Are dyslexics' visual deficits limited to measures of dorsal stream function?

We tested the hypothesis that the differences in performance between developmental dyslexics and controls on visual tasks are specific for the detection of dynamic stimuli. We found that dyslexics were less sensitive than controls to coherent motion in dynamic random dot displays. However, their sensitivity to control measures of static visual form coherence was not significantly different from that of controls. This dissociation of dyslexics' performance on measures that are suggested to tap the sensitivity of different extrastriate visual areas provides evidence for an impairment specific to the detection of dynamic properties of global stimuli, perhaps resulting from selective deficits in dorsal stream functions. © 2001 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

Ethical reporting in Islami Bank Bangladesh Limited (1983-2010)

The main aim of this study is to undertake a critical examination of the ethical and developmental performance of an Islamic bank as communicated in its annual reports over a period of 28 years (1983-2010). Islami Bank Bangladesh Limited's (IBBL hereafter) ethical performance and disclosures are further analyzed through interviews conducted with the bank's senior management. The key findings include an overall increase in ethical disclosures during the study period. However, the focus on various stakeholders' needs has varied over time reflecting the evolving nature of the Islamic finance industry over the last three decades. Based on a secular economy, IBBL focused in the first two decades on the "Particular" Shariah compliance disclosure as a way of establishing its reputation and differentiating itself from conventional banks in a dual banking system. Post 2005, the ethical performance and disclosure shifted to more "Universal" disclosures such as sustainability, charity, employees, and community related disclosures signaling responsible conduct and the bank's adoption of a "wider stakeholder approach." However the bank is still failing to provide full disclosure on certain significant categories such as sources and uses of disposable income, thereby contradicting the principles of full and comprehensive disclosure and accountability. In addition, the structure of IBBL's investment portfolio reveals an overreliance on debt-based financial instruments and a shortcoming in fulfilling the developmental and social objectives of Islamic finance. This is evidenced by the "qualified" Shariah Supervisory Board reports that the bank consistently received. This research provides further evidence that Islamic banking and Finance in its current practices reflect the "global" and the "local" influences in an era dominated by global conventional finance. © 2014 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht.

Channel estimation and compensation in chromatic dispersion limited optical fast OFDM systems

We experimentally investigate the channel estimation and compensation in a chromatic dispersion (CD) limited 20Gbit/s optical fast orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (F-OFDM) system with up to 840km transmission. It is shown that symmetric extension based guard interval (GI) is required to enable CD compensation using one-tap equalizers. As few as one optical F-OFDM symbol with four and six pilot tones per symbol can achieve near-optimal channel estimation and compensation performance for 600km and 840km respectively.

Near-transform-limited picosecond pulses from a gain-switched InGaAs diode laser with fiber Bragg gratings

We have generated near-transform-limited picosecond pulses(ΔτΔν≈0.45) from a gain-switched diode laser using periodic and chirped fiber Bragg gratings. This configuration reduced the spectral bandwidth from 11 to 0.08 nm and the pulse duration was reduced, from 30 to<18 ps. Average and peak powers of 27 and 770 mW, respectively, were obtained.

Revealing statistical properties of quasi-CW fibre lasers in bandwidth-limited measurements

We introduce a general technique how to reveal in experiments of limited electrical bandwidth which is lower than the optical bandwidth of the optical signal under study, whether the statistical properties of the light source obey Gaussian distribution or mode correlations do exist. To do that one needs to perform measurements by decreasing the measurement bandwidth. We develop a simple model of bandwidth-limited measurements and predict universal laws how intensity probability density function and intensity auto-correlation function of ideal completely stochastic source of Gaussian statistics depend on limited measurement bandwidth and measurement noise level. Results of experimental investigation are in good agreement with model predictions. In particular, we reveal partial mode correlations in the radiation of quasi-CW Raman fibre laser.