Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Research in Management Control: An Overview of its Development

SUMMARY This paper builds on a series of earlier reviews of the management control literature (Giglioni and Bedeian, 1974; Hofstede, 1968; Merchant and Simons, 1986; Parker, 1986) and considers the development of the management control literature in the context of organizational theories. Early themes which have provided the roots for the development of the subject area are explored as is more recent work which has evolved both as a continuation and a reaction against them, with Scott's (1981) framework being used to organize this literature. It is argued that one of the unintended consequences of the influential work of Robert Anthony (1965) has been a restriction of the subject to an accounting-based framework and that this focus needs to be broadened. The review points to the potential of the subject as a integrating theme for the practice and research of management and some themes for future research are suggested.
Multi-agent search strategy based on digital pheromones for UAVs

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are steadily replacing conventional manned aerial vehicles in multitude of tasks. Many of those tasks can be performed more efficiently by using a coordination between a team of UAVs rather than a single UAV. In this paper problem of cooperative area coverage using team of UAVs is addressed. Digital pheromones are used to convey information about search area. UAVs communicate indirectly by depositing and sensing digital pheromones which exist in pheromone map. Two approaches for path planning using pheromone maps are proposed. First approach is based on genetic algorithm, whereas second one relies on roulette wheel selection. Both approaches are evaluated in terms of distance required to cover given percentage of the area.
Multiplication free holographic coding

Holographic coding has the very appealing property of obtaining partial information on data, from any part of the coded information. We present holographic coding schemes based on the Walsh orthogonal codes. The schemes use only addition for coding and decoding. We propose randomizing the data so that the value of the coefficient of the Walsh code will be approximately distributed normally to ensure, with high probability, a fixed gain of information. The data is xored with randomly chosen bits from random data that has been stored during a preprocessing stage or pseudo-random data produced by a pseudo-random generator. We suggest schemes to cope with erasures in the scope of Walsh codes. We suggest parity based schemes to support the erasure correcting of the Walsh coefficient which can tolerate a bounded number of erasures without using multiplication. We then suggest a scheme based on Preparata use of discrete Fourier coefficients, extending the data with zeros. Lastly, we present a rateless erasure coding scheme.
A Profile of Latino School-Based Extracurricular Activity Involvement

Participation in school-based extracurricular activities influences educational success. Thus, it is important to depict a profile of school-based extracurricular activity involvement for a Latino student population that is marginalized in schools. This research uses the Educational Longitudinal Study of 2002 and logistic regression analyses to present a profile of the factors linked to participation in school-based extracurricular activities among Latino 10th-grade students. Results indicate that geographic characteristics, as well as immigration-related characteristics such as immigrant generational status and English proficiency, are pertinent factors in Latinos' participation in school-based extracurricular activities.
A Theory of Task/Technology Fit and Group Support Systems Effectiveness

The characteristics of a group's task have been shown to account for more than half the variation in group interaction. In the context of group support systems (GSS), the importance of task has been underscored by the recommendation that achieving a fit between task and technology should be a principle for effective GSS use. Although the body of group support systems research has grown in recent years, and experience with different tasks and technologies now exists, no generally accepted theory of task/technology fit has emerged. This paper develops a theory of task/technology fit in GSS environments based on attributes of task complexity and their relationship to relevant dimensions of GSS technology. Propositions to guide further research are developed from the theory.
Overexpression of CIITA in T Cells Aggravates Th2-Mediated Colitis in Mice

The MHC class II transactivator (CIITA) is the master transcriptional regulator of genes involved in MHC class II restricted antigen presentation. Previously we suggested another role of CIITA in Th1/Th2 balance by demonstrating that forced expression of CIITA in murine T cells repressed Th1 immunity both in vitro and in vivo. However, the results were contradictory to the report that CIITA functioned to suppress the production of Th2 cytokine by CD4+ T cells in CIITA deficient mice. In this study, we investigated the influence of constitutive expression of CIITA in T cells on Th2 immune response in vivo using murine experimental colitis model. In the dextran sodium sulfate-induced acute colitis, a disease involving innate immunity, CIITA transgenic mice and wild type control mice showed similar progression of the disease. However, the development of oxazolone-induced colitis, a colitis mediated by predominantly Th2 immune response, was aggravated in CIITA-transgenic mice. And, CD4+ T cells from the mesenteric lymph node of CIITA-transgenic mice treated with oxazolone exhibited a high level of IL-4 secretion. Together, these data demonstrate that constitutive expression of CIITA in T cells skews immune response to Th2, resulting in aggravation of Th2-mediated colitis in vivo.
Microbial profile and utility of soft tissue, pus, and bone cultures in diagnosing diabetic foot infections.

OBJECTIVE This study assessed the utility of pus, soft tissue, and bone specimens in diagnosing diabetic foot infections and the spectrum of the microbial flora and in vitro susceptibility to antibiotics. SUBJECTS AND METHODS This prospective study was carried out in 60 consecutive patients with diabetes having clinically infected foot ulcers. Detailed history, physical examination, and investigation were carried out to diagnose the presence of osteomyelitis and the microbial etiology of foot ulcers. Foot ulcers were classified as per Wagner's classification. Soft tissue, pus, and bone samples were obtained and cultured for aerobic and anaerobic bacteria, and antimicrobial susceptibility testing was carried out as per the standard protocol. RESULTS Causative bacteria were isolated in 55 of 60 patients, and 157 isolates were cultured from 117 specimens with an average of 1.34 isolates per cases; however, the number of isolates per specimen did not differ among the various types of samples (P=0.78). Pus and soft tissue had predominantly polymicrobial flora, whereas bone infections were monomicrobial. The isolates from soft tissue specimens were different from those from bone and pus in 57% and 54% of cases, respectively. The common bacterial isolates from 117 specimens included Escherichia coli (21%) and Proteus species (15.9%). Nearly 70% of Staphylococcus aureus isolates were methicillin sensitive. All S. aureus and Enterococcus isolates were sensitive to vancomycin. Susceptibility of Gram-negative organisms to ciprofloxacin was 50%. CONCLUSIONS Diabetic foot infections are mostly polymicrobial with Gram-negative predominance. Multiple sampling from superficial and deep tissues, including bone, when involved, yields more relevant information diagnostically and therapeutically.
Perioperative epidural analgesia for major abdominal surgery for cancer and recurrence-free survival: randomised trial

Objective To compare long term recurrence of cancer and survival of patients having major abdominal surgery for cancer. Design Long term follow-up of prospective randomised controlled clinical trial in which patients were randomly assigned to receive general anaesthesia with or without epidural block for at least three postoperative days. Setting 23 hospitals in Australia, New Zealand, and Asia. Participants 503 adult patients who had potentially curative surgery for cancer. Main outcome measure Cancer-free survival (analysis was by intention to treat). Results Long term follow-up data were available for 94% (n=446) of eligible participants. The median time to recurrence of cancer or death was 2.8 (95% confidence interval 0.7 to 8.7) years in the control group and 2.6 (0.7 to 8.7) years in the epidural group (P=0.61). Recurrence-free survival was similar in both epidural and control groups (hazard ratio 0.95, 95% confidence interval 0.76 to 1.17; P=0.61). Conclusion Use of epidural block in abdominal surgery for cancer is not associated with improved cancer-free survival. Trial registration Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12607000637448
Development of tunnel junctions with high peak tunneling currents for InP-based multi-junction solar cells

In this work we developed lattice-matched InAlGaAs tunnel junctions for an InP-based multi-junction cell. We discuss the design and modeling of the device architecture and present results from the growth and characterization of a range of test structures. The impact of dopant diffusion during the overgrowth of subcells on the performance of the tunnel junctions was characterized using both electrical measurements and SIMS. We investigated different structures to mitigate the effects of dopant diffusion and maximize the peak tunnel current, achieving a peak tunnel current of 28.9 A/cm2 using a bulk, double heterostructure design, compared to the baseline bulk device with a peak tunnel current of 2.3 A/cm2. We have also investigated a structure incorporating two InGaAs quantum wells to facilitate the interband tunneling via the confined electron and hole states in the quantum wells. This improved the tunneling current to 113 A/cm2 with only a small impact on the transparency of the tunnel junction.
A Hierarchy of Responses to Auditory Regularities in the Macaque Brain

Can monkeys learn simple auditory sequences and detect when a new sequence deviates from the stored pattern? Here we tested the predictive-coding hypothesis, which postulates that cortical areas encode internal models of sensory sequences at multiple hierarchical levels, and use these predictive models to detect deviant stimuli. In humans, hierarchical predictive coding has been supported by studies of auditory sequence processing, but it is unclear whether internal hierarchical models of auditory sequences are also available to nonhuman animals. Using fMRI, we evaluated the encoding of auditory regularities in awake monkeys listening to first- and second-order sequence violations. We observed distinct fMRI responses to first-order violations in auditory cortex and to second-order violations in a frontoparietal network, a distinction only demonstrated in conscious humans so far. The results indicate that the capacity to represent and predict the structure of auditory sequences is shared by humans and nonhuman primates.
More Gamma More Predictions: Gamma-Synchronization as a Key Mechanism for Efficient Integration of Classical Receptive Field Inputs with Surround Predictions

During visual stimulation, neurons in visual cortex often exhibit rhythmic and synchronous firing in the gamma-frequency (30–90 Hz) band. Whether this phenomenon plays a functional role during visual processing is not fully clear and remains heavily debated. In this article, we explore the function of gamma-synchronization in the context of predictive and efficient coding theories. These theories hold that sensory neurons utilize the statistical regularities in the natural world in order to improve the efficiency of the neural code, and to optimize the inference of the stimulus causes of the sensory data. In visual cortex, this relies on the integration of classical receptive field (CRF) data with predictions from the surround. Here we outline two main hypotheses about gamma-synchronization in visual cortex. First, we hypothesize that the precision of gamma-synchronization reflects the extent to which CRF data can be accurately predicted by the surround. Second, we hypothesize that different cortical columns synchronize to the extent that they accurately predict each other’s CRF visual input. We argue that these two hypotheses can account for a large number of empirical observations made on the stimulus dependencies of gamma-synchronization. Furthermore, we show that they are consistent with the known laminar dependencies of gamma-synchronization and the spatial profile of intercolumnar gamma-synchronization, as well as the dependence of gamma-synchronization on experience and development. Based on our two main hypotheses, we outline two additional hypotheses. First, we hypothesize that the precision of gamma-synchronization shows, in general, a negative dependence on RF size. In support, we review evidence showing that gamma-synchronization decreases in strength along the visual hierarchy, and tends to be more prominent in species with small V1 RFs. Second, we hypothesize that gamma-synchronized network dynamics facilitate the emergence of spiking output that is particularly information-rich and sparse.
Air Pollution, Smoking, and Plasma Homocysteine

Background Mild hyperhomocysteinemia is independently associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Air pollution exposure induces short-term inflammatory changes that may determine hyperhomocysteinemia, particularly in the presence of a preexisting proinflammatory status such as that found in cigarette smokers. Objective We examined the relation of air pollution levels with fasting and postmethionine-load total homocysteine (tHcy) in 1,213 normal subjects from Lombardia, Italy. Methods We obtained hourly concentrations of particulate matter < 10 μm in aerodynamic diameter (PM10) and gaseous pollutants (carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, ozone) from 53 monitoring sites covering the study area. We applied generalized additive models to compute standardized regression coefficients controlled for age, sex, body mass index, smoking, alcohol, hormone use, temperature, day of the year, and long-term trends. Results The estimated difference in tHcy associated with an interquartile increase in average PM10 concentrations in the 24 hr before the study was nonsignificant [0.4%; 95% confidence interval (CI), −2.4 to 3.3 for fasting; and 1.1%, 95% CI, −1.5 to 3.7 for postmethionine-load tHcy]. In smokers, 24-hr PM10 levels were associated with 6.3% (95% CI, 1.3 to 11.6; p < 0.05) and 4.9% (95% CI, 0.5 to 9.6; p < 0.05) increases in fasting and postmethionine-load tHcy, respectively, but no association was seen in nonsmokers (p-interaction = 0.005 for fasting and 0.039 for postmethionine-load tHcy). Average 24-hr O3 concentrations were associated with significant differences in fasting tHcy (6.7%; 95% CI, 0.9 to 12.8; p < 0.05), but no consistent associations were found when postmethionine-load tHcy and/or 7-day average O3 concentrations were considered. Conclusions Air particles may interact with cigarette smoking and increase plasma homocysteine in healthy subjects.
Statistical Beamforming on the Grassmann Manifold for the Two-User Broadcast Channel

A Rayleigh fading spatially correlated broadcast setting with M = 2 antennas at the transmitter and two users (each with a single antenna) is considered. It is assumed that the users have perfect channel information about their links, whereas the transmitter has only statistical information of each user's link (covariance matrix of the vector channel). A low-complexity linear beamforming strategy that allocates equal power and one spatial eigenmode to each user is employed at the transmitter. Beamforming vectors on the Grassmann manifold that depend only on statistical information are to be designed at the transmitter to maximize the ergodic sum-rate delivered to the two users. Toward this goal, the beamforming vectors are first fixed and a closed-form expression is obtained for the ergodic sum-rate in terms of the covariance matrices of the links. This expression is nonconvex in the beamforming vectors ensuring that the classical Lagrange multiplier technique is not applicable. Despite this difficulty, the optimal solution to this problem is shown to be the same as the solution to the maximization of an appropriately defined average signal-to-interference and noise ratio metric for each user. This solution is the dominant generalized eigenvector of a pair of positive-definite matrices where the first matrix is the covariance matrix of the forward link and the second is an appropriately designed “effective” interference covariance matrix. In this sense, our work is a generalization of optimal signalling along the dominant eigenmode of the transmit covariance matrix in the single-user case. Finally, the ergodic sum-rate for the general broadcast setting with M antennas at the transmitter and M-users (each with a single antenna) is obtained in terms of the covariance matrices of the links and the beamforming vectors.
Silencing the center: local knowledge and imported model in learning disabilities

This qualitative study investigates the interaction between local and imported knowledges in a specific case of transnational importation; the whole‐sale importation of the American medical learning disabilities (LDs) model in Kuwait. A discourse analysis of the narratives of local educators at the only school for LDs in the country reveals a belief in the value of the imported model over their personal, experiential and cultural knowledge in the education of students identified with LDs. I conclude that importation needs to be a conscious act or the result would be the total loss of local culture.
Choice of Prizes Allocated by Multiple Lotteries with Endogenously Determined Probabilities

We study a class of interactive decision-making situations in which each agent must choose to participate in one of several lotteries with commonly known prizes. In contrast to the widely studied paradigm of choice between gambles in individual decision making under risk in which the probabilities of the prizes are given, the probability of winning a prize in each of the lotteries in our study is known to decrease in the number of agents choosing this lottery. We construct the Nash equilibrium solution to this game and then test it experimentally in the special case where each lottery yields only a single prize. The results show a remarkable degree of tacit coordination that supports the equilibrium solution under the assumption of common risk aversion. However, this coordination is not achieved via individual-level randomization. Rather, the entry decisions of most of the subjects can be characterized by local adjustments to the outcome of the previous iteration of the same game along the lines suggested by anticipatory learning models.
Response to flumazenil in women with premenstrual dysphoric disorder.

OBJECTIVE The authors sought to determine whether the administration of flumazenil would induce marked panic symptoms in women suffering from premenstrual dysphoric disorder. METHOD Ten women with premenstrual dysphoric disorder and 11 comparison subjects were injected with flumazenil or placebo in a double-blind, randomized, balanced crossover design in a single session in the luteal phase of their menstrual cycles. RESULTS Flumazenil induced a much greater panic response in the women with premenstrual dysphoric disorder than in the comparison subjects. CONCLUSIONS These preliminary results are consistent with a dysregulation of the g-aminobutyric acid A/benzodiazepine receptor complex during the premenstruum of women suffering from premenstrual dysphoric disorder.
Are Analysts’ Cash Flow Forecasts Naive Extensions of Their Own Earnings Forecasts?

We examine the sophistication of analysts’ cash flow forecasts to better understand what accrual adjustments, if any, analysts make when forecasting cash flows. As a preliminary step, we first demonstrate that prior empirical tests used to evaluate the sophistication of analysts’ cash flow forecasts are not diagnostic. We then present three sets of evidence to triangulate our conclusion that analysts’ cash flow forecasts incorporate meaningful accrual adjustments. First, we review a stratified random sample of 90 analyst reports and find that the majority of these analysts include explicit adjustments for working capital and other accruals in their cash flow forecasts. Second, using a large sample of analysts’ cash flow forecasts from 1993-2008, we find that these forecasts outperform time-series cash flow forecasts in correctly predicting the sign and magnitude of accruals. Finally, we find a significant market reaction to analysts’ cash flow forecast revisions, suggesting that investors find these revisions informative. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that analysts’ cash flow forecasts are not simply naive extensions of their own earnings forecasts, but that they reflect meaningful and useful accrual adjustments. These findings are relevant to researchers who examine analysts’ cash flow forecasts in a variety of settings, and to investors and practitioners who employ these forecasts for valuation purposes.
Autoestima, satisfacción con la vida y condiciones de habitabilidad en adolescentes estudiantes de quinto año de media. Un estudio factorial según pobreza y sexo.

The purpose of the present study was to explore the differences in self-esteem, satisfaction with life and habitability conditions in fifth year high school teenager students based in a factorial study by poverty and sex. Poverty was appraised by school type, because there are big breaches between poor and no-poor population in the district selected (La Molina). An anonymously and voluntarily self-reported questionnaire was used. The results shows that (1) about self-esteem, public school women had the smaller level, private school men had the highest and public school men and private school women were in a similar intermediate level; (2) about satisfaction with life, private school men had, again, the highest level, private school women had the second position and public school women and men had the smallest level with similar scores; finally (3) habitability conditions were better in private students and worst in public school students, this find reinforce the use of school type as a poverty indicator.