated Microstructural Evolution and Design of Porous Sintered Wicks

Porous structures formed by sintering of powders, which involves material-bonding under the application of heat, are commonly employed as capillary wicks in two-phase heat transport devices such as heat pipes. These sintered wicks are often fabricated in an ad hoc manner, and their microstructure is not optimized for fluid and thermal performance. Understanding the role of sintering kinetics—and the resulting microstructural evolution—on wick transport properties is important for fabrication of structures with optimal performance. A cellular automaton model is developed in this work for predicting microstructural evolution during sintering. The model, which determines mass transport during sintering based on curvature gradients in digital images, is first verified against benchmark cases, such as the evolution of a square shape into an areapreserving circle. The model is then employed to predict the sintering dynamics of a sideby- side, two-particle configuration conventionally used for the study of sintering. Results from previously published studies on sintering of cylindrical wires are used for validation. Randomly packed multiparticle configurations are then considered in two and three dimensions. Sintering kinetics are described by the relative change in overall surface area of the compact compared to the initial random packing. The effect of sintering parameters, particle size, and porosity on fundamental transport properties, viz., effective thermal conductivity and permeability, is analyzed. The effective thermal conductivity increases monotonically as either the sintering time or temperature is increased. Permeability is observed to increase with particle size and porosity. As sintering progresses, the slight increase observed in the permeability of the microstructure is attributed to a reduction in the surface area

Design and Development of Niosomal Delivery System for Ketoprofen

Niosomes are efficient carriers for controlled drug delivery, to entrap hydrophilic drugs in the larger interior aqueous layer, whereas, lipophilic drugs in the outer lipid bilayers. Since, the niosomes are biodegradable and non toxic and hence, a good carrier for targeting of therapeutic agents at the site of interest with reduced systemic toxicity. The film formation method was used for the preparation of the niosomes due to simplicity, reproducibility and high drug entrapment efficiency. The various ratios of Surfactant (Span 60) Cholesterol and Dicetyl phosphate (DCP) were used for the preparation of the niosomes. The molar ratio of 47.5:47.5:5 was found to be most suitable in terms of niosomal size drug entrapment efficiency and in vitro drug release. The average size of niosomes was observed as 4.5 µ m with drug entrapment efficiency of 62.4%. The in vitro drug release study was carried out using dialysis membrane in Phosphate buffer saline (PBS, pH 7.4) for 24 hrs.  The result showed a cumulative drug release of 98% in 8 hrs. from the free drug, against 92% drug release in 24 hrs. With optimized niosomal formulation. The optimized niosomal formulation showed a sustained action of about 16 hrs was subjected to in vivo studies (anti-inflammatory activity). This formulation was found to be more effective in reducing edema after 2 hrs as compared to the free drug.  Copyright © www.iiste.org Key-word: - Niosomes, biodegradable, film formation method, drug entrapment efficiency, dialysis membrane