Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Restructuring the Employment Relationship

This masterly new study presents the first large-scale empirical analysis of the changes in British work experiences and employment relationships between the 1980s and 1990s. Drawing on the Employment in Britain surveya national survey providing the richest source of evidence to date about individuals' experience of employmentit examines the impact of new technologies, the emergence of new management policies, the changing forms of employment contract, and the growth of job insecurity on people's experience of employment. The authors focus on the implications these developments have for the ways in which skills and work tasks have been changing, the nature of control at work, the degree of participation in decision-making, and the flexibility demanded at work. They assess whether there has been a tendency towards either a polarization or convergence of employment experiences between men and women, and between occupational classes. They offer fresh insight into how the changing quality of work in recent years has affected employee's involvement in their jobs and organizations, the stress they experience at work, and the propensity for absenteeism and staff turnover. While the study provides strong evidence of a marked trend towards upskilling, the authors take issue with the argument that a new type of employment relationship is emerging, arguing instead that the restructuring of the employment relationship has, in fact, reinforced traditional lines of division in the workforce.
A Block-Based Pass-Parallel SPIHT Algorithm

Set-partitioning in hierarchical trees (SPIHT) is a widely used compression algorithm for wavelet-transformed images. One of its main drawbacks is a slow processing speed due to its dynamic processing order that depends on the image contents. To overcome this drawback, this paper presents a modified SPIHT algorithm called block-based pass-parallel SPIHT (BPS). BPS decomposes a wavelet-transformed image into 4 × 4 blocks and simultaneously encodes all the bits in a bit-plane of a 4 × 4 block. To exploit parallelism, BPS reorganizes the three passes of the original SPIHT algorithm and then BPS encodes/decodes the reorganized three passes in a parallel and pipelined manner. The precalculation of the stream length of each pass enables the parallel and pipelined execution of these three passes by not only an encoder but also a decoder. The modification of the processing order slightly degrades the compression efficiency. Experimental results show that the peak signal-to-noise ratio loss by BPS is between approximately 0.23 and 0.59 dB when compared to the original SPIHT algorithm. Both an encoder and a decoder are implemented in the hardware that can process 120 million samples per second at an operating clock frequency of 100 MHz. This processing speed allows a video of size of 1920 × 1080 in the 4:2:2 format to be processed at the rate of 30 frames/s. The gate count of the hardware is about 43.9 K.
Rosiglitazone Inhibits TGF-β 1 Induced Activation of Human Tenon Fibroblasts via p38 Signal Pathway

Purpose Transdifferentiation of human Tenon fibroblasts to myofibroblasts and subsequent deposition of extracellular matrix is a key step in the scarring after glaucoma filtration surgery. The p38 signaling pathway plays an important role in cell proliferation and differentiation, and its upstream regulators and downstream molecules are widely distributed in the eye. We aimed to investigate the role of p38 in the activation of Tenon fibroblasts and that of the anti-fibrotic mechanism of rosiglitazone in the modulation of the p38 signaling pathway. Methods Cultured Tenon fibroblasts were stimulated with transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1. Activation of p38 was examined by western blot analysis. Rosiglitazone and blocking of the p38 signaling pathway by SB203580 were used to antagonize stimulation by TGF-β1. Fibroblast motility was examined by wound closure assay; alpha-smooth muscle actin, connective tissue growth factor, and collagen type I were determined by qPCR and western blot. Expression and localization of alpha-smooth muscle actin were determined by immunofluorescence staining. Results Phosphorylated p38 was upregulated in fibroblasts stimulated with TGF-β1, and this effect was substantially inhibited by rosiglitazone. Proliferation and migration of fibroblasts were suppressed by rosiglitazone and SB203580. Expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin, connective tissue growth factor, and collagen type I were decreased at the mRNA and protein levels by rosiglitazone and SB203580. However, the inhibitory effect of SB203580 on transcription and protein expression was weaker than that of rosiglitazone. Similar phenomena were found on immunofluorescence microscopy of alpha-smooth muscle actin. Conclusions The p38 signaling pathway mediates the TGF-β1-induced transdifferentiation of human Tenon fibroblasts to myofibroblasts. Rosiglitazone can exert anti-fibrotic activity by interfering with the TGF-β/p38 signaling pathway and might be useful for modulating scar formation after glaucoma filtration surgery.
Impact of Sympathoexcitation on Cardiovascular Function in Humans Cerebrovascular effects of the thigh cuff maneuver

Panerai RB, Saeed NP, Robinson TG. Cerebrovascular effects of the thigh cuff maneuver. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 308: H688 –H696, 2015. First published February 6, 2015; doi:10.1152/ajpheart.00887. 2014. —Arterial hypotension can be induced by sudden release of inflated thigh cuffs (THC), but its effects on the cerebral circulation have not been fully described. In nine healthy subjects [aged 59 (9) yr], bilateral cerebral blood flow velocity (CBFV) was recorded in the middle cerebral artery (MCA), noninvasive arterial blood pressure (BP) in the finger, and end-tidal CO2 (ETCO2) with nasal capnography. Three THC maneuvers were performed in each subject with cuff inflation 20 mmHg above systolic BP for 3 min before release. Beat-to-beat values were extracted for mean CBFV, BP, ETCO2, critical closing pressure (CrCP), resistance-area product (RAP), and heart rate (HR). Time-varying estimates of the autoregulation index [ARI(t)] were also obtained using an autoregressive-moving average model. Coherent averages synchronized by the instant of cuff release showed significant drops in mean BP, CBFV, and RAP with rapid return of CBFV to baseline. HR, ETCO2, and ARI(t) were transiently increased, but CrCP remained relatively constant. Mean values of ARI(t) for the 30 s following cuff release were not significantly different from the classical ARI [right MCA 5.9 (1.1) vs. 5.1 (1.6); left MCA 5.5 (1.4) vs. 4.9 (1.7)]. HR was strongly correlated with the ARI(t) peak after THC release (in 17/22 and 21/24 recordings), and ETCO2 was correlated with the subsequent drop in ARI(t) (19/22 and 20/24 recordings). These results suggest a complex cerebral autoregulatory response to the THC maneuver, dominated by myogenic mechanisms and influenced by concurrent changes in ETCO2 and possible involvement of the autonomic nervous system and baroreflex.
A Meta-Analysis of Research on Hindsight Bias

We conducted a meta-analysis of research on hindsight bias to gain an up-to-date summary of the overall strength of hindsight effects and to test hypotheses about potential moderators of hindsight distortion. A total of 95 studies (83 published and 12 unpublished) were included, and 252 independent effect sizes were coded for moderator variables in 3 broad categories involving characteristics of the study, of measurement, and of the experimental manipulation. When excluding missing effect sizes, the overall mean effect size was Md = . 39 with a 95% confidence interval of . 36 to . 42. Five main findings emerged: (a) effect sizes calculated from objective probability estimates were larger than effect sizes calculated from subjective probability estimates; (b) effect sizes of studies that used almanac questions were larger than effect sizes of studies that used real-world events or case histories; (c) studies that included neutral outcomes resulted in larger effect sizes than studies that used positive or negative outcomes; (d) studies that included manipulations to increase hindsight bias resulted in significantly larger effect sizes than studies in which there were no manipulations to reduce or increase hindsight bias; and (e) studies that included manipulations to reduce hindsight bias did not produce lower effect sizes. These findings contribute to our understanding of hindsight bias by updating the state of knowledge, widening the range of known moderator variables, identifying factors that may activate different mediating processes, and highlighting critical gaps in the research literature.
Address-indexed memory disambiguation and store-to-load forwarding

This paper describes a scalable, low-complexity alternative to the conventional load/store queue (LSQ) for superscalar processors that execute load and store instructions speculatively and out-of-order prior to resolving their dependences. Whereas the LSQ requires associative and age-prioritized searches for each access, we propose that an address-indexed store-forwarding cache (SFC) perform store-to-load forwarding and that an address-indexed memory disambiguation table (MDT) perform memory disambiguation. Neither structure includes a CAM. The SFC behaves as a small cache, accessed speculatively and out-of-order by both loads and stores. Because the SFC does not rename in-flight stores to the same address, violations of memory anti and output dependences can cause in-flight loads to obtain incorrect values from the SFC. Therefore, the MDT uses sequence numbers to detect and recover from true, anti, and output memory dependence violations. We observe empirically that loads and stores that violate anti and output memory dependences are rarely on a program's critical path and that the additional cost of enforcing predicted anti and output dependences among these loads and stores is minimal. In conjunction with a scheduler that enforces predicted anti and output dependences, the MDT and SFC yield performance equivalent to that of a large LSQ that has similar or greater circuit complexity. The SFC and MDT are scalable structures that yield high performance and lower dynamic power consumption than the LSQ, and they are well-suited for checkpointed processors with large instruction windows
Palliative Care Services in the Community: What Do Family Doctors Want?

The views of family doctors on local specialist palliative care services such as hospices and home care teams and the needs of their patients were studied. Of 203 family doctors sent a questionnaire, 102 (50%) responded. Attempts were made to follow up a random sample of 42 non-responders by telephone interview. During the previous two years family doctors had referred a mean of 5.5 patients to inpatient specialist palliative care services. A further 4.7 patients had been referred to specialist palliative home care teams. During the same two years family doctors had cared for a mean of 2 patients during the terminal phase of illness without input from specialist palliative care services. Although many reports about the services were favorable, family doctors wished for improved communication and liaison from palliative care services, input for patients who did not have cancer, and improved out-of-hours access. The telephone survey of non-responders suggested that these doctors had lower levels of awareness of palliative care problems and services. The findings support the move by specialist palliative care services to extend their remit beyond cancer and to provide 24-hour care. They also signal a need for caution if primary care is to determine the development of palliative care.
Treatment of Major Depression: Effectiveness of Cognitive Behavior Therapy with an Internet Course as a Central Component

Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) is moderately effective for depression, but it tends to be expensive and inconvenient for clients. This article describes an attempt to provide more cost-effective and convenient treatment for major depression by using the Internet to provide the bulk of the treatment. Nine adults with major depression participated in the study, and six of these individuals completed the treatment. The clients who completed treatment received a mean of 3.7 individual sessions and showed substantial improvement, equivalent to similar individuals who received far more individual sessions in studies of traditional CBT for depression. The results suggest that it is feasible, at least with some clients, to use the Internet to provide a major part of CBT for depression and to thereby minimize costs and inconvenience to clients.
Intelligence-Led Policing

The capacity of police organizations to adopt innovative practices is poorly understood. This article compares and contrasts the uptake of one particular innovation: intelligence-led policing (ILP), in New Zealand, using a survey of 286 officers and 32 depth interviews to explore police attitudes and perceptions of the organizational factors influencing the adoption of ILP. We found that leadership and effective use of technology were critical to initiating and sustaining innovation. We conclude with a discussion of how police departments might best plan for and execute the adoption of new, innovative approaches to crime control.
Comparison of Lichtenstein inguinal hernia repair with the tension-free Desarda technique: a clinical audit and review of the literature

Ours was a retrospective chart review of all elective open inguinal hernia repairs performed in a single unit at King Edward VIII Hospital, South Africa over an 18-month period. Comparison was made regarding duration of operation, length of hospital stay and complications such as pain, haematoma formation and recurrence between the Lichtenstein and Desarda techniques. The latter was noted to have a shorter operative time and avoided cost and possible complications of mesh usage, which are significant in resource-deprived settings. A larger comparative study with longer follow-up is needed to evaluate the wider suitability of the Desarda repair.
Aggregated priority queueing as an efficient queueing mechanism to overcome effects of self-similarity

Differentiated Services (DiffServ) architecture is based on aggregation of traffic and, unlike the Integrated Services (lntServ) the resources are not reserved on a per flow basis. One of the current research issues is the provision of Quality of Service (QoS) guarantees to real time traffic in the DiffServ environment. The idea here is to achieve these guarantees without per flow resource allocation while safeguarding the best effort traffic from extremely high delays. The self-similar nature of Internet traffic that results in burstiness and very high delays has been identified in the recent past. The problem at hand is, what packet-scheduling scheme can be used to minimise delay to reasonable limits and the levels of control to be applied on the aggregated traffic to achieve such limits. We propose a class based aggregated Priority Queue with Lower Real time Traffic Utilisation (PQ-LRTU) as a packet-scheduling scheme that is capable of providing statistical delay guarantees for DiffServ networks. Since only a real time traffic utilization threshold is maintained at the entrance to the network to control traffic, it provides a simple mechanism. Overall queue efficiency is achieved by using different levels of delay tolerable lower priority traffic.
“Biodiversity and International Tourism: A Story of Comparative Advantage”#

We analyze whether biodiversity is increasing the receipts of tourism and thus is beneficial for developing countries (DCs). The underlying assumption is that a rich biodiversity provides a comparative advantage for most DCs. We use a simple trade theory framework. The model is supported by an empirical analysis. The main findings are that first DCs, being abundant of biodiversity, seem to have a comparative advantage in (sustainable) tourism, that second inci- dence of birds as the probably best explored taxonomic group has a positive impact on inbound tourism receipts per cap- ita, and that third the rate of endangered to total birds is negatively influencing tourism receipts. We draw some cautious policy conclusions.
Teachers’ attitudes towards inclusion in high schools

This study investigated the attitudes of secondary teachers to inclusion in schools. Three hundred and ninety-one teaching and management-level staff from 19 mainstream and 6 special schools in one local authority in Scotland completed a survey. Overall, teaching staff were pro-inclusion, conditional on adequate support and resources. There was a significant gender difference, with female teachers being more inclusive than their male colleagues. Head Teachers (School Principals) were the most inclusive group overall, followed by Deputy Head Teachers (Vice-Principals). Both were significantly more inclusive than teachers. There was no significant difference between practical and non-practical subjects, but there were differences between departments, with the Special Needs/Support for Learning department being the most inclusive. After the first year in teaching, there was a significant negative change in the attitude towards inclusion. However, length of service was not a significant factor in attitude. Whilst 68% of teachers indicated that they had no qualification in special education, studying for a module in special education after qualifying had a significantly positive impact on attitudes to inclusion. These findings suggest that inclusive education policies have to be more in tune with the views of practising teachers in order to work effectively. Suggestion is also made of the importance of studying inclusive education effectively at the teacher-training stage, and this finding has implications for how institutions prioritise inclusive education.
Aggregating Imprecise Probabilistic Knowledge

The problem of aggregating two or more sources of information containing knowledge about a same domain is considered. We propose an aggregation rule for the case where the available information is modeled by coherent lower previsions, corresponding to convex sets of probability mass functions. The consistency between aggregated beliefs and sources of information is discussed. A closed formula, which specializes our rule to a particular class of models, is also derived. Finally, an alternative ex planation of Zadeh’s paradox is provided.
Teachers` Attitudes Towards Gifted Students and Differences in Attitudes Regarding the Years of Teaching

Abstract Attitudes help us understand teachers’ relationship towards gifted students and they influence teachers’ practice, which can eventually determine the development of the gifted. The aim of this study was to examine the teachers' attitudes towards gifted students and some forms of work with gifted children in school, such as acceleration and ability grouping; as well as to determine whether teachers differ in their attitudes depending on the years of experience. The study was conducted on a sample of 209 class teachers in the area of Brod-Posavina county. The results showed that primary school teachers have positive attitudes towards the needs, support and social value of gifted students but express ambivalent attitudes towards the acceleration, ability grouping and concern that the special treatment of the gifted could have negative consequences. Statistically significant differences were established for certain statements among teachers depending on their years of teaching. Key words: ability grouping; acceleration; attitudes; gifted students; primary school teachers; years of teaching --- Sažetak Stavovi nam pomažu u razumijevanju odnosa ucitelja prema darovitim ucenicima te utjecu na njihovu nastavnu praksu, sto u konacnici može odrediti njihov razvoj. Cilj je ovog istraživanja bio ispitati stavove ucitelja razredne nastave prema darovitim ucenicima i nekim oblicima rada s darovitima u skoli poput akceleracije i grupiranja prema sposobnostima, te utvrditi razlikuju li se ucitelji u svojim stavovima s obzirom na godine radnog staža. Istraživanje je provedeno na uzorku od 209 ucitelja razredne nastave s podrucja Brodsko-posavske županije. Rezultati su pokazali da ucitelji imaju pozitivne stavove prema potrebama, podrsci i drustvenoj vrijednosti darovitih, no iskazuju neutralne stavove prema akceleraciji, grupiranju prema sposobnostima i bojazni da bi poseban tretman darovitih mogao imati negativne posljedice. Utvrđene su statisticki znacajne razlike na pojedinim tvrdnjama između ucitelja s najmanje radnog staža u odnosu na starije kolege. Kljucne rijeci: akceleracija; daroviti ucenici; grupiranje prema sposobnostima; stavovi; staž; ucitelji razredne nastave
Effects of an extended version of the lee silverman voice treatment on voice and speech in Parkinson's disease.

PURPOSE The present study examined vocal SPL, voice handicap, and speech characteristics in Parkinson's disease (PD) following an extended version of the Lee Silverman Voice Treatment (LSVT), to help determine whether current treatment dosages can be altered without compromising clinical outcomes. METHOD Twelve participants with idiopathic PD received the extended treatment version (LSVT-X), similar to LSVT except that it was administered twice a week in 1-hr sessions over 8 weeks and required substantially more home practice. Recordings were made in a sound-treated booth immediately before and after treatment, and again 6 months later. Vocal SPL was measured for 4 different tasks and compared with data from a previous study, in which participants with PD received traditional LSVT 4 times a week for 4 weeks. Listener ratings were conducted with audio samples from both studies, using sentence pairs from a standard passage. LSVT-X participants completed the Voice Handicap Index (VHI) before each set of recordings. RESULTS Participants receiving LSVT-X significantly increased vocal SPL by 8 dB after treatment and maintained increased vocal SPL by 7.2 dB at 6 months. VHI scores improved for 25% of the LSVT-X participants following treatment, and listener ratings indicated audible improvement in speech. CONCLUSIONS LSVT-X successfully increased vocal SPL (which was consistent with improvements following traditional LSVT), decreased perceived voice handicap, and improved functional speech in individuals with PD. Further large-scale research is required to truly establish LSVT-X efficacy.
Cooperative DNA‐binding by Bicoid provides a mechanism for threshold‐dependent gene activation in the Drosophila embryo

The Bicoid morphogen directs pattern formation along the anterior–posterior (A–P) axis of the Drosophila embryo. Bicoid is distributed in a concentration gradient that decreases exponentially from the anterior pole, however, it transcribes target genes such as hunchback in a step‐function‐like pattern; the expression domain is uniform and has a sharply defined posterior boundary. A ‘gradient‐affinity’ model proposed to explain Bicoid action states that (i) cooperative gene activation by Bicoid generates the sharp on/off switch for target gene transcription and (ii) target genes with different affinities for Bicoid are expressed at different positions along the A–P axis. Using an in vivo yeast assay and in vitro methods, we show that Bicoid binds DNA with pairwise cooperativity; Bicoid bound to a strong site helps Bicoid bind to a weak site. These results support the first aspect of the model, providing a mechanism by which Bicoid generates sharp boundaries of gene expression. However, contrary to the second aspect of the model, we find no significant difference between the affinity of Bicoid for the anterior gene hunchback and the posterior gene knirps. We propose, instead, that the arrangement of Bicoids bound to the target gene presents a unique signature to the transcription machinery that, in combination with overall affinity, regulates the extent of gene transcription along the A–P axis.