Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Social structure and intergroup interaction: men and women of the federal bureaucracy

Questionnaire data from female employees in a large federal bureaucracy are analyzed to test two theories on the effects offemales' proportional representation in work groups on intraand intergender relations. In general, the data support hypotheses drawn from Blau (1977a) and Blalock (1967) which suggest that the proportional size of a minority subgroup is negatively related to its frequency of contact with, and amount of social support received from, the majority. In addition, female proportional representation is negatively associated with the amount of encouragement for promotion women receive from their male supervisors. Contrary to Kanter's (1977a, b) theory, token women are not found to face more severe organizational pressures than nontokens. However, it is suggested that the dynamics of tokenism described by Kanter tend to partially offset the negative association between female representation and the frequency and quality of male-female interaction patterns. Female representation is found to have significant, but counterbalancing, effects on mutual social support among female workers.
Prevalence and independent factors for gastroduodenal ulcers/erosions in asymptomatic patients taking low-dose aspirin and gastroprotective agents: the OITA-GF study.

BACKGROUND Although it is well known that aspirin causes gastroduodenal mucosal injury and that aspirin-induced gastroduodenal mucosal injury is often asymptomatic, the prevalence and independent factors for gastroduodenal mucosal injury have not been clarified in asymptomatic patients taking low-dose aspirin and gastroprotective agents. AIM To clarify the prevalence and independent factors for gastroduodenal ulcers/erosions in asymptomatic patients taking low-dose aspirin and gastroprotective agents. DESIGN Prospective observational study. METHODS We performed endoscopy in 150 asymptomatic patients taking low-dose aspirin and gastroprotective agents for at least 3 months. RESULTS Gastroduodenal ulcers/erosions were observed in 37.3% [ulcers (4.0%); erosions (34.0%)]. Univariate logistic regression analyses showed that proton-pump inhibitor (PPI) use was negatively associated with gastroduodenal ulcers/erosions [odds ratio (OR) 0.35, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.17-0.75, P=0.007]. A multivariate logistic regression analysis selected PPI use as the only independent factor for gastroduodenal ulcers/erosions (OR 0.35, 95% CI 0.14-0.86, P=0.02). None of the 53 patients with PPI use had any gastroduodenal ulcers, and 11 with standard-dose PPI use tended to have a lower prevalence of gastroduodenal erosions than 42 with low-dose PPI use (0% vs. 28.6%, P=0.052). CONCLUSION Gastroduodenal ulcers/erosions were observed in about one-third of asymptomatic patients taking low-dose aspirin and gastroprotective agents, and PPI use was a negative independent factor for gastroduodenal ulcers/erosions in those patients. In addition, standard-dose PPI therapy might be more effective in the prevention of aspirin-induced gastroduodenal mucosal injury than low-dose PPI therapy.
Charles A. Dice Center for Research in Financial Economics The Implied Cost of Capital: A New Approach

We propose a simple methodology to evaluate a large number of potential explanations for the negative relation between idiosyncratic volatility and subsequent stock returns (the idiosyncratic volatility puzzle). We find that surprisingly many existing explanations explain less than 10% of the puzzle. On the other hand, explanations based on investors’ lottery preferences and market frictions show some promise in explaining the puzzle. Together, all existing explanations account for 29-54% of the puzzle in individual stocks and 78-84% of the puzzle in idiosyncratic volatility-sorted portfolios. Our methodology can be applied to evaluate competing explanations for other asset pricing anomalies.
Multiple Problem Youth: Delinquency, Substance Use, and Mental Health Problems

1 Introduction. - 2 The Demographic Distribution of Delinquency and ADM Problems. - 3 Prevalence and General Offending/Use Patterns: The Joint Occurrence of Delinquent Behavior and ADM Problems. - 4 Age, Period, and Cohort Effects. - 5 Developmental Patterns. - 6 The Etiology of Delinquency and ADM Problems. - 7 Prediction of Delinquent and ADM Behavior from Other Delinquent and ADM Behavior. - 8 Summary and Implications. - References. - Appendix A Frequency of Alcohol Use. - Appendix B Mental Health Measures. - Appendix C Prevalence and Offending/Use Rates for Multiple Problem Types. - Appendix D Annual Transition Matrices for Problem Behavior Types. - Author Index.
Deep Temporal Sigmoid Belief Networks for Sequence Modeling

Deep dynamic generative models are developed to learn sequential dependencies in time-series data. The multi-layered model is designed by constructing a hierarchy of temporal sigmoid belief networks (TSBNs), defined as a sequential stack of sigmoid belief networks (SBNs). Each SBN has a contextual hidden state, inherited from the previous SBNs in the sequence, and is used to regulate its hidden bias. Scalable learning and inference algorithms are derived by introducing a recognition model that yields fast sampling from the variational posterior. This recognition model is trained jointly with the generative model, by maximizing its variational lower bound on the log-likelihood. Experimental results on bouncing balls, polyphonic music, motion capture, and text streams show that the proposed approach achieves state-of-the-art predictive performance, and has the capacity to synthesize various sequences.
High speed bit-parallel systolic multiplier over GF (2m) for cryptographic application

A bit parallel systolic multiplier in the finite field GF(2m) over the polynomial basis where irreducible polynomial generate the field GF(2m) is presented. The complexity of the proposed multiplier is compared in terms of area, latency and speed with the existing multiplier. The proposed multiplier has high throughput as compared with the traditional systolic multiplier. Moreover, this multiplier is highly regular, modular, and therefore, well-suited for VLSI implementation with fault tolerant design.
Organizational Antecedents of Role Conflict and Ambiguity in Top-Level Administrators.

December 1976, volume 21 This study explores factors associated with role conflict and ambiguity in top-level administrators in public agencies. Research is reviewed, on possible organizational and interorganizational antecedents. Despite the fact that toplevel administrators devote a considerable proportion of their time to relations with other units, interorganizational factors have not been included in models of role conflict. Data were obtained in structured personal interviews with 102 top-level county administrators. As demonstrated by regression analysis, interorganizational variables tended to account for the largest amount of variance in role conflict, and intraorganizational variables accounted for the largest amount of variance in role ambiguity. Interorganizational variables were stronger independent determinants of role conflict than intraorganizational variables were of role ambiguity.
Segmentation of Pulmonary Vascular Trees from Thoracic 3D CT Images

This paper describes an algorithm for extracting pulmonary vascular trees (arteries plus veins) from three-dimensional (3D) thoracic computed tomographic (CT) images. The algorithm integrates tube enhancement filter and traversal approaches which are based on eigenvalues and eigenvectors of a Hessian matrix to extract thin peripheral segments as well as thick vessels close to the lung hilum. The resultant algorithm was applied to a simulation data set and 44 scans from 22 human subjects imaged via multidetector-row CT (MDCT) during breath holds at 85% and 20% of their vital capacity. A quantitative validation was performed with more than 1000 manually identified points selected from inside the vessel segments to assess true positives (TPs) and 1000 points randomly placed outside of the vessels to evaluate false positives (FPs) in each case. On average, for both the high and low volume lung images, 99% of the points was properly marked as vessel and 1% of the points were assessed as FPs. Our hybrid segmentation algorithm provides a highly reliable method of segmenting the combined pulmonary venous and arterial trees which in turn will serve as a critical starting point for further quantitative analysis tasks and aid in our overall goal of establishing a normative atlas of the human lung.
A Big Data Clustering Algorithm for Mitigating the Risk of Customer Churn

As market competition intensifies, customer churn management is increasingly becoming an important means of competitive advantage for companies. However, when dealing with big data in the industry, existing churn prediction models cannot work very well. In addition, decision makers are always faced with imprecise operations management. In response to these difficulties, a new clustering algorithm called semantic-driven subtractive clustering method (SDSCM) is proposed. Experimental results indicate that SDSCM has stronger clustering semantic strength than subtractive clustering method (SCM) and fuzzy c-means (FCM). Then, a parallel SDSCM algorithm is implemented through a Hadoop MapReduce framework. In the case study, the proposed parallel SDSCM algorithm enjoys a fast running speed when compared with the other methods. Furthermore, we provide some marketing strategies in accordance with the clustering results and a simplified marketing activity is simulated to ensure profit maximization.
Crystal Structures of β-1,4-Galactosyltransferase 7 Enzyme Reveal Conformational Changes and Substrate Binding*

Background: The β4GalT7 enzyme participates in the synthesis of the linker tetrasaccharide of proteoglycans. Results: This study for the first time reveals the molecular interactions between a glycosyltransferase and its donor and acceptor substrates bound together in the same crystal structure. Conclusion: The enzyme follows an SN2 type catalytic mechanism. Significance: This study offers insight into substrate specificity and enzyme catalytic mechanism. The β-1,4-galactosyltransferase 7 (β4GalT7) enzyme is involved in proteoglycan synthesis. In the presence of a manganese ion, it transfers galactose from UDP-galactose to xylose on a proteoglycan acceptor substrate. We present here the crystal structures of human β4GalT7 in open and closed conformations. A comparison of these crystal structures shows that, upon manganese and UDP or UDP-Gal binding, the enzyme undergoes conformational changes involving a small and a long loop. We also present the crystal structures of Drosophila wild-type β4GalT7 and D211N β4GalT7 mutant enzymes in the closed conformation in the presence of the acceptor substrate xylobiose and the donor substrate UDP-Gal, respectively. To understand the catalytic mechanism, we have crystallized the ternary complex of D211N β4GalT7 mutant enzyme in the presence of manganese with the donor and the acceptor substrates together in the same crystal structure. The galactose moiety of the bound UDP-Gal molecule forms seven hydrogen bonds with the protein molecule. The nonreducing end of the xylose moiety of xylobiose binds to the hydrophobic acceptor sugar binding pocket created by the conformational changes, whereas its extended xylose moiety forms hydrophobic interactions with a Tyr residue. In the ternary complex crystal structure, the nucleophile O4 oxygen atom of the xylose molecule is found in close proximity to the C1 and O5 atoms of the galactose moiety. This is the first time that a Michaelis complex of a glycosyltransferase has been described, and it clearly suggests an SN2 type catalytic mechanism for the β4GalT7 enzyme.
English in an Arabic Environment: Current Attitudes to English among Kuwait University Students

Research was conducted on Kuwait University undergraduates enrolled in English courses offered by the English Language Centre at Kuwait University. It examined students' attitudes and motivations to learning English as a foreign language in a predominantly Arabic and Moslem environment. The research focuses on the inter-relationships between attitude, motivation, anxiety and achievement in the English language. Despite the studies (Al-Mutawa, 1986, 1994) that seem to show that Kuwaitis are not in favour of the English language and learning it, the researcher hypothesises that (1) Kuwait University undergraduates, in general, have positive attitudes towards learning English, towards the English language and towards native speakers of English. Students have reasons to study English; (2) Kuwait society values and regards the English language highly; and (3) students' achievement is positively related to their motivation and attitudes toward the English language and negatively related to their anxiety. In general, these hypotheses were vindicated by the research, which also found that the more a student is exposed to the English language, and the more a student needs the English language either for present studies or for future career, the more positive his/her attitudes appear towards the language.
Statistical Parsing with a Context-Free Grammar and Word Statistics

We describe a parsing system based upon a language model for English that is, in turn, based upon assigning probabilities to possible parses for a sentence. This model is used in a parsing system by finding the parse for the sentence with the highest probability. This system outperforms previous schemes. As this is the third in a series of parsers by different authors that are similar enough to invite detailed comparisons but different enough to give rise to different levels of performance, we also report on some experiments designed to identify what aspects of these systems best explain their relative performance.
Understanding prosocial behavior, sales performance, and turnover: A group-level analysis in a service context.

Une justification theorique est apportee pour analyser le comportement prosocial et le turnover volontaire au niveau du groupe. Selon l'hypothese, la cohesion du groupe et l'humeur positive du dirigeant seront correlees positivement a l'incidence du comportement prosocial dans les groupes de travail et negativement aux taux de turn over volontaire. De plus, l'importance accordee au comportement prosocial durant la socialisation initiale dans les groupes devrait accroitre l'apparition de ce type de comportement. Le service des consommateurs etait aussi sense etre positivement relie aux performances de vente
Hydroxyethyl starch reduces the chemotaxis of white cells through endothelial cell monolayers

BACKGROUND: Polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) play a tremendous role during inflammatory processes. PMNs have to pass a monolayer of endothelial cells to migrate into the extravascular space. Hydroxyethyl starch (HES) is frequently used as a volume expander in critically ill patients.
Swedish physical education research questioned—current situation and future directions

Background: Research on the school subject of physical education and health in Sweden has proliferated in the early part of the 21st century. Several large research programmes have been conducted that shed light on the history of physical education and health in this country and that provide a research-based description of the current situation in the subject, particularly with regard to teachers' and pupils' view of the subject and which activities dominate the lessons. Purpose: To review the main results of two of these research programmes, highlight some of the practical challenges facing people working with the development of physical education and health as identified by the research, and point to some of the research challenges arising from how the reviewed research was actually conducted. Findings: The reviewed research reveals an uncertainty about the subject's educational purpose. Teachers maintain that the main purpose of physical activity is to ‘have fun’ and the majority of pupils report a positive attitude towards the subject. However, those favouring the subject, mostly boys, are also members of a sports club in their leisure time. Both teachers and pupils have difficulties in articulating what the pupils are supposed to learn in physical education and health. Some of the pupils report that they are supposed to learn the skills and rules of different kinds of sports. Observation studies also confirm that conventional sports activities, particularly ball games, tend to dominate the subject in terms of the use of language heavily loaded with competitive sport connotations. Conclusions: The results of the research programmes highlight a number of practical challenges with regard to a physical education and health that according to the national syllabus is supposed to emphasize teaching and learning (for) health: what, more exactly, are pupils supposed to learn and what does a teaching that facilitates such learning look like, what does a teaching that is equitable for all pupils look like and what is the relation between physical education, sport and health? The results of the research also highlight a number of research challenges. Much of the research was carried out without an elaborated theoretical framework that emphasized the teaching processes and the relation between teaching and learning. In addition, most of the research was undertaken from a point of view considered alien to most physical education teachers. There seems to be a need for studies that aim to reduce the gap between theory/researchers and practice/practitioners. Finally, there seems to be a need for researchers to change focus from studying activities to studying learning outcomes.
Optimal voronoi tessellations with hessian-based anisotropy

This paper presents a variational method to generate cell complexes with local anisotropy conforming to the Hessian of any given convex function and for any given local mesh density. Our formulation builds upon approximation theory to offer an anisotropic extension of Centroidal Voronoi Tessellations which can be seen as a dual form of Optimal Delaunay Triangulation. We thus refer to the resulting anisotropic polytopal meshes as Optimal Voronoi Tessellations. Our approach sharply contrasts with previous anisotropic versions of Voronoi diagrams as it employs first-type Bregman diagrams, a generalization of power diagrams where sites are augmented with not only a scalar-valued weight but also a vector-valued shift. As such, our OVT meshes contain only convex cells with straight edges, and admit an embedded dual triangulation that is combinatorially-regular. We show the effectiveness of our technique using off-the-shelf computational geometry libraries.
Governance and Management

Maryland State Senate Bill 795 (1997), the legislation putting in place the reform of the Baltimore City Public Schools, called for significant changes in the governance and management of the school system. The changes required started at the very top with the establishment of a new board of school commissioners and a new relationshipbetween thecityschool systemand thestate.The legislationalsodesignatedkey leadership positions and prescribed reporting relationships. A requirement was specified for an overarching management tool, a Master Plan with annual updates, whichwould lay the foundationandprovidecontinuing focus foracohesiveseriesof reforms. Accountability was a major theme and a desired outcome. It was expected that a comprehensive monitoring system would be put in place that would allow the leadership to assess and make midcourse adjustments, as needed. The Office of Research, Evaluation, and Accountability (READ) was designated as key in providing this function. Finally, to support the reform effort, additional funds were provided above and beyond those that the system would normally expect to receive. In this chapter we examine the changes that occurred in governance and management, focusing on the 4 components identified earlier: the New Board of School Commissioners and key leadership staff; the Master Plan; the use of additional funds; and READ.
A study of persistent post-concussion symptoms in mild head trauma using positron emission tomography

Background: Complaints of persistent cognitive deficits following mild head trauma are often uncorroborated by structural brain imaging and neuropsychological examination. Objective: To investigate, using positron emission tomography (PET), the in vivo changes in regional cerebral uptake of 2-[18F]fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG) and regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in patients with persistent symptoms following mild head trauma. Methods: Five patients with mild head trauma and five age and education matched healthy controls were imaged using FDG-PET to measure differences in resting regional cerebral glucose metabolism. Oxygen-15 labelled water (H215O)-PET was also used to measure group differences in rCBF changes during a spatial working memory task. In addition, neuropsychological testing and self report of dysexecutive function and post-concussion symptoms were acquired to characterise the sample. Results: There was no difference between patients and controls in normalised regional cerebral FDG uptake in the resting state in frontal and temporal regions selected a priori. However, during the spatial working memory task, patients had a smaller increase in rCBF than controls in the right prefrontal cortex. Conclusions: Persistent post-concussive symptoms may not be associated with resting state hypometabolism. A cognitive challenge may be necessary to detect cerebral changes associated with mild head trauma.
Time Travel to a Possible Self: Searching for the Alternative Cosmopolitanism of Cochin

Cochin or Kochi is one of the few cities in India where the precolonial traditions of cultural pluralism refuse to die. It is one of the largest natural harbours in India and has also become, during the last fifty years, a major centre of the Indian Navy. With the growing security consciousness in official India, it has recently become less accessible to non-Indians, particularly if they happen to be from one of the countries with which India''s relationship is tense. Few mind that, for the city no longer means much to the outside world. To Indians, too, except probably for the more historically conscious Malayalis, Cochin is no longer the ‘epitome of adventure’ it was to Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi or a crucible of cultures, as it is to its former mayor, K. J. Sohan. For most, it is now one of those regional cities not quite up to the standard of India's major metropolitan centres.
The Role of Higher Education Institutions: Recruitment of Elites and Economic Growth

The aim of this paper is to examine the evolution of recruitment of elites and to investigate the nature of the links between recruitment of elites and economic growth. The main change that occurred in the way the Western world trained its elites is that meritocracy became the basis for their recruitment. Although meritocratic selection should result in the best being chosen, we show that meritocratic recruitment actually leads to class stratification and auto-recruitment. We analyze the consequences of stratification resulting from meritocratic selection for the development of a country, and show that these consequences are dependent upon the type of technological changes occurring in the country.