Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Competition and Cost Overruns. Optimal Misspecification of Procurement Contracts

Most cases of cost overruns in public procurement are related to important changes in the initial project design. This paper deals with the problem of design specification in public procurement and provides a rationale for design misspecification. We propose a model in which the sponsor decides how much to invest in design specification and awards competitively the project to a contractor. After the project has been awarded the sponsor engages in bilateral renegotiation with the contractor, in order to accommodate changes in the initial project’s design that new information makes desirable. When procurement takes place in the presence of horizontally differentiated contractors, the design’s specification level is seen to affect the resulting degree of competition. The paper highlights this interaction between market competition and design specification and shows that the sponsor’s optimal strategy, when facing an imperfectly competitive market supply, is to underinvest in design specification so as to make significant cost overruns likely. Since no such misspecification occurs in a perfectly competitive market, cost overruns are seen to arise as a consequence of lack of competition in the procurement market.
Bone marrow-derived circulating endothelial precursors do not contribute to vascular endothelium and are not needed for tumor growth

The mechanisms by which bone marrow (BM)-derived stem cells might contribute to angiogenesis and the origin of neovascular endothelial cells (ECs) are controversial. Neovascular ECs have been proposed to originate from VEGF receptor 2-expressing (VEGFR-2+) stem cells mobilized from the BM by VEGF or tumors, and it is thought that angiogenesis and tumor growth may depend on such endothelial precursors or progenitors. We studied the mobilization of BM cells to circulation by inoculating mice with VEGF polypeptides, adenoviral vectors expressing VEGF, or tumors. We induced angiogenesis by syngeneic melanomas, APCmin adenomas, adenoviral VEGF delivery, or matrigel plugs in four different genetically tagged universal or endothelial cell-specific chimeric mouse models, and subsequently analyzed the contribution of BM-derived cells to endothelium in a wide range of time points. To study the existence of circulating ECs in a nonmyeloablative setting, pairs of genetically marked parabiotic mice with a shared anastomosed circulatory system were created. We did not observe specific mobilization of VEGFR-2+ cells to circulation by VEGF or tumors. During angiogenesis, abundant BM-derived perivascular cells were recruited close to blood vessel wall ECs but did not form part of the endothelium. No circulation-derived vascular ECs were observed in the parabiosis experiments. Our results show that no BM-derived VEGFR-2+ or other EC precursors contribute to vascular endothelium and that cancer growth does not require BM-derived endothelial progenitors. Endothelial differentiation is not a typical in vivo function of normal BM-derived stem cells in adults, and it has to be an extremely rare event if it occurs at all.
An Objects-First Approach to Teaching Object Orientation based on objectKarel

In the last decade the departments of Information Technology have adopted the Object Oriented Programming (OOP) paradigm for introductory programming courses. In this paper we present the problems encountered when OOP is taught to novices and how the microworld objectKarel that we developed helps in dealing with these problems. The main part of the paper has been devoted to providing a description of a proposal for teaching the fundamental notions of OOP with the help of objectKarel and some preliminary results from its evaluation.
Improving deep neural networks with multilayer maxout networks

For the purpose of enhancing discriminability of convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and facilitating optimization, a multilayer structured variant of the maxout unit (named Multilayer Maxout Network, MMN) is proposed in this paper. CNNs with maxout units employ linear convolution filters followed by maxout units to abstract representations from less abstract ones. Our model instead applies MMNs as activation functions of CNNs to abstract representations, which inherits advantages of both maxout units and deep neural networks, and is a more general nonlinear function approximator as well. Experimental results show that our proposed model yields better performance on three image classification benchmark datasets (CIFAR-10, CIFAR-100 and MNIST) than some state-of-the-art methods. Furthermore, the influence of MMN in different hidden layers is analyzed, and a trade-off scheme between the accuracy and computing resources is given.
Motivational Factors, Entrepreneurship, Gender, and Parental Background: Evidence From the Tailor's Guild at Sunan Giri Traditional Market, Jakarta, Indonesia

Sixty nine entrepreneurs (tailor store owners) at Sunan Giri traditional market were surveyed on their motivational factors, gender, and parental background; whether they owned a business or not. Comparison was made on the basis of McClelland’s need for achievement, need for power, and need for affiliation. These variables linked to the parental influences and also gender. Result shows that: (1) males’ need for achievement is different from females; (2) males’ need for power is different from females; (3) males’ need for affiliation is different from females; (4) males’ need for achievement whose parents are also an entrepreneur is different from the other males whose parents are not an entrepreneur; (5) males’ need for power whose parents are also an entrepreneur is the same with the other males whose parents are not an entrepreneur; (6) males’ need for affiliation whose parents are also an entrepreneur is different with the other males whose parents are not an entrepreneur; (7) females’ need for achievement whose parents are also an entrepreneur is the same with the other females whose parents are not an entrepreneur; (8) females’ need for power whose parents are also an entrepreneur is the same with the other females whose parents are not an entrepreneur; and (9) females’ need for affiliation whose parents are also an entrepreneur is the same with the other females whose parents are not an entrepreneur.
Association between Traffic Air Pollution and Reduced Forced Vital Capacity: A Study Using Personal Monitors for Outdoor Workers

Background The effects of outdoor air pollution on lung function in adults are still controversial. Objective Evaluate the effects of exposure to different levels of traffic-generated PM2.5 on workers’ lung functions in São Paulo, Brazil. Methods To cover a wide range of exposures, 101 non-smoking workers from three occupations (taxi drivers, traffic controllers, and forest rangers) were selected for the study. After clinical evaluation, the participants were scheduled to attend four consecutive weekly visits in which they received a 24-hour personal PM2.5 sampler and had lung function tests measured on the following day. The association between the spirometric variables and the averaged PM2.5 levels was assessed using robust regression models adjusted for age, waist circumference, time at the job, daily work hours, diabetes or hypertension and former smoking habits. Results Relative to workers in the lowest exposed group (all measures < 25 μg/m3), those with the highest level of exposure (all measures > 39.6 μg/m3) showed a reduction of predicted FVC (-12.2%; CI 95%: [-20.0% to -4.4%]), a marginal reduction of predicted FEV1 (-9.1%; CI 95%: [-19.1% to 0.9%]) and an increase of predicted FEF25-75%/FVC (14.9%; CI 95%: [2.9% to 26.8%]) without changes of FEV1/FVC. Conclusions Exposure to vehicular traffic air pollution is associated with a small but significant reduction of FVC without a reduction of FEV1/FVC.
Community attitudes toward the reintegration of ex-prisoners

This study explored community readiness to support ex-prisoner reintegration; a sentencing objective requiring active community participation. Findings indicate the community support reintegration. Certain conditions maximised support. Abstract reintegrative policy was endorsed over personal involvement in ex-prisoner reintegration; ex-prisoners demonstrating an ability to be ‘redeemed’ and non-stereotypical ex-offender-types received greater support.
A pilot study of the efficacy of the POLARGEN® ultrahigh-frequency electric field (40.68 MHz) radiofrequency device in the treatment of facial contouring

ABSTRACT Background: Various radiofrequency (RF) devices are used to treat skin laxity and face contouring, but few studies have examined ultrahigh-frequency (UHF) electric field (40.68 MHz) RF devices. Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of a UHF electric field (40.68 MHz) RF device for skin tightening and face contouring. Methods: Ten patients each underwent four sessions of UHF electric field RF device treatment at 2-week intervals. Clinical improvement was evaluated with the patient satisfaction score using a six-point scale, and clinical photographs taken at every visit and 2 months after the RF treatment were assessed. Skin biopsies were obtained from one patient before the first treatment and immediately after the last treatment. Adverse reactions were recorded at every follow-up visit. Results: All patients were women with a mean age of 51.7 ± 7.2 years. The mean satisfaction score was 4.5 ± 0.9 immediately after the last treatment session. Cheek, jawline, and neck enhancement and tightening were apparent in all patients. Side effects were minimal, and there were no burns or major complications. Conclusions: The UHF electric field RF device was effective for skin tightening and facial contouring, without significant adverse reactions.
Investigating the Use of Duration-Based Moving Windows to Improve Software Effort Prediction

To date most research in software effort estimation has not taken into account any form of chronological split when selecting projects for training and testing sets. A chronological split represents the use of a project's starting and completion dates, such that any model that estimates effort for a new project p only uses as its training set projects that were completed prior to p's starting date. Three recent studies investigated the use of chronological splits, using a type of chronological split called a moving window, which represented a subset of the most recent projects completed prior to a project p's starting date. They found some evidence in favour of using windows whenever projects were recent. These studies all defined window sizes as being fixed numbers of recent projects. In practice, we suggest that estimators are more likely to think in terms of elapsed time than the size of the data set, when deciding which projects to include in a training set. Therefore, this paper investigates the effect on accuracy when using moving windows of various durations to form training sets on which to base effort estimates. Our results show that the use of windows based on duration can affect the accuracy of estimates (in this data set, a window of about three years duration appears best), but to a lesser extent than windows based on a fixed number of projects.
Melanized halophilic fungi are eukaryotic members of microbial communities in hypersaline waters of solar salterns

Abstract Until recently, it was believed that microbial communities at high salinities are dominated exclusively by Archaea and Bacteria and one eukaryotic species, the alga Dunaliella salina. Recently, it became evident that melanized fungi, so far described only in the crystallization pond of Adriatic salterns within the season of salt production, can be considered as a new group of eukaryotic halophiles. They were represented by black, yeast-like hyphomycetes: Hortaea werneckii, Phaeotheca triangularis, Trimmatostroma salinum, Aureobasidium pullulans, together with phylogenetically closely related Cladosporium species. In the present study, the distribution of the melanized fungal population in five different evaporating ponds in the Adriatic salterns [covering the entire salinity range (3–30% NaCl)] was followed throughout the year. It appeared in three peaks, at 5–8%, 10–20% and 18–25% NaCl, which correlated primarily with high nitrogen values. At the highest environmental salinities, melanized fungi represented 85–100% of the total isolated mycobiota, but with lowering salinities they were partially replaced by non-melanized fungi and, at the end of the season, with NaCl concentrations below 5%, they were detected only occasionally. Melanized fungi have been isolated from hypersaline waters on three continents, indicating that they are present globally in hypersaline waters of man-made salterns.
A Low-Noise Quadrature VCO Based on Magnetically Coupled Resonators and a Wideband Frequency Divider at Millimeter Waves

Wireless on-chip processing at millimeter waves still lacks key functions: quadrature generation enabling direct conversion architectures and simplifying phased-array systems, frequency division with an operating range wide enough to compensate spreads due to component variations. This paper addresses the implementation of these functions, introducing new circuit solutions. The quadrature voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) relies on a ring of two tuned VCOs, where the oscillation frequency depends on inter-stage passive components only, demonstrating low noise and accurate quadrature phases. Prototypes, realized in 65-nm CMOS, show 56-60.4-GHz tunable oscillation frequency, phase noise better than 95 dBc/Hz at 1-MHz offset in the tuning range, 1.5 maximum phase error while consuming 22 mA from a 1-V supply. The frequency divider is based on clocked differential amplifiers, working as dynamic CML latches, achieving high speed and low power simultaneously. A divider by 4 realized in 65-nm CMOS occupies 15 m 30 m, features an operating frequency programmable from 20 to 70 GHz in nine bands and consumes 6.5 mW.
Relationship between Job Stress and Turnover of Registered Nurses in a University Hospital

Objectives: This study was performed to investigate the relationship between job stress and the type of turnover of registered nurses in a university hospital. Methods: A total of 553 registered nurses who left the hospital between 1994 and 2005 were surveyed, and aninterview record and self-administered questionnaire completed at the time of the turnover were used to assess the relationship. Job stress was categorized into four sub-scales (factor Ⅰ: insufficient work authority and lack of autonomy, factor Ⅱ: work overload and time urgency, factor Ⅲ: interpersonal conflict and communication problems, and factor Ⅳ: role strain and ambiguity) using factor analysis. The type of turnover was classified into two categories: voluntary and involuntary. SPSS (version 11.0) was used for the statistical analyses. Results: The direct cause of the turnover was getting a new job, and the nurses in the voluntary turnover group were younger and less experienced than those in the involuntary turnover group. The discriminant analysis findings indicated that the determinant factors affecting the type of turnover were marital status, factor Ⅰ (insufficient work authority and lack of autonomy), factor Ⅱ (work overload and time urgency), educational background, and the intention to get a new job. Meanwhile, the voluntary turnover was associated with marital status (single), insufficient work authority and lack of autonomy, high educational background, the intention to get a new job, and low work overload and time urgency. Conclusions: Job stress played a crucial role in the turnover of the registered nurses, and some job stressors such as insufficient work authority and lack of autonomy, work overload and time urgency were more related to the type of turnover. These results confirm the necessity for a management program or job redesign to eliminate or reduce job stressors which lead to turnover such as insufficient work authority, lack of autonomy, work overload and time urgency. Furthermore, greater opportunities need to be provided for developing their careers. Finally, further research is required to elucidate the specific job stressors affecting the turnover of registered nurses.
A resource-based approach to performance and competition : An overview of the connections between resources and competition

This paper extends the resource-based view of the firm to give an overview of the connections between resources and competition. Specifically, it develops a conceptual framework explaining competitive advantage and performance that incorporate the resource-based view of the firm and Porter? s approach to competitive environment. On the basis of this framework, it shows how firms compete for resources and may use their resources to compete.
Surgical treatment of spinal cord astrocytomas of childhood. A series of 19 patients.

✓ This report describes the first author's surgical experience with a series of 19 consecutive cases of spinal cord astrocytoma treated over the past 2 years, with a follow-up period of 6 to 24 months. The clinical presentation, neurodiagnostic investigation, surgical technique, and results are analyzed. The authors conclude that radical resection (gross total removal of the tumor) is the optimal therapeutic option.
Sensitivity of MCMI-III Scales T (drugs) and B (alcohol) in detecting substance abuse.

The sensitivity and specificity of MCMI-III Scales T (drug dependence) and B (alcohol dependence) were evaluated with patients (N = 164) in an inpatient substance user treatment program. The sensitivity levels of these two scales improved significantly compared to previous research using the MCMI I and MCMI II Scales T and B, which had not achieved sensitivity values above . 50. However, specificity for detecting alcoholism among drug misusers was lower compared to MCMI I and II studies. Results suggest improved diagnostic sensitivity with the MCMI-III in diagnosing substance misuse, but lowered efficiency in ruling out the disorder.
Effects of Social Support and Self-Efficacy on Maternal Prenatal Cares Among the First-Time Pregnant Women, Iranshahr, Iran

Objective: Social support and perceived self-efficacy affect health-related behaviors and play an important role on mothers' adaptability with pregnancy. This paper aims to study the impact of educational interventions based on social support and perceived self-efficacy on maternal prenatal care. Materials and methods: The present study is a before after experimental study in which 90 first-time pregnant women were randomly selected and divided into two 45- participants experimental and control groups. Data were collected from 21 January to 20 May 2016. Determining the validity and reliability of the questionnaire, we used the panel of experts and Cronbach's alpha. The data collected from the two groups were compared before and 3 months after intervention and were analyzed by SPSS 18. Results: Unlike the control subjects, there was a significant difference in maternal prenatal cares before and after an educational intervention between the scores of social support and perceived self-efficacy in the experimental group (p < 0.05). Before intervention, the average score of the experimental group was 12.62 ± 2.63 that rose to 17.71 ± 1.56, three months after the educational intervention, which is statistically significant (p < 0.05). There was a direct and positive relation between self-efficacy and maternal prenatal cares (p = 0.000, r = 0.538). Social support and self-efficacy predicted the variance of maternal cares by 69.2%. Conclusion: Developing an educational program based on social support and perceived self-efficacy on maternal prenatal cares is helpful and efficient. The health system, family and society are in charge of making facilities and opportunities to improve social support and perceived self-efficacy in pregnant women, resulting in improved maternal prenatal cares.
Profile of non-accidental childhood injury at a tertiary hospital in south-west Nigeria.

BACKGROUND Injury threatens children lives worldwide. Most studies from Nigeria have been on accidental injuries in children. OBJECTIVES To study the profile of non-accidental injuries among children receiving care at a tertiary hospital in Nigeria. METHODS Children with non-accidental injuries were serially recruited and studied. The Paediatrics Trauma Score (PTS) was tested against the outcome. RESULTS Non-accidental injuries accounted for 0.84% of all 5264 patients and 21.3% of the 207 injured. The case fatality rate was 6.8%. Physical abuse, sexual assault, drowning/near drowning, gunshot, poisoning and human bite caused the injuries in 68.2, 13.6, 6.8, 4.5, 4.5 and 2.3%, respectively. One-way analysis of variance and Tukey post hoc analysis showed that the mean PTS score of patients who died was significantly lower than the scores of those who were either discharged home or who discharged against medical advice (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION The burden of non-accidental childhood injuries was high in the study area.
A game theoretic approach to dynamic energy minimization in wireless transceivers

Adaptive transceivers can significantly reduce the energy consumption of a mobile, battery-powered node by capturing real-time changes in the communication channel. This paper proposes a game-theoretic solution to the optimization of the energy consumption in wireless transceivers. This is accomplished by dynamically adapting the modulation level of the transmitter modulator and the error correction aptitude of the receiver decoder with respect to channel conditions subject to specified average bit-error-rate and throughput constraints. Experimental results demonstrate energy savings of up to 15%.
The Role of Age and Social Motivation in Developmental Transitions in Young and Old Adulthood

Two diary studies investigated the role of social approach and avoidance motivation in important developmental transitions in young and old adulthood. Study 1 comprised a sample of young adults (N = 93, M = 21.5 years) who moved out of their parental homes. The sample of Study 2 consisted of older adults (N = 69, M = 76.95 years) who moved into senior housing. In both studies, participants reported their habitual social approach and avoidance motives as well as their daily social experience and subjective well-being over the course of 2 weeks. In line with the literature, social approach motives and age were related to higher subjective well-being, whereas social avoidance motives were negatively associated with subjective well-being. Time since the transition was an important moderator of the association between social avoidance motives and negative outcomes. With increasing time from the transition, the negative effects of social avoidance motives decreased. The positive effects of social approach motives remained fairly stable over time. Importantly, age did not moderate any of the associations between social motivation and outcomes. Results are discussed in terms of transition-related instability and age-related stability.
Optimal Integrated Ordering and Production Policy in a Supply Chain With Stochastic Lead-Time, Processing-Time, and Demand

This paper seeks the optimal integrated ordering and production control in a supply chain by minimizing the expected sum of material and product holding costs and demand backordering costs subject to finite capacitated warehouses. With the assumptions of exponential replenishment lead-times, exponential processing-times, Poisson demand arrivals, and at most one outstanding order with its size changeable at any time, it is shown that the optimal integrated policy can be characterized by two monotonic switching curves. The optimal ordering decision follows a set of order-up-to-point policies, while the optimal production decision follows a set of base-stock policies. Based on the monotonic and asymptotic properties of the switching curves, a simple linear switching threshold policy is proposed, which performs extremely well in the experiments. The key assumptions are then relaxed and numerical examples illustrate that the main structural properties of the optimal policy are preserved.