Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Observed Leadership Potential of Personnel in a Team Setting: Big Five Traits and Proximal Factors as Predictors

The authors explored implications of Big Five traits and proximal factors for the observed leadership potential of personnel in newly formed teams. Big Five traits were designated as distal factors having indirect links to observed leadership potential via three proximal factors: individual perception of team cohesion, team-oriented proactivity, and teamwork knowledge. Drawing from implicit personality theory, the authors introduced a team-leader personality profile as a higher-order construct for explaining covariation among extraversion, conscientiousness, and emotional stability. A structural analysis of data from 472 personnel supported hypothesized relationships. Specific findings included validation of a team-leader personality profile and preliminary support for the measure of team-oriented proactivity that was developed for this study. Implications of the various findings are discussed.
Joined-up Government: A Survey

This paper first identifies the varied meanings and objectives of joined-up government (JUG). Subsequently it explores the costs and risks involved, and briefly reviews some of the relevant academic literature. Having thus clarified the key concepts and situated the current fashion for a ‘holistic approach’ within the broader literature on co-ordination, the paper also considers a range of approaches to the assessment of progress with JUG.
Using drawings to assess self—animal perceptions

Abstract Exposure to pets and wildlife can help children develop positive attitudes toward animals, which can foster the development of empathy and ecological stewardship. However, geographical, logistical and economic restrictions limit opportunities for many youth to interact directly with live animals. Thus, educational interventions that utilize imitation animal artifacts rather than live animals, and which are effective in helping children develop an understanding of animals, present an important resource for educators. In the current study, the impact of a curriculum that employs imitation animal artifacts on children's perceptions of their relationships to animals was assessed. Third grade children's (n = 96) perceptions of their relationships to animals were analyzed by means of a drawing assessment tool. An analytic scoring rubric was used to assess three features of the drawings: Interactivity, Affect, and Realism. The combination of these elements was defined as the construct Self–Animal Perception. Change in Self–Animal Perception was assessed over time using repeated measures ANOVA. The curriculum intervention resulted in significant improvement in Self–Animal Perception scores relative to controls. The Self–Animal Perception construct and the drawing assessment tool utilized for measuring children's perceived relationships to animals are discussed.
Effects of experience and commercialisation on survival in Himalayan mountaineering: retrospective cohort study

Objectives To determine whether previous Himalayan experience is associated with a decreased risk of climbing death, and whether mountaineers participating in commercial expeditions differ in their risk of death relative to those participating in traditional climbs. Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting Expeditions in the Nepalese Himalayan peaks, from 1 January 1970 to the spring climbing season in 2010. Participants 23 995 non-porters venturing above base camp on 39 038 climbs, 23 295 on 8000 m peaks. Outcome Death. Results After controlling for use of standard route, peak, age, season, sex, summit success, and year of expedition, increased Himalayan experience was not associated with a change in the odds of death (odds ratio 1.00, 95% confidence interval 0.96 to 1.05, P=0.904). Participation in a commercial climb was associated with a 37% lower odds of death relative to a traditional venture, although not significantly (0.63, 0.37 to 1.09, P=0.100). Choice of peak was clearly associated with altered odds of death (omnibus P<0.001); year of expedition was associated with a significant trend toward reduced odds of death (0.98, 0.96 to 0.99, P=0.011). Conclusions No net survival benefit is associated with increased Himalayan experience or participation in a traditional (versus commercial) venture. The incremental decrease in risk associated with calendar year suggests that cumulative, collective knowledge and general innovation are more important than individual experience in improving the odds of survival.
[Entropy: a new method of measuring depth of anesthesia. Comparative study with bispectral index during clinical evaluation in tracheal intubation of patients anesthetized with sevoflurane.].

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Spectral entropy, a new EEG analysis method based on the quantification of EEG chaos, was developed to monitor anesthetic depth. The spectral entropy involves two distinct types of analysis: state entropy (SE), which includes low frequency signals (< 32 Hz), and response entropy (RE), which includes signals up to 47 Hz. This study aimed at comparing entropy-derived values to BIS-derived values and sub-cortical (autonomic and somatic) responses recorded during tracheal intubation in patients submitted to general anesthesia with sevoflurane. METHODS Participated in this study 36 patients ASA I, aged 20 to 44 years, assigned to four groups (G1-G4) of nine patients submitted to tracheal intubation (TI). In all groups anesthesia was induced with sevoflurane, associated or not to fentanyl, according to the following regimens: G1 = sevoflurane plus 2.5 microg.kg-1 fentanyl; G2 = sevoflurane plus 5 microg.kg-1 fentanyl; G3 = sevoflurane plus 7.5 microg.kg-1 fentanyl; and G4 = sevoflurane plus saline solution. The following parameters were monitored: SBP, DBP, HR, BIS, SE, RE, sevoflurane expired concentration (EC) and motor response to TI at three moments: M1 = immediately before induction; M2 = immediately before tracheal intubation and M3 = one minute after tracheal intubation. RESULTS BIS and SE values have linearly varied in all groups, with significant differences between M2 and M3 for Groups 1 and 4. At M3, BIS and SE values in G4 were above those for the threshold between consciousness and unconsciousness. Hemodynamic changes were not clinically significant, with the exception of HR increase between M1 and M3 for G4 (p < 0.05%). In G1, 66% of patients have reacted to TI maneuvers as compared to 100% in G4. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that sevoflurane alone or in association with 2.5 microg.kg-1 or 5 microg.kg-1 fentanyl does not effectively block CNS cortical and subcortical components responses during tracheal intubation, being sevoflurane plus 7.5 microg.kg-1 fentanyl the best association to control anesthetic components.
Academic cheating in Spain and Portugal: An empirical explanation

Despite its obvious interest and potential for concern, empirical research on the cheating phenomenon among university students has almost exclusively been carried out in the United States, usually covering only a few universities in a given region. Little is known about cheating in European universities, let alone the Iberian Peninsula. In this article we aim to contribute towards filling this gap by presenting evidence of this illicit behaviour in Portugal and Spain. Based on a survey of undergraduate students on Economics and Management courses, we conclude that there is a pervasive ‘culture’ of cheating in these two countries, reaching relatively high levels in universities. Using econometric techniques, which control for a wide set of variables likely to influence a student’s propensity to cheat, we found that Spanish students are relatively more prone to breaching the academic code of conduct than their Portuguese counterparts, and that the implementation of Honour Codes by universities constitute a promising approach in curbing cheating in academia.
On improved CS-SS image watermark detection over radio mobile channel

Recently compressed sensing or compressive sampling (CS), apart from its intrinsic applications of sub-sample signal reconstruction, is explored a lot in the design of bandwidth preserving-energy efficient wireless networks. At the same time, due to open nature of wireless channel, digital data (media) transmission needs their protection from unauthorized access and digital watermarking has been devised as one form of potential solution over the years. Among the various methods, spread spectrum (SS) watermarking is found to be efficient due to its improved robustness and imperceptibility. SS watermarking on digital images in presence of additive and multiplicative noise is studied a lot. To the best of knowledge, CS-SS watermarking in presence of both multiplicative (fading channel) and additive noise is not explored much in the existing literature. To address this problem, a wireless communication theoretic model is suggested here to develop an improved detection scheme on additive SS image watermark framework. System model considers sub-sample (CS) transmission of the watermarked image over both non-fading and fading channel. Then a diversity assisted weighted combining scheme for the improved watermark detection is developed. An optimization problem is formulated where the weight for the individual link is calculated through eigen filter approach to maximize the watermark detection probability for a fixed false alarm rate under the constraint of an embedding power (strength). A large set of simulation results validate the mathematical model of the diversity assisted compressive watermark detector.
The Cramer Distance as a Solution to Biased Wasserstein Gradients

The Wasserstein probability metric has received much attention from the machine learning community. Unlike the Kullback-Leibler divergence, which strictly measures change in probability, the Wasserstein metric reflects the underlying geometry between outcomes. The value of being sensitive to this geometry has been demonstrated, among others, in ordinal regression and generative modelling, and most recently in reinforcement learning. In this paper we describe three natural properties of probability divergences that we believe reflect requirements from machine learning: sum invariance, scale sensitivity, and unbiased sample gradients. The Wasserstein metric possesses the first two properties but, unlike the Kullback-Leibler divergence, does not possess the third. We provide empirical evidence suggesting this is a serious issue in practice. Leveraging insights from probabilistic forecasting we propose an alternative to the Wasserstein metric, the Cramer distance. We show that the Cramer distance possesses all three desired properties, combining the best of the Wasserstein and Kullback-Leibler divergences. We give empirical results on a number of domains comparing these three divergences. To illustrate the practical relevance of the Cramer distance we design a new algorithm, the Cramer Generative Adversarial Network (GAN), and show that it has a number of desirable properties over the related Wasserstein GAN.
The Relationship of Reading Comprehension to Critical Thinking Skills, Cognitive Ability, and Vocabulary for a Sample of Underachieving College Freshmen

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship of reading comprehension for underachieving college freshmen to their critical thinking skills, vocabulary, and cognitive ability. Three tests administered to 165 students enrolled in a remedial reading course at a large midwestern university were: (a) Cornell Critical Thinking Test Level Z (CCTT), (b) Developing Cognitive Abilities Test (DCAT), and (c) Iowa Silent Reading Test (ISRT). Each test took only one class period and was administered by the same examiner. A multiple regression analysis was employed in which the subscale scores of (a) literal comprehension, (b) reasoning in reading, (c) evaluation and appreciation of written materials, along with scores on (d) reading comprehension, and (e) critical reading comprehension obtained from the ISRT served as criterion variables. Seven critical thinking skills measured by the subscales from the CCTT; vocabulary measured by the ISRT; verbal, quantitative, and spatial cognitive abilities measured by the DCAT; and the five verbal cognitive abilities broken down into knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, and synthesis served as independent variables. The vocabulary subtest of the ISRT and all three subscales of the DCAT were important predictors of the various dimensions of reading comprehension ability.
Evaluation of the Hemostatic Effects of Ankaferd Blood Stopper During Dental Extractions in Patients on Antithrombotic Therapy

This study evaluated the early hemostatic effects of a novel hemostatic agent (Ankaferd blood stopper [ABS]) during dental extractions in patients on antithrombotic therapy, without interruption or diminution of the medication. In total, 25 patients, who are on antithrombotic therapy and in need of simple dental extractions, were randomized into 2 groups. In group I (control group), which consisted of 10 patients, local hemostasis was achieved with direct packing with gauze. In group II, which consisted of 15 patients, local hemostasis was achieved by the local application of ABS on the extraction sockets. The bleeding time was compared between 2 groups following the tooth extraction. The bleeding time in the dental sockets treated with ABS was statistically lower compared to the sockets of the control group (p = 0.0001). It is concluded that the dental extractions could be performed without interruption of the medication in patients on antithrombotic therapy. The ABS appears to be sufficient as an alternative hemostatic agent.
"Knowing" the Rules: Administrative Work as Practice

This article presents a theory of administrative work as practice. Building on a rich narrative of a mid-level administrator in the Dutch Immigration Office, four core elements of administrative practice are identified: contextuality, acting, knowing, and interacting. Taking cues from practice theory and ethnomethodology, the author argues that the visible aspects of administrative work (decisions, reports, negotiations, standard operating procedures, and-on a higher level of institutional abstraction-structures, legal rules, lines of authority, and accountability) are effectuations, enactments of the hidden, taken-for-granted routines: the almost unthinking actions, tacit knowledge, fleeting interactions, practical judgments, self-evident understandings and background knowledge, shared meanings, and personal feelings that constitute the core of administrative work. Taken together, contextuality, acting, knowing, and interacting make up a unified account of practical judgment in an administrative environment that is characterized by complexity, indeterminacy, and the necessity to act on the situation at hand.
Exploring Teachers' Knowledge of Second Language Pronunciation Techniques: Teacher Cognitions, Observed Classroom Practices, and Student Perceptions

This study explored some of the intricate connections between the cognitions (beliefs, knowledge, perceptions, attitudes) and pedagogical practices of five English language teachers, specifically in relation to pronunciation-oriented techniques. Integral to the study was the use of semistructured interviews, classroom observations, and stimulated recall interviews with the teachers and questionnaires with students. Findings reveal that the teachers' knowledge base of pronunciation techniques consisted mainly of controlled techniques—techniques strongly manipulated by the teachers and typically considered less communicative than other techniques. Of all techniques, guided techniques (semistructured) were the least frequently used, suggesting in part that the teachers' knowledge of how to incorporate guided techniques on a consistent basis with oral communication curricula may be limited. This article also includes discussion of three sets of beliefs held by some of the teachers: (1) listening perception is essential for producing comprehensible speech, (2) kinesthetic/tactile practice is integral to phonological improvement, and (3) pronunciation instruction can be boring.
Nigral and pallidal inputs to functionally segregated thalamostriatal neurons in the centromedian/parafascicular intralaminar nuclear complex in monkey

In primates, thalamostriatal projections from the centromedian (CM) and parafascicular (Pf) nuclei are strong and organized according to a strict pattern of functional connectivity with various regions of the striatal complex. In turn, the CM/Pf complex receives a substantial innervation from the internal globus pallidus (GPi). In this study, we demonstrate that the substantia nigra pars reticulata (SNr) also provides a massive input to Pf in monkeys. These pallidothalamic and nigrothalamic projections provide routes whereby information can flow in functional loops between the basal ganglia and the intralaminar nuclear group. To understand better the anatomical organization and the degree of functional specificity of these loops, we combined retrograde and anterograde labeling methods from functionally defined regions of the striatum and GPi/SNr to determine the relationships between thalamostriatal neurons and basal ganglia afferents. Together with previous studies, our data suggest the existence of tightly connected functional circuits between the basal ganglia and the CM/Pf in primates: 1) A “sensorimotor” circuit links together the medial two‐thirds of CM, the postcommissural putamen, and the ventrolateral part of the caudal GPi; 2) a “limbic” circuit involves the rostral one‐third of Pf, the ventral striatum, and the rostromedial pole of GPi; and 3) an “associative”circuit exists between the caudal two‐thirds of Pf, the caudate nucleus, and the SNr. An additional “associative” circuit that involves the caudate‐receiving territory of GPi (dorsal one‐third), the dorsolateral Pf (Pfdl), and the precommissural putamen was also disclosed. In conclusion, findings of this study provide additional evidence for the high degree of functional specificity of the thalamostriatal system through which CM/Pf may provide attention‐specific sensory information important for conditional responses to the primate striatum. J. Comp. Neurol. 447:286–299, 2002. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Pharmacologic Inhibition of Phospholipid Transfer Protein Activity Reduces Apolipoprotein-B Secretion from Hepatocytes

Phospholipid transfer protein (PLTP) plays an important role in atherogenesis, and its function goes well beyond that of transferring phospholipids between lipoprotein particles. Previous studies showed that genetic deficiency of PLTP in mice causes a substantially impaired hepatic secretion of apolipoprotein-B (apoB), the major protein of atherogenic lipoproteins. To understand whether the impaired apoB secretion is a direct result from lack of PLTP activity, in this study, we further investigated the function of PLTP in apoB secretion by using PLTP inhibitors. We identified a series of compounds containing a 3-benzazepine core structure that inhibit PLTP activity. Compound A, the most potent inhibitor, was characterized further and had little cross-reactivity with microsomal triglyceride transfer protein. Compound A reduced apoB secretion in human hepatoma cell lines and mouse primary hepatocytes. Furthermore, we confirmed that the reduction of apoB secretion mediated by compound A is PLTP-dependent, because the PLTP inhibitor had no effect on apoB secretion from PLTP-deficient hepatocytes. These studies provided evidence that PLTP activity regulates apoB secretion and pharmacologic inhibition of PLTP may be a new therapy for dyslipidemia by reducing apoB secretion.
Exploratory Study of Epistemological Beliefs of Hong Kong Teacher Education Students: Resolving conceptual and empirical issues

A survey study was conducted to investigate the epistemological beliefs of 352 student teachers of the Hong Kong Institute of Education. Schommer's 63-item questionnaire was used in the survey study with Schommer's 12 conceptual subscales as variables in Principal Axis Factoring (PAF) analysis followed by varimax and oblimin rotation. Three factors were generated with an eigen value of 1.00 as cut-off. Some features distinct from Schommer's studies were identified. The three factors were complex, with two to three subscales representing different dimensions loaded together. The subscale concerned with Omniscient Authority, which was not reported in Schommer's findings, substantively loaded in one of the factors. Social-cultural factors were suggested to account for the apparent differences in factor structure obtained in this study, with implications drawn for teacher education. Revision of Schommer's questionnaire was suggested to study epistemological beliefs for local context.
Business Process Variability Modeling

It is common for organizations to maintain multiple variants of a given business process, such as multiple sales processes for different products or multiple bookkeeping processes for different countries. Conventional business process modeling languages do not explicitly support the representation of such families of process variants. This gap triggered significant research efforts over the past decade, leading to an array of approaches to business process variability modeling. In general, each of these approaches extends a conventional process modeling language with constructs to capture customizable process models. A customizable process model represents a family of process variants in a way that a model of each variant can be derived by adding or deleting fragments according to customization options or according to a domain model. This survey draws up a systematic inventory of approaches to customizable process modeling and provides a comparative evaluation with the aim of identifying common and differentiating modeling features, providing criteria for selecting among multiple approaches, and identifying gaps in the state of the art. The survey puts into evidence an abundance of customizable process-modeling languages, which contrasts with a relative scarcity of available tool support and empirical comparative evaluations.
Distinguishing between transformational and servant leadership

Purpose – Although transformational and servant leadership has been in existence since the 1970s and theoretical assumptions about the differences began in the 1990s, this paper seeks to relate the first empirical investigation distinguishing between the two leaders, which was conducted recently by the first author.Design/methodology/approach – Through a review of the literature, the first author established 19 semantic differential scales and two self‐typing paragraphs to differentiate between the two leaders. The scales and paragraphs were formed into an online survey, reviewed by an expert panel, and distributed to 56 randomly selected contacts where 514 participants responded.Findings – Through discriminant analysis, five statistically significant (p=0.000) discriminant items were found that differentiated between transformational and servant leadership.Research limitations/implications – The paper proposes that the five statistically significant items revealed by the first author's research be brough.