TEXUS: A unified framework for extracting and understanding tables in PDF documents

Tables in documents are a widely-available and rich source of information, but not yet well-utilised computationally because of the difficulty in automatically extracting their structure and data content. There has been a plethora of systems proposed to solve the problem, but current methods present low usability and accuracy and lack precision in detecting data from diverse layouts. We propose a component-based design and implementation of table processing concepts which can offer flexibility and re-usability as well as high performance on a wide range of table types. In this paper, we describe a system named TEXUS which is a fully automated table processing system that takes a PDF document and detects tables in a layout independent manner. We introduce TEXUS’s own table processing specific document model and the two-phased processing pipeline design. Through an extensive evaluation on a dataset comprised of complex financial tables, we show the performance of the system on different table types.     

From Beliefs to Actions: The Beliefs and Actions of Teachers Implementing Change

Journal of Science Teacher Education -     

网络化媒体的三个神话

西方世界喜欢用媒体环境的丰富多样来证明民主制度的胜利。尤其是互联网,据说它能够让每个人发布信息,让每个人参与讨论。而我认为,这种民主实际上是一种助长资本主义的工具。我想用"传播资本主义"这一概念,来描述这种民主和资本主义的结合。想要理解传播资本主义的掌控力,就要去思考它那些充满生机的神话,思考把互联网与民主连在一起的幻想,比如"丰富性"、"参与性"和"整体性"。     

An introduction to entrepreneurial separation to transfer technology programs

There is an ever increasing interest in the development of within firm mechanisms to augment the transfer of intellectual property from laboratory environments to commercialization. The Federal Laboratory System is an example of where policy has recently been developed to strengthen their efforts in the technology transfer process. Entrepreneurial separation to transfer technology programs (ESTT) represent one mechanism that laboratories have to assist with the transfer of intellectual property across boundaries, especially in situations where initial efforts at commercialization have failed. However, no formal research exists on the effectiveness of these programs as a boundary spanning device. This work is based on a preliminary study in the ESTT domain placed in the technology transfer body of literature. In depth interviews were conducted with four organizations, along with a review of more than fifty organizational policies in order to develop an initial framework of ESTT programs. We introduce the concept of ESTT programs and discuss how inventor motivations and characteristics of the invention itself might influence the success of ESTT.     

How a small family run business adopted Critical Reflection Action Learning using hand drawn images to initiate organisational change

In this account of practice I would like to share my experiences of facilitating a Critical Reflection Action Learning (CRAL) set with a small family run business, struggling to make change and expand their services due to the problems they encountered in separating their business lives from their family lives. The account I present here is based on a 12-session project I carried out with the organisation using a CRAL methodology as part of my Doctoral studies at the University of Hull Business School (Shepherd 2011). In this particular Action Learning project participants were invited to create hand drawn images which acted as representations of the problems they faced as a business. The images were used by set members in reflective conversations on the problems they were having. Each set member cycled through a process of drawing an image and reflecting upon its meaning using individual, group and critical reflection. The whole process enabled set members to gain new insights into their problems and provided them with the opportunity to devise new, more effective ways of tackling their problems and understanding the power dynamics underpinning them.     

Sociology and Music Education: a further response to Swanwick

This paper is a response to Professor Swanwick's further critique of our sociological perspective on music education. We argue that criticisms made in relation to our positions on referenlialism, the ability of people to appreciate music cross‐culturally, and the various analytic categories of Meyer, Chester and Keil are all grounded in a desire to isolate the essence of ‘music’ from social and cultural processes. We further argue that the difficulties perceived with our positions do not follow from a belief in the culture‐specific significance of different musics per se, but rather from overly rigid and sometimes mistaken interpretation of our perspective. Finally, we point to the danger of assuming a cross‐cultural category, ‘music’, when many cultures have no equivalent word and use what we understand as ‘music’ in ways vastly different to ourselves.